Melody's P.O.V.
Marshall and I are just coming back home from our last therapy session. At this point, we had both decided that we've had enough of it already because those session had done everything they could for us.
Don't get me wrong, we still have plenty of shit to work on, but at this point we both feel like we could just handle it ourselves.
Now, I actually feel kind of embarrassed that I ever felt we needed it in the first place, because just like Marshall said, all I really needed was to just talk to him and be straight with him about all of the insecurities I was still having about our relationship. But the thing is, it's like I wasn't even aware that I still had all these trust issues with him until that whole Rihanna thing happened.
It's like, deep down inside I knew that he wouldn't do me dirty again, but at the same time a small part of me was scared to believe in it fully.
But I have to realize that, at the end of the day, he has changed a lot since then, in a lot of ways, he's almost like a completely different person, even if he is still the same old Marshall.
Now, on our last session, the good doctor gave us permission to start having sex again also (like we really need her go ahead for that, lady please) as she now feels like we have finally learned to communicate with our words and not just try to fuck our problems away. Not that we still wouldn't fuck them away just because, common now, it's us.
But, just to tease Marshall, I told him we still are not having sex at all, until we finally get married in two weeks. He gave me that look that said we'll see about that, and I know he thinks he's gonna break me, but I promise you, he is not. I'm sticking to my guns this time, dammit!!
I also have some pretty big news to tell him, but I can't decide whether or not I'll drop that bomb on him now, or after the wedding. I also kind of feel nervous telling him, even though I'm pretty sure he'll be happy about it.
Just as I'm silently debating the issue in my head, I'm suddenly pulled out of my thoughts when I hear Marshall curse under his breath, and simultaneously, his whole body gets tense next to me, as he is pulling the steering wheel, bringing the car closer to the huge gates that are leading up to his property.
"Fuck is she doing here?" Marshall mutters with slight hostility in his voice as his eyebrows knit together in a disapproving frown.
I follow his gaze and see that, right before the gates leading up to his house, there stands parked an unfamiliar white SUV, and two of the bodyguards from Marshall's security team are standing next to it, seeming to have an argument with a driver, a small, sickly looking woman with a long face and a long mane of thick blonde hair.
It doesn't take me long to recognize who this person is, even though I've never actually met her. I've seen her being interviewed on TV and in magazines though, just enough to know that she is Marshall's mother.
"I am telling you ma'am, I apologize, but I cannot let you in without Mr. Mathers permission," one of the security guards says to her, and the woman sighs pitifully.
"Well, isn't he at home then?"
"Sorry ma'am, but not as of right now."
"But there must be something you can do! Call him, let him know his mother is here and I really need to talk to him!" Debbie Nelson exclaims, and she really does sound desperate.
"I am very sorry, ma'am, but no, there isn't anything I can do for you at this moment."
I turn my head towards Marshall slightly and watch his face completely drain of emotion, as one of his hands grips the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles whiten, while his other arm, the one he just has lazily draped over the back of my seat, now slumps at his side.
"Fuck man, why now," he mumbles to himself, eyes squinting as he regards his mother still pleading desperately with his security to let her in, none of them yet realizing that Marshall's car is literally right behind hers.
"Marshall," I say softly and place my hand on his shoulder.
He blinks a few times, as though waking up from a daze or something and then his head snaps towards me and he just stares at me.
"I ain't seen her in years, Mel," he says in this sort of monotone, completely emotionless voice, which actually tells me that he is in fact feeling a whole lot of emotions right now.
And I am so lost. I have absolutely no idea how to help him handle this situation. Simply because I have not the slightest idea how he himself wants to handle it, and whatever he would wanna do right now, I'll just follow his lead.
But Marshall just continues to sit there stone faced, so I sigh.
"Marshall, you'll have to get out of the car and talk to her or something. Or let her follow us inside and talk to her inside. But you do need to..."
"Do I, though?" He interrupts me angrily, and I'm actually a tad bit relieved that he's angry, because at least now he is showing some type of a feeling. "Mel, you have no idea how much I fucking can't stand this bitch!" He says through gritted teeth and his jaw clenches repeatedly.
"Don't say that, Marshall," I whisper and put my palm over his cheek, he seem to actually relax a little underneath my touch.
I feel a little hypocritical saying that to him, considering that I am right now essentially trying to get him to give his estranged mother a chance, when I would never give my fucking father a chance ever, but then again, I honestly don't think it's the same situation at all. At least, I don't think it is.
I watch Marshall sigh heavily down his nose, just as he begins to frag one of his hands down his face.
"Aight, common," he suddenly grabs my hand and pulls me closer to his side. "Let go say hi to my momma. Ain't no way in hell I'm letting her through this gate, but imma go speak to her. And you are coming with me."
I don't mind at all to be an emotional support for him right now, so I get out of the car with him without a word.
"Don't fucking say anything personal to her at all about our life," Marshall hisses in my ear, just as we walk around his car and make our way to where his mother is parked.
"Oh course not, who do you take me for?" I kind of snap back at him, just because at this very moment nerves start to overwhelm me too. This is a very weird and uncomfortable situation after all.
Just as we are starting getting closer to her, Deborah now notices us, and her eyes go big as saucers, then immediately fill with tears.
"Marshall, son!!" She exclaims, and hops out of the car with a whole lot more agility then I would expect from someone looking as frail as she does.
She quickly makes her way iver ti us and attempts to throw her arms around his shoulders and hug him, but Marshall is quick to grab at her wrists and lower her arms away from him, pushing her slightly back, gently but firmly.
"Why are you here, Debbie?" He sighs tiredly, and his mother immediately starts crying, and honestly? At that moment my heart goes out to her. She just looks so pitiful in this moment.
"Marshall, I haven't seen you in years, son. That's really all you've got to say to me?" She whispers.
"I mean, what you want me to say?" Marshall shoves his hands in his pockets as he stares down at her, face wiped of any emotion once again. "Look man, imma repeat myself again. Why are you here? What is it that you want, money?"
"Son, I haven't asked you for that in years."
"Nah, you right. You must've learned your lesson after you tried fucking suing me for it. Your own fucking son, Debbie!"
"Marshall, I've said it to you before, and I don't know how many times I'll need to say it to you again, but I'll say it as many times as it takes. I am so sorry about that! And I've never meant to..."
"Yeah, save the pity party for someone else. Look ma, if it ain't money you want from me right now, then what is it, cause I ain't got time to..."
"Marshall, can I talk to you for a second?" I suddenly pipe up, the words leaving my mouth quicker than I could stop myself.
"Mel, stay out of..." Marshall starts to say, but I give him a very serious look, causing his eyebrows to knit together, but he clamps his mouth shut and just continues to stare at me. He gives me a long look, then sighs.
Just as I grab his hand again, and begin to drag him away at his mother's earshot, she gives me a weak grateful smile.
This is the first time she even acknowledged my presence there too, and I feel kimd of awkward, but I somewhat nod at her, before I face off with Marshall once again.
"What?!" He snaps.
"Don't you think you are being kind of harsh with her?" I ask softly.
I watch his jaw clench again but his eyes soften just a tad bit as he locks them with mine. He takes his hand and drags his knuckles down the side of my cheek lightly.
"Mel, you don't know her," he says tiredly. "All of the shit I've ever told you about this woman over the years, doesn't even come near..."
"No, I totally get that! I understand why you wouldn't trust her, but Marshall... she just looks so damn pitiful right now," I whisper, as I take a quick peak at Debbie, standing to the side of the road and wiping her tears off her face with the back of her sleeve as he begins to tap one of her feet nervously on the ground.
"For fucks sake, Mel," Marshall scoffs. "That's just what she does. She is great at playing a victim. She's manipulative as fuck!"
"That she may be, but she looks fucking sick, Marshall. Maybe something IS wrong with her."
"Oh yeah, you hitting it right on the head there, baby," he scoffs again angrily. "Something is wrong with her alright, and she is sick. Sick in the fucking head. She's probably on something right now too, that's why she looks like..."
"Marshall, can I ask you something, baby boy?"
"Shoot."
"Do you remember what you've told me, about that like dream, or hallucination, or whatever it was that you've had that time after you overdosed and you were in a coma? You told me your life was flashing before your eyes, and when you thought about your mother, you were thinking that you still love her..."
"Fuck, Mel. Why are you bringing this up now?"
"Because I think you still love her, Marshall," I simply say. "You are just still so hurt by her that you are lashing out at her, but something is telling me that if some shit were to ever happen to her, and you didn't even attempt to fix things with her right now, you would regret it. Trust me, Marshall, I'm saying this to you for your own sake and not for hers. I don't have nobody else's but your interest in mind here."
My man just stares at me.
"So what, you a therapist now all of a sudden too?" His voice is dripping with sarcasm. "A few sessions we went on, and you think..."
"I don't think anything, I just..."
"Fine, Mel, you win," Marshall then suddenly conceeds. "I'll fucking talk to her, and I'll hear what she's got to say."
Before I know it, he suddenly walks over to Debbie, and he's the one to hug her this time. The hug is very awkward and seems to have been a completely impulsive decision on his end. Debbie's eyes widen, but she quickly hugs him back, and then Marshall steps away from her just as quickly.
"Fine, ma, tell me what the fuck you want," he scoffs at her again, but despite his choice of words, he sounds somewhat softer towards her this time.
So, idk if Marshall's change sudden change of heart at the end of the chapter was maybe a bit abrupt, but the way I see it, a part of him is still as bipolar as ever, so that's why he just switched up like that lol.
Plus, at this point, Mel can talk him into pretty much anything 🤣 I mean, she's got him going to therapy and all lol
Oh, and also Happy New Year!!