第15部分(第4/6 页)

g　in　a　wheelchair　since　age　twenty…four；　if　she　would　marry　him。

Juana　had　already　had　a　tough　life。　She　was　pulled　out　of　school　before　finishing　the　third　grade；　because　she　collapsed　and　fell　a　lot。　Her　mother；　thinking　she　was　lazy；　slapped　her　around。　She　lived　in　terror　that　her　mother　wouldn’t　want　her　anymore；　so　on　the　occasions　when　she　was　well　enough；　she　cleaned　house　“like　a　little　maid”。

Before　the　age　of　twenty…four；　like　Michael；　she　had　a　tracheotomy　just　to　breathe　and　that　was　when　she　was　officially　diagnosed　with　multiple　sclerosis。　By　the　time　she　was　thirty；　she　had　moved　into　a　hospital　with　round…the…clock　care。

So　when　Michael　asked　her　the　big　question；　she　didn’t　think　she　could　handle　the　pain　if　he　was　teasing。

“He　told　me　he　loved　me；　and　I　was　so　scared；”　she　said。　“I　thought　he　was　playing　a　game　with　me。　But　he　told　me　it　was　true。　He　told　me　he　loved　me。”

On　Valentine’s　Day；　Juana　wore　a　wedding　dress　made　of　white　satin；　dotted　with　pearl　beads　and　cut　loose　enough　to　drape　around　a　wheelchair　and　a　ventilator。　Juana　was　rolled　to　the　front　of　the　room；　assisted　by　Harry；　who　proudly　gave　the　bride　away。　Her　face　streamed　with　tears。

Michael　wore　a　crisp　white　shirt；　black　jacket　and　a　bow　tie　that　fit　neatly　over　his　tracheotomy。　He　beamed　with　pleasure。

Nurses　filled　the　doorways。　Patients　filled　the　room。　An　overflow　of　hospital　employees　spilled　into　the　halls。　Sobs　echoed　in　every　er　of　the　room。　In　the　hospital’s　history；　no　two　people—living　their　lives　bound　to　wheelchairs—had　ever　married。

Janet　Yamaguchi；　the　hospital’s　recreation　leader；　had　planned　everything。　Employees　had　donated　their　own　money　to　buy　the　red　and　white　balloons；　matching　flowers；　and　an　archway　do