Hailies Song

Chapter Eleven

Rated R

"You've been awful quiet tonight..." Diane said, walking over to the kitchen table, where Marshall was seated, with a bottle of heineken in front of him. He briefly glanced up at her, and then back at the bottle, slowly peeling the label from the glass. She sat down and stared at the top of his forehead, his head bent, obviously not making eye contact for a reason. "Anything you wanna talk about?"

Marshall looked up at her, and she frowned. His usually warm, clear blue eyes, looked miserable, and his expression was cold. She cleared her throat and looked away, her turn to avoid eye contact with him now, and tapped her fingernails gently against the top of the kitchen table.

They had left the hospital about two hours ago, and Marshall had been sitting here ever since, and not a word had been spoken between them since the car ride home. It was almost 8 o clock, it was dark outside, and it was starting to get colder, seasons were changing.

"So..." Marshall said, his voice remaining calm, although inside he wanted to beat Diane. Sure, he had wanted to hit girls before, a few times he was ashamed to admit that he had let his anger get the better of him, and pushed a girl, or hit her, when he was younger. But for the first time in 20 years, Marshall felt the urge to hit a woman, bottling up inside him, and he was honestly not sure how much longer he could control himself. How could she do this to his daughter? The one thing in his life that he depended on, if it wasnt for Hailie, he wouldnt be alive right now. She was everything to him, and the thought that Diane wanted to take everything away from him, was just to much to bear. "So we have been together a while-"

"6 years," Diane reminded him.

Marshall glared at her. "Yes... 6, years." He stated calmly. "And in all the 6 years, we never really got to talking, you know, about... your ex husband..."

"Dan?" Diane said, shifting in her chair at the mention of her late husband. Why was he bringing this up now? He must know something... She thought uncomfortably.

"Yes," Marshall nodded. "So... Howd he die?"

"Car accident." She said quickly, without even thinking.

"Diane, we are married. And in marriage, there arent any lies, or, secrets, right?" Marshall said, knowing damn well that she was lying. Diane nodded, and he grinned at her. "Im so glad you understand. So why dont you try telling me the truth?"

"The truth?" Diane looked away, and then back at him, taking a deep breath. "About what?"

"About everything. About how Dan really died, about Hailie." He said coldly, his eyes burning into hers as she looked down at the table.

"What do you mean?" She shook her head. "Marshall, you've been drinking, lets just go to bed and we can talk tommorow."

"I've had 3 beers, counting this one thats not even half gone yet, and with my alcohol tolerance, thats nothing. We can talk right now." He stared at her, and she sighed and nodded.

"Alright, so I havent been completely, honest, these past years. But I just didnt want you to think I was a physco," She raised an eyebrow as Marshall smirked.

"So, because you dont want me to think your a physco, you try to kill my kid?" He raised both eyebrows and gritted his teeth. "That makes perfect sense Diane."

"Marshall!" She gasped. "What are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what Im talking about." He hissed, leaning across the table, his hand clutching the beer bottle tightly as he tried to remain calm.

"Are you trying to accuse me of something?" She narrowed her eyes.

"How did Dan really die?" Marshall licked his lips and straightened up in his chair. Diane glared at him.

"He was sick..." She looked down.

"With what?"

She looked at him. "He was sick, what do you mean with what? What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to tell me about the trial." He said shortly. She looked taken aback, and he watched her shift uncomfortably in her chair.

"Marshall, howd you know about the trial?" She asked quietly.

"You think you could hide it from me forever? So what, theres no evidence to convict you to killing Dan, and theres no evidence to what your doing to Hailie-"

"Im not doing ANYTHING to Hailie!" Diane cried. "Marshall, I swear, this is just stupid. Yes, I was on trial, and no there was no evidence to convict me, so I was cleared, I was found INNOCENT!" She sighed. "God, do you really believe I would do that?"

"I dont want to, believe me, but the tests dont lie. Hailie has methomyl poisoning. And thats the same poisoning that Dan had. What do you expect me to think?" He exhaled loudly.

"Marshall, I would never do that to you..." She said, eyes wide. "You have to believe me."

"No, I dont." Marshall shook his head.

"Fuck..." She stood up. "I love you and Hailie- I would never-"

"No you dont," Marshall stood up too, hand still clutching the beer bottle, so tight he was surprised the glass hadnt shattered by this time. "You poisoned Hailie, and now its all out in the open, and Im sorry I didnt see this sooner. Theres been warning signs."

"Warning signs?" She raised an eyebrow. "Listen, I was cleared of those charges 10 YEARS AGO, for a reason, and if you cant accept that, then I dont know what to tell you. I would never do this to you, or Hailie, your my family, my only family."

"Yeah well, for how long? How many families are you going to poison?" Marshall spat angrily. "Explain to me this, if your so innocent in the whole thing! You know that juice that you had me bring to Hailie? Kim drank it, got extremely sick, and was tested for methomyl also. And guess what? Its positive. And by the way, having me bring poisoned juice to my own daughter, thats just sick. Its one thing if you do it, and thats bad enough, but I cant fucking believe you made me a messenger in this, a part of your sick little plan to hurt my daughter."

"Marshall!" She cried.

"No," Marshall glared. "Theres no convincing me that you didnt do this, I do not trust you, and I dont want you in my house any longer. So get a lawyer, cause your gonna need one," He added, "And get the fuck out, tonight."

Diane bit her bottom lip, tears streaming down her face by now. "Marshall please-" She walked toward him, arms outstretched, as if to hug him, and he shook his head, and stepped back.

"Dont touch me Diane, I swear Ill rip your fucking throat out." He threatened. He didnt even care at this point.

"Fine." She shook her head. "Im leaving." She turned and walked upstairs, to get her things, and Marshall sat back down at the kitchen table, head in his arms, and sighed, feeling tears rolling down his cheeks.