But the guy came from a poor family. The girls’ parents weren’t too happy. So, the young man decided not only to court the girl but to court her parents as well.
With time the parents saw that he was a good man and was worthy of their daughter’s hand.
But there was another problem. The man was a soldier. Soon, war broke out and he was sent overseas for a year. The week before he left, the man knelt on his knee and asked “Will you marry me?’ She wiped a tear and said yes and they were engaged. They agreed that when he got back in one year, they would get married.
As she bid him farewell, the girl asked the young man why he loved her. He looked straight into her eyes without blinking and said ‘I don’t have a reason to love you’, and left.
But tragedy struck. A few days after he left, the girl had a major vehicular accident. It was a head-on collision.
When she woke up in hospital, she knew there was something wrong. She later found out that she suffered a brain injury. The part of her brain that controlled her facial muscles was damaged. Her once lovely face was now disfigured. She cried as she saw herself in the mirror. ‘Yesterday I was beautiful. Today I am a monster. Her body was also covered with so many ugly wounds.
Right there and then, she decided to release her fiancé from their promise. She knew he wouldn’t want her anymore. She would forget about him and never see him again.
For one year, the soldier wrote many letters but she wouldn’t reply. He phoned her many times but she didn’t return t the calls.
But after one year, the mother walked in her room into her room and announced “He is back from war’.
The girl shouted, ‘No please don’t tell him I am here’.
The mother said ‘He is getting married and handed her a wedding invitation.
With great sadness, her heart sank. She knew she still loved him but she had to forget him now.
With great sadness, she opened the invitation.
And then she saw her name on it.
Confused, she ‘asked what is this?’
That was when the young man entered her room with a boutique of flowers. The girl covered her face with her hands and said ‘I am ugly’.
The man said ‘Without your permission, your mother sent me your photos. When I saw your photos, I released that I don’t have a reason to love you. For if the reason disappears, love will stop. You are still the person I fell in love with. You are still as beautiful as ever. I don’t need any reason to love you. Will you marry me?
By Desmond Nleya
