She sat on the bench
longer than she meant
to, watching the
afternoon stretch across
two paths that divided
beneath the trees. One
looked familiar, almost
too familiar; the other
looked like something she
had once wanted but had
learned not to name. A
single leaf landed in her
lap, ordinary and green,
and she suddenly felt
less like she had to
choose. The afternoon was
still wide. There was
time to be uncertain.