A love story

He first knew he loved me as I filled out an application for a job. He worked there too. He urged his friend and his persuasive boss to hire me. He had to get to know me better. A few weeks into the job he tells me he is also a mobile DJ and he wants me to go to a New Years Party with him. While there he tells me he will marry me someday. I laughed. We had a daughter and married 3 years later when she was old enough to be my flower girl.

As fate would take it the marriage wouldn't last a year. My eagerness to travel the states and get out on my own weren't in his plans. He was firm on keeping his job and being a responsible parent working hard and providing for his family. Both of our families were close by so there was also a security there. I had some soul searching to do. I needed to know I could be on my own, that I could see things I'd not before and at 20 years old I had no one to answer to or hold me down. I could make my living anywhere I stopped on the map. So I did. I've traveled to nearly every state East of the state of Missouri as far North to Pennsylvania and as far south as Florida. I worked jobs I was interested in. The Hershey Factory in Hershey, PA, I've been an assistant tax collector, a chamber of commerce secretary and I digitized legal documents....all down to my current job a preschool teacher. But we aren't there yet.

I spent 5 years in Pennsylvania after my divorce, my husband went to Dallas, Texas. We promised each other no matter where we were at what stage in life....when the time came to take our daughter to Disney World we would do it together. In 2000 that time came. I called him and offered him the plane ticket and arranged to meet him in Florida. It was such a great time, it re sparked everything I left as if we'd never been apart for 2 years at all. But we had to return and go our separate ways 1500 miles away from each other.

I continued looking for Mr. Right and he continued to search as well. In our looking no one ever measured up to what he and I had. No one was good enough....there was always something wrong. I did come close to just settling....I had a son in 2001....knowing that things were just over...I would have to go on and make a choice and marry the father.
It didn't feel right and fate again took control and assured me that my sons father and I were not destined for marriage.
9/11 was catastrophic for me as I'm sure it was for much of the world. I was 8 months pregnant with my son at the time. My daughter was at school. Planes were falling all around me. 2 hours North in New York, 1 1/2 East in D.C and 3 hours west of me in Pennsylvania. I was a basket case and the only thought running through my mind was "my God if I could have anyone here....it would be him. If we were going to have an all out attack on the country, if I have to die today I wish it were with him" (my x-husband)
Coincidently, fate again, he lost his job in Dallas that day. He was called in to pick up his severance package as everyone was leaving downtown afraid of attacks there he was going into it. And he let them know that during this time, this day....it was the worst time to do this. Could they not have waited a day to do layoffs?
I sold my house in Pennsylvania and moved back to Arkansas closer to family. He was doing the same, I just didn't know it.
About three months of being back in Arkansas I got a call. He wanted to talk, just to hang out. I don't think he's left yet.
We have been together for 6 years now. 14 years collectively with a 5 year hiatus as we call it.

We always loved each other but didn't know how to love each other when we were younger. We are day and night, we share no hobbies. I love to be outside, he prefers to be inside. He likes rock, I like easy listening and rap. Totally different but I love him. It's unexplainable, 1500 miles couldn't stop our love, many tried many failed to win our hearts over. It's destiny, it's fate, it's God telling us to straighten ourselves up, suck it up and learn to love....because that's who he's chosen for us. We realize that now. We bow down to that Higher Power that led us and taught us and kept our hearts aflame for the 5 years we were apart.

That is my love.