Aftermath

Chapter 11

"I have a lesson at 12 I have to go." He tells me.

"Mav it's 10:30." I explain, and he lets out a huff of breath.

"Okay you're not catching on." He says, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I can't be here because it hurts to see you, and I like you and I just can't talk before my lessons."

"Can I come by after then?" I ask him. "I'll come to the gym."

"Okay." He nods, finally giving in. "I really gotta go now."

I nod and he turns around, walking back towards the street. I close the door and lock it after him, holding Bo and taking her upstairs. She tries to talk but it just comes out as gibberish and I smile. She's gotten big, now able to sit up on her own.
I open the door to my room and see Marshall still passed out in my bed. I knock on the threshold and he groans with tiredness. Jesus you'd think he's the one that's hungover. I shut the door behind me and walk over to my bed, sitting cross legged next to him with Bo in my lap.

"Hey." I say, nudging his shoulder. "I have a surprise for you."

He moans again and turns on his side, blinking himself awake. He smiles when he sees her, reaching out for her. She leans forward, leaving her monkey on the bed while Marshall picks her up. He lays on his back and holds her in the air face to face with him.

"Look how big you've gotten." He tells her and she smiles wildly at him. "Awe I'm a sucker for that smile." He tells her and she laughs.

He puts her down on his stomach and she lays on him, propped up on her elbows just kind of watching him. I smile at the sight of them, she's always liked him. Bo has always liked people in general.

"When did she get here?" He asks me, sticking his fingers out for Bo to grab.

"Maverick just dropped her off." I tell him. "He needed somebody to watch her."

"Oh." Marshall says quietly, and I decide not to press the subject further.

Bo is fascinated by Marshall's fingers for just a few moments before she frowns and starts to cry. He starts to hush her, sitting up and holding her to his chest but she persists. I give him the monkey and Bo takes it, her crying immediately stopping.
It's a rare sight, Marshall sitting cross legged in bed opposite of me with Bo cradled against his side sitting on his thigh. I take my phone off the table and snap a picture before he can notice.

"You look just like your daddy." Marshall tells her, in a voice I've never heard him use before.

He leans down and kisses her forehead once. She laughs again, abandoning the monkey for the second time and going for Marshall's hand. Just then there's a few knocks on the door, and Thatch peeps his head in.

"I knew I heard my favorite niece." He says, squinting his eyes.

"She's your only niece." I tell him.

"Exactly." He says.

Thatch walks into my room with his arms stretched out to hold Bo. Marshall hands her off and then pulls a sheet over his lap to shield his view.

"Oh relax." Thatch tells him. "I've seen better."

He winks at me and takes Bo out of the room. I look at Marshall whose cheeks are bright red.

"You're blushing." I tease him, leaning forward and putting my hands on his knees.

"I know." He laughs once. "I didn't care if he saw, it's just he's the man of the house and I'm in bed with you and...it's a respect thing that's all."