Two weeks ago I got an e-mail that changed my life. I knew when I saw the name and the picture who was e-mailing me. I knew the chance I was taking when I replied... but I did anyway.
About two years ago I had a neighbor who lived
across from me. The only thing
separating our apartments was a patch of grass and a big beautiful fruitless mulberry tree that had been there for years and years. When he moved in I didn't really notice him. I had a boyfriend at the time, and I was blissfully unaware that the man across the courtyard was admiring me. He lived there for a little over a year before he moved. In that time we hardly spoke to one another. He spoke to me one time in the laundry room, but I thought he was just being friendly.
When he did move out he gave me one of his plants claiming he didn't have room to take it, so I agreed to adopt "Phil". I named the plant Phil because it was a
philodendron, and was half dead. I hoped by giving him a name he would come back to life.
I never really thought about the neighbor again much after that even though I had a living reminder in my kitchen. Then one day he ran into my best friend in a store, and asked about me. Had he just asked about me I probably wouldn't have thought he was interested, but he called her later in the day to ask me if I was seeing anyone. By that time I wasn't really. However, I had just met someone and was hoping that he was my happy ending. It turned out not to be, but it took me 10 months and a lot of tears to find that out.
In the year that followed I would sometimes think about that neighbor, and wondered why he never asked her for my number, or came by my apartment, since he knew where I lived. I always wondered what if...
Then it happened. He found me on my high school alumni page on the
Internet, and dropped me an e-mail. I noticed his profile said he was in a relationship, and for a moment I actually felt a little
disappointed. I was hoping he was contacting me to proclaim his massive crush on me. I honestly didn't know a thing about him, except that he had a crush on me when he lived there. I took the high road a replied with a very nice e-mail. I let him know it was good to hear from him, and I was hoping he was very happy in his relationship. I secretly wanted him to say he wasn't happy, so imagine my surprise when he actually did say those exact words.
Unfortunately they were followed by the words "...WE own a house together...". I told him I hoped he could work things out, and went on with my day. After all, I had just gotten out of a 4 month love affair with a man a third of the way around the world, and was slightly reeling from that mistake.
A day went by and the next e-mail I got included his phone number with the excuse he didn't like to type. I felt bad about calling a man with a girlfriend, a house and a dog... so I gave him mine and just kind of let the whole thing go. I should have known he would call me right away. To be honest when I picked up the phone I had already seen the caller ID, so I knew it was him. I felt butterflies. I haven't felt those in a long time, so I was a bit hyper. I tried to be
kewl, and act like I wasn't excited that he called, but I had to wonder if after all these years he didn't still have a crush on me. How romantic that some guy would pine away for me for THAT long? Was I hoping? NO! I couldn't have been hoping... that would make me a home wrecker!
We talked occasionally for the next 4 days, and we found out we have a lot in common and our personalities are very similar. We both have family, and roots here where I live, and we both love the small town atmosphere of our community. He started telling me how beautiful I still am, and then he told me all about the time he would look at me while he was doing dishes, or out at his car. I was shocked. I had no idea that while he lived here he found me attractive at all. I was flattered, excited that he was still attracted to me, but
disappointed that he had a
girlfriend.
I couldn't go on like that, I would end up getting hurt. I told him 5 days after we started talking, that I didn't know what was going on between us, but I was not going to be
the other woman, and we couldn't continue talking like this if he was going to stay with his girlfriend and he had to take care of business at home first. The next day he told me he told his girlfriend that he was done and wanted out. I felt a little ping of
excitement, but at the same time I felt sad for her, and then guilty. I didn't want to be the reason he left her. I have been on the receiving end of a
cheating boyfriend, and would never do that to another woman.
We haven't seen each other in about 2 years, but I feel like I have known him all my life. He talks about being settled and having a house, and a white picket fence. He is ALWAYS telling me how beautiful, and cute, and funny I am. He says all the right things all the time. That scares me.
How can this man, possibly "the man of my dreams", own a house in another state with another woman? How is that part of my happy ending? If we aren't
suppose to be together than why do I feel like we are? Why do I get excited and smile like a school girl when I see his name on my cell phone? Why do I feel so insanely happy and giggly every time we talk? Why do I feel sad when he has to get off the phone and go back to work? Why do I have this overwhelming desire for him to kiss me and hold me each night when I fall asleep?