‘Twas the Year of the Past and the Present

Let me take you to one year prior flashback. 
Cold nights, closet monsters, enemy attack. 
My twin flame left with his packed up White Chevy. 
And my last friend flew the Lex town with his newborn baby. 

Thought I’d get by, after all how hard could it get? 
Little did I know, my world would turn upside down, and all I had to do was wait. 
Lightening strikes, excruciating heartaches, lonely group chats, and one tragedy after another. 
You wouldn’t last a second in this Bungalow of Betrayal. 

It started with going to the winter clubs with some acquaintances. 
Thought they were my saviors. 
It’s comedic in the hindsight since I was just a third wheel in their mind games. 
Should’ve known; after all, all of my enemies have started out as friends. 

Not all was a lost cause, thankfully. 
The flight to a network that would soon give me everything. 
The first bloom of the Spring came with my name on the print. 
Followed by the nickel flow and a shelf full of trophies. 

But then, came summer, my favorite season previously. 
What an irony. 
The heat waves turned into the drought of happiness. 
I lost count of how many times I woke up in the middle of the night with mind threats and cold sweats.  

Gone were the days of the friends I splashed wine with.
Now I stopped receiving invites to their boating and the Windy City outings. 
The bloodline who was more shattered in the story of New York. 
To this day, that trip remains my worst. 

But the Sun started to show itself, albeit hazy.
My mirror soul came a little closer to me. 
The offer that arose from the 8-hour discussion with a tech giant. 
I saw a glimpse of hope then, and the prayers that I begged on my knees for were answered. 

Let’s fast forward to one Christmas carol later. 
The hilly roads started to seem planar. 
Another print published with my name, and I made history.
And with the colorful design on the cover, I left a legacy. 

Another conference came and left.
The last six years of lessons learned in the blue and white were defended. 
I can’t put into words that feeling of ecstasy. 
When you are pronounced with the title of the glorious victory. 

Packed my bags, said the goodbyes, and got into the plane that took me to the life I have today. 
Everything I dreamed of since I was a child is now tangible, I say. 
Married the love of the life in the most perfect dream ceremony. 
Now I get to wake up next to him every single day, putting together a furniture piece, and bringing up the groceries.   

Now we are dancing after work in our living room downstairs. 
My slightly cold bare feet gliding on his. 
Dim yellow light, just the two of us, no crowd. 
And Rahat Fateh Ali Khan playing in the background. 

The window draped with vintage brown curtain. 
Soft music, pouring rain, our wedding pictures on the mantle. 
If dreams came true, I’m living in mine. 

I know he will forever come through for me, I bet my last dime. 

Because when we’re old and gray. 
And are lying in our bed tangled up in the blankets. 
I’ll look deep into his brown eyes. 
And say, “see? Past or present, you really were the love of my life.”