Madison walked into the living room. She wasn't sure what to say or do, so she just stood there. "I was just brewing some tea, would you like some?" Bill asked nervously.
"Please." She answered softly. She wandered over to a small gathering of pictures on top of the fireplace mantel. They were all pictures of her and Danielle when they were little. Baby pictures of them both and then pictures of them sitting together. She picked one up that especially caught her eye. It was she and Danielle sitting on the front porch of their house in Illinois. Madison knew exactly when it was taken; the morning her father had left.
Bill walked back into the living room carrying a tray and cleared his throat.
Madison kept the picture in her hands and walked over to join him on the couch. "I remember when this was taken. It was the day you left." She said sadly.
"That's why I took it. I knew it would be a long time before I saw you both again." He poured the tea and took a deep breath. "I never imagined it would be this long."
"I have a lot of questions." She took a cup from his hands.
"I want to answer them for you." He smiled taking a sip from his own cup.
"Why did you leave?" She asked quickly before she lost her nerve. She knew she wasn't only asking for herself, but for Danielle too.
"Your mom was pregnant with you and it was expected that we marry. So we did, only neither one of us stopped to consider if we really loved each other. For a while it was really good. We had you and then Dani." He took a deep breath. "But then money started to get tight and we fought all the time. It wasn't good anymore. We decided to get divorced before things got any worse."
"But what about me and Dani?" Her voice raised in anger. "We never saw you again."
"That wasn't me." He stood, walked over to the bookshelf and took down a wooden box. "I wrote you letters, almost every day." He handed her the box.
Inside it was full of unopened envelopes, cards and letters. Madison flipped through them quickly. Every single one of them said 'return to sender' on the outside. "But why?"
"I don't know." He sighed. "Then I received this."
She took a letter from his hands and read it. It was from a lawyer stating that William Sage was not to try and contract his daughters again or legal action would be taken. "I can't believe this. I can't believe she would do this to us." Her voice cracked.
"Please don't blame her. She loved you and Dani very much and she thought she was doing what was right." He soothed. "She worked hard to give you a good life."
Madison stood and paced the room. She needed to think. All her life, she thought her father didn't love her, didn't care about her or her sister. And now she finds out, it wasn't him, it wasn't his fault.
"After your mom died and you were grown up, I tried to find you. I really did." His eyes pleaded for her to believe him. "Then one day I'm walking through a book store and there was your name on the New York Bestseller List."
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't know what happened." She said softly.
"You have nothing to be sorry for." He smiled. "You didn't know. I'm sorry I missed so much time with you and Danielle. Do you think she would talk to me?"
Oh, God! Madison thought to herself. How was she supposed to tell him that Danielle was dead? She took a deep breath and answered very softly. "Danielle died. Almost three years ago now."
Bill's hand went immediately to his mouth. "Oh, god, my baby." He looked up at her and Madison could see the tears forming in his eyes. "How?"
"She overdosed." She replied.
He pulled Madison into a hug which, at first, she resisted but then slowly she melted into his arms. "I’m so sorry I wasn't there for you."
Madison pulled away and wiped her eyes. "No more apologies."
"Okay." He smiled. "Tell me about my grandkids."
"Why don't you come with me and meet them for yourself?" She returned his smile.
"I'd really like that." He chuckled.
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"Doll, is that you?" Micky called when he heard the front door open. He walked out of the kitchen and stopped suddenly seeing Bill coming in after her. "Oh, hi."
"Hi Micky." Madison walked up and kissed him. "Bill, this is my husband, Micky. You two didn't really get a chance to meet the other day." She wasn't ready to call him dad yet.
Micky walked over with his hand outstretched. "Nice to meet you, Bill."
"You too, Micky." They shook hands.
Madison came back with Mac and Sarah. "I want you to meet someone." She said in an upbeat tone. "This is your grandpa." She looked over at Bill. "This is Mac and Sarah."
"Mac?" Bill asked with a smile.
"It’s a long story." Micky laughed.
"We were playing blocks, wanna see?" Mac asked. He and Sarah each took one of his hands.
"I'd love too." Bill laughed and followed them.
Madison watched them walk in the other room as Micky came up behind her and put his arms around her. "You okay?"
"I'm better than okay." She turned around in his arms and wrapped hers around his neck.
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