When Smile Is a Shelter
They said you looked better today. Your laugh landed in the air like a coin in a fountain, everyone made their silent wish and walked away. They did not see how you rehearsed it in the mirror, tilting the corners of your mouth just enough to pass inspection, but not enough to crack. They did not feel how your bones grew heavy at midnight, how your thoughts swarmed in quiet corners, how the bed felt like both a rescue raft and a sinking ship. Loving someone through this is like holding sunlight in your hands, you can feel its warmth but never stop fearing it might slip through your fingers. More: https://peonymagazine.com/love-family/when-smile-is-a-shelter/