Ain't Nobody Like You

Chapter Forty-Three

In between the next award given out and a beautiful tribute to Aaliyah, who I still can't believe is gone, I catch up with Pink backstage. She tells me all about the guy she fell head over heels in love with over the summer which encourages me to to open up to her about my own love of my life. I know Pink isn't the gossiping type, and when I tell her she's genuinely happy for me. Shocked because it's Eminem, but happy.

Openly admitting I love Marshall and that we're together to someone outside our core family and friends group is so freeing. It felt good. I want to do that all the time. And after a full year miraculously without the public knowing the truth about our relationship, I wonder if it's time we finally let the world know about us. 

Tony comes over to me then, handing me my ringing phone that he held on for me during my performance.  

When I see it's Marshall calling I quickly answer it, "Give me one second." I tell my boyfriend. Looking to my friends, I joke, "Speak of the devil." and excuse myself. When I find a semi-quiet corner I say to Marshall, "Sorry- hey babe! How'd the parent teacher conferences go?" 

"Yo, real good. All the teachers had nothin' but good things to say 'bout the girls." He tells me, pride in his voice. "But I'll tell you all 'bout it when you come home. I just wanna tell you I caught your performance. You were fuckin' amazing."

"I was?" I smile.

"Yeah, I mean I coulda gone without that Ja motherfucker all over you but whatever. You were incredible baby. As always."

I appreciate him keeping his jealousy in control this time. He's been a bit difficult with me working with Ja Rule. At first it wasn't a big deal, but then we filmed the music video. Dancing with Ja and worse, hugging on each other, was what set Marshall off. We fought about it for days. And I honestly understand where he was coming from. I was furious too when he told me he has a love interest in his movie.

But both of us have to understand this is going to be part of our job. 

Of course I don't want to do something that would make Marshall uncomfortable but he also can't restrict me from everything. I told him anything he doesn't want me to do, he himself can't do either- to be fair. It's hard, the jealousy is still there but we just need to trust that we'll have enough respect for one another not to do anything disrespectful.

"Thanks babe." I tell him, "I wish you were here! I'm so bored without you."

He chuckles, "Don't let Ang hear you say that."

"You know what I mean. I miss you." It's not that I'm bored with Angie. It's that every moment away from Marshall is gray in comparison to actually being with him. "What are you doing?"

"Watchin' the VMA's- shouldn't you be doin' the same?" 

"I'd rather be talking to you." I say, "Tell me more about what the teachers said and if we win any awards let me know and I'll go accept them."

We talk on the phone for the rest of the show. It doesn't matter that I'll be home in the morning. Or that we already spend every moment together talking just like this. I'd rather be in a cold, quiet corner of the Metropolitan Opera House talking on the phone with Marshall than anywhere else right now.  

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The Next Day

I came home to Marshall and the girls waiting for me, greeting me with smiles and love, ready to spend the day together. Multiple bouquets of roses from Marshall fill the house with a beautiful floral fragrance. He gifts me a beautiful necklace- white gold heart pendant with a M & K inscribed on the front. On the back it says 9/7/00- ∞. I immediately put it on, with no plans to ever take it off. 

I got the girls gifts as well, teddy bears I knew they'd love- which they completely did. This might be one year of Marshall and I being together, but this anniversary is just as much a celebration of the relationship I have with the girls as well. 

"Open your present now." I order Marshall, handing him a wrapped box once we're alone in our bedroom later that night. I watch him closely as he tears off the wrapping paper and takes out what's inside. 

"Fuck." Marshall groans as soon as he opens to the first page of the album.

"You like it?" I ask, anxious.

I gave him a book of boudoir photographs of me. Classier than just sending him nudes, though he'd still love that I'm sure. Posing for those semi-nude photos was really out of my comfort zone but the photographer Angie hooked me up with in New York, Yvonne, helped me feel confident. And giving him sexy pictures of me in lingerie was definitely the right choice. 

Marshall is speechless, which I didn't think was even possible, unable to tear his eyes away from the pages. But once he finds his voice again, he's thanking and complimenting me- somehow being both dirty and sweet doing so.

"Happy anniversary babe." I tell him, running my fingers through his hair lovingly as he continues to flip through the book. He is no longer the bleached blonde Slim Shady, but the brown haired Marshall Mathers. I've helped bleach his hair countless times to keep up his signature look, but he's stopped doing so recently to grow out his natural hair. Unfortunately it's not forever, just for the duration of filming, because I really love it.

"We made it a whole year, who woulda thought?" I tease, "Go us."

"Go us." Marshall agrees with a chuckle, holding his hand out to me and I smile as I high five him. And then he pulls me in for a kiss, which of course leads to more. 

I end the happiest year of my life making love to my man.

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A/N

Okay I really quickly finished and edited this so hopefully its okay lol.

What does everyone think of Side B???? I feel like I haven't given it a good listen yet. There's a few songs I already love, but I haven't listened in a way that I'm actually listening to the lyrics and picking up on double meanings and stuff. I love that he's been doing interviews too.

So I have the next few couple chapters outlined and almost completely written so I'll be uploading eventually. Yay! 

As always I want to thank everyone for reading. I love seeing everyone's comments and I love checking my notifications and seeing a bunch of people have just binged my story, liking every chapter. It means so much. This year has been crazy but I look forward to writing this and uploading/interacting with everyone on here. So thank you for that! 

Despite everything, I hope you have all managed to have an okay year. Wishing you all the best. <3