Witness Protection: Hide and Seek (24 page)

                                             
Four months later

Madison couldn’t stop smiling as she paced in the bathroom
of their new log home.

She peeked through the door and smiled again when she saw
that Cole was still asleep.

Selling she and Tristan's place and moving to Caribou with
Cole had been an easier transition than she thought it would be.

She was happy when he was able to secure a consulting
position at START, the Sex Trafficking Action Response Team. Cole was excited
to work with a local agency that committed itself to ending sex trafficking and
commercial exploitation.

His main goal at the agency would be to make the public aware
of human trafficking and to help build an effective response system. He'd also
be involved in strengthening law
 
enforcement's efforts in prosecuting the traffickers and most
importantly, ensuring quality services for survivors.

Madison loved the fact that the new job meant that he'd be
in one place.

"No more going out in the field," he told her.
"And I couldn’t be happier." The look in his eyes told her that he
meant every word.

 
Madison went to work
as a coding specialist for a small doctor's office nearby, and the new jobs
allowed them to spend more time with each other. Especially since they both had
the option of working from home.

She nervously twisted a tissue in
her hands as she looked at the results of the home pregnancy test.

"You okay?" Madison turned
to find Cole standing in the doorway.

"I'm fine." She smiled and
moved closer to him.

"In fact, I'm better than
fine," she said and held up the test.

"You're going to be a
daddy." Tears of joy filled their eyes.

"And you're going to be a
mommy." He wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled. A smile so filled
with love that it took her breath away.

"We're going to have a baby.
Madison West, I love you."

Each time he said the words, it made
her legs weak, and her heart tremble.

"I love you too," she
whispered. As he pulled her close and kissed her, Madison realized that now she
knew how much love she had to give, and she was grateful they had taken the
chance. And although her life was far from what she had expected it to be, she
knew that the rest of it would be no less amazing.

The End