As The World Turns

Chapter 43

''Marshall I don't think I can do this,'' Jodie was shaking, the nerves were starting to hit her hard as she sat on the hospital bed in her gown.

''Of course, you can, if you can spin around in the air and land on your feet without falling face-first onto a massive sheet of fucking ice than you sure as hell can do this Jo,'' Marshall's words had the desired effect he'd hope they'd have; Jodie had started to laugh a small smile creeping across her face.

''You have such a way with words,'' she replied, hitting him lightly on the arm, ''but thank you I needed the confidence boost,'' she added seriously, kissing him on the cheek in thanks.

Marshall was about to open his mouth to reply, but he was cut off by a nurse poking her head in through the door. It was time; Jodi stood up to leave, however, she was stopped by moving, from the large hand the settled on her shoulder.

''Jodie, I just wanted to say,'' he let out a deep sigh as he went to wrap his arms around her small body, ''no matter what I will love you ok?'' He stressed the ok as he pushed her away to look at Jodie straight in the eye.

''I love you too,'' they shared a deep kiss before, Marshall had to let go of her. As he watched her leave with the nurse an overwhelming feeling of loneliness washed over him. 'she'll be ok, she'll be fine,' he repeated in his head over and over again as he sat sinking down into the now-empty hospital bed.

+++

After being told that he could not wait in the empty room because it was needed for patients, Marshall found himself sat alone in the normal waiting area; he received a couple of strange looks but didn't mind mostly because nobody had decided to come over and bother him. He found it best if he kept his head down and didn't try and make eye contact, he felt less anxious that way. He'd been fiddling with his fingers when he felt the presence of someone sitting next to him. Trying not to look over at them he moved his focus to his feet; that was disrupted when he felt a gentle hand rest on his shoulder, the sudden contact made him jump and whip round to see who was sat next to him.

''Everything will be ok dear,'' the elderly woman, sent a kind smile in his direction, ''I could tell you were stressed over something,'' the woman smiled patting his shoulder.

''I'm sorry I don't...'' Marshall stuttered insure of who the elderly woman was. He tried to rack his brain in hopes he'd find her face buried deep in his memories because there was something about her that seemed to be familiar to him, but after a while, he couldn't. However, she seemed to answer his question for him, without him even having asked.

''I'm Jodie's grandmother, my son asked me to stop by and make sure you're ok,'' then it struck him, of course, he felt that the woman had been familiar to him; one because of her British accent and two because she had striking similarities to Jodie.

''I'm fine, just a little nervous ya know, I'm not a fan of waiting,'' Marshall didn't need to question Jodie's parents not being there. Jodie had requested that they stop by after her surgery, she'd seen no point in them waiting around like Marshall was and she knew that Maddie would get bored really quickly too.

''Let's go for a walk come on,'' Jodie's grandmother patted his arm, letting him know that she was about to stand up, without thinking he stood up with her, ''oh my name is Agatha, by the way, Agatha Kingly,'' as she spoke she hooked her arm around Marshalls. Without resisting Marshall let Agatha pull him by the arm out of the waiting room.

She'd taken him to a little garden within the hospital grounds that had been built to allow painters to get some fresh air. It also doubled up as an alternative place to wait for family members. He let Agatha lead him around the garden, pointing out certain flowers and chatting merrily about how her son (Jodie's father) had escaped a rather mundane life as a butcher in England to running one of the most well-known clubs in the state. As she spoke Marshall found himself no longer stuck in his thoughts wondering about how Jodie was doing and if the surgery was going ok, instead he found himself submerged in the stories Agatha was telling.

It was only when she excused herself to go and use the bathroom, that Marshall noticed how long they'd been talking. It had been at least two hours when he looked down at the clock on his phone, he'd been told that the hospital would ring him when Jodie was out of surgery and recovering. scrolling through the notifications on his phone, he didn't see a phone call from the hospital but instead found multiple missed calls from Paul. Scrunching his brows in confusion he figured it'd be best if he rung him back.

''Ay, you Paul why have I like got a billon missed calls from you?'' The first response he got was a deep exhausted sigh.

''Yes hello Marshall I'm fine thank you,'' Marshall rolled his eyes, Paul did that every time he answered the phone, Marshall didn't see the point in exchanging greetings over the phone (especially when it came to Paul).

''Yeah whatever, what's up. I'm waiting on Jodie here you know,'' he responded, bouncing his knee up and down as he sat on the bench waiting for Agatha to come back.

''I know that, but that's what I'm calling about. Someone posted a picture of you on twitter and you're with an elderly woman, some fans are thinking it's your mom or something.''

''Shit, that's Jodie's Grandmother,'' Marshall cursed letting out a groan, ''how the fuck am I meant to explain that without revealing Jodie to the world man.''

''Well some fans I thinking it might be fake so I suggest we let in hang for a while and if it gets worse or people start to get suspicious we'll deal with it then sound good,'' Paul explained.

''Ok thanks man, I think I'll head inside so I don't get snapped again by some bitch who's too scared to walk up and talk to me,'' with rage beginning to bubble up inside of him, Marshall hung up before he started to get angry with Paul.

''Everything ok?'' Agatha had come back and instantly clocked his change is body language.

''Um yeah, I'll explain, but could we go back inside,'' he asked.

''Of course dear,'' Agatha nodded, leaving Marshall to trail behind her; unsure as to how she'd take to having her picture posted all around the internet. 'Hell does she even know what twitter is though,' he thought as he passed through the door back into the building.