“Don’t worry, when he shows up, you’ll know in a heartbeat that he’s “the one”. And your heart will feel at home in a way it has never felt before.”
I rolled my eyes at Oma and thumped her at the back of her head to snap her back into reality. Love was not for me and I had long ago resigned to that fate. Oma was in her version of wonderland, the kind to be expected when romance novels were her go-to for leisure. I was done with that mirage.
Life had shown me that the idea was only an illusion and it would take a lot more than my little sister’s harebrained daydreaming to convince me of the opposite.
I had just come out of a painful breakup, you see. A relationship I had been relentlessly cheated on. I had given him chances upon chances but the lies kept on piling up. And one day, I gathered up the courage I needed to walk away, to regain a little shred of my self-esteem.
So, of course, I was the self-appointed president of the “men are scum” society, sworn to never let love in again. It was a stance I was committed to, and it wasn’t going to change.
Until Ike happened. No, it wasn’t love at first sight. That day, my friends had finally succeeded in dragging me to a Christmas house party. My boring self located an isolated corner and shuffled over to enjoy some quiet.
I did not get to enjoy it for too long, as it turned out. Soon after, Ike appeared by my side, all bubbly and full of life and annoying, insisting on keeping me company. I’m still not sure why, but I let him.
And from being a huge pest, a beautiful friendship blossomed, but it never crossed our minds that it would be anything more. At least it didn’t cross mine. Ike says he knew, right from the moment he saw me huddled into my corner.
I learned. From Ike, I got to understand that cheating was a personal choice and not my fault as David had made me believe for years. I got to understand selfless giving and kindness in a way I had never seen before from someone who wasn’t family; the kind that spoke louder than the empty “I love yous” I had received in the past.
Gradually, the bricks began to fall into place, and I finally saw the light. That one is never too scarred to find love. That stand-up people exist, and when they come, they will break down all the wrong relationship ideologies society has forced on us.
When Ike officially asked me to be his, I felt a certain peace flood my heart. It was perfect. I was where I wanted to be. Needed to be.
We may not be there yet but I go to bed knowing that he has my back as much as I have his. This is our fourth Valentine’s Day together. It doesn’t feel like it. Every day with Ike is Valentine’s Day, well, except for the times he decides to be annoying. So I guess I am a sucker for love because I finally found my haven! The peace that was God’s gift to me.
Oma was wrong. I did not know in a heartbeat that he would be the one. But he certainly is my heartbeat. And I, his.
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Love,
Diane.
