~September 10, 2000~
We decided two days was not nearly enough time together. So Marshall invited me to come stay with him in Detroit. I initially didn't want to get in the way of his time with his family but he insisted. So I of course agreed, even though I'd only be staying for less than a day before I had to leave again. I'll take any extra time I can get.
Marshall takes a morning flight home and I'm to follow on an evening one. We both would have loved to have gone together but that would only attract attention that neither of us want right now.
For the time being, we're keeping our relationship private. A mutual decision. We won't keep it from the people that matter, but we also won't be announcing it outright to the world.
Dating is tough enough without the constant public scrutiny. I mean, when everybody thought we were together over the summer, they went crazy, tearing us to shreds even. We were on the cover of every tabloid magazine, hot topic on every radio and television show. Paparazzi following me constantly, always trying to catch us together. I'm not sure how much worse it'll be once the truth is out, but I'm in no rush to find out.
We both already wen't through such public relationships and breakups. We just want to enjoy each other as long as we can before the media tries to ruin it. Not that I'll let them.
Murphy and I walk side by side towards JFK, taking our time since the private jet will wait to depart till we board. Since everything went so smoothly during our last trip to Detroit, well...security-wise, I was able to convince Murphy I didn't need extra protection this time. Jax and Tony are great on tour and for big events and stuff, but not necessary right now.
"Did Sarah finish the bathroom renovations?" I ask, striking up a conversation with my quiet bodygaurd. Since settling in New York, my team has made it their home as well. Including Murphy and his wife. And over the last year Sarah has been completely redoing the flat that they live in, making it their own. She even helped me with my own place. If she wanted to, she could be an amazing interior designer.
"Yep." he sighs, "She's onto the spare room now."
"Really? That was quick. What's she going to do with that room?" I ask.
"Nursery."
I stop him, with an excited smile, "Is there anything you want to tell me Murphy?"
"Not yet." he shakes his head. He doesn't look like he is going to say anything else, but then adds, "Sarah is just...hopeful."
They've been trying for a while now- his wife sharing that information with me once. But so far, nothing. That must be really tough. I give him a small smile, knowing he doesn't want to talk further about it, and we continue walking.
The usual mob of paparazzi are all crowding the entrance, waiting for the next celebrity to make an appearance. But that's nothing new.
I see a few fans too waving at me with pictures for me to autograph so I make sure to stop to sign them, smiling and making small talk with them. Murphy stands guard behind me.
"Katherine!" A photographer calls to me. "You look beautiful!"
"Thank you." I manage politely as I sign my last autograph, giving the pap the smile that they want as a flash goes off in my face.
But that opens the gates to more comments and questions being thrown at me. Their camera's flashing all around in a blinding manner.
I put a hand on Murphy's arm so I can follow him, his other arm free- preparing to block out any paparazzi that get too close if necessary. The only thing he can't block out is anything they have to say to me.
'Katherine! To your left, look here!', 'Where are you going?', 'Are you and Daniel ever getting back together?', 'What's it like hanging out with Victoria Secret Models?', 'What's the matter- you don't want to talk to us?', 'How's your love life?', 'Are you jealous of Britney's sales and that she's breaking records with her new album?', 'Look at me, smile!' 'When will you release your next album?', 'What's the deal with you and Eminem?'
I don't blink an eye at what they say. They're always throwing out a mix of questions, trying to throw me off and answer one. But I ignore them and keep walking. Or try to. The entrance is just right there but with more paparazzi and now fans emerging out of no where, they're blocking our every direction and we're stuck.
"No more pictures please. Let us through- please!" I urge- anxious and annoyed now- as Murphy yells for the crowd to do the same but with more authority and a lot less polite. Most of them back off, knowing from experience they wont get any information from me this way. But there's always one jerk who doesn't.
"Answer us, would ya?" He demands, reaching his hand out to stop me. And it's like that gives everyone permission to do what they want as more fans with pictures for me to autograph start shoving things into my face to sign and the paparazzi are swarming us. In the chaos, I let go of Murphy and people push between us, separating me from him.
It all happens so quickly. People are grabbing me left and right. Shouting things- some are telling them to stop while others are just yelling my name and even more questions. And the pap that started it all is flashing his camera in my face. It's disorientating.
Murphy acts fast, shoving the pap and everyone else away from me as he comes back to stand at my side, putting an arm around me protectively. The crowd gives me back my space, but in the process, Murphy had knocked the jerk paparazzi's camera to the ground.
"Hey, your goon broke my camera!" the unnamed man yells at me. "You better pay for that!"
The cameras are flashing twice as much, documenting the moment. I can already picture how it'll all be twisted. As if this situation isn't stressful enough.
"That wasn't his fault, it was yours!" I snap, my adrenaline pumping, "If you would just leave me alone, that wouldn't have happened!"
Murphy moves me along, wanting to get me out of the situation as soon as possible, and I let him. But when I hear that jerk mutter 'bitch' under their breath, I halt. Turning towards him with a not so nice retort on my lips, I only stop when Murphy lifts me up and literally carries me away.
The flight was short, and I ended up taking a nap once the adrenaline wore off. So once we land I feel a lot calmer. Until we walk off the jet and there are three large, intimidating men that I've never seen before waiting for us on the tarmac.
Murphy walks straight over to them, talking to them for a moment and shaking their hands before coming back to me.
Confused, I ask, "Murph, what is this? Who are they?"
"Backup." he says, taking my bag from one of the handlers. When he sees his usual one word response isn't enough for me, he adds, "To make sure what happened in New York doesn't happen here."
"When did you arrange this?" I ask, following him and the other men to a parked SUV.
"While you were sleeping." he says simply.
This is a little unnecessary but I guess there's no harm in it. And it is a little comforting after everything. I open the door and say with a giddy smile, "Let's go! My boyfriend is waiting."
My boyfriend. I'll never get sick of saying that.
Marshall's new home is incredible. A big stone house, with a beautiful entryway. Large windows and pretty landscaping. He even has a water fountain in the middle of his driveway. It's a million dollar mansion, no doubt about it. But it's also a really nice home.
When I see Marshall, standing outside in the driveway already waiting for me, I jump out of the car before it comes to a complete stop and run into his arms. He holds me against him as I wrap my arms around his neck, crashing my lips to his. We kiss like we haven't seen each other in years. I missed him- half a day apart was just too long. He twirls us around once, making me giggle before he places me back on the ground.
But his smiles slips away as he get's serious suddenly.
"You okay?" He asks, cradling my head gently between his two large hands as he stares into my eyes. I nod, not really sure what he means, but he continues looking worried, "I heard what happened."
What? How? It just happened! Unless...
In disbelief, I turn on Murphy, who has smartly kept his distance standing by the car, "You told him?!"
"We needed his men." Is his only reply. So that's where the extra security came from. He looks very unbothered and not like he went behind my back at all. Traitor.
"When did you even talk to him? We just got here! How-?"
"He called me on the plane." Marshall answers for him. I turn back to him, "And I'm glad he did. I wanna know 'bout shit like this. Were you even plannin' on tellin' me?"
I wasn't. Not unless it was significantly downplayed. And only now do I see how wrong that is. But I didn't want to upset him, like he obviously is now. I shrug, "It was no big deal."
"No big deal?" Marshall repeats, voice rising as he looks at me like I'm crazy, "Katie you got mobbed! They had their fuckin' hands on you! You coulda been hurt!"
"But I wasn't. I'm fine." I assure him calmly, "Murphy did his job and everything turned out okay."
"Yeah, this time- because you were fuckin' lucky! It coulda been a hell of a lot worse."
"And thank God it wasn't. But Marshall, I've been dealing with this for years now. Things just got crazy this one time, but it's never happened before."
"And it ain't gonna happen again. A'ight? You're gonna hire extra security." He says, demandingly.
But that's not how this works. I make the decisions when it comes to my life.
"I don't want to." I say, stubbornly.
"God damnit, Katie. Why you bein' so fuckin' difficult?" he says, angry, "It's like you don't care if somethin' bad happens to you."
"Of course I care, I just-"
"Katie!" I hear and look to see Hailie and Lainey running out of the house to greet me.
I smile, happy to see them of course but also so they don't notice that anything is wrong. Not that there is, we're just having a little argument is all.
"We'll talk about this later, okay?" I tell Marshall, hoping to avoid it all together though. We may have agreed to talk things out while we're upset, but I know as well as he does that that doesn't apply when the girls are around. So he nods, just as they run into me and give me hugs.
"Come on, Uncle is making mac and cheese for dinner!" Lainey tells me.
"And we'll show you the house- it's bigger than yours!" Hailie says excitedly, each of them taking me by the hand and dragging me towards their new home.
I glance back to see if Marshall is following, but he's talking to Murphy and his own security instead. It doesn't look like he's going to let this one go.
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A/N
Vote & Comment
Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed the chapter! I think I'll have the next one up in a day or so. 🤞
So scary how Eminem's house got broken into last month, huh? That guy was crazy. So glad he's okay!