The One Left Over
by Ing

He remembered the day like it was yesterday. He was so nervous, he had no idea who there people were or what they expected of him. All he knew is that he was away from him, away from his friends for the first time in his life. Thank God for his mom, she was making friends left and right. That’s when he say her, she was sitting in the corner across from him, he could tell her was almost as nervous as he was. 

I remember the day I laid eyes
On that sweet Georgia smile
With your rosy complexion
And your brown winter coat
You made my acquaintance

There is no way he could be teased anymore than he was at this minute. He had changed cloths five times in the past half hour. The guys told him that he was going overboard but he couldn’t help it. He hadn’t seen her in so long. To tell the truth he thought he would never see her again. But the minute she walked in  the door, the minute their eyes met it was as if they had never been apart.

And laughed through that cute little nose
From first kiss to first touch
To first time that we’d ever made love
We could both fill a novel
With eloquent memories
Of fumbling passions

She loved Hawaii, he knew that much for a fact. What a better way to spend the New Year and to celebrate her birthday all rolled up into one. They had tried to be together on her actual birthday but the powers that be had other ideas. They couldn’t stop them now. Actually it was them they had to thank for this little get away. He only had to look into her eyes to know that this would be a memory that would last a lifetime. One that would keep him warm on cold winter nights.

Of personal struggles
A burgeoning friendship
I always believed would grow old

She was afraid he knew that, it wasn’t something that they had wanted to do. At least not this way. Sure they had talked about going public but at their own pace. Not the pace of everyone else. Tonight was supposed to be just them, two kids out having a good time, but once again they had to have camera’s all over the place. The only comfort he could give her, the only way to reassure her was to hold her in his arms. But right now that was out of the question, too many people. A quick kiss on the nose and a he knew she was better just by the look in her eyes.

But I guess I’m the one left over
Cause we don’t resemble who we were before
I guess once that ship has pulled out of that harbor
The things that had measure don’t measure up anymore

I walked through Tiffany’s looking for a wedding gift, yes a wedding gift. Her wedding gift. The one day I had dreamt of for as long as I can remember was here. But I wasn’t going to be the man standing waiting for her at the alter.

She invited me, but there was no way in hell I could walk in there and smile as she pledged her life to someone else.

With 12 years behind us
I can’t say that I understand
But friends grow to together
And friends grow apart
And friends get replaced
Even though it may hurt a friend’s heart

The phone call came, I knew it would. She had promised me, but what was a promise like that to keep. She had a son, a little boy that for all intense and purpose should have been mine. I should have been the one holding her hand through labor and delivery. I’m the one who should have cut the cord and helped her name him. I’m the one who he should be calling daddy. But I’m not, that  honor goes to someone else. Does he deserve it, who knows. She says that I am too hard on him, yet she isn’t hard enough. The only good thing to come out of this is were close again. I have my friend back. 

But aside all of this
What I want more than anything else
Is to have just a moment
When you stop pretending
You look at me in earnest
Admit that we’re strangers
And you’ve no intention
To face what you’d rather ignore

She was there for me, I didn’t deserve any of it but she was. She stood by me the whole time. The break up with Cameron and everything that followed. Having her around them was a comfort I couldn’t or wouldn’t have expected. She stood by my side though the whole media frenzy and even though she was having her own problems she was never just a phone call away. And today she’s here. She’s stronger than I was, or maybe were just at a better place this time around. She said that my wedding to Cameron was just a bit too much to take, I understood that because when she married Kevin I couldn’t go. But now we are both in a different place, at a different time. She’s finally happy, This time I think she really is. He’s always loved her and for that I respect him. 

So I guess I’m the one left over
Cause we don’t resemble who we were before
I guess once that ship has pulled out of that harbor
The things that had measure don’t measure up anymore

Everyone told me that I could do it, that it was going to for the best. How was I to know at the time they were right. I could only think of how not being with the one person I love with all my heart is for the best. But she’s happy, or at least she says she is. And I’m happy, maybe all the roads we’ve traveled all the unanswered prayers have brought us to this day. My wedding day. What’s the saying once burnt twice shy.