The View ... Is Beautiful

It’s just you, me, and our personal photographer I hired just for this special day. Well, and the many tourists who flock to every vista point at every tourist destination. I won’t let them bother me, though. Today, the only people who exist in my world is you and me.

You don’t know I’ve hired anyone for anything, and I paid well to make sure he stayed with us (and quiet) for the whole day into the evening and through our dinner date. I made sure to help you dress in your prettiest special dress today and we did your makeup as we usually do – very light and simple. It was a good idea to have the plastic surgeon perform the simple tattooed makeup as she did your reconstruction. She did such a great job with everything. You look exactly as you did before the accident.

I shake those thoughts out of my head as I don’t want to think of that on this day. This day is too special for sad memories.

I feel tension in your arm as I lead you by the elbow into the cool shade of the gazebo and interrupt whatever you were about to say. “No complaining,” I say, pulling you by the hand through the turnstile. You tense up and I look back to see you pursing your lips to start doing just that…complaining.

“Ah ah, no fair. You planned everything about this trip, and I only asked you for one day to myself. This is that one day.” You release the tension that had been gathering at being out of control and I see only acquiescence in your expression. Being a little controlling is a result of the trauma you experienced. I never take it to heart. I understand completely how insecure you still feel especially with Guy missing from your side for the day.

Since I now know that you will patiently wait for my surprise to be unveiled, I resume leading us forward, quietly coaching you as we go. “Three steps up. Railing by your right hand. Listen for the movements of the crowd around us.” I miss Guy and I know you do, too, but I wanted you all to myself today. I share you with him every other day and I’m thrilled to do so. But he needed a day off to rest anyway.

I can only imagine how difficult it is to have lost your vision at such an age. You had just graduated university. We’d just started dating. You finally had your dream job and was able to begin traveling as you’d always planned. We were so excited and happy for our futures. Talking about possibly combining those futures into one had become more frequent and we were both becoming surer of our plans.

Then, you lost it all one fateful night when you happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, an innocent bystander in India during an acid attack on someone nearby. I can’t recall now what all the other victims lost but I know how much you lost – all your vision. Along with that went your self-confidence, your dreams, your independence, your ability to read. You lost so much, and I can’t really give much of it back. I have two personal regrets from that event. One, that I wasn’t with you when you needed protection and two, the happiness and sheer joy I get from being able to help you like I do. Had I been with you on that trip it’s possible that we’d both been injured and lost everything including each other. At least this way I can still give you most of the life we dreamed of together.

Only with a few adjustments.

I’m happy that I was able to support you as you healed. I know you expected me to leave you after the accident. You felt you had become a burden and a disappointment. I hope now you know that you could never be any such thing for me.

I know you were shocked that I proposed marriage even while you were still in all the different types of therapy you endured. But I wanted to reassure you that my life plan had included you before the accident and always would. “In sickness and in health” meant much more to us than to most couples on that sweet wedding day, years ago now. The view that day was so beautiful. I knew trusting your mother and friends to help you see to your dress and other necessaries was the right choice.

I’d never seen anything so beautiful as you were walking down the aisle towards me with only Guy, your new guide dog, beside you. Finally, you were finding your confidence and independence again. I couldn’t wait to begin the rest of our lives together from that day onward.

You've now traveled all over the world with Guy's assistance. You were lucky enough to keep your job and your bosses even let you move it online so you can work from anywhere. And we take advantage of that gift frequently.

Watching you learn to read braille and learn to type again and continue to excel in your career made me so proud. I know everyone around you is just as proud as I am and none of us are surprised. We all know how you are.

Today though, is just a vacation, I hope to give something just as beautiful to you as you were to me that day we married. Though, in my eyes nothing could be more beautiful than you. The moment I saw that post on social media I knew I had to bring you here.

As I’m thinking and you’re placidly walking next to me, trailing your fingers along the wall or the railings I notice that we’re getting closer to our destination. So, I begin talking again.

“Dearest, I don’t think I ever told you why I requested we come to Naples, Italy for vacation. I knew it would be a beautiful place to visit and would have so much history for us to enjoy, but there's more,” I tell you and you turn your head to listen more carefully, but your eyes don’t quite track all the way to my face. My heart squeezes just a bit at this even though I’m long since used to it.

“I had an ulterior motive in bringing you here and to this particular spot.” My tone could have become playful, but I kept it sincere and light instead. I don’t want to change your calm trust of me by teasing at such a delicious moment. Even though you don’t yet know what is right in front of you.

The photographer I hired for the occasion had been walking quietly a few paces behind us. Blending well into the crowd of tourists so you wouldn't notice his footsteps. I gesture for him to come a bit closer. The others around us take notice and give us some space, recognizing that this is a special moment.

I step behind you as I switch your left hand into my left hand and slip my right arm around your waist. You look confused and start to say something. Again, I interrupt to soothe you “I’m not going anywhere.” As I place your left hand on the railing the photographer shifts slightly, and I know he’s started his job.

I glance out over the view quickly but look back to you just as you realize what’s under your hand.
“What is this?” you ask, face full of consternation. “What do you think it is? You can read,” I tease now. I see your left hand move slowly across the railing, your right hand joining in as your face clears and a lovely pink flush begins in your cheeks. Your mouth drops open slightly on a gasp of excitement.

“Is this…. Is this the view? Is this what you’re seeing right now?” you ask, voice rising a few notes in tone with your excitement and heightening emotions. I can’t take my eyes off your face. I forget to answer. The railing will tell you for me. I know, even without the help of photographs I'll never forget this view of your face.

The flush has spread to your neck, and I know it’s making a path down to your chest as your emotions become more overwhelming. Tears of joy begin to glisten in your eyes and your smile is radiant as the sun shining outside.

I’m happy to see that my surprise for you had the desired effect. Waterproof mascara was the right choice, for sure.

You let go the railing with your left hand and grab my hand in yours, squeezing so tightly it almost hurts. The fingers of your right hand slowly going over and over the bumps of the braille letters as though you’re memorizing them – and maybe you are.

You see, the letters on the railing really are what I’m seeing. They are a very detailed description of the view from that vantage point. I thought it would be a lovely thing to share with you and, with luck, might provide some photograph worthy moments.

After a while of letting both of us enjoy the view and the photographer work in peace I let you know he’s there and divulge the rest of the itinerary for the day. You’re shocked by the revelation of the photographer but immediately catch up so we can give him some sweet, romantic couple poses.

I’m thrilled that he was there to capture the moments for us. But it’s also sad that you’ll not get to see the results. Ah well, I’m becoming very good at describing things for you. I expect these will go on the wall next to our wedding pictures. So many things are bittersweet but that's okay. This is just our life and it's lovely no matter what.

Before long, our stomachs remind us that we have a dinner reservation coming up soon and, before that, traffic to battle our way through. We bring the photographer and his surprisingly minimal gear with us in our taxi since I don’t want to risk his missing a moment of the upcoming surprises for this night. He continues shooting even as we’re riding in the taxi. He looks like he’s having fun at it and it truly feels as though we’re back on our wedding day.

I know nothing could top the surprise of this afternoon, but I expect that being presented with every menu in braille and staff who know how to serve a vision impaired customer for an authentic five-star Italian dinner would still be a fun surprise.

The icing on the cake though was when you leaned over to me in the cab, sweetly kissed my cheek, and thanked me for the visit to the gazebo.

“The view was beautiful," you say.

And I could only reply with heartfelt honesty as I gazed at your cherished face, “Yes, it is.”


THE END