“Would you be shocked if I put on something more comfortable?” asked Audrey. After no response, she walked to her room and closed the door. Things were no longer the same as before. Ever since Vincent had been in that terrible boating accident he had become completely deaf, and partially mute. Sometimes I event thought it had done something more, because he would not even make his normal body gestures. He had hearing aids now, but sometimes that could just make his condition worse. He wrote down for me that it made him feel inferior to be disabled. It can be very difficult to take care of Vincent sometimes, I never know when he is going to be able to make some form of verbal communication, or if he will hear me today. 

April 28, three years from today will always be engraved into my mind. Vincent was a man of the sea. He loved sailing from Bar Harbor and going several miles out to sea for the pure love of smelling the sea air and hearing the sounds of sea gulls, waves, and aquatic life. We would often go out together as an escape from the small city life of Bangor. I also loved the sea, but never as much as Vincent. 

One of my favorite adventures was on a warm summer night. We had planned a three day vacation when we could both be off from work. We prayed that an unexpected summer brawl would not postpone our trip. I drove home from work and grabbed the mini duffel bag I had packed the night before. I had made puppy chow and some fresh-squeezed lemonade to take with us. I put the puppy chow in a Ziploc container, for freshness, and the lemonade in a portable pitcher. The cell phone rang and I grabbed it from the counter.

“Excited? This is our weekend.”

“Can’t wait. Coming soon?”

“Be there in five minutes Audrey. Love you beauty.”

“Love you. Handsome. See ya soon.”

We boated for most of our three days, staring at the stars. We could see almost each constellation away from the lights of the harbor or towns on the shore. As we laid on the bow of his small yacht, we ate puppy chow all night long and sipped lemonade in champagne flutes. 

“Wouldn’t it be amazing to be out here for a prolonged, special vacation, you and me together?”Vincent whispered in her ear

“What do you mean?”

Turning onto his side and propping his head up with his hand, he looked at her 

“What I mean is…will you marry me?” He reached into his pocket and held out a soft small-black box, and popped it open. 

“Yes! Yes, I will marry you and be with you my Vincent.”

But one day a few months after we had gone together on the day that would begin the most crucial time of our lives, we never expected his boating accident. Vincent tried to get back to the harbor when a vicious storm sprang without enough notice, and the coast guard had to go rescue him. He suffered a severe concussion. Leaving him deaf and partial mute. I later found out he was knocked uncouscious by one of the sails coming loose.

The wedding days away, this will be a challenge, but love is a verb not always an emotion. I am scared, but somehow it can work right?