Chapter 12
One Year Later
Maddie
A smile from across the table makes my heart pitter-patter with happiness. A feeling I yearned for most of my childhood, one I’m not taking for granted.
Mama’s here.
“Thank you for coming. It means the world to me.”
She takes my hand and smiles softly. “I’m glad I’m here.”
When Mase surprised me this morning, on my graduation day, with Mama, I lost it.
She might not have supported my choices over the years, but she’s slowly grown to accept that I’m not going to follow the path she was forcing me down.
Her flying across the country proves that people can change for the better.
Or at least try.
Maybe she’ll never fully understand, but for now, having her here is enough.
I have faith that we’ll be in a much better place over time.
As for Daddy, I didn’t even ask where he was, and I couldn’t care less.
The last few times I’ve flown home during the summer, he’s been less and less present.
When he was home, he’d been crueler to Mama in ways I’d never seen in the past.
Mama had never been afraid to stick up for herself, bossing everyone around, but at some point that changed, and I miss that version of her.
I almost hate to admit it, but I’d rather have a bossy mama over the shell of a woman she is when he’s around.
My attention is pulled to the other side of the table, where my brother sits with Addie, Leo, Camila, and Rosa.
Mama hasn’t said much to them. I’m unsure if she disapproves of my loving, wild, New York family or feels like an interloper, but in my twenty-three years, I’ve never seen her so quiet.
I’m beyond grateful they all flew out to see me get my diploma this morning. I never expected it, especially from Rosa and Leo. I knew the girls would come, but to have the other two here warms my heart, knowing they still love me, even after this past year.
A pang of sadness that hasn’t left me since last May creeps in without permission.
Nate.
He was part of my journey just as much as I was until he ruined it all.
I hate him for doing this to us, to me.
And I hate that I thought he’d call.
I’m not sure I would have taken the call, but still, it would have been nice to know he ever cared.
Not once has he reached out since we broke up.
It took Addie almost three times to finish my makeup, unable to hold back the tears, not just of sadness but also of anger, that even after all this time, he still affects me so much.
I resent Nathaniel Davenport.
For making me fall in love with him, for acting like he cared, for playing me for a fool, for having me look at apartments to buy, for painting a future that I wanted so much.
Just thinking about it hurts.
He ruined everything for me. It broke me into pieces so much that I turned down my dream internship for something less impressive in Atlanta.
It’s where I’ve taken a one-year contract for now.
The plan is to still move to New York, in time.
When I feel healed enough to stand on my own.
New York is a big city, but the architecture circle is not, and there’s no doubt I’d run into Nate, and my heart is still too beaten and battered to endure any more heartbreak.
I would never recover.
“You watch your sister, will ya? There were attacks on college students at a bar, not far from Atlanta, a few weeks ago.” She hugs my brother.
He kisses her cheek. “Yes, ma’am.”
Mama glances over at the Morales crew, and when she turns back to me, I see a sadness in her eyes. “Mason, give your sister and me a moment alone, please.”
He walks off, and she pulls me into one of her infamous hugs. “I’m sorry I haven’t been there like I should have been. I’m trying to be better.”
There’s no reason to reply with anything other than a hug; she knows I appreciate it. It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted from her.
“Love you, Mama.”
“Love you too, baby girl.”
“Break it up, you two.” Mase is back, pulling me out of Mama’s arms. “Time to celebrate with our friends, Madeline.”
My hips move side to side, shimmying down the hall to the bathroom, unable to stop dancing even when the music turns to a faint beat, the further I go.
I haven’t been this happy in a long time, and despite my earlier mood, I’m feeling exceptionally grateful tonight.
A door flings open, and Mase emerges from the men’s bathroom.
“Hi.” I smile up at him, then throw my arms around him.
“Whoa,” he laughs.
“Did I knock the infamous Mason Cunningham off balance? Maybe I should be a famous football player.”
He wraps his arms around me. “You learned from the best.”
“Thanks, Mase. For everything. Thank you for surprising me with Mama and paying for my graduation dinner. For my gift.” My smile widens, and I hold out my wrist, getting a good look at my diamond tennis bracelet.
“You’re a good brother, not because you buy me stuff, but because you think about what would make me happy. ”
“God, Maddie. Don’t make me look like a chick, drunk crying in the bar.” He squeezes me once more, then steps back. “But I would do anything for you. Always remember that.” He kisses my forehead. “Now go use the bathroom, and I’ll meet you on the dance floor.”
As I watch him walk away, I count my lucky blessings that Mase is the man he is and make a mental note to celebrate his accomplishments more, even if it pushes him outside of his comfort zone.
“Did you tell her?” a voice I recognize as Leo’s whispers from the corridor.
Who is he talking to?
I inch forward, hiding behind the bathroom door, attempting to walk quietly even as the beer-soaked floor makes my heels squeak with every step.
“No,” Camila’s voice rings out. “And you won’t either. We’re here to celebrate my best friend, not ruin her day. She’s had a tough enough year as it is.”
Leo makes a disgruntled noise. “It’s better to come from you. If Maddie finds out, and you haven’t told her, it will only hurt more.”
“Like I don’t know that, Leo,” she hisses, “I’m trying to navigate this the best I can.”
I frown, not at all following.
“I know.” His voice softens. “I won’t push you, but don’t wait too long.”
It’s obvious she’s talking about me, but what won’t she tell me?
It has to be about Nate.
Over the last year, everyone has tiptoed around me whenever it comes to him. Too afraid I’d break if I heard his name.
“I won’t wait. Just not today.”
I step out from behind the bathroom door. “What are you not telling me?”
They both freeze.
Camila’s eyes widen, shocked that I’ve caught them, but they quickly turn sympathetic. The sort of sadness etched on her face has my stomach turning in unease.
“I-I didn’t know you were here,” she murmurs.
“Clearly. Is it something about Nate?” When they both stand there, faces ashen, I know it’s bad. I lower my voice and ask the question I’ve been dreading. “Does he have a girlfriend?”
She vehemently shakes her head. “God no, it’s nothing like that.”
I turn toward Leo when it’s clear Camila still doesn’t want to speak up. “You going to tell me what’s going on?”
He smiles sadly. “It’s not for me to say.”
Frustrated, I throw my hands up. “I don’t like secrets.”
Camila takes a deep breath, the air shuddering slightly as it releases from her lips. “Can we talk about this tomorrow?”
“If you want me to have a terrible time celebrating my graduation, sure. I’ll be thinking about whatever you two are whispering about all night.”
Leo shoots Camila a pleading look, and it only takes a moment for her to relent.
“Let’s take a walk.”
Lacing our fingers together, her quiet demeanor doesn’t ease my apprehension as she walks away from the bar, pushing open the exit door.
She sits on an uneven piece of rotted wood that borders a garden full of dead flowers and closes her eyes for a moment. A lonely tear trails down her cheek as she regulates her breathing, causing every part of me to go on high alert.
“Camila, why are you crying?” I whisper.
Her big brown eyes, heavy with tears, glance up at me through her wet eyelashes, torment swimming through them.
“I’m sorry I’m telling you this now. I never wanted to ruin your day.
” Her voice cracks. “You worked so hard to get here. You deserved to have the happiest night celebrating with your closest friends.”
I sit next to her, my stomach twisting in knots. “You’re scaring me, Camila.”
She turns, her mouth opens and closes, and I sense she’s building the courage to talk. She takes a deep breath and finally lets the words loose, spilling out of her mouth, ones I never expected to hear in my life. “I have stage three ovarian cancer.”
“What?” My stomach dips as I cover my mouth, a loud sob ripping through me. “No. This can’t be true.”
She nods, solemnly, as she attempts to hold back the next onslaught of tears. Her lip quivers. “I knew I had to tell you in person, and I was going to tomorrow. I’m sorry, Leo’s big mouth brought it up today.”
“No, Camila.” My voice cracks, ringing louder through the alley than I mean it to. “Who the hell cares about a damn graduation when my best friend has cancer? That exceeds everything else.”
My friend has cancer.
I take her into my arms, both of us holding on for dear life, not saying a word. Whatever’s left of my already broken heart shatters for my best friend.
After a few minutes, Camila’s body starts to shake, her tears soak into my dress, and the pain I feel multiplies, realizing there’s not a lot I can do to help her at this moment.
Rubbing her back, attempting to soothe her while she lets everything she’s probably been holding in, is the best I can do. That, and hold back my own emotions so I can be here for her.
“I’m having surgery next week.” Her voice shakes. “Could you come? Mom already booked your ticket in case you could.”
“Of course.” I start my new job next week, but I couldn’t care less about it now. I’d go homeless without a job before missing this.
“You’ll be okay if you see my brother?”
Definitely not.