Wings of Love Chapter One

“Cat!” my friend Jen screamed.
“Hmm?  What’s got you so excited?” I questioned.
“I found my dress!  It’s so beautiful.  I’m going to be the prettiest bride ever!” she cried.
“That’s great!  When am I going to meet this boy?  He must be something special for you to have moved to Kansas City to be with him.”
“He’s home right now between Basic Training and Tech School.  We’re having a get-together at his mom’s house this weekend, you have to come!”
“I’ll see what I can do… I’ll try to make it because I’d love to meet him.” I replied.

The weekend found me at the boy’s parents house, an uncomfortable situation because his mother worked for me.  We spent the sunny spring afternoon on the backyard deck sipping cold brew, grilling burgers and watching the fading light.    

Jay was home for a few weeks between Air Force Basic Training and Tech School, a grueling 6 months of training he would endure to learn in-depth aircraft maintenance of an A-10.  Jay spent the afternoon regaling us with stories of his misspent youth smoking pot behind the high school and skipping class.  I somehow managed to refrain from rolling my eyes at the absurdity of his self promotion.  I’d never touched drugs and couldn’t understand why anyone would.

The sun faded behind the horizon and I used the (lame) excuse of a date with my boyfriend, Sean, to bail out.  Walking to my car I remember thinking, ‘I don’t ever want to marry someone like him.  What a loser!’  Of course, I didn’t want to marry anyone like Sean either.  

Sean bullied me into dating him.  He left his girlfriend of three years and his 6 month old daughter to be with me… all because I was nice to him.  Even though I never asked him (or wanted) him to give up his life, guilt made me continue a relationship with him long past our expiration date.  Driving home I contemplated how I’d break up with him this time.  

In all honesty, I couldn’t stand the guy.  I was constantly breaking up with Sean.  He wanted a relationship that involved love, sex and commitment… things I wasn’t prepared to give him.  Ever.  I was a good girl after all.  Inevitably, after my gentle breakup with Sean, I’d come home to find a dozen red roses and Sean with tears in his eyes.  

The final straw came when Sean, fed up with my reluctance to have a physical relationship with him, went back to his ex-girlfriend for a night… who called me.  She told me every.single.detail.  I even knew what boxers he was wearing when he took her to bed.  

Sweet Jesus, I thought.  This is it.  This is my moment to sever the relationship forever!  

Sean had other plans.  He was going to apologize, cry and spend the next few months trying to get back into my good graces.