I sat in that chair for three days. I was paralyzed. I didn’t know if I was awake or sleeping. I just kept fading in and out. The pain was relentless. It pounded my head continuously. I felt like a prize fighter with his back against the ropes, too weak to defend himself. Just taking punches, waiting for the inevitable knockout. My stomach hurt, I couldn’t stop crying. Nothing ever hurt that bad in my life. All I wanted was Emily and Natalie and I couldn’t have them. It was the hard reality I had to face.
After three days of pounding, I woke up. I decided that I wasn’t going to lay down and die. I was going to punch my way off these ropes. If I got knocked out, at least I went down swinging. I wanted this more than anything. The pain was overwhelming and I had to make it stop. I stood up and shook myself. “Fuck this shit. I’m going to go get her and marry her. ” I declared. I immediately got on my computer and booked a one way flight to Germany. I wasn’t going to let Emily slip away. If I could only see her face to face, she would know that I’m committed to her and Natalie. She had to see it, she just had too.
It was another miserable flight. The plane was over crowed once again. You could hardly move. I sat in the back near the restroom. It was a constant flow of people in and out. Screaming kids and their parents yelling at them. I couldn’t relax. I was nervous about seeing Emily. What if she refused to see me? What if she would’t see things my way? What if she still wanted out? Only time will tell. In the mean time I have to put up with all these noisy people.
The plane landed and I made my way to the baggage claim. As I was picking up my luggage I expected to turn around and see Emily running to me. I turned and all I saw was an army of people running back and forth trying to get to wherever they were going. My heart sank because she wasn’t there. I rented a car and started driving to Emily’s parents house. My hopes were high but my confidence was low. What will I see when I get there? I couldn’t quiet my mind. I tried to look at the beautiful scenery but it didn’t help.
The drive seemed like an eternity. I could see the house up ahead. I have never been more afraid in my life. I pulled in the driveway, stopped and walked up to the door. I knocked and Emily’s mom answered. “Is Emily here?” I asked nervously. Emily’s mom answered. “I’m so glad your here. Emily hasn’t left her room in days. She’s barely eaten and she won’t open her door. Her dad and I are ready to knock it down.” She said with her eyes filled with tears. I asked, “What about Natalie?” She touched my hand and said, “She is fine. We are taking good care of her.” I ran to Emily’s room and knocked on the door. “Emily, Emily it’s me. Please open the door.” I waited for her to speak to me. “Emily please baby, open the door.” I said said sounding desperate. I waited for a couple minutes and the door slowly opened. Emily stood in the doorway. She looked awful. Her eyes were all black and appeared to be sinking into her head. It was noticeable that she had lost weight. I grabbed her in my arms and whispered in her ear. “Baby I’ve come to take you home.” She pulled me close to her and we both started crying. Emily sobbed at the top of her lungs. I was sobbing with her. Emily’s mom put her arm around me and cried with us. Natalie was outside with Emily’s dad, so she didn’t know what was happening.
We helped Emily to the kitchen where her mom already had soup simmering. She quickly poured a bowl for Emily. “Sit here baby, be careful, ” I whispered. She lost a lot of weight. I was worried. I needed to get her healthy. “Take a little soup baby.” Emily dipped the spoon into the soup and raised it up to her mouth. She said weakly, “Why did you come? I told you to stay home.” I just looked at her with all the love I could find. “Baby I know what you said but I’m here to show you that I mean what I said. I’m not going anywhere. You and Natalie are my family. My place is here with you.” Emily managed a smile. She was so weak from not eating. I waited as she finished her soup. Her mom left us alone so we could talk. “Baby, I’m not leaving. I’m here for you and Natalie for the rest of my life. I left everything behind to be with you. I’m going to give you and Natalie the kind of live you deserve.” I said confidently. Emily looked up and I could see a smile forming in the corner of her mouth. “You really mean that, don’t you?” She said. “Yes baby, I want to marry you . The sooner the better.” Emily threw her arms around my neck and began to sob again. I tried to calm her, but I couldn’t. She sobbed and tried to kiss me over and over again. She cried, “Baby I thought you would leave me. I thought if you went back to America, I would never see you again.” I just sat and held her until she stopped crying. Never saying a word, I walked her back up to her bed and helped her lay down.
We spent the next few days nursing Emily back to health. She progressed quickly. She was eating well and was in good spirits. I finally felt like I could breathe. Natalie didn’t really know what was going on and that was a good thing. Emily’s dad kept her busy, playing and doing other things. Emily’s mom was wonderful. She made sure that Emily had all the right food at the right time. She was like a Florence Nightingale the way she cared for her precious daughter. Now that Emily was starting to feel better, I felt like it was time for us to talk. We needed to talk about us and what our future together was going to be.
“How do you feel about us?” I asked. Emily looked at me and said, “I have questions. You know that my heart was broken before. I’m afraid. I can’t go through that again”. I wanted to hold her but I knew she needed answers. “I am in love with you Emily. I want to spend my life with you. Every dream, every fantasy are being fulfilled in you.” She said, “And what about Natalie? She is part of the package. You know that she is my life.” I felt a little hurt. “Baby, I love Natalie. I already think of her as my own daughter. I want her in my life. I want to help you raise her.” Emily smiled a little, “Baby how do I know that you won’t leave? I’m so afraid. I love you and want the same thing, but I can’t live in constant fear of losing you. If I give myself to you, I need to know that it is for life.” I had to convince her that my love was real and that we were going to live together forever. “Baby I left everything behind. I have nothing from my old life but a few clothes and my laptop. I bought a one way ticket to fly here. I’ve already transferred all my funds to a bank here in town. I’m committed.” I got down on my knee and looked up at her. “Baby, I want you to be my wife. I want to be a father to Natalie. I want us to be a family. I will never leave you or Natalie.” Emily looked into my eyes. “Are you sure that’s what you want baby?” I looked up at her and said, “yes, with all my heart and soul. ” I stood up and took Emily by the hand. “What do you say ? Will you take me and let us be a family?” Emily smiled before she hugged me. “Yes my love, yes. I want it more than anything”. We became a family that day.
The Hunter 