The True Story of Becky and Me

Yes, it’s true that Linda was the “Love of My Life”. I knew from the first date that we were destined to be together. But somehow, after twelve years of marriage, that train got derailed. Life really sucks sometimes and doesn’t always go the way we planned. That’s one of the reasons I quit making plans. Mine rarely worked out the way I wanted them to.

  After Linda and I divorced, I was adrift for several years. And I hate to admit it now, but I did indulge in a lot of self-destructive behavior. There was only one bright spot in all those years, and that was Wanda. She and I were together for two years. I loved that girl very, very much. And I wanted to settle down with her. I asked her to marry me three times during the course of those two years. But she swore she was never getting married again after her first husband died. And she finally convinced me she meant it, so I broke it off. The crazy thing is where she lived way on the outskirts of Vidor, Texas she had a neighbor named Becky. I never saw or met Becky during those two years although Wanda did tell me about her. The poor girl was being held a virtual prisoner by her overly jealous husband.

  I did meet someone after Wanda who convinced me that we should marry and settle down. Angelia and I were together for fourteen years. Then divorce happened again. So, a year or so later, I put myself back out there on this new-fangled thing called the internet. That’s where I met Becky.

  On our first date, after only corresponding via e-mail for a couple of months and never seeing even a picture of her, Becky and I agreed to meet at Cheddars in Beaumont. At that time, I was back living with my mother after getting laid off from my job about a week before Christmas. Yeah, sucks, right?

  Anyway, Becky and I hit it off right away. She was funny and witty – two things I thoroughly enjoy in a woman – and I couldn’t stop staring into her sparkling blue eyes. I was captivated at first sight.

  When I got home after that first date, my mom asked me how it went. I told her that it went way better than I expected. I told her there was just something about Becky that you couldn’t help but like. Becky and I dated for the next three months or so, mostly on Friday nights. Then one week, I couldn’t go on Friday. So, I asked her to go out on a Saturday night. She told me she couldn’t go on Saturday because she had another date already. I said, then how about Sunday night? Becky said nope because she had a different date that night too. I said it was cool and maybe next week then.

  Becky acted very surprised at this and wanted to know if it bothered me that she was dating other people. I told her it didn’t bother me at all, just as long as she saved at least one night a week for me. I assured her that I knew, just because we were going out, it didn’t mean I somehow owned her or had any say in what she did with her life.

  The next week, when I called her for our usual Friday night date, she told me to take a pick of any day that week. That her calendar was completely open. I asked her what happened to those other two guys she was dating, and she told me that she decided to tell both of them that she was dating other people. Both got jealous and demanded that she should pick and only date one of us exclusively. When she didn’t agree to that, they dumped her. She told me I won her by default. And we started seeing a lot more of each other after that. Another month or so went by, and I realized I was hopelessly in love with Becky. So, one Friday evening, when we had come back from eating out, she and I came in and sat on her sofa. She turned on the TV. But there was not a whole lot of TV watching going on. After about the third sweet kiss, the words just fell out of my mouth – Becky, I love you.

  As soon as I said it, Becky stood up and told me it was time to leave. I said, “Huh?” I mean, what else could I say? I was stunned and speechless. When I just stood there, she kinda took my arm and headed me for the front door. I asked her if she heard what I said. I figured she must have heard me wrong somehow. But she said, “I heard you. Now go home and call me tomorrow.”

  On the way home, I was completely flabbergasted. It was definitely not the response I had been expecting. I told my mother what happened when I got home, and she couldn’t believe it either. She was as stunned as I was because from what I had been telling her she was of the same opinion as me – that it must be love. The next evening, I called Becky with my fingers crossed. She told me to come over the next Friday and we would talk. Well, I can tell you right now, that was a very nervous week for me. I did a lot of soul searching and praying, wondering what I would do if it turned out she didn’t have the same feelings as me. Could I have been so wrong about us? During that week, I got called to come to work for Brand Scaffolding at Motiva. So, at least one thing was going my way.

  Well, Friday finally got there, and I was a nervous wreck when she met me at her door. To me, she looked so beautiful in that moment, and I knew  I didn’t want to lose her.

  We sat on that same sofa again and she looked me in the eyes for a minute before she said anything. I was wondering if she could hear my heart pounding. And then she finally spoke up. And this is what she said.

  “I heard what you said the other day, and I was afraid that might be coming. But there is something you need to know about me first.”

  I couldn’t imagine what that might be. We had talked so much about ourselves that I felt like there couldn’t possibly be too many secrets left between us. But then she continued.

  “I’ve been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and don’t have all that much time to live. So, with that in mind, I wouldn’t blame you if you got up right now and walked away and never called me again. That’s why I was just dating different people and not letting any one of them get too close. And if you leave, it’s probably what I’ll start doing again until I can’t anymore. If you decide that we can still be friends, then that’s cool too.”

  This is how the rest of that conversation went:

  “So, how long ago was it that the doctor’s told you this? And how much time did they give you?” I asked

  “Ten years ago. And they said I could go any day.”

  I sat there and didn’t say anything for a couple of minutes. She waited patiently.

  “So, ten years ago they told you this and you’re still here?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, silly, first of all, I’ve already told you I’m in love with you. So, what kind of jerk would I have to be to walk away from you now? And secondly, those stupid doctors told you that you could go any day, and you’re still here? Well, then, there’s no way to know how much time you have left. And, hell girl, I just got hired on at a refinery that could blow up at any time. I build scaffolds which is a very dangerous job. And I drive like a maniac. So, I could possibly go way before you. How about we just agree to make the best of whatever time we have and leave it at that?”

  “So, you’re saying you still love me anyway, in spite of what I just told you?”

  “Yes, Becky, I love you with all my heart and soul. And I promise I will keep on loving you until the end.”

  “The end could get ugly.” She said, being as honest with me as she could.

  “I don’t care. I promise I will be there holding your hand if that time comes. And I will be loving you more than ever.”

  The tears started to flow at that point, and she said, “In that case, I love you too!” She threw her arms around my neck and almost squeezed the life out of me right then and there.

  Soon after that, we rented a house in Port Acres, Texas and spent some of the happiest years of our lives together. It took a little coaxing at first to get her to pull that one foot out of the grave and throw away the banana peel she was standing on with the other foot. But she eventually came around and just began to live for the day. Once she did that, Becky was such a joy to be around. She made every day fun. Even knowing how it would end up, I don’t regret a single day of it. We were together for five years. The last six months were hard to see as she quickly descended into worsening health. But I kept my promise. I was there holding her hand and telling her how much I loved her until she took her final breath.

  I miss Becky every day. I miss her laughter. I miss her playful spirit. But I know I will see her again. And when that day comes for me, I may not be able to see it until it’s over. But I know she will be there holding my hand, too, the whole time.

  I love you, Becky.