Nothing like him

Part 38

"Marcus, are you ok?" I said as I followed him out of the restaurant. He turned around and looked at me. "Did Dean say something?" I said as I walked closer.
"He's dying?" Marcus said. I looked down. Why would Dean tell him that? "He told me that me and you look perfect together and should be together when he's gone" He finished. I looked back at Marcus.
"He's uh-" I started. What do I say to that? "Dean is just trying to prepare everyone for his death. I don't know why but he is kind of inested in it, I guess" I said. My eyes started to water at the thought of it. Dean was too sweet for that and even though he may have crossed a line there, he is trying his best.
"Mariana. I like you a lot, and I would love to get back together with you. But I don't want to be waiting for your ex to die before I do it. It's clear that you love Dean and he loves you, but I love you too. I always have and always will and now I don't know if I should be making moves on you or not because of Dean." Marcus said with a bit of a smile. I smiled back.
"Marco" I smiled into his eyes causing him to smile more. I moved closer to him. "You can't have me if you are hiding behind Dean." I giggled. "I like you a lot too, and I would love to get back together with you." Our bodies were against each other and we moved closer and closer together.
"Kiss her," Dean yelled from the restaurant door. Marcus and I both giggled before he wrapped his arms around my waist and planted a kiss right on my lips. A big, meaningful, passionate kiss. It felt like he's wanted to do it for a long time. And it's exactly what I needed right now. Once our lips parted, our eyes found each other again and we smiled. Dean oooo'd and awww'd at us as we walked back towards him. I smacked his arm playfully as if to say shut up. 
That night Marcus dropped me home right to my door and there was a notice on it. My eyes widened at the thought of me getting evicted and Marcus was here to witness it. I opened the letter and let Marcus into my apartment.

Dear Mariana Sinclair.
    Hi there. I am Emma Jones, Franklyn Kurtrinki's daughter. I heard about my fathers passing and regretted not being there for him when it happened. I haven't spoken to my father all that much since my mother passed and so I felt terrible that I was nowhere around when he had passed. I received some stuff he left for me and I noticed that he wanted you to have some stuff of his as well. He had considered you as another daughter and I was happy to hear he had you.
I mailed a box of things he left for you and it should be in your PO box. Please do give me a call when you can, I would love to meet up with you and formally thank you for being a company to my father.
               Sincerely, Emma Larissa Kurits Jones

My jaw nearly fell to the ground once I read the name. Not only did Frank forget to mention how he had put me in his will, but he also forgot to mention that his daughter was one of the most well-known publishers in New york. At that moment I believed god works in mysterious ways. I told Marcus all about it and how I had wanted to publish a book since I was 14 and now I could actually do it. I was definitely going to give her a call.
The next Dean and I went to the post office to get a big box with my name on it. It was filled with the stuff Frank wanted me to have. I banned Dean from touching it and told him that I just needed his car. Once we got the box, I sat in the backseat eager to open it.
"Wait until we are home you impatient animal" He laughed. I knew what was in here, it had to be in here. Frank knew my curious mind would want it and if I didn;t have it I would beg for it. "So how did it go with Marcus last night?" he asked. I smiled and he saw.
"We just went back to my place for some wine. It was nothing" i said.
"That smile says otherwise" He laughed a bit. "So no sex?" he added. My eyes widened as I was not prepared for that question.
"Dean, i am not talking to you about that" I laughed it off.
"Bummer" he said before tuning the music up and starting to bob his head to the tunes. His oxygen tube slapped his neck as he danced in his seat but he didn't seem to care.
We got back to my apartment and as soon as I got into the living room I opened the box and there it was. The journal. The one frank has been curious about me since the day that I met him. He always told me it carried his love story with his wife, something I loved learning about. Dean looked in the box and found a cigar and claimed it for himself. I'm sure Frank intended for Dean to have that considering the fact that they used to smoke together.
After a while of searching through the box dean and I developed an appetite so I decided to make some grilled cheese sandwiches. Dean sat at the counter while I cooked.
"I've been planning something," he started. I looked at him for more information. "My funeral," he said. He rested his arms on the counter and folded his left hand into his right. I reminded myself that I had to accept it, so I did.
"What have you planned?" I said, still cooking the sandwiches.
"I talked to my mom and said that I want all my favorite foods there. Macaroni and cheese, chicken fingers, caesar salad and waffles" he giggled. I smiled. He sounded like a child, I loved it. "I want my casket opened, so everyone can see me one last time. And my mom, sister and dad are going to be too devastated to make a speech. So I was wondering if you could do it?" he said. His smile faded a bit as he looked at me. I looked at him and slowly nodded, agreeing to the task.
"I'd love to do that," I said with a light smile. He smiled at my words.
"Great. My one rule is that it can't be super duper depressing. I don't want people crying unless it's happy-ish tears. They should cry at the memories of me, not at the fact I'm gone, because I'm never gone." he flexed his muscles. "I am fucking indestructable" he laughed. I laughed. His laugh caused him to cough. He flopped back into the chair and tried to take a deep breath. I served him his food and waited until he caught his breath to move away from him.
"I'll try to follow the criteria," I said.  He smiled before digging into his food. I walked back to the kitchen and looked at him. His head was covered with a beanie, the tube in his nose, the sweater he wore over top of his other sweater and the thick socks that peeked from under his sweatpants. He was different, but the same. He still had the perfect nose, beautiful eyes and big lips that had started to look dehydrated. He was sick, and he wasn't getting better.
He started to make his wait outside of the door before I stopped him. He turned around and looked at me. Tears filled my eyes and I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him into me. Silently sobbing in his arms. His arms held me the same way they always have. I loved the feeling of his hand on my body. 
"I love you Dean," I said.
"I love you too mariana" he said. He kissed the top of my head. My eyes met his eyes and I missed him even though he was right in front of me. His eyes started to water and he quickly looked away. He smiled before our bodies separated and I did not want him to leave.  He waved at me with a smile as he walked away. I watched as he walked down the hall holding Frank's cigar in one hand and his oxygen tank in the other. His oxygen tank has wheels on them making it easier for him to lug it around. My eyes stayed set on him as he walked further and further before he  disappeared into the elevator. And then he was gone. I closed the door and took a  deep breath before going back to my living room and looking through Frank's things again.