Every couple has their little quirks, and Louise and I had ours: airport signs. It all started years ago when I welcomed her home with a cheesy “WELCOME HOME, MY LOVE” sign. She laughed and loved it, and from then on, it became our thing—sometimes sweet, sometimes downright silly.
After a week apart while Louise was at a conference in Chicago, I wanted to spice things up with a sign that read, “I KNOW WHAT YOU DID. COMING HOME WAS A BIG MISTAKE.” Inspired by a horror movie I’d watched, I figured it would be a playful joke.
Standing in the bustling terminal, I was excited to see Louise. She appeared, looked at the sign, and all the color drained from her face. Fear replaced the joy I expected, and before I could react, she turned and bolted.
I dropped the sign and chased after her, but security stopped me, insisting I couldn’t go further. Panic set in as I tried calling her—no answer. What had gone wrong?
I called her mom, Julie, desperate for answers. “Is Louise with you? She just ran off at the airport.”
Julie’s voice was heavy with concern. “Edward, she thinks you found out about her surgery.”
“Surgery? What are you talking about?”
Julie took a deep breath. “Louise had extensive surgeries after college to change her appearance. She was in love with you back then, but you never noticed her. When you met again, it was after her transformation.”
I was stunned. Louise had changed her appearance to be with me? I’d never known.
Julie continued, “It wasn’t just about you. Louise had always felt insecure because of a cleft palate, and falling in love with you was the catalyst for her to get the surgery she wanted.”
The realization hit hard. My light-hearted joke had exposed a painful secret. All I wanted now was to find her and make things right.
Driving home, I was frantic. The house was eerily silent when I arrived, amplifying my anxiety. I searched the house and finally found her in our bedroom, curled up on the bed and sobbing.
I approached her gently, sitting beside her on the bed. “Louise, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know about your past. I never meant to hurt you.”
She cried harder, her sobs muffled by the pillow. I reached out, gently touching her shoulder. She flinched but then turned towards me, her tear-filled eyes searching mine.
“I thought you’d stop loving me if you knew the truth,” she whispered, her voice breaking.
“No,” I said, my heart aching. “I love you for who you are, not how you look. You’re my wife, my partner, the love of my life. Nothing could change that.”
Her eyes searched mine, disbelief mixing with hope. I held her close, whispering, “I’m so sorry. I love you more than anything in this world.”
As she clung to me, her sobs slowly subsided. I could feel her tension easing, her breathing becoming more regular.
“I thought you’d hate me,” she said softly.
“Never,” I assured her. “You’re stuck with me, no matter what.”
She looked up at me with tear-stained cheeks, a small smile forming. The next morning, I wanted to reaffirm my love with actions. I made her breakfast in bed, adding a sign that read, “I LOVE YOU FOR YOU.”
She took the sign, held it close, and whispered, “I love you, too, Eddie.”
In that tender moment, I knew we would be okay. The challenges we faced only made our bond stronger, and I was committed to showing her, every day, just how much she meant to me.
