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Part V

“You have your choice of rooms, there's one bedroom down here, though that's really in the back of the house, not much light back there. And three rooms upstairs, not counting Hailie's, but we're not going there.” Marshall said as they clambered in the door.
“Um, whatever is fine really,” Coral replied, still surprised that she was back in his house, and wondering if she was insane to be accepting the job. Then again, it was better than being alone, which was why she guessed he'd invited her to stay with him.
“All right then, come on, we'll go look at them again. You do have a mind Coral, I'm pretty sure you can pick out a room that you like enough to live in.” Marshall chuckled.
“Boy Marshall, don't be so annoyed at having me here, jeez, I feel like I intruded or something,” Coral laughed.
“Of course you did. What the hell do you call getting drunk and marrying me without telling me, you call that a subtle introduction?” Marshall asked as they climbed the stairs.
“Hey, you did the same to me, and don't you forget it.” They went through the rooms until the only one left was the one beside Marshall's. It was by far the largest, and most beautiful room in the entire house, the only room it looked like Marshall had taken any interest. The walls in here were painted almost a royal blue that
seemed kind of fuzzy, but nice all the same.
“At least this room has some color,” Coral remarked looking around the room with a renewed appreciation.
“What are you talking about?”
“Marshall, the entirety of this house is beige, and mark me, but I don't see you as a beige person.” Coral replied.
“All right then, you got yourself another job then, you'll be the interior decorator, help me figure out what to do with this house. I didn't choose the wall colors mind you, I just moved in as is. Wasn't here enough to change anything, but now that you mention it, the place is kinda dull.” Marshall replied looking around the room. Coral took a seat on the king-sized bed and looked around.
“So, you marking this as your territory then?” Marshall asked.
“Yeah, I think so, that is, if you don't mind.”
“It's all yours. And like I said, I'm holding you to the interior decorating too, you gonna be living here, I expect you to make good decisions,” Marshall remarked giving her a smile.
“You got it,” she returned with a smile of her own.
“Well, I should let you get some rest, let you settle in, we can bring the rest of the stuff in tomorrow,” Marshall said edging towards the door.
“Oh, I should make some dinner then,” Coral said standing up abruptly.
“Don't worry about it, you, can start on Monday. I'm gonna head to bed myself, sleep nice Coral,” Marshall grinned. Coral nodded and he disappeared.
“Sleep nice? That is too cute.” She laughed to herself and looked around. There was one thing that had to go up tonight, that was the photograph. She ran back out to the car and retrieved it, without alerting Marshall and returned to her room. There was already one awful watercolor on the wall across from the bed, and she removed that and replaced it with her photograph. It was the perfect place, this was the perfect place. Coral felt at home, more at home than she ever felt anywhere in her life.

Next door Marshall changed into some baggy sweat pants and just his beater before heading down stairs for something to eat. He grabbed a bowl of cereal and plopped down on the couch in front of the television to watch something, anything, it didn’t really matter right now. He was tired anyway, and he’d probably fall asleep before he saw the end of what ever he was watching.
He felt more at ease than ever with someone else in the house. He’d heard her go out to the car before he left his room, and he figured it must have been for the photo. It must have made it home for her. He liked hearing someone else in the house, made it less empty. He liked her, they got along so well, and just after a couple days too.
The ride home had been something in itself. He spent the whole time just making her laugh until her tears had finally gone away. She’d been so happy that she’d finally stood up to her family. He was floating high on the fact that he wouldn’t be alone in that house, and that it was going to be Coral, someone he’d clicked with so fast it was almost scary. That almost goodbye had nearly killed him. He missed having someone to talk to. God, what the hell was wrong with him, he was turning into a chick! He didn’t need anyone. Sure as hell didn’t.
But Coral was here and it made him smile, so what?
“You want some company?” Marshall turned to the soft voice and found Coral peeking from around the corner.
“Sure, come on, plenty of room and crappy late night TV.”
“So what is it that you actually do now?” Coral asked as she sat down on the couch and pulled her feet under her.
“Do? As in for a job?” Marshall asked.
“Yeah, I mean, you were a rapper, now what do you do? Cause it doesn’t look like you’re about to go make another album anytime soon.”
“You got me there. No, I don’t plan on going into the studio for a while. I’m laying low until this whole court thing gets taken care of, then I might do another album, but I’m not sure. I may just retire, let it be and hopefully get to take care of Hailie.”
“I can appreciate that,” Coral replied as looked over at the television.
“What about you?” Marshall asked.
“Hum? Well, I’ll probably hang around here until you get sick of my cooking, then I’ll maybe start up my own catering thing. If I get enough money saved up and a long enough client list, I think I can do it.”
“I know you’ll be able to do it, and if the rest of your cooking is anywhere as good as that stuff you made the other night, I won’t be getting sick of it any time soon,” Marshall laughed and she chuckled as well. They sat in silence for a few minutes watching the television, Marshall flipping the channels every once in a while.
“Wait! Go back, was that you?” Coral asked as Marshall turned the channel back and indeed it was him.
“Oh god, not that one!” Marshall laughed as the “Without Me” video played on the screen. This wasn’t exactly the first video he’d done, but it wasn’t one that he wanted Coral to see first either.
“So this is what you do?” Coral laughed as she watched the video and listened to the song. Marshall felt his cheeks heat again and wondered how the hell he, of all people in the world could feel embarrassed, and over this.
“Rap boy, that is really cute, you got some clever commentary there Marshall,” Coral turned to him as the video ended.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I mean I never actually sat down and listened to rap music before, once in a while heard a song in the restaurant, but never heard anything but ‘shake that ass’ or ‘do the bump and grind’, something to that effect anyway. And you’re funny too. You got yourself an interesting job Mr. Mathers, you do indeed.” Coral smiled at him and for the first time in his life, he agreed to take a compliment.

The next morning Marshall woke to the smell of something wonderful wafting from the kitchen. He sat up, realizing he’d fallen asleep on the couch again, though he was lying down and with a blanket covering him. He got up, draping the blanket over the back of the couch as he went, before finding Coral in the kitchen.
“Didn’t I tell you that you didn’t start until Monday?” Marshall asked with a laugh as he sat down at the counter and rubbed the heel of his hand into his eye.
“Same difference, you want some coffee?” she asked looking over at him.
“Uh, sure,” a minute later a steaming mug sat before him, and it smelled as good as everything else in the kitchen.
“Don’t tell me you grow your own coffee beans too or something?” he laughed taking a sip.
“No, but I fresh grind them, cream?” she asked.
“Yeah, thanks,” he said, feeling a little strange having her know exactly what he wanted.
“So, what are you making?”
“Pancakes, you didn’t have anything in the house, so, I hope you don’t mind, I borrowed the car and ran out to the market.”
“Huh, oh, no, I forgot to tell you that. You can use the Escort all you want. But I did have some of that Bisquick stuff around here,” Marshall replied scratching his head, trying to remember where he had the stuff hid.
“If you think I’m going to make pancakes with Bisquick, you’re out of your mind, now, try those and tell me what you think,” Coral said and turned to place a plate in front of him. He picked up the fork and took a bite. Now these were good.
“You’ve done it again girl you really have,” Marshall replied.
“Good, now do you want jam for those?” she asked with a raised an eyebrow.
“Only peach,” Marshall replied with a raised eyebrow of his own.
“I knew I had you pegged for peach, here you go,” Coral grinned at him and placed the bowl on the counter before taking a seat herself, however, this time she sat next to him at the counter.
“You make everything from scratch?” Marshall marveled.
“Yeah, I would have loved to make the pasta myself the other night, but, it was late and I didn’t have my pasta press either.”
“You know how to make pasta?”
“Yeah, it’s just mixing together some ingredients, rolling it out and running it through the press, I’ll show you sometime,” Coral replied taking some of the jam for her own pancakes and spreading it over the top one.
They ate in silence for a while until Coral spoke up.
“You know, I never did say thank you, for getting me out of there.” Marshall hurried to answer her.
“It was nothing, really, don’t worry about it.” He was feeling guiltier by the minute. He felt almost if he had done it just so HE wouldn’t be lonely.
“No, it was. I mean, obviously you don’t need a cook here, and obviously you wouldn’t have someone live here even if you did need a cook. You did something for me that one else has ever considered.”
“Really Coral, it wasn’t anything.”
“Yeah? Then why were you so happy that you could bring me back here?” she asked, her fork pressing down into the top pancake on her plate. Marshall sat looking down hard at his plate, trying not to look at her.
“Marshall, you can admit that you were lonely, it happens to everyone. And if it’s any consolation, if I had my little girl taken away, I’d be looking for somebody to talk to too.” Coral replied taking a bite of her food. Marshall gripped his fork hard and continued to stare at his plate.
“It’s not so much being lonely as just having this big place with no body in it. It don’t feel right.”
“Why not move into a smaller place then?” Coral suggested. Marshall started eating again and shrugged.
“That don’t feel right either.” Coral nodded in agreement.
“I know what you mean.” They looked at each other simultaneously and smiled at one another.
“You know, it is a good thing we didn’t have sex,” Coral said after a minute.
“How come?”
“Cause we wouldn’t be able to be such good friends.”
“You know something, I think you are very right,” Marshall remarked, and for the very first time in his life, he was glad that he hadn’t gotten laid while he was drunk. Coral was different. She was cool, she was fun, and she liked being around him. She made him smile, something he hadn’t been able to do for a while, and he liked that. Just having around someone that made him smile, a friend he could talk to, yeah that was just right for right now.

“So what is Coral considered really?” Marshall asked as they sat down for lunch. Coral had made an asparagus salad with some wonderful dressing along with lemonade to eat out by the pool.
“A marine animal. Coral is alive under the water until it’s cut up. It takes thousands of years to grow, that’s why they’re always trying to save the coral reefs.”
“So you’re really named after a animal, not a stone then?”
“Well, once it’s cut up and polished, it’s considered a stone, it’s very valuable too, so I’ve heard.”
“Yeah?”
“Well it depends on the kind too, and the color, where it came from, and so on. How refined it is and such.” Coral replied taking a bite of her salad.
“So how much is a piece of Texas native, brown haired, coffee colored eyed piece of Coral Matthews worth?” Marshall grinned. She looked at him across the table with a raised eyebrow.
“Three hundred a week,” she replied and he shook his head and laughed for a good while.
“I’m not that funny am I?” she asked.
“Yeah you are.”
“You ever think of putting a garden in here?” Coral asked looking around at the sparse yard.
“I don’t know how to garden anything.”
“You have a perfect spot for it, right along that fence, you get the best angle of the sun there, and not too much either.”
“We’ll put it on the list,” Marshall smiled as he took a sip off lemonade.
“List?” Coral laughed.
“Between, cooking, redecorating, painting, a garden, you got a me a ‘honey-do’ list and we’ve only been married for a few days,” Marshall laughed.
“I didn’t give you a list, and I didn’t say you had to do anything about the stuff either,” Coral retorted.
“Oh right, sure you didn’t,” Marshall laughed.
“Ha ha, very funny. Here give me that, I can start the dishwasher,” Coral said as she stood up, reaching for his plate.
“You want to take a swim later?” Marshall asked standing up and taking his own plate inside.
“I don’t swim.”
“You don’t swim?” Marshall asked with an unbelieving stare.
“I can’t swim, I’m afraid of water. I nearly drowned at the beach when I was seven.” Coral replied as Marshall took her plate and placed it in the dishwasher alongside his.
“Really?”
“Yeah, Pearl was supposed to be watching me, out in the water, but she wasn’t. I got pulled out into the ocean by a rip tide. By the time I got thrown back out, I had blacked out under the water. I nearly died.” Coral replied.
“Kinda ironic for somebody named Coral though,” Marshall said thoughtfully. She shrugged.
“I suppose, but I won’t swim, I won’t even take baths, freaks me out too much. Turkey once, she tried to take me to a hyponotherapist, to get me in the water, but it didn’t work.”
“No one can get you in the water? At all?” Marshall asked.
“Nope. And no body ever will.” Coral said resolutely.
“Coral belongs in the water,” Marshall replied giving her a sideways glance.
“Yeah and Eminem melts in his own hand,” she said giving him another sideways glance.
“You’re sick,” Marshall laughed.
“And you’re a pain in the ass.”
“Come on, I’ll help you unpack.” They smiled at each other and he slightly pushed her in what would become a regular custom for them.

“You can keep all your kitchen stuff, in the kitchen, since you’re the only one that knows how to use any of it,” Marshall said as he brought in the first box.
“Yeah, I didn’t plan on making pasta out of the curtains in my bedroom.”
“You’re a riot, you know that?” Marshall laughed as he struggled to bring in the next box.
“I told you I’d carry that,” Coral muttered as Marshall pretended to pant and struggle to the kitchen. She put her box on the counter and watched him play it out for all it was worth.
“You’re not funny you know,” she laughed.
“No? I’m not? Then what about, this!” Marshall charged towards her and she just jumped out of the way.
“What are you doing!” she laughed, lunging out of the way.
“Get over here, where you going, I’m gonna take you for a little swim in the sink!” Marshall called as he chased after her.
“Don’t even think about it!” Coral warned as she dashed back out the door to get another box. He was right behind her and picked her up, box and all, and dragged her back in the house.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing?” she asked holding onto the box as he held her in his arms.
“Just annoying you that’s all. Where’s that one go?” he asked nodding to the box.
“My room,” she replied.
“Floor one, house wears, electronics, and kitchen accessories, going up!” Marshall shouted racing up the stairs. She laughed as he careened down the hall and catapulted her onto the bed.
“Boy, I’d hate to see you in a bad mood,” she laughed pulling herself up from the bed.
“Yeah I know.” Marshall grinned at her.
“Yo Em! You home!” a familiar voice called from below.
“Oh, Dre’s here, come on,” Marshall said motioning to the doorway.
“Hey man,” Marshall said trotting down the stairs, Coral in his wake. Dre furrowed his brow.
“What’s she doing here?” Dre asked as he and Marshall did their handshake.
“Dre, meet Coral Matthews, my new live in cook slash decorator. I hired her.”
“You got yourself a live in prostitute?” Dre asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Uh hi, you’re doing it again. Acting like I’m not in the room. But I’m right here. And no, I’m not a live in prostitute.” Coral said with a grin that was not to be messed with.
“But you’re sure milking this marriage thing for all it’s worth, ain’t ya?” Dre snarled.
“Look Dre, I asked her to come here, she didn’t ask me. Besides the fact that even though we were drunk that night we didn’t have sex, and we’re not having sex now. We’re friends. And if you got a problem with that, I suggest you get out of here, cause I’m not putting up with any shit you plan on giving her.” Marshall said quickly.
For a few minutes it looked as though things could have gone either way. Either Dre would have gone off on Marshall for talking to him that way, or Marshall was gonna go off on Dre for saying something. They eyed one another and then Dre backed down.
“All right, all right. I’m sorry. I mean I did see you sign those contracts yesterday and if you do go and sell a story, you’re gonna be taking the money you get and using it to pay the lawsuit that’d get filed against you,” Dre replied looking over at Coral.
“My intentions are very clear. I make it a point not to keep secrets and tell lies. I’ve got nothing to hide. Now, if you’ll excuse me, since it is my job, I need to go start dinner.” Coral nodded at Dre, her eyes losing some of their creamy softness as she went.
“I’d still feel better if we did a background check on her,” Dre replied once she was out of earshot.
“No.” Marshall said flatly.
“Marshall, do you have any idea what this could do to your career? Having this woman, living here, in your house?”
“Dre, as far as my career is concerned, it’s over. I don’t even have the right to make a phone call to my daughter. You think I’m gonna worry about running out to the studio, to make a new album. Having all those people feeding on how angry I am at myself, for turning out to be too stupid to realize what I was doing to my own kid? Forget it. I will go back out there, when and if, I can get some sort of visitation with Hailie, and maybe then I won’t want to go back to it. And Coral, she’s got nothing to do with it. She is a friend, okay? We are friends. You know, just two people who happen to get along.” Marshall explained.
“You’re gonna throw away, these last four years? The last four years and your four albums, and your hits, everything? Just because of this last little screw up? Marshall, you’re popularity ratings are through the roof! The kids still love you!” Dre said exasperated.
“The only kid I’m worried about is Hailie.”
“You can’t just turn your back on all your fans.”
“Well, maybe they can understand for once, maybe I can rely on them for once.” Marshall said rubbing the back of his neck.
“Fans are fickle Em. You wait too long and you’ll lose your base.”
“Then they aren’t really fans, now are they?” Marshall’s eyes hardened.
“You are not looking at this logically Em. You are the first white rapper to ever make it big. You got the world at your feet and you can do anything you want with it! For Christ sake Em, you went out there at the Grammy’s and performed with Elton John while the gay rights activists were calling you a homophob, you realize, how many people want to be you?”
“Dre, what the hell does any of that matter, at the end of the day, when all I got to do is sign over an alimony check and a child support check and the only thing I have is this fucking empty house?”
“Man, you can have a life, you know it. But not by waiting around here.”
“The life I want is what you got Dre. You got your wife and your kids, you’re all set up. I’m trying to put things in perspective here, can’t you just give me a little time?” Marshall asked. Dre sighed and looked at the kid, now the man that was his protégé. Em had a point.
“You’re right. You got some shit to figure out, and after all the after parties and groupies, I got to say I don’t miss it. I like coming home to the same person, I like playing with my kids. And I’ve never had to be without them. I can’t understand what it’s like. You do what you need to do. If you gonna end it, it is a shame man. But I understand. I’ll talk to you soon.” Dre nodded and so did Marshall. They shook hands and as soon as he came, Dre was gone.
Marshall waited in the foyer until he heard Dre’s car leave. He took a deep sigh, the things he’d been thinking now been said and out in the open. Stuffing his hands in his pockets he meandered into the kitchen.
“I’m not a fan especially of you friend,” Coral said without looking up from her mixture.
“No, I don’t suppose you would be,” Marshall replied taking his usual seat at the counter in front of her.
“Something the matter?” Coral asked looking up with a raised eyebrow. Her eyes were back to their normal creamy coffee consistency. The corner of Marshall’s mouth went up with an undecided air.
“I’m not sure. I as good as told Dre that I’m thinking about giving up the rap game, and he wasn’t too happy with me.”
“Dre’s your?” Coral asked.
“Manager, sort of. He kinda found me. He’s the reason I ever made it.”
“Oh, I see. You’re sort of his, protégé, right?”
“Yeah, you could say that.”
“Are you more upset about him being angry with you or are you more upset about quitting in general?” Marshall at that moment wanted to know how the hell that girl had gotten in his head so quick.
“I love rap. Don’t get me wrong, I love performing. But, without my kid, I don’t see a point to any of it. I guess it’s kinda like that cliché thing of, you got it all, but nobody to share it with,” Marshall replied wrinkling his nose and adjusting his hands in his pockets.
“There’s nothing wrong with that. There is nothing wrong with wanting something that is going to take a little sacrifice and hard work. The goals that are easy to attain, they mean little or nothing at all. The ones you have to work for, give things up for, they are things you will treasure for the rest of your life.” Coral replied as she stirred the mixture in the bowl she held before her.
“Think you can get out of my head now?” Marshall asked looking over at her with a smile.
“Now why would I want to be in there? I got enough dirty dishes to wash,” Coral grinned as she leaned across the counter and tapped his forehead.
“Stop being so nice.” Marshall said with a sleepy smile.
“All right, then you stop being so sweet.”
“I’m not, by any means.”
“Oh shut up,” she pushed his hat down over his eyes and he laughed.