Chapter 3

Mark grinned as he watched his wife, Kate, reading to the kids at their church social. She had the children laughing at the funny faces she made and the various voices she used to dramatize the characters in the story.

He loved this gentle and caring side of her. Looking at her with the kids, he wondered how it would be if they had a baby of their own. Not bad, he decided.

He could hear the faint strains of music playing from the bandstand some little distance away, but he wasn't paying much attention.

The band changed the tune and Mark's attention was suddenly focused on the song they were playing. It was the song that Kate held dear and had insisted that it had to be played at both their engagement and wedding.

When he first heard it, it touched Mark's heart. It described their love perfectly. As he listened he went down memory lane to the time when he had been utterly without hope; to the time he first met Kate.

I never understood before
I never knew what love was for
my heart was broke, my head was sore.

What a feeling

"No Bryan, I'm not going out with anybody," Mark said irritably to his younger brother.

"Why not?" Bryan demanded. "This isn't still about Candice is it?"

Mark increased the volume of the TV and didn't reply. Bryan snatched the remote from him and switched the set off.

Mark sighed. "Who is it this time?" he asked wearily, knowing that he would have to go out with whoever his brother set him up with if he wanted to avoid a big argument.

"Kate." Bryan replied. "She works at the café."

Mark tried to remember her. "Wasn't she in your class at high school?"

"Yeah." Bryan replied. "She used to have a big crush on you back then."

"Oh." Mark said, trying to appear interested, but really wanting to curl up in a corner.

"I've told her you'll pick her up today at seven," Bryan said, "and take her out to a movie and dinner. She'll be under the impression that I'll be coming too, so just tell her I was sick when she asks why I didn't show up."

"And why am I to escort this lovely lady?" Mark asked, unable to keep the sarcasm from his voice.

"Because its time you started having a life again." Bryan replied curtly. "You can't let what Candice did to you spoil your whole life. She really isn't worth it."

"Yeah, right." Mark muttered under his breath as his brother stalked out of the room.

I never saw it happening
I'd given up and given in
I just couldn't take the hurt again

What a feeling

Mark showed up at Kate's place at seven, a box of chocolates in his hand. He rang the doorbell and waited, trying to figure out a way to end this date as quickly as possible.

The door was opened by a girl slightly shorter than his 6 foot frame. She wasn't obviously pretty, but she had a lovely engaging smile and large expressive eyes.

"Come in." she said brightly, "Where's Bryan?"

"He wasn't feeling very well." Mark said, as he handed her the box of chocolates.

"He really should try some other excuse." Kate said, taking the box from Mark and putting it away. "Thank you for the chocolates."

"No problem." Mark replied, intrigued. How did she know what Bryan was up to?

She smiled as she sensed his puzzlement, and said, "Bryan keeps doing this. He asks me to go on a double date with his girlfriend and her 'brother' and when its time for the date, he and his girlfriend decide not to show up; I'm used to it."

"And you aren't mad at him?" Mark asked, amused.

"No." Kate laughed. "He means well. He's just an inveterate matchmaker and isn't very subtle about it, that's all."

Mark laughed along with Kate, and began to feel that this might turn out to be a pleasant evening after all.

They left Kate's apartment and went to the local cinema. When they came out after two hours, they were laughing and completely at ease with each other as they discussed the movie. They then went to a small restaurant near the cinema and had a light dinner.

As it was already ten Kate and Mark decided to call it a night because Kate had an early morning ahead of her. Mark dropped Kate off at her flat. Before she got out, an invitation for another evening was issued, and gracefully accepted.

When Mark reached home that night, he was feeling good.

"So, how did it go?" Bryan asked when Marked walked in.