What I Meant When I Said It

The argument started with money

and went somewhere else, the way

they do — and I said it:

you've never actually finished anything you started.

Just like that. The sentence already assembled,

waiting near the door.

The laptop was right there on the coffee table —

the online course, still open,

module two of eleven,

last touched in February.

I didn't point at it.

I didn't need to.

You went quiet.

I hadn't prepared for quiet.

I'd prepared for yelling

and what I'd say back to yelling.

Four days now.

You haven't brought it up.

I keep waiting for you to bring it up.

You don't.

I can't tell if that means

you've decided it wasn't true

or that it was.