Matthew turned off the engine and looked at Marilyn. "What brought this on?"
"I just realized that for the last week, I've monopolized your time. You've changed your whole routine for me. You've the perfect man. You clean up after yourself, you talk about your feelings, and you help with dinner and are tender with me when I hurt. You've ridden in on your white horse to rescue me and I let you. I've completely let you take over. I didn't even drive today; I just assumed you would be okay with doing it. I'm scared you're going to get sick of me and the life I have to lead and I've come to depend on you more than I probably should. A week ago I would have been going to school and work regardless of what you said. I wouldn't have woken up two hours early and tried to anticipate every argument you would try to throw my way. I simply would have done exactly what I wanted. You scare me! This scares me!" Marilyn finished, raising her voice and spreading out her hands in a gesture that included them both. "I don't know what to expect." she said more quietly.
Matthew reached for one of her hands. "I don't have all the answers at this moment, Marilyn. You may get sick of me in a few days. I just know that what I feel right now doesn't feel like it’s going to go away. We've moved fast because life threw us a curve ball, but that doesn't mean we have to have all the answers right this very second."
Marilyn thought about what he said, agreeing with him, but disappointed he said it. Not sure why that was, Marilyn reached for the door without responding.
"Hey. Why do I suddenly feel like that's not what you wanted to hear." Matthew asked.
"Maybe because it wasn't." Marilyn said, quickly continuing, "But to be fair, I didn't know I wanted to hear something different until you responded."
Matthew scowled, "What did you want to hear."
"The truth." Marilyn responded quickly, firmly. "I know you told me the truth and my heads appreciates that. But my heart is saying that wasn't the whole truth. That a piece of it is missing."
Matthew smiled sweetly. "I want to say a lot more to you, but I'm afraid it will sound like I'm just trying to get into your pants."
Marilyn let out a laugh at his unexpected response. "Aren't you?"
"Yes. But that's not all I'm trying to do. I've enjoyed this past week. I wouldn't change a thing. Well, that's not completely true, but there is a lot about it I wouldn't change. I don’t mind that we are going fast. I like the pace we're going. But, I don't want you to come back later and ask why we weren't careful. Why we didn't stop to think and ask questions before we leaped into something we couldn't stop?"
Marilyn absorbed what he had said, "So you see a future between us?"
"Yes. I see a future. One I want to protect by being careful now."
Marilyn's heart skipped a beat or two. Smiled broadly, a softness crossing her face that was breathtaking to Matthew. "I can live with that."
"Me too." Matthew said quietly. He reached out a hand to caress Marilyn's face, intending to bring her close for a kiss, sealing the commitment they had just made to each other when there was a loud knock on the window. "Hurry up you two, we've got to get to first period."
Marilyn gave a start, then laughed, "Foiled again."
Matthew glared. "He's so going to regret that on the field this afternoon."
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