When in love, one must suffer

     He sat by her bed, holding her hand.  The doctor came in, followed by his assistant, a fellow from the hospital's medical school.  They did their best to be cheerful, but he knew his wife was dying.
     "Is she in pain?" he asked.
     "She's as pain-free as is humanly possible." the doctor replied.
     He stayed with her all night.  It was the least he could do.
     "I've heard that question a thousand times." the doctor said when they were out of the room.
     "I can imagine." was the reply.  The elderly man's face had been seared with pain as he'd asked about his wife's, but his pain was of the sort that the doctor could not treat.
     It was sobering, but he didn't have much time to think about it.  Soon, they were visiting the next patient, and the next, and before long it was time to head home.  His wife was waiting for him.
     He was a lucky man.  No one understood why she had married him.  Her friends thought she was crazy to trade the best L.A. had to offer for a shabby apartment in Detroit.  Her parents said she was foolish for not waiting until he graduated.  When she was reading the user's manual for the vacuum, or puzzling over basic cooking terms, even he could not help wondering why she'd ever chosen their life together over the luxury of her parent's lifestyle.
     She always smiled whenever people said anything, but she knew it was useless to explain.  She loved him.  It was as simple as that.
     When the assistant left, the doctor still had paperwork to do, but he finished it as soon as possible.  He was anxious to get home.  It was rather tumultuous at the present moment, but he knew that it was soon going to get too quiet.  His daughter was leaving in a couple weeks, heading to Haiti to teach.  He shuddered when he thought of her living alone in a country rampant with poverty and disease.
     She only laughed when he asked her- again- if she was sure that she wanted to do this.
     "Yes, Daddy."  she said.  "God is calling me, and I love Him.  I must obey."
      "And when in love, one must suffer, I suppose." he replied.
      Her eyes grew thoughtful, and she fingered the sterling cross around her neck.
     "Yes, I suppose so."