Marcie and Leo Ch. 098

(If one was to count every chapter of both "Good Neighbors" and "Marcie and Leo" it would be 286 chapters thus far. If you were to read all of them, you would know that Marcie is based on a friend of mine who encouraged me to start writing again in June of 2021. There have been many topics covered in these stories. We have seen their evolution through their courtship and marriage after the death of their spouses. I have no plans to stop typing out these stories soon. I just felt like this close to Chapter 100, I would be remiss if I didn't thank the woman behind Marcie.

I have said many things about her throughout the whole story. Her friendship has made me a better person. Only she knows how much of her really is sprinkled in all the chapters. The truth is the woman behind the character is awesome. She is a strong, independent, gorgeous, driven, kind, amazing woman and I am truly honored to be her friend. Of course, by the time this is submitted, she will have already read that part and I know she is going to flash that gorgeous smile. As always, I dedicate this to her.)

Many folks think that Marcie and I are always on the same page when it comes to things. Although it seems like it to the outside observer, I am very much infatuated with my wife. This infatuation does cause me to get into situations I used to avoid prior to her entering my life. This was not to say I didn't do things for Missy because I did. The thing was that Missy was a little bit more understanding of the way I was from when we were in college together. There was a bit of a boundary that Missy never thought about crossing.

Marcie, on the other hand, was married to someone who didn't listen to her opinions much. Mitch loved Marcie with all his heart. On the other hand, he was quite stubborn and had a difficult time taking ideas from Marcie when it came to things. One of the things that surprised Marcie once we started dating was how willing I was to listen to her ideas. This started in a park when she talked about me drinking more water. She was ready for a fight, totally surprised when I told her I would. So many years hearing her late husband push back against things trained her to expect blowback every time she had an idea. I wanted to be a better man for her. I wanted to show Marcie that her ideas had value, that I was willing to try out new ideas if it meant things being better.

One of the consequences of this was changes to my routine. I talked about in the previous chapter how she changed me from a bar soap person to a body wash person. That one started on the day of our wedding, and I honestly never thought of changing back. The underwear change happened while we were dating. Little by little, there were small changes along the way.

It even spread to dealing with coworkers. Before Missy passed, Aubrey and I were just coworkers. She was Missy' best friend, but I kept separation to ensure that there was no thought of favoritism in the office at all even though she was my assistant. Matt and I, although we are best friends, started spending more time apart after we got the company running just because we didn't want business stuff bleeding into our friendship. Most of the office thought of me as "the Lion" or "the Enforcer" because I was always the quiet one when it came to work matters and Matt was the charming one.

Now, Aubrey is not only our next-door neighbor. She is also great friends with Marcie. Her husband, Wes, is also a friend as well. Matt and his wife, Shannon, visit more so we can spend time with my Godson. Much of the office look at Marcie as an unofficial member of the board, even earning her nickname of "The One who Tamed the Lion." This has led to me coming out of my comfort zone many times by helping to execute a New Year's Party, Halloween Party and assisting Aubrey with throwing a pool party as well. Yes, I had to fix a problem during the New Year's party when Aubrey's ex came in to start trouble. That didn't change the fact that I was still doing things I never thought I would have.

This long-winded intro brings me to the decision I had to make recently. I have always had short hair. There was a barber in town I used on a regular basis that knew my hairstyle so well, he could have done it blindfolded. Most folks will agree that when it comes to some things, once you find an expert it is best to keep them. This works for anything really. One reason we never get pizza from anyone else in our town except Sal is proof of that. That's why my friend Ben takes care of my car and Marcie's now. Pierre always gets my business for jewelry. I stay loyal to the folks who take care of me and who do good work.

I was sad to find out a month ago that my barber was retiring. He ran a small shop that was close to the office. He had that shop ever since Missy and I moved to our town. Once I knew he was the one, I went to his place religiously every two weeks. He didn't care how much I was worth or anything. We always talked about family and work and sometimes we would discuss some pop culture thing. He was at Missy's funeral and our wedding. It was during that last visit two weeks ago that I asked him why it was time to retire.

"Honestly, Leo, I'm feeling old," he started. "I don't have the same customer base as I used to have with all the beauty shops, bigger barber shops and such opening. I feel like now is the time."

"You know I'm going to miss you Dave," I said.

He smiled.

"You changed a bunch since we first met, Leo. Your first wife was very tolerant of your pig-headedness and your drive. This new one seemed to have changed you a bunch. The main thing that hasn't changed is that you are still a respectful man. I'm going to miss that about you."

"So, what are your plans after you close up?"

"I'm going to take Marlene to Europe. She's always wanted to see some of the sights. You ever been there?"

"No, sir. Last year was the first time I ever took a trip outside the continent. I loved it, but I was very hesitant at first. It felt wrong."

"Because you never did it with Missy."

I looked at him before looking down.

"I wanted to. It all changed when she got diagnosed."

"That was a hard shot for you. Missy was your partner and your world. I was happy you met Marcie though. It was as if Missy tagged her in to continue the fight."

I smiled at that.

"Marcie is amazing. My business partner told me I needed to. I took her to Costa Rica last year, then we did Hawaii for the honeymoon. It felt better in Hawaii just because I felt like Missy sent down her blessing."

"I'm gonna tell you this one time, Leo. It's gonna be in your best interest to remember this. Missy taught you this lesson the hard way, so don't forget it. Life is too short. If you have the chance to do something you want, just do it. You never know when you're getting another chance."

I smiled as he brushed me off for the last time. I paid him as I always did and put the tip on there. He always scowled when I overdid it on the tip. This time, he smiled.

"You've done well, Leo. Take care of the Mrs. Thank you for being loyal."

We shared a hug before I walked out of the shop. As I slipped into the car, I saw him turn his open sign off for the last time. I started the drive home thinking about what he said. As our house was in sight, I thought about his words carefully. I walked through the door and saw Marcie in the kitchen over the sink. I put my briefcase down and took off my dress shirt before I walked forward. I stepped to her right side so I could start helping her rinse the dishes.

"Hi there, Handsome," she whispered as she leaned over to kiss me on the cheek. "Are you okay?"

"Dave's finally retiring."

She paused for a bit. Then she started washing again.

"By choice?"

"He said it's time. He's taking his wife to Europe."

"That's a sweet thought."

We kept washing for a bit more before she spoke again.

"You're quiet, Leo."

"He reminded me of something that I have heard many times. I never heeded it before, and it cost me so much."

I wiped my hands on a towel before putting my hands on Marcie's waist. Then I leaned in and kissed her deeply. She returned the kiss before I started again.

"He reminded me how short life is. He also told me that if we get a chance to do something, we should do it."

"Good words. I remember when we talked about getting married. Initially, I thought it was too soon just because I still thought about Mitch every night. The thing is you helped me so much and my heart opened for you, so saying yes was exactly what I needed to do," Marcie said.

Her arms went around my neck as we kissed more.

"I love you, Marcie Mercer," I whispered.

"I love you too, Leo Mercer."

We kissed more before we went to eat dinner. To some, the thought of marrying Marcie was crazy. We only dated for a short time before I popped the question. We married shortly after that. We're currently in our second year of marriage. It isn't all glamorous or magical or even easy all the time. The thing I learned was that the things that are worth it are also worth fighting for. I told Marcie I loved her. I claimed her as my wife, and I meant every word. Even if it means changing a little bit, the love I have for her is stronger every day and I refuse to change that.