Muscle Man and I have known each other since I was a very young girl, in Primary School. Before becoming MY Muscle Man, he was childhood friends with my older brother. Such a cliche I know!
Muscle Man is a fraction older than me, so naturally when I was parading around in piggy tales and my care-bears t-shirt, he and older brother were undoubtedly trying to be cool with their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle cards and NOT annoying younger sisters. I am sure Sexy Twin and I had many a crush on our older brothers mates but in true sibling form, to avoid cramping his style, he and his friends socialised away from the "twins" prying eyes and shameless flirting.
Many years later, all grown up (that's entirely subjective) and moved out of home, I had not given Muscle Man a second, or even first thought (sorry darling). At the time I was working at Darrell Lea chocolates (how ironic) in the city. It was obvious I had eaten my mistakes and in between serving customers I would be sucking on peanut brittle and wondering why my sexy crepe pants were shrinking in the wash.
Well, one day Muscle Man strolled nonchalantly past the store and spotted me. I am sure I looked an amusing sight and his insistence on saying hello was surely out of bemused curiosity that his mates sister was all grown up, dressed like a clown, and working in a chocolate shop. I was wearing a lovely candy-stripped shirt, a bow tie (embarrassing or what) and had chocolate smudged around my mouth from my last in-between-customers scoff. None the less, Muscle Man came in that day, and continued coming in each day for weeks. He used the guise of checking the 'work post box' which was located just behind Darrell Lea.
After some weeks Muscle Man asked to take me out to lunch. "Sure, I'll take your free feed, where are we going? is there a buffet? let me just grab my jacket, and a choccie for the road".
Well, the rest as they say is almost history. After 8 months of 'dating' Muscle Man asked me to be Muscle Women in a very extravagant display inclusive of a mystery flight, scavenger hunt, 36 red roses, bottle of Moet and a lovely big rock at the end of it. 10 months after this we were hitched! I've now served 5 years of this life sentence ;o)
From day one of our relationship, I knew Muscle Man was a little sport obsessed. Over the years he has played soccer and AFL and frequents the gym weekly. Early on in our marriage he made the silly mistake of confiding in me that his dream women had always been a sporty brunette. Sorry Buck, you are now married to a chubby blonde and you better start making up for that comment if you want a bed companion tonight!
Naturally at times he couldn't understand the low self-worth I had. Fitness is such a black and white subject to him so it was often the cause of angst in our home. Muscle Man grew up in a sporty family. His parents frequent the gym daily and his sister is a professional sports aerobics something-or-other. In fact she is currently ranked 6th in the World for sports aerobics. For me, the pressure was on. What had I gotten myself into.
However, despite our differences, over the years Muscle Man has been quite supportive and has forked out, or budgeted for every attempt at weight loss I have made. Whilst he couldn't always understand my emotions and the feelings of failure I experienced, he has more often than not tried to support me in whatever I have needed.
When I finally began loosing weight, and keeping it off, Muscle Man was right beside me offering words of encouragement and affirming my efforts. We often go jogging together now days and take great pleasure in ribbing each other about our exercises of choice. His being weight lifting and mine being running. I can run faster then him, but of course he can lift more weights then I would ever dream of.
Sexy Twins 8 yr old daughter called Muscle Man "Fabio" once. It was hilarious coming from the mouth of babes as they say, and in jest we call him Fabio still. Personally I think he quite likes it and I am sure in secret practises his "I can't believe it's not butter" in front of the mirror. Muscles bulging, top button on shirt undone.
I am still not 'sporty' and despite being the Mother of boys, I still can't see a love of sport ever really happening. The only aspect of sport I like is the beer (and even then I am a vino gal). But, I am fit now and I think Muscle Man recognises that this was just as important to him.
All in all, I must admit I am quite fond of Muscle Man's muscles (now that I have some of my own to show off). In any event, as I said to him, every good read needs a character of comic value. He can be mine.
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