Chapter Thirty-Five
I went to the penthouse and through the rooms to gather my belongings. I didn’t want Logan to return home and feel disturbed, coming across anything he’d encouraged me to keep there for my comfort. I went into his bathroom for toiletries, and into the dressing room for a few pieces of clothing. I retrieved my book and phone charger from the nightstand.
When I got to the door I looked back around the room, my gaze lingering on the bed I’d been so afraid I didn’t belong in that first night. A bed that had begun to feel like my own.
My legs felt numb returning to the living room to grab a lip balm and nail file I’d left on the table in front of the sofa.
I shoved them into my bag and hurried down the hall. I hesitated by the entrance table, swallowed emotion, and quickly removed the bracelet that had been on my wrist since the day Logan linked it there.
I gently set it down beside a vase of flowers, boarded the elevator, and watched as the door closed on my happiness .
I didn’t have the heart or energy to fake happy conversations so I texted my mother and Grace to make sure all was as it should be with them and that I wasn’t feeling well and would talk to them the next day.
I held out until I got to my bed. Then I lay there for hours, remembering every detail of the last few weeks with Logan as tears ran down my face, drying on my cheeks before fresh ones formed a new path over and over again.
I had a mostly sleepless night. A few hours before dawn, I nodded off. When I woke to daylight, I stayed under the covers, staring at my glass bird across the room for a while.
“Never let anyone or anything keep you from flying,” I murmured, trying to turn it into a vow.
I had no intention of completely falling apart. I deserved to be sad, but wouldn’t waste the day wallowing in it. I dragged myself out of bed and went to take a shower, the first step toward keeping the vow to myself.
It was such a hard day, but I got through it.
Shortly after I finished work, there was a knock at the door. It was the crate being delivered from the studio where I’d dropped off my aunt’s art collection a few weeks before to be framed in a pretty white wood.
I took my time studying the canvases as I unboxed and hung them on the hooks already placed after the walls were painted, feeling a little lighter with each.
The turtle and dolphin went in the dining room. The smallest works: a starfish, stingray, a school of tiny fish, and a crab went along the hallway. The largest canvas of a beautiful whale went over the sofa and the seahorse and jellyfish, on either side of the entertainment center. When I was done, I turned in a circle, admired the finished space, and felt a deep sense of peace. It had turned out better than I’d imagined.
“Welcome home, Auntie,” I said softly.
That evening, I did my check-ins with my mother and the girls then climbed into bed early. When my head hit the pillow, I finally fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.
I woke up feeling far from stellar, but at least better rested Friday morning. I sat up and stared at my sculpture.
“Never let anyone or anything keep you from flying,” I told myself again.
It was easier than the day before to get out of bed and shower.
After my morning coffee, I switched to water to keep hydrated. I made a light snack when I got hungry, then a healthy lunch in the afternoon. When leftover cheesecake in the fridge tempted me, I threw it away to avoid making myself sick with it.
Maddie would have caffeinated herself into jitters and eaten her feelings. I was determined to take care of myself as I worked through my heartache.
I focused on work through late afternoon and kept my mind busy. I was signing out of my system at five when my cell phone rang. It was Uncle Mickey .
“Hey, sweet girl. I love the last batch of photos you sent. That place has come together so well. I can’t wait to see it in person my next trip down.”
I sat on the sofa and talked with my uncle, happy for the distraction. I asked what he had been up to, we chatted about his great-nieces, and I told him some of the details of my summer.
“Sounds like you’re having a fine time. I’m glad you get use of that old place when I’m letting it sit empty. I appreciate all the hard work you’ve been doing down there. It means a lot. I’ll let you go as my dinner should be ready in the oven any minute.”
“Okay, enjoy and have a nice holiday next week. I love you.”
There was a pause before he responded. “I love you too, Madison. And I hope you know how proud I am of you. You have become quite a fine woman. Charlotte, she would tell you the same if she could.”
I had to take several beats to find my voice.
“Thank you, Uncle Mickey. I’m proud of me too.”
After we hung up, I went to my bedroom and looked at pictures of Sadie and Grace smiling at me from the nightstand.
I’d spoken to Grace that morning before she boarded her flight home. She’d let me know when she landed and again when she was in the car with her grandma and sister on the way to the house. My mother was planning to head down with them Sunday morning and it was a balm for my heart, knowing I’d see them in a few days.
My cell phone rang in my hand again, I frowned at the screen. ‘ No Caller ID . ’
I hesitated but answered it. “Hello?”
Silence.
“Hello…? Is someone there?”
I thought I heard breathing for a few seconds, then the call ended.
I stared at the phone as I felt my heart rate increase. Then I began pacing and quickly called my mother.
“Hi, honey.”
“Mom, is everything okay there?”
“Yes, we’re all good. No letters. No contact from Alexis or anyone else.”
“Alright, great. Umm, can you do me a favor? Can you get those envelopes out of my desk drawer and bring them with you this weekend?” I asked.
“For Grace?”
“Yeah. I’m going to tell her.”
My mother let out a relieved sigh. She was always supportive, letting me pick my path. “I’m glad to hear that, Madison.”
“Can I talk to her, please?”
I heard her walk into another room, hand the phone off, then Grace’s voice. “Hey, Mom.”
I sat on the bed, my foot tapping the floor, and asked about her first day home. I listened to my daughter’s calm voice, which helped to calm me. We spoke for several minutes until she told me they were about ready to head out to dinner.
“Okay. I can’t wait to see you on Sunday. Maybe drive some so Grandma doesn’t have to handle the whole trip. ”
“Deal. I like driving her car more than mine. It would be pretty cool to get a newer one. Maybe something to think about for my next birthday…” Grace hinted. “Oh, that reminds me, did the Adams get a new SUV?”
My phone started to vibrate, and I looked at it, another call coming in. ‘ No Caller ID’.
I felt ice cold and it was suddenly hard to think. I blinked and focused on Grace’s question as best I could. “I don’t know… Why?”
“There has been a black one parked in front of their house all day that I don’t recognize. When I mentioned it, Grandma said she’s never seen it before eith—”
I stopped hearing and missed the rest of what Grace was saying. When I realized she had stopped talking, I blinked several times and fought to control my voice. “Okay, baby, we can talk about it later. Can I speak to Grandma again please?”
My mother came back on the line and started also telling me they were about to leave for dinner but I stopped her.
“Mom, something doesn’t feel right. I need you to stay home and make sure the security system is turned on. I’m leaving for home tonight.”
I left a message for Detective Ramirez, asking her to call me as soon as possible before I started packing up my work equipment .
I hefted the first box down the breezeway and greeted Ina and Fred who were already waiting for the elevator.
“Why don’t you got your young man doin’ that for ya?” Ina put the hand not holding her purse on her hip while giving me a sly look.
I was silent as the door opened and we boarded the elevator. I put the box down and shook my head with a sigh. “You don’t miss anything, do you, Ina?”
She gave me a broad ‘I knew it!’ smile. “I may have crap eyesight these days, honey, but I ain’t blind.” She pointed down at the box with a long purple fingernail. “Where you runnin’ off to anyways?”
“I miss the girls a lot. I’m going back home; we decided to spend the holiday there. We’ll probably be back down the weekend after.”
It wasn’t really a lie. I just needed to decide if I wanted to come back this summer. It might be easier to get over Logan with more distance between us.
Ina was studying me. I worried about what she was looking for, that she might see puffy eyes and not enough sleep on my face or the anxiety I was feeling to get home. I didn’t want to answer any more questions.
“That gorgeous man betta not be screwin’ up.” Ina reached out and grabbed my chin affectionately. “You’re one a’ the good ones, Madison. A good woman and a good motha. Those little sweethearts gotta good one, huh Fred? ”
He had been standing silently beside his wife. Since he didn’t have a paper or fishing magazine, Fred appeared to have been listening. He smiled at me as he nodded toward his wife. “What she said.”
I bit my tongue to keep my emotions in check. The older generations sure were getting me in the feelings this evening.
“When ya leavin’?” Ina asked as the door opened.
“I’m doing a night drive. I’ll probably be packed up and ready to go by 7:30.”
“We’re headed to play bridge with Stan and Carol in 104.” They stepped off the elevator at ground level. “I’ll stop by when we get back and drop off some books I’ve been holdin’ from the nook for your motha so you can take ‘em to her. Should be done about 7:00 unless Fred farts again and we gotta leave early so I don’t die of embarrassment.”
I bit my tongue again before I could laugh. “Okay, have fun.” I let go of the button holding the door open to continue down to the garage.
Fred was complaining loudly as it started to close. “Why you gotta tell people things like that, Catalina? I’m old, I fart a lot. Who on God’s earth don’t already know an old guy farts a lot?”
“That bimbo in 404 apparently. I saw her smile at you the otha day, don’t think I didn’t! You should go talk to her about your gas; she might stop smilin’ at—”
I puffed out amused air. The interaction with the dear, grumpy pair lifted my spirits a little. I loaded the box in my car and hurried back upstairs to grab the next and finish getting ready to leave town.
I was in my bedroom packing the last of my things, playing music as a distraction, and almost missed the knock at the door.
I picked up my phone and paused the song to listen; this time I heard the hard knock clearly. I checked the time. It was 6:42.
Ina was back on the early side, which was great since it looked like I would be ready to leave sooner than I’d predicted. I was growing even more antsy to hit the road.
I set my phone back on the nightstand and headed down the hallway. I put on a friendly face, only slightly forced, wondering if Fred was in trouble with his wife.
I unlocked and opened the door, a greeting on my lips.
But then I froze.
My smile and the words melted away.
“Well, hey there, Maddie Girl.”