It’s 10:30pm Sunday night and my husband has just saved my ass.
This is not the first time. The man has hauled me out of the fire more times than I can count. This time, however, he’s hauling me out on your behalf.
Because, uh, Monday is my blog day. And I forgot. Crap crap crap. It’s been a long day (a nice long day, with my 3 girlies waking me up with breakfast in bed and lots of cute and fun presents.) But I’m tired, I want to just veg out in front of Grey’s Anatomy and then fall into bed with the book I got for Mother’s Day. (Sebastian Junger’s new one…looks good!)
Anyway, back to the topic: 10:30. Grey’s Anatomy. I’m screaming at Izzy, wanting to shake Meredith (as usual)…and ack! My hubby reminds me in an IM (for those of you who don’t know, we’re doing a long-distance thing right now, which totally SUCKS!) that I have a blog to write! What on earth will I write it about?
The answer comes to me quickly. Why not write about a guy who saves your ass time after time?
AKA: The hero.
I write about heroes. It’s my job. Though I’m not writing about knights on white steeds or cowboys or those obvious hero figures, I absolutely believe the everyday guys who live, laugh and love in my books are every bit as heroic as the ones who battle villains and ride the range and dance at Almack’s. (Uh, okay, sorry, I never quite “got” those Regency heroes.) My point is, the guy next door works as hero very well–at least in my books. (And in my real life!)
Yeah. I’m married to a hero. I have more stories than I can count about why that is, but I think, because it’s Mother’s Day, that I’ll tell you just one. And then you can judge for yourself.
10+ years ago. September 1995. I’m pregnant with our third child, and we don’t know the baby’s sex. (I never found out with any of mine.) I have two little girls at home. I also, at that moment, have a somewhat overbearing mother-in-law visiting from out of state, and throughout the final weeks of my pregnancy, I am hearing a recurring theme. “Oh, to think, my son is FINALLY going to have a son of his own!” Imaging this theme repeating a dozen or so times a day and you’ll get an idea of what my life was like at the time.
Now, flash forward to the afternoon of the 10th. I’m in the hospital, holding my beautiful, precious baby girl in my arms. A baby made more precious by the few moments of terror right after her birth when she was completely unresponsive and we all held our breath wondering if she was going to make it. But she’s fine, she’s gorgeous, she’s perfect.
Into my hospital room walks the mother-in-law. And without a glance at me, or at the baby, she throws her arms up in the air, mutters, “Well, I guess I’ll just have to learn to live with the fact that my son will never have a son of his own,” and throws herself down in a chair.
Yes. This is entirely true.
I stared in shock. My older sister laid into the errant grandmother. And my sweet, sweet man came to my bedside to kiss our baby’s forehead and tell me again how very much he loves me. With tears in my eyes, I asked him if he was disappointed that he had another girl. And with his hand moving from our little Megan’s cheek to mine, he said, “Leslie, for the next 20 years or so, the four most beautiful females on the face of this earth are going to think I’m the greatest guy in the world. Who in their right mind would be disappointed by that?”
Heroes don’t have to catch bad guys or rope cattle or fight battles. Sometimes the most perfect heroes simply know exactly what to say at the precise moment it needs to be said.
Somehow, today–Mother’s Day–seemed a pretty good moment to acknowledge those heroes.
Like mine.
Love you baby.
Leslie Kelly used to say she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up, but then she discovered Nancy Drew books. Being a flashlight-under-the-covers-nose-in-book reader throughout her childhood, she couldn’t think of anything else she’d rather do as an adult than continue to lose herself in fictional stories. Her real life marriage of 20 years to the man of her dreams is a constant reinforcement that happily-ever-afters really can happen…and that they’re worth writing about. Living in Maryland, Leslie spends her non-writing time laughing a lot with the above-mentioned romance hero and their three daughters. Though an author of more than thirty sexy, contemporary comedies, she has recently branched out to write dark romantic suspense under the pseudonym Leslie Parrish.
Destiny
Dirty Little Secrets
Once Upon A Valentine
Through The Night
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Oh, what a great story about your dh – brought happy tears to my eyes (I can be such a sap!) What he said about his beautiful girls was so sweet. He’s definitely a keeper, and a hero. And cool costume – looks like he definitely could be a hero
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Knowing Bruce as I do, this story doesn’t surprise me in the least. He’s a keeper!
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What a story! Your hubby sounds like a real keeper! I have a great hubby too. Aren’t we the lucky ones. (l)
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Now that’s what I call a “real” hero. Thanks for sharing such a personal memory.
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I’m a sap too – it brought tears to my eyes. That was the best thing he could’ve said – EVER! You definitely have a true hero. No wonder you write such great heroes – you have experience with one.
Thanks for sharing your sweet story.
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Wow! What a great story. He said the perfect thing to you that he could. Sounds like a great husband. And, I agree with you. I love everyday heros.
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wow, that is a hero. keep him! :d
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My husband is my hero. He keeps me sane, although, sometimes, he is the cause of my insanity! :)
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That is a hero in my eyes, as well, you do have a keeper there and thank you for sharing a personal memory.
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What a wonderful hubby you have! Thanks for sharing, your story touched my heart.
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What a great story about your husband.
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What a wonderful story, thanks for sharing it with us. (l) Yes, I got happy tears also–I’m like that! He is a keeper for sure. I can’t think of a more perfect thing for a husband to say at that time.
I had a wonderful mother-in-law because she lived over 2,000 miles away & in 14 years of marriage I only saw her 3 times, maybe 4! I think it was a good thing she was far away! :)
Grey’s Anatomy is on & I have to say that Dr. Burk is one fine man!! (y)
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You husband sounds like the best. Lucky you. Congratulations! (f)
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Leslie,
Your Bruce is one great guy. Very handsome too.
I married the boy next door. Well the next door was nearly a mile down the country road. :) Like you we have girls. We stopped after two. I never had a relative say my last one should be a boy. I think they were pretty proud we had girls. My hubbies sister has two boy and his brother had one of each. My girls just evened everything out. My girls are going to be bridesmaids at their cousins wedding this next Labor day. Kinda cool I think.