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Forty Three

continuation of April, 1999

After I left Ti's, I couldn't get her voice out of my head telling me how she felt unsupported by me, and how when she needed me and I wasn't there. I know she had figured it all out by herself, and I'm so fucking thankful for that, but I still know it would have been a hell of a lot easier on her if she had felt like she had my support at the time. There's nothing I can do about the past, but there is something I can do about it now, just to make her life a little bit easier. 

As soon as I hopped back into my car, I immediately began driving towards Karmen's. I do still have to pack, but I guess I can just do that tomorrow. Right now I need to help Ti, even if she didn't ask me for it, I know what kind of help she needs and I'm gonna do everything in my power to give her that. Partly because I do feel guilty about not being there when she needed me, but also because I meant what I said when I told her I wanted to help her. 

As I was on my way to Karmen's, I quickly remembered Ti had told me that she was working today. I glanced down at the clock in my car and shrugged. It was six o'clock, she should be home by now. If not, she'll be home eventually. After about ten minutes, I had pulled up to her house, just as I saw Karmen's car pulling into her driveway. I quickly threw my car in park on the street and yanked my hood up before stepping out. She immediately spotted me as she began making her way into the house and waved at me. 

"Marshall! What are you doing here?!" She yelled from the porch as I quickly crossed the street.

"Yo!" I yelled back and jogged up the drive way. "I'm just wonderin' if we can talk for a minute?" 

"Of course! Come in, come in." She unlocked the front door and I ran up the steps behind her. "How are you? I feel like I haven't seen you in so long!" She turned around as we both stepped inside and quickly secured her arms around my neck. I leaned down and returned her hug by wrapping my arms around her lower back.

"Yeah I'm good. I know, I'm sorry, it's been a minute." I said as we both released each other. 

"Well of course, you're a big famous person now." She smiled. "How's the house? You still liking it?" She turned back around and we both made our way into the kitchen. 

"Yeah, it's good. I think Kim wants to do some renovations to it, but it's good otherwise." I sat down at the familiar kitchen table and watched as Karmen began putting on a pot of coffee without even asking, just as she always does whenever I come over. 

"Oh really? Well it is a bit dated, so I can understand that." I nodded in agreement. "Cookies?" She asked with an eyebrow cocked. 

I laughed lightly under my breath. "Nah, I'm okay. Thanks." 

She nodded. "Well suit yourself." She said as she began grabbing two cookies off of the plate that she had obviously just recently made and came to sit down with me as I listened to the coffee start to brew. "So, Ti told me you were going over there today?" 

I nodded. "Yeah, I did. I was actually just on my way home from there." 

"How was it?" 

"It was really good, actually. I was there for like three hours... we talked about a lot, but I think we're good now." 

"Yeah? No more petty fighting between you two?"