I promise

I promise, her dad said when she was 9 and they took him away the first time... I promise I'll be back, I promise this won't happen again.

I promise, he told her when he was taken away again and he couldn't be there for the Daddy/Daughter dance.

I promise, he said when she went off to college and he was working and things looked good... I promise it will be ok this time.

I promise, he said, when he declared bankruptcy, again... and she had to leave school and go home and transfer and get a job and live with her mom.

I promise, he said, I'll make it right as he stopped taking his medicine and found a way back into jail.

I promise, her first boyfriend...her first true love -- had said … I promise you're the only one for me. I promise, he told her, as he went to the hospital to watch his child being born...the child his other girlfriend was having.

I promise, he said... I can be committed to you now, well, you and the baby from another woman...

I promise, the new guy said, everything is fine...

I promise, he told her, she's from work....

I promise, he said... I'll NEVER cheat again

I promise, the next guy... the kinda weird one... I promise this is all ok...

I promise, he'd told her... and then the FBI showed up and asked questions and he was gone.

I promise, said the new roommate/potential boyfriend said. I promise I'll take care of things... I'll do my part.

I promise, he'd said, after he hit her the first time, I promise I won't lose my temper again.

I promise, he said, after the beating so bad she called 911. I promise I'll get it right.


I promise, I said, as I stood in her kitchen.

I promise, I'll deal with this.

No, there was no secret baby. There was nothing on my phone she couldn't see.

Yes, I'd been open... more open than I'd ever been.

Yes, I'd let her touch me... and I'd touched her.

I'd never yelled at her, never hit her, never even been angry... and she knew I never would be, not like that.

There was no "missing money" or secret life or big surprise coming ahead.

But. Well, there was (is) this one thing.

And... I needed to deal with it.

I promise, I said... as I stood in her kitchen. Stood looking at the only woman who'd ever made me feel whole.

I promise, I'll do this.

She said... I need time. Need to think. I'm processing.

Then, she stepped away.

I was one more man standing in front of her making a promise.

She walked away... and I've kept that promise.

I'm one million times better than I was that night I left her apartment.

I'm stronger, I'm healthier, I'm cleaner...

I promised.

And she basically said: Shut up and show me.

Here I am, I'll say. Here I am, when I see her next.

I'm that man. The one you saw... the amazing man who can do anything. That's what you said.

I promised. I delivered. And I'll do it over and over and over again for you.

I won't give you words, I'll SHOW you with all of my being.

Yes...yes, I'm going to mess up, make a mistake.

But... I'm going to give you ALL of me every day without you having to ask.

I promise.