Chapter One A Grand Opening / Breaking and Entering #2
Madison braced herself and refused to show any emotion, but Hannah could not contain her dismay.
She was on the verge of tears. Madison wrapped her arms around her new friend and looked at the distressed faces around her.
In that moment, she began to regard the incident as a personal assault on her and her friends.
She may not know who her adversaries were, but she was determined to find out.
They had no idea whom they were dealing with.
She was shaken, but surely not rattled. There was more to this. She could feel it.
Madison realized she had to set her priorities, but for now, she put on a brave face.
Clearly the group was disheartened, but Madison injected a bit of humor.
“Uncle Kirby would be proud that someone thought enough of his artwork to steal it!” A few responded with nervous chuckles.
“Come on, everyone! We have an award to accept on Uncle Kirby’s behalf! ” She smiled reassuringly.
Hannah wiped away a tear and turned on her heels. “Shake a leg! We need to celebrate Kirby! She motioned for the group to follow her. “Then, after the ceremony, we’re heading back here for my famous fried clams. Free rolls for everyone!”
The atmosphere lightened as the group proceeded back to the festivities.
Viggo was hesitant. Should he put his arm around Madison’s shoulder?
She answered his silent question by threading her arm through the crook of his.
During the short time that he knew her, he had developed a keen appreciation for Madison.
She was beautiful, bright, and had a will of steel.
No one would accuse of her of being a “softie,” but she was also kind, and she wasn’t shy about her compassion for people, pets, and Mother Nature.
No doubt she was a champion of truth and justice.
She set a high bar for herself and the people in her orbit.
If people didn’t share her values, she would keep them at a congenial arm’s length.
No sense in making enemies. If they were in distress, she would find a way to lend a hand without compromising her values.
But if you were a cheat and got caught, she showed no mercy.
The scars were deep from when her father put her, her family, and many unsuspecting clients in financial peril.
Toss in a good helping of extreme humiliation. Hence her tough exterior.
Things were different now. She was different now.
Perhaps it was the surroundings that softened her edges or gave her permission to be herself.
Viggo appreciated the duality of Madison Wainwright.
He sensed she was being valiant for everyone’s sake.
He smiled to himself, gave her arm a slight squeeze, and whispered, “We’ll figure this out. ”
Aside from her brother, Madison never had anyone else figure anything out for her.
Could this be something she could get used to?
It was a stretch. It would require lowering her defenses.
As much as she wanted to, she wasn’t quite sure she was ready for that.
A few walls could serve as protection without being a fortress, she thought to herself.
In spite of the assault on her property, at that moment, she felt safe.
On their way back to the ceremony, they passed a small park with a bench and a garden. It was the first time Madison noticed the inscription on the sign on the slope of the hill. It read: GERTRUDE EDERLE PARK. “I didn’t realize there was an association with Olympic swimmer Gertrude Ederle.”
“Yes! She used to practice swimming here,” Hannah remarked with pride.
“She actually came here in 1975 to dedicate the park herself! ‘Queen of the Waves.’ I was in high school at the time, almost the same age as she was when she got her medals. In 1924, at the age of eighteen, Ederle took a gold and two bronze medals in the Paris Olympic Games. Imagine that.” Hannah continued to recount some of Ederle’s accomplishments.
“She wanted to be the first woman to swim the English Channel. In 1925, she swam from Battery Park in Manhattan”—she pointed past the other marinas—“to right there in Sandy Hook. Imagine that! Twenty-two miles! She was getting ready for her big challenge!”
Madison smiled at Hannah’s enthusiasm. She was happy her mood had shifted. “And she accomplished her goal,” Madison added, encouraging Hannah to continue.
“She sure did. The first woman to ever do it, too! And she was only nineteen years old! Imagine that!” She repeated one of her favorite expressions. “Ya know she went deaf from having the measles when she was a kid.”
“No, I didn’t know that,” Madison replied.
“Yep. Happened somewhere around 1940. And she started a school to teach swimming to deaf people.”
“Impressive. That’s what I call giving back.
” Madison mused. What was she going to give back?
She was confident something would inspire her, but for now, it was time to get back to celebrating Uncle Kirby.
There was nothing she could do about the burglary.
Burton and his capable team would take the necessary measures.