Thinking out loud

I met him at a party 6 weeks before I graduated with my Master's. I had no job lined up after graduation and no job prospects. He had come to the party to be set up with another girl, and my ex, who had moved out of my apartment only 3 weeks before, was on the couch in the next room.
I thought, everything happens for a reason.

We shared war stories of past relationships and past heartbreaks.
I thought, this one's different.

I found out I had gotten the job in Houston. We had long talks about whether to stay together, whether a long-distance relationship could actually work.
I thought, if we can get through this, we can get through anything.

We had awkward conversations, long silences, and frequent misunderstandings on the phone.
I thought, everything will be different when we're together in the same place.

He carried the ring around in the pocket of his jeans for an entire weekend, waiting for the right moment to propose. The right moment never came, so it was 6 AM in the parking garage at the airport when he asked me to marry him.
I thought, this will be a great story to tell our kids.

We looked at wedding venues for a month before deciding to elope instead, on the weekend we had free between the end of Wolf Trap and our move down to Houston together.
I thought, the sooner, the better.

He was unhappy. I was unhappy. We didn't know how to make each other happy.
I thought, give it time, it will get better.

We tried everything we could think of. We went on dates, went to couples therapy, spent more time together, spent less time together.
I thought, I can make anything work if I try hard enough.

He said he had lost something and he didn't think he could get it back. I said I was tired of working so hard and getting nowhere. We both cried.
I thought, this can't possibly be the end.

I thought wrong.