Together Again by Patric Arnold Novemeber 19, 2010 3:50 PM

Then two years to the date, February 17th, 1997 I got a phone call. And it began. Again......

Together Again

The phone rang. It was her. I was flabbergasted and honestly did not even know what to say. I had dreamed, hoped and prayed for this very moment so many times. I was over whelmed with joy and fear. Joy because everything I had wanted, wanted with every fiber of my being had finally happened. Fear because I had woken up in cold sweats screaming her name. I had drank until I couldn't drink anymore. I drank until I realized that I could drink every drop of booze on the planet and it still wouldn't cure my ailment. And now she was back....

I should have ran. I should have hid under the covers or moved to Mexico. I should have changed my name and joined witness protection (from myself). But I loved her. Oh I still loved her so much. And so after two years just like that, we were back. And in a week I would be going down to see her for a short visit.

A short visit, it was not. This time I was going to do everything right that I had done wrong before. This time I was going to hold on tighter and love her  harder. And.... if we were married that would mean forever wouldn't it? So I drug my friend down to the store and I cashed in every cent I had (literally) and bought the most expensive diamond ring I could. 

Being the great romantic that you know this author to be... surely I proposed under the moonlight next to a gorgeous lake or maybe in a horse drawn carriage. Maybe I scattered rose pedals all over that led into a candle lit room with me at the end of the trail on one knee with a diamond in my hand. Surely that must be. No, the world's greatest romantic (at the time) had all his dreams come true and he couldn't stand it a moment more. So in a Taco Bell parking lot in a trash filled Station Wagon floor board I got down on one knee and asked. It was the farthest thing from romantic and even ten steps further from perfect, but somehow love made it just that.. perfect. 

She said yes and all the joy in the world was mine. All the pain I had felt was gone. Finally in this moment we would be together. Together forever.

We drove home happy as can be and often hand in hand. Sure that was dangerous but we were in love and she couldn't stop looking at her diamond that although was small seemed to light up the room. And for me finally destiny had smiled upon me and could be fulfilled.

And like any good magic trick the illusion stayed in tact for awhile. We were poor and struggled to make ends meet. Often a microwavable family sized meal lasted a week (one for both of us). But we were in love and nothing but that mattered. We went on walks, enjoyed sun sets, and did all the things young couples do. It was picture perfect. Too good to be true.... and it was.