It all began in a far away land many years ago....
Okay. Maybe not quite that way. But it was a long time ago and in a place far from here. And it's my story, so I can start it any way I want!
So there!!
Anyway, back to the fairy tale. I know you're all dying to know how I met my Handsome Prince.
The year, 1990. I was living back in Massachusetts with my Dad, in a two bit town where everyone knows everyone, and I was dying to get out. I had spent about the last for years going to bars with friends every Friday through Sunday and getting drunk. I did some soul searching and realized I can't go on like this every weekend for the rest of my life. It was getting me nowhere. Fast. So I stopped going out every weekend, and became a homebody, spending more time with either Dad or over at Mom's.
At the time, we had no idea Dad was battling cancer, so I'm very thankful I came to my senses when I did and was able to spend that time with him. We would have dinner together and occasionally rent a movie or two. When I wasn't dining with Dad, I'd go to Mom's and have dinner with her.
This was also when Mom was working at the local ER, where she met a man and they began dating.
A much younger man.
A man around my age.
I had no problem at all with my Mother dating a guy who was about my age. I just had one rule about it; he could not, in any way, be good looking! It just wouldn't be right if I was single and my Mom was dating a handsome younger man. IT COULD NOT HAPPEN.
One night she was supposed to go out with her man, Richard, and was debating whether or not to bring ma along to meet him. He knew she had kids, but to her, having him meet one of them was a whole other thing. I, on the other hand didn't care. Either I go out with her and Richard, or I went home. No big deal.
So she decides he has to meet me sometime, better now than never, and we head over to his place to pick him up and make the introductions.
The entire drive over I kept repeating in my head "Please don't be cute. Please don't be cute. Please don't be cute."
Because that just wouldn't be right if he was cute.
We get to his place, Mom knocks on the door, and the door behinds us opens and I hear, "Hello, Diann."
I turn to look, thinking it might be Richard (all the while still repeating in my head "Please don't be cute. Please don't be cute."), and I see this gorgeous, tan hunk in snug white jeans and tee-shirt!
The chant in my head suddenly changed to "SHIT!! SHIT!! SHIT!!" He was sooo cute!! This can not be the guy my MOTHER is dating!!"
Then I hear through the cussing in my head Mom say "Sean, I'd like you to meet my daughter Jackie. Jackie, this is Richard's friend Sean."
I'm pretty sure I was holding my breath. And I'm pretty sure I let out a very loud sigh when I heard that he was not Richard. THANK YOU LORD!!!
That night we all went out to a comedy bar (it sucked) then somewhere else where I think we might've had dinner and a few drinks. I really don't remember. I was just so thrilled to be with a guy who #1 WAS NOT FROM OUR STINKIN' CRAPPY LITTLE TOWN and #2 was so very HOT!!
At the end of the night we all went our separate ways and I wondered if I'd ever see this cute guy again.
Lucky for me I did. He would stop by the store I was working at and we'd go to lunch together. Almost every day.
Not only was he good looking, but he was from somewhere else! Growing up in such a small town where everyone knows your whole family, it was awesome to tell people, "Nope. You don't know him." He had lived in half the states in the US. Hell, he lived several years in the French Quarter of New Orleans. How cool was that?! I knew very few of the girls in town could claim their guy had been all over the States, AND lived in the French Quarter of New Orleans! Here I was, weird little Jackie, with the hottest new thing in town. I'm pretty sure my head was 2 sizes larger ~ despite (or because) of my weirdness, he chose me!!
I was just so thrilled by him. He rode a "Pee Wee Herman" bike because had his license revoked (I can't remember why.), and actually listened to me when I said I hate soda and never drink it.
But what really cinched the deal, was that first night we went out, I had told him that the perfect date was simply a picnic lunch with champagne on a red checkered cloth in the park.
And guess what??!!
A few weeks after we met he surprised me by taking me to a local outdoor amphitheater to hear the Boston Pops. To have a picnic lunch. On the grass. With champagne. On a red checkered cloth!
I was in love!
We then got a place together, a year or so later packed up everything we owned, plus a puppy, drove across the US to AZ, then I got pregnant, we got married, had 2 more girls and the rest as they say is history....
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