The Moment

"The Moment"

It was a square-shaped room,
with large windows opening to the mountains.
Even in the sunlight,
a soft rain had begun to fall
like the sky was nervous too.

We met again,
hesitantly,
as if the moment knew it was sacred.
Your arms wrapped around me
like a pause in time,
holding me before words could.

An orchid and a bouquet of red and pink roses
lay quietly beside us
as if they, too, were part of our story.
The white walls of the room
watched us in silence,
so still,
they could hear the rhythm of my breath.

The fragrance of your ittar was spreading all over the room.

I curled deeper into your arms,

The scent of your ittar, and just then,

your lips brushed the side of my neck.
I swear, my skin awakened
each cell responding like music to a hidden chord.

Startled,
I looked up at you
half in surprise,
half in surrender.

Our lips met
but we didn’t kiss.
Not really.
We just stayed there,
still,
breathing the same air,
tasting the nearness.

No one said a word.
The room was wrapped in silence.
But inside that silence,
there was a storm.

I don’t know
if it was the sound of our heartbeat
or the rain on the window