I had kept my secret from my fiancé for far too long, hoping I could somehow handle everything without breaking his heart. But when the turbulence hit and the plane shook like never before, I realized I couldn’t keep quiet anymore. It was like life and death was staring us in the face, and in that moment, I knew I had to tell him the truth.
It all started in Stacy’s cozy kitchen, the comforting scent of coffee filling the room. I was holding out my hand, letting her see the engagement ring James had given me. It sparkled in the soft light, a gentle reminder of the future we were about to build together.
The ring felt strange on my finger, but in a good way. James and I had been together for four years, and while I wasn’t in a rush to get married, seeing that ring made my heart beat a little faster.
“Olive, this is amazing! I’m so happy for you!” Stacy said, her eyes wide with excitement as she reached over to grab my hand.
“Thanks, Stacy. I’m happy too,” I replied, smiling.
“So, when’s the big day?” she asked, leaning forward with a look of curiosity.
I hesitated. “Oh, we haven’t really talked about it yet. It’s not going to be anytime soon. Maybe in two years or so,” I said, trying to sound casual.
“Two years? Really?” Stacy said, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
“Yeah. James is really busy with work right now, and I’ve applied for an art program in Europe. It’s an eight-month program, something I’ve dreamed about for years. But there’s a problem,” I explained, feeling a pit form in my stomach.
“Did you tell James about the program?” Stacy asked, her voice turning serious.
I shook my head. “No, I haven’t told him. I’m scared of what he might say. What if he asks me not to go?” I could already hear the doubt in my voice.
Stacy frowned, looking at me with concern. “Olive, he loves you. He’ll support you, no matter what. You need to tell him.”
“I want to believe that, but I don’t know,” I said softly, feeling the weight of the situation.
Just then, my phone rang. It was James. “Speak of the devil,” I muttered with a forced smile as I stepped out of the kitchen to take the call.
“Hello?” I answered, trying to sound calm.
“Olive, you won’t believe this! I have incredible news!” James’s voice was practically bursting with excitement.
“What’s going on?” I asked, wondering what could be so amazing.
“Do you remember that place you’ve always dreamed of having our wedding?” James said, his voice full of energy.
“Yes, but it’s not possible anymore,” I replied, confusion creeping in. “They’re tearing it down at the end of the summer. They stopped holding events there.”
“Well,” James began, his voice full of pride, “I’ve been talking with the owners for the past two weeks. I’ve been emailing them, calling them, and they finally agreed to let us have our wedding there!”
I was shocked. “But that’s so soon… In three months?” I asked, my mind racing.
“Actually,” James corrected, “it’s in two weeks. That’s the only date they offered. But what does it matter when we get married, as long as we do?”
“I…” I couldn’t believe what he was saying. My thoughts were spinning.
“Olive, I’m so happy I could make this happen for you. I just want you to be happy,” he said, his voice full of love.
“Yes, yes, I’m very happy,” I replied, trying to match his enthusiasm, though my heart was heavy.
“Great. I love you, Olive,” James said, his voice soft and sincere.
“I love you too, James,” I said, but my voice felt like it was shaking.
After hanging up the phone, I walked back to the kitchen, my eyes welling up with tears. Stacy looked at me, concerned.
“James arranged for our wedding to be at the place I’ve always dreamed of,” I said, my voice trembling.
Stacy’s eyes widened. “But I thought they weren’t holding weddings there anymore.”
“He made a deal with the owners,” I explained, trying to fight back my tears.
“That’s wonderful, Olive!” Stacy exclaimed, a big smile lighting up her face.
I nodded, but my smile quickly faded. “The wedding is in two weeks.”
Stacy’s face fell. “But… you’re supposed to leave for the art program in two weeks…”
“I know,” I whispered, the weight of it all crashing down on me.
“Did you tell him to cancel everything?” Stacy asked, her voice full of concern.
I shook my head. “I couldn’t. He was so happy, and he worked so hard to make it happen.”
“Olive, you have to tell him. You don’t want to get married right now. You want to go to the program. It’s your dream,” Stacy urged, gently squeezing my hand.
“No, I can’t. He’ll be devastated. It looks like I’ll have to cancel the program,” I said, finally breaking down into tears. Stacy quickly pulled me into a tight hug, holding me as I cried into her shoulder.
“I’m so sorry, Olive,” Stacy whispered, rocking me back and forth in comfort.
Two weeks later, James and I were walking down the long corridor at the airport, heading to the plane that would take us to where our wedding was supposed to happen. My heart pounded in my chest, my hands shaking uncontrollably.
I was trying to calm myself, but doubt kept creeping in. Was I making the right choice? Not just for me, but for James too? It felt like a heavy burden, but the decision had already been made. It was like I was on a path I couldn’t step away from, no matter how much I wanted to.
James glanced over at me, his eyes filled with concern. “Are you okay?” he asked softly, his voice gentle as he tried to read me.
I forced a weak smile and nodded, but inside, I felt like everything was crashing down. I had been pretending for the past two weeks. Each day it got harder to convince myself that everything was fine. But it wasn’t.
As soon as the plane took off, James began talking non-stop about the wedding—about the flowers, the music, the vows, and how perfect everything would be. His excitement was clear, but I could only think about the art program I had given up on.
It was my dream, and now I was letting it slip away.
I loved James. I really did. But everything was moving too fast. I wasn’t ready for this. This rush to get married had thrown me completely off balance.
James didn’t seem to notice my silence. He kept going, planning our future, his voice filled with joy. I wanted to scream, tell him to stop, but instead, I kept nodding and forcing myself to smile, pretending everything was fine.
Then, the seatbelt sign came on, and the pilot’s voice crackled over the intercom, announcing that we were entering strong turbulence. My heart skipped a beat.
I quickly buckled up, grabbing James’s hand. The plane shook, and I squeezed his hand tightly, feeling a cold sweat break out on my forehead. The turbulence hit hard, and the plane shook violently.
The flight attendant’s cart flew across the aisle, crashing into the seats with a loud bang. Overhead bins rattled, and I felt my stomach drop as the plane suddenly dipped.
The entire cabin was filled with nervous whispers, a few gasps of fear. I closed my eyes, praying for safety. James tried to calm me, his hand rubbing mine gently, but all I could think about was that we might not make it. What if this was it? What if I never got to follow my dream?
“I don’t want the wedding!” I shouted, the words spilling out before I could stop them. At that moment, the turbulence suddenly stopped, and the pilot’s voice announced that everything was okay.
James turned to me, eyes wide with surprise. “What did you say?”
I hesitated. I was scared, but I couldn’t take it back now. “Nothing… I was just scared,” I muttered, trying to cover up my outburst.
James didn’t seem convinced. “You don’t want the wedding?”
I sighed, feeling the weight of everything I had kept hidden. “James, it’s not that simple…”
He stood up, hurt written across his face, and walked toward the bathroom. I watched him go, my heart sinking.
Tears filled my eyes. I didn’t want to lose him, but I didn’t want to give up my dream either. I couldn’t just sit there, so I stood up and followed him.
“James?” I called softly, but there was no answer.
“James, please. It’s not what you think. I do want to marry you. Just… not right now.”
He spoke through the door, his voice muffled but clear. “When, Olive? When do you want to get married?”
I hesitated before answering, “Later. In about two years.”
“Two years?” His voice sounded almost disbelieving. “What’s the difference when we love each other?”
“I got accepted into an art program. In Europe. It’s for eight months,” I explained, my voice trembling.
There was silence for a moment, and then he asked quietly, “When are you supposed to leave?”
“Today,” I admitted, feeling the weight of my decision. “But I canceled everything. I couldn’t refuse you after all the work you did for the wedding.”
“And now you think you made a mistake,” he said quietly, almost as if he already knew.
“Yes,” I whispered, my voice full of regret.
“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” he asked, pain clear in his voice.
“I was afraid,” I said honestly. “I didn’t know how you’d react.”
“I love you, Olive. What did you expect me to do?” His voice softened.
“I don’t know,” I whispered, feeling helpless.
“Just… leave me alone. I need to think,” he said, his voice firm.
“Okay,” I whispered back. “I love you too.”
I returned to my seat, feeling the distance grow between us.
Then, the pilot’s voice came over the intercom. “Olive, your fiancé, James, asked me to deliver a message. He loves you very much and wants you to know that when we land, he will put you on the first flight to Europe or wherever you need to go.
He’s ready to be your fiancé for as long as it takes.”
I looked back just as James returned to our seats, his expression calm but serious. “Olive,” he said, looking right at me, “I want you to be happy. I don’t want our marriage to feel like something you have to do.
We’re canceling everything. You’re going to the art program, and I’ll join you later when I can.”
I was shocked. “But what about your job?”
“I’ll try to work remotely,” he said. “I don’t want you to give up your dreams for me.”
“Would you really do that for me?” I asked, my heart swelling with emotion.
“Yes,” he said simply.
Without thinking, I threw myself into his arms, holding him tightly. “I love you, James.”
“I love you too, Olive,” he whispered back, and in that moment, I knew everything would be okay. What do you think of the story? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
