Wrong Day

 It was one of those days that just wasn’t right. 

Woke up late.  Couldn’t get my hair fixed right.  Coffee was weak.  Couldn’t find the other matching shoe. Traffic was bad.  Then finally made it to work.  Made it through the day.

Finally the work day is almost over and I can go home crawl back to bed and pretend like the day never happened.

On my way out of the building finally going home. Trying see the connection network status on the phone, I was ready to chunk the phone in the trash.  Carrying my ten pound briefcase that felt like a hundred pounds, ready to chunk it in the trash too.

“Wish I didn’t have to carry all this stuff around.  But since I couldn’t fit it all in my brain, I have to carry these reference binders to help me remember it all to do my work.”

I looked up out the window along the entire wall of the hallway.  There was a statue of an eagle perched on a pedestal.  The symbol of greatness.  The eagle of the mountain.  I started thinking of the eagle in the photograph I took six months ago.  I wish I could fly.  I wished I could soar around the mountains like that eagle.  I don’t want to carry all this stuff - briefcases, cell phones or wear suits, and heels.  I wanted so much to be free as that eagle. 

Something wasn’t right.  Today was different.  I feel different.  All day it was different like ordinary became dis-ordinary.  Since this morning began as a struggle, I’ve been struggling all day to keep things “normal and ordinary”. 

At the end of every day, I’ve always felt like a soldier at combat after the day ends and relieved that I’m that still alive. 

But now after putting up with an dis-ordinary day, I feel like I’m invincible and just taking the shots from the enemy knowing they’ll miss me.  Like I’m as a soldier in a combat zone that’s carrying weapons that don’t work, missed my destination, uniform is the wrong color instead of camouflage colors, my radio isn’t working, and yet I won’t get killed anyway.  Weird.  Is this is what it feels to be invincible?  Then why do I always feel dispensable and work so hard? 

Is this some kind of twilight zone?  Some surreal event that can’t be explained? The workings of the Lord and the Angels above?  Some kind of miracle happening?  I know something is different today.

I didn’t know what it was until I looked up in front of me and away from the window.  There he was.  The man who changed my life six months ago. 

All of the sudden the universe seemed to change instantly.  Like some button was pressed and created a new direction to the events of today.

He who made me change the way I thought.  My heart had changed back then and was in limbo for the next step.  The next step I didn’t know what it would be.  In my life, in my heart. 

What was he doing here?  He looked out of place.  The man of the mountain lands.  He was wearing a suit …not jeans, no flannel shirt, nor a cowboy hat.  He looked different.  Did he change too?  

I couldn’t help but smile as he walked casually toward me.  He was broadly smiling too.  I didn’t know whether to hug him or shake his hand.  Shaking his hand would be too formal, but this is a business environment and my mind still in a business mode. The flow of emotion running through my heart made me want to hug him instead. 

I set the briefcase down beside me. He came up to me and wrapped his arms around me. Gave me a big hug and kissed my cheek and neck.

“I’ve been looking for you for so long.  What are you doing here?  I thought you lived in Texas.”  He asked. 

His soft grey eyes were all that I could see.  Everything else around me was a blur.  Nothing else mattered. 

“I had something to take care of here.  It’s good to see you.  You look different in a suit; it brings out your handsome eyes.  What are you doing here, of all places?”

“Taking care of some stuff too.  I’m glad I found you.  Are you ok?  I mean after what happened six months ago?” He asked.

 “Um, no, not really.  I’m still trying to recover from it.  I’m still having trouble with some of it.  And you? How have you been?”

“Not good, been missing you.  I’ve been looking for you.  You weren’t in Texas.  Did you move or something?” He asked.

“No, just been busy.  How’s your family?”

“They’re fine.  Everyone noticed how I was different.  They knew something happened.  I’ve been even more miserable since you left.  You did something to me that night.  Then my mother wanted to help me find you.  Even my kids.” He replied.

“Really?  I had no idea.  I didn’t want to disrupt your family.  I felt terrible.  I have respect for all of you and I just felt awful about what happened.”

But yet, I was glad it happened.  I needed that.  As a woman, I needed to feel wanted and loved.  He was…uh…should I say…unforgettable.  I didn’t regret it not one bit.  He was amazing.

There was a brief silence. 

“What are you doing here?  In Washington?  In a suit?”

“Just here for a hearing on a bill that needs to be passed.” He answered.

“Are you on some committee?”

“Will you marry me?” He asked.

“Say that again?” Did I hear that right?

“I know it’s so sudden but I don’t want to live another day without you or lose you again.  Will you marry me?” He asked again.

“Well…”  

Take deep breath.  Is he the same person? Of course people don’t change.  They may look different but deep in their hearts and minds they are the same person.

“Well, kiss me first and I’ll answer the question.” 

Will I see stars?  I closed my eyes.  He softly and gently kissed me.  He had the same scent, the same tenderness, felt safe and secure with his arms around me, his whole body was warm or was it me.  I opened my eyes and wrapped my arms around his neck.

 “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

“I promise I’ll be true to you and do whatever I can to make you happy.  You won’t have to do a thing for me.  I’m happy just by you being by my side.” He said.

Published 11/25/2023 Written by Marcella Melson