"What a Difference a Day Makes"

Almost a year ago I reunited with old faces in an old town and thought my life was about to head in one direction, only to be completely derailed by the end of the following month in the best of possible ways.

A year ago I was still going strong with my boy boycott, completely confident in the fact that going without any sort of male attention for over a year would clarify my body, sending the slut toxins away and allowing me to find a man who would treat me right and want to be with me unlike men like Benedick who only wanted sex.

A year ago I was alone, in so many more ways than the obvious title of being single. I went from one job, to the next, and then home to watch TV and play on Facebook rarely interacting in any social context face to face. I felt deserted by my friends who had moved on to bigger, and better things, and was beginning to accept my fate as an old maid with no hope of finding true love. And old maid who would sooner or later come to the crossroads of having to choose between holding out for true love... and remaining single, or settling to be in a marriage with someone she could tolerate just so she could have a family.

And then there was a glimmer of hope in the form of light blue eyes; a boy from her past who showed interest and who she knew would treat her right. The thing I have come to realize, is that in many ways, the nice guy does finish last because he is safe. He's always been the nice guy and could never imagine being anything but. And while I'm no wild child, I need a little more in my life than vanilla ice cream to keep things interesting. As with all interactions I have with the male sex go, we ended up being on two very separate levels and I ran, promising another meeting soon to save myself from having to give the "I'm just not that in to you" talk.

Boy did I run, I ran back North and in less than 24-hours in to bed with Mr. Tight End. A man I hadn't seen in years and who I knew, on some level, even though I had only slept with him twice before, was my Kryptonite. But it was what I needed and he calmed the screaming in my head. Yet, I do feel guilty that I broke my 14 month boy boycott with a hook up - the whole reason I went in to the boycott to begin with was to find an actual relationship instead of continuing the hook up cycle.

And then, at the end of May in 2009, I went to a friend's wedding. A friend who I was friendly with in school, but never hung out with outside the class room. A friend who found me years later on myspace and started to send messages back and forth. A friend that thanks to my non-relationship relationship with Mr. Dishonesty allowed me an ear that would actually listen to what I was going through, and more importantly, who understood and sympathized.

I think the best part of all of it, was that she knew I was attending her wedding without a +1 so as the ever dutiful bride to be, she would give me the low down on any single men who were attending. Which brought up the challenge, she made a comment how all of her girl friends loved her brother and thought he was hot. I admitted that I'm not normally attracted to the guys that all girls are. She never offered him up as more than a dance partner for the reception and a curiosity to see where I would rank him on the hotness scale. And I honestly believe that at that point the thought of us dating never even crossed her mind.

And yet, there I was, in the line waiting to get a piece of cake when he grabbed me and started talking (he made me miss the cake by the way) - which in true fashion, I pointed out. This man from my past who I don't remember from school sealed the deal by arriving at my table 15 minutes later with a piece of cake for me. There are a ton of family photos and video footage of us dancing. Which, is kind of great - not many couples have their first meeting captured, but we do.

I left the wedding not in love though, I actually only thought he was cute but really nothing more. I had given him my number and was curious to see if he'd call me or not. A week later I was at his brother's house with no idea what to expect for a reception. And after the night was over I still had no clue, I left with a friendly hug and the promise that he'd find me on facebook so we could keep in touch.... whatever that meant.

And then the following day my phone rang, and we talked for almost three hours with no awkwardness or uncomfortable silences. And since that first phone call everything else has been so organic and natural; like this was Fate's plan all along and now that it has happened all of the pieces are falling in to place. I may not know what the future holds, but in my gut I know that I will be marrying this man and my friend will become my sister-in-law.

Just goes to show you that you never know what can happen or what life has in store for you when you walk out your door. I can't believe how much has happened in the past 12 months and how drastically my life has changed - and yet, a part of me isn't surprised at all because my relationship with this amazing man feels so right.

Fate didn't lead me down the path I thought it would, I didn't move back down to CT, nor did I start a relationship with a former classmate from there. But perhaps all of that was the preview for what was going to happen - a relationship with another former classmate who is the reformed bad boy most girls search in vain for. And he landed right in my lap without me having to agonize and wonder what he was thinking or if he liked me at all. From that first phone call on he has always been open and honest, I never played the "analyze this conversation" with my friends in regards to him. It's such a breath of fresh air and I make sure to not take him for granted... because I know where I came from and I do not want to go back to being that lonely, miserable, single girl.

And yet, I can't tell him I love him, I do, though it never happened in the light bulb moment I always thought it would. I want to say it, I plan out in my head how and where I'm going to say it, but the words never come out. I know it terrifies me, but I know he loves me so there's nothing to be scared of. I guess the L word is the last remaining wall I built up around me for so many years and it's the hardest to break down. It'll happen, and it's something that if I mean it, I should not go a day without saying it because you never know what tomorrow will bring. But I will, and soon because I love him, and I want to make sure he knows it.

It took me 29 years to build up those walls in an attempt to shield myself... and one brown eyed boy pulling me out of a cake line at a wedding to tear them down. Like the song says, "what a difference a day makes..."