Tennessee Rose

Chapter 8 - Marshall

Written by Lolalittlelegs

A few weeks after my surprise visit to Rose and I'm sitting comfortably, feet up on my desk in the studio,  bobbing my head along to a beat playing in my mind, just enjoying the inner peace I was feeling these days.
Rose and I have developed a routine of calling or messaging each other throughout the day.  Sometimes we don't have conversations it'll just be funny videos or those meme things she likes but I don't really get, but I laugh anyway. I just like hearing from her and happy to widen my circle of friends to include her.

“hey, hey" Royce and Denaun come barrelling loudly in through the door disturbing my peace.
“Look at him,  grinning away again,  must have his Texas Rose on his mind" Royce sings to me.

“She's from Tennessee dumbass" I fire back,  fed up already with their apparent interest in mine and Rose's friendship.  “you bang her yet?” Denaun asks from the safety of the otherside of the room.  “No,  as I keep telling you dumbfucks it's not like that" I move bits of paper around in front of me trying to look busy. I'm not going to lie I've wondered what it would be like but I can't put it on her while she's so........broken, for want of a better word.

Royce grabs my phone from the desk in front of me unlocking it, I've really got to  change my pin “you got any hot naked photos of little Rosie?”
What the actual fuck!  I reach over the desk and cuff him lightly round the back of his head and he drops my phone,  “No I don't,  once again we're  friends!”  Denaun laughs loudly “even if he did it'd probably be her elbow or knee or something stupid like that,  douchebag can't take a photo to save his life"

“Have you guys actually come to do any work or just to irritate me?” I mutter crossly, my good mood rapidly evaporating while I glare at the pair of them.

“Sheesh he's hormonal today bro" Denaun informs Royce “Yeah little man needs to get laid!” I can't take the pair of them any longer and leave, walking to my office and locking the door behind me.
I spread out on my couch, hat covering my eyes and try for a nap but there's no rest for the wicked today as my phone vibrates beside me alerting me to a message.

I pick it up when I see Rose’s face on the icon and smile, she's still a bit of mystery to me but at least I know there's no ex husband out there to try and make a claim on her in the future but the flip side of that is maybe she'll never get over him, she might never be able to move on from his death and that thought scares me.

There's still more to learn, much more I'm sure but I'll have to be patient no use pushing her and upsetting her, I didn't like seeing her cry.

Without bothering to open the message I just call her instead, lips curving upwards into a smile as she answers the phone with laughter
“Hey, Tristan is chasing me with a spider!” she shrieks in my ear and swears at her brother,  she sounds out of breath like she's been running fast “Please stop Tris!” she pleads with him and the answering deep rumble of laughter that comes from him makes me laugh loudly, “Hey stop laughing at me,  I thought you were my friend!” I'd bet any money that she's pouting right now,  free hand on her hip.

“Come to Detroit Rose,  please" the line goes quiet  “Rose, don't make me ask again please" my voice is quiet but firm and I wait,  she's still there I can hear her breathing. 

“Ok" her voice sounds small and she says nothing else so I guess it's all on me “ So are you working Friday?” She's tells me that yes she's working but she has an early finish at 4pm “Great take an overnight bag to work and I'll get the jet to the airport for you!” I can't actually believe those words came out of my mouth,  I sound so pretentious and that's confirmed by the laughter I hear from Rose's end “I'm crying with laughter Marshall,  you'll send your jet will you?” She explodes with laughter again and I feel slightly offended,  there nothing wrong with my jet,  I love travelling on it,  quicker and so much easier.

She calms down eventually,  picking up on my quiet offence “Thank you Marshall but I'll book a flight myself and a hotel,  where's nearest to you?” Is she fucking joking “umm.... you will use my jet and you'll stay with me silly,  why would you wanna stay in a fucking hotel when you can stay with me?” I'm raising my voice now but surely she knows I wouldn't try anything underhand.  She can trust me,  I just want to spend some time with her,  chill out at home and chat to someone,  make dinner for two people instead of just me. She infuriates me at times but I'm also trying my best to understand.

It's quiet again and I feel angry a little and the childish side of me wants to hang up the phone on her,  I felt happy before and now the thought that she doesn't trust me enough to be able to stay under the same roof as me hurts,  I don't deal with hurt very well.

“I'd feel more comfortable in a hotel Marshall!” her voice Is timid as if she knows I could snap at her.  Fucking hell!
I sigh loudly and rudely I think “Rose I have three guest rooms as well as mine and my kids rooms.  I don't understand why you won't stay with me?” I sound annoyed and I'm a second away from hanging up before I say something I'll really regret and then I speak,  voice resigned to defeat “you know,  maybe let's leave it for awhile or forever,  I don't know.

Enjoy the rest of your day, I'll call you later" and I hang up as I hear her begin protesting down the phone. 
I turn my phone off my good mood soured for the moment and try napping on the couch again.

When I wake up the office and on inspection the whole studio is in darkness, it’s late and everybody must have left for the night including the two chuckle brothers.

The night security escorts me from the building and to my car, when I'm home I turn my phone back on and several messages appear most of them from Rose apologising and asking me to call her back.

So I do even though it’s late and she answers on the second ring “Marshall!” she sounds sleepy and her raspy voice makes my body react in ways it shouldn’t. “Hi Rose I'm sorry it’s so late" She butts in “No, it’s ok I wanted you to call, I'm so sorry about earlier Marshall, I'm really sorry" she sounds upset.

“Its ok Rose, don’t give it a second thought please" I'm over it now and I'm not going to hold it against her. “I know I hurt your feelings" I laugh at her statement! “don’t do that Marshall, I do trust you, please know that"

I nod my head too tired to talk “does your kind offer still stand? Do you still want me to come for the weekend? She sounds more confident now and my spirits lift considerably “yes absolutely!” I rush out before she changes her mind.

“ Ok I'll be at the airport for 5pm, you better make sure your jet is on time, I don’t like to be kept waiting now" she giggles and hangs up the phone leaving me how I started the day with a smile on my face.