shocks me.

But then again, S has always had the ability to make my mouth drop.

Today, it’s this:
“I’m okay if it’s him.”
“Wait, what did you say?”
“As long as it’s he who’s your boyfriend, it’s okay.”
“Wow.  Really?”
“small sigh…Yeah, Rume.”
“You hated him.  What changed?”
“I see how you feel about him.”
I stare in wonderment at S.  Her capacity to change astounds me, repeatedly.

“But I’m going to hate anyone else you date.”
Her sly smile makes me think she’s kidding but the look in her eyes makes me think twice.
“What??”
“You heard me.”
“How do you know that?”
“The very unique circumstances under which I met him can’t ever be duplicated…”
And it was meaningful, I finish silently.

“Circumstances…I see…”

I will never know exactly what happened during their meet but I do know that an olive branch was extended to S and even though she really, really wanted to hold on to empty hate, she couldn’t.  It would have been a more simple reaction to continue hating the man who’s seeing the woman she still loves.

I imagine there was a moment where mutual love broke through the layers of hate that was based on who he represented, not his actual character.  Their moment gives me hope and humbles me.  I take from them both: his unrelenting efforts to make peace, her capacity to call herself out, regardless of the audience.

They’re really good people.
And they really get love.

(I also like to think she likes him at least a little.)