Amber had long ago abandoned the idea of love, but when she met Steve, an old friend of her father’s, at a barbecue, everything changed.
Their passionate romance quickly led to marriage, and for a short time it seemed like all her dreams were coming true.
But on their wedding night, she discovers a secret about Steve that shakes everything she thought about her relationship.
I drove to my parents’ house and stopped abruptly, surprised by the cars strewn all over the lawn.
‘What is this?’ – I muttered quietly, preparing myself for the family surprise that awaited me inside.
I grabbed my purse, locked the car and headed for the door, hoping for the best.
As soon as I opened the door, the familiar smell of roasting meat wafted to me, followed by the same loud laughter of my father. I glanced into the living room and then out the window in the backyard.
Sure enough. Dad was having one of his spontaneous barbecues again. The whole garden was full of people, most of them from his car service.
‘Amber!’ – My dad’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. He was standing by the grill, wearing an apron as always. ‘Come on in, grab something to drink and join us. It’s just the guys from work here.’
I tried not to groan. ‘Looks like half the town’s here,’ I muttered, kicking off my shoes.
Before I could get into the chaos, the doorbell rang. Dad put down his spatula and wiped his hands on his apron.
‘That must be Steve,’ he said almost under his breath before reaching for the doorknob. ‘You haven’t met him yet, have you?’
Before I could answer, the door swung open.
‘Steve!’ – Dad exclaimed loudly and patted the man on the back. ‘Come on in. You’re just in time. Oh, and meet my daughter Amber.’
I looked up and my heart skipped a beat.
Steve was tall, handsome in a gruff manner, with grey hair and eyes that were both warm and intense. When he smiled at me, I felt a tingle in my chest that I wasn’t prepared for.
Nice to meet you, Amber,’ he said, extending his hand to me.
His calm, confident voice made me feel a little awkward, because after the long drive I probably looked pretty dishevelled.
‘Nice to meet you too,’ I replied.
From that moment on, I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Steve had this casual way of putting everyone around him at ease, and he always listened more than he talked. I tried to focus on the conversations around me, but every time our gazes met, I felt some sort of attraction.
It was absurd. I’d long ago stopped thinking about love or relationships-not after everything I’d been through.
I’d long ago given up hope of finding ‘the one’ and focused more on work and my family. But something about Steve was making me reconsider, even if I didn’t want to admit it.
As the evening drew to a close, I said goodbye and headed to my car. Sure enough, it wouldn’t start.
‘Great,’ I muttered, sinking into the seat. I wondered if I should go back and ask my dad for help, but before I could do that, someone knocked on my window.
It was Steve.
‘Car trouble?’ – He asked with a smile, as if fixing cars was his daily occupation.
I sighed. ‘Yeah, it won’t start. I was going to go to my dad for help, but…’
‘Don’t worry,’ he said. ‘Let me take a look.’
Before I realised what was happening, he rolled up his sleeves and reached under the bonnet. His hands moved with their usual ease, and within minutes my car started again. Only then did I realise I’d been holding my breath and exhaled in relief.
‘Good as new,’ he said, wiping his hands with a rag.
‘Thanks, Steve,’ I said, genuinely grateful. ‘I owe you.’
He shrugged and threw me a look that sent a chill running down my spine. ‘How about dinner? Then we’re even.’
I froze for a moment. Is he asking me out on a date?
The voice in my head warned me not to say yes, but something in his eyes made me take the risk.
‘Yeah, dinner sounds good.’
And so I agreed.
I never could have imagined that Steve would be the one to heal my heart – or break it.
Six months later, I stood in my old childhood room in front of the mirror and stared intently at my reflection in my wedding dress.
It seemed unreal.
After all I had been through, I didn’t think this day would ever come.
I was 39, and I had given up on the idea of a fairy tale.
But here I am, on the verge of marrying Steve.
Our wedding was small – just close family and a few friends – just the way we wanted it.
I remember standing at the altar, looking into Steve’s eyes and feeling a peace I hadn’t felt in years.
For the first time in a long time, I didn’t doubt anything.
‘Yes,’ I whispered, barely holding back tears.
‘Yes,’ Steve repeated, his voice full of emotion.
And so we became husband and wife.
That night, after all the congratulations and hugs, we finally had time for the two of us.
Steve’s house – now our home – was quiet and the rooms seemed foreign.
I snuck into the bathroom to change into something more comfortable, my heart light with happiness.
But when I returned to the bedroom, an unexpected sight caught up with me.
Steve was sitting on the edge of the bed, his back to me, talking quietly to someone…who wasn’t there.
My heart sank.
‘I wanted you to see this, Stacey. Today was perfect…I only wish you could have been here,’ Steve said, his voice full of emotion.
As if dumbfounded, I stood in the doorway, trying to realise what I had heard.
‘Steve?’, I called out, my voice shaking.
He turned around slowly, a look of guilt on his face.
‘Amber, I…’
I stepped closer, feeling the weight of unspoken words between us.
‘Who…who were you talking to?’
He sighed, and his shoulders slumped.
‘I was talking to Stacey. To my daughter.’
I stared at him, trying to comprehend what he’d said.
He’d told me his daughter had died, but I didn’t know anything about…that.
‘She died in a car accident, along with her mother,’ he continued, his voice trailing off.
‘But sometimes I talk to her. I know it sounds crazy, but I feel like she’s still with me.
Especially today. I wanted her to know about you. I wanted her to see how happy I am.’
I didn’t know what to say.
My chest constricted and the room felt like it was shrinking.
Steve’s grief was palpable, raw, and it seemed to belong to both of us now.
But I didn’t feel fear.
I didn’t feel anger.
I felt only…sadness.
Sadness for him, for all he had lost, and for the weight he carried alone.
His pain flowed through me as if it were my own.
I sat down next to him and took his hand in mine.
‘I understand,’ I said quietly.
‘You’re not crazy, Steve. You’re worried.’
He sighed, his breathing ragged, and he looked at me with such vulnerability that my heart nearly burst.
‘I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner. I didn’t mean to scare you.’
‘You don’t scare me,’ I assured him and squeezed his hand.
‘We all have things that haunt us.
But now we’re together.
We can carry this weight together.’
Steve’s eyes filled with tears and I pulled him to me, hugging him tightly as the weight of everything-his grief, his love, his fear-rested between us.
‘Maybe we should talk to someone. Maybe a therapist. It doesn’t have to be just you and Stacey.’
He nodded at my shoulder, his grip tightening.
‘I’ve been thinking about it. I just didn’t know how to start. Thank you for understanding me, Amber. I didn’t know how much I needed it.’
I pulled back a little, looked into his eyes, and my heart filled with love, deeper than I could have ever imagined.
‘We’ll figure it out, Steve. Together.’
And when I kissed him, I knew we’d work it out.
We weren’t perfect, but we were real – and for the first time, that was enough.
That’s the special thing about love, isn’t it?
It’s not about finding someone perfect without scars; it’s about finding someone whose scars you’re willing to share.
