Maddox

by Lisa Helen Gray

  “Are you okay to watch Asher a little while longer while I run up and check on Jasmine?”

  “Go on. We’re cool.” He turns to Asher, grinning. “We were just talking about how to get a chick into bed.”

  I shake my head, getting up from the sofa. “Stop corrupting him.”

  I head out of the room, and as I reach the stairs, I quickly straighten my top, chuckling to myself when I see my bra isn’t clipped back on.

  Stepping into Jasmine’s room, a smile slips free at the sight of her. She’s lying half under her blanket, half out, her hair a tangled mess, and drool is dripping down her chin. She snores lightly, and as I bend down to pull the covers over her, I notice she has on mismatched pyjamas, and they’re inside out.

  Happy she’s safe and sound, and now tucked in properly, I reach down by her bed to flick her night light on before turning the main lamp off.

  Since I’m up here, I rush into my room, grabbing a jumper out of my wardrobe before heading into Asher’s room for some clean pyjamas.

  Back downstairs, Maddox is still there, his eyes on the television. “You’re pretty hooked onto Enchanted.”

  He ducks his head, chuckling. “I had to watch it twice,” he admits.

  I chuckle as I take a seat on the floor, gently reaching for Asher. He coos in excitement, kicking his little feet around. I drag his changing box close and pull out a fresh nappy, wipes and a nappy bag.

  Just as I unpop the first button, Maddox places his hand around mine. When I look up, he’s pale. “There’s something I need to tell you, and you can’t get mad.”

  My heart stops, and I feel the blood drain from my face. “What?”

  “When I was changing him, he, um… he had something on his stomach. Jasmine said it was meant to be there.”

  “Maddox,” I call, my lips twitching.

  “But, um, when I was pulling his vest back down, it kind of, um…” He runs his hand through his hair, ignoring me.

  I raise my voice a little more, trying to get his attention. “Maddox.”

  He throws his hands up in the air. “It fell off! Okay! I know. You’re gonna hate me. But I swear, he didn’t cry.”

  “Maddox!”

  “I’m not even sure what it’s—”

  “Maddox,” I call out, forcing myself not to laugh. “Stop. It’s fine.”

  He shakes his head. “I was gonna tell you when you woke up, but then you mentioned your tits and—”

  “Stop,” I tell him, laughter spilling free. “It was going to come off any day now.”

  “What?” he asks, falling back against the sofa.

  “It’s his umbilical cord. I’m surprised it didn’t come off sooner.”

  “So, I didn’t do anything wrong?”

  “No,” I tell him, keeping my voice soft. He looks genuinely worried.

  He leans over Asher, letting him grip his finger. “Hear that, little man, it’s all good.”

  I quickly get him changed, laughing when I see the mess of the nappy. Moments later, I lift him against my chest. “He’s not even winging for food.”

  “He had me to occupy him,” Maddox explains, grinning. Suddenly, his grin slips, and he begins to frown. “I’ll order you some food.”

  “You didn’t eat?” I ask. “What about Jasmine?”

  “Um, yeah, we did, but we ate it all.”

  I wave him off. “There’s no point in ordering just for me.”

  He shrugs. “I’m kind of hungry myself.”

  My eyes widen. “You sure?”

  “Yeah. Maybe we can put something else on the tele though.”

  “Deal,” I tell him, smiling.

  “I’ll have to buy an Xbox to leave here,” he mumbles, heading over to his phone to order.

  I just shake my head, still not knowing what to make of him. I guess in time, I will.

  CHAPTER TEN

  AMELIA

  It’s three in the morning and Asher is awake, wailing, and showing no signs of stopping.

  And again, it isn’t because he’s hungry—he’s not long been fed. It isn’t because he’s wet either. It’s because he has gone past tired and is irritable. The music blaring from across the road is shaking the walls, so we aren’t getting a moment’s peace.

  I’m seconds away from having a breakdown. I’m desperate for sleep, more than my little man at this point.

  Keeping Asher resting over my shoulder, I peek through the blinds, gritting my teeth when a guy jumps off the hood of his car and onto the ground, singing ‘Eye of the Tiger’. He isn’t only keeping us awake, but he’s killing one of my favourite songs.

  A group of girls, who must be around eighteen-nineteen, are dancing in the weeds. One is standing on a chair, holding up a bottle of Lambrini.

  Classy.

  When they begin cheering for the mum to down a can, I step away from the window. I’ve seen enough, and I’m at my wits end now. The police aren’t doing anything about it. They just arrive, issue a warning before waiting for them to go inside, then leave. As soon as it’s clear, the music is back on and they are at it again. I think it’s gotten to the point where people have stopped calling.

  Tonight, it’s a zoo over there. They are always loud, but the amount of people there has doubled the noise. I’m so sleep deprived, I’m willing to sell my soul to the devil to get them to turn the music off.

  “Come on, Asher, go to sleep for Mummy,” I plead gently, feeling the back of my throat tighten.

  I’m shattered. My eyes sting from the lack of sleep. I’m barely functioning. I’m almost regretting not taking my mum up on her offer to stay and help out. The only reason I said no is because it would have been pointless. The noise wasn’t going away, and the only reason Asher wasn’t sleeping was because of it. And I refuse to change our sleep routine for him. Plus, I still have Jasmine to watch over in the day.

  A sniffle escapes me, and my nose begins to burn. I’m meant to start back up at work in a few weeks, and if this keeps on, I won’t be able to. And if I don’t go back to work, the debts won’t get paid. I’ll have to move back into my parents’, and I’ll be back at square one.

  I can’t let that happen.

  Tears slip free as I gently bounce Asher in my arms. Each time the bass drops, he screams louder.

  A frustrated growl escapes me. I badly want to go over there, but there is no way I’m leaving Jasmine unattended, not even for a second.

  Tomorrow, all bets are off. I’m banging on that damn door and demanding they turn their music off at night.

  A light tapping sounds from the front door, and I startle, a small yelp escaping me. Shaking, I take a step away from the door, clutching Asher in my arms.

  “Shh, baby. It’s okay,” I soothe, kissing his head.

  There’s another tap at the door, just as my phone vibrates with a message. I pick up my phone from the coffee table, seeing a message from Maddox.

  Maddox: Open the door.

  My shoulders sag, and I step over to the door and unlock it. I pull it open, seeing him in tracksuit bottoms and a grey T-shirt. His eyes have dark circles underneath and his jaw has a shadow of growth.

  “Maddox,” I call out, surprised.

  “I can’t do it,” he grumbles, pushing his way inside and locking the door behind him.

  “Um…”

  “I’ve tried. I’ve tried everything. I’m going to go around with those damn forms tomorrow and I’m going to get them out of that house,” he growls, gently taking Asher from my arms. “Shush, little man. I got you.”

  He immediately settles, and I stand in the doorway, frozen, as Maddox makes himself at home, kicking his feet up on the sofa.

  A sob breaks free and I crumple against the doorframe. He looks up, his eyes widening. “I swear, if I could get them out now, I would. Please don’t cry. You’re making me anxious.”

  “How do you do it?”

  “Be so calm and rational? It’s a gift. One I got from my father.”

  I shake
my head as I wipe my nose unattractively with my sleeve. “No. How did you get him to settle? I’ve been trying all night.”

  He glances down at Asher, who is sound asleep, and falls back against the sofa, getting more comfortable. “Now the kid is talking my language.”

  “Maddox, what are you doing here?” Not that I’m complaining. Asher is finally asleep. But it’s the middle of the night and we aren’t there in our friendship. Or clearly, I’m not. Maddox doesn’t seem to have the same qualms.

  Maddox opens one eye, looking at me. “What’s it look like I’m doing?”

  “Um, going to sleep on my sofa?”

  He gives me a curt nod, closing both eyes. “The music is quieter over here.”

  Quieter? The sound is vibrating all over my walls. I’m glad Jasmine’s room is at the back of the house. It isn’t so bad there. It also helps that she sleeps like the dead.

  “You’re sleeping here?”

  “Shush,” he grumbles. “Tired.”

  “But this is my home.” I step closer when his lips part, a light snore escaping him. “Maddox? Maddox?” When I get nothing, I groan, running my fingers through my hair.

  This can’t be happening.

  I’ve never met anyone who didn’t understand boundaries before. He doesn’t do it to be a bully or use it as power; he just does it to achieve what he wants. He fits himself into places without invitation, without design or tact. It’s kind of admirable.

  Kind of.

  Resigned to the fact I’m going to have someone I barely know sleeping on my couch, I take a step forward, my hands going around Asher. I barely lift him when he starts wailing again.

  Maddox presses him closer to his chest. “Shush, little man, it’s sleep time.”

  And as if he understood the command, Asher’s eyes close, and he falls back to sleep.

  I run my fingers through my hair, my eyes drooping as I watch them both sleep like there isn’t music blaring.

  Can I leave him here? Can I leave Asher in his arms?

  A yawn escapes me, and feeling my body weaken, I know I can. I really can. I have been trying for hours to get him to sleep, to stop his crying, to no avail. It’s been breaking my heart.

  Knowing what I should do, I drag my body up the stairs, quickly checking in on Jasmine before heading into my room, grabbing my blanket, throw blanket, and a pillow.

  When I’m back in the living room, I place the blanket on the floor near the sofa. Maddox has a firm grip on Asher, but I’m not taking any chances.

  Pulling the other throw off the back of the sofa, I place it over them both, smiling when Maddox lets out a contented sigh.

  He’s a gorgeous man, but sleeping, he is simply beautiful. His features are relaxed, and yet the lines tell a story, one of a man who has lived laughing. I straighten away from the man who has wormed his way into our lives, and walk over to the light switch, turning it off. The room is lit by the warm glow from the lamp in the corner, and with that, I head over to the chair, curling up into a ball with my pillow and throw blanket.

  Asher will be up again soon, and I need to get as much sleep as I can.

  As much as the music grates on me, I let the bass pull me into sleep, tuning out the sounds of them laughing and singing. I’m too tired to even care at this point.

  *** *** ***

  “Psst,” I hear, and groggily, I rub sleep from my eyes before blinking them open, finding Maddox kneeling in front of me, holding Asher like he’s Simba from the Lion King. “Your son is hungry and it’s kind of awkward that he keeps going for my nipple.”

  What?

  What is Maddox doing here?

  “Am I dreaming?”

  He grins, flashing his pearly whites. “Why? Do you normally dream of me?”

  I groan, sliding up into a sitting position and stretching the kink out of my back.

  In a daze, I take Asher from him, coming fully awake. “What time is it?”

  “It’s seven in the morning.”

  It doesn’t feel like I’ve been asleep an hour. And yet… wait, what? “No, it can’t be?”

  “It is,” he announces.

  “No. Oh my God, I’m going to be late,” I rush out.

  “Late?”

  I quickly stand with Asher in my arms, heading over to the changing box. I grab everything he needs before lifting my head, yelling, “Jasmine, it’s time to get up.”

  “Um—”

  “Did he not wake once?” I ask, spinning around to face Maddox.

  He takes a step back, holding his hands up. “Was he meant to?”

  I nod. “He’s been feeding every few hours. But then, he’s not really slept during the night since the night after we got back. The music has kept him up.”

  “No, I woke up to him sucking on my chest,” he explains, rubbing the back of his neck. The move causes his T-shirt to rise, showcasing his muscled abs. I lick my lips, seeing a fine trail of hair leading down to his groin. He clicks his fingers in front of my face. “Aren’t you going to be late?”

  “Shit!” I yell, racing upstairs without another word. I quickly make it into Asher’s room, working on getting him changed before heading into Jasmine’s room. “Jasmine, wake up, baby. You need to have breakfast before school.”

  “No,” she moans, hiding her head under the pillow.

  I roll my eyes, stepping further into the room, and walk over to her bed. I pull her blanket away from her, dropping it on the end of her bed. “Now, missy.”

  She rolls out of bed, her hair a static mess all over the place, and drags her body out of the room. I follow, keeping an eye on her as she dazedly walks into the living room. I chuckle when she knocks her shoulder into the doorframe. She grunts, walking around the room before heading straight for the kitchen.

  I’m shocked to find Maddox still here, leaning against the kitchen counter with a cup of coffee in his hand.

  A thud has me looking away and over to the table, where Jasmine has rested her forehead against the wood.

  “What are you still doing here?” I whisper, wondering how I’m going to explain it to Jasmine. She won’t understand, and I know she likes Maddox, but after everything her father put us through, I’m not sure if she would want him around like this.

  He gives me a ‘duh’ look, holding his mug up. “Coffee. I’ve got a long morning ahead of me.”

  “What time do you start work?” I ask, forgetting my earlier dilemma for a moment.

  “Now, but I’m taking the day off to get something done about that family,” he growls, taking a large swig of his coffee. “I think he needs feeding.”

  I glance down at Asher, who is fussing in my arms, then back at Maddox and Jasmine. “Go, before she wakes up.”

  “She’s not awake?” he asks, his eyes wide.

  “She’s not a morning person. It takes breakfast and the drive to school to get her to wake up, otherwise she’s a zombie.”

  He chuckles. “She’s dribbling all over the table.”

  When Asher begins to cry, I lift him higher in my arms. “Maddox, you need to go before she wakes up.”

  “Why?”

  “Why?” I repeat. I thought that would be obvious.

  “Yeah, why? She likes me,” he tells me. “Yo, Jaz, you like me, don’t you?”

  My eyes widen, and I stare at my daughter in horror, scared she’s going to be upset. She surprises me by jolting from the table, nearly falling from the chair. “Maddox?”

  He grins, walking over to take a seat next to her, ruffling her hair. “Kid, you look like a puffed-up house cat.”

  I take a seat on the other side of her, pulling my dressing gown apart and unclipping my bra. Asher immediately latches on, and I grimace from the discomfort.

  “How do you get a break?” Maddox suddenly blurts out.

  “What do you mean?” I ask, my heart racing for some unknown reason. Is he going to ask me out?

  “Well, you’re the only one who can feed the little guy. What are you going to
do if you want to go out for a meal with friends, go back to work? Does he go with you?”

  I duck my head, gazing down at Asher. “No. I’m hoping to have the pump by then so I can do bottles. That way others can feed him too.”

  “You’ve not got one?”

  He asked me this before. “Not yet.”

  “Maddox,” Jasmine breathes. “Did you come to see me?”

  He grins, leaning down so they’re eye level. “I did, but you were snoring like a gorilla.”

  She giggles. “I was not.”

  “Were too.”

  “What would you like for breakfast?” I ask, already resigned to the fact we’re going to be late. It’s a thirty-minute drive to her school. By the time I get her fed, washed and dressed, then get everything together for Asher, we’re going to be at least forty minutes late.

  “Cereal, please,” she murmurs.

  “I wouldn’t mind some scrambled eggs and toast.”

  “Yummy,” Jasmine breathes. “Can we, Mummy?”

  “Baby, we’re running late.”

  “I’ll drop her off, under the condition you make me breakfast,” Maddox offers.

  My lips part, close, then part again. “No, it’s fine. I’ll call the school and explain we’re running late.”

  He waves me off. “No need. Feed Asher, get madam ready, and I’ll drop her off. Then you can do what you gotta do.”

  “I—”

  Jasmine pouts up at me, fluttering her lashes. “Please, Mummy; can he?”

  I go to decline, but something in her expression stops me, and I turn to Maddox. “Are you sure?”

  He nods. “Yeah. I can go grab those forms from my cousin on the way back. There’s something else I need to do after too.”

  I turn to Jasmine. “Go up and get washed and dressed. You can brush your teeth after breakfast.”

  “Then Maddox can take me to school?” she asks excitedly.

  I grin. “Yes.”

  She closes her hand into a fist, holding it out to Maddox. He chuckles, fist bumping her. “I’ll quickly run back and get changed.”

  Jasmine pauses half off the chair, turning to Maddox, her excitement gone. “But you’ll be back?”