The Monroe Legacy - G.1. Chapter 11 - The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

This chapter is rated PG-13 as it contains some sexual references which may not be suitable for younger readers.

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Life in the Monroe household had never been better. Brody and Marlie were officially together and Marlie was trying to find the perfect moment to introduce him to her daughters. The girls were growing up happy and healthy and, despite their differences, were the best of friends, though Lola would pull a face and leave the room every time Belle put on an impromptu song and dance show.

The girls had also started school, an experience which had proved pretty stressful for Lola who really hated to be among strangers. Belle stayed loyally at her side, even though she was keen to make lots of friends and with her sister's help Lola was coping okay.

 Marlie was pleased to discover that both girls were good academically - she tried to help them with their homework but as she'd never even finished high-school she wasn't much use.

She was discussing her worries with Brody one evening as they ate at their regular bistro and he offered  to help out.

'You know I'm dying to meet the girls properly' he begged, 'and I'm qualified, I've been waiting for something to crop up that would justify my student loan'.

'Yep', joked Marlie, 'It's pretty hard to justify a major in looking good from the University of Hicksville, Alabama!'.

'Well it's either that or that PhD in Mathematics from MIT I found in my last box from the move yesterday!' Brody bantered back.

Marlie was shocked, she knew that Brody was smart but to discover that her boyfriend was a bonafide genius was unexpected. She had known for a while that she was falling for Brody but she'd been waiting for him to find a reason to leave. He didn't seem to be going anywhere and he was clearly smart enough to know what he was getting into.

'Fine', she responded, 'It's my birthday on Friday and I was planning to celebrate with just the girls, why don't you come along and meet them?'

Brody accepted, he could hardly wait to meet the two little girls he'd heard so much about. It was the final piece of the puzzle, he knew he loved Marlie for herself but he wanted to be sure that he would fit into her life before he told her. If him and the girls were a match then he thought it wouldn't be long before he'd be considering getting down on one knee.

That Friday Marlie waited nervously for Brody to arrive, she knew this was make or break for their relationship and she'd asked the girls to be on their best behaviour. She knew that Lola would be fine but Belle could be a little.... unpredictable?

But everything went smoothly, everyone got along and Brody couldn't keep his eyes off Marlie in her new party dress. As she blew out her candles Marlie wished that this scene would be her life from now onwards. A happy family with her daughters and Brody there, and maybe some day another baby.

Brody stayed late that night to help tidy up. Marlie had changed into her old dress to clean up all the plates and mess that the girls had left around. When the last plate was put away Marlie looked at Brody and knew that she was ready to take things to the next level. Brody had never pushed for more than she willingly gave so he was surprised when Marlie whispered in his ear,

'Do you want to spend the night?'

Brody didn't hesistate and scooping Marlie into his arms he carried her into the bedroom.

As they spent the night exploring each other's bodies Marlie finally understood what all the fuss about sex was. 

Her previous experiences were erased from her mind as Brody's talented hands and tongue told her over and over again just how much he liked her. Marlie had never felt to close to another person and as they drifted off to sleep she whispered 'I love you' in Brody's ear. He didn't respond.

 Marlie woke in the night consumed with doubt. Had she made a mistake? Was she falling back into her old ways? Would he break her heart? If only she were able to see what Brody was dreaming of, she'd have felt better. His dreams were full of her face, his only concern that she might break his heart.

The next morning Marlie woke to find herself alone in bed. She struggled to hold back the tears, she'd really thought Brody was different. Hearing Belle's voice from the living room she pulled a smile on and stepped out to greet her daughter. Imagine her surprise to see Belle chatting merrily away to Brody who was wearing her robe and watching kids TV with her daughter.

 A huge smile spread across Marlie's face and when Brody caught her eye and mouthed 'I love you' across the room she knew that he was the one.


Over the next few weeks Brody was constantly at the house, he helped the girls with homework, fixed stuff around the place and cooked dinner whenever Marlie was too tired (or had burned it with her appalling kitchen skills).

 Brody was soon spending every night at the Monroe house, he even brought his family over to celebrate Christmas and showered the girls with presents. They'd never had such a wonderful Christmas. When he asked Marlie if he could move in officially she didn't hesitate and by spring the Monroes had settled into a new family dynamic.

Brody's presence gave Marlie a new freedom. He worked part time as a chef to make money as he persued his life-long ambition to be a Chess Grand-master. He would watch the girls in the evening so she could shop or go to the gym and Marlie felt empowered in her body again.

On the way home from the gym one night Marlie spotted an orange SUV pulling out of a nearby car park. She quickly flagged a cab and yelled 'Follow that car'. She felt as though she was in a movie chase, desperate to discover the owner of this elusive vehicle. When that taxi was stopped at a red light on the edge of town she felt her heart sink. She kept driving but she was sure it was no use.

'Looks like a dead end ma'am' said the taxi driver. And so it was.

There was only one property on this road. One place the SUV could have gone. Asking the cabbie to wait she approached its gates and peered inside.

The sprawling mansion was protected from the world by an enormous wall and sturdy electrical gates and Marlie could see no sign of any people or the orange SUV. Frustrated she rang the intercom and heard a recorded message play in a strangely familiar sounding female voice.

'This is the Jeans residence. Unfortunately we're out of town indefinitely, leave a name and we'll call you on our return'.

Marlie left her name and returned to the cab, turning back one last time to survey the house. Out of the corner of her eye she was sure she saw a curtain move and a flash of blonde move quickly out of view. She tried the ringer again but got no response.

Marlie drove home with questions swirling in her mind. Did the SUV belong to the Jeans? Who were the Jeans, could they be NJ and if so, why were they so interested in her?

Marlie evaded Brody's questions as to where she'd been - she'd been gone for hours - and took a long shower to try and figure it all out. She emerged from the bathroom without any answers.

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Next time on the Monroe Legacy an unwelcome visitor, a mysterious letter and a long overdue question.

Read it now - The Monroe Legacy Chapter 12 - Something Old and Something New