In a parallel universe someplace, I hope that there’s a version of me that did in fact, end up with him. And he was exactly the man that she wanted for him to be.
That we did in fact, after that FaceTime call, try to talk every day. That he made an effort. And we would call every single day and get to know one another. I’d take that trip with my two best friends to where he lived and I’d meet up with him, and spend my time with him. And when I left to go back and he came home for the summer, that we made it a point to make long-distance work. He’d be my first everything. He would teach me tennis, take me to basketball games, and protect me. And in turn, I’d be the best girlfriend to him, teaching him how to cook and introduce him to my passion of all things artistic. He’d play the piano at night and I’d sing, and he’d lift me up so I could shoot basketballs into the net outside his house. I’d go to visit him and he’d come to U of M to spend time with me.
And when we’d break it to our families, everyone would be elated and nobody in the world would think twice about the two of us. We would be each other’s soulmates, twin flames. And we’d forever be in love, stuck in the honeymoon stage of it all.
After I graduated college, we would both buy an apartment in Chicago, eating Chinese takeout on the first night, using boxes for tables. We’d dance around the apartment to oldies and dim lighting and he’d twirl and dip me as we’d sing along. I’d accompany him to events as his date and everyone would know that I was HIS girl.
Our marriage would be nothing short of extravagant. I’d wear a white wedding gown and walk down the church aisle, ready to be his wife. And he’d be so respectful, committed to me and only me, no other girl even crossed his mind. I would be his everything.
We’d live in Illinois and raise our children there, and we’d be in a large friend group, constantly entertaining everyone. He’d work in finance, and I’d be a tele-radiologist. He’d get home-cooked meals every night, and I’d get back scratches. And for our kids? He would let me raise them how I wanted to. He would be so in love with me that my word was the law, and vice versa with other matters. He would know how to give and be so compromising. We’d travel everywhere and raise the most kindhearted, genuine children.
And in our later years, we’d sit on porches, holding each other’s hands and enjoying sunsets, watching our grandchildren play in the yard. We’d be the most fun and loving grandparents and would live a good life. Growing old together for us every day would be beautiful.
Finally, we will always find each other in the next life, in this universe at least.