Dear Future Husband, I hope you read this someday (4)
Hey love,
It’s been a while since I last wrote to you. If you’ve read my other letters, you probably know my mind loves to imagine and daydream about us. Let me tell you how I imagined that we met.
It was my second day at my new job, and by some twist of fate, we ended up in the same elevator. I had forgotten my access card (fantastic first impression, I know), and you helped me get in. I thanked you, trying to act normal, but in my head, I was already overthinking the moment. You would later find out how much of an overthinker I am. whew.
I notice your cologne first. It’s nice, and soft just the way I like it, and for a second, I think, “He smells really good.” But I don’t say it out loud. I’m too shy, and you don’t even seem to notice me. I can’t lie; I started rethinking my single status.
You were going to the 6th floor while I was headed for the 9th. You got to your floor, and you wished me a nice day with a bright smile on your face. You have a very natural smile, the kind that makes people feel comfortable. You have beautiful dimples and, I swear, I had to take 3 deep breaths to recover. I couldn’t stop smiling and blushing all day at work that day.
For the next few days, I kept hoping to run into you again. I was always looking around whenever I stepped into the elevator, hoping that you’d be there. But you weren’t. I didn’t see you at the restaurant near the office where I get food, or in the lobby either. It was as if you had disappeared. I even assumed that you probably don’t work there anymore or maybe you never did.
A week passed. Then two. Then five.
At some point, I told myself to stop expecting it. I kept trying to explain to myself that it was just a random encounter, nothing more. But still, every time I stepped into that elevator, I couldn’t help but hope to see you.
Then one evening, just as I had finally stopped thinking about it, I saw you. It had been a long day, and I was too distracted, scrolling through my phone, and I just wanted to get home. But then I caught a familiar scent, the same cologne from that first day. My heart skipped a beat.
I looked up and you were standing right beside me.
“Hey,” you said.
It took me a second to respond. “Hey.”
The elevator doors closed, and for a moment, it felt like we were right back where we started.
“Long time,” you said. “I was starting to think you didn’t work here anymore.”
I laughed. “Funny, I was thinking the same about you.”
You smiled again. That smile. The one I hadn’t been able to forget.
You reached your floor and said, “See you around”
And somehow, I knew this time, we actually would.
Weeks passed, and we kept running into each other. It was never planned, but each time we met, you had a smile or a cute comment, and before I knew it, I started looking forward to our “accidental” meetings.
Then one evening, you asked if I had any plans for the weekend. When I shook my head, you grinned and told me about a concert happening that Saturday.
“A Dwin the Stoic concert,” you said.
I was shocked. You listen to Dwin the Stoic?! In my head, I was already narrating my future love story to our kids and how I would add that Maybe God wrote this one Himself.
That weekend, we were at the concert, singing along with the artist. I caught you stealing glances at me more times than I could count. I think you watched me more than you watched the stage. And as the music played, you leaned in and said, “I’d really like us to be friends. I want to know more about you.”
I smiled, because by then, I already knew this was going to happen. Well, call me a witch, but you weren’t exactly subtle about how you felt.
Our friendship was beautiful. It still is.
The long calls, the way you’d drive me home from work even when I insisted that I could go by myself. You already knew about my annoying office colleague, teased me about my lunch box, prayed with me, we made playlists together, we went on dates even before we acknowledged them as dates.
Then, one evening, we had a beach picnic. I won’t even lie, when you first suggested it, I thought it was because I told you I haven’t been to the beach in years, and you wanted to make that up to me. You even sent me the outfit you wanted me to wear to the picnic and I also thought that was cute. When I got there and saw the setup, I just stood there, smiling like a fool.
“Omo, you really planned this?” I asked, looking at you suspiciously.
You just laughed. “You like it?”
Like? I loved it. But you already knew that (In Ladipoe’s voice)
We sat there, eating, laughing, playing card games and you even tried to teach me the game of chess, but I guess I’d have to learn later. The breeze was cool, I also loved the calming sound of the waves in the background. Later, we just sat in silence, watching the water, me leaning on your shoulders.
Then, I tried to reach for another piece of suya, you placed your phone on the blanket beside me. The screen was open to something familiar. My blog post. This letter.
“I read this,” you said, looking straight at me. “And I want to make it a reality.”
My heart kept pounding so fast that before I could find the right words, you held my hand and said, “Will you be my girlfriend?”
Just like that, it’s as if everything had fallen into place right from our first elevator ride to now. And when I looked at you, I just knew that this was it.
I didn’t need to think, didn’t need to hesitate. My heart already knew the answer.
With the softest smile, I squeezed your hand and whispered, “Yes.”
And just like that, what once lived only in my imagination became the most beautiful reality.
It’s wild to think that this is also still an imagination. OMG. Dear future husband, it’s like I am running out of patience.
Until we meet,
Your hopeless romantic.
