Chapter fourteen
I put Vincent’s novel aside and continued with my work. “Who was that?” Tina asked, sounding interested.
“Vincent Tomas” I replied.
“Oh my God…he is a stud” she exclaimed. I gave a sarcastic laugh. “If you like fake ass gangsters…he was the biggest wannabe in my high school” I said.
“Time has certainly changed him” Tina said.
“Tina, he pulled every cheap move on me and what made it cheaper is it’s the same cheap moves he pulled on me in high school!”
Tina placed a couple of files on my desk. In between the files was the People Magazine. The magazine caught my eye and I removed the file to find on the cover a picture of Marshall. Bad or good, whenever I see a picture of Marshall on the cover of any magazine it still makes my heart drop in the most painful way.
“Oh that is mine how did that get in there!” Tina urgently tried to take the magazine.
“No, no, no…let me see that” I said. The headlines read, “Eminem has relapsed”, and had headlines below about him. My stomach twisted into knots.
“No, no! Let me in!” A familiar voice shouted trying to force their way into my office.
Naomi was fighting with Phil the security guard. Naomi began shouting in Spanish which meant I had to step in.
“Phil, Phil its ok…I know her!” I said. Naomi caught her breath and had the same magazine in her hands.
“I came as fast as I could” said Naomi.
“It can’t be true” Tina said. Naomi sat in the seat in front of the desk. I read the bottom headlines,
“Eminem, found going into an alley way right after his concert” a thousand thoughts came rushing to my mind. Marshall doesn’t show any sign of drug using. But yet his attitude has been a little upside down.
“No, it can’t be…Natalia don’t pay attention to the headlines” Naomi said. My hands began to shake and my heart was breaking. At the moment I just wanted to rush home to Marshall.
“When you want it the most there is no easy way out…don’t give up on your fate” my phone began to ring as I struggled to pick it up.
“Hello?”
“Hey baby it’s me” said Marshall, his voice gave me relief and comfort.
“Hey honey” I tried to sound normal and not shaky.
“Hey sorry about this morning, I didn’t sleep too good…anyway I’ll pick up the kids today to make up for it” Marshall said. I suddenly felt this was not the man I married as I held my phone to my ear and the magazine in front of my face.
No! I know Marshall he would never do this. I pushed everything aside along with throwing the magazine into the trash.
“I would appreciate it honey” I said, clearing my shaking voice.
“Ok…I love you” he said lovingly.
“I love you too…I will see you later” I said. “Yes…bye”
“Bye”.
I shut my phone with my palm and put it in my pocket. “What did he say?” Naomi asked.
“He is going too…” I cleared my throat. “He is going to pick up the kids and bring them home and I guess he does his share tomorrow too” I said.
“What about this, Talia” Naomi asked, holding the magazine in her hand. I took the magazine and put it through the shredder.
“You know the magazine and how they can be…Marshall just came home from touring he will be home for a year now I won’t jump to any conclusions” I said. Naomi and Tina nodded in agreement.
“I love my husband…” I said. “We know you do…” said Naomi, “but if Marshall is using and does not get help…don’t let him break your heart.”
“Even if I do…” the next word I wanted to say made me chock, “leave Marshall…I shall be broken hearted even if he was dead from drugs, we divorce or if I leave him”.
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Even though I forced myself not to believe the magazine the thought of Marshall doing drugs again lingered in the back of my mind like a bitch.
“Natalia” Tina said.
“Hmm?”
“I’m going to leave now I’ll see you tomorrow”.
“Ok…go ahead” I said, glancing at the magazine.
“Talia…I know Marshall he loves you too much just the way he looks at you” said Tina.
I chuckled softly to myself, “yes”. “Don’t worry…he lives with you and you know more then those people” said Tina. Thinking of what Tina said made me feel better and I became excited to go home to my husband.
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The night air had a twist of winter air and it felt like a mixture of exhust pipes and the fresh winter. I shoved my hands into my coat pocket as I walked out of the lobby.
“Hello, Polish Princess”. I turned around; Vincent stood against the wall. He was dressed in a long black trench coat and big scarf.
“It isn’t that cold” I scoffed. “I suppose you saw the magazines” said Vinny, walking towards me.
I was too cold and tried to put up a fight and it was what he would want. I scoffed in his face, “go back to Jersey, Vinny” I said.
“If he is using, will you stay with him?” he shouted down the street. I stopped for a moment to say something back, but it was a question I wasn’t sure how to answer.
I sat in the car for a couple of minutes to let today’s shock set in. I just can’t go home and be like ‘hi honey let me ask you something are you on drugs again?’ The thought of it made me feel embarrassed. Marshall’s attitude has been weird but not weird enough for me to question it so. He doesn’t show signs of a drug user and no medications have been made under my name or have been tokened from my medicine cabinet. I forced myself to pull out of the parking lot to go home, at the moment I felt the need to be with the kids and Marshall.