It is amazing how a few little extras can make something ordinary feel completely extraordinary. Eating on a bench next to a tree isn’t all that memorable or romantic. However, as soon as a blanket, a basket, wine glasses, and those famous plaid cloth napkins are equated it is most certainly considered a day to remember. Mary Thompson’s life was spent on the bench but never on the blanket and after twenty-three years of a loveless marriage she announced she didn’t feel loved by him or love him anymore.

Mary figured that she had missed out on romance once and now that she was in her early 40’s it simply wasn’t possible. What she told herself was she wasn’t getting any younger and if she couldn’t’ get it from the man she dedicated her life to how could she expect it from anyone else? She thought that her life would be completely different. Mary imagined herself attending graduation ceremonies or sitting down with her daughter dreaming about the perfect wedding at this age. However even though children were discussed from time to time with her ex-husband it always ended with him saying “babies weren’t part of the deal and you knew that going into this marriage.” It wasn’t the fact that he wouldn’t give her a family but his inability to see things from her perspective. She told him she had only one question to ask him before she left. “Randy, how do you see me?” He shifted his weight from one leg to the other before saying, “right now I see a needy woman who requires constant approval and is dragging me down.” Those words would forever echo in her head on those nights when she thought about what had gone wrong.

Thanks to Randy never giving into his wife’s desires to have children the divorce was a simple unemotional division of their assets and was completed within a month. Shortly after the divorce Mary heard through a mutual friend of theirs when they were still married that Randy was on the market again.

In fact the possibility of him finding love was the very news that prompted her to take the drastic measures of putting herself out there to be rejected by total strangers.

Her ad was plain and simple, much like her. It stated she was interested in meeting a male, age not important but older than 30 and less than 60, a non smoker, occasional drinker, and must have some interest in romance. She listed only the facts about herself. Married once, divorced, and no kids. Average height, not thin but not flabby, easy going, loving, and she added her friends say she is oddly funny. She hesitated most while picking out a picture to add to her description. Mary analyzed all things and wanted a picture that conveyed the right image. She wanted to appear strong but not controlling, sweet but not weak, pretty but not obsessed with her looks, and then her thoughts went to what she would wear. After all of the thoughts and worries she finally chooses a picture of herself leaning up against a tree that was taken by her husband in their back yard. Then added with little thought first date must be a picnic in the park. She quickly hit submit, closed the laptop and walked into the living room to read a book.

Her life went on as normal and nothing real exciting happened right away. In fact as the days passed a new project took all of her attention and the ad slipped her mind completely. Then as she was checking her e-mail she noticed a few from the match making site, the last one with an urgent flag attached.

She went to the sight and was delightfully surprised that she had 8 responses. The first three were too old, the next one had his two front teeth missing, and just was she was about to lose hope the next ad got her attention. There he was, right in front of her, brightly shinning on her lap top a very handsome man with the words “let’s go be somewhat romantic together.” He had a rugged beauty and so she quickly paged through the last of the ads before settling back on him. His dark rich chestnut hair, chiseled facial features and piercing green eyes made it hard for her to look away. He looked to be at least 6 ft and about 200 lbs. It said that he was never married, wished he had a family, and will someday have both. He added he wasn’t very romantic but wanted to give it a try and that was what caught his attention about her ad.

Mary’s heart skipped a beat; her stomach ached with excitement and sheer terror. It opened her up for rejection but at the same time opened a tiny window for hope. She typed that she would be interested in taking him up on his offer since it was Tuesday she would be available this coming up Saturday. He must have been on-line or close to the computer because he had already responded by the time she had showered and had got into her pajamas. On this response he said sounds good, I will e-mail you directions to where we will meet, and for now you can just refer to me as “somewhat romantic”. I liked the sound of that.

Mary laid back on her bed with her arms crossed under her head and envisioned what a real date would be like. A picnic at that, she thought who does those things anymore?

Then when the day finally arrived only a couple of days after she agreed to the date it took her last bit of confidence to get into the cab and tell him where she was going. She gripped her purse, let out a long sigh, and settled in for what seemed like a long winding endless road. The waiting during the drive was excruciating.

Time seemed to stand still, looking out the window the leaves appeared as if they were floating in mid air as if the whole world around her were holding their breath in anticipation of the approaching moment. Lost in a daze of falling autumn leaves she pulled up in a parking lot and looked out to see a place that look very familiar. Mary paid the taxi driver and knees shaking walked towards the location he described. She stopped at a green and white plaid blanket, with an expensive looking picnic basket on top and wine glasses next to a bottle of white wine chilling on ice. The only thing that was missing was her suitor. Where had her “somewhat romantic” man gone?” Did he see her and run for the hill? But why, who would do this to her? If the guy did see her and leave why didn’t he pack up his stuff? Then her attention was directed to a large white banner between two trees by the lake. It read, Mary, Merry me and we will picnic together anytime you want. It was then that the she remembered why it looked familiar and the memory of that day was what had led to her decision to finally throw in the towel.

Her ex-husband had taken her to this very same location on their 2nd year anniversary to try and ignite some sort of a spark that was dimly lit at best. He had taken her to the lake to talk when out of the blue Mary brought up the idea of buying a picnic basket across the street at a charming little gift shop and staying for dinner. He at the time said that it was a ridiculous, it was too cold, and the ants would be all over the place, besides he stated I have already arranged other plans.

Now standing there remembering how she felt that night when he shot down her ideas without a seconds thought made her wonder what she was doing there and what would she say. Then from behind the tree that they had stood at so long ago walked her husband holding a bouquet of flowers.

As if he just knew, he started talking first. “I was wrong to not try harder with you and to give you what you wanted. You have always been a good wife and you should have had children because you have so much love to give. I thought you would stop caring for me if we had kids, which was selfish of me because your heart loves without limits. I prepared this picnic for you because you deserve all the happiness and romance in the world. Before I wasn’t even somewhat romantic but I will be hopelessly romantic for you. There is something special about a picnic in the park and now I finally get what I only wish I would have got back then. Who cares about the ants or the cold? I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world but here with you now. I know this doesn’t make up for all the bad I have done but I don’t want to waste another minute without you, and I want to give you the rest of my life to show you how much you mean to me.”

Slowly she turned her head and a smile spread across her face while tears were running from her eyes. “I loved you more deeply than I ever thought humanly possible without ever feeling that kind of love from you.”

“For that I am truly sorry and the reason I planned all of this. It may look like this was all spur of the moment but I have been working on this for weeks. I planned this all from the day I woke up and realized what I lost. I won’t lose you again.”

Mary leaned her head to one side and looked at him curiously, “I just don’t understand? How did you know I went on a match making site?”

With that Randy winked and said with a smile, “the magician never reveals his secrets but you should know there will be many more surprises to come.”

Mary kissed her oddly somewhat romantic husband and finally got what she wanted most.

She said to herself with a smile, “Life isn’t a series of big insurmountable tasks but simply many little moments that stay in the heart and soul forever, much like the simplistic beauty of a picnic in the park.”

Heather Ausman

I am a mother of two beautiful girls and a very proud military wife. I write as a way to process my day and stay calm during the times that my husband works 16 hours or leaves for a few months at a time. More than writing though I enjoy helping people and the best way I have done that is through Four Point Group. The greatest gift you can give anyone is your time. My 2 year old is with me all day because I work from home. I help people just like me earn a good income solely from their house without selling anything. My daughter Brooke is just over 2 and speaks in sign language, full sentences, a little Spanish, and is completely potty trained. She knows the entire Alphabet, her shapes and colors, can count from 1-30, dresses herself, washes herself, sings 10 or more songs (knowing all the words), and is constantly learning. Right now we are working on the inner workings of the body like the brain and her five senses as well as the days of the week and the months of the year. I think it is simply because I can manage my time with working at home. Please check out my site, whether you are a stay at home mom or dad or if you just want to earn a second income, you will be glad you did. The site is http://ausmanenterprises.fourpointmoms.com. Overall I would say I love my life.