Late in the Day

In a daze, I saw the moon rise. It felt as if I had returned to the New Year when I had just married him. He took me out of the palace, and I covered his mouth. All I could see were his bright, clear eyes. His eyes were so beautiful, so beautiful that I felt I could see the sun, moon, and stars in them, along with mountains and rivers, the sun setting over a long river, and shallow grass brushing a horse’s hooves. I could even see my small self, dressed in white, on tiptoe with a hand over his mouth. I would never tell anyone, because when he said, “My eyes have only ever held you,” my heart beat so fast it felt ready to leap out of my chest. It was the most beautiful thing anyone had ever said to me.