Our Love Story Part VI: The Second First Date

Make sure to read the other parts of our love story here:
Part I: First Meetings
Part II: Let's Just be Friends
Part III: First Date
Part IV: Let's Just be Friends (Again)
Part V: Since You Went Away

ArJay is flying home tomorrow. ArJay's cousin Cami, who is living with them, calls and asks if I want to come to the airport and surprise him.

HECK NO! I don't need that kind of drama in my life. IF I am at the airport it will look like I having been waiting around for 2 years and am just waiting from him to get released as a missionary so we can get married tomorrow or something. No thanks, I just want to see my friend not get a marriage proposal. I'm not even sure if I want to date him yet.

Cami senses my hesitation and says

" It will be really funny. Arjay will be super awkward and not know what to do with you there and him still a missionary."

That is something I can't miss seeing so I say I will meet her tomorrow at the Fry's off Kolb in Tucson.

It is morning and I am running late. As I (slightly) speed down the highway, I see the tell-tale red and blue lights behind me. Perfect. After the nice officer lets me off with a warning, I seriously consider turning around and going home. But Cami is waiting for me. I get to the Fry's and wait...and wait..and wait. After 15 minutes I call her.

"Are you almost here?"

"I'm here, where are you?"

"I'm here, have been for 15 minutes. I'm in my gold Camry."

After 5 more minutes of back and forth and both of us walking around the parking lots looking like loons, we realize our mistake. If you are from Tucson, you know there is a Fry's at Kolb and Golf Links and then one just a street later at Kolb and 22nd. I am not from Tucson and stopped at the first one I came too, Cami was at the next one down. Classic.

So now I'm REALLY considering heading back home, the signs are against me. But she picks me up and we go to the airport and luckily the plane was delayed so we haven't missed them entirely. We are standing waiting with a group of people to welcome ArJay home and I keep getting furtive looks from the others.

" Soooo....you and ArJay are 'JUST friends"? But you are here at the airport to welcome him home?" One random guy says while giving me a wink wink, nudge nudge.

"Yes we are just friends, I just thought it would be fun to freak him out."

This is EXACTLY why I shouldn't have come! Nobody would bat an eye if I was a guy friend who came to surprise him! Just because I'm female does not mean I am trying to stake a claim or something....

My thoughts are cut off as someone exclaims" OOHHH, here they come!"

I hid behind the "welcome home" sign I am holding. They step off the escalator and start hugging everyone. When I hear his voice right by my sign, I pop my head out.

"Surprise!"

He stares at me dumb-struck, his mouth opening and closing like he wants to say something but can't get his mouth to form words. I'm feeling rather speechless myself. I remember that I always thought ArJay was attractive but YOWZAA! ArJay in a suit after 2 years with just pictures is something else entirely.

ArJay and his family are headed to the Stake President right away so he can get officially released as a missionary. I try to beg off and go home, but Cami gave me the ride here so I am car-less and they hijack me. I sit outside the office and decide that this was the dumbest idea ever to come as well as the most awkward and tension filled day. I hear muffled laughter behind the door and voices coming closer. They are still laughing and everyone is looking at me as they walk out.

"What's so funny? "

 "Oh President Alston just asked  if you are ArJay's girlfriend. I said ' Nope, but we are putting in her application'". His dad guffaws.

Ok, NOW this is the most awkward day ever. 

I am ready to run away to South Africa when Cami and Candice announce we need to celebrate and hijack ArJay and I to the Sonic for ice cream. I have never seen two people move as fast as they did to jump in the front seat so that ArJay and I were left in the back together. Convenient. Lots more giggling and winks and nudges ensue, all from the front seat. The back seat is suspiciously quiet as I try to figure out how to explain to him that, despite all appearances, none of this was my idea and I am not trying to be a man-eater.

We finally make it back and he walks me to my car. We both turn to talk at the same time.

" None of that was my idea! I'm sorry it was soo awkward! I'm really not some crazy psycho stalker.."

" Do you want to go on a date?"

I stop midstream as it registers what he said.  " Wait, What?"

" Do you want to go on a date? I know you are still working so I could come up to you sometime this week."

"Oh,....ok sure. I'm actually not working after Wednesday."

" Ok I'll see you Wednesday."

It's Wednesday and I feel like a 5 year old who was just given a Big Gulp of Dr Pepper on Christmas Eve and told to wait patiently. I am in institute class and haven't heard a word of the hour long lesson. ArJay is picking me up at the end of class for our date.

I am talking to Bro. Wright after class when someone walks in the class behind me. Bro Wright gets a big grin and goes to hug him and I steal myself before turning around.

Calm Down girl! It's not like you've never been on a date before!

I turn around and can't help the giddy smile that creeps up as I see him talking to Bro Wright but not paying any attention to him and only looking at me.

" You Ready to go?" There's that mischievous grin again

"Sure, what's the plan?"

"Can't tell you, that would ruin the fun."

We start driving up Mt Graham and I think we are going to his parents' favorite camping spot, but he keeps driving.

"Wait you missed the turn."

" No I didn't."

"IT was back there."

Shaking his head "Maggie I know where I'm going, we are not stopping at the camp ground. We are going to Riggs Lake for a picnic."

I have not been to Riggs lake, it is at the top of the twisty mountain road. It is a good hour and a half one way on a good day. I look at the storm clouds.

"Really? Is that a good idea?"

He just looks at me. " So what have you been up to the last...oh 2 years?"

And we start talking. And I think I barely come up for air the entire 2 hours it takes us to drive in the pouring rain. It is still raining when we reach the lake, it might be raining harder up here at the top of the mountain. We can't even see out the windows through the sheets of rain.

"Sorry, I'm sure it's really pretty...when you can see it."

"We can still eat, we'll just come back another time so you can see it."

He gets out some sandwiches and we sit in the cab of his old truck eating and laughing and becoming reacquainted with the new 2 years-older versions of each other.

It is Thursday morning and ArJay is going back to Tucson. I am going to come down Sunday morning for his homecoming talk in church.  We haven't seen each other in 2 years, but  suddenly 3 days sounds like forever.

" You can just come back with me if you want. I'll bring you back on Sunday so you can work on Monday."

"Yeah  it seems silly to take 2 cars, wastes gas right?"Right Magdelyn, that's why you are riding down with him 3 days early. To save gas.

We were a LITTLE excited to see each other.

By Sunday night, my new boyfriend is driving me home from his mission homecoming. I have broken nearly every one of my self-imposed rules( Don't date a newly returned missionary, don't have any serious boyfriends, Don't date anyone while trying to prepare for a mission myself, etc). Looking at his face, I couldn't care less about those dumb rules.

 I had a horrible sunburn, I was blushing but not THAT bad.