Spring

I wake up and the window is open.
"It's spring."
He smiles at me.
"It is. Do you want some tea?"
"No, I want to look at spring."

A.D holds me as I look through the window. I remember being six and my mother explaining to me what pollen was, after my teacher had told us about all the pollen in the air. Cherry blossoms in Normandy. Perfumed wind stroking your face.

I love spring.

I loved spring in Chicago, when the sun would be still be melting the snow on the street. I loved spring in Lyon when I ran in the parc and saw all the animals coming out of hiding, still in their bulky winter coats, shedding liberally. Spring in Berlin is so beautiful it breaks my heart.

And spring in Paris...All the pretty girls are wearing short skirts again.

"Let's go have ice cream for breakfast before you go to class."

And we ate our ice cream in a park, watching sleepily as kids fought over spades and shovels, talking nonsense and being happy.

"I love you."