A year or so later, I received a phone call from one of my friends. It was early in the morning, and I was getting ready for work. She said turn on the television.  As I watched the newscast, I was in shock. From what they were saying, it was apparent that Ryder’s Dad would soon become a single father. Now, everything that I had heard about his life, and what he was going through,  was all so real, and for everyone to know.  My heart just sank, and I felt so sorry for him. What was he going through with all of this? What were his children going through?  If only we would have chosen another path, they would have never had to go through the embarrassment of this news. I felt the pain that he was going through, and  I wanted to reach out to him, but I didn’t. I heard a still small voice in my heart that said, “it’s just a matter of time now, just wait”   What? Was that God speaking to me? Surely this could not happen, it had been too long. We were just a couple of kids in love years ago. That would be like a movie.  I started thinking back on all the dreams that we shared, and a love that was so real and innocent. That couldn’t happen to me. Or could it really happen? So, I started thinking about it more. I thought about what my life would be like. Could I actually have that real love again, the real love that I experienced when I was so young. Ryder’s Dad was always in the back of my mind, but it had already been decided years ago. Who would have known that his marriage would have ended up like this, and I would be where I was. I was still in my relationship with my son’s father, but I could not get out of it fast enough. It was horrible. How did we both end up like this? Maybe it was meant to be this way, If either of us would have been in a stable relationship, what was about to happen, would not have happened.

As fate would have it, one day I was outside with the neighbors, and I saw a Hummer ride by my house, and it came back around through my alley.  I lived in a neighborhood  that was off the beaten path so he would have to be there on purpose. Looking for something or someone? My heart started beating out of my chest. I knew what kind of vehicle he drove because I had seen it on face book, but I didn’t know, he knew where I lived. He saw me a couple of years earlier when he was on the motorcycle. I was 34 now, and it had been a few years since we had gone into details about our lives to each other. Is this it? Was he looking for me? I immediately excused myself and ran into the house. I didn’t even give it a second thought, I just picked up my phone and called him. I still had his number in my phone from his face book page a little over a year earlier. I was so nervous, but this was it, and I knew he needed me. He answered, and I asked him if he had just drove by my house. I think he was in shock, because he didn’t know that I saw him ride by.  I wanted to know how he was, and to make sure he was okay. I knew what was going on in his life, and I knew these decisions were out of his control. I knew he was lost, and this time, the decision to make a move was made for him. Our whole world was about to change.                                                                     We talked for a while and decided to talk again the next day. I had not spoke with him in so many years on that level. I was in a little shock myself. What about all the thoughts that I had not to long ago? Was this really going to happen? I needed to pinch myself. I was elated. I was on cloud nine and then some. This couldn’t really be happening. Those were all just thoughts and dreams that I had, not reality. Now how was this all going to work out? Ryder’s Dad was talking and going out with a couple of people at the time, and trying to find his new normal. He was working all the time and doing everything he could to pay the bills and raise his boys.  We decided to meet and talk after work. We decided to meet on his birthday just two days after we had talked on the phone for the first time. We knew when we met this time, that it was going to be different.  We finally could spend time together without having the pressure to make a decision quickly. This was a whole new world for us and it was like a dream. We both had been down terrible roads without each other, and now there was nothing standing in our way. I immediately spoke to my ex husband, who I was still allowing to use me, still dealing with his abuse, and told him that it was over. I finally found the courage to get him out of my life, and the hope to help keep him out. I was so happy to have Ryder’s Dad back in my life. He was like an angel sent from God, to deliver me from the mess I had made of my life, and he felt the same way. We needed each other. It’s like time stood still and our hearts had never moved on.  Finally, we were where we wanted to be our whole lives. We still today look at each other and say, is this real?  I met him after work and both of us had butterflies. It had been so long since the last time we met like this. Alone, and so much had changed in our lives. It was a short meeting because we both had responsibilities to take care of, but we both knew we were about to embark on something special. A dream come true. We decided to meet again the next day and everyday from there on out. During this time, we just talked and talked about all the years we had missed and all the things that we wanted to say to each other. We were getting to know each other all over again. It was euphoric and we couldn’t wait until the next time. In the days to come, we endured so much drama from both sides, as we set out to tie up all the loose ends of our messy past, but we wouldn’t let it stop us this time.  There were a few bumps in the road while we were sorting all of this out. I can write a whole book on the craziness that we went through. This was our time to make it work, and we were handed this chance on a silver platter. We had tried for years to work out our relationships for the sake of family and for our children that we loved so much. The damage that happened to our children because we stayed, we would have to live with. We had a chance now to make things right for them. Give them stability, show them what true love means and be an example to them. Let them see that normalcy was peace in a home, not the constant turmoil that they had been living in. We had to do what was best for us and our children, and now, that would be us together. We could have what we wanted for our families, and we could help each other raise our boys.We knew that we wanted to get married, and we wanted to make sure that we never lost each other again. Our families and friends were so shocked when we got back together and they were so happy for us. I know my family worried daily for me in the relationship that I had found myself in. They worried for my son. They worried for our future and safety. My Mom prayed everyday that God would send me someone that would take care of us and be a good husband.  I know that Ryder’s Dad had problems in his family because of his marriage. They tell me all the time how happy they are that we got back together, how they had lost touch with him for so long. Finally, they could see us happy again!!!                                            As I was writing our story, I came to the last part, and it ended up being number 7. The number 7 is God’s number for completion. I thought it was ironic as I started writing the completion of our love story. Just the fact that we went through all of that, and  got back together after 20 years was a miracle in itself. It was a reminder of how God has this whole thing called life, already figured out for each of us. He already knows the end of our stories and has great plans for all of our lives. As we live, we are writing our stories, the good, the bad, and the ugly. You know I hate when the love story comes to an end, and we are left hanging. I want to know what happens in their lives. I want to see how happy they are in their new lives together. Does the strength of their love endure? What happens after the romance and real life ensues. Well, the people that know us, know that the story continues and the tragedy that followed. I will share that in more blogs to come, and how we are still happily married after 5 years. Our love and our tragedy, and how we made it through with the help of an awesome God.