we are driving to the airport. this is particularly hard for both of us. even though we've only been seeing each other for a few months, this separation seems much more difficult than it should be.

he is careful to keep his speed under 70. before i met him, he regularly drove at 80. who says you can't change a person?

he glances over at me, and then looks back at the road. "you know... i was thinking about this earlier."

the look on his face is so serious; i tense a little bit, in spite of myself.

he glances over again and notices my tension. he reaches over and puts his hand on my knee reassuringly.

and then he says to me, "you are the first person i've ever known that i wouldn't be able to walk away from."

he pauses for a moment, reflecting to himself, and then he continues.

"before you, there was no one in my life that i wouldn't be able to just get up and walk away from and never see them again. not my family, not my friends, not anyone." he glances over again, his brow furrowed. "but not you. i could never do that to you."

i was speechless.

"i wanted you to know that," he concludes.

if i could only tell him how much it meant to me.