Unforgettable, My Love Has Come Along

by Ann Marie Bryan

  Orane laughed out. “I can tell.”

  “Guilty!” I responded, chuckling with delight.

  “Hope I didn’t call too late. I would have called earlier but I stopped at church for bible study.”

  “Not a problem. Are you actively involved in church?” My lips curled in a smile and I pulled the green cotton throw around my shoulders. This will be an all-nighter…a wonderful all-nighter.

  “Yes. I participate in men’s fellowship and help with the youth ministry.”

  “That’s great! Dancing is my ministry.”

  “Dancing!” Orane sounded pleasantly surprised. “I am not exposed to dancing as a ministry.”

  “Ohhhh, it’s wonderfully liberating to dance under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.”

  “How long have you been dancing?”

  “Forever!” I said dramatically. “I breathe and sleep dance. It is an effortless activity for me.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. I began dancing from my childhood days during family events. I danced through high school but it was during college that I was exposed to dancing as a ministry. There began my love affair with the ministry of dance. I am overseeing the dance ministry at my church.”

  “What age groups do you teach?”

  “We have three groups. The pre-juniors—those are the little ones, the juniors are teenagers and the seniors are adults.”

  “I cannot wait to see you in action.” I could hear the admiration in his voice.

  I smiled. “I’ll see what I can do to make it happen.”

  Our conversation continued into the wee hours of the morning. No topics or questions were off limit. We were on the same level mentally and interested in some of the same things. We discovered our mutual fascination with empowering lives. I was particularly impressed with his sentiments and testimonies about the goodness of God.

  Sleep did not come quickly as thoughts of Orane began to inhabit my mind. His voice kept reverberating in my head as I replayed our entire conversation. I found him to be extremely knowledgeable and disarmingly candid. I smiled briefly as I considered my future romantic probabilities. Orane was opening my eyes and perhaps, my heart.

  CHAPTER 3: PICTURES PLEASE

  Classified.

  My friendship with Orane was hush-hush for almost two weeks before I finally confessed to Maydine and Harriett. They were elated and promised to keep it top-secret. They called nightly for a status report. “Look at you both, enjoying my private life,” I often teased them amidst their girlish giggles. Soon, Orane began relating to them on a more personal level.

  I filed my experience so far under, Totally Happy in the classified section of my heart! There was a new bounce in my steps as my friendship with Orane continued to blossom. Never have I seen or experienced any such thing. There was no explanation for the sustained kick in my energy level. I found myself smiling as pieces of our conversation floated through my mind. This was a new level of happiness.

  My interest in Orane spurred my curiosity.

  What is it about him that makes him different from any other man?

  My situation with him is different but still common sense and common rules apply. In the beginning, it was great daydreaming about him but reality could present a whole different picture. Certainly, I may be setting myself up for disappointment.

  In light of this, I doubled up on my prayers, seeking God about my new found joy and the subject of my attention. I prayed that I would not create a distorted perception of Orane. I asked the Lord to show me how to keep my heart with all diligence. I did not want to run ahead of myself or worst, ahead of God. As I sent up fervent prayers to heaven, my spirit was refreshed and peace flooded my soul, beyond my own comprehension.

  Orane took our friendship in stride. He planted subtle seeds of love but no pressure came from him. He kept up what he began earlier, reserving lunch hours for brief conversations and nights for longer conversations.

  While Orane’s words were capturing my attention, I had no 21 idea what he looked like.

  Was I living on the edge?

  No! Definitely NOT!

  I was waiting, sometimes impatiently and even a little apprehensively. Orane had promised to email me pictures which seemed to be taking forever. In the meantime, I tried not to weave a web of thoughts and paint an ideal image of him.

  “Where are the photos?” I asked Orane during one of our nightly conversations.

  “I haven’t forgotten,” he responded. “I will be taking the new shots soon.”

  “What happen to the old shots?”

  “Trust me, you would prefer the new shots.”

  I sighed, flopping backwards on my bed. “Okay Orane, send them before I turn a hundred years old.”

  He chuckled softly. “You are rough.”

  “A diamond in the rough.” I giggled. “Be patient.”

  Maydine and Harriett’s description of Orane did not put me at ease. “He looks nice,” they reported.

  What exactly does that mean?

  Plain and simple, I would absolutely love to see the man behind the voice. The suspense was too much.

  Finally, weeks of anticipation inched closer to fulfillment.

  During a lunch hour conversation, Orane informed me that he had emailed the new pictures. I was ecstatic; I wanted to climb on a soap box and announce it to the world. My heart soared with excitement until…it suddenly hit me.

  Am I ready to see this man?

  I sat in my office gazing at my cell phone in self-imposed mental anguish. Should I view the pictures now? Could I handle it? I was tempted, surely tempted but I dare not look at my email. Privacy was required.

  All sorts of emotions ran through my brain as I watched the workday creep to an end. I could hardly wait to get out of the building. A part of me desperately wanted to see what Orane looked like but another part did not want to be disappointed. Five o’clock sharp, with an extra pep in my steps, I burst through the exit door of my office, for the privacy of my home.

  Half an hour later, I climbed the stairs at home and entered the study. My laptop purred to life and I logged into my email account. The screen registered Orane’s message. I could hardly wait to see the man who was steadfastly holding my interest. After several deep breaths, I double clicked with eagerness then scrolled down the page to see two thumbnails of him.

  I gasped and my mouth fell open.

  My breathing became shallow and I quickly signed out.

  What on earth is wrong with me?

  Why didn’t I enlarge the pictures?

  I looked cautiously at my laptop as if it had grown two horns. Questions rushed through my mind as my palpitating heart subsided. The effect was still very unsettling. My breathing slowed somewhat and I reopened the email. I enlarged the two pictures briefly.

  Orane wrote: “I hope that you are sitting down.”

  I smiled and responded, “No need, you are quite handsome. Thanks for sending them.”

  Two hours later, a smile was already on my lips as I answered the phone. “Good evening, Orane! How is it going in your neck of the woods?”

  “Woods? What woods? I don’t live in the woods.” he joked.

  “Okay my good man, at your dwelling,” I grinned, stretching out on my bed.

  “It’s going great, my lady!”

  “Sounds wonderful.”

  Orane paused. “I wasn’t going to call tonight.”

  “Uh huh! I understand, those pictures were pretty ghastly,” I said jokingly.

  He gasped dramatically. “I thought you said it was not about the physical.”

  I chuckled softly. “It’s not, but looking fine sure helps.”

  He winced. “My bad for disappointing you, my friend.”

  “Luckily for you, no disappointment,” I responded playfully. “The pics look good.”

  “Those are pictures of my cousin.”

  “Your cousin! Which cousin?” I harassed him lightheartedly.

  “Even if I t
old you his name, you would not know him Annalisa.” Orane laughed out, delighted at his mini victory.

  “Right! You didn’t tell me you’re short,” I badgered him.

  “There you go again, talking about the physical.”

  “Uh. You’re funny!”

  “What’s wrong with being short?” he asked, looking for a “fight”.

  “I am not taking you on today,” I uttered confidently.

  “Come on, make my day!” he begged, laughing softly.

  “No Clint Eastwood, no fighting today.”

  “Do you have an issue with short people?”

  “Sir, you are badgering me,” I stated calmly. “Nothing is wrong with being short.”

  Orane chuckled heartily. He was in a great mood. “Now, we are on the same page.”

  “You are something Orane Conway!”

  “You are a sweetheart Anna,” he said playfully. “Can I call you Anna?”

  “Knock yourself out!”

  “So Anna, what’s new?”

  “I just spoke to my friend, Ari. She is coming for a short visit next weekend.”

  “Who’s Ari?”

  “Arianna and I met while we were studying at Colgana University. She lives in Georgia.”

  “Good for you ladies.”

  “I’m looking forward to seeing her. I haven’t seen her in over a year so I was glad she decided to stop by.”

  “Great. Next weekend, my church is having a convention.”

  “Sounds like a plan. You’re helping out.”

  “Yes, doing my part,” he responded. “I am going to call you back. I have to…”

  “Noooo!”

  “I want to talk with you but I have to do bank reconciliations.”

  “I forgive you then. Handle your business.”

  “Before I go,” Orane said in a deep husky voice, “be honest with me. Do you have a problem with short people?”

  I could not help but laugh at his foolishness. “Orane Conway, stop!”

  “You didn’t answer the question, Anna.”

  “Do you see where this conversation is going?”

  “Yes, Anna.”

  “Me too! It’s going nowhere.”

  Orane laughed softly. “You are way too smart, lady.”

  “Aren’t I just,” I giggled, “totally smart!”

  “Totally!”

  “For the records, you are not short.”

  “I know that Anna.” Orane chuckled confidently. “I am nearly six feet tall.”

  “Forgive me, Mr. Tall,” I teased.

  “You are forgiven,” he drawled dramatically.

  I giggled softly. “Bye!”

  “Talk with you later,” he chuckled.

  I burrowed further into the pillows. I like this guy! I smiled, basking in the stimulating conversation we created. Soon, we would have to make the difficult decision that would shape the nature of our relationship. Our conversations have undoubtedly created a bond between us, making possible a deeper connection. I thoughtfully watched as the yellow sheer curtains swayed lazily in the mild breeze. Whether I liked it or not, I was becoming hooked.

  CHAPTER 4: CONNECTED

  God is first place in our lives.

  That was our agreement going forward as Orane and I continued to communicate. It had been just over a month but the bond between us grew stronger with each passing day. I admired Orane’s relationship with God and I loved the thoughts of his heart. He kept me informed about biblical and world events and we started nightly devotion.

  Our friendship was made to order, with just the right amount of everything. We delighted in each other’s “company”, learning about each other, praying together, exchanging jokes and talking about life. An effortless rapport existed between us. It was becoming easier to cue into each other’s feelings. We were inexplicably connected.

  We enjoyed challenging each other’s mind. I discovered Orane’s engaging personality. He was extremely alert, astute and intellectually stimulating. During our many heated “debates”, he would often start with what I called the regular perspective before dropping the “bomb”, a new, fresh, bold perspective, “stirring the pot a little”.

  Totally exhilarating!

  I marveled at the strength of his mind.

  Orane revealed his playful side and I frequently felt the brunt of his pranks. Many times when I answered the phone I would say a few “hellos” before he chimed in with “don’t shout” then burst into a fit of laughter.

  Annoyed! Yes I was.

  Nevertheless, I looked forward to talking with him every day. We enjoyed every millisecond that we were in touch. Our spirits were quickly becoming intertwined as we found favor with each other. It felt like we had known each other for years…maybe forever. We had not confessed our feelings to each other but I believed that we both knew. We were just letting our friendship happen.

  And speaking of feelings…

  I had become enamored with Orane. It hit me like a ton of bricks one day while I was in the kitchen at home baking banana bread. The realization sent me in a state of panic then shock. My heart beat took off in a sprint without notifying the rest of its counterparts. I paused and gripped the cupboard for support to get my breathing under control. I had been trying very hard to suppress it, thinking it was impossible. But, it was a little too late. I may not be completely in love with him, but I could feel myself falling…

  In the wee hours one Saturday, I perched on several pillows on my bed, talking with Orane. My ear was hot and tender from the telephone cradled between my neck and shoulder.

  “Have a wonderful night or should I say morning,” I said, stifling a slight yawn.

  Orane chuckled softly. “Is this your final attempt to end our conversation?”

  I grinned. “You just like talking with me. Admit it!”

  “At least, I can admit it,” he hinted quietly.

  “Have a good morning, Mr. Conway!”

  “Annalisa…”

  Something in his voice drew my attention. “Yes. I’m still here.”

  “I feel so connected to you,” he said softly.

  Unexpectedly, my mouth went dry and my heart pounded so hard that I could feel the throbbing in my ears. “I know what you mean,” I replied. “I’m just totally amazed at our friendship.”

  “Yes. We are good with each other,” he said thoughtfully. “I believe that we could join each other on the journey to the next level.”

  “I feel that way too,” I confessed, trying to get my breathing under control. “I have never been so free with anyone.”

  “I feel special,” he said tenderly. “You are such a wonderful person.”

  I was all choked up. “Thank you!”

  Orane paused. “Why aren’t you married?” he asked quietly.

  “The right person has not proposed.”

  “Have you received proposals?”

  “Yes, a few. I actually thought I would get married the last time.”

  “What happened?”

  “We both had very different reasons for wanting to be married. I needed emotional support and I was not getting it. Also, I did not like the thoughts that flowed from his heart.”

  “Sounds like you know the qualities that you desire in a partner.”

  “Yes!” I paused, blatantly waiting for him to ask the obvious.

  He chuckled knowingly. “Would you like to share them?”

  A giggle I could not hold back escaped my lips. “Okay, since you’re insisting! I desire a man of God, a praying man. My husband and I must bear fruits for God. Of course, friendship is important. I also look for potential and the fruits that flow from his life. For me, it’s not how you start but how you finish or desire to finish.”

  “Yes. God likes finishers,” he interjected.

  “Oh yes. Of utmost importance is how my husband processes then articulates his thoughts.”

  Orane inhaled then exhaled. “I am glad that you can enunciate what you desire in a mate.”


  “Thanks. I do so prayerfully. Do you wish to be married?”

  “Yes. I desire to be married and have a family. It is something that I have always wanted. I am asking the Lord to choose for me. God must be at the center of my relationship and marriage because I know that’s the only way it will stand the test of time and last a life time.”

  “Yes,” I agreed softly.

  After Orane and I said goodnight, I laid in bed thinking about him, over and over again. Without a doubt, I would be fortunate to have him in my life. But, is he the ‘real McCoy’?

  Can I truly be in love with someone I have never met?

  Is this an illusion?

  Wishful thinking.

  A fantasy.

  I had no intention of losing my most valuable resource, my heart. Yet, I had to be true to myself. I was getting attached to Orane and the feeling was being reciprocated. He did not want to let me go and I…I didn’t want him to. Again, I committed our friendship to the Lord and asked for His continued guidance.

  CHAPTER 5: SISTERLY ADVICE

  I smiled at Arianna across the dining table as she swallowed the last bite of her fried egg. “This is an absolutely beautiful Sunday morning.”

  “Yes,” she agreed. “I love days like this, sunny blue skies and cool temperatures to put everyone in a great mood.”

  “I am so glad that you decided to visit.” I eyed her while sipping my green tea.

  A bright smile lit her face. “Me too. Yesterday was fun.”

  “Yes, it was,” I responded, automatically returning her smile.

  It was good to have Arianna in town for the weekend. Saturday morning passed in a blur of joy as we roamed the city, basking in the warmth of the sun’s rays. We spent the afternoon shopping and later enjoyed a movie at the theater in Tallahassee Mall.

  “I have finally decided to leave my relationship,” Arianna blurted out.

  My eyes widened with compassion. “Oh Ari!”

  “You know that we have been dating forever, and still no marriage proposal. Ray has all kinds of excuses.” She sighed in frustration.

  “I know it’s not easy to leave a relationship,” I said comfortingly, “especially one that you have invested in.”