Little White Lies

by R. C. Matthews

  Yes, of course. She stood up and shook her head to clear it. What was she thinking? Of course he wasn’t interested in a long-term relationship. His rejection ripped her soul in half. She didn’t want to believe it.

  Perhaps he wrote her a note? Madalyn looked around the room, under clothes and shoes, behind the couch, and under the couch—it could have fallen. She needed to find something. Anything.

  She sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at the clock on the end table. And there it was. The engagement ring sat on the bedside table. How strange that he should leave it with her. Was it a token to remember him by? It was a cruel reminder of what her heart secretly yearned for.

  That’s not fair, she scolded herself. He wished you a good morning and told you he’d cherish this week. He left you an expensive ring. Was that not, in fact, a gracious goodbye from a man who owed you nothing?

  She knew she should look at this from a positive light. But her heart refused to cooperate, the sea of emotions crashing over her soul like a sixty-foot wave sending her drifting downward to a dark and cold place.

  She didn’t want to be here in the room anymore. The walls were closing in on her and her treacherous thoughts refused to remain silent in her head. Throwing on her clothes, she grabbed her carry-on bag and quickly packed the last of her things. She was thankful that her luggage was picked up the evening before and waited for her at the port. In a matter of minutes she was out the door and down the hallway to the gangplank.

  A long line of passengers waited to disembark. It was a torturously slow process. She eventually found her bag in section C and declared her goods to the customs officer. There wasn’t much to declare. Other than the ring she carried in her bag. She didn’t have a receipt—so she kept her mouth shut and firmly answered the customs officer’s questions.

  Madalyn walked out of the port and looked for the bus that would transfer her back to the airport. There were hundreds of people lined up outside, anxious to get on the buses. Was he out here somewhere? Or had he already made it on an earlier bus? She couldn’t help but look around at the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of his dark, wavy hair a head above everyone else. Nothing.

  The journey to the airport was uneventful. She tipped the bus driver when they arrived out of habit. Or was it her need to follow the rules? Lord knew the bus driver didn’t deserve it, making her struggle alone to get her bag on and off of the bus.

  Madalyn printed her ticket at a nearby kiosk and checked-in her suitcase. The security line was short and she found herself through it in no time. She needed something to numb her mind. She entered a convenience store and bought several gossip magazines to pass the time. Losing herself in the life of the stars seemed like a good plan. Flashy pictures. Simple sentences. Mindless commentary. She could handle that.

  Madalyn’s flight was on time. She sat down in her window seat and pulled the seat belt tight around her waist and then flipped through a magazine slowly as she waited for the plane to take off. It was the usual crap. Who was the best dressed at the latest function? So and so got dumped by her beau or got picked up in the latest film. Look who had a fabulous body in their itsy bitsy bikini, and who didn’t! It was perfect, and kept her occupied until the plane reached its flying altitude. The passengers to her left were engaged in a deep discussion about politics. She put away her magazine and rested her head against the back of the seat. She closed her eyes and listened to their conversation. Within minutes she was fast asleep.

  • • •

  Madalyn watched the plane touch down on the Detroit Metro Airport runway, glad she had made the decision to immediately board a flight from Chicago to Detroit. She needed the comfort of her home. But most importantly, she needed to talk to her sister. Jeanine would know what to say to make her feel better. Madalyn had always looked to her older sister for words of advice and knew she could voice her thoughts without fear of being judged. Jeanine was her sounding board.

  She got off the plane and walked directly to the luggage pick-up area. Jeanine stood at the bottom of the escalator, waiting for her with open arms and a brilliant smile on her face. The moment Madalyn felt her sister’s arms encircle her, she burst into tears.

  “Whoa! What is this?” Jeanine said. She pulled back to look at Madalyn and tried to assess the situation. “You’re not supposed to be balling your eyes out. It couldn’t have been that bad. You’re a big girl, and I’m sure you found lots of friends to play with on the playground.”

  Madalyn nodded her head and wiped at the tears that continued to fall down her cheeks. Jeanine grabbed Madalyn’s carry-on bag and then led the way to the luggage carrousel.

  “Okay, Madalyn,” she said when they stopped in front of carrousel number nine. “The good doctor is listening.”

  Madalyn couldn’t suppress her chuckle. Her sister had a way with words. Madalyn had a way with words too. She could be blunt. “I had an affair with a gorgeous man, fell deeply in love and then woke up to find myself alone in my cabin this morning with a broken heart.” She stared at her sister and sniffled. “I think that sums it up.”

  Jeanine gawked at her, speechless. She ran her hand through spikey blond hair and took a deep breath. She turned her back to Madalyn for a second, as if trying to collect herself, before imparting her sage wisdom.

  “Why do you take everything so literally?” Jeanine cried out. “Christ, Madalyn, I wanted you to inhale a little; not smoke the whole doobie!”

  Jeanine’s analogy couldn’t have been closer to the mark. Madalyn burst into laughter and hiccuped at the same time, throwing her into further fits of laughter. Jeanine joined in and they laughed until their sides hurt, attracting attention from everyone around them. She didn’t care what others thought of her right now. It felt good to laugh, letting the tension and anxiety of the day wash away for a few moments.

  The luggage carrousel finally came to life and after a few minutes Jeanine grabbed Madalyn’s suitcase. They walked to the elevator in silence.

  “Okay, kiddo,” Jeanine said. “Let’s go to my place and you can tell me all about what happened on the high seas.”

  Madalyn nodded her head and sighed. “Can we pick up a six pack on the way? I’m going to need a drink or two or three to get through this.”

  “Sure,” Jeanine said. “Let’s get shit-faced! I think I’m going to need it almost as much as you.”

  • • •

  “Start from the beginning,” Jeanine said. She flipped the top off a beer bottle and poured it into a tall glass. She placed a slice of orange on the rim of the glass and pushed it over to Madalyn and then poured a glass for herself.

  Madalyn sat back into the high back stool at Jeanine’s kitchen island and looked around the place. It had been a while since she had visited her sister’s condominium. Jeanine’s home was rustic and inviting, like something you’d expect in a traditional Italian family home. Her kitchen was fabulous and contained all the extras needed for creating culinary delights. Jeanine often experimented on new products at home, offering the goods up to her neighbors to get their feedback.

  It took Madalyn the better part of two beers to relay the whole story of meeting Royce and their subsequent love affair. She might have completed it sooner if Jeanine hadn’t interrupted her throughout with “Oh no, you didn’t!” and “bullshit!” along with several other choice expressions.

  “You’re sure he left?” Jeanine asked, her face a mask of uncertainty.

  “Of course I’m sure,” Madalyn said. “I’m not an idiot. I heard him whisper his goodbye and then the click of the door. I searched our rooms, but he was gone.”

  “What if he just went to the concierge to settle his bill?” Jeanine asked with her right leg pulled to her chest, her head resting on her knee.

  Madalyn’s mouth dropped open. That scenario hadn’t crossed her mind. No, it couldn’t be that simple. Could it? No! She was right. She had already been through this a thousand times in her head over the last few hours. And she had proof.
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  “There was no carry-on bag,” Madalyn said. “Believe me. I searched everywhere!”

  “Did you see him bring one on the bus the day you met?”

  Madalyn slammed her beer on the table. “No! But I wasn’t focused on his bag at the time. I was more interested in his butt! Everyone travels with some sort of carry-on bag.”

  “You don’t know that,” Jeanine said and sat back in her chair. “You’re a lawyer, damn it! Why are you making so many assumptions? Maybe he went to make a quick call before it was time to disembark to solidify his travel plans for the day, or he went to buy some pictures from the last evening on board the ship as a souvenir.”

  “Are you purposely trying to make me feel like an idiot?” Madalyn said. She hadn’t considered those options either. Were those viable options? Could she be wrong? Madalyn offered up the rest of her evidence to the one-woman jury.

  “There was no wallet. No toothbrush. No clothes.”

  “You said he checked his bag the evening before,” Jeanine said emphatically and crossed her arms over her chest. “And he’d need his wallet if he was buying a souvenir!”

  Why did everything Jeanine said have to make sense? What if Madalyn was wrong and he hadn’t abandoned her? No. What comes around goes around. Madalyn had dumped Charles at the altar and Royce had dumped her after the cruise. Karma was a bitch, but she had deserved it.

  “Why don’t you want to believe that he decided to leave early and avoid an awkward goodbye?” Madalyn asked.

  “I don’t know,” Jeanine said. “Something doesn’t add up in your story. If everything you said is true, then he must have fallen in love with you as well. A man doesn’t sweep a woman off her feet for the heck of it. It’s not in their nature. If a man is making the moves on a woman, it usually means he’s interested. Men aren’t complicated, Madalyn.”

  “Exactly!” Madalyn said. “That’s my point. He was interested in no-strings-attached sex for the week with a heartless woman who’d dumped her fiancé at the altar.”

  “Maybe,” Jeanine said. “But it sure sounded to me like his heart was in it. Aren’t you interested in trying to locate him to find out? What if you’re wrong?”

  “I’m not wrong,” Madalyn said. “If he wanted to continue a relationship he would have stayed and talked to me about it. But he didn’t, so he doesn’t. I’m going to respect his decision. If I had come to that decision, I would’ve appreciated the same in return. Royce doesn’t owe me anything. ”

  Madalyn poured the last glass of beer and sucked on the orange slice. She didn’t want to dwell on Royce any longer. It was too painful.

  “So tell me about the grand opening of the new bakery,” Madalyn said. “How was it?”

  “Super!” Jeanine said with a broad smile. “The location is perfect. There is so much going on in downtown Detroit around Campus Marcius Park. We couldn’t have asked for more.” Jeanine chewed on her fingernail for a second. “I’m thinking about expanding into other lines of comfort food—like macaroni and cheese or soups.”

  “Interesting … ” Madalyn said. “Why? We’ve always been a simple bakery.”

  Jeanine folded her legs on her chair and took a swig of beer. “The lunch crowd is huge in the city. I think we could grow our top line if we added a few simple lunch options to our menu.”

  “That sounds like a good plan,” Madalyn said. “You should definitely go for it. Maybe offer a few varieties of macaroni and cheese. Like a spicy version with jalapenos or down-home version with sliced sausage. Soup is always a good idea. You can serve it in a bread bowl, make it a unique experience.”

  “I like it,” Jeanine said. She wrote some notes on a small piece of paper. “I was concerned about the additional cost of bowls but the bread bowl idea takes care of that issue. I don’t want to invest in bowls until I know the concept will work.”

  “I’m surprised Mom and Dad didn’t think of doing this years ago,” Madalyn said.

  “They’re a little freaked out by the idea,” Jeanine said. “They think we should stick with what we do best—fresh baked goods. But I want to try and diversify a little.”

  “I say go for it!” Madalyn drained her last beer and smiled. It was typical of Jeanine to push people out of their comfort zones.

  Jeanine drummed her fingers on the table. “Have you made any decisions about what you’re going to do now that you’re back?”

  Madalyn stared into her empty glass. “I want to move back to Detroit. I thought about it on the flight over. There’s nothing for me in Chicago except for my job. I shouldn’t have any problems finding a new one here. My resume is solid and I’m sure my boss would be happy to give me a reference. You’re all here—you, Mom and Dad. Katie will be back from Europe soon. I don’t have any close friends in Chicago. Besides, the friends that I do have all run in Charlie’s circle.”

  “Mom and Dad are going to be thrilled to hear the news!” Jeanine said with a smile. “When do we start looking for an apartment?”

  “Tomorrow,” Madalyn replied. “Let’s start with Colonial Court in Birmingham. I was researching places on the internet during the flight. Technology is a wonderful thing. I’m hoping I can rent a one-bedroom condominium for a few months until I have time to complete a proper search for a more permanent solution. After we find an apartment we can head over to pick up the folks and grab a bite to eat. My treat!”

  Jeanine lifted her glass, “Welcome home, Madalyn.”

  Chapter Fourteen – Home Sweet Home

  It had finally arrived: her first day at Bristol & Bristol. She was anxious to get started with her job. It marked the final step in her new life in Detroit. It was hard to believe that in three short weeks she had quit her job in Chicago, moved into a rented condominium in Birmingham, Michigan, and found a new job with a well-established law firm in the historic Penobscot Building located in downtown Detroit. Everything was falling into place.

  Madalyn walked into her spacious closet—it was one of her favorite features of her new home—and scanned the shelves, unable to decide what she should wear. She wanted everything to go just right. Should she go with the dark blue pantsuit and light blue silk blouse, which made her eyes pop, or the light grey sheath dress with black and white color blocks?

  She recalled her promise to meet Jeanine for drinks at TAP in the MGM Grand Casino after work. It was Jeanine’s favorite pub. Taking this into consideration, she finally decided on wearing the sheath dress, and knelt down to grab a pair of shoes. She knew exactly which pair she wanted: black satin open-toed shoes with a wide strap up the center of the foot and high but sturdy heels. They had been perfect for the salsa in Old San Juan. Perhaps they would bring her luck on her first day of work.

  She stared at the framed picture on her bedside table. There they all were: Susie and Jason, Mike with his arm around Liz, and Royce—all of them sitting on the deck of Lady Lavender enjoying their lunch. It was probably unhealthy the way she held on to the memory of her time with Royce. But why couldn’t she cherish that time? They were all her friends. She had never felt as alive as she had in that one week with Royce. His lively character and good humor had been exactly what she needed to forget her troubles in Chicago. If only things could have worked out differently in the end. But she had promised herself she wouldn’t dwell on it. Royce had made a choice not to continue their relationship beyond the cruise, and she was going to honor his decision, even though it took every ounce of her determination not to search for him on the internet.

  She rubbed down her legs with lotion, giving them a smooth sheen before pulling her dress on and buckling on her pumps. She hated the feel of nylons in hot summer months. Besides, with her newly acquired tan, nobody would notice that she wasn’t wearing any. She brushed her hair until it was silky and soft, and pulled it back into a chignon, letting a few strands fall loose by her face to soften the effect. A little mascara, eyeliner and lip gloss was all she needed and she was ready to go.

  She sat down gingerly in h
er black Buick Enclave and pulled out of her driveway to head toward Woodward Avenue. Sunshine poured through the spattering of clouds in the sky, making her grab for her sunglasses. It was such a beautiful day she decided to take Woodward all the way downtown and avoid the traffic jam that surely awaited her on southbound I-75. She listened to her favorite radio station and sang along as she drove. Within 35 minutes she was parked and walking into the grand four-story entrance of the Penobscot Building. The intricate details and elegant marble flooring in the foyer were reminiscent of a time long gone by. She loved that her new office stood in a historical building. She walked directly to the elevator shaft, taking the first elevator straight up to the 40th floor. Stepping off, she found her bearings and turned to the right where the receptionist waited with a friendly greeting.

  “Hi, I’m Madalyn Russell,” she said to the receptionist. “It’s my first day. I’m supposed to meet Jerry Thompson at nine o’clock.”

  “Welcome to Bristol & Bristol, Madalyn,” the heavyset woman said and offered Madalyn a seat in the waiting area. “I’m Colleen Bradford. I’ll let Jerry know that you’ve arrived. Please help yourself to a cup of coffee.”

  Madalyn shook her hand and thanked her. She set her briefcase and purse on a couch and walked over to the miniature coffee bar in the corner of the reception area. She selected hazelnut flavored coffee and made a single cup, adding a bit of sugar and one creamer. Walking over to the large window, she gazed out onto the Detroit skyline. There was a magnificent view of the Ambassador Bridge to the right and the GM Renaissance Center to the left. A barge was slowly making its way up the river. Before she had a chance to finish her coffee, Jerry strolled through the doors with a wide grin on his face and walked over to shake her hand.

  “Welcome,” he said, “I’m so glad you made it all right on your first day. Come, follow me. I’ll let you get settled into your new office and then show you around the place.”

  “Thanks, Jerry,” Madalyn said. “It’s good to see you again.” Jerry was nearly eye level with Madalyn when she wore her heels. His thin, mouse-brown hair was cropped short and a pair of steel frame glasses sat high on the bridge of his nose. He looked like a typical lawyer in his dark blue suit with a plain white shirt and yellow striped tie.