Patience is a Virtue

Chapter 34 Eternity Has No End

Chapter 34 Eternity Has No End

15 Years Later

"Wait!  You have to let me carry you over the threshold."  Mark glared at me as I tried to enter the stateroom.

I giggled, "I didn't know that was a standard requirement for 15th Anniversaries."

Mark threw our backpacks into the room and scooped me up, planting a toe curling kiss on my lips.  I love that he still causes that reaction in me, even after 15 years.  "I just thought we can recreate some of the honeymoon memories and fireworks."  Butterflies fluttered in my abdomen and I couldn't help but give a little squeal of excitement at his words.

As he set me down, I took in the room.  "There is one big difference in this cruise verses our honeymoon cruise."

"What?"  Mark looked around trying to spot the difference.

"On our honeymoon, we had a window.  This time we have our own private balcony."

He smiled and we laced our hands together as we stepped out to explore our space for the week.  "This is nice."  He took in a deep breath of the ocean air as he leaned on the railing.

I leaned over and looked up, "I can't believe you splurged and got us a room on the top floor of staterooms."

Mark put his arm around my waist and kissed my neck, "I wanted the best for my girl."

"But every other time we have cruised, we always get an inside cabin."

"That's because we bring the kids."

I laughed again, "Do you remember, after our fourth was born, you said, and I quote, 'We are now the poorest we have ever been'."  I shook my head at the memory.

"We were!"

I leaned over the side to try to see if you could see into your neighbor's balcony space.  You would really have to lean out pretty far to see in.  "You know... We don't have anyone above us, the people below can't see up in our balcony, and the neighbors would have to lean over pretty far to intentionally look in our balcony..."  I wiggled my eyebrows.

"What are you getting at, B?"

I went up on my tippy toes to whisper, "We can be wild and have sêx on the balcony."  He let out a groan.  I continued in a normal voice, "You know, when we are out at sea, there are no lights.  I bet it gets pretty dark out here on our balcony."

"That's what you think, huh?"  Mark chuckled and walked back into our stateroom to unpack.

I followed behind him, "I just thought we might be able to have a wild moment, but only if you are up for it."  I wiggled my hips and went to the bathroom.

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"Welcome!  I will be your waiter for the week and these other two guys are my assistant waiters.  What would you like tonight?"  We placed our order and then sat back and relaxed, taking in all the other guests that would be sitting near us.

Mark broke our silence, "They put us at a table for two.  Now who are you going to use up all your 10,000 words a day on?"

I giggled, "I will make it a point to talk to other people throughout the day, so I don't bombard you at dinner." 

Mark winked at me.  "You know I don't mind listening, just don't expect me to respond all the time.  I only need to get out 2,000 words in a day."

Just then one of the assistant waiters came to our table, "Good evening, I'm Flavius."  He spoke in a strong accent.

I quickly read his name tag.  Under his name was the country Romania.  "Hi, Flavius.  I'm Brinnley and this is my husband Mark."

He broke out a huge, happy smile and began shifting his weight back and forth, almost like he was an excited puppy and ready to start bouncing in place.  "So, how long have you two been married?"  He looked between us both.

"Fifteen years!"  I answered with a happy smile.

His eyes almost popped out, his jaw dropped.  "Fifteen years?  I didn't think you two looked old enough to be married that long." 

Mark burst out laughing, "See all my greys."  He ran his fingers through the hair above his ears.  "This is what kids do to you."

Flavius seemed eager to talk to us, "How many kids do you have?"

"Four.  Three boys and a girl."

Flavius shook his head back and forth, "I can't even imagine four kids.  I can't even imagine myself married."  He looked around to see if he was needed somewhere else, then continued the conversation when he saw he was free to speak to us.  "What's your advice, Mark, for fifteen years?  You two still look happy, so something must be right."

I glanced over at my man, still seeing him through my dreamy love goggles.  "I found someone with more patience than Job, and then I held on for dear life."  Mark reached across the table, lacing our fingers together.  "And I follow my Dad's advice; 'Mark, you found a great girl.  You are marrying up.  Now, don't screw it up!'  Best advice ever."

I giggled, "You never told me your dad said that.  When?"

"The day we got engaged, when I spoke to him on the phone."  Flavius waved bye as he quickly left our table to go do his job.  "He had always told me and my brothers to marry a girl aboveour status."

"I wasn't above you."  I shook my head, denying that he could have ever seen me as above his status.

"B, you were.  You had dreams, ambitions, goals.  I knew that you would push me to be the best I can be.  I knew you wouldn't let me quit on the idea of graduate school.  And I knew you were strong in holding to your beliefs.  That's what I needed.  You are what I still need.  You make me a better man."

I had to wipe away the tears that dribbled down my cheeks.  How does he still do that?  We have had Fifteen year of marriage bliss.  I am so greatful for all the ups and downs that brought us together in a way I never would have thought possible.  And I am glad to have the patience that was required for us to get thought that first six months of rocky terrain where Cheryl was also in the picture. 

Anytime people ask me, "How did you and Mark meet?"  I always have to laugh.  I explain it is a long story, and most look at Mark with surprise.  The women respond, "I would have never stuck around as long as Brinnley."  And the men just laugh and usually fist bump Mark, like they all are in the same fraternity of brotherhood.

"I am so glad I won.  I can't even imagine where I would be in life without you in it."  I quietly laughed, glanced around to make sure no one else was listening to us, "So about that balcony proposition..."  I ran my foot up the inside of his leg, wiggling my eyebrows at him.

"Did you want to stay for the dessert?  Or would you rather go?"

I wiped my mouth with my napkin, took a quick drink of my water and stood.  Flavius was right behind me to get my chair, "You aren't staying for dessert?"

I looked at him over my shoulder with a teenage mischievous grin stating, "We have dessert waiting in our room tonight."  Mark pulled me along, his long stride covering the length of the boat in a matter of seconds rather than minutes.  My cheeks flamed with rosiness, my legs grew weak and my lower abdomen clenched with anticipation.  "After tonight we can cross off 'sex on a balcony' from my bucket list."

Mark laughed loudly as he opened our room door.  "I didn't know that was on your bucket list.  I would have found a balcony, somewhere, to fulfill that desire by now."  I just shrugged my shoulders as the stateroom door closed behind me.

Fifteen years and counting!  Our Eternity has no end.

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Thank you for reading, voting, and commenting on my story.  This story was true, real life.  The names of the characters were changed to protect identities.