Same script, different cast

When in Rome......

“Did Nauny show you the photos on Instagram?”

I chirp happily to Marshall down the phone as I wait very impatiently at Luxor airport to fly to Rome, Vi has disappeared buying more duty free alcohol and sunglasses, girl is obsessed with Sunnies.

“Yeah baby, it looks amazing. Were you scared of the balloon?” He asks me

“Nope, although I fell into the fucking thing, had to climb into it and my legs weren't long enough so I very ungracefully clambered in and fell on my ass”

Marshall giggles down the phone and it makes my face hurt with the beaming smile that crosses it, it's only been ten days but he sounds so much more like himself already.

“Denaun and I had crossed words Annie, he told me he was real unhappy with the way I'd treated you and he'd felt that by being loyal to me had caused him to hurt you unnecessarily"

for a second he sounds down but then he perks up again

“We laid everything out on the table and it's sorted now, I apologised for putting him in that position!”

I sigh in relief, I really don't want them to fall out over this and it shows the therapy is starting to work, Marshall opening up is a rare thing to most people but with those he loves he's actually really good at it until he gets overwhelmed, then he shuts up shop and that's when you know something is wrong with him.

“Don't forget your envelope tonight baby"

Marshall sounds shy as he reminds me and I'm going to open it as soon as we get to the hotel later,

“I won't"

I whisper down the phone and I hear our flight being called, sighing we say our goodbyes. I miss him terribly already.

*later that evening*

I've not bothered to unpack or anything because I'm sitting on my bed contemplating getting the next flight home.
Violet met an Italian man on the flight, flirted the whole way from Luxor to Rome and she disappeared with him at the airport a quick

“See ya later Annie" and a wink she was gone.

My Marshall envelope in one hand, my tablet in the other ready to book a flight I'm undecided on what to do first. Marshall wins of course in the end though and I rip the envelope open smiling as I recognise his writing all over the page

Sweetheart
I know exactly how you feel right now!  I miss you more and more every day and if I know anything about you by now I know you'll be having an internal struggle about how much you miss me and whether to come home or stay. As much as I want you to come home I want you to stay baby.
Remember how much fun you had yesterday, today is just a feeling and you'll regret making snap decisions right now while you feel like this. The Coliseum and more adventure awaits you Annie, please take it. Have fun with Violet! I want to hear about it all when you're home.
I love you and I can't wait to be your husband and have adventures together, I promise you they'll happen baby, I won't let you down again.
Yours forever
M xxxx

Underneath his words is a caricature drawing of Violet and I at the Coliseum.
I love it and it makes me feel warm inside to know that he knows this much about me and how I'd be feeling right now.

I turn my tablet off settled on staying now and lay back on the bed clutching my letter to my chest and falling into a peaceful slumber.

Two days later and Violet wakes me up it's the first time I've seen her since we've arrived, yesterday I amused myself walking the back streets, looking in all of the little boutique style shops and eating and drinking myself into an early night.
I'm a bit pissed off with her and it gets worse as she shouts at me to get up because she wants to go shopping.