empty words, crossed fingers

desperate to avoid decisions,
he'll promise anything
with fingers crossed behind his back
and with a smile on his face,
he knows her world is in his hands
and there's only so much he can fake.
only so much he can swallow,
gulping down his lies,
and hiding insecurities
behind a scarlet curtain of a quickly fading facade,
that smile
has too many pearly whites,
let's just be real.
real enough to know the truth
and real enough to say it.
real enough to know our thoughts
and face uncertain futures.
conscientious of our fears of commitment,
but brave enough to try.
she's careful now,
tiptoeing lightly,
her heart no longer on her sleeve,
it's hidden now,
but hopefully not forever.
and there they stand, the two of them,
holding hands, back to back,
empty words, and fingers crossed,
two ends of a broken phone line,
he's indescribably charming,
but she's the one who's smiling now,
because she is
decidedly done.

-kb