I Couldn’t Figure Out Why My Girlfriend Spent Hours on the Toilet, until Her Phone Camera Was Left on by Mistake — Story of the Day

I’d been dating my online girlfriend for months before she started disappearing into the bathroom for hours at a time. She always acted like nothing was wrong, but one day, she accidentally left her phone camera on, and I caught a glimpse of the frightening truth behind her extended bathroom breaks.

I glanced at the clock again. It was 2:30 AM, and I was still waiting for Emma. We’d been talking online for months and had grown close during that time. We’d even started dating four months ago. But Emma could be elusive at times, disappearing for hours at a time without explanation.

"Emma, you there?" My voice crackled through the headset as I glanced at the clock. The silence on the other end was punctuated by the familiar dramatic theme music of the online gaming platform. I sighed, running a hand through my disheveled hair.

"Emma?"

Still no response. My heart sank. I couldn't help but feel a pang of worry. Was Emma alright? Was she ignoring me? Just as I was about to give up, a voice came through the headset. It was Emma, but her voice sounded strained and distant.

"Mark, I'm so sorry," she said. "I had to go to the bathroom."

I should’ve felt relieved, but instead, Emma’s answer only added to the sense of unease I’d started experiencing recently. It had started during a quest when Emma’s character suddenly went AFK.

I’d assumed Emma had been disconnected, but after half an hour of defending her from lesser monsters, she’d suddenly returned and told me she’d been in the bathroom. Which was weird, but I hadn’t thought much of it until her disappearances into the bathroom started happening more frequently.

"It's okay, Emma," I said. "I was just worried about you."

"I'm fine," Emma said, but her voice didn't sound convincing.

My relationship with Emma existed entirely in the digital realm. We’d met on the gaming platform almost a year ago after I posted a message asking for help to defeat a particularly tough boss. Me and Emma had hit it off. What started as almost a business relationship aimed at killing bosses and finding rare loot drops had eventually grown into something more profound.

“So, what are you up to?” I asked. “Ready to go and defeat the dragon outside that town we found?”

Emma gave a nervous little laugh. “Sorry, Mark, but I’m actually working on completing some of my quests for herb collecting and bestiary stuff.”

“Ah, I see… you’re trying to one-up my dragon with your super exciting quests,” I teased.

Emma laughed. I smiled, glad to hear her happy and delighted to be speaking to her again. I’d never planned to develop such strong feelings for a woman who lived miles away from me. It was irrational, and possibly even masochistic, to be in love with someone I’d never even met in person, but sometimes life’s most precious gifts come packaged with enormous challenges.

Emma and I met up to play together almost every night, but we spent most of our time together on the weekends. That Friday night, just like every other Friday night, I set up my phone on the desk beside my laptop and started a video call with Emma. After a few minutes, her smiling face appeared on the screen.

“Hey, honey!” Emma blew me a kiss. “How’s it going?”

“Same old, same old.” I grinned at her. “It’s been freezing here lately. People are saying we’ll get an early snowfall next week.”

“You’ve got to make a snow angel for me!” Emma leaned in close to the screen. “We never get snow here, and I’ve always wanted to make one.”

I chuckled. “Will do, baby. And one of these days, you’ll come to visit me here, and we’ll make one together.”

“Deal.” Emma showed me a thumbs-up and then said the words I’d come to dread. “I’ll be right back, Mark. I just need to go to the bathroom.”

I nodded and turned my attention back to my laptop screen as my sense of unease spiked. Movement in my peripheral vision brought my attention back to my phone screen, however, and I realized Emma had forgotten to shut off her camera and sound like she usually did.

My eyes were drawn to a faint glow emanating from nearby. I couldn’t make sense of what I was seeing on the screen at first—a harsh reflection of light on a shiny surface, some kind of metal tube, and a plastic surface that loomed up like a mountain. Then, the phone tipped sideways.

Emma’s back was turned to the screen as she rifled through a sizeable collection of pill bottles in the medicine cabinet attached to the wall. She was in the bathroom and clearly didn’t realize she’d forgotten to turn off her phone camera and audio.

Finally, I knew why my online girlfriend kept vanishing into the bathroom, but this view into a part of Emma’s life she clearly felt secretive about only raised more questions. I looked on as she removed two pill bottles, took a pill from each of them, and then sat on the closed toilet lid.

Under the stark white of the bathroom light, Emma’s face looked white as a sheet and I could clearly see the beads of sweat dotting her forehead. She leaned back on the toilet seat and tipped her head back. Her lips curled into a painful grimace, and I heard her release a harsh breath.

My heart raced as I was struck by the realization that I’d been right: there was something wrong with Emma. The revelation unfolded like an unexpected plot twist in a thriller. More than anything, I wanted to call out to her and ask her what was wrong, but how could I? I’d stumbled upon a secret I was never meant to know, and speaking up now would surely upset Emma.

At that moment, the distance that technology was supposed to bridge felt more profound than ever. What good was a video call when Emma was clearly in distress, and I was confined to the role of being an accidental voyeur to her suffering?

The clock on my wall relentlessly ticked out seconds and minutes, occasionally interrupted by the soft sounds of Emma groaning and letting out occasional whimpers. I watched Emma hug her knees and rock herself on the toilet and felt powerless to comfort her through whatever she was going through.

It hurt too much to see her in that state. I turned my attention to the medicine cabinet for a while. She’d left the door open, and I could make out partial names on some of the pill bottles in the front. I wrote them down and was about to run an internet search when Emma began moving.

My game character, who up until that point had been standing under a tree doing nothing, came to life as I switched my attention back to the game. I didn’t want Emma to know that I’d just seen everything, so I pretended I’d just been playing all along. From the corner of my eye, I watched her splash water on her face and return to her desk.

“So, how’s it going with that dragon?” Emma asked as she sat down again.

Her voice was cheery, as though she hadn’t just experienced something awful in that bathroom. To be honest, it hurt that she didn’t seem to trust me enough to confide in me about whatever it was she was facing.

“I’m procrastinating.” I turned to my phone screen and gave her a bright, fake smile. “I’m not sure my gear is strong enough to take this guy down alone.”

Emma laughed. “Well then, if you’ll help me collect some rare herbs, I’ll dust off my armor and help you slay your dragon, deal?”

“Deal! It’s been ages since we took on a high-level enemy together… have you retired from the fighting gig?”

Emma shrugged. “I mainly started this game for the more peaceful side of it, the herbalist and alchemy stuff, farming, building mechanics, that sort of thing. I don’t mind fighting, but it’s not really my thing.”

The weekend unfolded in a blur of happiness and guilty confusion for me. The familiarity of the online platform seemed tinged with an unspoken tension as Emma's bathroom rituals continued. On Sunday, when Emma disappeared for another prolonged bathroom trip, I decided it was time to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Every time she’d excused herself for a bathroom break that weekend, I’d ended up sitting at my desk, consumed by worry. I couldn’t stop replaying the moment I’d glimpsed her rocking on the toilet as sounds of pain and distress escaped her.

The first order of business was to try to look up the names of those pills. I ran a quick internet search and soon realized I didn’t have nearly enough information to figure out what Emma was taking from the vast list of pharmaceutical possibilities I was presented with.

However, I was also quick to note that most of the pills had one thing in common: they were used as prescription medication for mental health conditions and anxiety in particular.

I wasn’t sure what to make of that. Fueled by a potent mix of guilt and concern, I decided to confront Emma the moment she returned from that darned bathroom.

“I’m back!” Emma’s cheerful voice carried through my phone speaker. A moment later, her camera came back on, revealing her bright smile.

“As always, it’s good to have you back. It gets lonely when you spend so long in the bathroom, Em. I started missing you. What keeps you in there so long sometimes?”

“Oh.” Emma tucked her hair behind her ears. “I, uh, it’s a habit, I guess.”

"A habit?" I asked skeptically.

"Yeah," Emma said. "I just get nervous sometimes, and I need to go to the bathroom to calm down."

I nodded. “Okay… but I feel kinda bad now for making you so anxious that you need to calm down in a separate room.” I frowned at my phone screen. “If I’m doing something that upsets you—”

“It’s not you,” Emma replied quickly. “In fact, you make it easier for me, Mark.”

What Emma had just said didn’t track with the state I’d seen her in on Friday night. We talked for a while longer, but I couldn't shake the feeling that Emma was lying to me.

Emma's cheerful voice broke the silence that had settled over their conversation. "So, are you ready to tackle that dragon?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

I forced a smile, trying to hide the turmoil that was brewing within me. "As ready as I'll ever be," I replied.

But the memory of Emma's pained expression in the bathroom cast a shadow over our virtual adventure. The carefree camaraderie we’d once shared felt strained, replaced by a growing sense of unease. I struggled to concentrate on the game as my concern for Emma kept me distracted.

The dragon slaughtered us twice. I knew there was no point going back for a third try until I cleared the air between Emma and me. We both respawned in our base and I turned to stare at my phone screen and Emma.

“I can’t carry on like this,” I said. “Emma, I know something’s wrong.”

Emma's eyes widened, a flicker of fear crossing her face.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"I saw you in the bathroom the other night," I confessed, his gaze unwavering. "You were in pain, and I know you're not telling me everything."

Emma's face flushed with embarrassment and a hint of panic. She turned away from me, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

"I don't know how you saw that," she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. "Nobody is supposed to see me like that."

“It was an accident,” I replied in a gentle tone. “And I’m sorry for invading your privacy, but I’m not sorry for finding out that you’re suffering. I just wish you’d told me about it directly. You said that you go to the bathroom to calm down, but it’s more than that, Emma. Please, tell me what’s going on. I want to help you. Whatever you're going through, you don't have to face it alone."

Emma hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for an escape. But then, with a sigh of resignation, she met Mark's gaze.

“Yes, I do,” she replied. “I have a chronic health condition, Mark, and it’s never going away. It’s more than just the reason why I disappear into the bathroom sometimes, it’s also why I’m always here, at this desk, instead of living a life out there in the world.”

“What do you mean, Emma?” I lifted my phone from its stand and held it in front of me.

“I mean…” she shook her head sadly. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do this anymore.”

Emma hung up then. Seconds later, her game character vanished from our base. I tried to send her a message via the in-game chat app, but it didn’t go through. Emma had blocked me.

A week passed, and I still hadn't seen or heard from Emma. Her silence weighed heavily on me, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I’d messed everything up by confronting her. My heart was heavy with a confusing mix of guilt, worry, and plain old pining as I waited for Emma to unblock me or text me in vain.

I couldn’t go on like this. I tried sending her emails, but they bounced back as undeliverable. I then tried calling her, but her number was no longer in service. Was what I’d done really so bad that I deserved to be treated this way? Maybe, but I couldn’t give up until I knew Emma was okay.

It was selfish, I guess, but I needed her to know that she wasn’t alone. Just because she had a health condition and I couldn’t physically be there for her didn’t mean I couldn’t support her in other ways. I busted my brain trying to figure out some way I could reach her, but every avenue of communication seemed to be closed off to me.

And that’s when I had an idea that was both brilliant and utterly insane.

I tore through the papers on my desk and in my drawers, cursing myself for not having a tidier system for keeping my random notes. Then I went to my bedroom and searched there. After a while, my apartment looked like a tornado had hit it, but I was victorious. I held a scrap of paper between my fingers that was the key to finding Emma.

Last Christmas, Emma and I had exchanged addresses so we could send each other Christmas presents. I’d written her address down at the time and then, apparently, tossed it in one of my kitchen drawers. I wasn’t familiar with the name of her town, so I looked it up on my map application.

The small town where Emma lived was close to the border between Florida and Georgia. It would take me almost a day to reach her home by car, but it would be a day well spent. I packed some clothes and other necessities into a backpack, locked up my apartment, and went down to the parking lot.

Nervousness mingled with excitement as I crossed the lot to my sedan. I wasn’t sure I was doing the right thing here. Maybe it would be better to just leave Emma alone and try to forget about her, but I couldn’t do that.

For better or worse, this was the woman I loved, and I needed to know that she was okay. I needed her to know that I wasn’t just some online guy who was only in it for the games and gaming community stuff. Whatever she was going through, I wanted to be there for her every step of the way.

So, I loaded my things into my car and took off. She might well slam the door in my face when I get there or call the police, but I couldn’t give up on Emma until I’d exhausted all avenues.

The drive was long and arduous, but my determination kept me going. I thought about Emma the whole way, replaying our conversations in my mind and trying to decipher what had caused her to withdraw so thoroughly.

When I finally reached Emma's town, I was almost overcome by nerves. I drove down the main street, taking in the quaint shops and cozy houses as I followed the directions on my GPS. It seemed like a nice little place, but it definitely didn’t have the same amenities and conveniences as a big city.

I wondered how Emma coped with her health condition living in a place like this. I’d tried to search up her pills again and used the results to try to run another search in an effort to find out what exactly was ailing her, but I simply didn’t have enough information to work with.

It wasn’t long before my GPS directed me to a small, unassuming house half-hidden behind a wildly overgrown yard. The white picket fence surrounding the property seemed to be struggling to contain the tangle of creeping roses growing up against it.

I drove past several times before I built up enough courage to park outside. I took a deep breath and walked up the almost invisible path to the front door.

My knock on the door echoed through the quiet house. I pressed my palms against my pants, trying to stop them from sweating so much as I waited and hoped for a response. After a moment, the door creaked open, revealing a young woman with wide, startled eyes. It was Emma.

Emma's face was pale and drawn, her eyes rimmed with dark circles. She looked like she hadn't slept in days. She stared at me in shock before her expression gave way to a puzzled frown. It was clear she was struggling to process the unexpected sight of me standing on her doorstep.

"Mark?" she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. “What the heck?”

"Hi, Emma," I replied, trying to hide my nervousness. "I know this is a surprise, but I needed to see you. I’ve been going out of my mind worrying about you. I tried to get hold of you on your phone, via email, via the game, but nothing worked. I know I upset you during our last conversation, but I couldn’t just leave things like that. I care about you way too much."

Emma's eyes darted around as if she was searching for a way to escape. She hesitated for a moment, then stepped back and opened the door wider, inviting me inside.

I followed her into the house and shut the door behind me. The house was dimly lit and filled with an air of neglect that matched the state of the garden outside. Dust bunnies swirled around the furniture, and the floorboards creaked underfoot. Spiderwebs nestled in the corners of her sitting room, and a thick layer of dust coated the furniture.

"Please, have a seat," Emma said, gesturing towards a sagging armchair in the living room.

I sat down and scanned the room. Numerous framed photographs were hung on the walls, many of which featured Emma alongside people who I assumed were her family. She looked happy and healthy in the photos, a far cry from the woman who stood before me now.

Emma sat down on the sofa opposite me, her hands fiddling with the hem of her dress. She looked down at the floor, her voice barely audible.

"I don't know why you're here," she said.

"I'm here because I care about you, Emma," Mark replied gently. "I've been worried about you since you disappeared from the game. I know that being a couple often has a different, more casual meaning for people in our community, but I take it seriously. I’m your boyfriend, and I want to be there for you when you need me."

Emma's eyes welled up with tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I just… I panicked."

"It’s okay," I said, reaching out to take her hand. "I was just incredibly worried about you. I want to understand what's going on with you and help you in any way I can. Please, let me do this for you, Emma. Don’t shut me out."

Emma hesitated for a moment and wiped the tears spilling down her cheeks.

“It started when I was about 18 years old,” she muttered. “The doctors didn’t know what was wrong with me at first. For the next year of my life, I tried one treatment after the next, with none of them doing anything to alleviate the pain or lethargy I felt. Eventually, my parents found a specialist, and I finally got diagnosed correctly.”

I sat in silence as Emma poured her heart out about the sickness that had taken its toll on her over the past few years. She spoke about the pain she was in, the frustration of her limitations, and the fear of being a burden to others.

“That’s why I didn’t tell you,” she sobbed. “I didn’t want you to think of me as some kind of charity case. The whole reason I became so immersed in that game was to escape from my disastrous life in reality. I never wanted you or anyone else to get wrapped up in this. Maybe I should’ve just quit playing when the anxiety attacks started getting out of control, but… but spending time with you was the only good part of my days.”

I understood Emma’s situation a lot better after listening to her talk, but one burning question remained: where did we go from here?

My investigation, born out of confusion and worry for my online girlfriend’s wellbeing, had led to an unexpected revelation. Now, I hoped that this could become the foundation for a deeper, more profound connection.

Emma insisted that I spend the night on her sofa and apologized profusely for the state her home was in.

“I try to keep it under control, but I just don’t have the strength most days.” She surveyed the sitting room with a hollow, hopeless look in her eyes. “I hate living like this.”

“Point me towards the cleaning supplies,” I said. “I told you I was here to help, and I meant it.”

Emma shook her head. “I really can’t expect you to clean my house! I mean, look at it,” she swept her arm out to encompass their dusty, dirty surroundings, “I’d feel bad asking a maid to clean this mess if I could afford to pay anyone to do it.”

“Well, I insist.” I moved over to sit beside her and tentatively put my arm around her shoulders. “I drove for a whole day to get to you, so if I want to clean your house, you should let me do it, okay?”

Emma shook her head and let out a little laugh. “Okay, fine. Everything’s in the tall cupboard in the kitchen.”

I spent the rest of the afternoon moving furniture, vacuuming the carpet, dusting the shelves, and scrubbing away built-up dirt. I removed the spiderwebs from the corners and evicted a couple of roaches I found hiding beneath the bookcase. With each passing minute, the room felt brighter, cleaner, and more inviting.

Emma wanted to help at first, but I insisted that she stay seated and enjoy some pampering. It was hard work, but I did my best to make it seem like I was managing easily. I didn’t want her to feel bad about her house being in such a state or guilty about me cleaning it.

"You're amazing, Mark," Emma said, her voice filled with gratitude. "I don't know what I would do without you."

I smiled, and a warm, fuzzy feeling filled my heart. I loved seeing the joy on her face as her home was transformed.

"It's no problem," he replied. "I'm happy to help."

I then moved on to the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom to give them the same treatment. The latter two rooms were in a better state. I guess they were more lived-in, so Emma managed to keep them clean more easily.

As I continued cleaning, Emma shared more about her life and her struggles with her illness. I guess she was finally feeling comfortable enough to open up to me. I listened intently, offering words of encouragement and support where needed. I was determined to be there for Emma, no matter what.

By the end of the day, the house was gleaming. I collapsed onto the sofa, exhausted but happy. Emma soon joined me there with a pitcher of cold drink and two glasses on a tray. She poured a glass for each of us and then sat down.

"I can't believe how much better this place looks," Emma said, stretching her arms above her head. "It feels like a different house."

I nodded. "I feel much the same after I give my own place a good cleaning. It's amazing how it changes the whole vibe of the place."

Emma turned to me, her eyes sparkling. "Thank you for everything, Mark. You're a lifesaver."

Butterflies filled my stomach as I looked into her eyes. I cautiously leaned in and kissed Emma gently on the forehead.

"I love you, Emma," I whispered.

Emma smiled and set her hand on my cheek. "I love you too, Mark. I’m so sorry I cut you off like that. I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed you and how many times I’ve regretted ending our conversation like that. I wanted to message you so many times, but I was afraid."

“Of telling me the truth?” I asked.

“That, and how you’d react.” Emma looked away from me. “I don’t think I could have survived if you’d rejected me because of this stupid illness.”

I gently guided her face so she’d have to look at me when I spoke. “That’s not going to happen. We might have met online, in a game, of all places, but the way I feel about you is… I’ve never felt like this about anyone else, Emma. I’m not going to abandon you because you’re sick.”

Emma pressed her lips against mine and it felt like fireworks exploded all through my body. I gently returned her kiss, but when she leaned back and looked at me, I knew we both wanted more.

“I don’t want to do anything that might hurt you,” I whispered.

Emma’s eyes softened, and she ran her fingers through my hair. “Who knows when we’ll be together again, Mark? If this sickness has taught me one thing, it’s that I need to try to live every moment to it’s fullest. And I’ll never forgive myself if I let this moment slip away from me.”

My heart pounded in my chest as Emma rose from the sofa and took my hand. I followed her into her bedroom. Emma smiled up at me as she unbuttoned my shirt and kissed me on the neck as she slid the fabric over my shoulders. I felt like I was on fire.

Her touch, like the gentle caress of a summer breeze, sent shivers of anticipation down my spine. Emma discarded her dress, and our lips met in a tender collision, a silent vow of surrender to the passion that surged between us as I lowered her down onto her bed.

I was caught between a need to be gentle with Emma and the desire burning in my blood, but as we tangled together in union, we found our own pace and rhythm. The rest of the world fell away as Emma became the focal point of my awareness. We gave ourselves to each other body and soul and, afterward, collapsed into a blissful embrace.

“I love you,” I whispered against her neck as I trailed kisses over her skin, “I love you.”

She sighed and nuzzled my head. “I love you too. I wish we could stay here like this forever.”

And there was nothing I wanted more in that moment either, but as I settled back onto the pillows and gathered Emma against my chest, I knew that it wouldn’t be so easy to make that happen.

Breakfast the next morning was quiet. Dozens of unspoken questions and complications tainted the atmosphere between us like a dark cloud. Navigating a long-distance relationship was difficult enough, but Emma’s health problems added an even greater sense of strain.

I knew I couldn’t go back to spending hours staring at a screen, wondering if she was okay and powerless to act if she wasn’t. I didn’t know how we’d make it work, but I needed her with me.

“I want you to move in with me,” I blurted out. “Or, maybe I should move in with you? It doesn’t really matter to me either way, so long as we’re together.”

Emma frowned and set her cup of tea down on the table. “You’re only saying that because of my condition, Mark. And don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the sentiment, but it’s too much.”

I shook my head. “You’re the one who told me we should live each moment to its fullest. If something happens to you, and I’m not here…”

My words hung in the air. I didn’t have the guts to say what I felt in my heart at that moment, so instead, I reached across the table and took her hand.

“What I mean is that I want to be here if you need me, not sitting helplessly on the other side of a screen, two states away.

Emma let out a harsh sigh. “I told you, I don’t want to be a burden on anyone, least of all you. I don’t want you to feel like we need to live together so you can take care of me.” She shook her head. “That doesn’t make you a good boyfriend, Mark, it makes you a live-in nurse.”

I burst out laughing. The statement was just so unexpected that I couldn’t help myself.

“I definitely don’t want to be your nurse, Emma.” I suggestively wiggled my eyebrows. “Unless you consider what we did last night part of the service a live-in nurse should provide.”

The corners of her mouth twitched as she fought to contain a smile. “I’m trying to be serious here.”

“So am I. Look, I get what you’re saying, and I hate that you think the only reason I want to live with you is because I’m worried about your health. I’m not going to lie either; your health is a major concern for me, but… but I also simply don’t want to do long-distance with you anymore. I want to be able to take you out to dinner, to hold your hand, to lie under the stars with you. Can you honestly tell me you’ll be able to happily go back to a long-distance relationship after what we’ve shared?”

Emma pursed her lips and shook her head. “I don’t want to do that, Mark.”

“Then please, think about my offer in that light.” I squeezed her hand. “I want to be with you in the real world, Emma.”

After breakfast, I went out to tackle the overgrown plants and weeds in Emma’s garden. It was hot, back-breaking work, but I got some satisfaction from seeing the way Emma looked at me after I removed my shirt. She actually blushed as she a glass of cold water down on the porch steps for me.

“You like what you see?” I asked teasingly as I flexed my bicep for her.

“I think you already know the answer to that, honey,” she replied, winking at me.

I smiled, but in the back of my head, the problem of leaving her loomed large. I did what I could for the garden, but by midday, I decided that I’d had enough. As much as I wanted to help Emma with the practical elements of day-to-day life, I also wanted to spend as much time with her as I could before I had to return home.

I took a shower, and we spent the rest of the day curled up together on the sofa. The TV was on, but, to be honest, we were paying more attention to each other than the series playing on the screen. That time we spent together was bliss, but it was also far too short. In mere hours, it was time for me to leave.

The air was heavy with the weight of unspoken words as we stood on her porch that evening. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the lawn and painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. Emma's eyes were downcast, her gaze fixed on our intertwined hands. I could see the struggle within her, the battle between her desire to be with me and her fear of becoming a burden.

"I know this is hard," I said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Emma nodded, her voice catching in her throat. "I just don't want to hold you back, Mark. I don't want to be the reason you can't live the life you deserve."

"Emma, you will never hold me back,” I said. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I would never trade our time together for anything in the world."

I leaned in, gently brushing her lips with mine. The kiss was soft and fleeting, yet it lit up a spark inside me. I could only hope that it conveyed the depth of the love I held for her in my heart.

"I know you need time," I whispered as I broke off our kiss, "and I want you to know that I'm not going anywhere in the meantime. In fact, I’m already planning to be back here next weekend if you’ll have me."

Emma's eyes welled up with tears, and threw her arms around me. I shut my eyes as I held her tightly, savoring the moment.

“You better be back here,” she said, “you haven’t even started cutting back the climbing rose at the front gate.”

I laughed and kissed the top of her head. I knew then that no matter how difficult the distance was right now, it was only a temporary obstacle. What we shared was too strong to be denied. Standing there with Emma in my arms, I just knew it wouldn’t be long before we were together permanently.

"I'll call you as soon as I get home," I promised as I reluctantly broke away from her.

I strode down the path and opened the gate. Before I left, I turned to get one last look at the woman I loved. Emma waved at me from the porch and blew me a kiss, her face aglow with a radiant smile. I smiled back. I can’t explain it, but somehow, I just knew that this was the start of something special.

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