How We Met

I never do Kelly's Korner Friday stuff, but this one looks so fun! It's "How I Met My Husband". I already shared our story last year - it's a long one - so those of you that have read it....feel free to take a break from us for a few days :)
Dic works in a gossip infested police department. We have been pregnant more times than humanly possible according to that place. Last night he found out that there is a rumor going around that we divorced. Just writing that makes me sick! He has no idea how it started, but this I love:
My husband is so bothered my the outrageous rumor that he is going in on his day off to sit with his Lt. and set the record straight. I love that guy. Here is how I met my till-death-do-us-part-love. It's a couple days long ;)
I'm going to break the rules here and use real names a bit.

First "Date"
“Thanks, Heather, but I don’t do blind dates. I’m really not interested in guys at the moment.” I sipped my iced coffee and impatiently waited for the red light to turn green so I could get home and sneak in a nap before I had to clock in at the Boys and Girls Club. I had just worked a 7-hour shift at Starbucks and was glad to have Heather on the phone, even if she was being ridiculous, to keep me awake while I drove .
“Come on, Betty. I’m not saying you should date him. He’s just a nice guy and we both know you need to be reminded they exist.”
I laughed, albeit cynically. She was right there, but I wasn’t sure I could be convinced. My heart twisted a little at the flood of memories that assailed me. Painful, embarrassing…oh what a waste I had made of the last two years of my life. An absolute waste. Maybe it would be nice to have a guy friend again. Just to know there was hope for the future, even if there wasn’t for me. Thankfully the light turned green and I shifted my focus on driving.
“What is this guy like, anyway?”
“Well, he works with some of the kids at my school.”
“Ok.” Heather worked at a special school for emotionally disturbed children. If he worked with kids like that, he must have a special heart…and patience.
“He is tall. Not skinny, not fat. Just right. Reddish hair; his beard is really red”
“His beard?!” I was not into dating Paul Bunyan.
“Oh, sheesh, his goatee.”
“Oh, ok. What’s his name anyway?”
“Richard.”
”Ok, ew. That’s my dad’s name”
“It’s ok, we call him Dickie.”
“What?! You want me to meet some red-headed step-child named, Dickie?!”
I can’t remember how, but she talked me into it. Maybe Paul* called that day and made me feel like he always did: pathetic, useless, foolish. Maybe I was just curious about this man that could patiently work with kids that cussed, spit and kicked all day. Heather had told me some real stories about that place. Whatever it was, a few weeks later, I hurried through the parking lot at a local pub to meet Heather, her boyfriend, Curt*, and Dickie. Boy wonder.
I was late, as usual. Richard claims by 30 minutes, I’m positive it was only 10 minutes or so. I can’t remember what he was wearing, but his hair was thick, wavy and reddish brown. Perfect goatee. Broad shoulders. Relaxed stance. Friendly, but not eager. Funny, but not annoying. Hmmm…maybe I did need a guy friend again. Especially one that was willing to make fun of my Bud Light choice right away. (Disclaimer – I am not a huge drinker. I do like a beer or glass of wine now and then, but have never been big on going out to party-so when I say I ordered a beer, it was really just a beer-not a “let’s get wasted” experience.)
We all played a few rounds of pool. I hadn’t seen Heather in a while and we are quite the chatty Cathy’s so I kept forgetting it was my turn. Richard had to remind me over and over. To this day he thinks I was trying to be cute. I’m not sure what’s cute about being such a ditz, but I assure you (and him!) that I am really just a ditz. And I was becoming a nervous ditz.
We played pool and ate hot wings for hours. Eventually, we all decided to go back to my apartment to watch “The Great Outdoors” and eat pizza. While walking through the video store, I kept tripping over my own feet. I do this a lot-I’m a super clumsy gal. After a few occurrences, I heard Richard muttering under his breath next to me: “And that’s three.”
He was counting my trips! Instead of being shy or nervous, I immediately liked this guy. Really liked this guy.
After the pizza and movie, we played Taboo. I have never laughed so hard in my life. I had to work at Starbucks the next morning, but we all kept finding reasons to keep the night going. We piled into my car to see the last showing of “Hitch” for the night. Even though all three of them lived on the other side of the theater and it made more sense for us to all drive separate, Richard insisted on riding together.
When we finally ended our evening, I was so happy. I had so much fun! I still wasn’t looking for a relationship; I was enjoying the healing process from the previous bad one and was still trying to sever all ties with Paul*. But I definitely wanted to hang out with “Dickie” again.
Unfortunately, he disappeared. Whenever Heather, Carl* and I got together and would invite him, he would make up reasons (that were obvious made up reasons) to not come. I was crushed…and insulted! I told Heather that she could tell “Dickie” that he was awfully full of himself. I said other things, I’m sure. But two months later when Richard was “over himself” Heather had to trick me to get us in the same room.