Chapter 11

Zac sighed and pulled into the other lane as he passed a row of cars. Two hours on the road and it seemed like he wasn’t any closer to Madison than he was back at home with Taylor and Ike. At least then he wouldn’t be speeding down a highway passing cars left and right. The wind coming through the open window whipped through his hair sending it in all directions. The moon filled the sky with an aluminous glow and the stars shown brightly. The sound of cars honking and engines revving filled his ears and he turned up the radio.

I can’t believe in what I’ve seen I been forsaken.
I been deceived cast aside and left behind.
I can’t believe my own eyes…

"Ah…Jonny Lang…" Zac turned the dial on the radio so that the sounds of Jonny Lang filled the vehicle and blocked out everything on the outside.

…The wings between the ocean and the shore.
But this time I’m leaving to stay.
I’m walking away…

I seen the red sky in the morning.
I seen the low tide slipping away.
I do believe I’ll take the warning
Taking my leave to stay…

Zac’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel. Tears trailed down his face and he sighed. He hated crying, but he couldn’t stop.

…Solo like an angel afraid to fly.
Like the last lonely rose hung on the vine…

The song slowly faded and Zac wiped his eyes. He inhaled a shaky breath and leaned his head back. There was something about that song…it was so familiar. It sounded like Madison…that song…it could be Madison’s song. Madison…he missed her so much. What had he done? He knew it wasn’t his fault, but he couldn’t help thinking that maybe if he hadn’t have turned her in she wouldn’t be in the hospital. That was ridiculous right? Right?? He sighed. Maybe it was his fault. If he hadn’t have turned her in, they could be at home right now, snuggling on the couch watching a nice movie while Taylor and Ike were…out somewhere. He smiled at the thought and imagined what it would be like to have Madison in his arms. A honking horn and red taillights shining brightly in front of him brought him back to reality. "Wow…that was close." He laughed uneasily and realized that he was shaking. He had almost hit that car…but he didn’t. He gripped the steering wheel and swore that he would never do that again…never.

- - -

"What room is Madison Crawford in?" Mary Coelson leaned forward over the desk, her face pale and her black hair pulled back into a small ponytail. The nurse looked up at the weary woman standing before her and sighed.

"I’m sorry, only family is allowed to visit." The nurse gave an apologetic smile and returned her attention to a stack of papers sitting before her.

"I am family."

"I’m sorry, but the only family that I have been informed of is her father."

"I’m her Aunt. Her mother is…was my sister."

"Oh…but I’m still afraid that…"

"Look." Mary interrupted, leaning in further so that her face was inches from the nurse’s. "I’ve been on the road for two straight days. I drove here from Oklahoma just to see her…so I would appreciate it if you would let me see her. I want to make sure she’s okay…"

The nurse sighed and glanced around at the empty hospital. It was a rare occurrence when there wasn’t patients being rolled in on stretchers every five seconds. "Okay… Follow me."

- - -

She slowly opened her eyes and watched as everything came into focus. There was a chair…a blue chair with wooden legs sitting beside her bed, empty. Empty, like her heart. Empty like her stomach was more like it…her stomach growled and she realized she was hungry. But everything was blurry and her eyes hurt from trying to focus them so she shut her eyes once more and let the warmth of the covers lure her into sleep.

"Mad…Madison?" That voice. It almost sounded like her mother’s…she opened her eyes and looked into the face of a tired woman…it wasn’t her mother. She let out the breath she had been holding and forced back the tears that threatened to fall…her mother was dead…it was almost like she was experiencing this realization for the first time…maybe she was. Maybe she had been numb the past two years and that was why she had never cried over her mother’s death, why she couldn’t feel anything, and why when she was so sure she was over her mother’s death, the memory of an angelic face and a sweet smile brought tears to her eyes. "Madison…it’s me, Aunt Mary…oh honey…" she focused on the figure in front of her and noticed that tears fell from her brown eyes and her black hair was starting to come out of the ponytail.

"Au…Aunt Mary? Wh…where were you?" she found her voice and reached over and grabbed the woman’s hand.

"Oh baby, I’m so sorry…I couldn’t see you, you look so much like your mother…oh hun…what did he do to you?" she stroked the fragile hand in front of her that belonged to her only niece.

"I was so scared Mary…oh I was so scared…" Madison let go for the first time all of the anger and fear that she had stored up over the past two years. Her body shook with violent sobs and she desperately clung to the hand she was holding, afraid that it would slip away between her fingertips like so many things had in the past.

"I know…I know baby. I’m here; I’ll take care of everything. You just have to tell them what happened, you have to tell them the truth…promise me you can do that."

"I promise…I will…I will…" and with that Madison slipped into semi consciousness where the image of her mother and Zac blended together, reminding her that both were her guardian angels.

Chapter Twelve
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