by Misty Boyd
With that, the crowd went silent. There wasn’t much to say after that. That one young woman bravely said it all. Small groups broke into prayer, and they stayed that way until Carissa and John exited the front doors of the building.
Someone handed Carissa the microphone. Slowly, with tears in her eyes, she lifted the microphone to her face, and simply said, “We did it.”
The crowd erupted. She was getting hugs from all directions. She couldn’t tell who was who, and she couldn’t find her family, until Isaac burst through the crowd. He hugged and kissed her, and then took the microphone for himself.
“Can I get everyone’s attention, please?” he shouted into the mic, but only a few heard him.
“Excuse me, can I get your attention?” he shouted louder, and the crowd quieted. “Carissa is my girlfriend. Over the last few months, I’ve watched her grow as a woman. I’ve watched her take on the world. I’ve watched her save countless lives. And I’ve realized I never want to be without her,” he told the crowd.
Then he turned to face Carissa and his face got serious. “Carissa, I called your dad the other day. We had some things to talk about, man to man, and he gave me his blessing to ask you a question in front of all these people. So, if you’re embarrassed, blame him.”
Carissa started to shake. Was he really? Was this happening, right here on the capitol building steps?
“Carissa?” Isaac knelt down in front of her and reached into his pocket for a box, flipping it open to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes!” she screamed, as he slipped the ring on her finger.
The crowd roared so loudly that Isaac barely heard her answer, but barely was good enough for him. He had his girl, and she had her law.
What could be more perfect?
About the Author
Misty Boyd was born in August of 1983 with spina bifida, the same birth defect as her main character, Carissa, in her novel, Carissa’s Law.
Upon her arrival, her parents were told she would not live through the night and, if she did, she would be mentally and physically challenged and dependent on others her entire life. They were told she would never walk, talk or feed herself. She would only sit in her wheelchair and be dependent on them for her every need. Her parents were given the option to withhold feeding and let her die. This option was deemed unacceptable and Misty was medically treated at a different local hospital.
Fast forward 34 years… Misty is happy and healthy. There have been obstacles along the way but she walks, talks and is fully independent, with no significant mental challenges. She is married to a supportive husband, and is an incurable lover of Jesus and hedgehogs.
Misty is a Christian, and her relationship with God is very important to her. She can be found in her home church every Sunday, but only the afternoon service! She likes to sleep in past both early services.
She and her husband, James, have been married for 10 years and together for 19. They own a hedgehog named Meatball who is 6 months old. They have no children.
She enjoys both dancing around her apartment, and singing at the top of her lungs in the car, even if she’s not very good at either one!
Her favorite food group is Tex-Mex. She can be won over by a good taco 9 out of 10 times!