Ain't Nobody Like You

Chapter Thirty-Five

~Boston. October 23, 2000~

"Damnit. One more time."

I roll my eyes at his competitiveness. Taking Proof's hand in mine again, our thumbs move all around as we try to avoid the other's.

"Your thumb is freakishly long!" he complains.

I scoff, offended, "There is nothing wrong with my thumb. Don't be a sore loser."

Thumb wrestling has become Proof and I's newest entertainment these past two days. On the tour bus, at the hotel, or like right now backstage before the show, we started playing to pass the time. I'm not sure why this particular game, but it's been fun. Probably because I win almost every time, to Proof's annoyance. So now it's just become a competition.

I press down on his thumb, holding it for the three count.

"I'mma 'bout to have a sore thumb- a'ight damn you won, take it easy."

I laugh, watching him as he rips his hand away from me to shake off and examine as he joins the rest of D12 on the other side of the room. 

A slap on my ass gains my attention quickly and I turn in shock. But once I see it's just Marshall, I relax.

"Hey, there you are!" I lean in to kiss him, but stop when I remember the reason he's been gone so long, "Oh! Let me see it."

Marshall pulls up his right sleeve, and I see a portrait of Hailie's face freshly inked on his upper arm.

"It looks just like her." I comment in awe. I admire the details silently. His love for his daughter, willing to dedicate a whole arm to her...it's a beautiful thing.

"Yeah, my man Cartoon knows what he's doin'." 

I examine it more, "I miss her."

He smiles a bit at me, rolling down his sleeve again, "You know, every time I call her she always asks me where you are and when she gets to see you." He shakes his head, amused, "I'm gone too but she act's like I'm chopped liver."

I laugh, "That's not true, you're her Daddy. You'll always be more important. I just promised her candy the next time I saw her."

He raises an eyebrow, "Wait- you bribin' my kid or somethin'?"

"No it's what I owe her." Seeing he needs more of an explanation than that, I add, "See I bet her a bag of candy she couldn't do three cartwheels in a row- I knew she could I was just giving her incentive- and she won of course. And then she double or nothin'ed me that she could do four, and now I owe her two big bags of candy."

He laughs, "So you're gamblin' with my kid?"

"I...yeah I guess I am." I smile sheepishly.

"And people think I'm the bad influence on her."

He takes a seat on the empty couch, pulling me onto his lap. Caressing my backside he kisses me, parting my mouth with his tongue to seek my own. I'm not usually into public displays of affection like this, but with Marshall....I just can't get enough of him. 

"Are they always this disgusting?" a familiar voice says, grabbing my attention.

"Yes!" the guys all say in unison before even looking to see who said it.

"Great." she says sarcastically. 

"Angie!" I jump out of Marshalls lap and run into my best friend's open arms, both of us shrieking in happiness. "What are you doing here?"

She squeezes me once before letting me go, saying, "Since you decided to ditch me, I had to come to you!"

After Marshall and I finally told each other 'I love you', it didn't feel right leaving. So instead of going to Miami, I stayed on tour with Marshall. Just for a few more days, till I'm scheduled to go back in the New York studio. I did try calling Angie. Unable to get her on the phone I left messages with promises to make it up to her. But now I feel like a terrible friend. I'm used to both Angie and I canceling and rescheduling all the time due to this and that, never taking it personal when plans change because we know we'll see each other when we can, so I didn't think twice. It's what I love about our easy going friendship. But now I feel bad.