Caroline and Jacob had a meet-cute on the streets and started dating. However, Caroline’s parents disapproved of the relationship because Jacob was poor. One day, she got into a terrible accident in his car and couldn’t walk again. Then Jacob shocked all of them.
“I still remember the day we met vividly. It felt like we stepped right into a rom-com and never got out. I was taking pictures by the Greyhound bus station, and you came to talk to me. We never stopped talking since. No matter what others say, I will always love you, Jacob, and I know our life together is going to be spectacular….”
Caroline smiled as she wrote her wedding vows while sitting in bed. They were getting married in two months, but she started writing already to get the right words out before the nerves and the stress kicked in. Their day had to be unique because they had overcome several obstacles since they began dating a year ago.
Caroline’s parents didn’t like their relationship because Jacob worked as an assistant cook at a restaurant. He didn’t come from money. Meanwhile, she was raised with all the privileges in the world and went to college to study photography, knowing that money would never be a problem.
Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Pierce, were concerned that he might be with her for the money. But Caroline knew better. Jacob was the kindest, smartest, funniest man she had ever met. There was no one else for her. Moreover, he was handsome, and their first meeting was something she thought only happened in movies.
Remembering something, Caroline put her pen down, grabbed her wedding vow drafts, and hid them in her drawer. She had appointments at several wedding dress stores in Cleveland, and her bridesmaids would kill her if she was late.
She had to drive Jacob’s ’98 Dodge because he asked to borrow her SUV for a particular catering event for the restaurant. Caroline’s mother hated that car and told her never to get in because she would be in an accident. However, Caroline didn’t listen to the older woman. The vehicle worked, that’s all that mattered.
Unfortunately, her mother was right. There was a terrible accident that day, and she never made it to her wedding dress appointment.
One month later…
“She’s waking up! Call the doctor now!” Caroline heard Jacob shouting. She slowly opened her eyes and blinked several times to get used to the bright white lights. There was a lot of movement around her as a doctor and several nurses checked her out.
She saw Jacob and her mother in the corner, staring anxiously at the medical staff. “Ms. Pierce, can you tell me the last thing you remember?” the doctor asked, drawing her attention away from her loved ones.
“I was driving to an appointment. What happened?” Caroline asked, raising her hand to rub her head. The doctor explained what happened as Jacob and Mrs. Pierce moved closer to comfort her. She couldn’t believe she was in an accident. Her driving skills were excellent.
“A truck ran into the car, baby,” Jacob explained. Caroline nodded in understanding. But then her fiancé revealed something shocking. “You’ve been in a coma for a month.”
Caroline stared at him with wide eyes as the doctor babbled on about many medical things she barely understood. “Well, at least I’m up, and the worst is behind us, right?” she said, trying to find humor in the situation.
But suddenly, there was tension in the air. Mrs. Pierce, Jacob, and the doctor all looked at each other. Her mother finally spoke up. “Sweetheart, I’m afraid that’s not the worst. Your injuries were too severe. The fact that you’re alive right now is a miracle. My baby girl, you might not be able to walk again,” the older woman revealed with a sad smile.
Caroline closed her eyes and felt her world crumbling down. She lost the use of her legs and a month of her life already. How would she ever recover from this? It was too much to bear, and she was still tired. When the doctors left, she fell asleep once again to escape the pain.
She woke up a few hours later, and Jacob was sitting right next to her. “Hey, how are you feeling?” he wondered, looking at her with a face full of love.
“I’m ok. I think. Jacob, our wedding. What are we going to do?”
“Don’t worry about it. We can postpone it. We can do anything you want. There’s no rush. You only need to get better,” he comforted, holding her hand.
Caroline pursed her lips and looked away from him. Is that his way of telling me he doesn’t want to get married anymore? Of course, who would want to marry me now? she thought pitifully.
A few days later, the doctor rechecked her and discovered that she could still feel her legs. “This is an amazing sign, Ms. Pierce. It means your surgery went well, and we were able to repair some of the damage in your spine. With tons of physical therapy and effort, you might be able to walk again in the future,” he explained.
Caroline smiled hopefully. “Do you think I might be able to walk down the aisle in a month?”
“I’m not sure, Ms. Pierce. I’ll hook you up with the hospital’s best therapist, but it’s a long shot. It could take years before you can fully walk on your own,” the doctor said with a kind grin and left.
Jacob held her hand once again. “Don’t worry, Caroline. We can do it together. It doesn’t matter if you use a wheelchair down the aisle. All that matters is that we love each other.”
Caroline looked at her fiancé. “Jacob, are you sure you still want to marry me? This is not what you signed up for when you proposed. If you want to leave—”
“Don’t say another word, Caroline. I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me. In fact, we’re not going to postpone our wedding at all. No matter if you’re walking, rolling, or skating down the aisle, I want to be your husband. Is that clear?” Jacob said firmly.
Caroline looked into his eyes and smiled as her eyes watered, confirming what she had known from the very beginning: he was the one.
Jacob sacrificed sleep and time at work to help Caroline with physical therapy throughout that month. He was there with her the entire time. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce assisted as well, and they finally witnessed how devoted the man was to their daughter. They couldn’t hate him anymore.
Her wedding day came, and unfortunately, she still needed to use a wheelchair. But her father was right there with her. “I admit, darling. I was afraid Jacob would bolt as soon as you woke up. But there he is. He has shocked both your mother and me. You were right,” her father said before they started going down the aisle.
“I told you so,” Caroline replied with a cheeky grin before focusing on her groom at the end of the aisle. It might not have been precisely as she dreamed it, but their wedding day was still the most magical night of her life, and Jacob was the best partner anyone could ever ask for. She finally read the vows she started to write that fateful day, but she had added even more gratitude towards her husband. They were even more meaningful now.
It took years, but Caroline eventually walked again, and they decided to go on a second honeymoon to the Bahamas. They walked down the beach and enjoyed snorkeling, things Caroline thought she would never do again.
What can we learn from this story?
Love overcomes everything. Jacob stayed right by Caroline’s side through all the bad times and helped her get back on her feet. He was committed to her even before saying his vows at the altar.
Money and social status don’t mean anything. Caroline’s parents didn’t like Jacob because he was an average working man and wanted more for their daughter. But they saw he was the best man she could’ve picked.
