I still remember the first time we met. It was 5 years ago in a bar. At 8 pm, I arrived, planning to get a drink and then return home. I sat on a stool, and from the corner of my eye, I noticed 2 girls looking at me. I turned my head and saw them smiling at me. Was it an invitation?
I smiled back. As I was pondering whether to approach them, a group of 7 people stood between us and blocked my move. I waited for 5 minutes and walked to the girls' table. Only one of them sat there now.
I introduced myself, "Hi, my name is Mark. May I offer you a drink, or better, would you dance with me?"
She smiled, "I am Faith. Yes, I'll dance with you."
We moved on the floor for 3 consecutive songs, chatting about our interests. I found out she was 21, a college student majoring in biology, and liked cooking, reading good novels, and watching French movies. She was very pleasant, smiled a lot, and was funny. I liked her.
By the end of our 3rd dance, I said I had to help with something at home and asked her if I could meet her again. She agreed. The plan was to meet her Friday evening at the Starbucks downtown.
I arrived 5 minutes early, secured a table for 2, and waited for Faith to show up. She arrived on time, and I liked the way she looked: Her dirty blonde hair framed her cute face perfectly. The large blue eyes conquered me immediately. She was about 5'4", 125 pounds, with a nice figure and shapely legs that were clearly visible with her summer skirt.
She grinned, "Mark, I hope you did not wait too long for me."
"I came here slightly early to ensure we'd have a place to sit."
"Good. I'd like a cappuccino." I went to the register, ordered us drinks, and returned to our table.
"In the bar, I saw you talking to another girl. Was she a girlfriend?"
"She was my twin sister, Erin. We are nonidentical, so we do not look alike. Our interests are different as well."
"Do you like having a sister who is the same age as you and likely goes to the same class?"
"In elementary and high school, we were inseparable. Now, in college, I am majoring in biology, while Erin decided to go into elementary education. These days, we moved apart, and we are not as close as we used to be."
"I have a little sister, Lisa. She is 5 years younger, so she sees me as a little father. I helped her in school before she moved to ASU. We were OK together, but the age difference was too much to be real buddies."
We continued talking, and time passed rapidly. Then she saw the time and jumped, "Mark, I have to run. I didn't realize how late it was. Do you wish to see me again?"
"I'd love to. I like you. You are smart, easy to talk to, funny, and... pretty. May I date you?"
"Oh, Mark, YES!"
We started going out together, and I fell in love with her soon after. Our first sexual intercourse occurred 3 weeks later. It was in my room. We watched an old French drama, and I saw tears in her eyes. I hugged her, saying it was only a film. She hugged me back and mumbled it made her very emotional. She looked into my eyes and I kissed her. She continued gazing into my eyes hungrily. I French kissed her. She whispered, "If you want me, I am ready."
The first sexual encounter was OK. We both climaxed, although she was insecure about her body and scared, so I invested much time caressing and reassuring her she was perfect. Later on, our sex improved tremendously. Within 4 months, we tried successfully multiple positions, both orally and vaginally.
One day, Faith suggested I come to dinner at her house, so she could introduce me to her family. I agreed, saying it would be nice to meet her parents. I also wondered why I hadn't met her twin since I barely got a glimpse of her in the bar.
Faith looked embarrassed, "Erin and I had a major argument recently and do not talk to each other. However, my parents heard a lot about you and are anxious to meet you."
So one Saturday evening, I arrived at Faith's house dressed nicely, carrying a bouquet of red and white roses and a bottle of Chardonnay.
Both parents were nice and pleasant. Neither of them was hostile or too inquisitive, and they seemed genuinely interested in me. The dinner was delicious. If there was one thing I missed, it was to see Erin. The mother apologized, "Erin had to go to an urgent meeting. You'll probably see her next time you visit."
...
Faith and I got married 6 months later. The wedding was modest and included only 50 guests - Family members and close relatives only. Erin was the photographer. She moved between the tables, captured us eating our cake, and, of course, the ceremony itself.
During the wedding, I caught Erin looking at the pictures in one of the corners and asked, "Girl, how come the relationship between you and Faith soured, and you kept avoiding me? I don't recall hurting you."
She blushed profusely and mumbled, "Some other time. I have to go now."
I went back and soon after forgot all about it.
Our first daughter, Lucy, was born a year later. Nobody was happier than Faith. She nursed her, hugged her, and kissed her all the time. I joked, "You are making me jealous, and you are going to spoil her."
"I don't care. I love her, and that's it! When she is asleep, I spend time with you. I love you, honey, but she is a mini-me, and I have the urge to keep her attached to my body."
We laughed. Life was better than ever.
...
Eight months after Lucy was born, Faith got pregnant again. I remember her announcement, "Mark dear, congratulations. You are going to be a father of two."
I kissed her and asked how she was doing. She replied, "It is very different than before. It must be a son because I am swelling more rapidly and feel lumps in several places."
"To be on the safe side, why don't you consult your OB-GYN doctor?"
"I'll do it soon."
Two weeks later, when Faith was in the 3rd month of pregnancy, her tummy was swollen as if she was at least 6 or 7 months pregnant. I insisted she go to her physician. The doctor was concerned and sent Faith to several diagnostic tests.
Upon receiving the complete results, the physician summoned us to her office. She stared at us for a moment and said, "Sorry, I have to give you very bad news. Faith, you have breast cancer that metastasized to other organs, including lymph nodes, liver, and lungs. At this point, the only way to try and help you is by giving you massive doses of various chemotherapeutic agents. However, this means the fetus will be severely damaged and likely die in utero."
We were stunned. We suspected something was wrong with the pregnancy, but end-stage cancer?!... This was the worst outcome somebody could think of. We were devastated. Faith began crying. I hugged her and said, "Honey, start the chemotherapy tomorrow. I need you alive and healthy. We'll try to have another baby after you recover." Faith wanted to leave and promised to give her doctor an answer the following day.
Before leaving, I inquired, "What are the chances the diagnosis is wrong? Should I get a second opinion?"
"No sir, 3 different tests point to the same grave diagnosis. You better convince your wife to start treatment as soon as possible. The prognosis is not good anyway, but without treatment, it's 100% death within a few months at the most."
At home, I did whatever I could to convince my wife to get the treatment, but she refused, saying, "Honey, I always believed god knew what he was doing. I have to trust him now, too. He might be testing me the same way he did to Abraham when he almost killed his son Isaac; god saved him in the last moment. If I weren't pregnant, I'd take the medications, but doing something that will kill my unborn baby - Absolutely not!"
In a last-ditch attempt, I begged her, "Please, do it for Lucy. If you are wrong, Lucy will be an orphan. Don't you love her?"
"I love her more than myself, but I believe my name, 'Faith,' means something. I have to leave the final decision to god."