Chapter Eleven

Maddison lay in her supremely comfortable bed staring at the ceiling of her hotel room, wondering where the time went. It was still relatively dark outside so she knew her alarm, which she had set for seven in the morning, had not gone off yet. Maddison began recollecting the events of her weekend up to this point.

Her Friday was spent touring the city, visiting the movie studios where she not only made some new friends but also took a few selfies which she eventually posted on her social media accounts. Later, she went shopping for some of the season’s hottest trends. At the end of the day, she had an intriguing encounter with Morgan Drake which resulted in her accepting a dinner date with the man. She had rejected his offer to have dinner twice but he persisted. Such tenacity was to be admired, if not respected. She would not make it easy for any man because she was fully aware of her value.

Surprisingly, he did not ask for my number.

The majority of her Saturday morning and afternoon was spent at a church she had come across the previous day. Her evening was spent in the gym.

Rather than focus on things she couldn’t change, she got out of bed and slowly made her way to the bathroom. Her reflection in the bathroom mirror revealed her terrible bed head.

“We can’t all be perfect,” grumbled Maddison, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

She freshened up, changed into her running gear and plugged in her headphones. With the route she had to take during her five kilometre run mapped out in her mind, she took off. Maddison maintained a steady pace all the way, focusing on her breathing and occasionally glancing at her maple V3 watch that monitored her pulse rate. This early on a Sunday, she did not expect to see much activity. Her thoughts were vindicated by the small number of cars on the road and even smaller number of people roaming about.

“This city actually does sleep,” said Maddison, between breaths.

Forty minutes later, she was back in her hotel room where she took a shower and changed into a wine coloured T-shirt, a pair of black mid-rise jeans and sneakers. She had a quick breakfast in the restaurant on the 8^th floor, picked up her car from the valet and proceeded to visit her sister. Traffic was slowly starting to build as she navigated her way through the heart of the city but she did not mind.

Maddison shared a very special bond with her only sibling. While her sister was the apple of her parents’ eye, Maddison went about life marching to the beat of her own drum. She felt no pressure to live up to the lofty expectations of her parents because her sister did that just fine. In fact, her sister was her valiant advocate and would defend her transgressions occasionally, stating that she needed to live and let live. She also played a pivotal role in steering Maddison into her current career path.

Maddison turned off the main road onto Howard Boulevard and after a series of two lefts and three rights, she was gently rolling along a two way street with two-storey picket-fenced houses on either side. When she was younger, she had always dreamed of marrying, having kids and living in such a house. Eventually, she reached her destination and parked behind the metallic-gray minivan stationed in the driveway. She slowly but surely strode to the front door filled with equal parts happiness and anxiety. On the second ring of the doorbell, the door gently opened and Maddison was face to face with her big sister who did very little to hide her delight and shock.

“Surprise Maggie...,” said Maddison, her voice trailing off when she saw her sister’s belly. It had become considerably larger since the last time they spoke in person.

Dr Margaret Silva-Diaz was about the same height as her younger sister. Though four years her senior, her features very much resembled that of her sister’s even with the weight gain from her current pregnancy. Currently, she was employed as a lecturer in economics at a local university.

Margaret realized what caught her sister’s attention and gently grabbed her by the hand, leading her inside the house.

“Jorge and I decided that it was time to add a new member to our little family. Jorge wants a boy to level the playing field and I want a girl to further shift the numbers game in our favour,” she said happily as the door closed behind them.

“Sorry for staring. It just caught me by surprise but I am really happy for you, sis. Speaking of Jorge, where is my dear brother-in-law?”

“He’s out of town on a business trip and if you are wondering about Elise, she’s at a friend’s house on a play date.”

“I really was hoping to play with her today,” Maddison replied in between sighs.

“What brings you to our quiet little side of the world?” yelled Maggie from the kitchen as she prepared snacks.

“There’s nothing wrong with me wanting to visit my dear old sister who I haven’t seen for a while, is there?” said Maddison, making herself as comfortable as possible.

“Not at all but you forget who it is that you’re talking to. You gotta shoot straight with me, Maddie.”

“Alright, alright,” said Maddison in a resigned tone. She went on to explain the events of the preceding week in as much detail as possible.

“You’ve always been your own harshest critic and while it has taken you to great heights, once in a while it turns out to be counterproductive. The one thing that we both know is that you did your best,” responded Maggie in a firm but supportive tone. She set down a tray of grilled cheese sandwiches, crisps and lemonade drinks on the table. Maggie sat down next to Maddison and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

“Well, on the bright side, I managed to get some shopping done and found some lovely outfits,” said Maddison, whipping out her phone and showing off the photos. Maggie’s eyes glowed with every swipe, with a few questions in between photos about the cost and the location of the store.

“By the way, I hope you are staying for dinner. Elise will definitely be back by then.”

“I really wish I could but I kinda have a date around that time,” said Maddison, biting into her sandwich.

“Wait, what? Like a date, with an actual person?”

“Is it really that strange?” Maddison retorted.

“The last time you went on an actual date was like eight months ago with that smug douchebag of a district attorney. Anyway, tell me about your date for tonight.”

“All I know at this point is that his name is Morgan Drake and he is most likely a doctor.”

“A doctor you say? I’m intrigued. Anyway, I’m just happy that you are putting yourself out there. Who knows, it might lead to something.”

“I wouldn’t hold my breath, big sis.”

“You could simply not go to this dinner and save your energy.”

“True but I’m a woman of my word. Before I forget, I bought a little something for you and Elise. Give me a second,” said Maddison, going towards the car to pick it up.

Maggie watched her get up. She was not going to let her sister know that, contrary to her responses, she was more than a little curious.