What if . . . and an update

So I want to be a part of the Spin Cycle again!! But, I already had a “What if?” post, when I got the idea from from a contest on Ask Alice back in September. But I want to be in the SC, so I’m going to cheat (a little) and re-post – but I’m going to include a few updates – so it’s less cheating – yes?

So here we go again . . . along with an update . . . . One of my biggest "What if" moments happened about 6 years ago when I went to Maui, HI with my now BFF (then, friend from work) for her wedding over Memorial Day. I wasn't in the wedding but I shared a condo with the maid of honor and best man. We were the only singletons there. It was a very "Real World" meeting at the airport - because we honestly didn't know each other. Well, we’d exchanged phone calls and emails regarding the trip and I had met the maid of honor one or two times when I went back home with BFF, but we really hadn’t truly met and congregate with one another until we all met at the airport as our flights arrived. (The Best Man was from Chicago, Maid of Honor from Michigan and I am from Ohio.)

Side note: The three of us got along GREAT and had the best vacation ever. No fighting/hair pulling or anything – lots o fun! Six years later and every Memorial Day weekend I get out my pictures and just smile remembering the best 9 days in my life.

Anyway - the first night there, after dinner – Best Man and I sat out on the beach with a makeshift cooler (trash can from the room with ice) and a case of Corona's and just talked and talked and drank, and drank. Maid of Honor was invited to join us – but declined because she was tired and full from dinner. Before we knew it, and after hearing many funny and personal stories, taking silly pictures of each other and the MANY sand crabs (one who we named - Big Brutus), it was 5am and the sun was rising. In our drunken state - we tried (unsuccessfully) to actually SEE the sun rise - but we couldn't find it. Yes, the BIG ORANGE/YELLOW CIRCLE in the SKY? - We, (dru-unks) couldn't find it. (I am NOT lying – I wish I was.)

Nothing happened that night - romantically - except that we became great friends and the next week was the literally (VH1 plug here) THE BEST WEEK EVER. (for all 3 of us too). Over the course of the next 7 days we were as thick as thieves and never left each others side.
On our last night in Maui (the Maid of Honor had left for home the night before) Best Man and I had dinner and a little too much to drink - which would usually mean that something ROMANTIC actually DID happen right? Wrong! Way too much alcohol and we just both fell asleep. (or at least, that's all that I remember - we could have had wild and crazy sex - which I hope we didn't, because I sure don't remember it.) I had to leave the next day and wouldn't see him again until the reception back home for the newlyweds.

When we met up at the reception, in the newlywed’s hometown in Michigan, it was as if we never missed a beat, we were reminiscing about the trip – checking out my tattoo. Oh yeah, I always wanted a tattoo – he had a couple and said he’d go with me while we were in Maui – so I have a tattoo to remind me of that trip. At the end of the night Best Man drove me back to my hotel and at a red light I leaned over and planted a big kiss on him and told him that I’d been dying to do that since Maui. He said “me too!” Unfortunately, I was sharing a room with the Maid of Honor and others from the wedding so we would again have to wait to be with each other. The next morning, and after just sleeping and messing around a little/lot (but no sex because, well, I'm not a quiet person) with Best Man in my bed, we had to be up early at the newlywed’s house to watch them open gifts - ugggh!! All I wanted to do was consummate my new relationship with Best Man – not watch someone else open gifts!!

But like a really cheesy romantic comedy – this was not in the works for us. You see, the day went on. And on. And on and on ... and eventually we had to go our separate ways, he back to Chicago and me back to Ohio because (like an IDIOT) I rode to Michigan with the newlyweds and had to leave when they did. We tried to keep in touch via email and phone calls, but you know how that goes. Throw in the fact that Best Man was interviewing and eventually landed a new job, time was sparse. It just never came to fruition.

Except, one night 9 months later, (no I wasn't pregnant - we never actually had sex remember?) he came to visit the newlyweds unexpectedly. At this time, however, I was kind of dating someone else. While Best Man was at the newlyweds house, my BFF’s new Husband told Best Man about this someone else and this sealed the fate of any relationship between me and Best Man. What was he thinking?? I could have started dating Best Man and there wouldn’t have to be any of that ‘learning to like each others friends’ crap that you have to go through in a new relationship.

It’s been a little of six years now, newlyweds are still married and have 2 children (one even named after me!) and the Maid of Honor is also married with children. Best Man and me?

STILL SINGLE.
NEITHER OF US DATING ANYONE.

Do I think What If? All the time . . . .

Update to this story. In December of ’08, my BFF called to tell me that Best Man is currently looking for a new job and sent his resume to a company that is HERE. IN. MY. HOMETOWN. And, said company, just moved some of its offices in the building RIGHT. NEXT. TO. MINE!!

Of course, he won’t even get an interview – because this little bit of irony, is sooooooo my life. Also, if Best Man and I actually DID ever get together, I would have IMMEDIATELY found everything wrong with him (it’s what I do, I’m going to see a therapist this year, I promise) and the relationship would have ended badly – possibly losing my BFF in the ordeal. So, maybe the what if scenario is really just a story about two people that had a connection for a week in Maui.

Nah, I’m pretty sure this was my soul mate.