My parents got a bit worried about my infatuation with Inna and her son, Husband-to-be, so after six months of working for the family, I agreed to go to a Bible college in Sydney (the other side of Australia) to do a leadership course.
I didn’t want to go, and everything inside me pulled against going, but it seemed the best thing to do at the time so I went. The grief of leaving Inna was indescribable, but the grief of leaving Husband-to-be was much worse and my most vivid memory of that is Husband-to-be coming over to my parents’ house to say goodbye the night before my flight. This was quite awkward and very brief, and I kept wishing that he would simply ask me not to go. He didn’t.
But, as I was seeing him off, he got into his car, then jumped out again, wrapped me in a bearhug and whispered in my ear, “Oh Jules, I wish you didn’t have to go.” Then he kissed me on the cheek and was gone. It was all so quick and I spent a restless evening wondering what his hug, kiss and words had meant.
The next morning my parents drove me up to Perth and put me on the plane but I have no recollection of this because I guess my teenage heart was too torn. On the plane, I kept thinking that I should have stayed, I should have stayed, I should have stayed, but eventually I went to sleep, only waking when the plane landed, my eyes full of dried tears.
I never saw my father again because he died while I was away. I will always wonder about this and about my reluctance to go in the first place. My mother told me that well before Dad died, he had somehow intuited that Husband-to-be was the meant-to-be person for me and gave his blessing.
jmgoyder 
How sad.
Leaving Husband-to-Be and losing Father around the same time.
Perhaps your reluctance to leave was some sort of intuition that something was about to happen.
Thanks. I found it almost unbearable to write this but glad I did.
And yes re the intuition thing!
Lord, I love your writing! Really enjoyed this.
Thanks Judith! I had to write it in a brief way because it sort of gutted me all over again. Juliex
This installment put me instantly in tears. What a shock for you! Julie, I know it is years past the fact, but I am deeply sorry.
~ Lynda
Yeah, it’s coming up for the anniversary of my dad’s sudden death all those years ago. So many thanks for your beautiful comment!
Oh my gosh, terrible about loosing your father when you were away, but the rest is getting very exciting!! I wanted to keep reading. How nice that you knew about your fathers blessing.
Yes, my father’s blessing meant a lot.
Hey, birthday girl – I just messaged you on fb!
Fathers are the first men to teach us how we should expect and deserve to be treated by men. I love how your mother told you that you had your father’s blessing.
I am impressed too dear Julie, you are writing so nicely, I am deeply sorry for your father. Thank you, with my love, nia
You have a very skilful way of drawing us right into your emotions. Good writing, Julie.
Thanks! This means a lot to me!
Oh and the mystery deepens…This is so much fun! Does it feel like you’re living a double life? Prayers for you and the family.
Thanks Wisdom!
So much living for such a young life. I’m really sorry about your Dad. That’s heartbreaking.
I think Husband was trying to tell you not to go, he just knew that to tell you what to do was not such a great idea.
That must have been the longest college course of anyone’s life!
Yes, yes and yes!
I love the simplicity of your writing. I almost feel the difficulty of pulling up those memories and putting them onto paper.
Yeah, that was a hard chapter!
What a bitter sweet story… but the blessings were there and hopefully, all went well in Sydney.
Unfortunately Sydney was a disaster as you will soon see!
Oh boy! bracing for the fallout! 😦
Mmmmmm!
this is a wonderful, heart felt story Julie. I enjoyed reading it
Thanks Terry. The story is now coming to a difficult few years so I am nervous about writing them but will keep going. Juliex
You draw such great word pictures. I am crying with you. Sorry you missed your dad’s passing but it looks like he left his gift to you before he went. – DogDaz
Thanks and thanks again!
Very emotional. So far, it sounds like Inna and your father had similar intuitions about you and husband-to-be.
Yes! I hadn’t thought of that.
I know it was hard to write this part, but you could really make a great chapter or two in your book by fleshing it out more later. I think you are like me. I write the main events first, and then go back and add all of the details.
I never used to write so briefly so I think you are right about getting the bare bones down first then fleshing out later. Can’t do the fleshing yet!
So so poignant and beautiful and, yes, sad. ♥
I found this one hard to write.
Oh Jules – so incredibly heart wrenching this is. Your account of this stage of your life — wonderfully expressed, but the torment you must have faced separating from HTB and loosing your Dad. How did you ever cope? I’m sure it will be told in future chapters. In the meantime, such a great read. We need to find you a publisher soon!! xo
You can be my agent and I will be yours!
😉
I replied earlier, but I’m getting a flood of reply emails from your comments, so I need to uncheck the box. 🙂 Talk to you later, my Downunder friend. Lots of Texas love! XO
That rotten box!
Aw, what a turning point in your relationship with your future husband. I can’t believe he drove all the way to say goodbye, after he demonstrated so little of his caring for you before that.
Of course, the sad part is about your father. That must have been very hard for you.
Oh, the mixed emotions of this!
Oh, that’s heartbreaking
Sad, sweet memory. Your poor young heart really got a work out.