Marjoreece - Date Night

Telling Reece

Marjorie ordered another drink and rang Reece. "Hey gorgeous, I was just leaving work, are you OK?"

"Yea, I'm fine, but.... could you come and pick me up from the bar, please? I don't think I should drive home."

"The bar? What are you doing at the bar? I thought you were at work? What's happened?"

"I was at work, then something came up. I'll tell you everything when you get here OK and you'll understand why it was necessary. Just please come and get me. And don't worry, I'm absolutely fine, I promise."

"OK. Give me 20 minutes and I'll be there." He said, hanging up. She could still hear the worry in his voice so she knew he didn't believe her when she'd said she was fine. Her drink arrived, the rest had been to keep Autumn company. This one was Dutch courage for what she was about to have to do. What she was going to have to tell him. She'd already had to watch Winter and Autumns hearts break today. Now, not only was she going to have to watch Reeces, she was going to be responsible for breaking it. She sat there nursing her drink when suddenly she heard a worried voice say her name. "Marjorie?" Reece had spotted her straight away and rushed over. Before he reached her, she downed what was left in her glass. He placed his hand on her chin and lifted her head so he could look into her eyes, searching for any clue as to what was wrong. She gave nothing away. He could see there was a sadness there he'd never seen before. He could also tell from the amount of glasses scattered around her that she probably hadn't been alone.

"Marjorie, what's happened? Are you OK?"

"Reece, let's go. This is not the place, OK? I'll tell you once we're in the car. I'd actually rather tell you at home, but I'm guessing you won't let me get that far without talking?"

"No, too, right, I won't!! You call me when you should be at work asking me to pick you up from the bar. You've obviously been on it for a while to the point you aren't safe to drive, and by the looks of the glasses, you weren't alone, although you are now.... It's screaming, someone's upset you and then left you here alone when you're upset. I need to know who I need to hurt?"

"NO REECE!!! It's nothing like that!" She'd already paid her bill, so she grabbed him by the jumper and dragged him outside. "I'm not doing this in there, OK? Trust me, you would not want to be in there when I tell you this, just get in the car."

They both got into Reeces car. Marjorie took a deep breath to steady her nerves, bracing herself for what she now had to do. "Reece, Winter came back to work this afternoon, but Autumn wasn't with him."

Reeces eyes filled with panic again, "Is she OK? Have they fallen out?"

"No, just let me get through this, OK? It's going to be hard enough without you interrupting me. Like I said, Winter came back to work without Autumn. He sent me here to her, OK? Reece, Autumns lost the baby, I'm so sorry, my love. I've spent the afternoon here with her, trying to comfort her. She wanted you to find out in person not over a phone call, and she didn't feel strong enough to tell you herself, so she asked me to. Winter came and picked her up just before I rang you to take her home. Winter hadn't wanted to be home on his own, and Autumn wanted to deal with it the only way she knew how. Drinking. That's why he came into work and sent me to her. He thought I might get through to her in a way he couldn't, and I think he was right."

Reece was silent. His eyes fixed ahead of him staring out of the windscreen at the carpark they were in, his knuckles turning white with how tight he was holding on to the steering wheel. In his head, he just needed to get home. He started the car and set off. Marjorie kept trying to talk to him but got no response. It was as if he was completely closed down, unaware of anything around him. In his own head, all he was focused on was the drive. He diverted all his energy into just solely concentrating on the drive back to his. He wasn't aware of Marjorie sat next to him. He couldn't hear her trying to speak to him. He just knew he had to get home. After a while, Marjorie gave up trying to get through to him. They finally arrived back at Reeces house. He got out of the car and started fumbling with the keys, trying to find the one for the front door. His vision was starting to blur. He could tell it was because his eyes were filling with tears. His fathers words of "Man up boy!" rang through his head as he carried on, trying to find a key that fit his front door. Eventually, he threw them on the floor in frustration and slumped on the steps leading to his house, his head in his hands. Marjorie picked up his discarded keys. She hadn't been able to get them out of his hands while he had been struggling with them before and opened the door. She took both of his hands in hers and pulled him back to his feet, leading him into the house and sitting him down on the sofa. She sat down next to him and pulled him into her. His head resting on her chest he finally admitted defeat and began sobbing uncontrollably. She wrapped her arms around him, doing anything she could think of to try to comfort him, from whispering in his ear, stroking his hair and his back to gently rocking him. She could feel his tears seeping through her top as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in as close as he could, the desperation in his touch exactly the same as Autumns had been at the bar when she'd asked for that hug. It took hours for Reece to calm down, and when he did, Marjorie was shocked at his first reaction.

"Marjorie, I'm so sorry. I've been so selfish. I was so focussed on how I was feeling. I totally forgot you were with Autumn. You've had to be there for Winter, Autumn, and now me today, and you must be feeling things about this as well. She's one of your best friends. Are you OK?"

Marjorie didn't know how to respond. She wasn't OK if she was being honest, but at the same time, she'd had so much to think about she didn't think the events of today had truly sunk in yet. Besides, yes, Autumn was one of her best friends, but she meant more to Winter and Reece, and Reece meant more to her, so that was always going to be her priority. For the first time that day, she stopped and actually thought about what had happened. For the first time today, she felt safe enough to let the tears come. Reece sat up and pulled her to his chest, being for her the support she had just been for him. "Reece, Autumn asked me to see if you wanted to go over and see her tomorrow?"

"I need to go and see her now, I don't think I can wait that long. I need to know she's alright."

"She might need this night with Winter."

He looked down at her. Winter, he hadn't even thought about Winter, his thoughts had been solely on himself and his sister and undoing their own crappy childhood through this new addition he hadn't even thought about the father of his unborn niece or nephew. "Yea, you're probably right. I'll go over in the morning. They'll need each other tonight. I think we probably will as well."