I say goodnight,

kiss her cheek,

and pretend

it doesn’t feel

like guilt.

 

I try not to notice her smile fading

when she thinks I’m not looking.

 

She barely responds anymore.

Just nods,

like she’s already decided

not to bother.

 

We are alone driving

doing errands,

pretending not to care

that life is a new normal,

that our routine is just a show

filled with silence.

 

Because maybe I don’t want

to know for sure.

Because what do you do

when the person who raised you

starts to feel

like a stranger?