They are holding hands and swinging their arms back and forth.

She stops, lets go of his hand, and looks at him.

STOP LIGHT BY RUTH KNIPE 34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE ISSUE 02

They are waiting for the light to turn; it seems to take a long time. They are holding hands and swinging their arms back and forth, giggling like small children. Then, driven by some impulse, she stops, lets go of his hand, and looks at him; intent on memorizing every contour of his face, every feature, preserving this one particular instant on this one particular day. He wraps his arms about her gives her a hug. He would protect her from the world if he had to. Some day, they will tell their grandchildren the story of the exact moment they knew they were in love.