It had been                                                                                           

3 years

Since he had left with

The intention to never return

3 years since he started running

City after city

He just never stopped- 

Running

Too ashamed to 

Just stop

He was too far gone now

But today

Today was different

He allowed an inkling of hope

Just an inkling

To enter his essence

But the inkling spread through his blood

Like a drug

His mom had asked him to come

Home-

Was he worthy?

Oh of course he wasn’t

All she had ever done was love him but

As he stormed away on that fateful day

3 years ago

All he could think about was

Freedom

Oh how deceiving that freedom was

Loneliness

And shame

Oh the shame he had felt

These past 3 years

As he pulled into

His hometown

A switch flipped in his head

He wasn’t focused on

Running anymore

And the resentment was

Fading away into the

Brisk evening

He eased into the driveway

And couldn’t hold back

His sob

His mother

stood at the door

Grinning

It had been

3 years