Letters, Lightsabers, and Love: Chapter 20

Levi and I married each other in June of 2012 after only six months of head-over-heels, foolish-about-each-other love. Our story, like every love story, has its own unique and sweet moments and timings. We continue to marvel at the way God orchestrated our lives to bring us together, and though it included pain and trials for both of us before we met, we wouldn't change anything about it. 

Everything that happened and every way that we grew led us to this moment.

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It's finally here, the moment we've all been looking forward to. I'm going to meet Levi face to face for the very first time. He's only hours away from my front door, and I'm only hours away from meeting the man who would be my husband....

Chapter 20: Face to Face

Three and a half hours. He was only three and a half hours away. It didn't even matter that he'd told me he'd be at my house in the evening and suddenly he was going to be here six hours earlier. It's not like I'd be rushed for time anyway. I'd spent the whole night before getting my house spotless, my meals arranged, and my clothes laid out for the next day. There was nothing else to do but wait. And only having to wait three and  a half hours seemed much better than waiting almost 10 hours.

"You still there?" I realized Levi was still talking to me. 

"Oh! Yes! Sorry, I was just a little stunned for a second," I replied. 

"Is it OK that I'm coming in so early?" he asked, sounding a bit worried. 

"Of course," I assured him. "It'll be so nice to spend the whole day with you instead of just the evening." 

"My thoughts exactly," he said, sounding relieved. "I'll call you when I'm pulling in to town."

"Can't wait!"

After doing a quick lap around my house (the flow of the rooms provided a great circular track for me to release pent-up energy or for my crazy cat to run herself sick) I stood for a second and reminded myself to breathe. 

It was time to get ready. I'd already decided not to do prom hair or clown makeup because I didn't want him to run screaming from my house (not that he would have anyway), and I'd also decided that it'd be best to shower and look fresh and put together because, let's face it, it's nice to know someone cares enough not to breathe old chips and dip breath in your face. 

I took plenty of time putting myself together since I had three hours in which that was my only responsibility. I did the very silly girl thing of texting a picture of my look to my gal pals because, hey. I'd rather have a friend tell me I look like a hot mess before meeting the man I love. 

Then it was an hour before he was scheduled to arrive. I played the piano. Then it was fifty minutes. I got on Facebook and read every single update from every single friend. Then it was half an hour. I pulled up some Youtube videos to make myself giggle. Then it was twenty minutes. I checked my phone. Then it was nineteen minutes. I played some more piano. Then it was ten minutes. I began pacing. I alternated between pacing and sitting down at my piano to play three or four bars from songs for the next ten minutes. And then my phone finally, finally rang. 

"Hey," I said, positive Levi was going to hear the wild shaking taking place all over my body.

"Hey, you," he said. "I'm pulling in to town. Where should I go?"

I gave him the simple directions, and I was suddenly aware that I was going to see him in less than sixty seconds. 

"Ok," he said, taking a deep breath. "I'm driving the red Subaru."

Just then, a red Subaru turned on to my street and began heading toward my house.

"Oh man," I said, barely able to contain myself, "I can see you."

The Subaru pulled in to my driveway. A man was inside. A real, live man with whom I was already in love. 

"I'm here," he said, and hung up the phone. 

As I slowly pulled open my front door, I realized that I hadn't decided on how I would greet him, which could have been potentially awkward. Do I shake his hand? Do we high five? Do we hug? Should I curtsy? What if I got it wrong?!

As I pushed open my screen door and stepped out onto my big, front porch, a slender and slight young man in jeans and a brown zip-up hoodie stepped around the side of the Subaru. I made my decision. 

I began walking toward him, saying, "Hey," trying to convey the depth of relief and amazement I felt at finally seeing his face. 

"Hey," he replied softly, giving me a grin that was shy, sweet, and tired all at once. 

As soon as I reached him I opened up my arms and wrapped them around him. His arms went around me lightly for a moment, and when he realized that this wasn't going to be just a brief hug of greeting, he gave a huge sigh, his shoulders loosened up, and his arms tightened themselves around me. We stood there like that for a moment, both relieved to see each other and also trying not to be too nervous. 

When we finally pulled apart, we stood at arms' length for a few seconds, just looking at each other. 

"Well," I said, letting out a little breathy, nervous laugh, "come on in."

I turned toward my front door, and Levi followed me up the steps to the front porch and into my house. 

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There! It's done! We've finally met, face to face! "But wait!" you say. "We don't know how it went!" I know, I know, gentle readers. The next chapter is waiting. 


Next Chapter (Chapter 21: Meet and Greet)                  Previous Chapter (Chapter 19: Antici............pation)