Guardian of Eden (22 page)

As we walked through the replica of the playhouse theater from Shakespeare’s time, I noticed a strange redheaded girl with dark glasses staring at us.

“
Do you know her?” I asked Eden after I realized the redhead was following us.

Eden looked in the girl’s direction and smiled. “I’m going to the bathroom,” she said as she scampered off before I could say another word.

I turned around and watched as the redheaded girl approached me slowly. It struck me how she licked her lips repeatedly.

 “Hi, Garrett,” she said when she stood in front of me.

 
“
Maddie
?”

I couldn’t believe Madison
McPhee
was standing right in front of me. I now understood why Eden was so determined to get me out of the house today and what she meant by surprises. I couldn’t have been more surprised.

Maddie
and I stared at each other for a moment. At first my mind had a hard time registering that it was really her under the wig and dark glasses, but those lips were unmistakable. I missed those lips. I ached to touch them again.

“
Eden told me what happened with you and Joel. I’m so sorry, Garrett. I wish I could have been there for you. I'm glad you’re okay.” I couldn’t respond to this. I didn’t know how to. What was I supposed to say to that? She could have been there for me if she really wanted. She was just too afraid to let anyone know how she felt for me.
Too ashamed to have a black boyfriend.
I could have died, yet she stayed away just to keep up appearances.

“
Do you like the hair?” She tried to lighten the mood as she patted her wig. “I always wanted to be a redhead. People say redheads are like fiery and brave and bold and stuff. Blondes supposedly have more fun, but I don’t find that to be true. I’d rather be brave, you know?”

I nodded at her nervous rambling. I’d missed that too.

“
I’m sorry I can’t take it off. Someone might recognize me.”
Maddie
looked over her shoulder observing the other people in the library. Her gaze lingered on a huge black man standing in the corner. “That’s my bodyguard, Roscoe. He’s a pretty cool guy, but it took a ton of convincing for him to let me come here today.”

“Why
did
you come here today?” My voice came out weak and small. I think I was still in shock from seeing her after three weeks. I cleared my throat and repeated the question in a more manly voice.

“
I wanted to see you and I wanted to wish you a happy birthday. Plus, Eden has been calling me every day for like two weeks. She’s a very determined little girl when she wants to be.”

“
I’m sorry she’s bothering you. I’ll tell her to stop.”

“
No, it’s fine. She’s not bothering me at all. We’ve started talking and getting to know each other. It’s nice to have someone to talk to. I get pretty lonely on the road with my dad sometimes. I
kinda
wish you would call me too.”

“
Are you sure that wouldn’t hurt your father’s campaign?”

Maddie
breathed in sharply like my words physically hurt her. I couldn’t believe I’d said that. What was wrong with me? I’d dreamed about seeing her face for three weeks and now that I had her right in front of me I was intentionally mean to her.

“
I guess I deserve that,” she said. She took off her glasses and dabbed her eyes with the back of her hand. She looked at me with her incredible eyes and I felt like even more of a jerk for making those cherubic blue eyes sad.

“
No, you don’t deserve that. I’m sorry
Maddie
.” I wanted to hug her, but I didn’t know if that was allowed. I didn’t know whether her bodyguard would leap across the room and command that I not touch her. I also didn’t know whether
Maddie
would welcome a hug from me or not. I thought it best to just keep my distance.

“No, I
do
deserve it. I was awful to you. I must have made you feel like garbage the way I was so obviously ashamed of you. I didn’t mean to make you feel that way. I’m so sorry I hurt you.” She grabbed my hand and squeezed gently. “Eden tells me you’ve been in bed for weeks.”

A surge of embarrassment flooded my emotions. Why did Eden tell her that? She made me look so weak and pitiable. Of course, that was the way I’d been acting, but the last thing I wanted was for
Maddie
to know that. I didn’t want her to know what effect she had on me.

I shook my hand free. “You didn’t hurt me. I’m completely over you. I was in bed recovering from the stab wound.” I still can’t believe those words came out of my mouth even though I heard them in my own stubborn, cocky voice. Pride prevented me from telling the truth. The truth being that I still wanted her with all my heart and that I would give anything to just hold her in my arms for the rest of the day.

Maddie
looked away abruptly, probably to hide the tears running down her cheeks. Her bodyguard started walking our way and
Maddie
waved him off.

We stood in silence while
Maddie
tried to collect herself in order to continue our conversation. Why didn’t I just reach out and put my arm around her? Why didn’t I try to console her?

Finally, she put her sunglasses back on and said, “I’m sorry you’re over me, because I’m not over you.” Then she handed me a slip of paper.
“Happy birthday.”

I looked down at the paper and saw the address and phone number of someone named Peter Lawson. “What is this?” I asked. I had to repeat the question a little louder as she had already begun to walk away.

She took a couple of steps back toward me and said, “That’s the police officer that was assigned to your grandfather’s murder. You were on my mind so much that I started to research your parents’ past like I said I would. He’s retired now, but I’ve talked to him and he remembers the case vividly. I thought you might want to call him and finally get some answers.”

I looked back down at the sheet of paper. I couldn’t believe she had done this for me. I guess she really did care. But I felt it was too late to change what I had said earlier so I just said, “Thank you.”

Instead of responding, she closed the gap between us and flung her arms around me, burying her face in my stomach. I’d forgotten how little she was. I instinctively hugged her back and bent down to rest my chin on the top of her head.
Maddie
gave me one last tight squeeze then ran away.

I stood there for a moment contemplating what had just happened.
Maddie
had done something so completely selfless and caring and all I had done was try to break her down with my words. How could I be so cruel to someone I loved so much? I couldn’t let this be the end. I couldn’t let her walk out of my life forever not knowing how I truly felt. I ran after her and caught her right before she exited the main door. I grabbed her arm and pulled her off to the side. Once we were somewhat secluded, I took off her glasses and pulled her close to me. Without saying another word, I seized her mouth in a powerful kiss.

At first I kissed her hungrily and possessively, but the kiss quickly morphed into something slow, passionate, and meaningful. It represented all that we had meant to each other and all that we still needed from each other.

“
I missed you so much,” she said after I’d pulled away and began to kiss her forehead, her cheeks, her eyelids, her chin.

“
I missed you too,” I whispered before kissing her lips again. I held her tight against me molding her body to fit my own. I wanted her so badly. Why didn’t she want me just as much?

“
Will you call me after you talk to Mr. Lawson? Just call my cell phone. My father doesn’t have to know. Then maybe we could meet somewhere.
Maybe another museum or something.
I think this disguise really works. We could probably even do dinner or something.”
Maddie
spit out her words with ferocious velocity unable to contain her enthusiasm. Her eyes were full of hope and what I thought could possibly be love, but I wasn’t sure. How could I be?

I rested my forehead on hers and sighed. A pain entered my chest. This wasn’t going to work. I couldn’t be in a relationship like that. I couldn’t be someone’s clandestine boyfriend.

“
Maddie
, I’m sorry. But I can’t be with someone who has to put on an elaborate disguise just to be with me in public. I can’t be your dirty little secret.”

“
But you’re not. Y-you wouldn’t be. I’m
gonna
tell him. I am.”

I closed my eyes and shook my head. I thought about my parents. This was probably exactly how it was with them; my mother hiding her relationship with my father from her father. When she finally did reveal it, her father didn’t accept it. Look how it turned out for them. I didn’t want to turn out like my father. That’s not to say I would ever consider killing Senator
McPhee
, but I’m sure my father thought the same thing about my grandfather. The situation just didn’t feel right.

“
Look, when you love me enough to make me a part of your life, come back to me. I’ll be waiting for you.” I kissed her gently on the lips then walked away. She called after me, but I kept walking.

“Where’s
Maddie
?”Eden asked when she found me sitting alone on the front steps.

“She’s gone.”

“
But why?
I have tickets for a play and I thought you guys could go together. She said she wanted to spend the day with you. Why did she leave?” Eden was on the verge of tears as she frantically fished the play tickets out of her pocket and presented them to me.

“
Come here, Bug,” I said as I seated her on my lap. “Thanks for trying to get us back together. It was sweet of you. But it’s just not going to work.”

“
But why not?”
Eden crossed her arms and pouted.

I sighed. I had to make her understand that
Maddie
and I might never be able to be together without making
Maddie
look bad and without making Eden feel worse. “
Maddie
has a lot going on in her life right now. Her father is running for president and I don’t exactly fit in with the family of a presidential candidate.”

Eden stared at me intently for a moment. “So, you think you’re not good enough for her?” I shrugged not wanting to admit out loud what I knew to be true. “But, Garrett, you are. You’re the best thing to ever happen to
Maddie
. She told me herself. And her father will love you once he gets to know you. Y-you just have to meet him and…and tell him how much you love his daughter. He’ll accept you. I know he will.”

“
Even if what you say is true,
Maddie
isn’t ready to take that step. She’s not ready for me to meet her father.”

“
But-”

“
Eden, please, just
drop
it. It’s over.”

Eden didn’t feel like going to the play with me. She claimed she was tired. Instead, we went back home ending my birthday celebration early. I didn’t really mind. After my encounter with
Maddie
, I didn’t feel like celebrating anything.