Tillie Cole

The half-empty jar of a thousand boy-kisses.

“And my heart almost burst.”

“Our footprints in the sand.”

but the memories that make me feel better are the ones where your pawpaw kissed me. Not just everyday kisses, but the special ones, the ones where my heart almost burst from my chest. The ones that Pawpaw made sure I would never forget. The kisses in the rain, the kisses at sunset, the kiss we shared at our prom … the ones where he held me close and whispered in my ear that I was the prettiest girl in the room.”

I had to get to the cherry blossom trees. It was my mamaw’s favorite place. I wanted to be in her favorite place. Because I was sad that she was going away. Going to heaven.

Her real home.

“I’m your best friend too. And I’m not going anywhere. I promise. Forever always.”

“all of the kisses she got that made her heart almost burst. Mamaw said that his kisses were the bestest thing in the world. Because they meant he loved her so. That he cared for her. And he liked her for exactly who she was.”

“Poppymin! It means my Poppy. For infinity, forever and always. You’re MY Poppy!”

“I’ll give you a thousand kisses, Poppymin. All of them. No one will kiss you ever, but me.”

“That would be forever, Rune. To never be kissed by anyone else means we’ll be together forever, and ever and ever!”