“I’ll go see,” Gerald said.
Madison was oblivious to what was happening around her. Her heart was heavy from all of the lies. She missed church again because she didn’t want to lie in the sanctuary. Her mom looked at her disapprovingly when she walked in the room.
“Madison, if you can go out, you can get up in the morning and give the Lord a few hours of your time,” her mother scolded.
“I watched one of the TV ministries,” Madison said in her own defense.
Ethel shook her head. “Now child there’s nothing wrong with doing that. But the Lord likes for us to fellowship with one another. You’ve said yourself that going to church gives you the fuel you need to deal with your hectic week.”
Madison looked down on the floor. “It does, but there’s so much stuff going on. I don’t feel right.”
Before she could finish, her Dad said, “Look who I found at the front door.”
Madison looked up and saw Ethan standing between her dad and Gerald.
Ethan hugged Ethel. “Hi Mrs. Allen,” he said.
“Hi yourself. Madison told us you had to work,” Ethel said.
Madison couldn’t bring herself to look at anyone. “I’m glad you’re here,” she softly said.
“I bet you are,” Napoleon commented.
Ethel ignored Napoleon’s comment. “Madison, what are you waiting on? Go get an extra plate and silverware out the china cabinet,” her mother instructed her.
Madison wanted to ask Ethan why he was there, but didn’t. She obeyed her mom and followed them into the dining room. Her family was happy to see Ethan.
Napoleon stated, “Ethan you sit up here next to me. Madison, I want you sitting right next to him.”
“Yes sir,” Madison bashfully said. Something’s not right.
Madison squirmed in her seat. Adrienne was watching her when she looked up and gave her a curious stare. Madison wanted to lick her tongue out at Adrienne, but she knew that was an immature act. So she straightened up.
Napoleon stood at the head of the table and said, “I’m glad to see everyone is here once again safe and sound. Before we start dinner, I want to give Ethan a chance to say something.”
Madison whispered in Ethan’s ear, “What’s going on here? You’re not supposed to be here.”
“Madi, let Ethan speak please,” Napoleon firmly said.
Everyone looked at Napoleon as if wondering why he spoke so harshly.
Ethan stood up. She heard him clear his throat a few times. She felt like fleeing the room, but she didn’t have the nerve or the strength to stand up.
“Thanks, Mr. Allen,” Ethan started. “I’m here today to clear up a few things. I’m here today because there is no other woman in the world I would rather spend my life with.”
Madison watched Adrienne pull her chair closer to the table and put her elbow on the table and hand under her chin so she wouldn’t miss a word that came out of Ethan’s mouth.
Madison turned and looked at him and said, “Ethan don’t.”
“Madison, I know I promised you I wouldn’t say anything to your family,” Ethan said regretfully, “but I want to do this right. I tried doing it your way and it didn’t work. I probably should have talked to you about it, but I’m the man and I must stand on what I know is right.”
Madison held her breath. She looked at her father and noticed a smile. She looked up at Ethan. “What are you saying?”
As if they were the only ones in the room, Ethan looked into her eyes. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. He pulled the chair out further, got down on one knee and reached for Madison’s hands.
“I’ve asked your father’s permission, so Madison Allen, will you take me, Ethan Campbell, as your husband, to have and to love you all the days of my life?”
“I thought y’all were already married,” Pam curiously said.
“It’s too late to be proposing now,” Adrienne shouted.
“Y’all be quiet!” Napoleon shouted as he slammed his fist on the table.
“What’s going on here?” Ethel asked.
“Trust me,” Madison heard her father say.
“Madison, did you hear me?” Ethan asked, holding his breath.
Tears fell from her eyes. She looked around the table at her family. She saw her father shake his head up and down. She smiled and looked at Ethan and in a light whisper said, “Yes.”
“What was that?” Napoleon asked.
“Yes,” she repeated. “Ethan, I will marry you.” Ethan placed the two-carat diamond cut ring on her finger.
“Now will somebody tell me what’s going on?” Ethel asked.
Ethan got off his knees and sat down beside Madison. Not once did he release her hand. Madison got the courage she needed from the strength she felt in his hands.
Napoleon said, “I’ll let Madison tell you. The floor is yours, baby.”
Ethan added, “He knows.”
“Everything?” Madison questioned. Ethan shook his head. “This isn’t going to be easy.”
“Spill it out,” Adrienne said as she sat back and crossed her arms.
Madison sighed and began telling her family about her and Ethan’s relationship. No one said anything as she spoke. Ethan put his arms around her shoulders for support.
“I know you’re wondering why we, I mean I did it. I’m not making any excuses, but I hope you all can see it from my point of view,” Madison concluded.
“It’s hard to figure out why someone would lie to their family for months and then get other people involved,” Pam stated as she looked between Madison and Ethan.
“Every time we get together,” Madison began to reason, “the first thing out of everybody’s mouth is ‘when are you getting married? Why isn’t Madison married yet?’ Or ‘something must be wrong with her if she hadn’t snagged her a husband by now.’” She looked at her mom and noticed tears in her eyes. “I actually did think something was wrong with me until I met this guy.” She looked at Ethan. “I had already lied about being married, but he was my knight in shining armor. He was willing to do whatever it took to make me happy.”
Ethel spoke for the first time. “He shouldn’t have lied for you.”
“I know, Mom, but he did. It might not be right, but he was only trying to make Madison happy,” Madison said in defense of Ethan. “For the first time a man put me first. Even when he thought it was a crazy idea.”
“You got that right!” Adrienne shouted.
“Hold on, Adrienne,” Madison said. “Don’t go judging me. You’re the one who kept telling me I needed to hurry up and get married so I could have kids. For six months straight, every conversation we had evolved around me being single. You tried to fix me up with every guy you knew.”
Adrienne looked away. “I was only trying to help,” she explained.
Madison looked around the room. “I know and I love you for it, but couldn’t y’all see the anguish you put me through? I know it's been tradition for the women in the family to all marry before twenty-one but this is a new day. I'm only twenty-two and I have an entire life ahead of me. I have plenty of time to marry. That's how I felt before now. Before Ethan. All of this has been so stressful. I just wanted to make y'all happy and proud of me. Even with my good grades and a great job, it seemed like you were still disappointed that I wasn't married."
Madison's hands began to shake and tears streamed down her face.
Ethel stood up and walked over to her. “Dear, I’m sorry for any part I may have had.”
“It’s not your fault, Mom. I shouldn’t have lied. I bowed down to the pressure.”
“Give us a minute,” Ethel said. Madison stood up and followed her mom. Adrienne and Pam walked behind them.
Chapter 47
The tears wouldn’t stop flowing from Madison’s eyes. Her mom handed her a handkerchief. “Madison, you have to stop crying,” she told her.
“I know. I feel like a big baby,” Madison replied.
“That’s because you are,” Adrienne joked, but stopped when everybody shot their eyes at her. “Sorry. I know this is the wrong time to be joking.”
Madison noticed that Pam was the only one who hadn’t said anything. “Pam, I’m sorry.”
“You should be.” Pam frowned.
“You’ve all done some crazy things, but I must admit, Madison you got them all beat.” Ethel half-heartedly smiled.
“I promise to cook the next four Sundays if y’all forgive me,” Madison promised.
“Girl, there’s nothing to forgive. I wanted to see how low you would go,” Pam said, hugging her.
Ethel went and poured her some water. “You need to pull yourself together and go back out there to that wonderful man of yours. Don’t worry about anything else.”
Madison took the water and drank a little of it before heading back into the dining room with her mother and two sisters on her heels. When they re-entered the room, Madison noticed everyone in side conversations, but then the room got dead silent when she walked back in.
Napoleon stood up and hugged Madison before kissing her on the cheek. “Everybody hold hands so we can pray and eat this cold food,” he ordered. A few chuckles were heard around the room. “Father God, please forgive us this day for the sins we have knowingly and unknowingly committed. You know our hearts, Lord. Thank you for my family and soon to be son-in-law. You know his heart was in the right place when you sent him to protect my daughter from herself. Bless this food we’re about to eat and keep us close to you as we travel on this journey we call life. Amen.”
Madison kissed her father on the cheek before sitting down next to Ethan.
***
After warming up some of the food, the rest of dinner was uneventful. Ethan marveled at the strength Madison’s father showed during the entire ordeal. He reminded him of his own father; and he vowed that day if he ever had a son, he would teach him the same wholesome values.
“A penny for your thoughts,” Madison whispered in Ethan’s ear.
“Give me a quarter and I might tell you,” he replied.
“I remember when…” She opened her mouth to say, before Ethan bent down and kissed her.
Napoleon walked over and pulled them away. “Save that for the honeymoon,” he said.
“Daddy,” Madison bashfully said.
Ethan enjoyed the time he spent with Madison’s family. He knew the love he had for both Madison and her family was genuine. Even knowing what they did, they welcomed him again into the family.
Madison bent down and wrapped her arms around Ethan’s shoulders. “Are you ready to go?” she asked him.
“Only if you are,” he responded.
“Mom and Dad, we’re going to leave now. I’ll call you later.” She picked up her purse.
“Now that we know you’re not actually husband and wife, you guys need to be living in separate quarters,” Ethel said as she walked them to the door.
“We already are,” Madison said as she hugged Ethel and Napoleon.
“Don’t be a stranger now, son,” Napoleon stated. “You’re welcome over here anytime, whether Madison is with you or not.”
“I won’t be. I promise,” Ethan said. Then he and Madison walked to their cars.
“Your place or mine?” Madison asked.
“Yours. I’ll follow you,” Ethan said with a smile.
***
While driving home, Madison called Charlotte. “I couldn’t wait to tell you. Ethan and I are engaged.” Madison went on to tell her what happened at her parents.
“I’m going to be a bridesmaid,” Charlotte sang.
Madison drove down her street. “I want you to be my maid of honor.”
Charlotte got quiet. “Are you sure? What about one of your sisters?”
“You’re my very best friend and besides, you know they would argue if I chose one over the other.”
“In that case, girl I’m honored.”
Madison smiled. “I’m at home now, so I’ll talk to you later.”
“Later girl.”
“Bye.”
Madison parked and threw the phone in her purse. Before she could get out of the car, Ethan was opening her door for her. “Thanks.”
“You’re quite welcome,” he said as they walked to the front door.
“I still can’t believe everything is out in the open.” She sighed as she unlocked the door and let them in. “I feel like a ton of bricks have been lifted off my shoulders,” Madison exclaimed as she threw her purse on the chair.
Ethan swung her around. “I’m glad you agreed to be the real Mrs. Campbell.”
“How could I resist with lips like these?” Madison stated as they kissed passionately.
Ethan was the first to pull away. “If you don’t stop, I don’t think I can control-”
“You don’t have to,” Madison moaned.
“Yes, we do.” Ethan took her hand and led her to the couch and continued to say, “We’ve waited this long, so there’s no reason why we can’t wait until we say our vows.”
“But-”
He placed his finger on her lips. “No buts. You’re a virgin now and you’ll be one when I marry you.”
She pouted. “But what if I’m not good enough?”
“Oh, there’s no doubt in my mind that making love to you will be the most extraordinary thing for both of us. I’m not saying I’m an expert, but I’ll teach you what I know. And what I don’t know…well, there’s always a video.”
She playfully hit him with her hand. “You’re something else.”
“What’s on TV?” he asked as he kicked back on the couch.
She picked up the remote and turned it on. “How about a Lifetime movie?”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ve lived a Lifetime movie,” he said with a smirk on his face.
“There’s nothing else on,” Madison said, flicking channels.
He reached for the remote, turned it back on Lifetime and placed it on the coffee table. “Come here.” He pulled her into his arms. Madison placed her head on his chest. She smiled, because she felt at home.
They watched the movie and fell asleep in one another’s arms.
Chapter 48
It was well after midnight when the ringing of Ethan’s cell phone woke them both. “Madison, I’m sorry,” Ethan said. “It must be an emergency for someone to be calling me this late.”
“What time is it?” she asked with a yawn.
“I don’t know exactly, but it’s still dark outside,” Ethan said before answering the phone. “This is Ethan.”
His facial expression changed. Madison asked, “What’s wrong?”
Ethan reached for her. She snuggled up to him. “No. I don’t have any of that information, but I’ll find out what I can and get back with you. How’s the ba-?” Ethan went to ask before obviously getting cut off. He nodded his head and then hung up the phone.
Madison seemed scared. “Who was it? What’s wrong?”
“It’s Sarah.”
“What?” Madison pulled away. “Why is she calling you at this hour?”
“Calm down, baby. It wasn’t Sarah, it was about Sarah. That was the hospital. She was killed in a car accident last night.”
“Oh my God!” Madison exclaimed while putting her hand over her mouth.
“It comes as a shock to me too.”
“What about Christopher? Is he-” Madison couldn’t finish asking her questions.
“No. His car seat saved him.”
“What is that sweet little boy going to do without his mother?” Madison asked as Ethan rocked her in his arms.
“I don’t know, sweetie. I don’t know.”
Madison sat up. “How did the hospital know to call you?”
“She still had me listed as Christopher’s father. I guess she never got around to changing the contact information.”
“We need to go get him. I know he’s scared out of his mind. I would be, too, after a horrible accident.”
“Madison, Sarah’s Mom can take care of Christopher.”
“I don’t know. Sarah and I weren’t the best of friends, but I feel she was serious about the type of woman she described her mom as.”
“Her mom is a character,” Ethan confirmed with a look of doubt.
Madison stood up and grabbed his hand. “Come on. We have to go check on him.”
“Madison, I don’t know.”
“It’s weird, but even after all that transpired with me and her, I feel like it’s the right thing for us to do.”
Ethan looked up at Madison who had the deepest look of concern in her eyes. “I love you, Madison Allen.”
“I love you too. Now grab your keys.”
***
Madison held Ethan’s hand the entire way to the hospital, and as they entered the emergency room. She watched Ethan take control of the situation. The nurse pointed them towards a set of elevators. Tears flowed down Madison’s face when she saw some of the infants in the emergency room. One of the nurses was holding and playing with an infant that looked like Christopher from a distant.
The closer they got, Madison said, “That’s Christopher. He looks to be alright.” Christopher reached for Madison. She held him close to her chest. “I’m so glad you’re alright.” For a moment, Madison forgot Ethan was standing there. “Do you want to hold him?”
He paused and reached his arms out. Christopher smiled and almost jumped into his arms. “Hey, little fellow. I’m Ethan,” he said.
“Ma ma,” Christopher said.
Madison noticed the tears forming in Ethan’s eyes. She patted him on the back.
The nurse brought out some release forms. “I need you to sign here,” she said.
Ethan looked at Madison and back to the nurse. “There’s some misunderstanding. We didn’t come to-”
Madison interrupted him. She looped her arm through his and asked the nurse, “Can you give us a minute?”
“Sure. I’ll be right over there,” the nurse said as she took Christopher and walked to the other side of the room.
Ethan whispered, “Madison, what are you doing?”
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