Date Me! (Part 1)

16 years ago, my then fiancé left me, my family, his family, our friends and a host of invited guests waiting for him to show up on our wedding day. He did not show. Dave, I had been dreaming about my wedding day, and even the dress I would wear since before I met my him. I had pictured it in my head and even shared our big day with him. Though it was difficult to get that perfect and well-planned image into words, he loved every bit of the detail I managed to describe to him. He added his own vision of his wedding day and we realized our D-day was going to be the opposite of anxious.

We both wanted a comfortable and fun event. We agreed on something simple, budget friendly, yet romantic and beautiful beyond belief. I could practically see myself walking up the aisle in my satin ballgown with a smooth slit, a long train, buttons down the back of my wedding dress. I wore the exact gown 16 years ago to create into reality our dream. The situation for that day was beyond ugly. It was embarrassing and sad. I was in the car parked in front of the chapel with my dad, waiting for a signal to join the service.

My fiancé loved me very much and I know he also craved the same level of safety and security that being married could bring us. I remember while we waited for like forever for that damn signal, my dad shared the story of how he could not wait to settle down with my mum in marriage on their wedding day.  He asked if I felt the same way about my fiancé and my answer was yes; I was not willing to wait. Neither was he.

After being in the car for what seemed like an hour, his sister came to where we had parked to inform us of her brother’s decision. He wasn’t coming. The look on her face broke me. She was my friend and couldn’t wait to officially call me her sister in love. It was brought to my attention that her brother had gotten a lady pregnant and she wasn’t going to abort nor raise the child. She wanted us to raise her child. Yes, you read right. Me and my fiancé to raise the child she was having with him. Those were her conditions, else she was going to show up in church and raise her hand when it came to the part of, ‘If anyone here has an objection, speak now or forever hold your peace’.

My dad asked what I was going to do and I told him to go inside the chapel with my friend to apologize to everyone and cancel the day. They left and I was in the car alone with the driver. The driver was my boss at work who had volunteered to be my personal chauffer. He was a widower. His wife had died the year before. “Why did you offer to be our driver today?” I asked.

“Because you have been consistent at being the direct report that sees the chaos and cleans it up at work. You fix any unexpected problem at work. I have seen you move mountains to deliver on commitments in my company. You have made me a ton of money and also pulled the entire team at work together. I see what you do for my business. This was the least I could do for you and your husband.” he answered, while smiling.

Dave, even though I couldn’t avoid being sad and literally, watching my dream of a ‘happily ever after’ crumble, that little moment with my boss became my biggest motivation to immediately sit up and try to be thankful for all things happening together for my good. I started to believe that I deserved what was better than the embarrassment of a failed wedding in front of family and friends.

“Do you know what you need right now?” my boss asked, “You need a man who has reached the age of commitment. You are a woman seriously trying to find a husband. Date me!”

Dave, I am getting ready to go join my husband in bed. I will continue with the second part of our love story tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Image Credit: Pavel Danilyuk