Where to Belong

by W.J. Smith

CHAPTER TWELVE

  Breakfast Stories

  The next morning was easy to wake to. The dark walled room was brightly lit by the brilliance of the morning sun. Madison took her time before starting the day. She pulled the covers to her chin and enjoyed the quiet and stillness. This room felt so different from her own. She missed her small and simple place, but this dwelling felt as if it were removed from the rest of the world as it rested high above the commotion of the city below. A bird's eye view on life.

  When she finally began to stir, she tested the tenderness of the wound to her belly. She had unknowingly become accustomed to catering to it. Her movements yielded to its sensitivity. It wasn't as incapacitating as it had been though she was still very much aware of it.

  The living area was dim with the wall of windows covered by the blinds. She glanced around the room and found Skyler sleeping on the couch. She hadn't even heard him come in. He must have been exhausted because he looked as if he had collapsed onto the sofa, still wearing his coat and shoes.

  She shuffled into the kitchen as soundlessly as she could and scanned the contents of the fridge. These two bachelors had very little to chose from food wise. She settled on yogurt and a glass of juice for breakfast.

  Madison stood in the kitchen and gazed about the main room while she ate. Across the way, Chase's room was dark with its door wide open. It didn't look as if he was in. She missed his leaving as well. Either these two were masters at undetectable movement, or she was sleeping better than she had thought.

  There were several dishes in the sink besides her own. She checked the dishwasher and found it empty. Careful not to wake Skyler, she took the dirty dishes from the deep sink and placed them in the stainless steel fronted dishwasher.

  The front door eased open, and Chase slipped into the room with near silence carrying a white box and paper bag. He tiptoed across the front room and joined Madison in the kitchen.

  "I was hoping to be back with breakfast before you got up," he whispered as he slid the box onto the counter.

  "Good timing," she said and took the bag from him. It held three coffees meticulously balanced in a carrier within.

  Chase gestured at the couch, "Has he been up yet?"

  She shook her head. "How long as he been there?"

  "Not long," he said as he sorted through the box of donuts. "I found him sleeping in his truck when I went out and convinced him to come inside. He said he didn't want to wake anyone, that's why he didn't come in. I don't know how long he was out there, though."

  Madison cringed and set her coffee down, "I've been in his room! Where's he been staying?"

  "On the couch," he answered as he shook his head. "No inconvenience. We sometimes fight over who gets to sleep on that thing. It's super comfy."

  "Poor guy!" she muttered.

  "Hey, you're the one who got shot. I think you've earned the bed."

  She looked to him with a questioning expression. His words hadn't offended her, but she found his candidness surprising.

  "I'm sorry," he reformed. "I'll shut up now. How's the coffee?" Chase stuffed the rest of his donut in his mouth as if to refrain from saying anymore.

  "Just fine," she chuckled. He took her reply and surveyed the assortment of donuts for his next victim. "These are great. Where are they from?"

  "A bakery in Gold Coast."

  "You drove to Gold Coast for donuts?"

  Chase turned to her with a wide smile. "Of course. You said it yourself, these are great. An artist has to have his staple goods in order to operate at his full potential."

  "He must not sleep much either," she said with a shrug.

  "Usually I do, but not lately. I've got this story in my head and I can't get it out, not in the way that it deserves. I'm so stuck right now, I think I'm going to go crazy!"

  "What's it about?" Madison asked as he tugged at his messy hair.

  He paused in his self beating and studied her. "Are you just asking to be nice or do you really want to know?'

  She nodded, "I want to know."

  "Well," he started, his expression turning serious, "that's sort of the problem. In my head, it's beautiful and organized. As soon as I start to sketch it out, it gets ugly and jumbled."

  "Alien? Animal? Human? Superhuman?"

  Chase tilted his head as if she were speaking in a foreign language. "Human," he answered slowly, sounding uncertain.

  "Past? Present? Future? Post apocalyptic?"

  "You rock!"

  Madison flinched and matched his wondering gaze. "What'd I do?"

  "I'll explain later," he declared as he stumbled off the tall stool and backed away from the counter. "Thanks!"

  She watched him in amusement as he scampered off to his room and shut the door behind him. Whatever struck him completely took over his thought process. He had abandoned his half eaten donut and still steaming coffee.

  The flash of activity must have awoken Skyler. The sound of his stirring caught Madison's attention. She paced to the sofa and peeked over the back of it. She found him looking up at her, appearing half awake. "Morning," she softly offered.

  "Morning," he returned as he rubbed his face. Skyler then checked his watch stifled a yawn, "It's still morning."

  "Chase brought back some coffee and donuts if you're hungry."

  He sat up slowly and shrugged out of his coat, "Coffee sounds really good right now." He kicked off his shoes and laid the coat over the arm of the overstuffed couch. "Oh, Madison, how are you feeling? Are you all right?" His tone was suddenly alert.

  "I'm good," she quickly answered. "Just feel like I've been hit by a bus."

  "Are you sure it's all right for you to be up and about? Don't push yourself."

  "Skyler, I'm fine. Really."

  He studied her for a few breaths. His expression told that he wanted to argue, but he kept any rebuttals to himself. Silence stretched between them for a several moments before he began to stir again. "So Chase drove across town for donuts again?"

  Madison let him guide her back to the counter. "He said he needed them to operate. I think it worked." She pointed at the portion of the chocolate glazed donut left sitting on the counter.

  "He's had these donuts every Monday for the past sixteen Mondays. I don't think it was the donut." Skyler shook his head and put a napkin under the left over pastry. "I think he is just getting them so I won't kick him out for his lack of rent."

  "He's not been paying rent?"

  "Not as much as we agreed on, but he's given some. He's been out of work for some time now, and his trust fund is running out. He just knew he would find a job by now. I won't kick him out. I know he's trying."

  "Well, that's what his problem is. He's putting too much pressure on himself. That's why he's stuck." Madison picked another sprinkled donut out of the box and glanced at the closed door across the room. "I bet if you assured him he won't end up out on the streets for the rent shortage, he'll be back in business in no time."

  "He won't end up on the streets," Skyler smiled a sly smile. "His parents wouldn't let that happen. He won't accept their help right now, but they'll butt in if it ever came down to that."

  "Ah," she nodded, "I'm beginning to get the picture."

  "He'll be fine as long as there's donuts every Monday morning."

  Madison let a few moments pass as she watched Skyler turn his untouched donut. He was clearly distracted with something. Countless questions buzzed around in her head. Questions about her current situation. Questions about his situation. Questions about everything in between and mildly related to their circumstances. She found herself a little unsettled by how much she was uncertain of. And looking at Skyler told of his own diffidence.

  "What happens now?" she asked with a nervous note to her words.

  Skyler set his donut down and pushed it away. He stared down at his coffee cup and turned it in hesitant circles. "I don't know," his voice came vaguel
y. "I've been racking my brain, and I can't find a way to right everything. This wasn't supposed to happen."

  She eyed him and tried to decipher his meaning. She was getting the feeling that this has been going on longer than the night his group attacked Lake View. "What was supposed to happen?"

  His eyes narrowed at her asking. He didn't look to her, continuing his watch on the twirling coffee. She didn't think he was going to answer her at first because he went so still. "We took the assignment several months ago. I was second in charge. The client made his needs very clear. We set up the transaction and followed all involved subjects for two weeks. It was supposed to be a very clean and simple process. Empty one safe, less than twenty minutes, assignment complete." He looked to her and shook his head, "You were never supposed to be involved."

  "What happened?"

  "Too many factors changed. We should have called it off before we ever went in."

  "Who's the client?"

  His brows raised and he gave an unamused chuckle. "That's not going to happen, Madison."

  "You keep saying that I wasn't supposed to be there. I work there. I've worked there for years. I think if you and your crew took every aspect of that facility into account, I would have been instantly involved. How are you saying otherwise?"

  "I sat on this assignment for months just to make sure I did all I could to keep you out of the picture."

  "You knew all along," Madison broke in. "You've known from the very beginning, however long ago that was, that I've been here? You knew where I was and you never came to me? Why not?" She didn't hide her hurt at the thought of him avoiding her.

  "You were doing great. You had this new life and had things figured out. The last thing you needed was to be pulled back into this mess."

  "And you went ahead with your plan anyway. You saw that everything was great, and you decided to try your tricks on my life anyway?"

  Skyler gave a weakened glare and went back to spinning his coffee cup. "You wouldn't understand ..."

  "That's lame, Skyler," she snapped at him. "You're the one not understanding. Did you honestly believe you could waltz into that place, take what you wanted, and walk away without anyone noticing? Without any kind of fallout?"

  "Something like that," he came in a confident tone.

  Madison gaped at him. He was infuriating. He easily confessed he had willingly avoided her for the duration of his time in Chicago, and that he also planned to leave without ever being noticed. "What have I ever done to you?" she slowly posed.

  He set his jaw and gave a one sided shrug. "You left."