You are loved Charlie Brown (part 2)

It felt like yesterday I was by Lucy's side as she was mourning the departure of her dear Schroeder. It was then that we both really saw the real person in us both. Looking down at my grandchild and then back at Lucy, I realized that sometime it takes a good friend to get us to realize what is right in front of us.

We would hang out on weekends when neither of us were in school and talk about what was new in our lives. She seemed happier in a way. At the same time,something was missing. I realized it was Schroeder. I know that I cared a lot about Lucy,even more now than when I was growing up. That is why I had to figure something out.

I walked to my calendar in my house. Christmas was just around the corner and our five year high school reunion was coming up. I knew for sure that I was going to the big event. As for Lucy, there would be a lot of convincing to do...or not?

I put on my best pants and shoes. For old times sake, I was considering pulling out my old,yellow zig zag t-shirt for the occasion. Lucy just laughed at the idea. I wasn't sure what she meant by it,but I just grabbed the next best thing in my closet. That was my red zig zag shirt. Lucy got all dressed up,makeup and all. I chuckled as I noticed her enter the door. The crowd was huge. I went from person to person to see what they were up to. Pig Pen ended up being the garbage man in the town he lived in (not to surprised), Franklin ended up being a history teacher, Violet worked for the town hall, Peppermint Patty ended up being so physical education teacher and part time coach (her and Marcie are still best friends and get together once a month). Heather (the little red haired girl) works in a pharmacy and is engaged to a doctor. Lastly, I kept searching around for Marcie. It took me a while to realize she was in the corner talking with Lucy. I turned to Schroeder and back at Lucy and then back to Schroeder. I had an idea.

"Hey,Schroeder, can you do me a favor?"

"Yeah,Charlie for an old friend."

"I want to talk to .Now,I know you already chatted with her for a bit, but you haven't chatted with Lucy." Schroeder rolled his eyes and started to walk away.

"Please,for me?"

"What do I say? She is gonna hate me and want nothing to do with me." I sshook my head and took his arm and guided him towards Lucy.

"You really want things to go unfinished and regret things for the rest of your life?" He looked at me nervously.

"Well,I..." before he could finish,he was right in front of Lucy.

"It's you! How's the music life treating you lately?"

"It has its ups and downs,I must say. It was very rewarding." Lucy nodded her head and walked away,Schroeder trailing behind her. I was left alone with Marcie. I hadn't seen her since high school. One things for sure, she had aged well. I tried not to smile too much since I didn't want to make a fool of myself.

"Nice shirt,Charles," she said quietly. I grinned and we embraced. I haven't hugged her in a long time. It felt wonderful. At the back of my mind I was curious if Lucy was having as much luck as I was at that moment. She was out of eyesight so I had no clue.

"What are you up to now a days,Marcie?" She shuffled her feet and looked down.

"I went to school for social work."

"I thought you wanted to be a nurse?" She laughed and then took a sip of her punch.

"First month of being in the program,I realized it was not for me. I can't stand that much blood and guts." we walked around a bit and found somewhere to sit. When we eventually found a spot she continued.

"So,are you still a guidance counselor,Charles?" I nodded my head and smiled.

"It reminds me of me when I was growing up. I always needed a little guidance in life. Never really kicked a football or flew a kite. Everybody thought I was a loser most of the time."

Marcie moved closer to me and put her hand on mine.

"I never thought you were a loser." She paused and grabbed me a cup of fruit punch on the table behind her. "In fact, you seemed like the most genuine person I knew. Even now." I blushed as I took the punch from her hand gently.

"Thankyou,Marcie." I took a big gulp and grinned. Just then we heard a loud squeak in the distance.

"Attention,everyone. Can I please have your attention," Linus exclaimed as he stepped up to the microphone on the stage nearby. Everyone turned to Linus to see what was the matter.

"I would like to first of all say that I can speak for everyone in saying it is great to have the gang back together again." The crowd cheered. Linus cleared his throat and continued.

"In saying that,I have a very important announcement to make." Linus turned to his head to the left.

"Lights please?" The room was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. All eyes were on him.

"I remember one of my first friends that I met in the neighborhood. He showed me about the ways of life and the little things that matter in life. He thought I was crazy at times ,but he didn't care. If I wanted to believe in the Great Pumpkin,gosh darn it,I could. He helped me become class president a few times,showed me to never give up and to keep trying." I was beaming. For a whole minute,I would not stop smiling. Then it hit me.

""And then I met his sister. She admitted she had a crush on me long before I admitted I had a crush on her. I couldn't stand that she referred to me as her 'sweet baboo'. After a while,it grew on me. Before I knew it,just when I thought our childhood crushes were over,I figured I would ask her to the semiformal dance of our freshman year. The rest was history." From the corner of my eye,I noticed Sally moving closer and closer to the stage,a tear forming in her eye.

"so..."

"Spill it already," Lucy shouted from the distance.

"Well,what I am trying to say it is,Sally,will you marry me?" Slightly took back from changing the story about me to it being about Sally, I ran up to the front of the room and embraced her as the crowd cheered. Lucy smiled and then turned to her left ,trying to get Schroeder's attention,but he followed up behind me. Once I was done congratulating my sister and Linus,I saw that Lucy was nowhere in sight.

Schroeder ran outside of the gym to look for Lucy. He turned to me and frowned

"What have I done,Charlie Brown? What do you think I should do?" I ever asked for advice before...at least not about Lucy. This was my moment!

"The answers to life are not in the back of the book."

Schroeder looked at me as if I had two heads.

"But if I were you,I'd say go find her."

Schroeder then smiled and then ran so fast that he knocked me over.

"What's wrong,Charles?" Marcie stood behind me as I turned my attention from the door back to her.

"Nothing is the matter at all. In fact,everything is going just wonderful!"

"Charles, really,how have you been?" I sighed and looked into her eyes.

"You're just going to laugh at me or feel sorry for me." I walked away,my back facing her.

"I know. That's why I asked. Because if I talked to anyone else, they would say the same about me. Ever since Peppermint Patty moved to California ,Lucy,Sally and Linus were here with you and Franklin is busy most of the time, I have just been lonely. I wasn't too close with everyone else and they never understood me too much to begin with. I have a good friend I work with but she has a family so her schedule isn't too flexible. I am just happy to be here,but sad to leave again. My family still lives here as well."

"Well,your answer is simple. Just move back." Marcie shook her head.

"What is there for social work here? " I chuckled.

"I know some people I work with that can help. Guidance counselor isn't too far off I know a few places for sale in the area." Marcie inched closer and gave me a hug.

"I always knew that you had a bigger heart than most of our classmates." She covered her mouth and blushed.

"What's wrong? I whispered.

"What if someone heard me?" I took her hand in mine and squeezed it gently.

"I was wondering if you or Peppermint Patty still had a crush on me." Marcie looked down to see I wasn't letting go of her hand.

"Well,Peppermint Patty loves where she lives and seems to have a thing for the new hockey coach in town. I wasn't sure about if she did either once he came in the picture." We both headed out of the empty auditorium into the new baseball diamond in the back of the building. The sky was clear and the stars were shining bright. I looked down to see Marcie in the moonlight.

"So,guess things didn't work out between you and the little red haired girl?" I shook my head and looked away.

"We dated for a few months until she went to school. It was there she met her fiance and got an invitation to her wedding next month."

"Are you going?" I scratched my head and sat down on the bench nearby with Marcie.

"Probably not. I will feel since I don't have a date." Marcie elbowed me in my rib.

"Well,you have me now." I put my hand around her waist.

"Yeah, I do." We were silent for a second until Marcie continued.

"But you don't have to go with me. I am sure there are a lot of girls you can go with. I will be very busy unpacking and I could be moving somewhere not as close and..." end that moment, her nervous rambling might have annoyed some people. It was then when realized happiness is what was standing right in front of me. I pulled her in for a long,lingering kiss,unable to move like a magnet.

A minute later, she caught her breath and grinned from ear to ear.

"Come on,Marcie,lets go home."

...

If it wasn't for Schroeder realizing that she still had a feeling for Lucy and if Lucy didn't walk out of the auditorium knowing she still had feeling for him, I wouldn't have realized that sometimes when you think that you care for someone who wasn't there for you when you were invisible,you miss those who were by your side all along.