I have lived in the US since I was 18 and came for college. I was raised Mormon, or LDS. I went to college in Provo. I was very much conservative and intended to save myself for marriage. My primary goal in college was to find a husband.
In the later part of my senior year I was still unlucky. I was desperate. I was leaving in a few months empty handed. But nothing worked. Nothing.
I met this girl Stacy. She was also a graduating senior. She offered to marry me so I could stay, I could apply to grad school, or get a job. It was so obvious to her, but to me marrying a girl was outright heresy. But, returning home empty handed, having spent my family’s money and no husband. The days ticked down, Stacy said we would keep it a secret, it was just so I could stay.
We got married two weeks before graduation. I applied for my resident card. I was advised to be patient, don’t leave the country. And, important, live like we were married, both toothbrushes in the same bathroom. Stacy took it a step further, mixed our underwear in one drawer. We ‘lived’ together, we had one bedroom, one bed. Stacy was in love with me, under the covers she wanted affection. She did the kissing, she loved on me, she whispered nonsense in my ear. She walked next to me, held my hand, told a few friends we were a couple.
Then, bang a post on social media, we were having our wedding anniversary. It went around the world in a second. I was exposed, I had to leave the church, leaving Stacy was unthinkable. I was by then so in love, Stacy is all that mattered.
I was never going to find a husband. A wife yes, but not a husband.
