Page 96 of Love Harder

The Unicorn was with me for the majority of the night, and when he wasn’t, he was texting to see where I was.

But trigger after trigger came out of hiding, and I couldn’t help but feel like they were just lying dormant, waiting to smack me in the face with “I told you so.”

I didn’t know how to feel. I didn’t want to believe this as true, but was I being naive? Was The Unicorn just like everyone else?

I sent him a message saying we needed to talk.

Goes without saying, a restless night’s sleep was had.

He called me early the following morning on his way to work. I could hear the concern in his tone. I relayed what I was told, and then the floor was his.

He denied this ever happened, but I asked why would the situationship lie? In hindsight, this was a stupid question, considering he was stringing my friend along for months, but was this the “but” I was looking for?

The Unicorn’s character was being attacked, and he could have walked away at any moment, but he didn’t.

He never did.

He brought up some very valid points, but in the end, it all came down to trust.

This was the moment of truth.

Did I trust The Unicorn?

He had a solid explanation, but anyone can concoct a story to cover their guilty ass. It was the way The Unicorn handled the situation that made my mind up.

He didn’t yell.

He didn’t beg.

He simply told it how it was, and if I didn’t believe him, then it was on me. He asked me to look back on the evening and make my own mind up.

Who was I to believe?

The situationship who had been nothing but a lying asshole?

Or the man who continued to prove himself time and time again? The man who always held my hand when I wanted to run. The man who wasn’t afraid to say sorry when he fucked up. Or stick to his beliefs and never back down.

There was never a decision to make because I realized I would always choose The Unicorn. He will always be my first and last choice because I was his.

Again, irony, as a situation that could have ended our relationship only seemed to strengthen this connection, which continued to grow.

We have faced other challenges after this. I need to show the good and the bad because it wasn’t all hearts and roses.

I wish I knew why we, at times, seem to drift apart. Teething issues in a relationship, perhaps? Things would be going so well, and then something would happen, and I began to question why the fuck I was doing this to myself—again.

He did things that frustrated me, like falling asleep on the couch and not coming to bed. After speaking to many friends about the fact, however, it was apparent this pet hate was shared by many, so I felt a little less crazy when I wanted to kick him in the shin.

But he never annoyed me. It was strange because, in my past relationships, I needed space quite often. Even early on. But it was different with The Unicorn. Perhaps it was because we both saw the importance of communicating with the other.

He often said he was tired of fighting. He fought his entire life. He didn’t want to fight anymore.

It touched me.

Such honesty is rare.

As is growth.

He was wonderful to my nieces and instantly made an effort to be a part of their lives, so much so that them calling him uncle came naturally.

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