One Year Ago… Part 19

I made it home. Told him good night and hung up the phone. The next day was Sunday. It was very un-eventful. He had to head home and make sure he got home at a decent hour. He and his daughter swung by to pick me up on their way for him to take her home. Again the anxiety attack happened… would I see her mother? What would she look like? I actually had to calm my nerves down because her mother was on a cruise. We were actually taking his daughter to stay with her step-dad and little sister. When he pulled up they jumped out and his daughter yelled, “I love you Nicole.” and gave me a hug. I told her that back and instantly my heart was filled with warmth.

Because he had to make it a point to be back to work on time the next morning he told me he was no doubt going to leave early in the afternoon. Especially since he had been away for 2 weeks. I told him I understood completely. We drove back to my house talking and reminiscing on all the fun we’d had the prior 2 weeks. When we got to my house I told him that I would drive over to his house and help him pack up if he needed. He told me that wasn’t necessary but if I wanted to come over I was more than welcome.

He left before I did. I told him I’d be over shortly. I ran in the house to tell my parents I’d be back, grabbed my car keys and headed his direction.

Suddenly sadness hit me. He wasn’t going to be there when I got home from work anymore. In fact I wasn’t going to see him again for a while. The next weekend was Labor day weekend and he contemplated coming home but wasn’t sure if he could or would.

When I got there I helped him pack up his stuff and take it out to his truck. He kept lingering around. I could tell he didn’t want to leave either. I finally told him I was leaving. I knew he’d stay longer if I didn’t and his parents and I neither one wanted him on the road that late. I told him I had to run to town after some things. I didn’t have to but that was my excuse. We both pulled out of the driveway, drove up to 37 hwy, I went left and he went right. I couldn’t help myself, I started to cry.

I drove in to town a long weird way compared to how I should have gone and wouldn’t you know, the road I turn on the cops are doing a license check. I pulled up and rolled my window down and the officer asked to see my license. I grabbed it and handed it to him. I swear he must have wondered what was wrong with me because I had black lines running down both of my cheeks from crying. He smiled, nodded and thanked me and I was on my way.

Just then my phone rang. It was him. He just wanted to check on me and see where I was. I started smiling and told him I just pulled into Wal-Mart parking lot. I was going in to develop pictures from our time together. I put them in 1-hour so I walked around and around the store talking to him and eventually told him I should get off the phone.

Later that night I called him again just to check on him and see how far he had made it. When I get on the phone I have a tendency to walk around so instead of pacing inside, it was such a beautiful night I walked outside on my parents back deck. Eventually I started getting eaten by mosquitoes so I decided to head in. I told him I was going to get off the phone for a while but that I’d like for him to call me when he got home. He said absolutely. I went to say good bye and then I said it.

Oh crap, did I just say that?

To Be Continued…