Chapter 13: Finding Madison
1178 Words
Madison couldn't stop the silent sobs from her throat while holding her baggage inside the bus. Her tears were dry, but every time she remembered Dylan's terrible words, she would gaze out of the window and quickly wipe her tears away so that the other passengers wouldn't notice her crying.
Dylan wasn't like that, and Madison firmly believed that. The person who threw her daggers of pain wasn't the Dylan she knew. The young Master that Madison knew may be playful and self-centered, but the man in front of her that night was a monster, and seeing him like that, he belittled and taunted her title, made her heart swell with emotion.
Madison's heart gripped in pain as she kept thinking about how Dylan could easily say such words. Madison placed her left hand on her body where her heart was.
"What's this feeling?" She whispered in a tone of a question. Sophie once told her that loving someone wasn't only about happiness. It can be an extreme pain too. Was this unbearable feeling Madison felt; was it love or just the pain of leaving Sophie and the other maids?
She had already informed her Aunt Sabina that she was going home, holding a sum of her salary during her service in the Carter's Mansion. Her Aunt asked her why, but she just told her that she made a heinous mistake that made her decide to resign, but the Madam of the Carter's was considerate enough to give her a partial wage.
Madison calmed herself as she put some powder on her face so that they wouldn't notice that she cried once she got down from the
bus and faced them upon her arrival. Madison couldn't help but feel the excitement and misery she had been carrying for months of missing her family when the bus arrived at the nearest waiting area where vehicles generally dropped their passengers.
Salt air breezes, Madison was finally home. Their hometown didn't change for the months she had
been gone. "The neighborhood never changes, huh?" Madison muttered, shaking her head with a grin. Northville remains the same. Thus, the new occupants and houses in their town were evident.
While crossing the open road through their house, some of the neighbors welcomed her, especially Mrs. Adeline, and some gave her those stares of jeer and uncomfortable eyes that don't know anything but to gossip around.
"Madds!" Madison's eyes suddenly darted to where that shrill voice came from; Madison's eyes widened as her smile slowly crept on her lips upon seeing their youngest, Cassie, waving at her.
"Look, it's Madds!" The voice became mixed and followed by Lily and Penelope's voices that were coated with excitement. Madison Stiffened when her eyes landed in front of their house. Her mother was waiting for her and assisted by her Aunt Sabina, whose eyes sparkled in delight as they met.
Madison's baggage slowly fell to the ground; she couldn't withstand the emotions that flared up
inside her heart after months of being away and wasn't around to be with them. Madison's eyes were misted in tears, her hands were shaking, and her voice created a whimpering sound.
'" I-I am home!" Madison murmured, wiping a sequence of tears from her face.
Her three sisters attacked her for a warm embrace, covering her with their tears and yearning for
their Eldest. Ruth and Sabina, on the other hand, couldn't help but wipe their tears upon seeing the sisters united again.
Sabina placed her hand on her Sister's shoulder and stroked it gently. Ruth held her Sister's
as they watched the sisters burst into tears in front of their abode.
"I thought it was a homecoming drama, but you sisters were just the ones who were spitting words for each other? How about Aunt Sabina and your Mother?" Sabina cracked a joke until the four peeked at each other.
"Mission gave the aunt and the mother a hug!" Cassie started, raising her hand in the stance of a pirate while the three saluted and said in unison, "Aye, Captain Cassie!"
"Attack!" Penelope signaled as they carefully enveloped Ruth and Sabina into a warm embrace. The house became alive again now that Madison was back. She believes their life will cycle again like they lived before, a life with contentment, love, and happiness.
When they all distanced after the warm hug, they all laughed unison and exchanged words while guiding Madison inside. Lily held Madison's baggage while Penelope was busy spitting out false news and intending to tease their youngest.
"Madds, when I fetched Cassie last time in her school, I saw her talking with a
little lad, and guess what? She even blushed and acted cute in front of him!"
"Cassie…" Madison warned.
"Oh, I guess I have to hear the full details. Continue, Penelope," Lily snickered. Cassie's face heated up, and the youngest frowned in front of her sisters, trying to escape Penelope's narrative.
"I didn't know our youngest already had a crush on someone." It was Sabina. She was
pushing Ruth's wheelchair with a warm smile plastered on her aged face.
"Mom, you're supposed to be resting," Madison attended to her mother and gave Ruth a
peck on her forehead. Madison's Aunt, Sabina, told her that her mother was still weak and needed immediate rest for her fast recovery after being discharged from the Hospital.
"My eldest has arrived, and I will not miss the news of my lovely Madison's arrival. Thank you
for being a kind daughter and Sister to your siblings," Ruth expressed heartfelt gratitude. She couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude for having a daughter as resilient as Madison.
Madison couldn't help but wipe the tears from her eyes; her mother was frail, but she tried her
hardest to say those words to her.
"Aw, this was supposed to be a Happy Day because it's Madds Arrival! We shouldn't throw drama
vibes!" Lily chirped while clinging to Madison's waist.
"I thought we were talking about Cassie's newfound crush?" Penelope blurted out while
peering at Cassie, who quietly sighed with relief as the conversation shifted.
"Penelope, you are such a meanie!" Cassie's face wrinkled.
"Alas, let us give Madison some space to rest. She has recently returned from the city." Sabina said while motioning Madison's sisters to leave Madison's room.
"But I wanted to be with Madds!" Lily expressed her dismay as her shoulder dropped.
"We can talk to her later, Lily, but for now, we should give Madd little rest because she seems exhausted from her travel," Penelope responded by tugging Cassie, who was set to stay with Madison until the door closed, leaving Madison alone in her room.
Madison began unpacking her stuff to reorganize her clothing. Instead of doing what her thoughts desired, she simply sat on her tiny bed and huffed for air.
"I'm glad I returned, but why do I feel like I missed something?" She mumbled, her gaze fixed on the hardwood floor of her room.
"Perhaps, I am just tired and need to rest, as Penelope said."
- Writer
