3 Soft Notes

When I heard those 3 soft notes, all I could think was Him. A warm melody enveloping me in the haze of that night. The heavy stench of stale cigarettes. His eye catching mine from across the room. The two outliers, noticing each other outlying. Looking at another and seeing your own reflection. Calling my number as soon as I turned away. Laughter. His face upclose, now with a layer of stubble outlining the curve of his jaw, caressing my own. Playing the same calling game every time I left. Still laughing. Every word, crisp and clear, spoken over the phone during the year apart. Playful paint debates over text, with a compromise up on every wall. The constant ring from the phone after posting my ring online. The pain of suddenly being faced with a voicemail after trying to return a call made moments ago.

I quietly silenced my phone and prepared to give my eulogy.