The Love of My LIfe (Part 3)

December 31, 2004
7.40 PM
Brooke

We’re having a party! Marco was against it at first but he seems perfectly satisfied now. I didn’t exactly play fair: I brought it up in front of Jenny and she got all excited and then he couldn’t bear to disappoint her.

Yesterday Lenny and I went to the grocery store and brought everything we need including napkins with Happy New Year printed in gold with matching paper plates.

Marco looks up at me and says, “Darling, it’s almost show time. Go take your shower.” I glance at my watch and rush to the bathroom.

After all the rush, showering, dressing up and back into the kitchen to check everything up. I look at Marco and say, “Aren’t you going to change?”

“Yeah, sure. Help me pick some clothes, will you?” We walk into our bedroom.

“What do you want to wear?” I’m hunting through his drawers for clothes.

“Whatever. You choose.” Marco lies on the bed. “Come here, darl.”

I stop rifting to through the closet and says, “There is no.”

“Absolutely true. So let’s not waste our time talking.” His voice is quiet, sexy and almost seducing. I flip the lock on the door.
“You know darl, you are so mean. I just got dressed.”
“Shhh.” He holds out his arm to me and the phrase one last time just pops into my mind unbidden.

8.40 PM
Marco

It all goes so fast. The doorbell rings and suddenly the house is packed with our nearest and dearest, we have invited everyone who matter to us: Dad, Lenny, artist friends of Clare’s, library school friends of mine, even parents of Jenny’s parents.

10.45 PM
Brooke

The children have run around and eaten too much party food and now they are sleepy but cranky. Jenny and her friends are not so restrained. “Mommy.... you said we could stay up!” Jenny bleats.

“Sure kiddo. You don’t want to sleep for a while?”

“Nooooooo.” Jenny says.

Then I look around at the living room, which is filled with a small group of people trying to dance, in a variety of way. I realize Marco isn’t in the living room. Marco isn’t in the kitchen as well. Hmm I wondered where he is.

11.20 PM
Marco

It has become very warm in the house, and I need to cool off, so here I am sitting on the enclosed front porch. I have been here for almost an hour. I can hear people talking in the living room. The snow is falling thick and fast now, covering all the cars and bushes. It’s a beautiful night. I open the door between the porch and the living room looking for Brooke.

11.40 PM
Brooke

I found Marco is sitting by himself on the front porch, in the dark, watching it snow. I’ve hardly glanced out the window all day, and now I realize it’s been snowing for hours.
“Come inside,” I say. I am standing beside him and Marco puts his arm round my waist and leans his head on my hip.
“I wish we could just stop time now, “he says. I’m running my fingers through his hair. It’s stiffer and thicker than it used to be, before it went gray.
“Brooke, it’s time...” he says
“What? What do you mean by its time?” I panic.
“It’s... I’m...”
“My God.” I sit down, facing Marco. “Are you in pain? I’m calling the ambulance!” Marco squeezes my hands tightly, not letting me go. “The last minutes of my life, I want to spend it with you. Just you. The love of my life” I’m shivering in my thin dress. In the house people are laughing and dancing. He puts his arm around me, warming me.
“Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you let me invite all these people?” I don’t want to be angry at him but I am.
“I don’t exactly know Brooke; I just feel it coming very soon. I don’t want you to be alone after and I wanted to say goodbye to everyone. It’s been good; it was a good last hurrah...” We sit there silently for a while. The snow falls, silently. Then his nose start to bleed, I panic. I can’t believe this. Somehow I know it was coming but here it is and we are just sitting here, waiting...
“Brooke... Kiss me!” Marco says.
I am kissing Marco and I hear people screaming, “Ten, nine, eight!” I start crying and co says “Stop crying Brooke, please... Love you always...” and everyone screams, all together “Happy New Year!” Outside on the street someone sets of firecrackers. I sit on the floor, holding Marco. The love of my life.