“Hey Stacy!” I said, trying to sound happy, but not too excited. “I was hoping you would call back. Sorry I missed your first call. You were right on it; I saw the number from base and let it go to voicemail. How have you been? How’s the deployment?”
“Hi! Oh. My. Gosh! The deployment has been so much fun – amazing actually.” She was excited with the same soft yet confident voice that I had remembered. “I totally needed to get away from home, as is apparent by the realization that my idiot boyfriend was cheating on me. It is hot as stink and we work twelve hour shifts six days a week, but I have met an amazing friend named Sarah. We have been hanging out every day since she got here and it has been almost a vacation for me. I am incredibly annoyed by a five-hundred dollar phone bill and the fact that Chris has the keys to my new home and that I stayed with such a loser for so long, but other than that I am great!”
There it was; the final confirmation that this phone call was officially on uncharted waters. Stacy and I had developed a strong friendship, but now a new variable swam steady within our conversation…opportunity. One good thing about my time on the dating scene was that I had learned the value of patience. My best shot of having any type of relationship with Stacy was to keep in contact for the remaining months of her deployment then slowly work my way into a couple of dates once she returned. Normally, I would have been worried about another guy moving in (which was still likely), but because deployments consist of all types of people from bases across the globe, they are not the ideal platform for launching a long term relationship.
“That’s awesome!” I responded. “So glad to hear the deployment is going well, but how on earth did Chris charge up a five-hundred dollar phone bill? And he has the keys to your house? Oh, and don’t feel alone on sticking it out with a cheater-slash-loser. I found out Melissa was cheating on me on Christmas Eve and we’ve been donso ever since.”
It was funny to think of the hours we’d spent at work on the flightline venting our relationship woes in tones of despair. Then there we were, discussing Chris and Melissa again, only this time with relief and excitement.
“Yeah, Chris told me all about you and Melissa.” Stacy continued, “I have decided that Chris is either a complete idiot or he wanted to get caught. We have a family share plan on my phone because he didn’t have a phone and it would be impossible to get a hold of him. I asked him to continue paying the bills for me while I was gone and left him with several checks written out to the phone company with the general amount it would be. He has been acting a little weird each time I’ve talked to him since I left the states so I decided to go online and look up my phone bill. I saw that it was five-hundred dollars because of all of these Maryland and Louisiana numbers he was calling. So in my crazy investigative way I called the Maryland one because it was the most frequently dialed number and his girlfriend picked up…She was really nice and surprised to hear that we were still dating. Apparently we broke up prior to my deployment.”
It still seemed incredible that someone could be with Stacy Morey and want to date other women. Who else did he think was out there? Yet, it was hard for me to feel sorry for the guy because his loss stood to potentially be my gain. I could feel my heart rate start to rev up like a dragster waiting for the green light as I let the thought of possibly being with Stacy enter my mind. All of the sudden, my plan of playing it cool until Stacy returned to the states was turning into my plan of completely unloading how I felt right then and there. Somehow I was able to refocus, reel it back in and continue to act like I had no expectations beyond casual conversation…close call.
“Wow…that’s crazy, but I’m not all that surprised.” I responded; cool as a penguin with his hat on backward. “I saw him at a bar a few weeks ago with a couple of girls who he seemed to be very friendly with. Hey, maybe him and Melissa will meet up in a bar somewhere and be PERFECT for each other.” She laughed softly…man I’m cool. “Anyhow, it looks like it’s the single life for us. What are you going to do with your new found freedom?”
This was an important question. There was a good chance that Stacy was really hurt by the break up, was hiding it by joking around, and had no intention of dating anyone for a long time. Also, she may already have someone in mind who she wanted to pursue.
“I am soo excited to be single and free. I feel like a new person and I love that I don’t have to ‘answer’ to anyone. I can’t wait to get home to my new house and decorate and do my own thing and I am done with relationships for a while. Whenever I get back, we should hang out. I think a celebration barbecue is in order for the both of us. The funny thing is that I am so happy this relationship is FINALLY over with. It feels really good to be talking to you about it. Ya know?”
Based on this response, I started to doubt my plan. My mind was convinced that the logical thing to do, based on my past experiences, was to wait out the next three months of her deployment, talk to her periodically, then skillfully work myself into a first date at the barbecue. But my heart was telling me; “spill it Steve! Tell her how you lie awake some nights thinking of what it would be like to be with her. Or how she put you in an upright coma the first time you saw her. The bridle’s off this pony now don’t hold back! Tell her how you have been trying to meet someone just like her, but have failed to find anyone who could even enter the discussion of comparing to her. Tell her you think you love her.”
Wait, did I love her? The thought that had been lingering in my subconscious for over a year had finally come to the surface setting my logic and emotion into a chaotic frenzy, I somehow managed to gather myself and put together a coherent response.
“I know exactly how you feel. It makes me wonder why I stayed with someone I was unhappy with for so long. Just goes to show that just because there isn’t a ‘good reason’ to break up, doesn’t mean two people should stay together. Being unhappy is reason enough. I’m definitely down to barbecue. You can count on me and the boys being there when you get back.”
“Is that what you really wanted to say?”, my heart started in again. “Your ‘unhappiness is a reason enough to break-up’ philosophy? Really? You’re on the phone with the woman of your dreams and this is your conversation? Lay it all on the line! Tell her you…”
“You have one minute remaining.” Interrupted the phone operator in an automated female voice.
“Operator? Who invited this chick? One minute we’re gonna have to make this quick.” My heart chimed in with one final push.
“Well, I guess I have to go.” Said Stacy, clearly familiar with the one minute count down. “It was awesome to be able to talk to you. I couldn’t wait another three months to tell you the news because the whole crazy story was just TOO good not to share. I can’t wait to hang out whenever I get back home.”
“Yeah, keep me updated with your barbecue plans.” I said, feeling rushed.
“Barbecue plans? Unbelievable.” Said my heart, disappointed in my cowardice.
“I will. Take care.”
“Ok, bye.”
I guess I wasn’t quite “cool” enough to play it cool…it was time for a new plan.
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