Authors: Suzette Vaughn
It made sense to Maddy. Kate knew what she did, there was no way to escape their lots in life. Not the way they stood now.
Kate drained her drink, stood on wobbly legs, and put the glass with the decanter that was now empty.
“You put that ring back in the box in the safe and take what you need to leave with. I would say that when Galen comes home, he’ll come find you, but we both know his daddy sent him off to die. But if . . .
if
he comes home, rest assured he will come after you.”
She heard him moving behind her. “Madelyn, wait.”
She shook her head crossing from dock to land.
Trying to keep the quilt wrapped around her.
He caught her and his fingers dug into her arm as he turned her to look at him.
“Why didn’t you go to the sheriff? Why didn’t you tell someone?”
“Let go.” She pushed him away heading up the hill to her cottage. “What does it matter? You don’t believe me
. H
ow in the world was anyone else going to?”
“Damn it—
Madelyn
—
stop.” This time he grabbed both her arms, shaking just a little. “Look at me.”
His blues were nearly gray with anger. His face marked with lines.
She pushed away, his grip didn’t waiver. “Go home, Galen.”
“I can’t,
”
b
reathed through clenched teeth. “Why didn’t you fight him?”
“How? Who would have been on my side?”
“Does that really matter?”
“You just can’t see it can you
?
Why would I fight? There was no one left to fight for.”
“I was still there. Your mama’s still out there somewhere.” He spun her around again before she could open the door to the porch.
She slapped him across the face, the last bit of control she held gone. “She’s dead, Galen. She didn’t run off. She didn’t leave me. She’s dead. Will stole her from me. He claimed to have loved her and took her. And you were halfway around the world doing just what your daddy wanted.
Dying
for your country. Damn it, you think I didn’t want to fight it? That I didn’t want the truth for everyone to know? That man took away the only two people I ever loved.”
Her ha
nd went to her mouth not believing
she’d just said that aloud, b
ut that is what anger does best;
forces out what needs
to be said. He reached for her, s
he pushed him away and let the screen door slam behind her. She made it as far as her kitchen, with blood pounding in her temples then
her knees refused to move f
a
rther.
Frank pulled in the driveway wondering what he was doing here. He’d never had the urge to check up on Maddy on a Saturday before. Yet, he stepped out of the car and walked down the drive. He knocked on the door, hopi
ng he would be interrupting whatever Washington had planned. It wasn’t in him to let someone walk in and take his girl. Even though he couldn’t exactly call Maddy his girl. They’d dated but she wouldn’t let him much closer than that.
When no one answered the door, he headed around the side of the house. He stopped when he saw her standing up from the dock. Washington jumped up right behind her. His muscles protested to standing there but his mind was right.
Maddy didn’t need anyone to save her.
He wasn’t leaving just in
case, but she would come out of it fine.
He watched as they went back and forth across the backyard. Each time the boy touched her
,
more anger built. It all went out with the wind in him when she said “…the only two people I ever loved”. That didn’t include him.
He knew when he started asking her out that she didn’t love him. He’d hoped she’d move his way over time. The way Washington was kick
ing
around the leaves
one of those people she’d loved was him.
The thought of staying and giving
he
r a piece of his mind rang in his ears as he walked back to his car, hoping he’d get out of the drive before she’d notice.
Galen tried to remain calm
and took a hard seat on the porch with her blanket in hand
. He knew there were reasons she ran that h
e couldn’t even conceive of. Will killing Cassie hadn’t been one of them. Hadn’t even been in the same ballpark as anything he could think of. He sat on her porch steps trying to line up the timing.
When was it his mama had taken ill? When was it that Dad had moved Will out to the country? He remembered when Cassie disappeared. It really was the first day of his mama’s illness.
Mama had taken ill for the evening leaving him and Fredric at the table in silence. Seemed with every day the silence grew. Harland had been to college since September, his second year there, and Galen was allowed to take the car more. Which was great, he could sneak off to see Maddy and not be at home.
The pounding on the door echoed through the empty air but couldn’t fill the space. Tess moved from the kitchen to answer it. When the pounding came again, Tess spoke toward the door, hurrying her steps.
“Quiet now or you’ll disturb the
m
issu
s.”
The door opened at the same time that Maddy’s voice filled the house.
“Tess, have you seen Mama?” She was talking fast, her feet pacing the foyer, he didn’t have to see her, he just knew her that well.
“Not since she left here this afternoon. What’s wrong?”
“She’s not home yet. She should have been home hours ago.”
Galen stood from the table.
“Sit down, son.” Fredric put down his fork, pushed away from the table, and walked down the hall.
Galen jumped up to go through the parlor. Once in front of Tess and Maddy, he wouldn’t get yelled at. The hell would come when they were gone but it wouldn’t matter, right now, she needed him.
“Slow down, Maddy, you’re not making sense.” Tess continued.
“I came here the same way she comes home. I asked everyone I saw. No one’s seen her.” Her voice cracked a little more with each word.
“Maybe she passed another way.” Fredric glared at Galen with the women in between them.
“She goes the same way every day.” Maddy was near hysterics. “I have to find her.”
“I bet you just passed her by on your way.” Fredric’s voice stayed steady. Steadily mad but it didn’t waver.
“But she stays on the road, she goes that way every day.” Maddy’s voice was anything but steady. “She would have told me if she was supposed to go anywhere else.”
“Now you just calm down little girl, there is no reason in waking Mrs. Langley while she’s ill.”
Maddy was hurt. She was having a problem speaking now, her mouth opened but nothing would come out.
“Why don’t I take her back home.” Galen offered. “Maybe by the sheriff’s.”
Maddy looked even more nervous and Fredric didn’t like the idea.
Tess piped in, “I think that would be a great idea.”
Thank God for Tess.
“No need in bothering the sheriff over a girl whose mother is late. If she hasn’t come home tomorrow, then Maddy can go talk to him.”
Galen walked behind Maddy and pulled his coat down.
“Take her home and come straight back.” Fredric stood firm
, arms crossed
.
Galen put his hand on her back and helped her move out the door a little quicker than she was moving
on her own
. He opened the car door and held her hand while she settled into the seat. He drove
.
H
er fingers fidgeted. When he stopped the car in front of the sheriff’s office, her head shot up.
“Your daddy said. . .”
“And I disagree. Telling the sheriff will help set you at ease.” He removed the keys and went around to her side in time to shut the door for her.
He sat in the front room of the little jail while she spoke in the sheriff’s office. There was little traffic around the square but still it kept his attention as he thought about where Cassie must be. When Will pulled up, he assumed that he recognized the car and was looking for him by his father orders.
He stepped outside to tell Will that he wasn’t going home until Maddy was safe at hers but as soon as he stepped out the door Will pulled back out and drove toward their house. It was odd
,
but Will was probably reporting that he’d found Galen.
He stayed outside pacing the sidewalk in front of the door. Maddy came out shortly after, her fingers twining in and out.
“What’d they say?”
“They’d watch for her but she’s probably home by now.” Her voice was hoarse.
“Do you feel better?”
She shook her head. “None of it feels right, Galen.”
He offered his hand
, kissing her knuckles
. “I’ll take you on home and we can see if she’s there.”
She nodded, her hand slipping into his, slipping out again when he put her in the car. A few blocks went by
in
silence.
“Mama said you were sick.” He broke the peace.
“I lost my voice and had a high fever.”
That would explain why her voice still sounded like she’d been crying. Maddy wasn’t exactly the one for hysterics. Not even when her father passed did she go hysterical.
“Did you see the doctor?”
“He gave me this stuff to drink. Tastes like rotten grapes but it’s helping.” She continued to look around as they drove.
“It will be alright, Madelyn.”
Her eyes settled on him for a moment. “For once I don’t think you’re right.”
She turned back to the window and he saw a tear glistening in the lights of the passing car.
That weekend Will moved
out of the apartment over the garage
and
closer to the fishing
plant
.
She’d tried to keep the little house but she couldn’t afford it. Even picking up some of Cassie’s extra work, no one paid her as much. Tears fell with every box she packed.
“How is she going to find me if I’m not here?” Madelyn put another dish in a box.
He ran his hands over her shoulders. “It’s not that big of a town
.
S
he will find you. She knows where I live
,
too.”
And she was moving into the apartment over the garage that Will used to live in.
“Just think,” he continued, “how close you will be to me.”
“Your parents will be watching you like a hawk.” The smile didn’t reach her eyes.
She had him there. The shock that Dad finally gave in had almost knocked him off his feet
,
but
made him
wonder why.
Fredric wouldn’t change his mind that way. He wasn’t just being generous since she was now an orphan.
“It’s better than you being here by yourself.”
“I sleep here
,
that’s all I have time for.”
He took the chance of kissing her. When released
,
the smile had spread over all of her.
“Now
,
you will have more time
,
too.”
“I’m still working just as much.”
“Not for long.” He smirked. “I graduate in May.”
“Your daddy won’t let us get married.”
“After May he won’t have a choice.”
Galen added a dish to the box.
“Why not just stay here then and go ahead and do it.”
“Even with what I make at the plant we couldn’t afford it. When I start full-time in May then we can find something.”
“If we are going to wait anyway you should still go on to college.” She huffed.
“I can do that later.”
“What
,
when we have kids running around?”
He bit his lip with the thought of giving her children.
“Behave.” She held out a hand to
stop him but didn’t move quick
enough
. H
e grabbed her.
He was breathing heavier than he’d expected when he released her. “You want children just tell me when.”
“After we’re well and married.”