RIVER (An Eminem FanFiction)

Chapter 38

October 28th 2023
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Marshall's POV

I want to say it feels good to be home but that would be a lie.

I can't sit in the living room without thinking of kicking Soph out.
I can't go in my hallway without picturing the assult.
I can't go in the kitchen without thinking of our kiss.

I find myself sitting on my bed, staring out of the window at my empty garden.

Yet another reminder of Sophia. For the short period she lived here and even before when we were just dating, she made it her mission to fill the garden with the vibrant colours and smells of countless flowers.

She planted fruits and vegetable's, put bird feeders out and made it a hive of nature, tranquil and soothing. It quickly became my favourite place to be.

It is quite strange really, Sophia's two great loves are gardening and cars, heavily contrasting passions.

One breathes life into and helps build a stronger environment, the other is slowly seeping the life from it. Yet somehow they both blend perfectly into Sophia's personality.

I think back to when I fully committed myself to the idea of marrying her, something that my now forgotten, desolate garden played a huge role in.

I'd been at the studio all day and when I got home there was freshly cooked food waiting for me on the table. She'd used the produce she'd grown in the garden and spent the afternoon picking, preparing and cooking it.

Something that nobody had ever done for me before, not even my own mother.

Now I stare at the abandoned, run-down garden and can't help but think about how well it reflects its saviours existence and previous treatment.

I abandoned her, just like I did the garden she worked so hard to nurture and preserve.
I ran her into the ground, my behaviour caused her to lack the love she so rightly deserved, just like I lacked the love needed to keep the garden alive.

For that reason she is now in surgery. I put her there. I did this to her.

I seeped the life from her just like I did her garden.

I need her to be ok. I love her too much to let her go.

I'm seeing her tomorrow if her surgery goes alright. I'm not too sure what's happening in he surgery, they were rushing a little too much to explain.

I think she'll be ok, the last I heard from Paul was they'd nearly finished clipping another small bleed caused by the tear.

I stand from my bed as I hear my front door close and in the distance here little footsteps headinf in my direction.

The door suddenly swinging open to reveal my beautiful little girl.

"DADDY!" She screams and charges in my direction, diving at my and causing me to lose my balance and fall back onto my bed.

I wince in pain after landing on one of my wrists.

"Gentle Ave, lets try not to break daddy even more." Hailie says gently to her sister as she appears in the doorway.

I use my forearms to pull Ava closer into a hug of minimal pain.

"Man, I've missed you." I say, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Hailie says we're all gonna watch a movie."

"She did, huh?" I question, glancing up at my first child. She's made me proud, that's for sure.

"Figured it'd be good to get a bit of time together, given we've never had a family day before."

"Is mommy leaving hospital for family day?" Ava innocently questions.

"Mommy's gonna sit this one out ok baby?"

"Yeah, maybe next time. Just us three for now." Hailie says before walking out of the room, Ava following closely behind, I'm guessing to go set everything up.

As I stand again, I quickly glance at the ring in my bedside drawer.

She has to be ok.

To nurture not only our daughter and the garden that she'll grow up in.
But to nurture and restore our love back into a place where it is free to blossom once more...

A/N - don't ask where all the natural imagery came from but I honestly kind of like it.

As always, any feedback or suggestions are welcome.

~ Im 💕