The Second Kiss

The second kiss changed everything
The first one only asked

Your daughter left a paper crown
Beside the restaurant plate
My son kept drawing dragons
While the sitter ran late
Two tired single parents
One last coffee after ten
Both of us had sworn
We'd never try again
Under the pharmacy sign
The desert wind blew cold
I kissed you once and stepped away
Before the night got old

Then I saw the paper crown
Still tucked inside your coat
You said, "I know love comes with children"
And that's when I turned around

The second kiss changed everything
The first one only asked
The second said, "Bring all your life
I'm not afraid of that"
No dream of starting over clean
No hiding from the past
The first kiss opened up the door
The second made it last

One asked
Two answered

Sunday at the playground
Four shoes full of sand
My girl fixed your boy's red cape
You held the juice boxes in hand
When my ex called after dinner
You didn't turn away
You washed the cups and let me
Say what I had to say
I came back to the kitchen
Put the paper crown on you
The children laughed, you wore it
Like a king who always knew

The second kiss changed everything
The first one only asked
The second said, "Bring all your life
I'm not afraid of that"
No dream of starting over clean
No hiding from the past
The first kiss opened up the door
The second made it last

I didn't need another promise
I needed room for four
I didn't fall for only you
I chose what came before

The second kiss changed everything
It answered without haste
Bring the school runs, old mistakes
And paper crowns we saved
We'll never call it simple
We'll call it ours at last
The first kiss opened up the door
The second made it last

One asked
Two answered
The second kiss