Love soldier

Melinda looked at her self in the mirror and she could not recognize the person she saw. A frail woman with deep sunken eyes, too petite for her long oversized clothes with tiny sprouts of prickly hair, stared back at her. Tears welled up in her eyes and started their usual course down her bony cheek.


Her thoughts darted back to the gorgeous woman who used to look back at her and greet her with a million dollar smile, every time she looked into the mirror. The Mirror woman, she knew, was a college beauty queen, full of confidence and exuberance. Her lovely face with golden curls dangling on her rosy cheeks caused many a heart to flutter. That was when she first met Alex, the man of her dreams. They have been a couple ever since and now they dreamed of growing old together.


As Alex came to her mind, Melinda felt an excruciating pain stab her heart.




‘I can’t do this to Alex! He deserves better. I can’t let him waste away his life because of me’ she thought.




Alex was a man any girl would dream of having as her husband.Charming, elegant and successful, he stood by Melinda all through the ordeal...The ordeal of having Mastectomy and then the Six weeks of Chemotherapy that she had to undergo. The last One year was emotionally draining for Melinda. She still remembers the day when she went to the Cancer Hospital with Alex for the Biopsy report of the lump that she accidentally found in her breast. Their fears came true and she was diagnosed with Breast cancer that was eating away into the tissues and the doctors told her that she needed to undergo the entire breast removal or Mastectomy.




Melinda sat their petrified in the doctor’s chambers. All her dreams came shattering down like a pack of cards .Alex gave her a hug and told her that he would be there for her and that they would fight Cancer together.




The Mastectomy left a scar across her chest and the grueling chemotherapy of six weeks that followed the surgery left her hairless, weak and the gloomy fear that she might not be able to become a mother ever as the Chemotherapy causes fertility issues and early onset of menopause.




As her worrying thoughts engulfed her, Alex stepped into the room with his usual sunshine smile and a bouquet of fresh flowers and his shining completely bald head, which he sported to support Melinda.




‘How is my beautiful princess doing today?’ he asked giving her a kiss.




‘Alex, don’t call me beautiful! I am not whom you fell in love with!’ said Melinda with pain.




Alex stood there disturbed looking at Melinda.




‘I can’t do this to you Alex! I think we should break our relationship. You know what cancer has done to me...dont you? You deserve someone gorgeous...some one who will raise a family with you…You deserve the best Alex!’ said Melinda controlling her tears...




‘No!…Don’t you ever say this to me!!’ said Alex looking aghast.




Melinda exposed her uneven chest with a large scar on it and said, “now ...tell me...Do I still look beautiful to you?…Like the Gorgeous Melinda you fell in love with?’




Tears welled up in Alex’s eyes as he came up to her and covered her with his embrace.




‘You know, what that scar reminds me of? The scar reminds me of how hard you fought cancer for our love. How hard you fought this battle for US and our dream of growing old together…You are my LOVE SOLDIER. And you won the battle. And you know what? You not only the most beautiful woman in the world but also the bravest!’ said Alex in a choked voice with tears now coursing down his cheeks.




‘Now, Will you marry me my beautiful Love soldier?’ Alex asked with a smile.




Melinda stood transfixed and was unable to speak. Bursting into a cascade of tears she embraced Alex saying,’ with you by my side in the journey of life, I know I can fight any number of battles and come out victorious! I’m Your Love soldier till death do us part!!!’