Unconditional
The last time I saw her she was leaving. It wasn't nearly time, but she said she was tired, and she was going just the same. But that's not the way I remember her. She was the only person to ever love me fully, loudly and unconditionally. From the day I came until the day she left, she wanted nothing but for me to be me, and she drank me up until I became part of her. In return she gave me herself, never holding back the tiniest bit of her. There were lots of things I didn't know back then but oh, how I knew that she loved me. When her car pulled up in front of the house I would squeal and take off running as fast as my skinny legs would take me. I'd leap into her arms as she kissed me all over my face and neck. I'd giggle and squirm as she transferred her lipstick to my cheeks and her perfume to my clothes, and she would keep on and keep on until I screamed for her to stop! Please stop! The box on my...