He was her devoted friend, or so she had always believed

Ever there whenever she had needed him in pain or relief

Inkling about his feelings true, she never did fully have,

For a mask he wore over whatever they closely shared;

But hungry eyed, silently he watched oft from the shadows

Giving in silently to those dreams that he in private wallowed

She belonged to someone else in mind and deed he knew

So he was someone to simply share laughter and worldly views

He wouldn’t marry you see, although it was long past due

She teased and prodded him to give someone his heart too

At long last he agreed, reluctantly, a bridegroom to be,

She rushed to celebrate and shower him with unbounded glee

But, looking deeply in her eyes he did something never done

As he gripped her hands in his tightly, and fused them as one

With his emotions stark bare, asked softly he for one small gift,

Would she please now part for him, one single kiss?

Confusion and dismay raced through her swift,

Although something within had once nudged her instinct

That this man with molten eyes, he kept so firmly veiled

Loved her as a woman more, and not just a comrade;

But they had so oft shared laughter, pain and healing time

Could she now give him what he asked, even if out of line?

To give would be erroneous, to withhold maybe worse

For through thick or thin, hadn’t he always been there for her

So a friend in love kissed a friend who simply cared

He smothered her as if his hunger he could not longer bear

She returned it tenderly, for all that he had to her long been

A friend, a shoulder, a loving, sharing human being;

But kiss they did and both felt finally a pent up release,

Years of yearning in him were finally laid rest to peace

He now owned a memory that would never for him fade

She paid her debt to friendship accumulated slowly over a decade.

~Glowing Embers~