A soldier is kicked out of his sister’s wedding after he decides to surprise her by coming home from his deployment. He reluctantly makes his way home, only to be ushered back to the wedding a couple of minutes later.
Marissa Ricks had always dreamt about having the perfect fairytale wedding since she was a young girl. She wanted all her family members to be there with her and imagined her dad walking her down the aisle.
Unfortunately, Marissa’s dad died five years before she was able to find her match, and by the time she was getting married, her older brother, Mark, had been deployed by the army
Marissa asked Mark to come home for the wedding, as she wanted nothing more than for him to walk her down the aisle to represent their late dad. Although Mark wanted to be there for his little sister, his schedule was too unpredictable that he couldn’t commit to coming home.
Marissa was distraught. She wanted her brother to be there on her special day. She suggested postponing the wedding, but Mark dissuaded her because regardless of the date, he still would not be able to commit to coming.
“I’m sorry, Marissa,” Mark apologized. “I don’t get clearance from our superior until a couple of days before the scheduled leaves. Don’t jeopardize your wedding just because of me. I’ll be with you in spirit,” he explained.
Marissa asked Mark to come home for the wedding, as she wanted nothing more than for him to walk her down the aisle to represent their late dad. Although Mark wanted to be there for his little sister, his schedule was too unpredictable that he couldn’t commit to coming home.
Marissa was distraught. She wanted her brother to be there on her special day. She suggested postponing the wedding, but Mark dissuaded her because regardless of the date, he still would not be able to commit to coming.
“I’m sorry, Marissa,” Mark apologized. “I don’t get clearance from our superior until a couple of days before the scheduled leaves. Don’t jeopardize your wedding just because of me. I’ll be with you in spirit,” he explained.
“If you were the bride’s brother, you would have been on the list regardless. Your name is not here, and there is no way we can guarantee that you’re telling the truth,” the security guard explained. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
Desperate, Mark searched the room for a familiar face, but there was no one he could recognize. “Can you at least lead me to the bride’s room, then? I can prove to you that I’m her brother then,” Mark asked.
The security guard shook his head. “The bride and her entourage are already preparing to march. If you’re not on the list, there’s no way I can allow you to enter, and that’s final. Please, leave before the procession starts,” he told Mark.
After realizing that the security guard would not let him in, Mark went home. He didn’t want to cause a scene at the wedding and his sister to undergo unnecessary stress.
Instead, he conditioned himself to spend the day alone and visit his mom and sister the following day so as not to spoil the celebration.
But soon after changing into his ordinary clothes, Mark suddenly heard the doorbell ring. He walked towards the front door and was surprised to see Marissa and her fiancé when he opened it.
Before he could say anything, Marissa rushed to hug her brother. “Mark!” she cried. “I’m so glad you’re here!”
“What are you guys doing here? Your ceremony is going to start in 15 minutes! You’re going to be late,” Mark told his sister.
“There will be no ceremony without you there,” Marissa said, shaking her head. “I’m sorry they turned you away. I didn’t expect you to surprise us because I haven’t heard from you in a couple of days.”
Her fiancé, Joshua, also apologized to Mark. “I heard from my relatives that there was a man in his military uniform who tried to enter the ceremony but was refused by the security guard. I immediately remembered you, so I rushed to tell Marissa,” he revealed.
Marissa knew there was no place her brother would go but home, so she and Joshua rushed to his house. “Now come on, Mark. Get dressed! You’ve got to walk me down the aisle in a couple of minutes,” she told him.
Mark quickly changed into his military uniform because Marissa wanted him to wear it instead of a suit. She was proud that her brother was a soldier and wanted everybody to know the sacrifices he continued to make for the sake of his country.
Marissa had everything she could want on her wedding day, save for the presence of her late dad. It was the happiest day of her life because she was marrying the man of her dreams while surrounded by her loved ones.
What can we learn from this story?
People do everything they can for their loved ones to be happy. Mark was unsure that he would be granted a leave to attend his sister’s wedding, but up until the very last day, he tried to secure his vacation to walk her down the aisle. He knew how much Marissa looked forward to her wedding, so he did everything he could to be there for her on the special day.
Our military deserves all the respect for sacrificing so much for the sake of their country. Mark is only one of the millions of soldiers and military personnel who sacrifice so much for the sake of their country. They deserve to be given the utmost respect, given they are away from their loved ones most of the time and risk their lives to protect and safeguard the entire population.
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