Man Forgets His Bride After Returning from the Army – Story of the Day

Emily happily rushes to the airport to meet her fiancé, Adam, who is returning from deployment. But her joy comes crashing down when she learns he had returned home a month ago. Desperate for answers, Emily hurries to meet Adam, only to discover he has forgotten her.

The taxi sped through the city, weaving through the bustling streets as Emily's heart raced in anticipation. Her eyes were glassy with tears of joy as the airport loomed in the distance.

Clutching the bouquet of Adam's favorite white flowers, she exhaled deeply as the taxi pulled over at the airport entrance.

Emily's excitement bubbled over. She could hardly sit still, her gaze flickering between her phone and people exiting the airport with their loved ones.

"That's $40, Ma'am!" the cabbie said as Emily quickly stashed the fare in his hands and got out of the car, wearing her best smile.

Emily was a blend of nerves and joy. She imagined the moment Adam would step into view, swoop her into a tight hug, and kiss her like he always did whenever he returned to his hometown from his deployment...

Growing up in a conservative background, Emily was not always fond of public displays of affection. But when you see someone you love after a long time, you cannot find reasons to hold yourself back! That's what Emily was going through.

Her soon-to-be-husband and boyfriend, Adam, was returning from a six-month deployment, and she was so excited to shower him with hugs and kisses! They were all set to marry soon. A few months ago, while on duty, Adam had casually proposed to her over the phone, and she had screamed, 'Yes!'

Emily was so excited and could no longer wait for Adam to get down on one knee with a proposal ring and pop the question in front of everyone. Just as she pressed forward, a figure in military attire caught her eye at the airport entrance. Her heart leaped in joy, thinking it was Adam.

"Adam!" she called out, her eyes sparkling with tears of joy, only to immediately withdraw her emotions when she realized it was Danny, Adam's buddy in the army.

Danny was busy hugging his wife when Emily rushed to him and interrupted, her face twisted with worry. "Dan...Danny? Where's Adam? Is he inside?" she asked, her grip tightening on the bouquet.

Danny's solemn expression spoke volumes as he furrowed his brows and asked, "Emily? What are you talking about? No, he's not here with me."

"Wha-What do you mean by he's not with you?" Emily anxiously craned her neck. Her world seemed to crumble at that moment.

"He's supposed to arrive today. That's what he told me a few weeks ago. His phone is not reachable. Where's he?"

"Adam returned from duty a month ago, Emily. He's not with me. I thought you knew...He has been home for a while now. Didn't he tell you?" Emily's eyes brimmed with tears as Danny conveyed the shocking message.

"Adam's not with you? He...he came back a month ago?" Emily's eyes bulged in disbelief.

"Yeah, I thought you knew. Why don't you try calling him again? I would've loved to stay and help but...I'm getting late. Take care, Emily. See you later!" Danny walked away with his wife, leaving Emily stranded in shock, though she feigned a smile and nodded.

The crimson on Emily's face drained, and the bouquet of fragrant white flowers slipped from her hands. Emily immediately grabbed her phone and rang Adam's number.

This was her umpteenth call that afternoon, but his phone was still switched off like it had been over the last couple of weeks.

Initially, Emily had assumed Adam would call her back. She was used to him switching off his phone while on duty. So she brushed it off, not attaching any importance to it, thinking he had set it to airplane mode while on the flight.

But now, everything seemed so confusing, especially after learning Adam had already returned to his hometown a month ago and hadn't called her.

What's wrong, Adam? Why aren't you calling me? Why didn't you tell me you were back? Emily's mind was brimming with questions, shock and disbelief clouding her eyes.

The bustling airport seemed to blur around her. Emily could no longer stand there and see all the happy faces cuddling with their loved ones. The laughter and joy around her were haunting, and she was almost on the verge of dropping to her knees in tears.

Where was Adam? Why did he suddenly abandon the woman he loved like crazy all his life? Nothing made any sense. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Emily snapped away her tears and immediately hailed a cab to Adam's house. But when she arrived, the house was locked, like it had always been since the last time Adam visited and left.

Emily stood there on the porch, lost in a sea of emotions, wondering why her fiancé hadn't come to meet her all this while.

Suddenly, a gust of cool breeze ruffled her hair as Emily furrowed her brows, contemplating where Adam could be. She looked at the house again when the realization dawned on her like a gentle whisper.

That's it! Oh my God...how did I forget! Emily's eyes widened as she recalled Adam's granny's old cottage—a place Adam loved and wished to move in with Emily once they married.

With a spark of hope, Emily got into the cab and directed the driver towards a quaint neighborhood on the outskirts of town.

Her anticipation and worry grew with each fleeting minute as the taxi sped across the winding roads. Emily pressed her gaze on the quiet countryside scenery that faded past her.

It made her gently smile as she sat quietly, recalling those sweet and cute moments when love had blossomed between her and Adam all those years ago when they first kissed against the backdrop of his granny's cottage.

"Ma'am, we're here!" The cabbie's voice snapped Emily to the moment as she glanced up and saw the beautiful house that belonged to Adam's late grandmother.

A tiny sliver of hope sprang into Emily's eyes as she got out of the taxi and ran to the doorstep. "Adam? I know you're in there. I can see the lights on! Adam, open the door...Adam! Can you hear me? Open the door!"

Emily knocked on the door repeatedly. Her hand hurt, but she wouldn't stop banging harder. "Adam, it's me! Open the door...I want to talk to you. Adam, I know you can hear me. What's going on? Why aren't you talking to me? Open the door!"

But there was pin-drop silence.

Wasting no time, Emily rushed to the window on the side, only to freeze in shock and relief at seeing Adam trying to shut the window.

"ADAM?? Oh my God...what's wrong with you? Why aren't you answering my calls?" Emily gasped, hoping Adam would open the door and let her in. But little did she know she was just moments away from experiencing the most painful blow to her heart.

"Emily? What are you doing here? GO AWAY! I don't want to talk to you. Just go away and never come back!" Adam stared daggers at her and spat as Emily froze in shock.

"What? What do you mean you don't want to talk to me? Adam...open the door. I want to talk to you. What's going on? Why are you doing this?"

"Emily, hear me out, okay? I DON'T WANT TO BE WITH YOU ANYMORE! You're free to go...find someone else. Just move on. I don't wish to talk to or see you again. Go away!"

Emily stood frozen, shattered into a million pieces at Adam's harsh words that cut deep into her heart. Silent tears streamed down her face as she struggled to process the abrupt end of a love she thought was unbreakable.

"Adam?" her voice trembled. "I've been worried sick about you. I was waiting for you to return from your duty. Why didn't you let me know you were back? I rushed to the airport...and I...I met Danny there. He told me that you returned a month ago...Why? Why didn't you call me or meet me?"

"Go away, Emily! I don't want to talk to you anymore. I don't have the time or obligation to explain things to you. It's none of your business. Just leave me alone. Go away!" Adam yelled.

"Ridiculous! Adam, we've known each other since high school. This isn't like you. Why are you doing this? Please open the door. We need to talk."

But Emily's pleas fell on deaf ears as Adam refused.

"I said go! Why don't you understand? My duty in the army changed me. I can't be the same with you anymore. We can't be together. You need to understand and just leave, okay? Can't you respect my boundaries and just leave me alone?"

"What do you mean by leave you alone, Adam?" Emily lashed out at Adam while trying her best not to cry. Her heart crumbled as Adam uttered the devastating words, leaving her in pieces.

"Adam, I love you. You promised you'd never leave me, no matter what. Please don't shut me out. Please open the door. Please, Adam. I want to talk to you."

"Listen, are you deaf or something, girl? I have my own life to take care of, okay? I can't be wasting my time with you anymore. I'm not the man I used to be! Just go, Emily. You have a life ahead of you. Go see to that. Just leave me alone," Adam barked.

Emily's eyes bulged in disbelief. The fright of losing Adam washed over her like a tidal wave. The silence around was deafening as Emily felt her heart pounding wildly at hearing those crushing words.

"Adam, don't do this to me. Please. What happened? What did I do? Why are you doing this to me?" Emily cried. "We were...we were going to be married soon. I waited for you all this time. I can't live without you, Adam. Please, please don't do this..."

But Adam remained stoic, unmoved by her plea.

"Well, it happens!" Adam yelled, not hesitating a moment to consider how it would crush Emily completely and probably never give her a chance to muster herself together to move on.

"Time changes. And people change with time! I no longer see myself with you. You have your life, and I have mine. Let me get this straight—you and I—we are not meant to be together. I don't want to be with you, and that's it!"

"Adam, please, don't leave me. What did I do wrong? I loved you, and I still do. I can't...I can't take this. Please, you're hurting me. What's wrong? Why are you hating me like this all of a sudden? I don't understand...are you…are you seeing someone?"

"That's none of your business!" Adam yelled.

"If I wanted to see you or wished to continue this relationship, I would've definitely called you as soon as I returned from my deployment. I don't want to be with you...don't you get it? I don't think I can explain this any better.

"Just go. There are plenty of guys out there. Just find one and move on. I'm not the one for you. Do you get it?"

"What?"

"I said there's nothing between us anymore. I don't need you or your love. I'm fine on my own...and I'm happy and peaceful without you. Stop wasting my time and get out of here! LEAVE!"

Stunned into silence, Emily froze. Adam's words echoed in her ears, delivering a crushing blow to her heart.

She painfully stared into his eyes, which seethed with hatred for her. The beautiful love story they had built flashed before her teary eyes, crumbling like a fragile castle in the storm of Adam's hatred.

With a shattered heart and tears waiting to pour down her eyes, Emily clenched her teeth.

"I HATE YOU, ADAM! Do you hear me? I HATE YOU!"

Unable to bear the rejection and Adam's sudden hatred for her, Emily stormed away, tears streaming down her face.

"I'm going away...if that's what you want!" Emily's sobs echoed as Adam waited by the window, waiting for her to disappear from his sight.

Just as Emily sniffled and stormed out of the gate, she noticed a young woman approach in her direction. Emily turned around and noticed Adam didn't have any neighbors.

Who is she? What is she doing outside Adam's house? Emily anxiously thought. She turned around and noticed the woman open Adam's cottage door with a spare key. It left her reeling for answers.

Emily's suspicions swelled when she heard the woman utter with a sheepish chuckle: "Adam, I hope you're in the bedroom already! There won't be any mercy tonight! Get ready for an evening to remember!"

Emily's eyes bulged in disbelief.

Okay, so this is what drove us apart? Adam's seeing someone else! How could he betray me? Wasn't I good enough for him? In what ways did I wrong him that he chose to give me this heartbreak? Emily angrily whispered and watched as the woman disappeared behind the door.

The front door slammed shut as Emily stood on the lawn, her mind haunting her with nasty imaginations of Adam and the woman sharing kisses and intimate moments behind the closed door. Anxiety gripped Emily as she returned to the window where she had encountered Adam and crept inside.

Emily, what are you doing? He's clearly cheating on you. Do you still want to go inside and see it for yourself? Can't you hear all that laughter coming from his bedroom? He seems happy with her, Emily. Go away from here. Everything's over. Adam has...changed. He doesn't love you anymore. Emily's conscience grounded her for breaking into Adam's house and prying on his privacy.

But Emily steeled herself as she braced forward.

How could Adam leave me for someone else? How could he forget years of love and all our dreams for another woman? No, I won't let that happen! He needs to answer me! Emily fumed.

"Oh, Adam, you're such a good boy today! I really like you so much I can't even tell you!" the woman's voice seeped out of the ajar bedroom door.

"I bet you do, Clara!"

"Does it hurt? No, right? See, I told you! That's it, Adam. That's it! A little more...you can do it! Just a little more...c'mon...do it. Do it!" Clara chuckled as Emily drew closer outside the bedroom and heard Adam's soft moans.

"Adam, you're so strong! I told you it's nothing...and would be less painful than the last time we tried."

Laughter and murmurs filled the bedroom as Emily could take it no more and barged in with a heavy slam of the door.

"Is this what you were waiting for? Couldn't even give it a few weeks before jumping into bed with someone else? How disgusting, Adam! I'm so ashamed of falling in love with you!" Emily's eyes blazed with anger as she muttered under her shaky breath.

She could not believe what she was seeing. She froze, and her heart felt like it would skip a beat and entirely stop beating for a moment.

"Excuse me, Miss? Who are you? How did you get in here?" Clara, Adam's physiotherapist, turned around with a jolt.

Only then did it strike Emily—Adam was sitting in his wheelchair—getting at-home physiotherapy done.

"Emily? What are you doing here? I told you to leave. How did you get in here?" Adam gasped.

"Adam?? Wha-What happened to you?" Emily shakily pressed forward, unable to believe her eyes.

"Miss, please wait outside. Mr. Collins can't be bothered right now," Clara sternly told Emily to leave the room.

"Clara, it's okay. She's my...I know her. Can you give us a minute in private?" Adam turned to Clara.

When Clara disappeared into the kitchen, Emily stared daggers at Adam, her patience wearing thin for answers.

"Adam...are you....?"

Sighing a deep breath, Adam wheeled forward and looked Emily in the eye. "Why don't you complete the sentence?" Adam regretfully uttered.

"Why don't you say what I am?"

Emily stood in silence, bracing herself for the reality of what had rendered her beloved immobile.

"H-How did this happen? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what, Emily? That I won't be able to walk again? That I was shot in the crossfire and woke up in the military hospital, unable to feel my left leg? And then, the doctor walked in. Pressed my shoulder and delivered the news—that my left leg had to be amputated?"

"I should've died there...with honor. That pain of death with bullets piercing through my body would've been much better than this...sitting here right in front of you, like a disabled person...confined to a wheelchair."

"Don't say that," Emily interrupted, having no tears left to cry because she was shaken.

"Accept it or not, Emily, I'm a cripple! Nothing's gonna change that, right? That's what the world would call me. I'm not that heroic soldier anymore who used to kiss you goodbye at the airport...or walk side-by-side with you on the beach. I'm this, what you're seeing in front of you. Nothing more than a disabled person secretly undergoing physiotherapy at home, wearing a prosthetic left leg."

"Adam...please stop..."

"I'm wheelchair-bound. Look at me!" Adam teared up while trying his best not to cry out loud in front of his girlfriend. "Look at me, Emily. Look!"

Emily stood still, locking eyes with Adam and then glancing at his wheelchair.

"I'm not that guy who used to run to your doorstep with your favorite roses anymore. I'm not that hero who used to put on a brave smile before combating enemies on the battlefield. I used to be a hero. But I'm nothing now. Do you hear me? NOTHING!" Adam wheeled across the room, making his anguish and physical struggles visible to Emily.

A loud, painful sigh escaped Emily's lips as she glanced at Adam. "You are always a hero, Adam. I won't let anything come in between us. It doesn't make any difference...I still love you with all my heart and soul. I love you, Adam...I love you. I really do."

But Adam was not in the spot to listen to Emily. He turned away, his eyes and heart bearing the same level of rejection for her and her feelings for him.

"You love me? Even now? Wow! You must be kidding!"

"Yes, I do...I love you, Adam."

"Yeah, that's what you'd say now. But things won't be the same forever, Emily," Adam lashed out at her.

"I know we planned to get married soon, and I'm yet to propose to you properly. How will you feel when you see me holding a proposal ring while sitting in my wheelchair instead of getting down on one knee?"

"How will you feel when I won't be able to dance at our wedding? I won't be able to teach our kid to ride a bike...or take him to school. I won't be able to walk beside you hand-in-hand to enjoy those beautiful sunsets. Nothing's gonna be the same in our lives, Emily."

"Adam, please, nothing's gonna change. I promise. I love you," Emily pleaded.

"Things will appear okay now, Emily. But once we get together, everything will change. You'll be ashamed of me at some point in your life, like I'm ashamed of myself right now. And the moment you start seeing me as a burden, I will shatter into a million pieces."

"Adam, please. Don't say such things. It hurts."

"Emily, I can't do anything on my own. I can't even use the restroom properly, let alone rush to you whenever you need me. Look at me! People used to look up to me. But now, everything's changed. Everybody's gonna look down at me coz I would be spending the rest of my life in this wheelchair."

"Adam, please listen..."

"No, you please listen to me. I feel betrayed and let down. My fate has given up on me. This is who I am for the rest of my life. I don't want you to struggle with me by loving me or marrying me. Please, for your own good...find someone better and move on."

Adam's words struck Emily like a thunderbolt.

"Adam, I still love you, no matter what. I loved you and will always love you for who you are—not for how you look. Please don't do this to yourself. We'll get through this. I'll help you get through this."

"We'll get through this?" Adam was furious with his fate and everything that had cost him his mobility. He shakily rose from his wheelchair, trying to talk Emily into believing that he would be incapable of moving around on his own for the rest of his life.

"Look, Emily, look for yourself! Look! This is what you'll experience every day until I die. I can't even stand up on my feet. Life's playing a wicked joke on me...and I don't want people laughing at me for sitting in a wheelchair beside a beautiful woman like you. I don't want people saying things like, 'That cripple ruined her life by marrying her!' Do you have any idea how that would crush me?"

Adam sat back in his wheelchair, wincing in pain, as Emily knelt beside him and gently rubbed his shoulder.

"What about me, Adam? What about my feelings?"

"Emily, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met in my whole life. You truly are! You don't deserve a life like this...one where you'd be always behind me, pushing my wheelchair forward all the time," Adam painfully added.

"No, no, please, you're overthinking. Things will be better than that, I promise. Please, don't do this to yourself and me, Adam," Emily shook her head.

"I'm talking about life from a broader and practical perspective, Emily. You deserve a normal family...a normal husband who can walk...take you around. Take his family on vacations. Walk with you hand-in-hand on the beach. Dance. Run. I don't envision myself in that beautiful picture, Emily."

"Adam...please..." a lump rose in Emily's throat.

"My life is already...over. You still have a long way ahead. Don't ruin your life, Emily. Go! Just leave me and go!" Adam pushed Emily away.

"I can't. I love you."

"Stop! Just stop! Go away, Emily. Don't come back. I don't want to talk to you about this anymore. This is my life, and I've decided to move on alone without you. There's no us anymore, do you understand?" Adam lashed out at Emily before turning around and wheeling into the bedroom.

"Adam, come out. Adam?" Emily ran after him and banged on his bedroom door. But Adam locked himself inside and refused to let her in.

"Please, Emily. If you really loved me and wished me happiness, the door is that way. Leave and never come back. Please find someone better...and move on. Please leave me alone, Emily. Goodbye!"

Tears streamed down Emily's face as she stood outside his bedroom door, the weight of heartbreak sinking into her very soul. "You still don't understand, Adam," she painfully whispered and stormed away.

Later that evening, Emily burst into the living room of her apartment, her eyes red and puffy from crying. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Pitts, looked up, concern etched on their faces.

"What's wrong, darling? Where is Adam? He was supposed to return from deployment today, right?" Emily's father asked.

"Mom, Dad, we need to talk," Emily sat on the couch.

"What happened, Emily? Is everything alright?" Mrs. Pitts worriedly rubbed Emily's shoulder.

"Adam, he's back already, Mom. He returned a month ago. He's...he's in a wheelchair."

Emily's parents were surprised.

"What? A wheelchair? What do you mean?" Her Dad gasped.

"Adam lost a leg while on duty. He's in a wheelchair now. But, Dad, Mom, I love him. I still want to marry him."

But Emily's parents were concerned for their daughter.

Emily and Adam were high school sweethearts. Their love story was an open chapter, and their families were excited about getting the two married soon. But now, after learning of Adam's disability, Emily's parents were not ready to let her marry him.

"Emily, sweetheart, we agree you love Adam. But this is a huge decision. Once you two get married, there's no looking back. Have you thought about how it will change your life?" Mr. Pitts said.

"Yes, I have, Dad. I love Adam for who he is...not for what he can or can't do."

But Mr. Pitts was still skeptical. "Emily, honey, this is a lot to take in. Are you sure you're ready for this? Think wisely. Marriage is not a joke. It's a commitment for a lifetime."

"Yes, Dad, yes! I love him, and I won't let his disability change that."

"Sweetheart, Dad's right," Mrs.Pitts added. "We just want what's best for you. Marriage is a big step, especially under these circumstances. You might want to take time and think again. We like Adam...but considering whatever he's going through now, we don't think it's a wise idea to make hasty decisions you could end up regretting for the rest of your life…if you know what I mean."

Emily was frustrated. She thought her parents would understand and say yes to her decision to marry Adam. She assumed they still bore the same level of understanding and love for him.

But like most parents, Emily's parents, too, were worried about her future with a disabled man. They were clearly unhappy about giving her hand in marriage to Adam, which left Emily furious.

"Why don't you guys understand? Adam and I have something real. Can't you see that? I can't just abandon him because life threw us a curveball. He's a living being...with real emotions and love...and pain. He's not a doll! How can you think my life would be ruined if I married him? I love him…and I can't live without him."

"Emily, think with a clear head. We're not saying you should abandon him. But you need to consider the challenges ahead. Remember Aunt Marla, whose husband lost his ability to walk after that car crash? They divorced six months later because she couldn't care for him anymore. It was becoming monotonous and too much for a mother with three little kids to take care of."

"Mom, we're not talking about Aunt Marla. Besides, it's her life, and she has the right to decide hers. I'm talking about my future with Adam. Challenging or not, I want to be with him. True love doesn't require one to have fuller hands or legs, Mom...You need to come out of your shell and learn to accept that. I won't let anyone, not even my own parents, tell me otherwise."

Emily's parents exchanged skeptical glances and were still worried about her happiness.

"Love has blinded you, Emily. Adam is a good guy, no doubt. But when we picture everything together, all we can see is you standing in the shadow of him and his wheelchair. Do you still want such a life?" Her Mom yelled.

Beads of tears rolled down Emily's cheeks. "I thought you'd understand and support me," she whispered, storming upstairs to her room.

"Emily, come back. It's not that we don't support you."

"I've made up my mind," Emily shouted out loud before disappearing into her room. "I love Adam, and I'm going to be with him. Not that he needs me to push his wheelchair. But I'd happily do it for him until my last days because I genuinely love him."

The room fell into a heavy silence as Emily's words lingered, leaving her parents unsettled and still worried.

Emily's eyes were puffy from crying as she wrapped her overcoat tight and approached the front door the next day. Her parents watched, worry etched across their faces.

"Emily, what have you decided? Where are you going? Don't tell me you're going to Adam after he shut you out," Mr. Pitts stopped her.

"I don't know what I've decided. Maybe I won't come back! And Dad, yes, I'm going to him because I don't think Adam would've left my side if I lost a hand or leg in an accident."

With that, Emily walked out the door, leaving her parents with a heavy, painful silence.

An hour passed. Emily's heart raced as she waited for Nurse Clara outside Adam's house, making sure he never got a glimpse of her.

Emily's wait ended when Clara entered the gate, making her way toward Adam's cottage. Emily frantically ran to her and stopped her.

"Clara!"

"God, you scared me!" Clara smiled.

"I'm so sorry. I wanted to talk to you about something really important. Do you have a minute?"

"Emily, right?"

"Yes. I need your help, Clara. Only you can help me. Please, don't say no. Please, you have to do this...for Adam. Please—" Emily cut through Clara's sentence before she could finish talking.

"Emily...listen to me. Adam is going through a challenging time now. I hope you really understand how difficult it's been for him ever since he—"

"I know. I understand," Emily interrupted Clara.

"Great! Then I think you must leave this place immediately. Your presence around Adam is mentally affecting him. He needs time and space to move on, Emily. He told me he wants the best for you, and from what I observed, Adam doesn't wish to be a part of your life anymore. He wants you to forget him and...move on with somebody else."

"Clara, how could you not understand my feelings despite being a woman? I love Adam. I'm ready to bend the skies for him. He's feeling so inferior about his condition...which I agree is painful for him, considering the amazing life he enjoyed earlier. But I want to travel with him...be with him...hold his hands and love him."

"I understand, Emily. But Adam is finding it really difficult to cope with his new life in the wheelchair. His journey in the army has changed him not only physically but mentally, too."

"But does that change the way he feels for me, Clara? I know he still loves me. I can see it in his eyes."

"I know you love him and are ready to do anything for him. But Adam is not in the spot to reciprocate your feelings. He's healing, and we must give him the time he needs to start feeling better."

"What if...what if he takes a lifetime to feel better, Clara? I want to live with him. I can't afford to lose him and let this disability get between us," Emily broke down.

"You shouldn't be around Adam if you know you can't stay," Clara sighed deeply and uttered.

"Do you know loving and marrying someone with a disability is a challenge not everyone can handle?" Clara stated, tearing up. "In my fifteen years of service, I've seen many families break apart over a spouse's disability. Love is only beautiful until you realize the person next to you is disabled. And the day you start seeing them as a burden, it's over!"

"I don't care! I love him...and I want to live the rest of my life with him," Emily sternly declared. "So what if Adam's in a wheelchair? So what if I would be pushing him forward for the rest of his life? Love is all that matters. And I love Adam to the moon and back. I need him, no matter what. Time and love heal everything. Adam needs me...he needs my love."

Thick silence cloaked Clara as she stood speechless and stunned by Emily's love and craze for her beloved. "Alright, what do you want me to do?" she asked.

"I need your help."

"Okay! What do you want me to do?"

An hour passed.

Adam was sitting in his wheelchair in the living room, engrossed in reading a book, when the doorknob let out a soft click. The door creaked open, and Adam was pretty annoyed because Clara still had an hour left to start his physiotherapy session for the day.

"Clara? You were supposed to be here at five. It's only four now. I'm not ready yet. I still need to bathe...and get ready."

"Clara?"

A heavy silence lingered as Adam arched his brows. Suddenly, a familiar fragrance wafted through the air — It was Emily's favorite rose perfume, which he had once carefully chosen for her at the mall.

"Emily? What are you doing here?" Adam rolled his eyes, pretending not to like Emily's presence in his house.

"Adam, before you say anything," Emily said with a smile. "...remember four years ago, I was down with chicken pox? Very few of my friends called to find out if I was alright. But nobody came over to my house to visit me, fearing it was contagious...and to reduce the risk of getting infected themselves."

"We had just started dating after, you know, getting to know each other in high school! I was so afraid you would start avoiding me...and treat me differently," Emily continued. A small smile played on Adam's lips as he recalled the nostalgia.

"I was scared you'd not want to see me, like, ever! But you!" With an ear-to-ear grin, Emily slowly pressed forward. "You stayed by my bedside all day for all those two to three weeks. You were there for me, bringing me tea, medicines, breakfast...with my favorite yellow rose on the tray!

"You stayed up all night to make sure I was okay. You never left me alone, even for a minute, despite knowing you'd contract the illness. You were ready to take a risk only to be at my side all the time.

"And when I once woke up and saw you ruffling my hair, I asked you why you were doing all this! Remember what you told me?"

Adam smiled, tears slowly gushing into his eyes.

"You told me that if you truly love someone, you'd never leave them, no matter what!" Emily recounted. "That's the moment I felt and saw what true love looked like! I saw it in your eyes!"

"I think it's the other way around now! You seem to have chicken pox! You need love, not loneliness. You deserve happiness, not sorrow!" Emily gingerly sat beside Adam and smiled.

"Emily!" Adam turned around, his face grave and his smile almost fading against his will. "There are a lot of good men out there. Men with legs who can walk with you...run with you...and carry you around!"

"Why would I need another man to carry me around when I already have one dearest man who's already carrying me in his heart!" Emily stared right into Adam's eyes and said with a big, fat smile flickering on her face.

"Even if those so-called 'perfect' men have ten legs, they're still not you! They can never be my ADAM!"

"Oh, Emily!" Adam could not hold back his laughter. He started feeling so light inside out.

"Emily, I love you so much! I admit...I can't imagine a life without you. You are my life, honestly. But I don't want to be selfish. You deserve better. I'm just a disabled man. You don't deserve this life. Think about your parents. They always wished for your happiness and a bright future. You're not going to get any of that joy with me."

"You love me, and I love you...that's the only thing I honestly care about, Adam. Not about what the world will think. Not about people...or my parents. Everyone we know and don't know will feel a thousand strange things about us. But who cares about their opinions when love is all that matters?!"

A moment of silence engulfed Adam as Emily slipped her hand into her pocket. "You said you won't be able to get down on one knee and propose to me. Then, you'll have to accept this!"

Before Adam could fathom what was happening, Emily got down on one knee and pulled out a little blue velvet box with a glistening gold ring. Tears of joy sprang into Adam's eyes. He sat still, speechless and moved by this woman's love for him.

"Lieutenant Adam, I know life has thrown unexpected challenges our way, but I also know that I love you for who you are. Will you make me the happiest person alive and accept this ring? Will you be my husband?"

"Yes, Captain!" With tears of joy glistening in his eyes, Adam replied with a salute.

Emily could no longer hold herself back. She burst into tears and hugged Adam as he planted a firm kiss on her forehead. "I love you!" he said.

"Love you too!" She placed a kiss on his lips.

Two weeks later, a sweet symphony of the wedding march played as guests were dressed to the nines to witness Emily wed the love of her life.

All eyes were fixed on the bride as her father, Mr. Pitts, walked her down the aisle. "I'm really sorry, my dear. I realized true love knows no boundaries," he whispered, handing her over to Adam.

The parents and guests were awed with tears of joy as they watched the newlyweds kiss and begin a new chapter of their lives.

Seven months passed...

Emily's eyes danced with joy as she called her husband, Adam, over for dinner.

"Baby, I'm coming!" He chirped, wheeling himself closer to the dining table.

"Hey, careful, careful! Don't rush!" He anxiously cupped Emily's hand as she slowly rose to serve him lemonade. She was seven months pregnant, and they were expecting twins!

"Come here, baby!" Adam gently pulled Emily closer and pressed his face on her baby bump.

"Our two little warriors are getting stronger day by day! Aww, I can feel them kicking!" he murmured, his hand gently cradling her bulging belly.

"Aye, aye, Lieutenant! Like Daddy, like sons!" Emily chuckled as the room echoed with laughter and the cozy warmth of the crackling fireplace.

Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.

When Craig returns home from the army for Christmas, he finds his mom living in a tent instead of their cozy house. Upon discovering the scam that caused his mom's downfall, Craig takes drastic measures to seek justice. Here's the full story.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.