Micky had seen Bill out and then went up to the bedroom and cautiously opened the door. "Do you want to talk about it, doll?" He asked. She was standing at the window overlooking the ocean.
"No." Madison stated firmly wiping the tears off her cheeks. "There's nothing to talk about." She continued to look out the window, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.
"I know you're upset." He walked over to her and gently placed his hands on her shoulders feeling the tension beneath them. "It might do you good to talk to him."
"I don't want to hear anything he has to say." She said a little above a whisper.
"You're being stubborn and unfair." Micky responded. "Maybe he had a good reason."
"Unfair? You think I'm being unfair." Madison whirled around to face him. "He's the one who was unfair. He's the one who said he was going to the corner store for milk and never came back!" She bellowed. "Dani and I sat on the front porch for hours waiting for him to come home. Finally, mom came out and told us he wasn't coming home." Silent tears rolled down her face. "From that day on, I watched my mom work her butt off at two jobs to keep food on the table and clothes on our back. I watched her slave away until it finally killed her." She pointed a finger in his face. "Don't you ever tell me about being unfair. Your father didn't abandon you!"
"That's a cheap shot, Madison!" Micky roared back at her.
"Maybe it is! All I know is you had a father to grow up with. He loved you and then he died. There's a big difference." She stormed out of the door and down the steps.
"Where the hell are you going?" He followed her.
"I have to get out of here!" She grabbed her jacket and slammed out the front door.
----------------------------------------
Madison walked to the beach and slumped down in the sand. The anger she felt was warding off the chilly January evening more than her jacket. She was angry with her father for showing up after all these years. She was angry with her mom for dying. She was angry at Micky for not understanding.
The sun set and Madison closed her eyes and listened to the waves crashing against the shore. There was no other sound like it in the world and she could feel the tension beginning to subside. She still didn't know what to do about her father. Part of her did want to talk to him, to find out why he left, why he had hurt her like that. But part of her wanted to forget him and the pain he had caused 20 years ago.
----------------------------------------
Micky watched her out the kitchen window. Never in all the time they had known each other had he ever seen her so upset. All he wanted to do was make her pain go away. To hold her tight until the hurt stopped.
----------------------------------------
"Hey." Madison said softly walking into the kitchen. "Where are the kids?"
"Hi." Micky replied. He was standing at the sink washing up the dinner dishes. "Sleeping. You were gone a long time."
"I know." She sighed. "I needed to think."
There was a long silence and then they both blurted out at the same time. "I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for. You were only trying to help." Madison looked down at the floor. "I was way out of line before and I'm sorry if I hurt you."
"I love you, doll." He walked over to her and raised her chin with his wet finger. "I may not understand what you're going through but I'll always be here."
"I love you too. There is something you can do." She smiled up at him.
"Name it." He urged.
"Make me forget, at least for a little while."
Micky cupped his hands around her face and crushed his lips down on hers. He tangled his wet fingers in her hair as she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer. "I guess the dishes can wait." He teased then picked her up in his arms and carried her upstairs to their bedroom.
----------------------------------------
As they lay together afterwards, Madison giggled. "That was quite a distraction." She had neither the energy nor the desire to leave his arms.
Micky tightened his arms around her and gently kissed her lips. "Mmm, yes it was. I love you, doll." His voice was heavy with sleepiness.
"I love you too." She snuggled closer to him and fell asleep.
----------------------------------------
Continue to Part 3
Back to the "As We Go Along" series
Storybook of You - FanFiction Page
Aimee's Shades of Monkees