The last of the anger fizzled away, but he was left with a bitter taste in his mouth. “I need some space to think, some time to come to terms with this,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m not running away, I just need to get away for a while. I’m sorry, Maddie, I just can’t handle any more right now. I’ll call you in a few days, maybe then I’ll be ready to meet…Justin…”
He turned and walked away before the look of disappointment on Maddie’s face could stop him. He felt like he was about to explode with the whirlwind of emotions swirling around inside him. Getting away from her before he said something he would be sorry for later seemed like the most intelligent thing to do, but as he walked away, he couldn’t help but think that he was making a mistake again.
***Maddie***
After collapsing onto the bench and staring at the empty playground for a long time, Maddie finally got to her feet and forced herself to walk away. She’d finally done the right thing and told Walker about Justin, but she didn’t feel any better, she felt even worse. Being angry and sad at the same time wasn’t easy, unless you were dealing with Walker Price. She decided as she walked to her car to go home and lick her wounds in private.
He hadn’t even tried to see her side of it, refused to take any responsibility for what happened, and she wasn’t about to take all the blame. If he’d just talked to her, things would have been different. That didn’t mean she wasn’t grieving or terrified that they would fail this first test of their love, leaving them both broken for the rest of their lives and Justin stuck in the middle. Taking a deep breath, she told herself to trust the love and the bond Walker claimed they shared; it would bring them back together, it had to. She couldn’t live without him.
Mrs. Mathews was surprised to see her when she came through the door, “Oh, dear, you didn’t have to come home early to see me off,” she said, but there was a huge smile on her face. “It was sweet though, two weeks seems like a long time to go without seeing you and Justin.”
She pushed away her worry and heartache, put a big smile on her face, and pretended that was why she’d come home. “I couldn’t let you leave on your big adventure without saying goodbye,” she said. “Are you sure I can’t take you to the airport? I wouldn’t mind at all, and Justin loves to see the big airplanes.”
“I thought you had class today,” Mrs. Mathews said, stuffing a book into her purse for the plane ride. “I wouldn’t want you to get behind.”
“It was cancelled,” she lied. “I’m free as a bird, we just need to swing by and pick Justin up from daycare.”
The older woman considered her offer for a moment, then a big smile spread across her face, “Okay, it’s a deal,” she said. “I really do hate those shuttle buses, they get so crowded.”
“I’ll go gas up the car while you finish packing,” she said. “Do we need junk food for the drive?”
“You bet, I’m on vacation after all,” Mrs. Mathews said, then grabbed her purse. “Take my card, it’s on me.”
It was dark when Maddie and Justin got back home, and as she carried the sleeping baby up to the front door, cursing herself for not leaving any light on. After getting the door unlocked by feel, she threw it open and stepped inside, her arms beginning to scream with agony from the dead weight she was carrying. She kicked the door closed behind her, not at all worried that she’d wake Justin up; he’d had a full day at daycare, plus the trip to the airport, and he’d sleep until morning.
She was just about to carry him upstairs when she became aware of the feeling that she wasn’t alone. She froze with one foot on the bottom stair, her heart beginning to pound. Backing up, she took a few steps toward the living room, a little flare of hope coming to life that she’d find Walker waiting there for her, but then she realized whoever it was had remained completely silent.
Changing her mind, she backed toward the door, but before she could get there, a lamp in the living room clicked on. “I wouldn’t do that; it would be rude not to greet a guest in your home,” Thomas said, then got to his feet. “I’ve been waiting for hours for you to get home. I was beginning to wonder if you were ever coming back. I wouldn’t blame you for leaving, not after the way Walker treated you. I saw him run away from you, such a shame, you son really is an adorable little tyke. Too bad his father doesn’t want anything to do with him.”
“Get out, get out right now,” she said, heading for the kitchen. “I’m going to call the police if you don’t go…”
Thomas was in front of her in an instant, shoving her back toward the living room, “I wouldn’t do that, this is none of their business,” he said. “I’m just trying to give you another option, another path to follow. Come with me, Maddie. I’ll take care of you and the baby, you’ll never want for anything, and I won’t run away from you. I’ll always be there for you.”
His words were right, but the cold look in his eyes told her something different. “No, thank you, I think I’ll take my chances with Walker,” she said, holding Justin a little tighter and trying not to panic. “You should leave now. I don’t want you here.”
Thomas studied her for a few seconds, then shook his head, “I was hoping that you’d cooperate, but no matter, I’m prepared to do this the hard way,” he said, then let out a long sigh. “I want you to go upstairs and pack a bag for you and the baby. We’re leaving right away.”
“I’m not going with you,” she said, staring him down. “And there’s nothing you can do to make me.”
“Really?” Thomas asked, then grinned at her. “Let’s see. First, I could grab that kid and do something to him that would make you sorry you talked back to me, and then I’d make a phone call to let my friends know that you’ve been a very bad girland Walker needs to pay for it. It’s your choice, pack a bag and come with me, or force me to do something I don’t want to do.”
“I’ll go pack a bag,” she said, heading for the stairs, but Thomas stepped in front of her again.
“The baby stays here with me,” he said, ripping Justin out of her arms. “Can’t have you slipping out of a window and running away, now, can we?”
She stuffed clothes and toiletries into a bag for both of them, barely noticing what she was taking, then raced back down the stairs. “Okay, I’m ready,” she said, grabbing Justin again. “This is never going to work. Walker is going to come looking for us.”
“Not if he thinks you ran away,” Thomas said, shoving a notebook and pen into her hands. “Write him a letter, tell him that you went on vacation with your friend, tell him you won’t be back for two weeks, and you don’t want to see him until then.”
She just stared at him. Writing that letter would mean that Walker wouldn’t come looking for her; she couldn’t do it, wouldn’t do it. “If you don’t, I’ll follow through with my promise,” Thomas said, an evil grin on his face. “I might even enjoy myself.”
With a shaking hand, she did what she’d been told, but right at the end, she added one sentence she hoped would stand out to Walker and make him understand that they were in trouble. When she was finished, she handed the letter over, a sick feeling in her stomach, but took a deep breath and tipped up her chin, refusing to let Thomas see how scared she was.
“What’s this about a teddy bear?” Thomas asked, waving the notebook at her. “I didn’t tell you to write that.”
“Walker said he was going to bring Justin a teddy bear,” she explained. “I was just…I thought it would…”
“Never mind,” Thomas said, throwing the notebook down on the table. “That will work. Now go get in the car. We have a long drive tonight, and it’s already late.”
