Can't Say Goodbye

by Eden Finley

A long time ago, I would’ve said love was too hard. I would’ve said I’d never felt it. But as I take in my surroundings, the sterile hospital bed, my injured ass in a cast, the bouquet of flowers at my side, I realize this is what love is. It’s not about grand gestures or spouting bullshit sonnets of forever. It’s showing up when they need you. It’s taking care of each other and stepping up like Brady did for Kit when my chopper went down. It’s respecting each other’s careers and life goals, even if it means you have to be apart. What Kit, Brady, and I have is love.

“My dads had this epic love story. They publicly came out for each other, they paved the way for queer football players, and all the stories of them in the media, everything they showed me about relationships growing up, it almost seemed too good to be true. And every time I tried to have a real relationship in college with someone, I always felt like something was missing. I’d never experienced the thing that I’d been raised to believe was true love. I started to think it was all exaggerated in my head. That my expectations were too high. I thought true love meant having to settle for close enough.”

Rip it off like a Band-Aid. I do it and walk away, but as I do, I realize why I hate Band-Aids. They sting like a bitch.