Unconditionally

In the little boy's blue eyes
Reflected back a woman with
Chestnut hair and glowing green irises.

He remembered that morning,
When he woke up with her cooing in his ear
Singing him awake with a thumb rubbing his cheek.
She smiled,
"Good morning, sleepyhead,"
"I had a dream last night!"
Holding her hand, words tripping over his tongue
Telling a tale of cats and monsters and knights.

Then yesterday,
When he broke her favorite necklace,  
An accident,
And she just picked it up, placed it in a box,
Getting on her knees to hold his hands  
And meet his gaze, as he looked
Tearfully at her.
"I know you didn't mean harm. It's okay.
Just be more careful next time."
And a kiss on the forehead,
A tissue wiping away his tears.

A month ago,
As they travelled through states
He realized he left
His stuffed animal, a blue lion
And with a glance at her watch,
Turned the car around.
"Where'd you leave it? Oregon?
That's okay. This is more important than being on time."
Later,
He named it after something that reminded
Him of her.

Last year,
She never slept
Circles under her eyes,
And he would never tell
But he saw her crying in her room
When she thought he was sleeping.
Yet, every time he cried, or had
A nightmare,
She'd hold him, and whisper,
"You'll be okay. And it's okay to be sad sometimes.
I will never be too busy for you."
And she'd ignore her own darkness
To give him light.

On his second birthday,
She sold her bracelet for a cupcake and his present,
Dancing with him
Sparkling cider in their glasses  
And radio singing a tune.
She picked him up and threw him  
Into the air,
As he laughed,
From his lips slipped
"Mom,
Mommy,"
Her heart skipped,
Life rushing again through her once
Drained breath.

The minute she held him in her arms,
Everything blurred.
His blue eyes meeting her green
As the last snowflake on her skin
Melted.
'We made it,
It'll be okay,"
Tears dripping from her eyelashes
And love flooding her system.
The knowledge that she'd willingly
Suffer hell to never see harm
Come to his fragile body and mind.

The day she took the test,
And the world stopped.
Alcohol in her blood
Drugs in the air
Lungs giving out.
She threw away her wine,
Destroyed her cigarettes,
Flushed her pills,
Dropped her toxicities,
Gave away her caffeine,
And began to heal.

"Mom?"

In the little boy's blue eyes
Reflected back a woman with
Chestnut hair and glowing green irises.
Whose hand held his
He shyly
Held up a dandelion,
And told her to make a wish.
She blew on it,
And kissed his hand,
 
"I already have it."