Apparently, she found her ._.
So, Valentine's Day, the day of the year I either wholeheartedly adore or hate with the burning rage of a thousand exploding suns, happened to fall on a Friday this year, coinciding with my traditional game night. In order to gloss over the fact that I was single for the holiday once more, I decided that a fun night of D&D and random tomfoolery with friends would be the perfect way to spend the evening. And so it was.
Then, as I sat there weaving my story like the pro DM that I am, I felt a stirring in my pants. It was my phone, alerting me of a text. I kept narrating the story, casually glancing down at the little screen, and I stopped in mid-sentence, my heart leaping into my throat as I read the name of the text's sender.
Lennon.
It's been about three and a half months since she disappeared, with not a word of her whereabouts or condition, after she'd spent weeks venting to me about her awful home life and the mountain of stress she'd been dealing with. I'd understood her decision not to have a relationship, but I'd been heartbroken that she had apparently been avoiding me, not wanting to burden me and focusing on taking on all of her problems herself. I didn't know how she was doing, and if she was all right... I even considered numerous times the notion of flying down to Phoenix to look for her, but always stopped myself. Now, 15 weeks after disappearing, her name was right there on my phone, with a message apologizing for vanishing, and wishing me a happy Valentine's Day.
My friends asked what was wrong, and I quickly stammered out a cryptic reply, saying that I'd gotten a text I hadn't expected. I didn't tell them anything else - not until I'd had a chance to speak with Lennon and try to get some answers. We texted back and forth for the next few hours, then spoke over the phone late Saturday night, which allowed me to hear that beautiful voice for what seems like the first time in ages.
It's been a couple days now, and from what I can see, Lennon is in a much better place. She's living with a friend, working full-time, and saving up to go back to school in the fall. She lost most of her possessions due to her family's malevolence, but got herself a new car and some basic necessities. There's a long way to go, but she's better-equipped to deal with it. And although she's been on a few dates recently, she kept thinking of me, enough to break her silence and contact me, letting me know that she still cares. She was afraid I'd be mad at her, and I quickly dispelled that worry, saying that I had only been worried, and that I'd never stopped loving her. Her next words, spoken in that quiet, sweet voice with that adorable hint of a southern accent, made my heart soar.
"I love you, too."
Things are still very uncertain... Lennon still isn't positive whether she can balance a long-distance relationship along with everything else, and we need time to get to know each other again. But we know that each of us loves the other, and that's a hell of a good start. I'm in the process of convincing her to fly up here in early March, so we can spend some time together and see if there's enough there for something solid. I'm sure she has a plan for the immediate future, and I don't want to interfere with that. If she feels she needs to stay in Phoenix for the time being, I'm more than happy to wait for her. But I won't lie - There's a part of me that hopes she'll be enchanted by the northeast, and consider relocating. There are some good schools around here that cater to her career path, and it would keep her far away from all the pain and stress she's had to contend with. Also, for reasons that completely escape me, she seems to love the idea of being around snow, as she hasn't seen it since her early childhood.
I don't know what'll happen, but it's been an amazing weekend, at the very least. I am utterly in love with this girl, and if there's even a slim chance of us being together, it's a chance I have to take. Here goes nothin'.
Then, as I sat there weaving my story like the pro DM that I am, I felt a stirring in my pants. It was my phone, alerting me of a text. I kept narrating the story, casually glancing down at the little screen, and I stopped in mid-sentence, my heart leaping into my throat as I read the name of the text's sender.
Lennon.
It's been about three and a half months since she disappeared, with not a word of her whereabouts or condition, after she'd spent weeks venting to me about her awful home life and the mountain of stress she'd been dealing with. I'd understood her decision not to have a relationship, but I'd been heartbroken that she had apparently been avoiding me, not wanting to burden me and focusing on taking on all of her problems herself. I didn't know how she was doing, and if she was all right... I even considered numerous times the notion of flying down to Phoenix to look for her, but always stopped myself. Now, 15 weeks after disappearing, her name was right there on my phone, with a message apologizing for vanishing, and wishing me a happy Valentine's Day.
My friends asked what was wrong, and I quickly stammered out a cryptic reply, saying that I'd gotten a text I hadn't expected. I didn't tell them anything else - not until I'd had a chance to speak with Lennon and try to get some answers. We texted back and forth for the next few hours, then spoke over the phone late Saturday night, which allowed me to hear that beautiful voice for what seems like the first time in ages.
It's been a couple days now, and from what I can see, Lennon is in a much better place. She's living with a friend, working full-time, and saving up to go back to school in the fall. She lost most of her possessions due to her family's malevolence, but got herself a new car and some basic necessities. There's a long way to go, but she's better-equipped to deal with it. And although she's been on a few dates recently, she kept thinking of me, enough to break her silence and contact me, letting me know that she still cares. She was afraid I'd be mad at her, and I quickly dispelled that worry, saying that I had only been worried, and that I'd never stopped loving her. Her next words, spoken in that quiet, sweet voice with that adorable hint of a southern accent, made my heart soar.
"I love you, too."
Things are still very uncertain... Lennon still isn't positive whether she can balance a long-distance relationship along with everything else, and we need time to get to know each other again. But we know that each of us loves the other, and that's a hell of a good start. I'm in the process of convincing her to fly up here in early March, so we can spend some time together and see if there's enough there for something solid. I'm sure she has a plan for the immediate future, and I don't want to interfere with that. If she feels she needs to stay in Phoenix for the time being, I'm more than happy to wait for her. But I won't lie - There's a part of me that hopes she'll be enchanted by the northeast, and consider relocating. There are some good schools around here that cater to her career path, and it would keep her far away from all the pain and stress she's had to contend with. Also, for reasons that completely escape me, she seems to love the idea of being around snow, as she hasn't seen it since her early childhood.
I don't know what'll happen, but it's been an amazing weekend, at the very least. I am utterly in love with this girl, and if there's even a slim chance of us being together, it's a chance I have to take. Here goes nothin'.