He trims his mustache of nine years,
gray sand flecked with a few blonde strands,
hands dipped in those small finger hole handles
of the silver scissors
I use to trim my eyebrows.
He rattles the bag of cat treats
we keep in the bedside drawer
for our two rascals until they chase him
and trip each other, flopping their bottoms
down the wooden stairs.
He takes apart the door handle,
spacing out pieces on our shared dresser,
and repairs the lock,
testing the click in and out,
so we can close it completely.
He leans a knee on our bed,
blue eyes finding the mirror,
and unbuttons his collared shirt. He is slow
to kiss, his careful mustache ruffled
against my lips.
Abigail Michelini teaches writing at Northampton Community College. Her work can be found in Anthology of Appalachian Writers, The Main Street Rag, and Whale Road Review, among other publications. Her debut chapbook, Brace, was published by Thirty West Publishing House in May 2025. When she’s not writing, she can be found playing with her kids and running Pennsylvania roads. Find her at www.abigailmichelini.com.