Page 40 of With Love

Marshall clears his throat and wipes his face with his napkin before he speaks.

“Your parents passed away when you were almost 17. So, no you don’t have family out there waiting for you in the sense that you’re speaking of. From what you told me about them, they were wonderful people. Teachers. They were smart. They taught you everything you know. They gave everything they had to you so you could grow up and chase your dreams. But you also have me and my side of our family. They are out there waiting for you. But they know that it will take time.”

I consider this for a moment, but Marshall begins speaking again.

“Actually, it’s interesting that you should ask about this tonight. I brought some things that I would like to show you, if you’re feeling up to it.”

He reaches to pick up the stack of papers that he brought in with him off of the chair next to his. Holding them in his hands, he gazes at me nervously, before speaking.

“These are some pictures, notes, keepsakes, etcetera that I’ve held onto for the past several years. A lot of our belongings are in storage, but I kept the most important and most personal things here at the house.

“I chose a few things that I thought you may like to see. Some are from your childhood, others are from the beginning of our relationship.”

I try to swallow the lump in my throat. This is a good thing, why am I so nervous?

“It’s completely up to you. You don’t have to. I just thought, now that you’ve had a little more time to adjust here, you may be interested in learning more about your past.”

My gaze flickers from his eyes to the stack of memories he’s holding. Slowly extending my hand out to receive what he’s brought, he hands them to me. Before looking at them, I walk over to my bed and sit down with my legs folded underneath of me. I cover my lap with the comforter before turning the stack over and peering down at the first glimpse into my past.

The first photo is of a woman who could be my twin, and a handsome man at her side. In her arms is a little baby girl, maybe three year’s old, with curly baby-blonde hair and bright green eyes.

Me. Baby me. A sweet, innocent, baby girl without a care in the world. I place the picture down in front of me.

The next picture was a school picture of a girl who appears to be about nine or 10. Her hair is dirty-blonde now, but her eyes are the same bright green as the baby in the first picture. Her big smile shows the world that half of her teeth are missing. Her dimples are as present as ever. She has on a teal colored ruffled blouse and pink and blue laser beams look like they’re shooting through the air behind her head. I turn the picture over and written in handwriting so similar to my own, I see Adrienne - age 9.

With tears in my eyes, I place this picture next to the first one.

The next picture is of my parents and me at Disney World when I was 10. There was another one from my 13th birthday with me and some of my friends. I had a sleepover at my house. All of us were sitting on top of our sleeping bags, smiling, not a care in the world. Number 13, and happy birthday signs were all over the walls.

There was a picture of me and my parents on my 16th birthday. We were surrounding a cake with pink and green flowers all over it. Happy Sweet 16, Adrienne was written on the cake in pink cursive icing.

That was the last picture of my parents and me. I placed each of these pictures down on my bed with the rest of them. Tears beginning to fall faster down my face.

“Are you alright?” Marshall’s voice comes from the left side of me. I didn’t even realize he had moved from the table, but here he is, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“I’m okay, yeah,” I pat the bed next to me. “You can come closer if you want.”

He slowly works his shoes from his feet before resting his back against the pillows and stretching his legs out in front of him.

He silently watches as I go through some more of the pictures.

A graduation picture. A picture of me and an older lady.

“That’s Ms. Werner. She lived down the street from you and your parents. You rented a room from her while you finished high school.”

I smile.

“She seems sweet. I guess she must have been to take me in like that.”

“She was. You told me that you refused to live there for free and that you were determined to pay her rent each month. She finally gave in and took the money from you, but then she wrote you a check for your graduation gift, giving all of it back to you.”

Smiling, I place that picture down on the bed too.

Next in the pile is a picture of Marshall and me lying in bed together. I am asleep on his chest and he is smiling a goofy grin at the camera. I blush when I realize that we’re naked, even though you can’t see anything.

My eyes dash over to Marshall’s as I flash him a shy smile. He just looks back at me and refuses to offer up a caption for this photo.

“No explanation needed here, I suppose,” I giggle like a school-girl.

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