Silver Pt. 04

"Michael, I'm sorry," Marlene said as she stopped and turned my face towards her. "Why?"

"I don't know, I believe that the loss of my sight had a lot to do with it. She bore the weight of the world on her shoulders. Even though I was working as a programmer at a major university hospital in Philadelphia, took the train in and back home by myself, took care of the baby and things around the house, she was the one who always had to drive."

"She did all of this because she had to drive?" Marlene asked in shock.

"Yep, it's a fucking shame that she had the ability to pick up a set of keys and go anywhere that she wanted, anytime she desired," I replied. "People don't realize how lucky they are to be able to do that, and yet, that is what they complain about the most. I would give my left testicle to enjoy the privelage of sitting in traffic behind the wheel of a car. You know, at times, it's hard for me to just get a simple ride down to the grocery store. You get to the point when you feel that you are bugging people for the simplest of things."

"Michael, I don't understand people somethimes, and the simple things that we all take for granted. You are teaching me so much about life and as painful as it is for me to listen, you have opened my eyes to a new world. I don't know how you stay so strong all of the time."

"Sweetheart, I have my days, believe me, the strength that you see in me gets tested every day," I said with a half smile. "So anyway, I filed for divorce, my wife punched me in the face when she found out, and our divorce was a very bitter process. She's a nasty, miserable person, and I no longer have any communication with her."

"She punched you in the face?"

"Yes, and it was at that point when I knew for certain, that I would never strike a woman."

"Hmm, I guess that I don't have to worry about her huh?" Marlene asked with a pinch on my cheek.

"Honey, you don't have to ever worry about anyone," I said with a smile and a kiss.

Before I knew it, we were at Marlene's mom's house. We walked inside and Marlene shouted that we were there. I heard a sweet voice in the distance say, "Is my pretty baby here?"

"Oh brother," Marlene sighed.

I released Misty from her leash and she dashed towards the kitchen where Mrs. Cassidy was preparing dinner.

"There's my pretty baby. Oh, you are such a sweetheart," Mrs. Cassidy cooed. I heard the recognizable thump of Misty dropping herself onto the floor and onto her back.

"Oh brother is right," I said with a laugh.

"Do you like your belly scratched, pretty girl?"

Marlene and I walked into the kitchen where her mom was kneeling on the floor rubbing Misty's belly and talking to her in her sweet voice.

"Hi mom," Marlene said with a smile as she gazed down at her, kneeling on the floor like a little kid, playing with Misty.

"Hi Mrs. Cassidy," I said. "It smells great in here; what's for dinner?" I asked.

"Hi you two, we're having roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, corn and peas."

I scrunched my face when I heard the word peas. "You don't like peas, Michael?" Marlene asked.

"Um, no, I refuse to put things in my mouth that smell like stinky feet," I said with a shiver. "I spent many a night at the table with cold peas on my plate while the other kids played outside."

"You had to sit there until you ate your peas?" Marlene asked.

"Yep, on many occasions, I sat there until eight at night, until I was eventually told to take a bath and get into bed."

"Wow, a little extreme, huh?" she commented.

We set the table together, as Mrs. Cassidy finished Misty's spa treatment on the floor. Marlene showed me to the sofa in the living room and turned on the TV. "I'll be back, Handsome, I'm going to help mom get dinner ready; are you alright sitting here?"

"Yes Beautiful, I'm good. Go in and help mom and I'll see if I can distract Misty and let you two make dinner in peace," I laughed. "Misty, come girl," I called. Misty raced out and dropped at my feet, and for those of you who are wondering, yes, on her back! "For goodness sake, Misty, do you ever get tired of this?" I sighed.

We had a wonderful meal together. The chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn were delicious. I fended off the badgering that I was taking from Marlene and her mom about not eating peas. We spoke about how long I lived in town, my mairrage, and my daughter. I told Mrs. Cassidy the same story that I had told Marlene on the way over to her house. I said that Monica was twenty-three, lived at school year round in an off campus apartment, and worked as a hostess at a cafe.

"She doesn't dance, does she?" Mrs. Cassidy asked.

I almost choked on the corn that I was chewing when the words left her mouth. "Mother!" Marlene gasped loudly.

I began laughing uncontrollably as her mom said, "Well, it's not like it never happened before."

Marlene slapped me on my arm as she laughed, telling me to stop encouraging her. She informed her mom that I already knew about her past, as she gave me a pinch on my arm.

"That's enough from you two," she said to us, as she continued to laugh while nervously scraping at her plate. "The both of you are sooo funny," she said in frustration.

We finished dinner and every once in awhile, I would begin to laugh, receiving a light kick from beneath the table. Marlene and I cleared the dishes and cleaned the kitchen, while her mom and Misty sat on the living room floor together. "I think that I've been replaced," Marlene said as she gave me a hug and a kiss. Her mouth widened to a smile as she could tell what I was thinking. "You're not funny, Handsome, and if you don't knock it off, you're going to pay for it!"

"Promise?" I asked with a grin.

"Yes, I promise," she said as she took my earlobe between her teeth and gave it a light tug.

"Mmm, you better stop," I lightly moaned.

"Oh don't you worry, we're not finished for the night," she whispered in my ear.

"Mom, would you like some coffee?" she yelled out.

"Sure Honey, that sounds nice," her mom replied.

Marlene made a pot of coffee for the three of us and we sat at the table, drinking our coffee and eating pound cake. "Mrs. Cassidy, I could get used to this," I said with a mouth full of cake.

"Michael, enough of the Mrs. Cassidy stuff, please call me Joan," she replied.

"Mom!" Marlene interjected.

"How about, Mrs. C," I suggested.

"Joan," she retorted.

"Mom?" I replied back.

"OK, Mom is fine I guess," she said with a smile to her voice.

Marlene nudged me under the table and I could tell that she was smiling as she sipped her coffee. We cleaned up after finishing our dessert and I thanked Marlene's mom as we prepared to walk back home.

"How about the two of you go and leave my pretty girl here," her mom suggested.

Marlene laughed and said, "I'm assuming when you say the two of you, you mean me and Michael, and when you say pretty girl, you are talking about Misty?"

"That would be correct, Dear," her mom said, as she stood to give us a hug.

"Goodnight, Mrs...Mom," I said, "Thank you again for a delicious dinner."

"You're welcome, Michael. Goodnight pretty girl," she said to Misty as she gave her one last scratch on the head.

Marlene kissed her mom goodnight and told her that if she needed anything, to call her. "I'll see you later tomorrow morning, mom, I love you."

"Goodnight Sweetheart, I love you too," her mom said to her as she gave her a hug.

We made our way outside into the muggy July night air. "Let's take the long way home," Marlene suggested.

"Sure, that sounds nice," I replied.

"How about we cross the street right here though," she said.

"OK, why?" I asked.

"I want to walk the same way that you and Misty did the first morning that I saw you, only this time when you round the corner and disappear, I'll be in your arms," she said with a smile, along with a soft, lingering kiss.

So we did. We crossed the street in front of her house, walked down the sidewalk, rounded the corner, and disappeared into the night together.

During our prolonged walk home, we laughed about her mom and the funny things that she said. Marlene repaid me this time, by swinging her hips into me, commenting just how funny the two of us thought we were. I laughed at her and told her not to worry, that we were only teasing because we loved her.

"Love? Oh brother, I could just imagine if you didn't like me," she giggled.

"Hey, I'm not being funny when I ask you this, but would you like to go out dancing Thursday night?"

"Dancing? Really?" she said in surprise.

"Yes, dancing... I want to see what you have!" I laughed.

"Oh, I've got a lot, Handsome; do you think that you can hold your own with me?"

"Please, these hips of mine were born to dance," I said with a grin.

Marlene stopped and laughed, "These little things?"

She grabbed my hips and kissed me. I gave them a shake and said, "C'mon baby, they're ready to go."

"Oh Michael, I can't wait for this," she said laughing out loud.

"You just wait," I said with a laugh.

We walked together, arm in arm, laughing and talking trash to each other for the remainder of the way. We must have sounded like two kids as we strolled along, slowly making our way home, while the crickets chirped out their nightly love songs. As we reached the house and made our way inside, Misty ran to the back door and was ready to go out. Marlene stood out with her as I gave her food and fresh water. The door opened and Misty ran straight for the cabinet. "Can I give her a bone?" Marlene asked.

"Yeah, go ahead," I said, exasperated. "She can eat after her dessert," I said with a grin.

"Oh, is that right, Mr. Funny Man?" she replied, walking into me and kissing me hard on the mouth.

She slid her tongue into me and we kissed; a long, hot, passionate, kiss. I lifted her shirt off, leaned over, and took a nipple into my mouth. Marlene moaned as she grabbed the back of my head and pulled me in harder. I pushed her back against the kitchen table, and after releasing her nipple, pulled out a chair. before sitting her down, I knelt in front of her and removed the damp thong that she was wearing under her denim skirt. I asked her to lift her skirt and take a seat. "Don't you want me to take it off?" she asked.

"No, you won't be lasting that long," I said with a grin.

"Oh Michael," she moaned, as she lifted her skirt around her waist and sat on the edge of the chair.

I placed my hands on each thigh, , separating them enough for me to get my face between them and slid my tongue along the already moist lips of her pussy. Marlene gasped as she spread her legs wider. In one long stroke, my tongue penetrated the softness of her lips and gave it a deeper lick along it's length and up to her clit. "Oooh," Marlene gasped again and took my hair into her fist, pulling me hard into her. "Oh God, Michael, that feels so good, don't stop, keep going..."

I continued to lick her, taking my time to stop and kiss along her spread lips, gently sucking them one at a time into my mouth. I kissed my way down to her thigh and took the tender skin between my teeth, giving her a playful bite. "Michael, please, yes...suck me...in...your...mouth."

I did the same to her other thigh before kissing my way back to her pussy. I dipped my tongue deep into her and held it inside, swirling and curling it up along the walls of her dripping hold. Marlene threw her legs over my shoulders and pulled me into her again, as she began to rock against my face. "Oh yes, Michael, yes, lick me, lick me harder, yes, harder," she moaned as she grabbed my hair once again and forcefully pulled me in. I moaned and hummed as I laid my tongue on her clit. Marlene rocked against me as she held me tightly. "Oh yes, I'm coming, Michael, I'm going to come, I'm going to come."

Her pace quickened against me as she gasp, "Oooohhhh...yes...God...Michael...yes."

The oncoming wave of ecstasy hit her hard and fast, as she stiffened and dug her bare feet into my back. Her breathing was rapid and heavy as she slumped forward. "Oh Michael, oh Michael," she cried out, as her orgasm released the tension that she held within her body. She dropped her feet to the floor and lifted my face to hers, kissing and licking her juices.

"Mmm, that was better than pound cake!" I said with a grin.

"Michael," she said, "that was unbelievable. Each time it gets stronger; I swear, it gets stronger. What are you doing to me?"

"As I told you before, Sweetheart, I just close my eyes and hope for the best!"

Marlene bent over again resting her breasts onto my face and laughed. "You are insane," she said, as she wiggled them into my face.

"Now, I could get used to that," I smiled as she dragged her nipples across my lips before sitting back in the chair.

I collected her thong from the floor and slid it back up her legs As she stood. Her skirt fell down over my hands and she took the sexy panty from me and pulled them up the rest of the way. I raised from my knees with a groan as Marlene walked over and retrieved her shirt. "Should I bother to put this back on?" she asked.

"No, why bother. How about if I turn the radio on while you light some of the candles that I have lying around this place and we can lay together on the sofa," I suggested.

"Hmm, that sounds nice; where are your matches?"

"I have one of those clicker things in the drawer under the microwave."

"One of those clicker things?" Marlene asked with a giggle.

"Yeah, you know what I mean, you click the trigger and a flame comes out of the end," I replied.

"It's called a candle lighter, Handsome," Marlene said, still giggling from my previous faux pas.

I walked into the living room and turned the stereo on. The music blaired out of the surround sound as I fumbled with the remote to turn the volume down.

"Jesus, Michael, you just scared the crap out of me," Marlene gasped.

"Sorry, the last time that I had it on, I was vacuuming."

I finally lowered the volume and slected an easy listening station as Marlene finished lighting the candles. She came to me as I laid on the sofa and lowered herself down onto me. I had removed my shirt and as her warm breasts pressed against my skin, I let out a groan. "Oh God, you feel so good, Sweetheart, I whispered, as the stereo played a slow, romantic love song.

"Michael, it's so beautiful in here, the candles are flickering and dancing across the room."

She wiggled down a bit and laid her head onto my chest. I began to hum the song that was playing as I softly stroked her hair. I found that her hair was also my security blanket as the feeling of it's length eased my mind.

"You like playing with my hair, don't you?"

"Mmm, yes," I whispered, "It's so relaxing."

"I love when you do it, it feels like heaven," she sighed. She reached up and kissed my chin, telling me that she could hear me humming through my chest. "You have a nice deep voice, Handsome."

"It's sounds much better in the shower," I laughed.

"Do you have a favorite song?" she softly asked, mindlessly tracing her finger nails along my sides.

"MMM, I have a lot of favorite songs."

"But, do you have a very favorite one?" she asked again.

"It's so hard to pick just one, let me think about it," I whispered, kissing her on the top of her head.

"OK, let me know when you decide," she yawned into my chest. "Michael?"

"Yeah, Sweetheart?"

"I love you."

I dropped my hands to her back and said, "I love you too, Beautiful."

The atmosphere in the room couldn't have been more perfect, the silence of the house was noticeable, with the exception of the soft music that played on the stereo. Marlene nuzzled her nose into me as I lightly tickled her back. "Do you think that this was all planned?" she asked.

"It almost seems so, doesn't it," I softly said. "but, everything that we ever did in our lives would have been connected to this very moment, and this very moment will be connected to the rest of the things that happen to us in the future," I replied.

"That's true," she whispered, "But let's stop time and let it all have led to this very moment."

"OK, let's do that, Sweetheart," I said as I pulled her in closer.

We laid silently together, seemingly content for the first time in our lives. I could picture the shadows of the candlelight dancing across the room and the form of a beautiful woman lying on top of me, holding me as if I were the only important person in her world. I let out a long breath and felt my body fall limply into the cushions of the sofa. Marlene raised her head up quickly and said, "Michael, what's that?"

"Nothing like a dreaming, barking dog to ruin the romance of the evening," I sighed. Misty was lying in the bedromm, dreaming away.

"Oh Michael, listen to her, she sounds so cute. I wonder what she's dreaming?"

"If I were to guess, I would say that she is dreaming that she is telling her friends about the beautiful ass that she was following in the mall today."

"Michael, she is not... You're so bad," she giggled into my chest.

"Marlene, have you ever seen your ass?" I said with a smile.

"Oh, stop... Listen to those little, high pitched barks. She sounds so adorable."

"Come here, Sweetheart, I have something for you," I said as I held the sides of her chest and began to push her up.

"Oh you do, do you?" she said with a sly smile.

Marlene and I got up and I told her to hold onto me. I began to walk through the living room and into the darkened hallway. "Michael, I can't see a thing; where are we going?"

"Welcome to my world," I joked. "Just hold onto me."

I led Marlene into the dark, spare bedroom and brought her to an extra sofa that I had in there. I turned her around and causciously sat her down. As I started to walk away, she asked, "Where are you going? Don't leave me here alone."

"I'm right here, Beautiful," I said. "Relax, I'm not going anywhere. Just sit back in the sofa and listen. Trust me, Sweetheart."

I nervously sat down on a bench and turned my back to her. My thumb hit a "C sharp, followed by my pinky striking the "A" above it. I played the "c sharp, "D", "E" notes in succession followed by an "E7". The piano came to life as my fingers graced the keys. Marlene inhaled deeply, "Oh...my...God..."

I played an "A" chord with "A" octaves in the base as I began-

"There are places I remember

All my life, though some have changed."

My voice cracked as the emotions overcame my entire body. I attempted to continue the song-

"Some forever, not for better

Some have gone, and some remain

All these places have their moments

With lovers and friends, I still can recall

Some are dead and some are living

In my life, I've loved them all."

I repeated the intro and continued, this time with a shaky voice and tears running down my face.

"But of all these friends and lovers

There is no one compares with you

And these memories lose their meaning

When I think of love as something new

Though I know I'll never lose affection

For people and things that went before

I know I'll often stop and think about them

In my life, I love you more."

*** (Lennon, McCartney) Artist: The Beatles Album: Rubber Soul Released: Dec. 1965, Capital Records ***

I didn't finish the rest of the song, but went to the end and whimpered, "In my life, I love you more." I played out the ending, holding my foot down on the sustain pedal, as the piano echoed and the final chord lingered in the dark room. I turned to face Marlene, who was crying alone in the darkness and said, "That is my favorite song, Beautiful."

I stood and walked to her, taking her trembling hands and lifted them up to me. She threw her arms around my neck and buried her face into my shoulder, shaking and trembling as she held me tightly. "That was the most beautiful, romantic thing that anyone has ever done for me," she cried.