During what I thought was a normal hospital visit, my husband’s nurse pulled me aside and whispered: “Listen, I don’t want to alarm you, but… look under your husband’s bed when you go back to the room.”
My heart pounded as I crouched down, pretending to drop an apple. My breath caught—eyes stared back at me. A woman was hiding under my husband’s hospital bed.
“What the—who are you?” I demanded, standing abruptly. Ethan’s heart monitor beeped rapidly.
“Sam, please—it’s not what you think!” he pleaded, struggling to sit up.
“Not what I think? There’s a woman under your bed!” My hands shook as I grabbed my phone. “I’m calling the police!”
The woman scrambled out, red-faced. “Wait! I can explain!” she stammered. “I’m a wedding planner.”
I blinked. “A what?”
Ethan sighed. “It’s true. I was planning a surprise wedding for us. A real one.”
Tears burned my eyes. “But why hide her under the bed?”
“You weren’t supposed to be here! We panicked,” Ethan admitted sheepishly. “I wanted it to be perfect. After all these years, I wanted to give you the wedding you deserved.”
Jessica, the planner, nodded. “I’m so sorry for the misunderstanding.”
I stared at them both, then burst into laughter. “You’re insane! But I love you for it. Just… no more hiding people under beds!”
Ethan grinned, squeezing my hand. “So… will you marry me again?”
Tears streamed down my face as I whispered, “A thousand times yes.”