We had decided to wait until marriage to live together, and now, on our wedding night, I was overjoyed that we had waited. It felt like the culmination of all our dreams and the beginning of a new chapter in our lives. I was in our honeymoon suite, wearing my finest garments, eager to start this journey with Alex.
As I lay in bed, anticipation building, I heard Alex whispering outside the door. My ears pricked up when I heard another voice—Mrs. Green, my mother-in-law. Confusion swept over me. What was she doing here on our wedding night? My mind raced with possibilities. Was she here to offer some last-minute advice or, worse, to give me some kind of embarrassing instruction?
“Mom, I really tried but I can’t. Please come,” I heard Alex say. His tone was desperate, which only deepened my confusion and worry.
The door creaked open, and I quickly pulled the covers up to my chin, staring at them both. “What’s going on?” I demanded, my voice shaking slightly.
Mrs. Green turned to Alex, her eyes wide with shock, then back to me. “Wait. HE DIDN’T TELL YOU?” she asked, her voice a mixture of surprise and sympathy.
My stomach dropped. “Tell me what?” I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.
Mrs. Green sighed deeply, looking between us. “Alex, you need to explain,” she urged.
Alex took a deep breath, his face pale and strained. “I’ve been keeping something from you,” he started, his voice trembling. “Something important.”
I felt my heart pounding in my chest. “What is it, Alex?”
He took another deep breath, struggling to find the words. “I… I have severe anxiety. It’s something I’ve dealt with for years, but it’s been getting worse lately, especially with the stress of the wedding. I thought I could handle it, but tonight… I just couldn’t.”
I stared at him, my mind racing to process this new information. “Anxiety? Why didn’t you tell me?”
He looked down, ashamed. “I didn’t want to worry you. I thought I could manage it on my own. But tonight, it just got too overwhelming. I had a panic attack, and I didn’t know what to do.”
Mrs. Green stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “He’s been struggling for a long time. We’ve been trying to help him, but he’s been too proud to ask for help.”
Tears filled my eyes as I reached out to Alex, taking his hand in mine. “You should have told me. We could have faced this together.”
He looked up, his eyes filled with guilt and relief. “I’m so sorry. I just didn’t want to ruin our special night.”
I shook my head, squeezing his hand. “This doesn’t change how much I love you. We’ll get through this together. You’re not alone in this.”
Mrs. Green smiled softly, stepping back to give us some space. “I’ll leave you two to talk. Just remember, we’re all here for you.”
As she left the room, I pulled Alex into my arms, holding him close. “We’ll get through this,” I whispered. “Together.”
That night, we talked for hours, sharing fears, hopes, and promises. It wasn’t the night we had planned, but in many ways, it was even more significant. We faced our first real challenge as a married couple and came out stronger, knowing that we could face anything as long as we had each other.
