As The World Turns

Chapter 34

Every few seconds Jodie kept glancing over at Marshall, making sure he was still asleep. She'd managed to make it halfway across the room without standing on any of the dodgy floorboards that occupied her room. Her next stage was to open the door without it making the usual horrifying squeak it always did.

unsurprisingly, as soon as she moved it an inch it creaked and squealed. Gritting, her teeth she turned around to glance at the bed, Marshall shifted slightly in his sleep, but fortunately, he didn't wake up. Breathing a sigh of relif, Jodie shut the door quietly behind her and was finally able to make her way down the stairs.

It was too dark for Jodie to see when she finally made it into the hallway and so she had to reach up and flick on the light closet to her. When she did, she had to cover her mouth in order to stop her from crying out. In a split second of bad luck, she'd stubbed her toe on the edge of the sideboard that rested just next to the light switch, so when she'd moved, she'd caught her toe on the edge. Cursing herself for not putting her slippers on, Jodie continued on her way to the bookshelf.

The spine of the book that Joe had given her stood out against the rest of the hardback books that stood on the shelf. Placing, her finger on the top the spine she pulled it out; now that she wasn't worried about Marshall, she was able to get a good look at it. On the cover was a pattern that she hadn't seen in years, a black and white sunset with the name Jodie Kingly etched across it in white lettering.

''It's taken you this fucking long to return my diary? I could strangle you if you were here,'' Jodie mumbled as she turned on the first page to find a separate piece of paper slipped inside staring back at her:

I was clearing some of my trash out and found this. You must have left it the last time you were round and forgot about it or you just didn't want to see me. Either way, I hope you don't mind that a had a little look and marked some pages I think you should look at; you know relive some old memories.

Joe

''I hope you don't mind?'' Jodie repeated not believing what she had just read, having no idea how Joe had had the ghoul to read her diary. In all honesty, she had forgotten about it over time, mainly because for one she'd bought a new one and two it was full of her memories involving Joe. Jodie found herself still not wanting to relive them in fear that she'd come across events she had mange to erase from her thoughts for good.

Sighing, she tucked the book under her arm and trudged back up the stairs; not before turning the landing light off of course. She made her way back up to the bedroom and into the room without waking Marshall again. Placing, the diary on the bedside table, she slid her dressing gown off and crawled back into the bed, letting Marshall's body heat warm her up. All the while something started to scratch away in her mind, something she'd forgotten and couldn't quite put her finger on.

+++

''You know you're going to need a suit right?'' Jodie remarked as she spun around in her bridesmaid's dress. Ever since Marshall had spotted the garment back a week ago, he had been nagging Jodie to wear the dress, so he could see it. To begin with, she'd refused saying he had to wait, but after reminding her that she was not the bride, Marshall convinced her to let him see it.

''And now I know what you're wearing I can get a suit to match,'' he grinned approaching her from behind as she looked at herself in the mirror.

''You know when I say suit I mean a suit and tie not a tracksuit right?'' Jodie questioned as Marshall wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzling his face in her hair.

''Well I do now,'' he muttered.

''Marshall,'' she tried to sound frustarted, but because he started to trail kisses down her neck it came out as more a moan instead.

''What, I'm just a simple man,'' he shrugged, lifting his head and spinning her around in his arms resing he hands either side of her hips.

''Oh really, ok Mr simple man, how about I take you shopping for a suit,'' she quirked a brow as Marshall just stared at her, ''Earth to Marshall,'' she waved a hand in front of his face to try and get his attention.

''What's that?'' He questioned instead, he had been staring at something behind her.

''What's what?'' She asked, as he let go of her and moved around towards the back of the mirror. He bent down picking something up, he appeared to stare at it for a while before finally turning back around to face Jodie again.

Her brows scrunched up as she looked at what was in his hands. It was a picture frame and the glass was all cracked and broken; the picture inside was covered in a layer of dust, but the photo underneath was still visible.

''I must have thrown it behind there and forgotten about it,'' Jodie muttered as she took the photo from Marshall, wiping the dust away (careful not to get any on her dress|) so she could have a better look at it.

It was of her and Joe, possibly dated around 2008 some time; it appeared to have been taken at some party since she was wearing a black dress and he a suit and ridiculous bow tie. She remembered teasing him about his choice of tie, he had looked completely ridiculous.

''Doesn't matter anymore though,'' Jodie spoke after and few minutes throwing it on the bed, ''now let's go get you a suit.''

''Do we have too,'' Marshall whinned as Jodie went to go take her dress off.

''Yes we do unless you don't want to come,'' the silence that followed was the only answer she needed.