Darts Love

As a single mother, I didn�t really get much time to myself, so when I was asked to play for a mixed darts team, I thought �why not. I am pretty good at darts and really needed some time for me, away from the home.

On my first night I got a lift to the venue from my team captain and his wife, who I had known for a few years, and they filled me in on the other three members of our team. Jeannie, who was 52, Pete who was 55 and Mick, who was 37.

All three sounded like nice people and when I met them, this was confirmed.

Over the weeks we built up a good team relationship and our darts team played well and moved up within the league. I started to look forward to Wednesday nights.

Pip and Deirdre were already good friends of mine, Jeannie became like a second mother to me, and Pete was the joker of the team along with Mick, who was my partner.

Mick also had a large circle of friends as he played for other teams on different nights and also with work. He owned a garage and employed quite a few people.

I came to love Mick; he had a great sense of humour, was very intelligent and was basically a lovely person. We became very close; he introduced me to his friends, who readily accepted me and we discussed everything with each other. If I ever needed advice, I would turn to Mick.

As I had had quite a few failed relationships in the past, I had decided to wait a few years before getting involved with another man and most people were aware of this, but it didn�t stop Mick from falling madly in love with me.

As he was very overweight and covered in tattoos, he thought that was the reason I didn�t want a relationship with him, I assured him that his weight nor his body art were a problem to me, I preferred beefy guys, I just didn�t feel ready for a relationship right now.

We went out for drinks, to the movies, days out with the kids and generally socialised, but just as great friends He told me he�d been married for three years and him and his wife had decided to try for a family. When nothing happened after a year, they went for tests where they learned that Mick was sterile. He was devastated, as he loves children. A week later his wife left him saying that she wanted a � real � man. It had taken him a long time to get over this but admirably he had, and had become a better person as a result. I think that is one of the reasons he adored my children so much, and my children doted on him.

Mick offered me a job, working at his garage as a receptionist. As I had been looking for some part time work, this was ideal and I really enjoyed it.

A couple of months later, the owner of the house I was renting, decided to sell. I was devastated; I had lived in that house for five years and knew it would be hard to find somewhere else, Mick to the rescue yet again! He owned two properties and offered me the chance to rent one from him when the lease expired. It worked out really well; I worked for him three days a week and it paid for the rent.

Within six months Mick had become my best friend, my boss and my landlord.

Life was excellent, but deep down I did realise that if I lost Mick, I would lose my mate, my job and my house.

We did everything together; I have never felt closer to anyone in my life. I loved that man so much, but I still couldn�t commit to a marital like relationship. We had never even kissed! Well, the odd peck on the cheek.

Everyone used to comment on how great we were together, they all knew how Mick felt about me but they also knew of my reasons for not embarking on a relationship.

The big joke on a Wednesday night was who would do the score sheet. The scorer had to watch the board and write down all of the scores. Every week it was either Pip or me. Deirdre wasn�t quick enough, Jeannie always forgot her glasses and couldn�t see, Pete always made up some excuse, he couldn�t see, he had to go to the toilet/bar/talk to someone and Mick just couldn�t see. I knew he couldn�t. Every time he had to read something he would ask,� what does that say?� and it was a big joke, Mick can�t see properly.

The occasional time that Jeannie remembered to bring her glasses, we would sometimes make Mick put them on and he said he could see great with them, so we made him do the score sheet, looking great in a pair of ladies readers.

One day, at work, I had a problem with an invoice and needed Mick to check it over. As usual, he asked me what it said, as he couldn�t see it. I read the figures out to him and he sorted it out, but afterwards I told him he really needed to have his eyes tested. He agreed and said he would sometime. I told him, no, you have to do it now, you can�t get other people to read stuff for you forever and it�s starting to interfere with your work. If you can�t see letters, how can you see small screws etc?

He said he would get his eyes tested and asked me to make him an appointment, then sheepishly asked me if I would go with him, to which I readily agreed, one, because I knew he needed glasses and two because I couldn�t think of a better way to spend time. I LOVE GLASSES. I should have worked in an optometrists.

The big day arrived and we set off for Mick�s 10am appointment. I hadn�t slept the night before hand, I was so excited. Just to hear someone being told, � you need to wear glasses�, made me all fluttery.

He asked me if I would go in the examining room with him, which I did, pretending not to be bothered, but all the time knowing that those machines would determine the strength of lenses Mick needed and concealing my pleasure was so hard.

He cooperated with everything the optician required and was then told that he was far sighted with quite a lot of astigmatism and would need a prescription for some glasses.

Mick looked a little shocked, of course he knew he needed them, but he was actually going to get them.

I offered to help him pick out some frames, which was quite hard, but we both eventually agreed on a pair of black, metal oval type frames and a pair of plastic, oval frames for sunglasses, which were free. We were told that they would be ready at 4pm.

We went back to work and Mick was very quiet, I assured him that the frames really suited him and told him I had a bit of a fetish for guys in glasses. This cheered him up a little.

At 4pm, I went with him to pick his glasses up. He was a little embarrassed trying them on in the shop, he paid and left. When we got to the car I told him I would drive and for him to wear his glasses, which he did. He told me he didn�t realise how bad his eyesight was.

For a few weeks the new glasses were on and off, he was a little self-conscious, especially at darts, but he did wear them to do the scoring and he was never bothered about wearing them when he was with me. He wore his Rx sunglasses constantly when he was outside though and I think he was starting to get used to how good everything looked.

I loved him in glasses; in fact, I think I really did love him. I pictured how empty my life would be without him in it and I think it was around this time that I realised that I loved Mick, not just as my best mate, but also as my soul mate and the thought of him not being in my life was unbearable.

A couple of weeks later I had arranged to stay at his house (spare bedroom), which I had previously done on a few occasions, as a friend was having a party and it was too far for me to drive home.

I arrived at his house and walked in as usual, he was on the phone, but had me a drink ready on the table. I relaxed, looking forward to the evening ahead, when I saw Mick desperately trying to read from a piece of paper and look for his glasses at the same time. I looked around and found his glasses in the kitchen; I grabbed them and took them to him. As he had a letter in one hand and the phone in the other, I slipped his glasses on to his face and slid them up his nose.

As he appreciatively looked at me through his gorgeous, blue, magnified eyes, I felt a surge of love run through me and I mouthed, � I love you�.  I meant each one of those three words than ever before.

Mick dropped the phone and said, � What did you just say?� I told him I loved him and he grabbed me, crying, and said, � have you any idea how long I�ve waited to hear you say those words�.

Needless to say we had a great time at the party. Mick announced to everyone that we were now officially a couple and amidst cries of,� about time,� we celebrated our families, friends, life and Mick�s glasses.

Three years on and I am the luckiest person in the world. I have been married to Mick for two ecstatically happy years. He is the best husband and stepfather ever.

Yes, he is a full time glasses wearer now, we still play darts as a couple, and life can�t get much better than this!