Not everyone gets lucky enough to find their soul mates. Even fewer people are lucky enough to keep them around. Corey and bailey have been inseparable since 1993 and after a few years of having to be apart they don't themselves in a new city living...
After a long week and a half away from sweet home Chicago we finally get ready for our last game before we get to go home. The trip hasn't been that good or that bad, so I was just ready to be in Chicago again and see Bailey. We text and call every day but it's just not the same. Her voice sounds different over the phone and I can't see that smile that gives me strength. She's like a drug I know I should start leaning off of but I know I never could.
So hit the city in this last day of our long road trip. Although I'm a rookie I'm 25 so going out by myself isn't that big of a deal. I played last night and won so I wouldn't be playing tomorrow. I can relax a little and enjoy the LA sun.
I end up in a little shopping mall just window shopping to pass the time, not really looking for anything. I had breakfast at the hotel before I left so I wasn't that hungry. I'll get my ass kicked if I don't watch what I eat. So instead I stay away from the pretzels and ice cream and all that stuff and try my best to stick to my meal plan.
I keep walking trying to resist all temptations to blow my money on something I don't need. As I walk along the sidewalk I see a necklace hanging in the window. I see the word "soulmate" under it and I stop walking.
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I sit there and stare at it as it stares back at me. The black ring stood for one person and the silver one for another and they were connected in a way that can't be unconnected. Even thought it was two different things they created one big one thing which was a incredible concept. I think about how I always said that Bailey was my soulmate and smile. Just like our relationship the necklace was something beautiful.
"Hello sir" a soft voice says and I break my stare from the necklace. I see one of the workers there looking up to me with a big smile. She steps out of her little shop and over to me.
"Hey there" I say.
"I couldn't help but notice the way you were eyeing this necklace. Like it means something to you" she notices.
"It means the world to me" I admit.
"But I feel like you are not going to get it" she continues.
I let out a long sigh as my head falls. My chin hits my chest as I try to find the words. But I never can. "I can't" I whisper.
"Why not" she asks.
"I can hold this girl like she's mine, I can look at her like she's mine, I can hug her and laugh with her and talk to her like she's mine.
But she will never be mine" I explain.
"She's a friend of yours" she asks and I smile.
"My best friend I will ever have. She's my everything and that's why I can't risk losing her over something like this" I say nodding my head to the necklace.
"You can't lose a soulmate over a necklace. Not a real one at least" she reminds me and I smirk. She smiles back at me as I laugh a little.
"You're right" I admit. "You know you're pretty good at your job."
"I love learning about these beautiful relationships people have and helping them find something that explains them" she insists.
"Like this necklace" I wonder.
"Precisely" she smiles.
I look at it again and I have to admit, it sure was beautiful. And I always said she was my soulmate, out of all of the feelings I've kept from her this was never one of them. And if I give her something like that it means more than anything I could say. And I'm not sure we're ready for that.
"She has a boyfriend, you know" I start, ready to pour my heart out to this jewelry sales person in LA. "And he's not bad, he's one of my hometown friends and we're good buds. But ever since she moved to Chicago to be with me and to chase her dreams like I did I feel like everything has changed. And I'm scared, scared that this change means that my role in my life can get smaller. That I'll be her soulmate but only until she leaves to go back home when her job is done and mine isn't. I'm more scared that my role in her life gets bigger and I'm not what she needs. Her boyfriend isn't good enough for her so what chance do I have? You know? I don't want to lose those things that make her and I special in the labels and stigma that comes with us being together. I'm always going to want those moments where I'm so proud of her because I've been able to watch her grow into this beautiful person she is now. I'm always going to want to protect her and make sure during her greatest memories I'm right there next to her. And during the bad ones I can still be right there beside her helping her onto her feet again. And if I can do that as her best friend only than I guess that's okay" I explain.
She nods her head as she peaks her head around the corner of the store. She grabs something and pulls the necklace out and holds it up in front of me. "A soulmate isn't someone who is made for you, it's someone who is made with you. Who is made to not make your life easier but to make it worth it. A soulmate is the person who doesn't need anything big to make life special, they make everything you do special.
And if this girl is the reason you smile, the reason you laugh or even cry sometimes then congratulations. You've found what people search entire lifetimes for. What people who are married for decades crave. You've found that one person that no matter what loves you and you cannot let that go" she explains.
She sets the necklace in my hand and I look at it. It reminded me of the way her and I were nothing alike yet perfect for each other. I shake my head because out of all my bad ideas, this one was up there.
"Alright... you sold me. I'll get the necklace" I sigh and she cheers.
She pulls me into the jewelry store and rings me up. She runs my card and puts the necklace in a nice black box with a bow. She hands it to me and I go to take it from her but she keeps a hold of it. "I know I don't know you and you don't know me. But from the way you talked about her and the passion in your voice I can tell you love her. You love her more than even you know. Love can be a dangerous thing, even with a soulmate. But remember that you were friends first and soulmates forever and that should never change."
