I finally snapped out of my shock. “Wha—I didn’t touch her! I was standing five feet away, and she just threw herself onto the floor and smacked her cheek on the corner of the table!”
A chorus of outraged gasps erupted in the crowded room.Oh my God, how can she say such a thing? … As if Madison would do that to herself! … Her poor, beautiful face! … Geez, that’s a lot of blood … She’s probably going to need stiches—in her face!
“Madison, do you want me to call the police? This is assault!” Liz cried.
I gasped.Call the police?
Suddenly, everyone was yelling at me, throwing curses at me, demanding that I leave. I couldn’t think straight; I couldn’tfeelstraight. Everything was in chaos. I did the only thing I could think to do: run. Out the front door, which slammed behind me.
A moment later, I was sitting in my car in stunned silence, breathing heavily.What the hell just happened?Madison was completely unhinged. What kind of person would split her own face open like that? Would she really tell the police that I attacked her? Would they believe her?
Max—I had to talk to him. I pulled out my phone and dialed his number; again, voicemail.
As I sat there in my car, adrenaline pumping furiously through my veins, I heard faint sirens in the distance. The sound grew louder until I caught flashes of red lights in the rearview mirror.
As I watched, an ambulance screeched to a halt directly in front of the steps to Max’s apartment. I scrunched down in my seat as best I could and watched the scene unfold.
Liz and Nora were on either side of Madison, helping her down the front steps. Dried blood coated Madison’s chin and neck, and had soaked into the neckline of her dress. As the party reached the street, two EMTs surrounded Madison, took the ice pack off her cheek, and examined her wound. After a moment, they nodded at each other, and led her over to a stretcher. They strapped her in—they were taking her to the hospital.
My head fell forward into my hands. Would Madison try to press charges?
I finally started the car and sped off, back to Ellie’s place.
I had to figure out my next move.
A few hours later, I sat on Ellie’s bed, anxiously chewing on my fingernails. I had worn them down so low, I tasted blood. I kept telling myself to stop, but a few minutes later found myself doing it again. The sound of every car on the street below sent an electrical current of panic up my spine—was it the police coming for me?
Around ten, my ringing phone jolted me out of my panicked stupor.
“Max,” I said breathlessly. “I’ve been trying to reach you all day.”
“Savannah, for the love of God—what the hell happened today?”
I could hear beeps and muffled voices bellowing over a loudspeaker in the background. “Where are you?” I asked.
“I’m at the hospital. Madison is about to be discharged.” His voice was tense, tight. “She’s with her mother, getting dressed.” He paused. I could hear him taking deep breaths in and out. “Savannah, I told you I would take care of things. How could you do this?”
“No, you don’t understand—”
“Was it an accident? Or did you mean to push her into the corner of the table? Her face … my God. She’s probably going to need a plastic surgeon.”
“Max—it’s not true! I didn’t push her! She did this to herself!”
“Why in the hell would you think it was a good idea to crash the baby shower?”
“How in the hell couldyouthink it was a good idea to let her name our baby?”
“What?”
“The banner. ‘Welcome, Baby Charlie?’ As in, Charles, after her father?”
“Savannah, I never agreed to that. I told her I’d suggest the name to you, but that was it. I’m sorry she jumped to conclusions. But it’s just a banner, for God’s sake! You rushed over there and started a physical fight over a banner?”
“No! I may have yelled at her, but I swear to God, I never touched her, Max!”
“Then how did she get hurt? You expect me to believe she hurt herself?”
“Yes, Max—I do.” My voice trembled. “She got this crazy look in her eye, and she threw herself to the floor in front of me and banged her cheek against the table on purpose. Onpurpose, Max! Then she screamed, and everyone came running, and she told them all I attacked her. It’s not true.”
