Chapter 5: Three Little Words
Almost as soon as I land, the phone rings. “Come through security because we have to go to another terminal,” he says. I pass through security to meet him, kiss him hello, and he looks over at the Southwest counter. “Wow, look at that line,” he comments. He skips a beat and then says, “Good thing we’re not flying anywhere,” and starts walking toward the escalator to the car rental counter. I laugh, holding up the ski parka I had borrowed from my friend Kristi, and I say, “I’m not gonna need this. I’m going to ship it back tomorrow so I don’t have to carry it.” He says, “No, I promise you will. You’ll see.”
In the rental car, a nicely-equipped silver Lexus, he pulls out two tickets
to the Texas A&M vs. Texas Tech football game
at Kyle Field in College Station,
about a 90-minute drive away. After dinner with friends of his from school, we plan to go to campus for Midnight Yell Practice, but find we are too cold
and tired and head for bed. I fall asleep happy; having someone who takes me on surprise trips is a dream come true.
The next day, Will shares his college experience as an Aggie with me. As we tour campus, his face glows with pride, showing it off. When we take our seats in the 12th row, I can’t believe how cold it is even in Texas, and am very happy to have the parka and the new hat he bought for me. Huddled close together in the stands, he says to me, “I’m crazy about you,” and I say, “How crazy?” I'm a little breathless; I know what he will say and I am terrified. He says, “I think I’m in love with you.” A grin lights up my face, but I don’t answer, and he smiles in return.
That morning, as I get ready to head home, I hum "I think I love you" (Partridge Family-style) and laugh at the cheesiness of the song even as I wrestle with second-guessing and fear.
At the airport, we each take an earbud from my iPod and we listen to music we both like. For weeks now, he has been singing to me over the phone when he calls. Songs I've never heard of; often country songs. He calls me when he says he will. He tells me how he feels about me. It has been more than a decade since I have begun a serious relationship, and this is new ground.
At the gate, before we go our separate ways, he says, “I’m so in love with you, Angel,” and I say, “I think I love you too.” I am still scared, even as the words flow from my heart and out of my mouth. We both know that I still have work to do to let go of the old ghosts, and he squeezes my hand.
The next day, Will shares his college experience as an Aggie with me. As we tour campus, his face glows with pride, showing it off. When we take our seats in the 12th row, I can’t believe how cold it is even in Texas, and am very happy to have the parka and the new hat he bought for me. Huddled close together in the stands, he says to me, “I’m crazy about you,” and I say, “How crazy?” I'm a little breathless; I know what he will say and I am terrified. He says, “I think I’m in love with you.” A grin lights up my face, but I don’t answer, and he smiles in return.
That morning, as I get ready to head home, I hum "I think I love you" (Partridge Family-style) and laugh at the cheesiness of the song even as I wrestle with second-guessing and fear.
At the airport, we each take an earbud from my iPod and we listen to music we both like. For weeks now, he has been singing to me over the phone when he calls. Songs I've never heard of; often country songs. He calls me when he says he will. He tells me how he feels about me. It has been more than a decade since I have begun a serious relationship, and this is new ground.
At the gate, before we go our separate ways, he says, “I’m so in love with you, Angel,” and I say, “I think I love you too.” I am still scared, even as the words flow from my heart and out of my mouth. We both know that I still have work to do to let go of the old ghosts, and he squeezes my hand.
He tells me that he has known he was in love
with me since Sedona - over two months
ago - but he knew I wasn't ready to hear it at the time. I ask him if he will break my heart, and he says no. Then I
ask him if he will ever get tired of me and he says, “You don’t get tired of
the person you’re supposed to be with.” We talk about our future, and I know I’m going to marry him at
some point. And that however he
proposes to me, it’s going to be fantastic.
I have never met someone who is so sure of what he wants. Somehow, we are perfectly matched in spite of this: he’s a pessimist and conservative and I’m a hopelessly optimistic liberal. He’s Eeyore and I’m Pollyanna. He’s a saver and I’m a spender. He’s cautious where I’m capricious. He’s organized where I am haphazard. He’s pragmatic where I’m – well... I'm not. And despite, or even because of, all those reasons, I love him. He has all the important qualities I have waited for and looked for, and there is no question in my mind that I would always come first with him. I look to the sky and say a little prayer of thanks as my plane takes me back to Atlanta. If home is where the heart is, I have just left mine back at the gate, and I can't wait until I see him again.
* * *
Next chapter: A leap of faith (leaving Phoenix in the rear-view mirror)
Read the whole story, chapter by chapter, right here.
I have never met someone who is so sure of what he wants. Somehow, we are perfectly matched in spite of this: he’s a pessimist and conservative and I’m a hopelessly optimistic liberal. He’s Eeyore and I’m Pollyanna. He’s a saver and I’m a spender. He’s cautious where I’m capricious. He’s organized where I am haphazard. He’s pragmatic where I’m – well... I'm not. And despite, or even because of, all those reasons, I love him. He has all the important qualities I have waited for and looked for, and there is no question in my mind that I would always come first with him. I look to the sky and say a little prayer of thanks as my plane takes me back to Atlanta. If home is where the heart is, I have just left mine back at the gate, and I can't wait until I see him again.
* * *
Next chapter: A leap of faith (leaving Phoenix in the rear-view mirror)
Read the whole story, chapter by chapter, right here.