Life, Love, Addiction

It was not that long ago that I walked into the Brass Ring Lounge a "Swanky Speakeasy" that played Jazz type music and met my soul mate. I say it was not long ago because it has only been 7 years but at the same time I feel it was a lifetime ago. This is my story of life, love, and addiction!

When I walked into the Brass Ring Lounge with my then Best friend, let's call her Emily and her boyfriend let's call him Jim, I was introduced to this handsome man named Cam. I knew right then and there that he was going to change my life I could just feel it. We all hung out all night long and eventually went back to Jim's apartment where Cam and I talked some more and eventually passed out on the couch (Yes we passed out nothing else) after a fun night of drinking and talking.

The next morning Emily and I leave to head home and I told her that I needed to get to know him better that there was just something there that I couldn't explain and wanted to find out what it was. Of course as soon as I got home I added him on Facebook and a couple days later he accepted my friend request, but then nothing else and I was so disappointed as I thought maybe he had felt it too. I decided to go out on a date with this guy named Will as I couldn't just wait around for Cam to feel what I felt too. While we were on our date I got a weird text from a number I didn't know saying " What are you wearing, Are you naked?" I immediately called the number and long behold it was Cam! He was out with Jim and Emily and she had given him my number. Cam asked what I was doing and I told him I was on a date currently. He told me there was no reason to continue the date and that I should go home and think about going on a camping trip with him that next weekend. Of course I listened because to me there was just something about him and the way he talked to me! I waited all week talking with Emily about how excited we were to go with the guys on this camping trip and of course made sure we looked awesome as most girls do.

The next weekend finally arrived and I went camping but could only go for one night and day as I had to get home to my two young boys who were spending the night with their aunt. It ended up being an awkward time for most of the trip as I only knew Emily, Jim and of course Cam out of the twenty something people that were there. Cam barely spoke to me and when he did it was like he didn't know how or was afraid too. Eventually late that night we all went to our tents for bed and I slept in Cam's tent (No we didn't do anything guys). It ended up being fun because we literally just talked for hours. He would tell me stories about when he was in high school and his early twenties and I was just infatuated with hearing them, I couldn't get enough and secretly prayed for the night to never end! The next day Emily and I left to head home and he told me he would call me when he got back in town and we would go on a date just us two. I was so excited I felt like 24 hours was going to be a lifetime.

A couple days later while at my son's football practice I got a text asking if I wanted to go out that evening. Of course I said Yes! This was the first of many Yes's that probably should of been No's but there was just something about him that I literally could not say No. After my boys had been fed dinner and put to bed ( I had just moved to Indy and was living with my parents as I saved up enough for my own place) I set out to meet Cam at this bar & Grill for dinner and drinks. We had so much fun it was like we had been friends for years drinking, laughing, talking, and him showing me the cool spots in Indy to go to for drinks and Pool. Before I knew it, it was after 2:00 a.m. which was not good as I had to get up at 5:00a.m. for work.

The beginning of our dating relationship was just that meeting up a couple times a week after my boys were in bed at bars and playing pool and drinking. We would talk a lot and honestly I felt like we knew everything about each other. I didn't think it was weird to always be meeting up at bars as a Veteran in the military that's what we all did after we got off work to unwind and hang out so I didn't think anything of it. After a couple weeks of dating the Indiana State Fair came to town and he asked if I wanted to take the boys and go with him. I was excited because him and I had been seeing a lot of each other and I knew we would be together forever I just felt it. My boys were so excited to go as we had never been to the State Fair before. I introduced them to Cam as a friend and we made sure to not hold hands or kiss or anything as my kids were young and I didn't want them to think anything yet. The boys had a blast and Cam was amazing with them. He showed them all the farm animals, went on rides, ate a ton of fair food, and just had a perfect day!

A Couple Weeks later we went out to this expensive restaurant on a couple's date with Emily, Jim, and some others. It was an amazing time and we ate our weight in meat it seemed. After dinner instead of going out with everyone Cam and I went back to his place and had our 1st official sleep over (You know what I mean). Afterwards Cam asked me to be his girlfriend and of course I was super excited and nervous which was weird but still very excited. Once we became official it was like we were seeing each other all the time. I would go to his place after work, he would come to mine, or we would meet out for a bit. He was even my date to my sister's wedding with my boys and I. Couple months in and it was the Holidays and we were all spending them together with his family and mine. I felt like I was living a dream as everything seemed perfect, well almost perfect....