No Other Way to Explain It

I remember when we met for the first time. My oldest daughter, seventeen years old, had friends over and you came along with them. I had heard about you before, though. You and your two brothers were well known and respected in the small town we all lived in. You were the middle brother, the best looking one, they had said. You were recently divorced and a friend had thought (out loud to me) that she believed we would make a good match. She had dated the youngest brother. I quickly dismissed that thought.

Background:

We had not lived in this small town of Mississippi long, but long enough for local curiosity to set in. I guess you would have to understand about this town. If you had a grill in your yard and you fired it up, neighbors you had never met before would come over and make your acquaintance, bringing a cooler of beer and a lawn chair. If you lived here, you were "theirs."

I suppose it didn't help matters, but I was single, recently divorced, and in my prime, so to speak. I worked evenings and spent my mornings at the gym. Let's just say that the exercise and aerobics had paid off. Having a fit body was a bonus reward from a physical need to vent a mega dose of pent up, red hot anger about the ex and all of his misdealing towards me.

I had chosen this country place because it was a close knit community and had a very good high school. I knew my daughters would be under a watchful eye there. I even knew the gym teacher, PW, as we called him, from my same "matchmaking" friend. Keep in mind, it was the early 90's and we had landline phones, so I knew my children were home when I called in from work to check.

But back to our story:

I was in the bedroom, folding laundry, hanging up my scrubs to prepare for the work week. You and the others were in the living room. I had told my daughter I didn't feel much like company, so I'd stay in my room and read a book while she entertained. I guess I've always been an introvert of sorts. All of this would have been fine, except that I heard a voice. Your voice. It was unfamiliar because I had not known you, but it was also so very familiar to me at the same time. How could that be? It was something like the taste of honey with a hint of mischief sprinkled in. I was seduced by each word you spoke. You could have been reading the phone book, it wouldn't have mattered.

So I came out and then our eyes met. I know I blushed. Who wouldn't have with that happy go lucky, sure of himself kind of smile you gave me? I don't think I could have ever been prepared enough to see such a human specimen of a man...one that looked like he walked off of a movie set in Hollywood, blue eyes twinkling, gazing straight into my soul and making me feel such an instant connection. This just couldn't be happening. I pinched myself (in my head) as my heart raced out of my chest and my throat couldn't utter a single, solitary word. It took me moments to regain my composure, but it felt like one discombobulated eternity. I was trembling for a reason I couldn't make sense of.

Somehow, the conversation veered into my nursing profession, and you teasingly coaxed me into listening to your heartbeat. Being close to you was intoxicating. You smelled woodsy and sweet and as my hand, with the stethoscope, reached under your blue tee shirt, I caught a glimpse of your tanned and muscular torso. Your skin was hot and my hand wanted desperately to stay there. Your heart beat rapidly, too. I think mine caught up, and our rhythm became one. I smiled at you, and said something silly, like "you're normal." You laughed and we both knew better. We weren't anywhere close to being normal at that moment. I knew you felt the same dizziness, too.

After that, minutes flowed into hours, hours into days, and days into months. We spent those moments learning about each other, but we somehow already knew each answer to every question the other asked. We read poetry, we discussed news events, we played cards and board games, we had fun with others from the community, we went dancing. I watched you play baseball for your company team. I met your family. Our friends even said we had what they called, a "sacred" relationship. You teased me about being your "riblet" as from out of Adam, came Eve. It was not only the physical connection that sparked our flame, but a strong emotional and intellectual bond. We just "knew" each other. We didn't even need to speak to understand. But we also knew there was an unspoken obstacle.

I was gaining close to forty years of age, and you to being only thirty. Although you had been married before, there had been no children. It was something you wanted and I wanted for you, too. So, I began pushing you away, even though you told me to listen to this song by Chicago for us:

I have no doubt you will be in my tomorrow...even if it's in the next life. And I know you will still love me like it's today. One day.

I heard you have two beautiful children and grandchildren, now, too! My heart is happy knowing this.

I don't know if past lives can be a real phenomena, but I'm almost convinced of the true possibility. Especially when I found out that you shared the same birthday as had an uncle of mine that died before I was born. There had been exactly thirty years from the time he had been born until the year you were born. He had died on his birthday. And I had always felt a special bond with him when I saw his pictures. He, too had been a ladies man, like you. Coincidence or connection?

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I found an article by Dr. Laura Berman...made a lot of sense when I read it. And so did the one by Michelle @ Enchanting Empress. Otherwise, there's just no other way to explain "us."

"When two souls originate from a similar cluster of stars, they are “soul mates.”

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/soul-mates-past-life-connections-partners-michelle-enchanting-empress/

"I mean that you and your partner’s souls literally met and conspired together before either of you ever came to this reality. I believe that you each made a pact to meet each other and serve one another on your soul-growth journey."

https://drlauraberman.com/here-is-the-true-meaning-of-soulmates-hint-its-not-what-you-think/

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Written from prompt # 22 of Chloe Rose Violet's: