A thousand Boy Kisses

… Kiss twenty-three, in my yard under the moon, with my Rune, my heart almost
burst … Kiss nine hundred and one, with my Rune in bed, my heart almost
burst…
Swallowing the intense emotion from my throat, I stopped when I saw a lantern
waiting for me on the side of the stage. I glanced around the grove looking for
who had left it. As the crowd parted, I saw my pappa watching me closely. I met
his gaze, then he lowered his eyes before walking away.
The one-thousandth kiss … with my Poppy. When she returned home … my
heart completely burst…
It was right that I sent this one up to my girl. Poppy would want me to send this
to her myself.
Climbing on the stage, Alton beside me, I lifted the mic and the grove fell into
silence. I closed my eyes, gathering the strength to do this, and then raised my
head. A sea of Chinese lanterns being held up, ready to fly, stared right back at
me. It was perfect. More than I could have ever dreamed.
Raising the mic, I took a deep breath and said, “I won’t speak long. I’m not real
good with speaking in public. I just wanted to thank you all for gathering here
tonight…” I trailed off. My words had dried up. I raked my hand through my
hair and, gathering my composure, managed to say, “Before she passed, my
Poppy asked me to send these kisses to her in a way that she would see them in
heaven. I know most of you didn’t know her, but she was the best person I knew
… she would have treasured this moment.” My lip hooked into a crooked smile
at the thought of her face when she saw them.

---

She would love it.
“So please, light your lanterns and help my kisses reach my girl.”
I lowered the mic. Alton gasped when lighters all around the grove lit the
lanterns and sent them soaring into the night sky. One after the other, they
floated into the darkness, until the entire sky was glowing with lights sailing
upward.
Bending down, I took the lantern beside us and held it in the air. Looking to
Alton, I said, “You ready to send this to Poppymin, buddy?”
Alton nodded, and I lit the lantern. The minute the flame caught, we released
the one-thousandth—and final—kiss. Standing straight, I watched as it sailed
into the air to chase the others, rushing to its new home.
“Wow,” Alton whispered and put his hand in mine again. His fingers squeezed
mine tight.
Closing my eyes, I sent a silent message: Here are your kisses, Poppymin. I
promised they would come to you. That I’d find a way.
I couldn’t take my eyes from the light show above, but Alton pulled on my
hand. “Rune?” he asked and I glanced down to where he stood, watching me.
“Ja?”
“Why did we have to do it here? In this grove?”
“It was Poppymin’s favorite place,” I replied softly.
Alton nodded. “But why did we have to wait for the cherry blossoms to come
out first?”
Taking a deep breath, I explained, “Because Poppymin was just like the cherry
blossom, Alt. She only had a short life, like they do, but the beauty that she
brought in that time will never ever be forgotten. Because nothing so beautiful
can last forever. She was a blossom petal, a butterfly … a shooting star … she
was perfect … her life was short … but she was mine.”
I took in a breath and whispered finally, “Just as I was hers.”

---

Rune
Ten years later
I blinked as I awoke, the blossom grove coming into clear view. I could feel the
bright sun on my face, smell the richness of the blossom leaves filling my lungs.
I took a deep breath and lifted my head. The dark sky towered above, a sky