When I first saw this prompt, I thought of words that set particular fates in motion. Yes, I could have turned a happier ending. Could have. Didn’t.

THE THING THAT CAN NEVER BE SAID

They danced around it
With rolled eyes
Dismissive shrugs
Overbooked schedules
After all, there was an event
A proclamation
A party
Everyone watched while they said
We do
We will
We are
What will they do about them?
We can’t
We won’t
We aren’t
Avoidance yawned in the California King
Most of the time
Years passed
One child
two children
All the attendant traditions
What will they do about them?
Weddings
Births
Holidays
What will they do about them?
Blessing after blessing fell on their marriage they wanted to leave
Little suffocations until
Time ran out