I was by myself again; Wally and Mom had just left. There I was sitting on my parent's bed, in my parent's room, knowing damn well that me and my husband's room was just underneath this one. What were we going to do? My husband is more often than not unemployed, we can't afford a decent home of our own for our kids, and it's high-time for me to get a job but what am I to do?

As I asked myself that last question, I get up of the bed and walk over to my mother's make-up table. I looked in the mirror and I didn't even know who I was. I had just realized that I must have lost a lot of weight. I touch my now sunken cheeks that were once as mom used to say "pleasantly plump." I lost weight, looks and dignity. The only thing that it seems I have gained is a drinking problem.

Through the clouds that had formed in my eyes, I find an old picture on the table. It was of all six of us kids right after mom and dad got married. I look at twelve year old Marcia and how she was genuinely happy. Nobody could fake that smile that she had. My tears splash onto the photo and I look at the mirror again. Nobody can fake the look of pain in my face that I have.

"Marcia, can I come in?" My dad asks with a gentle knock on the door. Shit, I think, I don't want to face him. I've totally embarrassed him this afternoon. Hell, I embarrassed everyone including myself. I break out into sobs so hard I can't speak.

"Let me in sweetheart," he says with a gentle tone. I make my way to the door and slowly turn the knob. I really don't want him to see me like this, but he wants to see me. Why would he want to? I don't even want to see me. When I finally muster the courage to face him, he's looking at me with sad eyes and that just kills me and I go back into a blubbering idiot mode. He gathers me into his arms and cradles me for a few minutes. It feels so good to have my father hug me.

"What did you want to say, dad?" I ask, breaking the silence. I feel like a little kid who knows she's going to get it after doing something wrong.

"You're okay, honey."

"No, I'm really not."

"Listen," he breaks the hug as he picks my face up with his hands. "I know that life isn't going as well as you hoped, but honey, it will turn around, tough times don't last but tough people do."

"I'm not tough," I say as I breathe a sigh of self-pity.

"Come here," he says as he puts his arm around me and we walk back to the mirror.

"I don't like that mirror," I say in all seriousness and I am not amused that he is laughing.

"Look, you know who's in that mirror?"

"Marcia Brady Logan, failure at life?"

"That's not who I see. I see my little trooper who joined her brother's scout troop just to prove that girls can be just as strong as boys, and she proved it. I see a smart little girl who competed for student body president. I also see a beautiful girl who stole many a man's heart, one of them was mine. You will always be my beautiful, smart little trooper. She's in you, Marcia, she never left you. You can always go get her back if you ever get lost."

That was it. My father had gotten through to me. When he was saying those things to me, I kept looking in the mirror and I slowly but surely saw me come back to myself. I smiled for the first time in what felt like forever. I turn around and give my dad another hug.

"You're okay, honey," he repeats.

"Thanks, daddy," I say as I kiss his cheek. "I know I'll be okay."