unpacking

she gingerly opened her suitcase,
unpacking the memories
a pair of pants, with chai tea and ink from a progressive story
a skirt worn to bed because she couldn't stop talking long enough to change
a pair sweats that had been part of a skit
a jacket that accidentally matched her friend's
a sweater still damp from dancing in the rain
a shirt that smelled faintly of him, a smile alighted on her lips as she thought of him

one by one she put her memories in the washing machine
pausing to remember each one
an ache entered her heart
as she missed them all
she let the ache absorb her, then let it go
let the cold water rinse them