Her First (23 page)

Madison made sure she kept herself busy. It was easy with customers ringing her phone off the hook. When the automated system crashed, she was forced to manually enter statistics.

She noticed
Owen as he passed by her desk a few times, but he would only smile and wouldn’t stop. This last time, she decided to follow him to wherever he was going.

“Hey
Owen, wait up,” she said as she increased her steps to catch up with him.

As if he knew what was on her mind, he blurted out, “I didn’t know if you felt like talking.”

She looped her arms through his and they walked into an empty break room. “Thanks for what you did yesterday.”

“I didn’t do anything,” he said, pretending to act oblivious.

She kissed him on the cheek. “If it wasn’t for you, I would have lost more than my dignity.”

“I know I can be a little pushy sometimes, but we are friends.”

“You’re the only one in here who tried to help. If nothing else, I know I can depend on you.”

“I’m glad you feel that way.”
Owen opened his mouth to say something, but stopped as Mya and two other women walked in.

Mya joked to her companions, “Y’all better stay out of
Madison’s way, or else she’ll drop kick you.”

Mya laughed, but her other companions didn’t. They pointed towards
Owen and Madison, who were now in clear view. The other women left the room.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were in here,” Mya apologized.

“Apparently not,” Owen said.

“Oh I got this,”
Madison intervened. “Mya, I’m glad to see you find all of this funny. But in the future, make sure the person you’re talking about isn’t around to hear it.”

“Seriously,
Madison, I didn’t mean anything by it. I never did like Ms. Thing. I was glad to see somebody put her in her place.”

“Whatever.”
Madison rolled her eyes and walked out of the break room.

Owen
caught up to her. “Don’t let Mya get to you,” he said.

“I won’t. I have bigger fish to fry as my grandmother used to say.”  They walked the rest of the way in silence. Before walking to her desk, she turned and told
Owen, “I’ll be out of the office all next week on unpaid leave.”

“They shouldn’t have suspended you.”

Madison held her hand up and interrupted him. “I would have suspended me too. I’m lucky they didn’t fire me.”

“If you need anything, call me.”

“I will. I have a few more things to do and then I’ll be heading out.”

She sat down at her desk, but couldn’t concentrate.  She looked at the time.  Even though it was early afternoon, she felt as though she had put in a full day’s work. She activated her out of office message on her email account and voice mail.

After making sure everything was secure, she left the office. She decided to stop by Valley View mall.
Shopping always takes my mind off my problems.

***

Ethan was paying for a pair of tennis shoes when he swore he saw Madison pass by.

“I don’t mean to rush you, but there’s someone out there I need to catch up with,” he told the teenaged cashier.

The cashier handed him his change.  Ethan inadvertently snatched the bag and walked quickly out of the store. He looked in the direction he saw Madison, but couldn’t see her. He peered into some of the stores as he walked by.
I know I’m not seeing things. It had to be her,
he thought.

As he looked into another store, he accidentally bumped into
Madison. She looked as surprised as he did.

“I’m sorry,” he said as he helped her pick up the bags she had dropped.

“I have it,” she said as she motioned for him to stop.

“No, let me,” he insisted as he picked the bags up and handed them to her.

Ethan wanted to take her into his arms and hug and kiss her and tell her all of the things he didn’t think to say when they were together.

“Thanks,” she said in a soft voice.

“If you’re not doing anything tonight, let me treat you to dinner.”

She stuttered, “I’m meeting Charlotte. Thanks for helping me with the bags, but I have to go.” She walked away.

He ran behind her. “You’re still coming to the birthday party aren’t you?”

“I’ll be there,” she responded without turning around.

“See you then,” he said, unsure if she heard him as she increased her pace.

***

After the mall encounter, Madison didn’t feel like shopping anymore. It took everything she could not to reach out and hug Ethan. She missed him so much, but she didn’t know if she should trust him after the Sarah fiasco.

What if the child is his?
she thought.
I don’t think I could stand it. Little Christopher’s adorable, but there’s no way I can be nice to anything that belongs to Sarah.

She beat herself up about it all the way home.  Charlotte was sitting on her steps when she pulled up.

“What is she doing here?” Madison asked out loud.

She turned off the engine and exited the car. She grabbed her bags and Charlotte met her halfway. She handed a few to her.

“I had just got here right before you pulled up,” Charlotte said. “I was about to leave though.”

“That’s why you should call before dropping by unannounced,”
Madison said as she unlocked the front door.

“I was in the neighborhood.”

“Yeah right,” Madison snapped as they went into the house.

“Where do you want these?” Charlotte asked.

“They go in my room.”

They walked into her bedroom. Charlotte laid the bags on the bed and sat on the edge. “So what did you buy me?” she asked.

“The same thing I bought you the last time I went shopping,” Madison joked.

She removed clothes from the bag as Charlotte sat and watched. She held up a short black dress.

“That’s cute. Let me see it,” Charlotte said before standing up.

Madison
held the dress in front of her as she admired herself in the mirror. “I bought it for Mrs. Matthew’s party.”

“So you really are going?”

“Yes.”

She held up another dress that
Madison had laid across the bed. It was a hot pink short floral dress. “Can I borrow this?”

Madison
smiled. “I’ll think about it.”

***

After informing his mother, brother and Joyce about the test results, Ethan tried to find a way to relax. He flipped from station to station, but nothing was able to hold his attention for long. Frustrated because he couldn’t get his mind off Madison, he went upstairs and worked out. His body was sore, but he refused to stop. If his phone hadn’t rung, he would have worked out until he fell out.

“Hello,” he answered, sounding out of breath.

“Don’t hang up,” Sarah said barely above a whisper.

Ethan
laughed as if insane. He sat on the bench wiping sweat off his forehead. He remained quiet.

“Hear me out,”
Sarah begged.

“There’s nothing else we have to say. You’ve lied and tried to manipulate your way into my life for the last time. How could you use an innocent child? You’re not fit to be a mother.”

He heard Sarah crying. He felt no sympathy.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do,” she cried.

“Your tears won’t work. You knew exactly what you were doing. I don’t know when you told Madison about the situation, but because of you, she’s gone. I’m sure that should make you stop crying.”

“I didn’t mean to-”

He wouldn’t let her continue. “Like you didn’t mean to jump her at her job.”

“You got it all wrong. She’s the one who threw me on the floor. Do you know I lost my job because of your wife?” she yelled.

“That’s your problem, not mine.”

“
Ethan please talk to her. She could talk to them and maybe they’ll give me back my job.”

Ethan
laughed. “You seriously need some help. I pray Christopher grows up to be sane with an insane mother.”  He hung up the phone without waiting to hear Sarah’s response. 
Lord thank you for not letting me be tied to that woman for life.

He took a shower, and for the first time in days, he was able to sleep peacefully.

It had been a few weeks since Ethan ran into Madison at the mall. After countless sleepless nights, Ethan woke up refreshed and ready to begin the next stage of his life. He had a lot of errands to run before his mom’s birthday dinner. He was excited and was surprised Madison had agreed to come. It gave him hope about the state of their relationship.

For the first time since she’d left, he entered the guest room
Madison had occupied. Her fragrance still lingered in the room. The sun was beaming through the blinds. The sparkle of the ring he gave Madison caught his attention. It was sitting on the nightstand.  
I don’t remember her taking it off,
he thought.

He felt a sense of sadness deep within his soul. He picked up the ring and placed it in his pocket. He walked out of the room not sure if he should hold on to the hope that he and
Madison would reconcile. 
I must snap out of this. Things are going to work out. Be positive. Isn’t that what I always tell others? I need to take my own advice.

Ethan
walked to his room and opened his dresser drawer and pulled out an envelope. In the envelope was a receipt for the ring. He tucked the receipt into the same pocket as the ring.

Madison
, I love you and no matter what it takes, I want you back.

After turning on the alarm, he left the house to run some very important errands.

***

Madison
ignored her alarm clock. She hit snooze several times. It annoyed her when it went off for the fourth time.

“Alright, I’m getting up,” she fussed at the clock.  She threw the pillow off the bed before turning the alarm off. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and dragged herself out of bed. She stumbled to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

“Maybe this will wake me up,” she said as she stretched.  She heard her phone ring, but didn’t have the energy to run and answer it. “Whoever it is, I’ll call them back.”

She stepped into the shower and let the hot water run over body. With her eyes closed, she remembered how
Ethan felt in her arms. How special he made her feel. She had never felt this type of bond with any other man.

When she was
sixteen, she thought she was in love, but when she told the guy she was a virgin, he began acting funny. He always made excuses about why he was busy. It hurt her because she was at a point where she was willing to sleep with him and suffer the consequences. Fortunately, he saved her from what would have been a big mistake. From that day forward, she vowed to remain true to herself and save herself for the man who would be her husband.

Alt
hough she had dated throughout high school and college, no one came close to capturing her heart.  In a short time, Ethan was able to break down all of the barriers and melt her heart with his kind words and demeanor. Up until the fiasco with Sarah, she was willing to forsake her virginity and give in to Ethan’s needs. For once, she was willing to put someone else’s needs over hers.

Even with the confusion of the past few
weeks, she knew in her heart, it would be difficult to get Ethan out of her system. When Frederick asked her to attend their mother’s birthday dinner, she started to decline. For some strange reason, though, she didn’t.

She had been in the shower so long; the water was becoming luke warm. 
Ugh. I guess it’s time I start my day,
she thought.  She turned the water off and dried off.  She went through her closet and chose a red jogging suit. She found her matching tennis shoes and threw on an old baseball cap. It was time for a new hairstyle, and although she hated going to the beauty shop on a Saturday, she had to look her best.

After calling her beautician and confirming she could be squeezed in, she left the house.

***

“Happy Birthday, Mom,”
Ethan said after singing to her on the phone.

“Thank you, dear,” she replied.

“I promise not to be late.” He pulled up into the parking lot of Valley View Mall.

“I’ll hold you to it. You’re bringing that pretty girlfriend of yours aren’t you?” she asked.

Ethan paused before responding. “She’s coming, but she’s driving her own car.”

“Is everything okay? I sense some hesitation.”

“Everything’s fine. We had a disagreement, but we’ll work it out.” He tried to sound confident.

“I hope so. She’s a special young lady.”

“Yes, she is. Not to change the subject, but I’m glad the baby issue worked out.”

“I am too sweetie. I feel sorry for the poor child though.”

“If I knew who the real father was, I would contact him and let him know he should seek custody,” Ethan said, turning off the ignition.

“Baby, that’s not your responsibility. Just make sure you don’t make me a grandmother before you’re married. Okay?”

“Yes, Ma,” Ethan said as he rolled up the windows. “I’ll see you later.”

“Bye, son.”

Ethan got out of the car and went to several stores looking for the perfect gift. He finally found what he was looking for. He had the clerk wrap it. He walked out of the mall with a smile on his face.

Now it’s on to the bakery. I have to get the right dessert for this thing to work.

***

Madison
admired her new hairstyle in the mirror. She'd gotten her hair permed. The hair stylist told her it would be easy maintenance

I hope
Ethan likes it.

Looking in her closet, she pulled out the short black dress she purchased
specifically for today’s event. She sprayed her favorite fragrance on before putting on her stockings and dress. She removed the long dangling earrings and replaced them with a pair of pearl earrings her mother had given her for her sixteenth birthday. When she got ready to put the matching pearl necklace around her neck, her hand stopped. She felt the diamond necklace and reminisced on the day Ethan had given it to her. She took a Kleenex and wiped the tears that streamed down her face. She placed the pearl necklace back in its case.  She reapplied her makeup and faked a smile while looking in the mirror.

The doorbell rang.
Madison looked at herself one last time. She picked up her shoes and her mini loop handbag she recently purchased from DGP Enterprises before leaving her bedroom.

“I’m coming!” she yelled as she heard a loud knock on the door.

When she opened the door, Charlotte stood there looking annoyed. “Girl, what took you so long?” she fussed.

“I was getting dressed.”

Charlotte looked at her and stood with her mouth open. She took her hand and ran it through Madison’s hair.  “You got a perm.”

Madison
swirled around. “You like it?”

“Yes, but I thought you didn’t like
all those curls.”

“I want
ed to try something different.” She leaned down and slipped on her black sequined sling back three-inch heeled sandals.

“I’m jealous,” Charlotte pouted as she brushed her hand through her own hair.

“Girl, please. You know your hair
always
looks good.”

“I know,” Charlotte giggled. “I wanted to bring the attention back to myself.”

“You need to quit.” Madison moved things around as she looked for her keys.

“I can drive,” Charlotte said.

“Cool, but I still need to find my keys.”

“You mean those.” Charlotte pointed to a set of keys on the coffee table.

“Thanks. I thought I looked there.”

“If it would have been a snake, it would have bitten you.”

“Ha ha.”

“I almost forgot the gift I bought his mom.”

Madison grabbed a beautiful floral gift bag.  After locking up, Madison and Charlotte left her house and headed to Ethan’s parents’ house.