Fantasy Life made Normal

Chapter 83

Marshall woke up alone in his bed. He listened for the sounds of his children and heard nothing. He slowly got out of bed and went to the closet. He noticed Madelyn's suitcase was gone. His heart broke as he realized that she was gone.

He tried to call her only to hear it ring from the other room. He slid against the wall in the hall outside the nursery and dropped his head to his hands. He heard the door open downstairs. His heart held out hope for a moment until he heard his brother's voice.

"Nate, she's gone," he whimpered.
"I know bro, you have to give her some time," Nathan said.
"She took my babies."
"She ain't gonna keep you from them, Marshall. She just needs some distance from you right now."

Marshall's chest felt tight. He tried to take a breath and couldn't. Nathan stared at his older brother. He had never heard his brother act like this. He had never reacted to Kim drama this way. Marshall put his head back in his hands as black spots swirled thru his vision.

"Woah, Marshall, breathe," Nathan said.

Marshall attempted to look up at his brother as darkness over took him. He woke again in a hospital room. He was stunned to Madelyn next to his bed. He thought he was dreaming. She had tear stains on her face but still looked like the most beautiful woman in the world to him.

"Mads," he said softly.
"Marshall," she looked up at him.
"Baby,"

His tears were instant and matched hers. She looked down at his hand in her hand. She smiled sadly.

"What do I need to do?" he asked.
"There is nothing to do," she replied.
"Mads, please don't leave me. I can't live without you. I need you so bad."

She sadly shook her head. He gripped her hand. She was fighting it. He could see it in her eyes.

"Madelyn, baby, I would never intentionally hurt you like that. You know this. Please?" he begged.
"Marshall, so much shit has gone wrong since the babies were born," she whispered.
"Come on babe. We need each other. I can't be me without you anymore. I just can't do it."
"I can't be guilted into coming home again Marshall."
"I don't want you to be guilted into coming home. Baby I want you to want to come home. I want you to want this as much as I do."

He felt the same tightness in his chest creep up again. His heart monitor began to go slightly crazy. She looked at him.

"Please calm down," she said.
"I can't breathe," he managed to get out.

She hit the button for the nurses and they quickly descended on the room. It only took moments before she was pushed back from him. His eyes scanned every face before him.

"Mads," he said before passing out again.

Madelyn shrank into the wall, terrified that he was going to die. She couldn't make it without him. She couldn't be the reason he was going down this road. She couldn't be his downfall. She hit the floor as the tears poured down her face. She had cried more this last week than she thought she had ever cried in her life. When Nate called a week ago about Marshall being rushed to the hospital after blacking out. She had been there every day since it happened. She just needed some time to process it all. She never dreamed this could happen.

"Please don't let him die," she begged out loud.

A nurse ushered her from the room while they dealt with him.

"Sweetheart, he is having a panic attack. He will be all right," she told Madelyn.
"He needs me," Madelyn said, staring at the floor.

The nurse smiled at her reassuringly.

"We will come get you as soon as his heart rate stabilizes," the nurse said.

Madelyn was left in a private waiting room with Nate, the girls, and Kim. She was thankful that Ashley had the kids.

"He had a panic attack," she said softly.

Nate hugged her tightly. He had tried to explain her need for some space when Marshall had freaked out the first time.

"He will be all right," Nate said.
"This is my fault," she whimpered.
"No it ain't. This is all that bitch Sarati's fault."
"Nate, I can't lose him."
"You won't Mads."

She was allowed back into his room once he had calmed down. He was sleeping peacefully when she entered the room. She took her seat again next to him and slipped her hand into his.

She brought his knuckles to her lips and kissed them.

"I'm not leaving you Marshall. I love you," she whispered.

He slept thru it. She rested her head against his arm. She didn't know when she fell asleep but she woke to him playing with her hair.

"You're still here," he said.

She nodded slightly.

"Thank you," he whispered.
"I just needed some time away. That's all this was. I needed a moment to get it together. I couldn't do that at home." she said.
"Why not?"
"Everything in that house reminds me of you. Our bed smells like you. It was so comforting and then it felt like it was strangling me,"

A lump formed in his throat. He was extremely nervous.

"Nate already took our stuff home," she said.
"Thank god," he said softly.
"Marshall, I know she drugged you but this hurt so bad. I mean I should have known better but that call was devastating to me. I needed to process that it was drugs making you behave that way."

He nodded. He could understand that from her. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his lips. He savored it like it was their last kiss. She had done a lot of thinking over the last week and she wasn't willing to throw away nine years when she still loved him so much.

"Marshall, I love you so much," she said.
"I love you too, Madelyn," he replied. "I would never hurt you intentionally. I am so sorry for it all."
"I forgive you for your part in it. Which is taking a drink from that crazy broad."

Marshall chuckled. Madelyn silenced him with another kiss. He wound his fingers into her hair and deepened it.