Filled with hope and excitement to marry Karl, the love of her life, Jessica made her way to the altar, only to find that her fiancé was missing. The expressions on the guests’ faces in the church revealed that something was amiss. Karl had vanished, shattering Jessica’s dreams and transforming her wedding day into a nightmare.
“Young man,” Jessica’s father, Hubert Pennigton, said to Karl, who was preparing for the wedding in the room next to Jessica’s, “you need to leave immediately and never look back.”
“Sir, I’m not a boy; I’m a man, and I love your daughter. I’m not going anywhere,” Karl replied, struggling to mask his fear in response to Hubert’s words.
“Pay attention, and pay close attention. I’m not giving you any choices. YOU’RE GOING TO LEAVE! And that’s the end of it. You’re aware I have ties with powerful individuals. I’m going to turn your life into a nightmare.”
Karl understood that Hubert’s threats were serious. Everyone in the community feared him. He associated with shady characters involved in unsavory dealings.
“Are you making threats against me, sir?” Karl inquired, shaking with fear.
“No, it’s not a threat; it’s a guarantee,” Hubert replied, and Karl recognized the sincerity in his words. “Now, you will exit this location immediately without anyone noticing and disappear from Jessica’s life forever, OR ELSE!”
Hubert pressed his finger against Karl’s chest, and Karl felt a surge of fear for his safety, prompting him to leave.
Rushing out of the room, he jumped into a taxi and made his way to the airport.
The thought of Jessica waiting for him at the church shattered his heart. But it was also for her benefit; her father was a perilous man.
As Jessica walked down the aisle, her anxiety intensified with each step, as she couldn’t find Karl among the guests gathered to celebrate their wedding day.
After a few hours had passed and she realized Karl wasn’t coming, Jessica burst into tears. She wept uncontrollably on her mother’s shoulder, but nothing could soothe her.
In the years ahead, Jessica chose not to date anyone. She found it impossible to forget Karl. However, her father introduced her to the son of a wealthy family friend and pressured her into marrying him. They had a daughter named Olivia, but her husband was unfaithful whenever he had the chance. Her life with him was filled with misery, and she felt trapped, but after her father’s passing, she filed for divorce the very next day.
Her ex-husband was also eager to escape the marriage, so they both felt relieved to part ways.
As time went on, Olivia got married and blessed Jessica with three grandchildren, bringing fulfillment to her life.
Yet, Jessica often reminisced about Karl and their wedding day, particularly while sitting on her porch with a cup of tea.
Even after 50 years, she still couldn’t shake the memory of the man she believed to be her soulmate.
Lost in her reflections of the past, she was jolted back to reality by the mailman’s voice. “Ms. Pennington, I have some mail for you,” he said, a smile brightening his face. “Oh, goodness, you startled me,” she replied, nearly spilling her tea.
He then presented her with an envelope that had her name and address neatly inscribed on it. The sender’s name was all too familiar to ever forget; it was Karl Pittman.
Jessica felt her hands quiver. She struggled to open the letter.
“Dear Jessica,
I hope it’s alright for me to reach out after all this time. It’s been 50 years, but not a single day has gone by without thoughts of you. I never meant to leave you, not for a moment, but your father intimidated me. I shouldn’t have given in, but I was young and frightened,” the letter stated.
Jessica paused and wiped away her tears. She needed to find the strength to keep reading the letter she had longed to receive her entire life.
“I never married and never had children because I could never date anyone after you. Here are my phone number and address. Please write to me if you wish.
“Sincerely, Karl.”
Jessica finally received the answer she had been eagerly anticipating for so many years. Karl’s letter provided the closure she desperately needed.
She did respond, and after a while, Karl called her. They spent hours reminiscing about their youth and the wedding day that never took place.
Eventually, Karl and Jessica met. At 75 years old, they both understood that their time was limited, but they chose to make the most of the time they had left.
