“Madeline, could you stop by the cleaners and pick up my suite? I won’t get out of here until 6:30,” Judge Stephen Matthews said to his secretary “Your mother will be upset if I am a minute late to our anniversary dinner, she will skin me alive.”
Madeline laughed at her father as she shut down her computer and picked up her Kathy van Zeeland purse. “Sure thing. Do you need me to pick something up for dinner tomorrow night?” she asked as she took the few steps separating her desk and the office door. She stood in the doorway, arms crossed, watching her father shuffle through papers for his cases the following day.
She always loved watching her father work ever since she was little. He has put away the most criminals in the state of Pennsylvania than any other judge around. Stephen loves his job and he does it fairly and to the book. He has had his share of bribes but he is too much of an honest man to accept.
“No, your mother has something planned. Go on home and get some rest,” he said sternly. “Don’t you think I did not notice you running off to the bathroom, looking a little green.”
Madeline looked away from her father’s questioning gaze. She couldn’t tell him; she couldn’t tell anyone. With a clear of her throat, she said bye to her father and made her way out to her new car. After Derek left in her car, she walked to the edge of town when a state trooper pulled over and asked her what happened. She told everyone that her car was stolen, but her family knew there was more to the story. But she would never tell. She thought things would have only gotten worse after he left her, but she hasn’t seen nor heard from since that day and she wouldn’t want it any other way.
“Maddie,” a familiar voice called from behind her as she reached the main entrance doors. She turned around and she couldn’t help but smile at her two best friends.
Zachariah and Alexander have been best friends since they were born. Their mothers were college roommates and have stayed near each other through everything. Zach and Alex are both bailiffs for the court house. Zach has sandy blonde hair that every girl dreams to run their hands through. His brown eyes resembled the essence of milk chocolate. Zach is one of the most responsible and serious guys Madeline has ever met.
Alex, on the other hand, is the opposite. He takes very little responsibility and he is hardly ever serious. His brown hair somehow managed to match Zach’s milk chocolate eyes. Alex’s grey eyes were the one thing that stood out the most about him. When he was cracking jokes and laughing, his eyes brightened to smooth silver.
Madeline’s smile grew as the guys got closer. “Are you headed out to your car?” asked Zach. She nodded and Alex threw his arm over her shoulder, walking outside. She couldn’t help how her heart always skipped a beat when they touched her. But she always pushed her feelings away. She was too damaged for them. Plus what would they say if they found out that she loved them both? She’d be a laughing stock.
“What are you doing tonight, Maddie?” asked Alex. He knew the affect that they had on her. And he laughed inwardly every time. But she doesn’t know that and she definitely doesn’t know the affect that she has on him and Zach. She had the most beautiful dark brown, curly hair that barley reached the middle of her back. When she laughed, her smile would make any bad day turn for the better. Her hazel eyes betrayed every emotion that she has ever felt. And her body…damn. Her body was the second thing they loved about her. She is average height, but her legs still ran for miles. She wasn’t big, but she wasn’t model skinny either. Her chest was the perfect size, a C-cup.
When the first discovered their feelings for Maddie, they were more than willing to share. They have shared only a couple of women in the past, but it never lasted. Zach and Alex’s relationship is a little more difficult than normal best friends. Some people would call them gay or confused, but they stay away from those titles. They are simply lovers. In high school they discovered that their connection was more than just friends, and their mother’s were more than accepting. The rest of their family took some time to get used to the idea.
No one outside of their immediate family knew that and they wanted to keep it that way…until Maddie showed up.
“I have to pick up my dad’s dry cleaning, pick up dinner and then I plan on relaxing the rest of the night.” She didn’t notice the look the guys shared, but she was well aware of Zach taking her small hand into his much larger one. She felt the need to look up at him, but she pushed it aside. It means nothing, she thought. He’s just making sure that I don’t fall in the parking lot like I always do.
“Would you want some company tonight? Alex and I were just going to stay home and watch a few movies.” Zach wanted her to say yes. Now that she wasn’t with that jackass of a fiancée, they were going to tell her that they wanted to be with her. She deserves to be happy and they could tell that the last two years have been nothing of the sort. They wanted to make her happy and show her what actual love is.
Madeline had the strong urge to say yes, but she didn’t trust herself being alone with them. Her hormones always made themselves known when she was around them. Who wouldn’t? These two guys alone made John Cena look like a weakling. She was about to say no when her own mouth betrayed her. “Sure, but I have to drive up town to the cleaners first. What do you want to eat? I can stop and pick it up and meet you back at my place.”
“We will stop and pick up her dad’s clothes since it’s on our way home,” Zach offered as he helped her into her car.
“If you just want to order some Chinese, that’s fine,” Alex added. “You know what we like.”
Before she could protest, Alex kissed her cheek and closed the driver’s door. Zach and Alex didn’t speak as they made their way to their truck. As soon as they got it, they heard Maddie’s engine start and then fade into the distance.
“Are you sure we should tell her tonight?” Alex asked. He couldn’t hide the worry from his voice. He was scared she would be disgusted or turn them down. “Why don’t we just ease into it? See how she would feel about being ours?”
Zach reached across the center conceal and took his lover’s hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. He pulled out of the parking lot, toward the cleaners, before he answered. “We know she has feelings for the both of us.” He took a quick glance at Alex and saw the scared look in his eyes. Breathing a deep sigh, Zach nodded slightly. “Okay, we will take it slow, but we need her, Alex.”
Alex knew all too well what he meant. It was like once they accepted their feelings, every small thing that she did around the office turned them on. There were a few times where they got an extreme hard on and no matter what they did to relieve it, it seemed to only get worse.
“We just have to be patient,” Alex said turning to look outside the window. “She may not have told anyone that Derek was hurting her, but we all knew. We will do everything in our power to keep her happy and safe. If we have to we will get our mother’s involved.” He stopped to think for a minute before he voiced his thoughts. “Do you think we should talk to her parents and Paul, so we have them to help us if we need it?”
Zach pulled up to a stop light, thinking of the scenario’s that could possibly happen. “Yeah, that may be the only way for this to work. Plus, I would rather have them flip out on us instead of her.”
They pulled into the parking lot of the cleaners and Alex went inside to retrieve the Judge’s suite. On their way over to Madeline’s parent’s house, they made a plan to talk to her family and how to woo her if everything went as planned.
***************
As Madeline pulled away from the drive-thru window with dinner, she couldn’t help but think about that kiss. Yes it was just a butterfly kiss, but she could still feel tingles where his lips met skin. That one simple, small touch made a thousand butterflies erupt in her stomach. She couldn’t explain how she wished for more but knew she couldn’t.
She felt the familiar sting of tears and before she could hold it back, the first traitor tear slipped and rolled down her cheek. Quickly, she wiped her face and took a deep breath before more could follow.
As she got closer to the last intersection, her father’s ringtone, Daddy’s Hands, went off. Reaching down, blindly, she picked up her phone and was about to answer it when something slammed into the driver’s side. Madeline remembered feeling airborne and the sounds of people screaming, before everything went silent and she lost consciousness.
******************
Zach and Alex pulled into Judge Matthew’s drive at ten after seven. The lights were on the first floor of the house. Once the engine was off and they were out of the truck, the front door opened.
Stephen heard the sound of a car in the driveway. Anxious, he threw the house phone on the couch and was on the front porch within seconds. Confusion coated his brain as he took in Zachariah and Alexander walking up the drive. “What are you two doing here?” he asked once they got closer.
“We were going to keep Maddie company tonight,” Zach replied. His brows rose as he looked around for her car but it was nowhere in sight. “Is she not here yet?”
Stephen shook his head frantically. “No and she was supposed to be here a half hour ago with my dry cleaning. It’s not like her to not call if she’s going to be late. Has she called you since you left work?”
The boys shook their head. “We went to pick up your clothes for her and then stopped by our place to change,” Alex spoke up. “She was supposed to grab Chinese a few blocks from work.”
Stephen opened his mouth to speak when he heard the house phone ring. He turned and dashed into the living room, the boys a step behind.
“Madeline!” he exclaimed. “Oh…yes this is he…What?! Yes, yes of course…Is she alright? What hospital? Okay, thank you.” Stephen hung the phone up as he pulled his cell phone from his pocket.
“What’s going on?” Alex was panicking. Was she hurt? What happened? She had to be alright. God wouldn’t be this cruel to take her away when they were going to just get her.
All Stephen did was to hold up one finger as he dialed his wife’s number. “Penny…yes I know I’m late but something happened to Madeline…She was in a car accident and she’s been taken to Bergen Mercy.”
Alex and Zach shared a look before they were heading out the door, Stephen on their heels. “I will tag along with Zach and Alex. See you soon.”
“Now what really happened?” Zach demanded as he peeled down the street.
“You heard what I said,” Stephen answered.
“Yes, but it’s not the whole truth.”
Stephen chuckled humorlessly. “You have been around too long,” he muttered to himself. He cleared his throat and became serious again. “It was a hit and run. The cop that was first on the scene is a buddy of mine. He recognized her and called once he made sure she would be alright.”
“Did anyone see it happen?” Zach asked. He sped through a yellow light and kept up with five over the initial speed limit. He wanted to see her, needed to see her. He has to make sure she’s going to be okay. The pain in his chest was getting worse by the minute.
“He didn’t want to say anymore over the phone. He is going to meet us there.”
The rest of the ride was silent, all lost in their own silent prayers.
*****************
Penny walked into the Emergency Room doors and rushed to the nurse’s station. “I’m here to see my daughter Madeline Matthews.”
The middle aged nurse nodded absentmindedly. “She’s in surgery right now Mrs. Matthews. I will let the doctor know that you are here and he will update you once your daughter is out. You can wait in the waiting room with everyone else or you can wait in a private room just around the corner.”
“Okay.” She was about to walk away but she remembered something. “Nurse, my husband is on his way with two other gentlemen. Could you send them to the private room when they get here?”
The nurse nodded and went back to her mounds of paper work.
When Penny got the call, she was sitting at a table in Olive Garden where Stephen took her on their first date. When he said that her baby girl was in an accident, she almost had a heart attack. She left not long after with her heart in her throat.
The private room was a small, cozy area with blue walls. A small 24” flat screen sat in the corner on a T.V. stand. A black couch sat along the back wall with dark wooden side tables on either side. Beautiful scenery pictures were framed and hung in various spots along the walls. Two chairs across from the couch and facing the T.V.
Penny was starting to feel drained. She walked over to the couch and sat down. That one phone call may change everyone’s lives. Just one call. She buried her face in her hands, trying to hold back the tears. She is going to be fine. We don’t know how badly she was hurt. She could have a broken leg. Or she could be completely okay.
“Oh God,” she whispered as her walls broke down and tears started falling. She was crying so hard she didn’t hear the door open or Stephen call her name.
Arms wrapped around her and pulled her onto their lap. Stephen was stoking his wife’s hair, whispering encouraging words into her ear.
“Have you heard anything?” Alex whispered. Seeing her mother cry like that made the worst scenario come to mind. He shook his to get rid of the images. She was going to be okay. Think positive.
Penny shook her head and looked up at the two boys. “No, she’s still in surgery.” She saw the guys relax and walk to the chairs across from them. She knew that these boys were in a relationship. It’s not hard to see the love that they share. It’s in the eyes; they’re the window to one’s soul. Penny also knew that they have feelings for her daughter. They always have since high school. What she wouldn’t give to make her Madeline happy again.
*****************
Two painful hours of pacing back and forth, non-stop trips to the coffee machine, and watching random shows on the television, they have heard absolutely nothing about Madeline and they were are getting more anxious by the minute.
Alex was passing through the channels when something interesting caught his eye. He watched as the anchor lady, Sarah, mentioned a hit and run. Zach stopped his frantic pacing to sit down and listen. Stephen and Penny stopped talking and turned to listen to the news.
“Yes, Sarah, I am here live at 23rd and Giles where twenty-four year old Madeline Matthews was hit earlier this evening. Witnesses report that Ms. Matthews was passing through the light when a truck ran the red light and fled the scene. Ms. Matthews was rushed to Bergen Mercy Hospital in critical condition and we will keep you posted on her recovery. This is Stephanie Cast reporting live.”
Everyone watched as they showed one last picture of Madeline’s car before they went into describing the truck. No one said a word as the news started talking about a man that ripped off by a scam for a cruise.
A knock at the door had everyone on their feet before the knob even turned.
Sheriff George Luehrs walked in with small smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Stephen,” he said as he stepped closer with his hand offered. “It’s good to see you again, although I wish it was on better terms.”
“George,” he said taking his hand. “You remember my wife, Penny.” George leaned forward and kissed her cheek in greeting. “These two are Zach Kesick and Alex Jacobsen.” He nodded to both men and looked back at his friend.
“Did you see the news?” When he received nods from all four he continued talking. “We are running the partial plate as we speak. So far no one saw the driver but from what some could see it was a male, possibly white.”
Stephen was about to speak when another knock interrupted him.
“Mr. and Mrs. Matthews?” an old man in a white doctor’s coat asked. He took in the people standing in front of him. When his eyes landed on the man and woman holding each other, he figured they were the young girl’s parents. He walked over to them, offering his hand. “I’m Dr. Zehra, the head surgeon.” He took a deep breath, praying that everything will go smoothly. “When the truck hit, it hit the left side, causing several broken bones on Madeline’s left side.” Dr. Zehra tried to ignore the silent tears running down Mrs. Matthew’s cheeks as he continued speaking. “Her leg is broken in three places. A few ribs broke from the impact of the door and the steering wheel. Her arm is dislocated and broken as well.” He reached into his pocket and deposited a Kleenex for her mother. “Those are some of the major injuries.”
“How is she doc?” Stephen interrupted. He didn’t really care about her injuries. That was the second most important part. He wanted to know if she was okay.
Dr. Zehra took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Madeline has severe head trauma and is currently in a coma.” Penny started crying into Stephen’s chest and Alex wasn’t embarrassed that tears were falling freely. Zach and Stephen were trying their hardest to stay strong for everyone. “The surgery went well, no complications. Before I take you back, I want to warn you. She has scratches, bruises, and stitches on her face and in several of other places. If you plan on touching her, please be careful and gentle. And with that he walked out of the room, heading toward his patient in ICU.
*********************
Walking into the room, everyone stayed by the door so Dr. Zehra could make sure she was decent. When he gave a small nod, Stephen and Penny walked in first.
“Oh my baby,” Penny whispered when Madeline came into view. The entire left side of her face was starting to turn black and blue. Scrapes and cuts decorated every inch of her sun kissed skin.
Penny rushed over to the bedside with the least of the wires. She gently took her soft hand in her own, brushing her fingers across her sleeping daughter’s knuckles. Penny was unaware of Alex and Zach sitting at the end of the bed. They were all touching Maddie in some way to comfort themselves and know that she is and will be okay. Even with all of the injuries, she looked like a sleeping angel, so peaceful.
The sound of someone clearing their throat brought everyone back from their thoughts and prayers.
“There is one more thing,” Dr. Zehra said hesitantly. “Your daughter is fine, but we were unable to save the baby. The steering wheel hit her abdomen just right, but it did not damage –.”
Stephen held up his hand, successfully stopping the doctor. “What do you mean baby?”
All eyes were on the doctor. Wide, shocked eyes, mouths hanging open. Madeline was four months pregnant.” He watched their eyes go wider as they went back to the girl lying on the bed. They didn’t know. “I’m so sorry for your loss,” he said and excused himself.