Silver Pt. 06

It was the first time that I heard her call us kids. We had all become a family, and it felt so nice just to belong. While Marlene left to retrieve the artificial tree from the basement, I sat down on the sofa to speak with her mom.

"Mom," I said in a very light whisper, "Would it be alright if I stopped by tomorrow to talk to you?"

"Sure, Michael, is everything alright?" she asked in a low voice.

"Yes, I just need to discuss something with you," I replied with a smile. "Would ten o'clock be OK?"

"Yes, ten would be fine," she whispered as the sound of Marlene coming up the steps ended our conversation.

Marlene entered the living room with the box containing the tree. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart, I should have helped you with that," I said.

Marlene laid the small box in front of me and said with a laugh, "I think that I can handle it!"

I felt the box and began to laugh. "What kind of tree is this?"

"Michael, you leave my little Charlie Brown tree alone," Mrs. Cassidy laughed.

Marlene pulled the three pieces of the prelit artificial tree from the box. "Michael, how about you put these pieces together while I move the chairs away from the front window."

I connected the three pieces together, unfolding the branches and connecting the lights. It took all of five minutes to assemble, and after forgetting about the box in front of me, I tripped and fell onto the floor with the artificial tree following close behind. "Oh my god, Michael, are you alright?" Marlene asked as she ran over to me.

"Michael..." Marlene's mom gasped as she rose from the sofa.

Misty ran to me and began licking my face. "Misty, enough girl; your breath is brutal," I laughed as I laid sprawled out on the floor with a tree on top of me.

"Michael, are you OK?" Marlene asked in concern once again as she pulled the tree off of me.

I laid on the floor laughing at my stupidity. "Yes, Sweetheart, I'm fine... How about the tree? Did it survive?"

"Don't worry about the stupid tree... Here, let me help you up," Marlene said as she knelt before me.

"I would tackle you right now if your mom wasn't here," I whispered to her as she helped me up.

"He's fine, mom," Marlene said with a smile returning to her voice.

"How's the tree?" I asked again.

"Michael, really? Is that all you're worried about?" Marlene asked.

"No, I worry about a lot of things," I smiled.

"You are absolutely impossible!" Marlene said in a flustered voice. "Oh wow, you have quite a bruise on your forearm already."

"I'm sure that I'll survive," I replied. "I'll let you move the tree over to the window though."

"The things we do for love," Marlene said as she picked up the five foot tree and centered it in front of the window.

After grabbing the boxes containing the Christmas balls and ornaments, Marlene and her mom decorated the tree while I sat and gave Misty her belly rub. It didn't take long for the job to be completed and soon, the tree was brought to life as the traditional skirt was placed around the bottom.

"It looks beautiful!" Mrs. Cassidy exclaimed. "Thank you so much, kids!"

"A job well done," I added as Marlene placed the star on top of the tree.

"Now, all we have to do is wait for Santa to come!" Mrs. Cassidy said with a smile to her voice.

After eating a spaghetti dinner that Mrs. Cassidy had prepared, Marlene, Misty, and myself made our way back to my house. Marlene plugged in the tree upon arrival and after feeding Misty her dinner, we sat on the sofa in total silence, looking at the beautifully lit tree. Christmas was indeed going to be very special for me and Marlene this year. Both of us had not had a happy holiday in many, many years, but the both of us knew that night, that all was about to change for the better. We fell into each other's arms as we toppled over. Marlene fell asleep on my chest, as did I, under the comforting weight of her body. She woke me up around ten o'clock, telling me that she had to get home and get her clothes set out for work. We kissed each other good night in front of our very first Christmas tree. I could picture the sparkle in her green eyes, knowing that this time next year, we would be husband and wife.

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The next morning, after grabbing a cup of coffee and showering, Misty and I walked along the cold sidewalks of our town on our way to Marlene's mom's home. As we crossed the last street, I gave Misty the command to make a left turn. She did the turn as I knew she would and we continued down Marlene's street. "Find Mommy's house, girl," I said excitedly. "C'mon pup, let's go see Mommy!"

Misty's pace picked up as the cold wind was now in our face. She loved this weather, and quite frankly, it was easier not only for her, but for me to walk in the cold rather than the heat of summer. Misty made a sharp right onto Mrs. Cassidy's sidewalk and led me to the door. I knocked at the door and in seconds, Mrs. Cassidy was opening it and hurrying us inside out of the cold.

After removing Misty's harness, she ran through the house before racing to Mrs. Cassidy's feet. "How is my pretty girl?" she asked in a high voice. "You are such a pretty baby!"

I heard Misty fall to the floor and knew that she had assumed her usual position on her back with her belly raised high. "Oh, does my pretty girl want a belly rub?" Mrs. Cassidy asked with excitement.

I walked towards her voice, running into Misty's butt before leaning over and giving Marlene's mom a kiss. "Hi mom, how are you this morning?" I asked with a smile.

"I'm fine, Michael, how are you? Is everything alright? How about a cup of coffee?"

"I'm fine mom... No thanks, I had my one cup already."

"Here Michael, come sit," Mrs. Cassidy said as she patted the sofa.

I sat down nervously next to her, not knowing how to start. "Michael, what's the matter, Sweetheart?" she asked in a soft motherly tone.

I took her hand into mine and held it gently. "Mom, I want you to know that I love Marlene more than I have ever loved anyone in my life... And, um...I know that this may seem old fashioned, or it might seem silly for a man of my age to say this, but...I, um...would like to ask you..."

The tears began to well up in my eyes and soon they were running down my cheeks under my sunglasses.

"Michael, sweetheart, it's alright, what do you need?" she asked in concern.

"Mom, I want to...ask your...permission to...marry...Marlene."

I was overwhelmed with emotion as the tears trickled from my chin and dropped onto my jeans. I was shaking terribly as I held onto her hand.

"Oh Michael, Michael, you sweet, sweet man... There is no need to ask me permission; Marlene is a grown woman."

"I know, mom, but I wanted to ask you because I never got the opportunity to ask a parent for their daughter's hand in marriage before."

"But you were married before, weren't you son?"

"Yes, but well, um, her father had passed away two years previous to our engagement, and her mom lived in another state."

Oh Sweetheart, of course you can marry Marlene; you have saved her life. Michael, she was beaten so badly, and her emotional state was so hard to witness; I thought that I had lost my little girl again," Mrs Cassidy said in a trembling voice. "And then, that one morning; that one cold morning, you and Misty appeared in front of her like two angels sent from above. You changed her entire outlook, and gave her a reason to go on with her life. She fell in love with you from the very first second that she laid her eyes on you."

"Thank you, mom, I instantly fell in love with her too," I replied as the tears began to dry on my skin. "But mom, there's something else that I need to discuss with you."

"What is it, Michael?" she asked, holding my hand in both of hers.

"I'm worried about you; I don't want to take Marlene away and leave you here alone."

"Son, you don't have to worry about me; I'm fine on my own," she said as she rubbed my hand.

"But that's it, mom; I don't want you to be on your own; that means you are alone. I was thinking that maybe you could live with me and Marlene. Maybe we could buy a house and have a mother-in-law suite built onto it. It would be like your own little apartment, only you'll be with us."

"Michael, this house is really Marlene's," she whispered as if someone were to hear her.

"What do you mean?"

"She, Ed, and Janet had the house put in my name and on the mortgage to hide from that aweful, rotten thing she was married to. Marlene pays all of the expenses for this house; I just live here with her."

"That's amazing news, mom, but still, I don't want to take Marlene from you and leave you here, or anywhere alone."

"Michael, that is sweet of you, but I'll be fine where ever I am. You know, we can still make a trade for Misty!" she laughed as she rocked my hand back and forth.

I laughed at her statement, replying, "You're just not going to give up on that, are you?"

"I'll never give up on my precious girl," she said in a high pitched voice as she let go of my hand and began to rub Misty again. "May I ask when you plan on asking her?"

"Sometime after the holidays," I replied. "I want to really surprise her and not do the stereotypical Christmas, New Year's, or Valentine's Day engagement. She is making me feel really guilty because I think she believes that there is going to be a ring in her stocking for Christmas."

"Michael, I can't wait, she is going to be over the moon when you give her a ring," Mrs. Cassidy said in complete happiness.

"Mom, I might need your help during Christmas because she will probably be feeling a little blue when she doesn't get a ring. You might have to talk to her if she gets down, OK?"

"Sure, Sweetheart, I'll take care of her," she said, reassuring me about my decision.

"Mom, I'll make sure that when I ask Marlene for her hand, we discuss your situation."

We chatted a bit longer about my plans and other things before I told her that I had to get a move on. I saddled up Misty in her harness, kissed Mrs. Cassidy goodbye and thanked her for her time and kindness before leaving for home. I had some major shopping to do, and Christmas was just around the corner.

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Hoping that you have enjoyed Pt. 06! Please continue on to Pt. 07 at your convenience, where some shopping escapades occur, and Marlene and Michael spend their first Christmas together!

Thank you all for your support throughout the Silver series. Your votes and feedback are very much appreciated! It gives me as an author, guidance as to how the story will progress.

See you all in, Silver Pt. 07!

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