Marshall was on his way over to Mary's. He was excited to see Mary and Norah. It seemed like everything was ok between Mary and Marshall, for now. But he took each moment with Norah as it came. He never knew when it would be the last time he would see her. Which was a shame. He loved her more than anything. She reminded him so much of Mary. He never thought he was the child type. He was great with Norah. Or any child for that matter. Marshall pulled out of the Sunshine Building car park and was off to get some lunch for him and Mary. He didn't know what to get her. She loved his sandwiches that he ordered. But she loved her breakfast wraps. In all honesty, Mary loved any food. He settled to getting her tacos, oh how she loved her tacos. He stopped off to get them and ensured that he got extra of his order, because Mary was bound to want some of his. He didn't mind. As they weren't partners anymore this was probably the last time he would buy her lunch at work. Everything was moving so fast for him. He checked his phone to see if he had any messages, just one from Abigail, 'heard Mary was out, send her my wishes, no doubt you'll be seeing her, see you at home x', Marshall didn't know how to take this message, was Abigail being genuine or was she just being nasty? He was unsure so didn't bother replying to her. For now his focus was on Mary. He was off to see his best friend who just got out of hospital, he was happy, everything had been ok since him and Abigail spoke the other night, Mary had seemed to be ok with him. Things were good. He had certainly gotten to see Norah more. Which was always a good thing. No sooner was he at Mary's house, loaded with food and drinks for him and Mary. Marshall hadn't bother to text Mary to tell him he was coming, it was all about surprise. 'How Mary loves surprises' he thought.
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Marshall just managed to knock at the door, his hands were so full with the food and drinks he had gotten them. Marshall waited a while until she finally opened the door. "Surprise! Dinner is served!", Marshall bowed down and smiled at Mary, who was pleasantly surprised. "I don't normally like surprises.", Mary turned and looked at Marshall, "oh should I leave then?", Marshall teased her, still with the food and drinks in his hands. "No. You come right on in." Mary assured him that he was welcome. Marshall put the bags down and got Norah from Mary, Mary was quite surprised by this, she didn't realise until that moment just how much Marshall actually loved Norah. "Dig in partner! I got extra of both orders and Delia made you some cakes.", Marshall's food could wait, if he was going to have any left, he was playing with Norah. "Come on you mushy, put her down, she needs her dinner and so do you!", Marshall lifted Norah into her high chair whilst Mary grabbed her dinner, today she was having pasta. A 'good choice' Marshall thought. Marshall looked over Norah every mouthful she had, "she's fine Marshall, I can feed her". Mary was watching him watch Norah. "I have no doubt. I'm just admiring, that is all.", Marshall had finished his first taco, surprised that he even had a second one left. "Marshall you really have pulled out all the stops, you know.", Mary was chewing her food, "you haven't got something to tell me have you?", she stopped chewing her food. "Of course not, you have all there is to know.", Marshall wasn't going to tell her about him and Abigail until she asked. "Oh Marshall, you couldn't do me a favour could you?", Mary dropped the 'something to tell me' subject. "Of course, ma chérie." Marshall looked at her and raised his eyebrows. "Really? Wow..", Mary didn't think that he could surprise her anymore but he did, "anyways Romeo, can you take me and Norah into the office and bring us back here? I wouldn't ask but I just need to fill in some paper work, and no one will be around the house so they won't know what I'm doing. I just thought I would kill time before I got back to the office tomorrow. You know I wouldn't ask, but I don't where Kenny is, and Peter has my car.", Mary was not one to ask other people for favours at all. "There's not a problem! Don't be silly, you wouldn't even have to ask, I'm sure Delia will be over the moon to see Norah, she'll have plenty of cakes for her. On the way back I need to go to my house, need get changed, if that's not a problem?", Marshall didn't mind doing anything for Mary, so why was she even asking? "No problem, thanks for this Marshall. I mean for the dinner." It wasn't often Mary showed her appreciation to Marshall, but she felt it was needed after the past couple of days. Marshall just nodded swiftly accepting her thanks. "Where's her car seat? Best get is strapped in?", Marshall was looking around for it but couldn't find it. "Please, you strapping a car seat in? What I would pay for that barrel of laughs, I'll do before we go." Mary was laughing at the image of Marshall trying to strap a car seat in, good lord. Marshall just looked at her "well you never know, only being polite". Mary was just laughing again. They both finished up lunch, not a crumb was left. Mary had gotten up and cleaned Norah up and put her on the floor, she sat beside her and played with her toys with her. This was a sight for Marshall that he would keep forever, he never thought he would see the day that Mary Shannon was playing with a child. Her own child for that matter. Marshall sat on the floor and joined them, pretending he was giant, which he was to Norah, and was tickling her. Mary watched Marshall play with Norah, he was pretty good with her. "I'm just going to get the chair and out it in the car, I don't want to hold you up any longer Chief", off she popped down the hall and got Norah's car seat from her room. "Don't be silly, I could stay here all day, and it's Marshall to you!", he laughed, now fully concentrated on Norah. Norah and Marshall's time was really something special. "Keys?", Mary had the car seat in her hand, he pointed over to the table and she was out of the door. Marshall still playing with Norah. It seemed like she only just went out the door before she headed back in. "Mary, that was fast.", Marshall was quite shocked up this. "Ain't no time for amateurs.", she laughed gathering thing for Norah on her little outing. Marshall stood up clearing the rubbish and grabbing Norah. "We all set?" he asked Mary. "Ready when you are?", Mary grabbed the rest of her stuff and held the door open for Marshall. Bit of role reversal going on here, she thought. By the time Mary had got her things and locked her door Marshall had already strapped Norah in her car seat. She got in the car and looked at Marshall, Marshall looked back at her and straight away "ain't no time for amateurs", Mary could only laugh.
Nice to see Marshall and Mary back to their normal selves! I couldn't help but give you this one straight after the last chapter as the next couple of chapters I'm booing are going to be pretty big!