Caryn found herself staring at the birthday card on her bedroom dresser. Her mind; once again, racing through the series of events that transpired ever since it arrived at her job. The card itself was not very special. It was quite plain. The most generic of coloring with even more generic text. On the outside it simply read "Happy Birthday". On the inside, it read "Make A Wish". Nothing about it stood out... except the actual handwriting within the card.
The penmanship was phenomenally dull looking. In fact, quite academic. As if it was the same font children were taught to use when first learning to write. The message within was simply "Happy 35th" and nothing else. No signature. No name. No indication of whom it came from. Even the envelope the card came in had the exact same style of handwriting. With no return address either. It was a great mystery, and whomever sent it went out of their way to make it extremely untraceable. Something that made her even more drawn to it than any other trinkets and cards she received on her birthday.
Caryn continued down the rabbit hole, thinking about what came after the card. In the weeks that followed her birthday, she found herself Facebook stalking someone. Someone from her past. An ex boyfriend from over a decade ago. An ex boyfriend she looked up many times over, continuously hesitant to reach out to him. Concerned over his reaction if he received anything from her. Even a simple friend request. Until one day; after much prayer and feeling nothing left to lose, she sent him a friend request. A day later, her heart jumped into her throat.
Dash: Hey
He didn't accept the friend request. But he did send her a message. With little hesitation, she replied.
Hi
Dash: How are you?
What followed was a couple of hours of trading dialogue through Facebook Messenger. In that time they covered a handful of things. Prominently their jobs. Their lifestyles. And recent events in their lives. Eventually they both needed to get some sleep, their professional lives overruling their chat. So they agreed to continue the next evening.
The next day at her job wasn't enjoyable and when her and Dash started messaging each other, she gave him her phone number. Feeling it was better to simply talk rather than type out all the events of the day. Caryn's heart skipped another beat when her phone went off. Dash was actually calling her phone. She was actually going to hear his voice for the first time in over ten years. What followed was a very uplifting experience for her. And for him, as she later found out.
The duo spent over six hours on their phones, vocally playing catchup over more and more events in their lives ever since they separated. Caryn felt rather surprised to know their lives were almost mirroring each other. After their breakup, both individuals got into a very life altering relationship. Dash got into an engagement that didn't last. Caryn moved almost a thousand miles away from home to be with a man who turned out to be a total slacker. Even worse, she stayed with him longer than she should have. Not wanting another relationship of hers to be deemed a failure. Having already spent a few years with another man prior to her relationship with Dash.
Another similarity was their parents. A few years ago Caryn lost her mother. She learned Dash lost his father almost six months prior. Both took their time to express their condolences. Followed by the rather humoring truth that her parents hated Dash. And his parents loathed her no less. A sentiment that came into existence following their rather ugly breakup.
That subject came up as well, but only after discussing their beginnings and relationship. Having started as friends while in college, she and Dash met during a period when she was already in a relationship. Her boyfriend at the time was arguably one of the worst humans in existence. He transformed her very being. Robbing her of her humble small-town roots and turned her into a nearly emotionless goth-chick with a personality to match. Some time later, she met Dash. A young freshman who grew up near the university and worked hard to restore her inner light and joy. The two quickly became best friends.
During that friendship, the two grew very close to each other. So close that a single shared kiss between them would lead to dating. But both of them respected the relationship Caryn was already in. Her boyfriend; however, was less honorable. And the atrocities she experienced because of him caused her to develop a great discomfort towards anything sexual. In fact, his forceful ways almost destroyed her from having any physical desires. There was also the physical and mental abuse. Something she excelled in shrouding with her own regular clumsiness.
Eventually, Caryn and her boyfriend separated. But her experiences turned her cold and cruel. From that, she lashed out towards people who didn't deserve her anger. Including Dash. Which led to them not speaking to each other for many months. During that time, Caryn dropped out of college and moved back to her hometown. The two finally reconciled and confessed having feelings for each other. Which led to them having their own relationship.
The relationship was quite enjoyable with Dash continuing to bring her happiness and an actual experience of feeling loved. She moved back to the city and re-enrolled at the university. They spent as much time as possible together. Doing what couples do and trying to make the most of everything. But her previous relationship caused some strain in their intimate moments. Dash was very understanding, never being pushy with what was attempted/allowed. She was tremendously comforted by how wonderful he was to her. Something Caryn truly appreciated, though she struggled with being able to show it.
But her insecurities created from the previous relationship; as well as other factors, eventually started to cause issues in her relationship with Dash. After two years of being together, things took a turn for the worst not long after they graduated. The pair found themselves arguing more and more. Time spent together felt less and less enjoyable to the point of sheer annoyance. A trend that continued until they finally decided to break up. A choice made after she wrongfully told Dash he was never good enough for her.
After enduring another failed relationship miles away from home, Caryn found herself deeply reflecting on events in her life. On the subject of Dash, she realized that even though he wasn't the perfect man, he was honestly the one who treated her best above the others. The "Wild Card" as she called him, standing out more than her other boyfriends or any man she attempted to date throughout all her years. And that night; after six hours on the phone, she finally worked up the courage to apologize to him for everything he endured because of her.
The apology was rather cathartic for the both of them. Which led to further discussions about their relationship. Things they enjoyed. Things they missed. Things that went wrong. And things they wish were done differently. But time had escaped them and the two agreed to speak again the following night. Prior to hanging up, Caryn commented about wanting to tell Dash about her "stalker" when they spoke again.
The next night, the two called each other again and immediately jumped into a conversation about Caryn's alleged stalker. She informed Dash of the mysterious birthday card, and how she couldn't help but feel drawn to it. Considering how random it was. How it stood out among anything she received on her birthday. Then she got the shock of the year as Dash confessed to mailing her the card.
She immediately felt butterflies in her stomach. Torn between creeped out and feeling like the universe was bringing them back together. To what ends remained unknown. Naturally, she demanded answers to why Dash sent her the card. He responded with little hesitation.
Caryn soon learned of the turmoil Dash underwent at the start of the year. From having lost a parent, to having fallouts with other important people in his life. As well as various other incidents that were bringing him down. And through all that, he developed the idea that if he did something good for someone then maybe he would receive some good karma in return. At the time, Caryn had been on his mind for quite a while and he remembered her birthday was approaching. After over a decade of being separated, he never forgot the date. So he decided to mail the birthday card, but didn't want anything traced back to him. Worried Caryn would have been upset with him, given how ugly their relationship ended.
Truth revealed, she understood where Dash was coming from about wanting good karma. She wanted the same which led to her sending the friend request a month later. From there, the conversation became less and less tense and much more lighthearted. After that night, the two developed the habit of talking on the phone every evening for many weeks.
Turning away from the birthday card, Caryn walked in front of a mirror and started dressing herself for the evening ahead: a simple loose red shirt and slim-fit Levi blue jeans, and a pair of white velcro strapped sport sandals. It wasn't a fancy attire, but it was most definitely comfy. Something she was encouraged to wear for the night.
As she got dressed, Caryn's mind wandered again. Remembering more events that lead up to that evening. She and Dash were speaking on the phone every night for many weeks. Almost two months in total. But they were very curious why. Both of them gained the closure they apparently needed after Caryn apologized for being the source of their problems while together. But was there something more? After enough time passed, and realizing how similar their lives had turned out, maybe that was the case. Eventually, the two started flirting with the idea of maybe a second chance together. The thought often created a little smile on her face.
Caryn's thoughts were interrupted as her phone alerted an incoming call. It was Dash. She almost dropped her mobile device while trying to answer it. Taking extra care not to damage her recently manicured nails.
"Hey," she grinned "are you almost here?"
