I was there.

I was there.

You told me you loved me.

I said, “I’m not ready to say it yet. Hope that’s okay.”

You kissed me.

I was there.

I pulled you into the common area in our dorm building.

I kept fumbling over my words.

I kept apologizing.

I kept saying, “Just give me a second, I can do this.”

I told you I loved you too.

I was there.

My parents were getting divorced.

I was having a hard time sleeping.

I was having panic attacks.

You noticed I was developing a habit of pinching my skin until it bled.

You climbed in through the window of my dorm room to hold me

and make sure there were no new marks.

I was there.

You built me a castle, a replica of my favorite childhood toy I had lost.

I was there.

We were in the woods, pretending to be Lord of the Rings characters,

playing make-believe.

We were in our twenties and embarrassingly unashamed.

I was there.

We were sitting on a park bench,

eating your mom’s famous potato salad

and watching Avatar: The Last Airbender.

I was there.

We hid under a bridge on campus and kissed.

We giggled, thinking we were so sneaky.

All our friends knew where we were.

I was there.

We were visiting your family.

We snuggled in bed, staring at the ceiling.

“I’ve never told anyone this before,” you whispered.

You told me your secrets.

I wanted to make you happy for the rest of my life.

I was there.

You got down on one knee and asked me to be your wife.

I said yes.

I was there.

We popped the popcorn.

We grabbed the blankets.

We poured the wine.

Our first night in our first apartment together.

Our home.

I was there.

You picked out a wedding ring with little imprints that looked like hammer marks.

We called it your Thor ring.

It fit your left hand perfectly.

I was there.

I wore white.

You wore gray.

Your dad almost forgot to give you permission to “kiss the bride.”

(I bet he won’t forget next time.)

I was there.

We wanted to be one of those spontaneous couples.

You told me to pack a bag, we’re escaping for the night.

We drove for hours and ended up at Olive Garden.

Oh well. We tried.

I was there.

We decorated our first Christmas tree together.

We debated what our “Christmas Eve movie” should be...

because this would set the tone for every Christmas Eve,

and our future children’s too.

We took it very seriously.

A Christmas Story won.

I was there.

When we fell in love.

I was there.

I keep reminding myself.

I was there.

You wanted this.

You wanted me.

I remind myself over and over that I was there.

That this was real.

You love me.

I was there.

No, I mean, you loved me.

Past tense?

No, I mean,

But...

It all happened.

I didn’t make this up.

I didn’t dream this.

Deep breath.

You’re not crazy.

I was there.