Under the Influence

X.

"Cassie! Help us!" Hailie giggled uncontrollably as Marshall tickled her on the ground.

"No Cassie don't be a traitor, get that munchkin!" He pointed to Alaina who managed to escape his grip.

"I don't think so. Alaina help me!" I grabbed Marshall by the shoulders from behind and gently threw him onto his front whilst Alaina freed Hailie. I stood away laughing and watched as Hailie sat on his back bouncing up and down whilst Alaina tried to untie his shoes. I knew Marshall could easily get away from them but he indulged in their little game by pretending to struggle.

"Marshall I think I heard someone knock on the door".

"Can you get it? I'm kinda trapped" The girls laughed again as he made a show of being stuck by them. Quickly I ran to the front door and opened it without hesitation only to face a grumpy looking woman, her arms crossed across her chest.

"Who the fuck are you?" she angrily snarled at me.

"I'm sorry? I'm not sure-"

"Is Marshall here or not?" she cut me off.

"Uh yeah, but-"

She cut me off again and pushed past me into the house and all the way out to the garden as I quickly walked behind her trying to see what was going on . Who was she and why did she seem to have a problem with me? "Mom!" Hailie happily shrieked. Mom? This was Kim, Marshall's ex-wife? Marshall's head shot up from the ground his smile instantly dropping, and he gently pushed the girls off him and stood up.

"Kim what are you doing here?" Marshall questioned annoyance heavily laced in his voice.

"I'm getting the girls, you've had them all day".

"I was going to drop the off" his fists balled up at his sides.

Kim ignored Marshall's comment, "Girls go to the car. I'll be there in a second" she snapped at Hailie and Alaina. They looked back and forth between their parents, unsure what to do.

"Come give me a hug and do what your Mother says" Marshall opened his arms and sunk down to their height, giving them both a very tight hug and a kiss on the head. "I love you two, and I'll see you soon okay?" he spoke directly into their eyes. They both nodded and went in for another hug which he gladly gave, "Go get your stuff and go out to the car okay?" they nodded and ran off both giving me a very quick hug which I hardly even returned as I stood there frozen.

"Is that her?" Kim jerked a thumb at me, talking as if I wasn't in her presence.

"What do you mean?" Marshall growled, letting his anger come out now that the girls weren't around.

"Don't play stupid with me Marshall I know about your new hoe".

"Who the fuck are you calling a hoe? You don't even know her!"

"I know she must be a hoe if she got with you when we were still technically married".

"It's none of your fucking business who I date anymore Kim! In case you forgot I dumped your ass" Marshall's voice grew louder and more aggressive with each word.

"It is my business because she is around my children! You're not seeing them again until you break up with her". My mouth fell open in shock, was she serious?

"You can't do that!" Marshall shouted his voice rattling around the garden.

"I can do what I want! I have custody!" Kim screamed before she stomped back through the house without so much as a glance at me, slamming the front door as she went.

Marshall chased her back through the house and I slowly followed him, falling behind. "FUCKING BITCH" I jumped as he shouted at the closed door and threw something causing a loud shatter. The house became eerily silent, all I could hear was Marshall's heavy breathing and cursing under his breath before the door slammed for the second time and I was left in true silence, and alone.