Chloe feels her left hand release and the shopping bag hits the ground, the only casualties being broken chips and not bottles.
"Yeah Chloe how come you didn't tell him you knew me?" Marshall's jaw is hard and eyes stony, an impossible face to read but he was here, unless he was here to blow it up.
She falters as both men stare at her.
"It was a long time ago. To be fair it's not like I knew Eminem so much as the guy that is him"
Chris looks at her confused and as if she is an idiot, Marshall's jaw twitches upwards into a small smile.
"What?"
She is saved from answering Chris when the doorbell rings.
"Oh shit that will be Thommo. Mate" he says turning to Marshall "Will you come down the pub with us its only down the road, let me buy you a beer?"
Marshall shrugs, "Sure, give me half an hour"
Chris grins like an idiot and begins to wheel himself to the door, "Jesus Chloe the coolest thing about yourself and you kept it a secret hey!" he leans up for a kiss but Chloe doesn't lean down, the doorbell rings again and Chris waves it off
"You know what I mean" he says dismissively. "Mate head out the door turn right, there will be a beer waiting!"
Marshall nods and Chris proceeds to the door, the last thing they can hear is him saying "Thommo guess whose gonna be coming down to our local for a beer" the door clicks behind him.
"How did you know where I live?" she asks, confused when he laughs
"Chloe I'm a fucking millionaire I can find an address"
"You seriously going to have a beer with him? How's that conversation going to go?" she asks putting the other bag down on the ground.
"Probably something along the lines of thanks for the beer mate" he does his best attempt at an Australian accent making Chloe smile "But actually here to take your wife"
He walks across the room, "Were you serious in the voicemail? You gon leave him?"
He is inches away from her and her whole body buzzes in his presence, this is not what she thought was going to happen, he hadn't answered any of her calls or texts and she had pretty much given up.
"Yeah" she says almost breathlessly
"I was just going to wait till he could at least look after himself instead of adding insult to injury. I didn't think you wanted to talk to me, i mean the way you left"
He leans down, tucks her hair behind her ear and kisses her gently.
"Chloe it was you that was leaving. But yeah I was pissed. Then I thought about it and I dont want to lose you again. To be fair you did solidify my decision with your messages but I was already on my way."
He kisses her again, she feels her whole body relax into him.
"So how do we do this?" he asks
"I don't know"
"That's OK" he wraps her into a hug.
"He is right" he says pulling slightly away and lightening the mood a little "Knowing me is the coolest thing about you"
She hits him playfully "Knowing you is probably the most embarrassing thing about me, why do you think I didn't tell him"
"Coz he cant compete with this and it isn't real fair to let him know that. Fuck he is a douche-bag though"
She clenches her eyes closed, "I know but he can be a nice guy"
"When he isn't fucking someone else that is?"
"Well that's not really fair, I'm not exactly an angel in this scenario."
"Surely we have a bit more a moral high ground"
"Oh there's moral high ground?"
"Well yeah, unless this chick is his first and current love of his life. Wait is she?"
"How should I know! I don't even know who it is, but I like how you have created a clause where its ok if it's a romcom reason"
"Well na, I guess I'm saying its ok if it's us"
He pulls her into him, tucking his hand up the back of her shirt and kissing her again.
They pull apart as they hear a faint click of the door
"Well this isn't what I was expecting" Its Gayle "At least not in your own home Chloe. Marshall I can say it's a....surprise at least"
"Not a pleasant one Gayle judging by your face?" Marshall gives her a mixture of a scowl and a smug smirk
"Oh its never a pleasant one with you Marshall" Gayle responds, her face looking like she has been sucking on a lemon.
"Well that's not very nice Gayle I'm happy to see you. You're looking good for what is it 80 now?" He grins at her
"I see we have gained some confidence haven't we"
"Oh I don't think we needed to gain any confidence."
"Right well that's enough. Mother what are you doing here?"
"I'm here to check in on my invalid son in law Chloe, but what is he doing here?"
"I'm actually here to take Chloe back to Detroit"
Chloe grabs his wrist, silently pleading with him to be quiet.
"Ah I hate to be right. You would think I would be used to it by now but no it does in fact get old"
Gayle calmly puts her hand bag on the bench.
"Jeeze she does a real good job of encapsulating all that is a she devil huh" Marshall stage whispers to Chloe who is unable to suppress a giggle. God this tableau is as if they are 16 again.
"So how did Chris take it?" She positions herself on the stool, smoothing her skirt once settled.
"We haven't spoken yet"
"Oh so the plan is well and truly underway then." Gayle's tone is thick with sarcasm
"This isn't some great escape plan Gayle, Chloe is a grown ass women and when she is ready she will tell him." He wraps his fingers through Chloe's in solidarity.
"If you two have finished discussing how I plan on ending my marriage I think its time to leave mother"
Gayle doesn't move, "just think about what you are doing Chloe, I may not be the fondest of Chris but he is better than" she motions her hand up and down Marshall "This" she finishes.
"And this is Gayle?" his jaw is clenched and his tone has lost all playful mocking.
"Well to be frank Marshall, trash." her gaze is steady on his and for the first time she offers a small smile, not to be mistaken for kindness though, more the expression of a mantis before it rips their mate's head off "You can dress it up in millions of dollars but its still trash"
"Right and you are a fucking prize are you?" his voice rises and Chloe grips his hand tighter trying to bring him back down.
"Well I'm certainly not the consolation prize the Mathers' family are. And how is Debbie? Still drugged to the eyeballs is she?" There have been few times in her life Chloe had seen her mother achieve such enjoyment.
"That is enough mother you need to leave!" the volume of her voice surprises even Chloe.
"Fine" she delicately removes herself from the stool and reaches for her clutch.
"Well it's been lovely catching up Marshall. Give the foster care system my best, I'm sure your daughter will be familiar with it soon if not already" her parting jab successfully landed Gayle leaves.
Marshall is seething, Chloe can almost feel the hatred radiating from his eyes.
YOU ARE READING
Ghosts of the Past
ParanormalMarshall was Chloe's first everything; boyfriend, kiss, love. They met whilst at school when Chloe had moved to Detroit with her mum from Australia, although only together for two years before returning back to Aus it was meant to be them against th...
