I think she understands.
We fumble with her sweatpants just as much, if not more, than we did when removing them.
I got lost in the moment, and I don’t regret it. But from now on, those desperate moments aren’t going to be in proximity to any other people. Ari deserves privacy, and I am not prone to sharing her. I am not about giving anyone a peep show.
And the moment we rise from the bed and get dressed, the lights come back on.
Chapter
Twelve
Ari
People cheer, laugh, and clap, but above the din comes a shriek.
The shriek is followed by gasps from the crowd and someone shouting, “Call 9-1-1!”
Our hands locked together, Foster and I rush out onto the stage.
Maddie is on the floor.
I lock eyes with Foster. “Oh shit.”
“It’s going to be okay,” he says, both of us rushing to her side.
Just as we do, Maddie opens her eyes and struggles to sit up.
“Maddie, what happened?” I ask.
“Oh, nothing. I’m fine,” she says, but her pale face is worrying.
It’s then that I notice the shaking. Everyone is mumbling and asking questions. Maddie looks like she’s just seen a ghost.
Double shit. She looks bad.
“Maddie?”
“He’s…I…”
“He what?” Who? Who is she talking about?
“It’s nothing,” she says, her hand on her chest. “I thought I saw someone…”
This is nuts. She needs to be checked.
“Foster, could you please help me get her off the stage?”
He acts quickly, without questioning me, scooping up my five-foot-two friend and carrying her off the stage with me not far behind.
Moments later, we’re in the safety of the community center’s kitchen, which has already been cleaned up and vacated by all the caterers.
I urge Maddie to drink some water and then encourage her to tell me what happened.
After she regains her composure, she looks at me and relaxes her face into an appeasing smile.
“Oh. I’m so sorry for causing such a fuss. I thought I saw someone that looked like…well, you know.”
She bats her lashes and takes a drink of water.
