“After several unanswered phone calls and texts, I rushed to the hospital. The surgeons called me into a tiny room with a white board. The news didn’t hit me until I had to relay it to my parents. All we could do was sob.”
‘His last text said, ‘Bank robber.’ My heart raced and I ran upstairs. I received a message from a stranger offering condolences to my fiancé. I had no idea what was going on.’
‘We were told, ‘Long distance NEVER lasts.’ We lived on different continents. Everyone thought we were crazy. The time finally came for me to fly across the world and see if our love was real.’
“After a 10-hour flight, I landed at the terminal. My heart was pumping. I didn’t know if I was nervous or excited. I looked left, right, behind me. I didn’t see him. My heart started to drop and tears filled my eyes. ‘Is he not here? Was none of it real?’”
‘I found YEARS of mail in his trunk. My husband was living a double life and had another daughter! He abandoned us in a Target parking lot and changed the locks to our home.’
“He was a con-artist living a double life. All of our belongings were thrown out like trash. My daughter and I tried to make the best of our ‘vacation’ as I called it, while I cried and washed clothes in a hotel sink. I thought to myself, ‘How could I be so dumb?'”
‘Someone at school told me you’re gay.’ I couldn’t keep this secret any longer. I poured my heart out to her. I thought I’d lost my friend. Until my phone pinged. ‘I like you, too.’
“We hid, for months. People started to suspect our relationship. We were pelted with rocks while waiting for the bus. We were spat on. Soon, her mom found out. They moved her 10 hours away. I barely had any contact with her. As the train arrived on the platform, she was waiting for me.”
‘John was my PATIENT, and I was married. With tears streaming down my face, I looked at him. ‘Do you want to get married?’ We held each other in the tightest hug, and just sobbed. Hard.’
“I was working in an oncology clinic. John was a new patient. I couldn’t help but notice his sparkling eyes, and nervous smile. His doctor came in and held his hand. ‘It’s time, John.’”
‘My sister’s back in town, newly divorced. You should give her a call.’ I heard a knock. He looked up and smiled. I thought, ‘One day, I’ll marry this man.’ I didn’t tell him. Why ruin the moment?’
“A friend asked, ‘What has kept you married for 42 years?’ The last 5 decades have gone by in the blink of any eye. I could see by the look in my husband’s eyes what his answer would be.”
‘We needed a surrogate and she was 60 years old. My mother-in-law said, ‘Oh, I love being pregnant!’ We laughed at the unrealistic gesture. She couldn’t have a baby, could she?’
“Cele hugged her softly, grabbed her hand, and whispered in her ear, ‘You don’t have to worry about Elliot. I promise to take care of your boy as if he were mine.”
‘On the night of our honeymoon, I saw the DARKER side of my husband. My heart was beating out of my chest. He crouched down and whispered in my ear, ‘You… are NOT going to tell me what to do.’ I felt instant regret.’
“I went to my bedroom and packed everything as fast as I could. My phone pinged. ‘You’ve got 1 new voicemail!”
‘I was the flower girl and he was the ring bearer. We didn’t see each other again for a decade. He looked at me and said, ‘I knew I loved you the moment I met you.’
“The name was very uncommon, but I couldn’t get it out of my head. I went home and asked my mother, ‘What was the name of that little boy from the wedding?’ The next day, I tapped him on the shoulder. I remember thinking to myself, ‘This is the man I want to marry.’”
‘What if this guy just wants a green card?’ We had only 90 days to get married. We both questioned what we had gotten ourselves into. I’d be marrying a man who has never met my family.’
“I quit my job, broke up with my boyfriend, moved out of my apartment and awaited the adventure of a lifetime. When I saw first him, I felt my heart skip. Our story is a wild one.”
