All Smiles Until I Return -

She stands at the door, waving—all smiles until I return. It’s a promise she keeps without ever speaking it aloud. The moment my suitcase hits the hallway, her face becomes a shield: bright, unshaken, curated like a still life. No tremble in her lips, no weight in her eyes. Just warmth. Just reassurance.

But I’ve learned to look closer now. I see the faint redness around her eyes, the way her hug lasts a second too long. She thought she was protecting me. She didn’t realize she was teaching me what love looks like when it’s trying not to hurt. all smiles until i return

“All smiles until I return” isn't deception—it’s devotion. It’s the quiet agreement that my leaving will not be made harder by her breaking. So she laughs a little longer, holds on a little looser, and seals the grief beneath her ribs like a letter never sent. She stands at the door, waving—all smiles until I return