garnet
07-19-2008, 10:11 AM
Mike and I lived a mile apart as teenagers. We babysat for the same family. We have the same friends. He dated the mom of a friend of mine ( yes, he was 18 she was 38) we went to the same high school. He ate in the resturants I worked in. We worked on the same high school concessions team. I used to walk past his house once a week in high school, and after my own kids started school I walked past his house every day. Even when we each moved, we were only a mile apart. For the last 14 years.
But we never met. Not once.
There's the kicker. Not one time in 14 years did we meet. Even living so close. When I think of all the times I must have seen him, my mind boggles. That same one mile stretch travled over and over again from his neighborhood to mine.....and we never met.
In 2006 I was a accidentally pregnant almost divorced mom when I met him for the first time. It was at my kids school, I was hot, sweaty and 8 months pregnant. I sat on the stairs outside the school........and couldn't figure how to get up without looking like a cow. Or beached whale. And this handsome tall dark haired guy came and offered me his hand......... and I turned him down flat. I thought there is no way I'm letting this hot guy pull me off this stair. I would rather die than have him stumble under the weight of my 8 months pregnant ***. (I had priorities darnit!)
Not so long after he became friends with my soon to be ex. My soon to be ex told lots of stories about how mean I was, how I hated him, etc. About that time, on the wish of our sounselor I decided to give it one last try. I gave my failing marriage my all, and it didn't help. My ex cheated on me again, for the 13th time in 8 years. While his friend stood by and watched. On the last day my ex spent with us I was sick, and Mike cmae over with his kids. He wanted to cook us dinner to thank us for helping out a single dad of 2 by watching his kids every now and then. I went to bed, and my ex was busy talking to his fling. Mike told him "Your wife isn't what you sid she is. She's good. She really tries to make things right for you. Try and make things right for her." it didn't work, because my ex walked out of the house and left our one month old child laying on the sofa crying. Mike held the baby and finished dinner, fed the kids and the baby, bathed all the kids and put all of them, including my stepson from that marriage, to bed. Then he came to wake me. He held my hand and told me where my husband was for the last 4 hours. he held me while I cried and helped me poack my ex's things. he took them to the front porch for me. He slept on my sofa that night, because his kids were there and I had 4 kids, one of which was a newborn to take care of. In the next few weeks, I don't know what I would have doen without him. He took my kids out, kept them busy, let me nap, kept the outside of my house in order and fixed things that broke. I had been a single mom before, but I was a little overwhelmned this time. he even went to the store for me. At Christmas I was sad at the idea of not seeing him all day. I couldn't go all day without the man who was now my best friend. he called me from his moms. I was elated. He told me " I can hear a smile in your voice." I asked him to come by my house after he left his moms.He provided Christmas for my kids that year. I was so worried, I wasn't working, and he came through for us. He did, along with the boys. After the kids went to bed I told him "I think I'm in love with you." He said the same thing, he thought he was in love with me. Later that night, in each others arms, we marveled over all the things that led us to where we were. All the missed chances. How I thought after my ex I woudl be alone and raise my kids. How he thought after his wife dying 3 years before that he would never really love another woman. In January we moved in together. In Febuary he asked me to marry him on the worst day of my lie. My stepson had been living with me after his dad left. His dad couldn't care for him. We had agreed it would be that way. Until Mike. Then my ex went back on his agreement. teh last day my stepson was in my house was and is the worst day of my life. Its also the day Mike proposed. I was crying a curtain of tears, and I looked up to see Mike on his knees in front of me telling me that he loved me and couldn't imagine life without me. and that he never thought he would want to get married again btu if I could agree to marry him someday, it would be enough. I agreed.
and here we are today. Mike asked me last month if I thought someday could be sometime soon. I am having a commitment phobia. I jokingly said anytime babe and he said how about October? So October it is.
But we never met. Not once.
There's the kicker. Not one time in 14 years did we meet. Even living so close. When I think of all the times I must have seen him, my mind boggles. That same one mile stretch travled over and over again from his neighborhood to mine.....and we never met.
In 2006 I was a accidentally pregnant almost divorced mom when I met him for the first time. It was at my kids school, I was hot, sweaty and 8 months pregnant. I sat on the stairs outside the school........and couldn't figure how to get up without looking like a cow. Or beached whale. And this handsome tall dark haired guy came and offered me his hand......... and I turned him down flat. I thought there is no way I'm letting this hot guy pull me off this stair. I would rather die than have him stumble under the weight of my 8 months pregnant ***. (I had priorities darnit!)
Not so long after he became friends with my soon to be ex. My soon to be ex told lots of stories about how mean I was, how I hated him, etc. About that time, on the wish of our sounselor I decided to give it one last try. I gave my failing marriage my all, and it didn't help. My ex cheated on me again, for the 13th time in 8 years. While his friend stood by and watched. On the last day my ex spent with us I was sick, and Mike cmae over with his kids. He wanted to cook us dinner to thank us for helping out a single dad of 2 by watching his kids every now and then. I went to bed, and my ex was busy talking to his fling. Mike told him "Your wife isn't what you sid she is. She's good. She really tries to make things right for you. Try and make things right for her." it didn't work, because my ex walked out of the house and left our one month old child laying on the sofa crying. Mike held the baby and finished dinner, fed the kids and the baby, bathed all the kids and put all of them, including my stepson from that marriage, to bed. Then he came to wake me. He held my hand and told me where my husband was for the last 4 hours. he held me while I cried and helped me poack my ex's things. he took them to the front porch for me. He slept on my sofa that night, because his kids were there and I had 4 kids, one of which was a newborn to take care of. In the next few weeks, I don't know what I would have doen without him. He took my kids out, kept them busy, let me nap, kept the outside of my house in order and fixed things that broke. I had been a single mom before, but I was a little overwhelmned this time. he even went to the store for me. At Christmas I was sad at the idea of not seeing him all day. I couldn't go all day without the man who was now my best friend. he called me from his moms. I was elated. He told me " I can hear a smile in your voice." I asked him to come by my house after he left his moms.He provided Christmas for my kids that year. I was so worried, I wasn't working, and he came through for us. He did, along with the boys. After the kids went to bed I told him "I think I'm in love with you." He said the same thing, he thought he was in love with me. Later that night, in each others arms, we marveled over all the things that led us to where we were. All the missed chances. How I thought after my ex I woudl be alone and raise my kids. How he thought after his wife dying 3 years before that he would never really love another woman. In January we moved in together. In Febuary he asked me to marry him on the worst day of my lie. My stepson had been living with me after his dad left. His dad couldn't care for him. We had agreed it would be that way. Until Mike. Then my ex went back on his agreement. teh last day my stepson was in my house was and is the worst day of my life. Its also the day Mike proposed. I was crying a curtain of tears, and I looked up to see Mike on his knees in front of me telling me that he loved me and couldn't imagine life without me. and that he never thought he would want to get married again btu if I could agree to marry him someday, it would be enough. I agreed.
and here we are today. Mike asked me last month if I thought someday could be sometime soon. I am having a commitment phobia. I jokingly said anytime babe and he said how about October? So October it is.