Today she told me
through gritted teeth,
that you found someone new
to take the place
that I held
for so long.
And,
I expected
the feelings
to cascade around me,
enthralling my body in loneliness.
I expected to feel my ribs
crack inward
towards the long abandoned pump in my chest.
I expected to feel my teeth clattering,
with the coldness
left in the wake
of your absence.
I expected to feel my stomach churn,
over the memories
still filling me.
I expected my eyes
to become icy,
overcome with the sadness
that so often
masks itself as anger.
I expected to feel my scraggy nails
pressing into the clammy flesh
of my palm,
where yours was wasn't.
I expected to feel my ears ring
because the laugher
you so often boomed,
was gone.
But instead,
I smiled genuinely
and said
‘Good for them’.