divine order

New beginnings

Marshall's Pov
-
I woke up to the smell of something sweet—pancakes? For a moment, I thought I was dreaming, but then I heard whispers and giggles. I opened my eyes to see Hailie, Alaina, and Whitney at the foot of the bed, holding a tray with pancakes, scrambled eggs, and orange juice. Kim stood behind them, smiling.

"Surprise, Daddy!" Whitney shouted, her face lighting up.

I sat up, rubbing my eyes. "What's all this?"

"Breakfast in bed," Hailie said proudly. "We made it all by ourselves... mostly."

Kim rolled her eyes playfully. "Mostly, huh? Don't forget who actually used the stove."

I laughed, taking the tray from Alaina. "Thank you, girls. This is perfect."

I glanced at the gift, my thoughts briefly wandering. "And thanks for the sobriety necklace. It's really... special."

Hailie tilted her head. "Sobri-What??"

"Huh?" Alaina questioned.

I chuckled, noticing their confusion. "It's a symbol of staying sober."

The girls exchanged puzzled looks. Whitney furrowed her brow. "What's sobriety?"

I shot a quick glance at Kim, who gave me a knowing smirk. She'd been the only one in on the necklace. I smiled back at her, then shrugged. "It's just a way to remind me to keep going strong. Don't worry about it."

Kim's smirk widened, and she winked at me. The girls seemed satisfied with that answer and quickly returned to their excitement about breakfast.

As I was about to take another bite, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I grabbed it and saw Paul's name flash across the screen. I answered, keeping my voice low. "Hey, man."

"Marshall! You're officially back home, huh? How does it feel?"

I looked around at my girls and Kim, who was now trying to keep Whitney from eating all of my breakfast. "It feels... good. Real good."

"Good to hear, man. Take it easy today. Don't worry about the studio just yet. We've got time."

"Yeah, I will. Thanks, Paul."

After hanging up, I leaned back against the headboard, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. Being back home was great, but there was still so much on my mind—my music, staying sober, the future... and Precious.

Kim's voice pulled me back to reality. "Alright, girls, we're running late. Let's get you to school."

I blinked, realizing how much time had passed. "Actually, I'll take them."

Kim looked at me, surprised. "Are you sure? You don't know where Alaina's high school or Whitney's kindergarten is."

"Just tell me where they are," I said, already swinging my legs out of bed. "I'll figure it out."

Kim hesitated, then sighed. "Alright, but don't take too long. They're already late."

I nodded, heading to the bathroom to get ready. As I splashed water on my face, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I looked... different. Maybe it was just the light, but there was something in my eyes that hadn't been there before. Determination, maybe.

Once I was dressed, I grabbed my keys and told the girls to get their backpacks. They hurried out the door, and we piled into the car.

Once again, my mind raced as I drove mindlessly. Looking ahead, wondering what in life would happen next. For some reason, I felt so anxious and jittery, like my body couldn't wait to get to the studio, like I couldn't wait to see Precious again, like I couldn't wait to get my life completely sorted out. I felt so damn anxious, it was always on my mind these last 2 days.

As we drove, Whitney suddenly pointed out the window. "Ice cream! Can we get ice cream, Daddy?"

Alaina groaned. "Whitney, it's morning. We can't have ice cream for breakfast. Mom says no."

Whitney crossed her arms, pouting. "If you can have sugary pancakes with syrup and whipped cream, that's basically the same as ice cream for breakfast, and you know it!"

Hailie chuckled. "She does have a point, Alaina."

"Shut up, Hailie," Alaina snapped.

"Alright, alright, calm down," I said, trying not to laugh. "Hailie's right—Whit does have a point."

Whitney's eyes lit up. "So, can we?"

I hesitated. I knew I shouldn't, but she was just so damn adorable. And then Hailie started chanting with her, "Ice cream! Ice cream!"

Before I knew it, I was making a U-turn and pulling into the ice cream shop. The girls cheered as I handed them each a cone, and Whitney grinned up at Alaina, who rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling too.

"Don't tell Mom," I warned them, trying to sound serious but failing miserably.

They nodded, giggling as they devoured their ice cream. I couldn't help but smile, watching them. Moments like this—this was why I had to keep it together.

After dropping them off at their schools, one by one, I finally headed back home. As I drove, my mind wandered back to Precious and everything that had happened. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to come, something big. I just wasn't sure if I was ready for it.

_______

Precious' Pov
-
I woke up groggy, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. Squinting at the screen, I saw it was a text from Marshall. I rubbed my eyes and quickly typed back a good morning message, but then I noticed the sunlight streaming through the curtains. It was already noon.

A response popped up almost immediately. "It's already noon, sleepyhead."

I laughed, sending back a sleepy emoji. "I miss sleeping in a comfortable bed. I really have to get used to this whole waking up early thing."

Our conversation flowed easily. I could tell Marshall was in good spirits, and I enjoyed the playful back-and-forth. We talked about the little things, our mornings, and how we were adjusting to life back in the real world.

Eventually, the topic shifted to my current situation. I mentioned how I was living with an old friend, Sarah who was more like a distant acquaintance now. "She's still playing her music loud like she's in her teens. It's annoying, but I'm just trying to get by until I can get back on my feet."

Marshall texted back with a sympathetic tone. "That sounds rough. At least you're out of rehab, right? And hey and if you ever need help, let me know. I got you."

I nodded to myself as I typed a reply. "Thank you, Marshall. And yeah, it feels like a weight off my shoulders. Rehab felt like a prison sometimes. I'm glad to be out officially, even if I'm still figuring things out."

I continued to browse job listings online, trying to find something that would get me back on track. I tried calling Kevin again, but as usual, he didn't answer. It was frustrating not being able to reach him, especially when I wanted to talk about my son.

Speaking of my boy, I thought about him constantly. It hurt not having him with me, but I knew I needed to keep moving forward. I had to make things right, both for myself and for him.

Marshall and I kept chatting for a while, our conversation a welcome distraction from the reality of my situation. There was a hint of something more between us, something I was starting to notice but wasn't ready to fully confront yet.

Eventually, our texts slowed down as the day progressed. I put my phone down and looked around the room, trying to appreciate the small victories. Even though things weren't perfect, I was out of rehab and had a chance to rebuild my life.

I took a deep breath and smiled to myself. Tomorrow would be another day to take things in stride.