Will You Marry Me?

Bert kissed Ruth on the forehead. “Ok.”

Ruth grinned. “Thanks. See you in the morning.”

Bert got undressed and went to sleep. The past two days had worn him out, and he slept until late the next morning.

Ruth found her mother in the kitchen. She helped her finish cleaning up before asking, “Mom, can you help me?”

Karen finished wiping the counters. “Sure honey, what do you need?”

“How did you know that daddy was the man you should marry?”

Karen thought a while before she answered. “Honey, I didn’t know. I could see that your father cared about me, treated me special, and loved me. I had to have faith that things would work out if we got married.” She hugged Ruth and kissed her on her forehead. “Honey, what’s stopping you from saying yes to Bert’s proposal?”

Ruth put her head on her mother’s shoulder. “Part of it is everyone is so sure I should say yes. I feel like the whole family has decided for me that I should marry Bert.”

Karen stroked Ruth’s forehead with her fingers. “How do you feel, honey? Do you want to marry Bert?”

“Mom, I love him and I know he loves me. But I’m scared. What if gets tired of me? What if he falls out of love with me?”

Karen rubbed the back of Ruth’s head. “Honey, let’s go sit in the living room.”

Ruth looked up at her mom. “Ok.”

Karen and Ruth went into the living room and sat down.

“Now honey, why would Bert fall out of love with you?”

Ruth leaned on her mother’s shoulder. “Because I’m epileptic. Because I’m deformed.”

Karen picked up Ruth’s hand and held it in hers. “So let me see if I understand. You’re having trouble believing that a wonderful young man like Bert could love someone as horrible as you. Is that it?”

Ruth squeezed her mother’s hand. “Oh mom, you understand... Mom? You think I’m horrible?”

Karen put her arm around Ruth and hugged her. “No honey, I don’t think you’re horrible. And neither does Bert. I’ve seen the way he looks at you, the way he talks to you, the way he treats you. He loves you and respects you, and that’s all you can ask of a husband.”

“Mom, do you think I should marry Bert?”

“Ruth, it’s not my decision to make. You have to decide. If you’re asking my opinion, then yes, I think you should marry Bert. I think he would do almost anything to make you happy.”

Ruth kissed her mom on the cheek. “Thanks mom. I know what I have to do now.”

Ruth went into her bedroom. She knelt down by the side of the bed, bowed her head, and prayed. “Dear Heavenly Father, I need your help. I know Bert loves me, and I love him, but I just don’t know if I should marry him. Could you put a sign in my heart, and let me know what I should do? In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”

Ruth changed into her nightclothes, and after tossing and turning for a long time, fell asleep.

The next morning, Ruth woke up with a feeling of dread in her heart. She didn’t want to get out of bed for a long time. She finally got up and got dressed. Her family was finishing breakfast. Ruth got herself a bowl of cereal and made herself eat.

Karen looked over and asked, “What’s wrong, honey?”

Ruth looked like she was going to cry. “I can’t marry Bert.”

George was surprised. “Why not, baby?”

Karen stared at George. “Hush.” She got up and hugged Ruth. “I’m sorry, honey.”

Bert woke up and took a shower. He packed and brought his things out into the living room. He could tell by the somber mood that he wasn’t going to hear good news.

Ruth got up, came over to Bert, put her arms around his neck, and kissed him. “Bert, I can’t marry you. I love you, and appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but I’m sorry, no.” She ran into her bedroom, threw herself on her bed, and cried.

Bert stood there and let George shake his hand and Karen hug him for a long time. Diane helped him get his things in the Beetle and into the driver’s seat. He leaned on the steering wheel and cried. He was almost an hour out of Dallas before he realized he didn’t even ask her why.

Sometimes life isn’t happily ever after.