The Welcome

Because I was mad at you,

At what you had not said,

I left the ice cubes out to melt,

And didn’t thaw the chicken

Like you had asked me to.

I pretended to forget.

I pretended to forget you, too,

And walked through the park unattached,

Smiling at strangers.

I planned to leave you

To your freezer-burned dinner

And tepid drinks.

But I came home,

Late,

Footsore,

Tired of smiling,

And put a can of soda in the refrigerator door,

So it would be cold for you

Even though there was no ice.

When I returned,

you hadn't noticed I had gone,

but smiled as if welcoming me back.