'I know you meant to be kind,' she said, relenting, 'so you may give me a kiss.'
For a moment she had forgotten his ignorance about kisses. 'I thought you would want it back,' he said a little bitterly

I walked over to the hill where we used to go and sled. There were a lot of little kids there. I watched them flying. Doing jumps and having races. And I thought that all those little kids are going to grow up someday. And all of those little kids are going to do the things that we do. And they will all kiss someone someday. But for now, sledding is enough. I think it would be great if sledding were always enough, but it isn't.

The King moved to the door. We stood in our bare feet, wobbling slightly, goose-pimpled, still breathing out clouds of expectation like frost-breath.

“That’s all?” Clea said.

“That’s all, you ask? Yes, that’s all. That’s more than enough.”

“You’re leaving us here.”

“I am.”

He closed the door carefully, not slamming it. Clea and I waited an appropriate interval, then turned and clung to each other in a kind of rapture. Understanding, abruptly and at last, just what it takes to be King. How much, in the end, it actually costs.

forget that once we were just dust from heavens far
as we were forged we shall return, perhaps some day
I will remember you and wonder who we were

I had you.
Right there with me.
I had you living in my life
And I was alive.