She ordered Acceptance
And as the waiter
Walked past me
With it
Covered up
On a tray
I could smell it
I. Could. Smell. Acceptance.

It smelt like…
Sniff…
Sigh…
Like Love.

Acceptance smells
Like Love
And what does
Love smell like?

Well…
Love smells like
A journey down
Loss, Pain, and Suffering
Also, joy. Yes, joy too
And delight. And wander
And surprise. And the most
Intimate mixture of
Being seen and being met
That you can ever imagine.

And now.
Right now.
This moment.
Can you smell that?
That’s what love smells like.

As the waiter returned,
Empty-handed
I touched them,
Ever so slightly
Covid and all,
And said,
I want what
She is having…

Double portion.