A man falls in love with a large woman but he is ashamed to be seen with her in public so he invites a thin girl to go with him to his parents’ anniversary celebration.
Mark Hallspringer was determined to find the perfect woman: bright, charming, witty, and of course, beautiful with a dynamite figure and great style. After all, he was handsome, successful and athletic, and quite a catch. He deserved the best.
When Mark started talking to Anna, he had no romantic intentions whatsoever. She definitely wasn’t his type. The funny thing is that sometimes we get what we need, not what we want, and it took Mark a long, long time to realize that.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
It all started when Mark was asked to coordinate efforts between the company’s sales director and the marketing division. Marketing, as it turned out, was being run very efficiently by a woman called Anna Coulton.
Even though Mark and Anna had been working in the same company and the same building for three years, they had never met, not at meetings, or mixers, or even the Christmas party.
Mark sent Anna an email asking her to explain how she was articulating her marketing push with the sales division (sales were lagging and blaming marketing).
Anna’s reply was concise, clear, and neatly put the ball back on the salesforce side of the fence. Mark liked the way her mind worked, and he also liked the fact that she had put forward several suggestions to help boost sales.
The next day, he called her on the phone to discuss her ideas, and to set up a meeting between her and the sales director. Anna had a lovely throaty voice, and a lovely laugh, and halfway through they were chatting like old friends.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
From then on, Mark found himself calling Anna — supposedly to check up on progress — but in reality to hear her voice. He liked Anna Coulton’s intelligence and sense of humor, and he loved talking to her.
A few weeks of daily conversations down the line, Mark asked Anna out on a date. There was a long silence on the other end of the line. “Are you sure about that, Mark?” Anna asked.
“Of course!” Mark said. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I may not be what you expect,” she said quietly. “I’m not everyone’s cup of tea.”
“Tea…” said Mark. “Did I ever tell you my mother’s British? I love tea, every type of tea, I’m addicted to tea…” Anna laughed and reluctantly agreed to have lunch with Mark on Saturday.
The day arrived and Mark waited impatiently outside the restaurant for Anna to arrive. “I should have asked if she was a blonde or a brunette!” he thought to himself. “How will I know who she is?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Just then, a large girl approached Mark and tapped him on the shoulder. “Hello, Mark,” said Anna’s throaty, sexy voice. “I’m Anna.”
Mark was stunned. Whatever he had expected wasn’t this! Anna was beautiful, yes, very beautiful with a face worthy of the cover of Vogue, but she was overweight. She was what they now tactfully call a plus-size.
But then they started talking, and Mark forgot about her weight and found himself completely fascinated by Anna and her radiant smile. At the end of lunch, he already knew he wanted to see her again.
Over the next six months, they fell in love, but Mark found himself cringing from the idea that other people would know he was dating a big girl. The truth is, he was embarrassed, and that embarrassment shamed him.
At work, they kept their relationship under wraps, because of company policy, but Mark had already met Anna’s family and knew she was waiting to meet his. The issue became even more pressing when he found himself proposing one night.
He loved Anna. He wanted to spend all his time, the rest of his life with her, but he didn’t want anyone to know… He imagined his kid brother’s smirk as he eyed Anna’s ample curves. No! It wasn’t going to happen!
Then disaster struck. His parents were having their 40th wedding anniversary celebration and Anna helped him to shop for a present. “So when is the party, babe?” Anna asked excitedly. “I can’t wait to meet them! Do they know we’re engaged?”
Mark nodded. “Yes, they do! They know all about you!” That was a lie. All that his parents knew was that Mark was in love and engaged to a beautiful girl called Anna, but they knew nothing specific about her at all.
Mark explained that the party would be at his parents’ home in Connecticut, and they would take the two-hour drive over on Friday night, then spend the weekend. Anna was delighted, and Mark was horrified. How was he going to get out of this bind? Anna expected to go, and his parents expected her there…
Then Mark had an idea. It was a stupid idea, though it seemed to be brilliant at the time mostly because it would save him embarrassment.
Two days before they were supposed to drive up to Connecticut, Mark called Anna. “Honey, I have bad news!” he said. “I’m on a plane. The board wants me up in Colorado to sort out a labor issue, which means I’ll be flying directly to Connecticut on Saturday morning, if at all. I’m sorry, you won’t be able to go with me!”
Anna was very disappointed. “Oh, no!” she gasped, I’m so sorry. But what about your present? Do you want me to send it by special delivery?”
Mark sighed with relief. Anna was taking it well. “Baby, that would be brilliant! Let me give you my parents’ address…”
Anna hung up the phone. Poor Mark! He’d sounded so disappointed! Anna stared down at his parents’ address and an idea popped into her head. Why not deliver the gift in person? It would be a lovely surprise for Mark!
That it would be a mistake didn’t even cross Anna’s mind until she knocked on the door of Mark’s parents’ house and a slender older woman answered.
“Yes?” the woman said politely.
Anna gave her best smile. “Hi,” she said. “This is an anniversary gift for Mr. and Mrs. Hallspringer?”
The woman smiled and took the present from Anna’s hands. “Thank you!” she said and started to close the door.
Anna put out her hand. “I’m Anna. Anna Coulton, Mark’s fiancée?” She started to feel nervous when the woman’s mouth hung open.
“Is this a joke, young woman?” she asked sternly. “Because my son and his fiancée Anna are sitting down to dinner with me this minute…” Anna pushed past the woman rudely and walked into the house.
There was a big table set up in the dining room and at one end was Mark, and next to him, hanging on to his arm was a slender gorgeous girl. “Mark!” Anna cried. “What is going on here?”
Mark jumped to his feet and his face turned deadly white. “Anna-” he stuttered. “It’s not what you think… This woman, she’s an actress…”
“I don’t understand,” Anna cried. “If you don’t love me, why did you propose!”
“I do love you!” Mark said. “It’s just that… I was afraid…You…You know…”
“No,” Anna said. “I don’t know. What about me?” The other people around the table were sitting in absolute silence and most of them were looking down, and away from Mark.
Mark whispered, “You’re so…big.”
Anna looked him in the eyes for one long moment then she took off her ring and placed it on the table.
“You don’t know what love is. If you loved me,” she said sadly, “you wouldn’t be ashamed of me.” Before Mark could say another word, she turned her back and walked out.
Mark tried to phone Anna again and again, but she wouldn’t take his phone calls, not even at work. He was desolate. He missed Anna more and more, and he now realized he might have lost her forever.
There had to be a way to win her back, to make her see that he’d learned his lesson… The next day, when Anna was walking up to the office block she and Mark worked in, she saw a crowd of her colleagues milling around in front of the building and pointing at a huge billboard on the other side of the street.
When they saw Anna, they all started to whistle and clap. Anna frowned, then she saw the billboard, and her mouth dropped open. On the huge billboard was a photo of herself and Mark, with their arms around each other.
A huge caption proclaimed, “I LOVE ANNA COULTON AND I WANT TO MARRY HER!” Anna was still trying to process the whole scene when Mark walked up to her and dropped to one knee.
“Please marry me,” Mark said with tears in his eyes. “I love you, now and forever, forgive me even if I’m an idiot!”
“You ARE an idiot!” Anna said, “But I still love you!”
Anna and Mark are making plans for a winter wedding up in Connecticut and all their friends and both families are invited.
What can we learn from this story?
- Accept people for who and what they are. Mark was in love with Anna but he was afraid of what people would think because she was plus-size.
- What matters the most is the love and kindness in people’s hearts, not their looks. When he lost Anna, Mark finally realized what really mattered to him.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a disabled woman who sees her father-in-law disappear into the woods with her two young children.
Jennifer Lopez Had a Shocking Response When Asked Who She’d Save From Drowning – P. Diddy or Ben Affleck
In an interview with Big Boy on the radio, Jennifer Lopez—a well-known personality in the entertainment industry—found herself under fire. Lopez, who is well-known for her high-profile partnerships, was the focus of a pointed question. When asked who she would save from drowning if given the chance, the celebrity was forced to pick between her two well-known ex-boyfriends, rapper P. Diddy (also known as Sean Combs) and actor Ben Affleck. The media and fans were enthralled by her response.
An Brutally Open Reaction
Without missing a beat, Lopez responded with her iconic line, “I’d let both those motherf*****s drown!” In addition to startling the audience with her frank and shocking statement, she also showed her no-nonsense attitude on her previous relationships. It was a lighthearted but incisive remark. While talking about two of the most important relationships in her life, she gave Agan a reminder of her sense of humor.
Lopez’s past relationships with her ex-partners
Given that Jennifer Lopez’s romantic relationships with P. Diddy and Ben Affleck have been widely reported throughout the years, her response is all the more intriguing. Between 1999 and 2001, Lopez and P. Diddy dated; their relationship had its ups and downs. Despite being a regular sight on the red carpet and in tabloids, the couple’s romance ended bitterly. Complicating their past, Lopez later acknowledged that infidelity was a major factor in the separation. The two have however maintained their friendly relationship, with Diddy even publicly praising Lopez for his achievements over the years.
Actor Ben Affleck and Lopez started dating soon after Diddy’s breakup. The couple gained notoriety as one of Hollywood’s most talked-about pairs and were dubbed “Bennifer.” They were frequently viewed as the ideal pair after their brief courtship, which culminated in an engagement in 2002. But their relationship suffered as a result of the heavy media attention. resulting in their 2004 wedding being called off a few days before it was scheduled. When that time came, they parted ways. Although the couple’s admirers were happy to see them rekindle their passion in 2021, which resulted in their marriage in 2022.
A Jiff That Echoes Past Injuries
Even if she may have been making a joke when she said that she would let both men drown, it still highlights the emotional complexity of her previous relationships. Particularly tumultuous is Lopez’s relationship history with Diddy, marked by allegations of adultery and noticeable legal issues during their relationship. Lopez expressed her wish to close that chapter of her life in a 2001 interview, saying she was “done with all the drama” that followed their split.
In contrast, her relationship with Affleck has seen its share of unexpected turns. Their relationship suffered greatly as a result of the media circus that accompanied their first engagement. Affleck was dealing with a lot of personal issues at the time that had to do with his public character and business. This probably had a part in their first breakup. Before getting back together 20 years later, the two celebrities moved on to other relationships, which has since been seen by their followers as a tale of undying love.
P. Diddy’s Court Cases
Following Jennifer Lopez, P. Diddy’s life has not been without controversy. The rapper and producer has been involved in multiple legal disputes in the past few years, involving grave accusations of sexual assault and misconduct. His residences in Miami and Los Angeles were searched earlier this year as a component of an inquiry into claims of sex trafficking. Diddy has refuted these allegations, but the legal battles have clouded his reputation in the music business. In light of this, Lopez’s denial to “save” him in the fictitious situation seems to make more sense.
The Reunion of Affleck and Lopez: A Love That Persisted
Ben Affleck and Lopez’s relationship has seen a rebirth, in contrast to Diddy’s. Following their widely reported split, both of them moved on. While Lopez entered several high-profile partnerships, such as her marriage to Marc Anthony, with whom she has two children, Affleck married actress Jennifer Garner, with whom he shares three children. However, Lopez and Affleck were reunited in 2021 by chance. Nearly two decades after their first breakup, the two resumed their affair, and in 2022 they got married in a charming ceremony.
The media and admirers of “Bennifer” have praised her reunion, which represents how love is resilient to change and passes across all barriers. Lopez has said how much she values their second opportunity at love and called their new partnership “more mature and meaningful” than their previous one. Given this, Lopez’s witty yet caustic response in the radio interview highlights both her sense of humor and the resiliency she has shown in the face of loss.
A Lighthearted Snap With A Deeper Context
Despite being meant as a joke, Lopez’s response when asked who she would save from drowning revealed a depth of emotional nuance. Given Diddy’s turbulent past and her intermittent connection with Affleck, her answer sheds light on the nuanced dynamics between the two men in her life. Even though Lopez made the remark in jest, it demonstrates her capacity to look back on her past with strength and humor. Considering how much she has changed since those tumultuous days.
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