The Huh

I was in the middle of saying something

about work, about a thing that happened,

and you looked up from your phone

for exactly the time it takes to say "huh"—

not even a question, just a sound

that means you were listening to the space

between my words, not the words.

So I finished anyway, kept going,

felt my voice change into something

trying to convince, and you smiled

that smile that people use when

they've already left the room

but their body is still sitting there.

Now I'm replaying it, wondering

if I explained it wrong or if the thing

just wasn't as big as I thought it was.

Or maybe I'm just not the kind of person

whose stories land.