Meeting Marshall Mathers: The Relapse Era

Chapter 9

In the mid morning I'd made sure the dry cleaning had been sent off, and the dishwasher had been loaded. I was just having a glass of orange juice as I sat out by the pool waiting for Proof to come, I'd called him up and explained what exactly went on last night and how worried I was...
"What up joooo" Proof had arrived. He came over and sat down on a small wall adjacent to me,

"Hey you" I sat up from my lounging position,

"So where's homeboy at?"

"Still in bed. I don't think he has to be anywhere today"

"Man I don't know what to say. He needs help but, you know it ain't on a serious level for us to pull him up on it"

"I try to tackle him on it but he just goes on the defensive and goes off on me"

"Yea..." Proof looked down to the floor,
"I'm gonna kick it with him and talk to the brother, but, probably the best thing to do is let Paul in on this, maybe Marshall'll listen to the big man. I don't know what to do, I mean we all guilty of taking shit we ain't supposed to, it's how we roll, but not none of these benzos or painkillers" he stood back up,
"What was he like when y'all found him?"

"Semi-conscious. He'd um, he'd passed out on his way to the living room by the looks of it. He... bounced off the table outside the living room doors, hit himself out"

"Fuck man..."

"I know. It's just, we had this before and I think if he was pushed hard enough maybe he'd of stopped, back then. But, he's taking stuff for his knee that wasn't originally prescribed to him in the first place, it's not just the sleepers anymore it's pain pills too"

"Don't jump to any shit though J, I mean he for real busted out his knee so he'll be in some real discomfort with it, doctors are whack and just give out weak shit. What in sayin' is until he starts putting himself into comas or getting high purposely then we can bust his ass but, right now all he's doing is treating his injury, know what I'm sayin?"

"Yeah..."

"Look J, I'm not covering for his ass but me and Slim we down with each other and I think that if he was in any position to danger himself then he'd have a word with me, he's a father and if he was getting into addiction I'd call it that he'd treat himself before he was dumb enough to become some addict"

"You're right... I'm just being paranoid and blowing it up aren't I?"

"Maybe. Ay look, don't be running yourself down with it. He can cope with more shit than you think, skin of armour that assclown" we chuckled,

"I guess so" I wanted to definitely nip it in the bud now, but if I was told to put it to one side then I was going to leave it... I must of been blowing it up in my own mind, Marshall could handle his own,

"I'm gonna go wake him up and you know, ask him how he's doin' and shit. You're golden you lady, truly got my brothers welfare at heart, I respect that J"

"Well, I love him don't I"

"Yea for better or worst right?"

"For sickness and in health" I winked knowing he was getting at the engagement,

"So he did it then yeah?"

"Mhm" I blushed and held up my left hand,

"Ooooo holy fuck! Look at the size of that motherfucker!" he held my hand to look at the ring,
"That's something"

"I know. I'm so nervous"

"Nah don't be. You two belong wit' each other, I ain't ever seen him so positively focused on a woman out of all the years we been friends. You know he stepped to me first about the proposal right?"