Untouchable Love

Today, I had my first alcoholic’s anonymous grouping. I was really nervous when I stepped into the room of about fifteen people. Surprisingly enough, I wasn’t the oldest one there. I mean I’m only forty, but most of the people were over forty. After a moment, of sitting like everyone else I shuddered when I realized my name was called. I was the first to speak I guess.

“Me?” I said.

“Are you Leo Morgan?” The women said with a sarcastic look.

“Yes, I am. It’s just that I’ve never done this before.”

“Oh, that’s fine just start at the beginning. Why are you here?”

“Well, I’m an alcoholic and she probably would have preferred me to be here.”

“Who is this she you refer too?” She asked. It made me cringe because I knew what was coming, a story that the group would love to hear. It was a story about immature love with a devastating end. Here I was about to tell a story I fought so hard to forget.

“She,” I said, “I mean her name was Annaleisa and she was from Germany. We met about 18 years ago in a small tavern in Berlin. I had always wanted to go to Germany and found it a beautiful place, but she was its most beautiful possession.”

Tears filled my eyes. I knew I would have to go on or tell it another time. The woman counselor said, “Leo, you don’t have to tell us anymore today if you’re not up to it. We’ll understand.”

“It’s ok I’m fine,” I said wiping my eyes, “I need to learn to be able to talk about it anyway. As I was saying there was nothing more beautiful in Germany then my Annaleisa. She sat down beside me in the tavern and I was so thrilled I asked her if I could buy her a drink. She said yes of course and gave me the prettiest and loving smile I had ever seen on a stranger. We discussed our Christian faith and how much we respected god and had made many connections.

“When we left the bar, I told her that I would very much like to keep in touch with her, but I would be returning to America. So she gave me her email and phone number and we continued on our separate ways.

“It took me months or so to call her back. Anneleisa decided to tell me her exciting news on that phone call. She told me how she and her family would be moving to Indiana in three weeks. I nearly jumped from my shoes when I heard this. I told her I also lived in Indiana. We hung up and she promised to call me when she arrived in Indiana so we could have a dinner.

“They were a few days late making it to Indiana, but it all turned out fine. Anneleisa and I had never eaten at a Japanese restaurant before so we decided to be adventurous and ate at a small restaurant called the House of Kobe. The dinner was great and we were glad to have tried it.

“We called each other often and went out on many, many dates. After about two years we decided that there was definitely a firm love between us. So we decided on marriage. She wanted to be married in Berlin.

“The wedding planning was hell on her. I knew it would be stressful, but she complained of so many bad headaches. I kept offering to take her to the hospital, but she would just wave me away. So we pushed it off.

“The day of the wedding came and my life changed forever. She looked so beautiful coming down the isle with her father and her white dress. We said our vows and went to kiss, but our lips didn’t connect. Instead, my arms were around her body and I was screaming for help. Anneliesa and passed out.

“The ambulance took her away. The wedding party moved to the new location for the reception: the hospital. We waited for hours and hours. That’s when the doctor came and took her family and me to a secluded area. The family and I could all feel the same racing heart beat wondering what on earth was happening. He decided that it would just be easiest to straight out say it. He said, ‘I’m sorry to inform you, but Annaleisa has only a month or two left to live. She has a brain tumor that has been growing at an alarming rate. I’m truly sorry…God bless.’ Those were his last words as he walked away to care for someone else. Those were words that I can never forget. The words that would end more then one life.”