PS01 - Tall, Dark & Lonely (34 page)

Exams were dropped off on her desk as they made their way noisily out of the room.

“Free period, thank god,” she murmured, pushing back her chair. She was going to hunt down a can of ginger ale and crash on

the couch in the teacher’s lounge for the next forty-five minutes.

“Madison!” Chris hissed from the doorway.

She could cry. She really could. “What?”

He ignored the irritation in her voice and took it as invitation and walked in, shutting the door behind him. “Has Dad called

you?”

“No, I told you last night that he called in the morning.”

Chris looked upset. Actually now that she took the time to really look he didn’t look good at all. His hair, which was short and

usually swept forward was mussed, dark bags under his eyes, he forgot to shave and he was wearing the same clothes he wore

yesterday for his date with Amber.

“Fuck!” He shoved his hand through his hair. “Is he still coming home tonight?”

“Yeah. Chris, what’s going on? You’ve been acting funny since you came home last night. Did you and Amber have a fight?”

She was a sweet girl even though she had a bit of a reputation.

His eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“I mean you don’t have to wait for Ephraim to get home. You can talk to me you know.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and looked around. “With you?” He looked surprised.

“Yes, me. You used to confide in me you know. I may not be a guy but I can answer questions about girls, probably better than

Ephraim.”

His face paled. “I can’t talk to you about this.”

She didn’t have the patience for this today. “Don’t you have a class to go to?” she snapped a little harsher than she planned.

Her head was spinning almost as fast as her stomach.

Chris put his hands up in surrender. “Holy shit, I didn’t know it was that time of the month, Madison.”

Her temper erupted. “Chris, we are in school right now. You know you are supposed to call me Miss. Soloman not Madison.

And for your knowledge I’m sick. It’s not my time of the month.” Something clicked, something not good. She sat back down

and tore her desk apart looking for her date book.

“Whoa, calm down, Madison! What’s wrong?” Chris moved around the desk ready to help.

“Aha!” She found it in her bottom drawer and practically ripped it apart opening it up.

Chris’s finger blocked her view. “What’s that sad face mean?”

Madison pushed his finger away and looked. She swallowed loud. “That means I’m…” She counted from that date to today’s.

“Shit.”

“What?” He looked worried.

“I gotta go.”

“Where?” He watched as she grabbed her purse, nearly knocking her computer off the desk with an elbow.

“I have something I really have to do,” the words rushed out of her mouth. She stumbled out into the hall.

“Madison, are you okay?” Chris asked, catching up to her.

“Yes, no, yes, I don’t know. I have to go.”

“You’re leaving school?”

“Yes, sick going home, good idea,” she rambled.

She wasn't aware that he was still with her until she was in the front office. Mrs. Adams, the secretary waddled over to them.

“Good heavens, Miss. Soloman, you’re pale as a ghost. Is everything okay?”

“Going home sick,” the words rushed out.

“Oh, I guess so. I hope you feel better, sweetie.”

“That’s not very likely anytime soon,” she mumbled.

“What’s that?” Mrs. Adams asked. “I didn’t quite catch that.”

Chris did. His brows pulled together as he looked her over.

“Nothing. I’ll be back tomorrow.” She gave her a weak smile.

“And you, Chris, what can I do for you?” Mrs. Adams asked, looking him over and not happy with what she saw.

“I’m sick, too. I’m going home,” he said.

“Not without permission from a parent or guardian.”

He gestured to Madison. “You have it from her. She’s my dad’s girlfriend.”

“But-“

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Mrs. Adams,” Chris said cheerfully. He had to run to catch up with Madison who was talking to

herself.

“Just sick. Just sick. Just sick. Nothing to worry about. Just sick.” She pulled her keys out with shaky hands.

“Oh no you don’t. You’re not driving.” Chris took the keys from her hands.

“What?” She looked lost.

“Get in. Tell me where you need to go and I’ll take you.” He unlocked her door and helped her in. When he climbed behind the

wheel her brain started functioning.

“Wait, you don’t have a license. You can’t drive.”

He turned the car on and threw it into drive. “Hmm, look at that it seems I can.” She was shocked to see that he could and well.

“It’s probably for the best if I don’t know the how’s or the why’s behind your driving abilities.” She held a hand over her eyes

and tried to relax.

“Yeah, that’s probably for the best. Now where to?”

She bit her lip, thinking. That was a good question. She needed to know badly, but didn’t want anyone to know she needed to

know. It was a small town after all. She didn’t need this particular bit of news spreading.

“I need to go to a pharmacy,” she said slowly. Yes, a pharmacy would do. She looked over at Chris. He seemed at ease behind

the wheel. Hmmm, perhaps having him coming along would work out. “Chris, I need you to run into the store and grab

something for me.”

“Sure thing, what do you need? Cold medicine? Aspirin?”

“Pregnancy test.”

********

“Chris, we’ve been arguing over this for a half hour.” She looked around the parking lot. “No one’s around so just go inside

and grab a test. A one minute test preferably.”

“Hell no!”

“Chris!”

“No! If I go inside they’ll think I’ve knocked someone up when I can’t even….," his voice trailed off, shaking his head he

finally mumbled, "I’m not doing it.”

“Please!” She pouted.

“No, you go do it. You’re the one who needs it.”

“No! That’s worse!”

He rolled his eyes. “How is that worse?”

She scoffed, “I’m a twenty-four year old single female teacher. How is that not worse?”

He raised a brow, still waiting for a reasonable answer. “If I get it I’m a slut if you get it you’re a stud.”

His face colored and he looked away. She couldn’t be sure but he looked like he was going to cry. “Chris, are you okay?”

Chris cleared his throat. “I’m fine. Look this is more important than my problems. You might be carrying the love child of a

206 year old bloodsucker who refuses to raise my allowance,” he tried to joke. “I think this takes precedence.”

They stared at each other for several long minutes hoping the other would give in. Finally she broke. “Fine, will you go in with

me then?”

“Will it make you feel better?”

“Yes.”

“Sure thing. The worse thing that could happen is people will think you are carrying my baby. I’m sure it’s perfectly normal for

a female teacher to be with her male student at a pharmacy in the middle of the day buying a pregnancy test. What could go

wrong?” he asked wryly.

She opened her door. “Fine,” she ground out. Damn it he was too perceptive sometimes. This time it was probably a good

thing. “Stay here. You know you really are a brat and I’m telling your father to cut your allowance, you little traitor,” she said

out of aggravation. His hand shot out and gripped her arm.

“Chris, I was just kidding.” He pulled her back into the Jeep. “What?”

He nodded towards the front of the pharmacy. “Oh….no….is that Mrs.-“

“Stevens? Yes, we need to go somewhere else or she’ll spread the news of your purchase everywhere by dinner time. She

most definitely will call Grandma immediately after she leaves the store.”

“Oh no,” she groaned and looked over at him. “Do you feel like a drive out of town?”

He started the car again. “I rather like long drives. We’ll make a day of it. Shopping, peeing on a stick and probably a little

hyperventilating,” he said brightly.

“Brat,” she muttered.

******

Madison jumped. “I haven’t done it yet. Give me a minute. It’s not easy to pee on a stick in the woods you know.”

“Oh sure it is, you just unzip, pull it out and-“

“I meant for me, you jackass!”

“Ouch, I hope you don’t use that language in front of the baby.”

“Little brat,” she muttered. After one last look back to make sure Chris still had his back turned she emptied her bladder on the

stick.

“Please be positive,” she whispered, surprising herself. A baby with Ephraim? She thought about it, not seriously. He wasn’t

even sure they could have a baby together. It was possible, she guessed, but she never took it seriously. She never even

considered birth control in the last few months they’d been sleeping together.

She replaced the cap and fixed her clothing before walking back towards the Jeep. Chris was walking around anxiously and

when he saw her he came right to her. “Well?”

“It will take another minute.” She held up the stick. They both watched, waiting for the digital test to indicate her condition.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yes, I think so. I just want to know.”

He put his arm around her shoulders. “It will be okay. Ephraim is a good Dad and you’re a really good big sister and you’re all

motherly so you’ll both be fine.”

“Thank you.” Damn it, he was going to make her cry.

A small beep had them both sucking in air. “I guess we know our answer,” Chris said.

“Excuse me?” a man said behind them.

They both jumped and turned around to see a large man with menacing dark eyes standing in front of a black van. Chris

automatically pushed Madison back.

“Can we help you?”

He smiled. “Are you Madison Soloman?”

“How did you know that?” She took a step back, dragging Chris with her.

“Oh, no need to run, sweetheart. We’re here to give you a ride,” the man said.

“Chris, run!” she yelled.

Instead of running, Chris crumbled to the ground next to her. “Chris!” She dropped to her knees next to him. Blood trickled

from behind his ear. She looked back to see what caused the injury when a sharp pain shot through the back of her head and

everything went black.

******

sleeping that he hadn't wanted to disturb her.

He woke up with the alarm at three in the morning and to the change in her scent. It took him a good ten minutes to be sure. He

ran his nose over her stomach repeatedly afraid he’d made a mistake. It took her swatting him away in her sleep to get him to

move. He hated leaving her like that.

Now he was rushing back to her. He left the conference early this morning so he could surprise her. He needed to do this right.

This was their first baby together he had to make this right for her. She was marrying him that was all there was to it. He’d

been waiting for months to ask her.

He’d been patiently waiting for her to be comfortable with him. Madison was comfortable with him where her body was

concerned, god was she ever, but it was her heart that he wanted. Not once had he ever rushed her, never even asked her to say

the words or how she felt. He didn’t need to hear it, he knew she loved him. He hoped at least. Now he couldn’t wait any

longer.

As soon as he saw her he was going to drop to one knee and propose before she found out about the baby. He didn’t want her

to think that was why he wanted to marry her. It wasn’t. He loved her. Worshiped her. She was everything to him. Now if he

could only get her to see that.

Speak of the devil. His cell phone rang and he couldn't help but grin seeing her name on his caller ID. “Hey, baby, you miss

me?”

“My my my, Ephraim, I don’t remember that being your pet name for me,” a teasing sultry voice said.

Cold fear ran through him. “What are you doing with this phone?” he made his voice sound normal.

“What no ‘I miss you Caroline’, ‘I’ve been nothing without you’, not even 'I miss fucking you’?” she said in a pouty voice

followed by a shrill laugh. “Uh oh, seems Madison didn’t like hearing the last part. Seems you forgot to tell her about us.”

“You know me, I lose interest quickly.”

“Tsk, tsk
, such a shame.”

“I don’t think you have her.”

“Don’t you trust me?” She giggled.

“Hell no, you could have any number of minions snatch her phone. Put her on if you want me to even consider your plans.”

“Very well, just for a minute mind you, we’re not exactly done having our fun with them.”

“Them?”

“Two for one roadside snatch job. I’m really rather proud of my boys.”

“Prove it.”

“Very well, just don’t hang up afterwards I wouldn’t want you to miss out on the fun.”

He waited for what seemed like an eternity for her voice. “Ephraim?”

“Madison?”

“Ephraim, they have Chris, too!”

“Shh, it’s okay, baby. I’m coming to get you.”

“No! Ephraim, that’s what they want. It’s a trap don’t do it!”

“Madison, I’m not leaving either one of you with those sick bastards. I love you and I’m coming for you now. Put that bitch

back on now.”

“Please Ephraim, don’t-“

“Time’s up,” Caroline said. “If you want them then come to the old mansion on Drewberry Street. Do you know the one?”

“Yes.”

“Good, now remember the faster you come the faster our fun can begin.” The phone went silent.