Marcie and Leo Ch. 046

(Hello all. The inspiration behind this story was a friend of mine going through a similar situation and me thinking about how I would handle it. It's something real that can happen with a couple which is why I am choosing to write about it. )

There I was sitting on the couch, my leg in its cast on the coffee table. My laptop was in my lap as I was looking at reports. Meanwhile, Maggie was moving around the house. She had been an excellent caregiver the last few weeks since I broke my leg. Ironically, I was still trying to remember how exactly I broke it. It was when Marcie walked back in that I started thinking about it harder.

"You are still thinking about what happened, aren't you?" she asked.

I looked at her before nodding my head. I could never get anything past her. She sat next to me on the couch and wrapped her arms around me.

"I'm sorry, Leo," she started. "I was really mad at Mitch when he didn't tell me right away about his cancer. It was kind of the way Missy did it to you. He was afraid that I'd leave him. He had no reason to think that, but he did. It's one reason I was so scared when it happened. If you do remember, please don't hold it back from me. Okay?"

I kissed her on her forehead.

"Baby, I promise the moment I remember, I'll tell you."

She smiled before she walked away. I sat there still checking out numbers before I started thinking about it. I started remembering the walk. It started out alright. We stepped out of the car and started walking. Marcie began to walk a little ahead while I watched her behind in her yoga pants. I then stopped to tie my shoe and she walked a bit ahead. That's when things started getting fuzzy.

I stopped looking at reports before reaching over to my water glass before I noticed it was empty. I looked up and couldn't see Marcie.

"Marcie?" I asked.

There was no answer.

"Marcie?" I asked again before I grabbed the crutches and got myself up before moving towards the kitchen.

I looked in the bedroom as I passed and saw Marcie lying down on the bed. I started to hobble into the bedroom and made it through the door before I saw her moving sideways to smile at me.

"You are so stubborn," she smiled.

I allowed myself to get closer before I plopped my rear end on the bed.

"I started to remember a little."

"What do you remember?" she asked as she sat next to me.

I started telling her what happened. I then saw the look on her face as I stopped right after the part where I tied my shoe. She then looked at me.

"Sounds like either you tripped over something, or you fell off the trail or something."

"It would make sense."

"So why were you being so stubborn?" she asked.

"Because I had always been that way. I'm the hero, remember?"

She laughed a bit before she kissed me.

"Leo, for better or worse, remember?"

"I know, Baby. I'm just not used to being the one who needs help."

She held me tighter.

"So why were you heading towards the kitchen?"

"Water."

"Okay, Romeo, what was your plan for carrying the water glass back to where you were?"

I looked at her before dropping my head. She knew she had my number. It was then she helped me to my feet.

"Hobble back to your spot. I'll refill your water glass and leave the pitcher."

I followed her orders. As I sat down, I felt a pain in my rear end on the same side as my broken leg. It was then I thought about it."

"Marcie?"

"Yes, Leo."

"Is there a drop off on that trail?"

Marcie looked at me.

"There's a small one. Right near the wharf. Why?"

"Was there a branch down?"

"I think so. What do you think?"

"I think I remember what happened."

I started to remember running on the trail to catch up to Marcie. Then I remember trying to steady myself when I tripped over the branch. I remember twisting a little before I landed on my side, my leg hitting the asphalt. It was then I remembered cursing at myself before pushing myself off the ground and hobbling as much as I could before I caught up with Marcie.

She listened intently before she smiled.

"I knew you'd remember," she said.

I looked at her apologetically.

"I'm sorry I..."

She interrupted my apology with a kiss of her own.

"For better or for worse, Leo," she said again.

I sat there as she held me. It was nice to know that she was there with me. I was counting the days until I could get in the walking boot. Not because I wanted to get away from Marcie, but because I wanted to be able to move again.