In Too Deep

4. Thanksgiving

Marshall

Imagine standing in a room with your wife, while her daughter, who you happen to be fucking on the side shows off her engagement ring to you both.
So fucking awkward and it didn’t help that Dean’s smile stretched across his face, with a few words I could have had it wiped away forever, but then Julia would know and be hurt, the thought of hurting her is like a punch to the gut, looking across at her she hugs Naomi tightly and then Dean before wiping tears of happiness away from her eyes, while she’s congratulating Dean it gives me a chance to look at her daughter, she’s smiling and seems happy and I don’t know maybe actually she is for all I know, I don’t care to listen too much to her when it comes to her talking about her relationship, Omi looks up at me quickly and her smile vanishes, she blinks and quickly glances away unable to look me in the eye.

“Isn’t it wonderful news Marshall!” Julia’s voice is strained as she speaks and appears at my side, she reaches for my hand and holds on to it tightly, I know that this small action means she’s feeling anxious about this wedding, she’s already told me once she doesn’t think Naomi and Dean are right for one another yet here we both are with fake smiles plastered over our faces.
“Yeah fucking awesome” I slap Dean across the back a little harder than I mean too and I spot him wince out of the corner of my eye, I can’t tell you how much pleasure it brings me to cause that silly fuck pain.
Hugging Omi I breathe her scent in for a second before releasing her and speaking some platitudes that I don’t mean a word of to the pair of them.

Following Julia out to the kitchen the moment we are alone she hides her face against my chest and wraps her arms around my middle tightly, I bury my face in her hair and stroke her back tenderly trying to ease away her anxieties.
“I don’t want her to marry him Marshall” she whispers and I murmur in agreement, we both have the same opinion about their relationship although for fucking different reasons.
“Will you speak to her Marshall, please” she looks up at me with her big chocolate eyes and I sigh “Julia I don’t see what difference it would make, her mind seems to be set on him” God knows I’ve tried to make her see sense before and this is just what I didn’t want to get into but I can’t not do what Julia’s asked, she’s my wife and no matter what Julia will always come first, even if that means breaking her heart, she’ll know about this before anyone else does I can guarantee that. If the shit hits the fan she’ll hear everything from me before it hits the press and before the rest of our family knows about it.
Among the many things I owe her, I owe her that much at the very least.

“I’ll talk to her later Ju” she hugs me a little harder before pulling away and continuing preparing our family Thanksgiving meal. I stand and watch her for ages filled with shame with the knowledge that I’m going to carry on with her daughter. The thought crosses my mind that if I had a son and the boot was on the other foot how would I feel, devastated I suppose.

Fuck this, it hurts too much to think about, I turn on my heel and slope off to find Omi, I’ve got reason to get her alone now and I’m going to make the most of it.

Naomi

“Well, what do you want?” I ask Marshall after he pulled me outside to the pool house and just stands there in front of me clenching and unclenching his fists, he’s seething with me.
“Okay I’m going back before anyone notices I’m gone” I can’t be bothered with this today, there’s a house full of family next door and the last thing I need is for someone to start putting two and two together, I know Mom saw him bringing me in here and I’m itching to get back out.
“You’re Mom asked me to speak to you, she doesn’t think that you and Dean are well suited and she wants me to convince you not to marry him” I just stare at him before bursting out into laughter, tears roll down my face as I laugh so hard at him coming out here to do my mom’s bidding.