Meet Rowen Quin

Ah, the time has come, yes? Let’s meet one of Annie’s most influential friends in her life, Rowen.

Without further ado, here is Rowen Quin:

“Step, step, step, step. Down the carpeted green velvet hallway of Hayden’s this person went, just like my dream of wearing a green velvet dress on that boat. 

Take a seat, wait your turn. The double doors opened and that certain 5’9” person walked through that double glass door. “Hi, I’m here for orientation. My name is Rowen Waht.” Masculine trim, feminine like build, thin frame, short, and black hair with grown out icy blonde highlights that looked like they were pulled out from a cap from a drunken soirée, short stock, but a rack of bones, and those dazzling emerald eyes, oh. And their black eyelashes to help those eyes pop. But was their hair naturally blonde? Or naturally really dark? Who knows. Same kind of concept with actually getting to know them, too.

I remember the first time I saw them. If you’ve ever seen the show Siren, my enchantment to them was just like that. Like Taylor Swift’s song, I was enchanted to meet them, I just didn’t know to what extent at that time. I didn’t know that they would be one of my greatest soul connections that I would have. I was very blessed to meet them, know them, and love them. How could you not?

I watched them walk all the way over to me, with some awkward looking away so they wouldn’t notice how truly intrigued I was. I watched their face turn to the side and that was the first time I saw the smile up close, those perfect teeth, and I saw just how bright their eyes were. That head turn, that Justin Bieber haircut and that hair flip to get the hair in just the right position, we all know that one.

Rowen walked over to the table just as instructed to by the other worker and sat in the chair across from me while we exchanged a smile, our eyes met for the first time. They had a Tennessee Volunteers lanyard in their pocket, along with their silver chain AND plain silver band on their middle finger. Tight and black skinny jeans and black converse: the combo they always wore. Well, unless they had jeans on and an obnoxious belt buckle on, or khakis. Their button up shirt was tight, too. Black shirt and a red bow tie. What an artist.

After a few seconds of getting settled, us awkwardly looking around at our new place of profession, and me basically staring at R, Rowen looks over at me and looks at Sarah and says, “y’all ready for all this?” We both said insinuated yes and laughed in a funny way and a nervous way, like all typical newbies do.

But I was still looking at them.

Those striking eyes. Crystal emerald eyes. Similar to ones I had seen and loved before. But theirs were way more special to me.

We were all eager to start our new careers at the local jewelry store: Hayden’s. We didn’t have one back home. Rowen never acted too excited about anything. I wonder if this is a coping mechanism?

Rowen reached a hand out to me, “Rowen, Rowen Quin Waht, but I go by Rowen Quin.” I shook that hand, “Annie, Annie Catherine Blair.” Rowen said, “Nice to meet you, Ann,” and did the same thing to Sarah. Bitch. I wanted all of that attention on me. 

I said, quite quickly, “My name isn’t Ann, it’s Annie.” Rowen said, “I know.”

I glared. Just like that, R knew how to get to me.

I looked at Rowen and looked down at that silver ring. I tried to make out whether or not there was something on it or not. My manicured eyes looked up and down their hand and back up to their eyes to make sure they weren’t noticing that I noticed them and that I would notice them all the time. 

“So what does that ring mean?”, I blatantly asked R. Rowen said, “Well, it doesn’t really have a meaning.” I snarlingly said, “Everything has meaning.” Rowen laughed and looked around and said, “I guess you’ll have to learn that not everything has a meaning then.” Back then, I most times, said what was on my mind. So I said what was on my mind then with Rowen, obviously. “So are you going to tell me the meaning, or?,” I said looking at Rowen’s eyes. Rowen cut those eyes over to me, but at the same time, in a slowed down way and said, “I guess we will have to figure that out, sport.” I glared at them as they proceeded to obviously change the subject. “So, where are y’all from?,” Rowen said with that absolutely annoyingly perfect smile. Sarah proceeded to say that she’s from here and Rowen said she was originally from Melissa, TN; I quickly interrupted and said, “you’re from Melissa?” As Rowen looked over at me as I was ever so rudely interrupting, that was the first time my stomach ever sank for that face, that presence; just looking at that angelic face could do that to me. I never quite could get 100% comfortable because Rowen made me so damn nervous. That Rowen Quin. Rowen said, “Yes. Born and raised. But I moved here a little bit before I was 18. I’m sure you can understand why.” I said, “No, I don’t. Why did you move here so fast?” We noticed our team lead walking over and Rowen whispered, “We will continue this another time, little miss mam.” I just kinda glared at R, but not enough for them to notice. 

Our team lead finally showed up. As if there wasn’t enough tension/awkwardness in the room already. It was starting to snow there in Mt. Mountaine. I looked out the window and couldn’t wait to get back to Ely. To our little apartment where we would fix spaghetti, with no meat sauce, just how I liked it back then. Just how he cooked for me: how I liked it. To our cats. To our life. I looked down at my dazzling finger; that brand new Neil Lane, but not a brand new love. See, Ely, he was my one. He was it. But he’s not here anymore on earth. And there must be another; there (hopefully) must be a next. I met my Chapter Two, but they weren’t ready for me.

It’s funny how you can meet somebody, but it’s not God’s timing just yet.

Molly, our team lead, looked at the three of us and said, “Welcome to Hayden’s; I hope you like jewelry. And if you don’t, interesting professional choice.” She passed out papers for us to fill out and handed us each an iPad.”

Thank you reading and being here; you are appreciated. :)

I look forward to seeing more of Rowen; I hope you do too.

Xoxo -

A