Snow Bird

He was out in January and was not happy about it. It wasn't the weather that made him unhappy. The calendar said "January" but the weather indicated late spring. The rest of the country had snow and ice. Here, there were birds. Thousands of birds. Singing and chirping so loudly he couldn't hear himself think.

He saw her while walking towards his car. The world, and the birds that filled it, went quiet. The silence enveloped him, and he rushed to introduce himself to her.

"I'll go with you." he said in April. "I work from home. Home can be anywhere." She revealed that she was leaving at the end of the month.

"You can't, but I'll be back in January." she said.

She left and took the birds with her. He waited with an empty heart in a quiet world. When January returned, so did she. The music of the birds filled his heart. The few months they were together were a dream for him. He was happy to be out as long as he was with her. She left again in April and took the birds with her.

"Are you married?" he asked. The birds were back again. "I probably should have asked a long time ago, but I was always so distracted around you."

"No, I'm single. Not married. No children." she replied. Then the birds left.

"Can I come with you this time?" he asked. The birds were in town.

"No." she said. Then the birds were gone.

"Why not?" he asked. It was their fifth year of months together.

"You don't know what you're asking for. It won't be worth it." Then his world was silent until January.

"You're worth it." he said, talking over the cacophony of the birds. "I've sorted everything out. I've said my goodbyes. I love you. I want to go with you this time."

"Are you sure? You can't come back here." she said.

"I'm sure." he replied.

"I love you too." she said.

They flew away together at the end of April.