Cinderella Man || An Eminem Fanfiction

Chapter 52

Chelsea P.O.V

We both stood at the door of my moms rundown home, I took a moment and looked at Marshall who gave me a nod as if to encourage me, before raising my hand to knock on the door.

A few moment later the door flew open, I was greeted by three things, cigarette smoke, the sound of Blondie playing in the background on the battery operated radio and my mothers skinny face.

She stood there with a expecting look across her hard face, I could only assume she'd either just got back or was soon going to bingo.

She was done up, cigarette in one hand, bottle of beer in the other, her long blonde hair done big, like Peggy from married with children, I swear the woman hadn't changed since I was a child, she was stuck in the 90's, full face of make up, tight black dress, boots and what seemed like she had bathed cheap perfume.

The smell of her perfume and cigarettes alone set my nostalgia, and memories of my childhood hit me like a freight train.

"Hi Mom"

She puffed on her cigarette and looked at me, no emotion crossed her face whatsoever.

That didn't surprise me, I hadn't seen her in a few years, I didn't exactly expect a warm hug, we were never close like that.

"Fancy seeing you this side of the city, did ya get lost girl?" She said, slight slur to her words as she then eyed Marshall.

"I know, Katie called, said you've had problems and wanted me to come check"

She snorted and shook her head "you're stupid sister was always one for the dramatics"

She looked me up and down one more time then moved to the side of the door "Come in, I know she'll keep harassing you and the neighbours if I don't give you anything to pass on to her"

I walk inside followed by Marshall then my mother, who closed the door behind us, then gestures in the direction of the living room, which also joined onto the kitchen, the house that I grew up in hadn't changed, still barely any furniture, tidy but dusty, beer bottles and ashtrays full of butts everywhere, shitty old stain covered couch, covered by an old knit blanket, carpets still stained, wood flooring, and the smell of damp and stale alcohol and cigarette embedded in everything.

Taking a seat in the chairs my mother cleared her throat "Y'all want a drink? I got beer and water, i'd offer you a hot drink but I ain't got no power"

I felt like this whole situation was possibly digging up repressed memories Marshall had pushed down, I'd never seen him so uncomfortable.

"We're ok" I said as Marshall shook his head "Sorry I didn't introduce you both, mom this is my boyfriend Marshall, Marshall this is my mother Cheryl"

"It's nice to meet you Mrs Morris" Marshall said with a small smile reaching his hand out.

"Please call me Cheryl" She said gripping his hand then taking a seat "You're Debbie's estranged boy ain't ya"

"Uh Yeah, you know my mom?"

"Oh yeah, I play bingo with her" She thought for a moment "She's always on about her son that don't want anything to do with her because he's famous, she's a pathological liar though, the whole neighbourhood knows that, and she cheats at bingo"

"Mom come on, maybe don't slag out his mom in front of him?, I'm sorry Marshall, she's got no filter"

"His mothers a fucking a liar Chelsea, the world knows it and even he knows it, look at him, smart enough to cut the greedy bitch out of his life" Cheryl shrugged and put her cigarette butt out.

Marshall just sighed and shook his head, I knew he was being polite, I really wanted to say he didn't have too.

"So, tell that nosey bitch of a sister of yours that I'm fine, that piece of shit will be back once he blows through my money, except this time his ass isn't welcome back" She took a drink and lit up another cigarette "I've got bingo soon and this bullshit is gonna make me late, we can't all earn great money and ignore our mothers"

I winced.

There it was, the cheap shots I knew her so well for, she never did care about who was in the firing line.

Marshall shifted uncomfortably in his seat, itching to say something.

I looked at her as she sat there scowling me, I regretted coming after all.

I pulled a check out and handed it to her, I had argued with myself for the entirety of the week.

So against all of what my being was yelling at me, I wrote five thousand dollars out to my mother.

I felt guilty, even though Tee yelled at me for an hour of all the reasons why I shouldn't have felt guilty.

Marshall looked at me confused as soon as he saw the check.

My mother looked at the check and looked like she was about to have a stroke.

"What's this for?"

"For you to get back in your feet, I understand he took everything valuable"

"It's a lot of money"

"I know" I said standing "So make sure you look after yourself"

She stood in front of me and pulled me into a hug, which was unexpected.

We never even hugged, when I was a child.

"Thank you"

"It's ok mom, we'll let you go, please try not to run your mouth about Marshall at bingo, and don't rub it into Debbie's face"

Marshall held out his hand and and she also pulled him into a hug.

"It was nice to meet you Marshall" She said as they stepped back from each other "You're better off without that devil of a woman in your life anyway, all she does is sleep with other peoples men and cause trouble" She said to him quietly "You seem like a lovely man"

I rolled my eyes, how people's tone changes when there's money involved.

"Thanks, It was... nice meeting you too" Marshall said, obviously still uncomfortable.

She walked us to the door and opened it "Thank you again Chelsea, I really appreciate this, please don't stay a stranger, you really are welcome home anytime" She said skirt in her voice more prominent "Don't leave it for years again"

"I won't mom, you take care" I said, then turned and walked back to the car with Marshall, greeting a awaiting Sam, who opened the door and we climbed in.

"Fuck, that was intense"

I chuckled "That was my mother"

"She did not give a fuck, she slagged off my own mother in front of me" He said, still absolutely shell shocked by the whole situation.

"Yeah she's always been like that, she wasn't full drunk mode either, that wasn't even nasty Cheryl, I am really sorry about that"

He smiled at me and tucked hair behind my ear "You didn't say it, don't worry about it, plus everyone in the suburb most likely talks shit about her" he points to the end of the street "She actually lives right there"

"Small world huh?"

"I can't believe they play bingo together"

"They're probably actually friends, she always spoke shit about her good friends"

"So dropped 5 grand on her huh?"

I gave him a small smile "You of all people know how it is, it's their own fault they're in that situation, they don't want to work and better themselves, but at the end of the day they're still your mother, and you feel guilty for leaving them like that"

"I get that Chels, don't worry, you know I still send that "Devil Woman" checks" he chucked.

I shook my head and laughed "There's a special place in hell for my mother Marsh, and it's called the throne"

"I think her and Debbie would be very happy ruling hell together"