Marcie and Leo Ch. 101

(Just a heads up. This one is more romance than anything.)

I usually start every chapter with some exceptions talking about some of the good things about Marcie. That's just me showing the world how wonderful my wife is. One of the things she has in common with my late wife is that they both make me a better man. Missy, my late wife, was a strong encouraging presence in my life. She was headstrong enough to push back when I was too much, but tender enough to allow me to be close to her. It still haunts me the way she held back on her diagnosis just because I felt like we had an open enough relationship where she would not have been afraid to tell me. I do not fault her for it because I am a driven individual. Still, Missy always has a place in my heart and there is always a reminder of her in some form or fashion.

Marcie is also headstrong. The main difference between her and Missy is that she was in a forty-year marriage to her husband. This made her more self-reliant. This made her more careful in certain things as they grew together before his diagnosis. Like Missy, Mitchell did not immediately share his diagnosis with Marcie because he was afraid that she would leave. The last year with him was a mixture of making him as comfortable as possible, preparing for after his passing and helping support me with Missy. Marcie is a strong woman to be sure.

In the last few years, she has learned that she can be vulnerable around me just as much as I can be vulnerable around her. Her days when the bubble came up spur me into action to do what I need to guide her back without being too pushy. My depression episodes spur her into action as well, especially when the things Missy taught her come into play. We are the chief support system for each other.

It was a normal day at home. As Missy played on her tablet, I was looking at my emails regarding different things. It was then I noticed the day outside. I logged off my laptop and set it on the coffee table before looking at Marcie. It took a few moments before Marcie felt my loving eyes on me. She noticed my laptop was no longer in my lap before she smiled at me.

"What's on your mind, Leo?" she asked.

"Do you remember my birthday a few years ago?"

She paused for a bit.

"It's coming up soon. I knew that."

"I remember what we did."

She started to blush. (By the way, this memory is in Good Neighbors Ch. 025 if you want to see what she did.)

"That was hot. Are you thinking about a repeat?"

"Actually, do you remember the blanket that you used for it?"

She thought for a moment before she smiled.

"It's in the closet. It was an old picnic blanket Mitch and I used to use when I visited him at work occasionally. It was the only one I had, so I used it for your birthday surprise. Why?"

"I have a silly idea."

She allowed me to take her by the hand before she showed me where the blanket was. We walked through our back door into our yard, and I found a spot near a tree there. I unfolded it and laid it out before I knelt on it and helped her climb on as well. We lay there looking up. The sky was a beautiful blue that day with some clouds in the sky. I held her as we looked up at the sky. It was nice feeling the breeze blow as we lay there. She was wearing a tank top and her jean shorts. Her hair was in a ponytail since we were not planning on going anywhere. I was in a muscle shirt and athletic shorts. We just lay there holding each other.

It was a while before we folded the blanket up and went back into the house. It was then Marcie asked the question.

"So where did that idea come from, Leo?"

"Did you ever have a moment when you looked at the sky like that?"

"In passing. Mitch used to take me on walks to that park we were in when you broke your leg. The fitness stuff didn't come up until the later years when I started wanting to take better care of myself. It had been a while."

I held her as we sat on the couch.

"I love the moments we have together when we're not busy. There is something comforting about knowing that you are mine and that we can share those."

She snuggled in close.

"Thank you for letting me in, Leo. I know you are the way you are and that you trust me to be there for you."

"Likewise, Marcella. I am glad you let me in also."

It was at that quiet moment that Aubrey knocked on the front door. As Marcie went to see her, I smiled knowing that she was my partner. I silently thanked Missy for allowing me to have someone to back me up and I thanked Mitch for allowing me to be Marcie's support. No matter what comes up. We have each other and we can handle anything.