Lemonade and Crisps: Marjoreece One Shots

Stargazing and Waterfalls

AN: While I was in the middle of writing this chapter  Angelnoosh sent me a quote that fit perfectly with the story. Naomi, thank you for being Watpad's favorite puzzler and a wonderful and kind friend.

Thenurserynursefan1 thank you for urging me to finish it when I wanted to scrap it. Also, thanks for sending that response 3 months ago. I don't know what any of this would have looked like without you.

*This chapter does not have any particular connection to Generations or Alibi.

When I have a terrible need of - shall I say the word - religion, then I go out and paint the stars. – Van Gogh

In the past six months he had taken Marjorie to almost all his spots, but tonight he was taking her to his favorite. He was nervous, yet excited. He couldn't sit still, and she was starting to get annoyed with him.

"Reece would you please sit down? You are going to wear a hole through the carpet."

He had already checked three times but decided to go up and check that he had packed everything in his bag that they would need.

Finally, it was almost time to leave, so he headed to the kitchen and packed the basket. He had prepared meats, a variety of cheeses, and a homemade bread he knew she loved. He paired all of it with her favorite Malbec. He swore she loved this one because the cocoa tones were more pronounced.

As they took the short drive, he began to explain why this was his favorite. She really couldn't understand how such a hill could exist that made you feel like you were standing among the stars, but when they got to the top of the hill, she saw it. "Reece this is absolutely stunning! How? How is this possible?" She knew he would know.

He smiled. His chest always swelled with pride when she asked questions. To him it meant they were connecting, and she saw him for the geeky, space and science loving, research buff that he was. And she loved him anyway. "It's something of an optical illusion. This hill sits at just the right angle that when you are standing on it it is impossible to see the horizon."

She stood there mesmerized. She was barely aware as he set up the telescope, their blanket, and unpacked their little 'after dark' picnic. As he got the telescope set up and pointed in the direction he intended, he called her over.

She was still completely astonished by the view. He was right. She really felt like she was standing among the stars. He began much like he always did. She didn't understand or absorb a lot of what he told her about the stars, constellations, and planets, but she was always wowed by it.

"It is probably no big shock that Roger never took us to church or provided any sort of spiritual connection to the world. For Autumn, Mia, and I, coming out here and staring at the sky was sometimes our only connection to the universe. For me, it gave me a sense of belonging to something bigger than the world Roger created. Remember me telling you about Orion?"

He said it more as a statement than a question, but she nodded. "The lore surrounding Orion's Belt is vast and laden with spiritual connections. It is even mentioned in the Bible ... twice." He was calmer now as he described the spiritual connections and how he related to them. They nibbled at the food and sipped their wine as they chatted. He held her close while delightfully imparting stories of the ancient Egyptians, Greek mythology and as far as she could tell everything in between.

"The thing that always amazed me about the lore is that it crosses the boundaries of time and space." She looked up confused by what he meant. "No, gorgeous, not this space. I meant various countries all around the globe. They all attributed very similar spiritual meaning to Orions' belt in a time when information would have been near impossible to share." The look of sheer wonder on his face made her smile. She could feel his excitement in the flutter in her chest.

"Reece, do you remember the waterfall we came upon early on in our dating?"

He chuckled, "yes, gorgeous, I remember. I still can't believe I never knew it was there. All these years going to that spot and we never came across it until..."

"Until the very moment the universe needed you to see it?" She smiled up at him. "My love, they didn't need a means of passing information. The universe provided that connection all on its own. Just like when you meet someone, and they become important to you. Sometimes you never understand why. Sometimes, looking back there is no reason you should have met, but through some random decision you made you found them."

"Connection?"

"Connection."