First Love..again

Chapter Two: One Week Ago

Outside of the Chamber of Commerce, the Helio Islands relief volunteers began to arrive and gather together to form what looked like a rather motley crew. They were if nothing, a diverse bunch of individuals. If someone had driven by, one would think that the group was gathered for an event rather than gathered together for the same cause.

Madison herself was busy chatting with a woman named Mia who works for a company that makes tube socks. Oddly enough, she was sporting tune socks.

“What a missed opportunity,” Madison chuckled to herself.

Another man named Joshua, who has his own non-profit, had joined the ladies in their discussion. He explained that his company supplied canned goods to the needy. However, he himself looked like he was one of the needy. He was dressed in old rags and the smell of day old sweat lingered about.

Madison wasn’t one to judge thigh, typically. She knew that what was on the surface wasn’t always what lies beneath. He was a pleasant enough man with a kind heart. For all she knew, he was a millionaire. Not that it mattered to her.

Just then, out of the corner of her eye, mid conversation, Madison was rendered speechless. She completely forgot what she was discussing... that is... because she spotted someone. Someone from her past. Someone she knew quite well. It was... Benjamin pulling up to the curb in his black Escalade.

Struck back to the moment, Madison tried to remember her previous conversation, "Sorry, what was I saying," she asked the two?

She was now flustered. Benjamin was looking straight at her now, a big smile on his face. Madison managed to let out a small smile of her own towards his direction. She didn't want to come across as eager to see him, even though her whole body fluttered. He had always had that effect on her. She couldn't deny that. She just needed to push past the feeling. They aren't in the place any longer.

Madison’s palms began to clam up. She could feel her antiperspirant wearing thin. How did she end up like after so much time?

"You were explaining the toiletries that you would be providing," Mia reminded Madison, matter-of-factly.

"Oh right, yes...thank you," Madison composed herself as she watched Benjamin go off to talk with some other individuals in another small group.

“Thank goodness he did t come over,” she. Felt her stomach church.

“Oh my god. It was her. She is here. She looks so good after all this time. I’m not surprised,” Benjamin’s mind began to race around as he noticed Madison from afar. “I’ll make my rounds before I say, ‘hi.’ It would be too awkward if I went right up to her. Although, even though I haven’t seen her forever, I do still know more about her than this smorgishboard group of others that are around here!”

Benjamin walked toward a large group but Madison was on his mind still. He decided to take the listening approach and not interrupt the conversation at hand.

“I wonder if she’d even talk to me,” he pondered off in his own mind.

“Benjamin?”

“Benjamin!!”

“Sorry, what,” he now responded to someone he didn’t recognize from the group.

“I said, I had hoped that you would come over to talk to me, and here you are!”

“Oh, sorry. Hello! I’m Benjamin.”

“I know who you are, silly, I just used your name!”

“Oh, right, sorry. I’m not sure where my head is,” he had gotten flustered still thinking of Madison.

“Well that’s quite alright, we have plenty of time to get acquainted inside. I have worked with your Father before,” the gentleman spoke directly to him again.

“Oh, my father. You have!”

“Well yes,” the gentleman noted.

Brian began to look around to see if he could see Madison, but she must have already headed inside, he concluded.

“My name is..” the gentleman began to speak again.

Benjamin interrupted him as he could see the group all heading inside.

“It’s nice to meet you!” Brian exited the conversation with the man and followed the others inside.

He was clearly not expecting to feel the way that he had when he saw Madison. It was as if she had never left his life. He needed to lose that mentality. She was just a woman now and he a man. They were not friends. They were not lovers. They were..the past.

.................

Inside the Chamber Building, there were four long rectangular tables set up in the shape of a square. Each table had three seats. Madison took her spot next to Mia and another older gentleman, whom she knew as Nelson. Nelson's company sold distilled water.

Benjamin sat diagonal to her, next to a lady named Victoria, who appeared to prod herself on any attractive male figure in the room. She was from a company called Prazo, which made backpacks. The mission would use them to package all the relief supplies that they were going to deliver.

All twelve seats in the room filled up quickly as the last few late stragglers made their way in.

Madison looked around and surveyed the room. "We are kind of an electric group," she thought.

An older lady with white hair and a frail body, stood up from her chair and addressed the group eloquently.

"Good afternoon, my name is Charlotte Stiles, for those of you that don't know me. I am organizing this relief mission. I am here representing Tommy Todd's Blankets. This is a company that my husband Tommy and I started more than 4O years ago." Charlotte gestured to her husband to make himself known.

Her husband Tommy, an even older looking man, but in good condition, stood up from next to her and waved to the group. “Hello.”

"You twelve people were brought here for a reason! You twelve are representing businesses and non-profits that care enough to make a difference. The Helio Islands relief efforts are long overdue” Charlotte began and the crowd all smiled or nodded in agreement.

“You all know that three weeks ago, these islands received complete and udder devastation. The government has now shut down all funding and relief... which is where we come in. Next week, each of you will join my husband and I, aboard our private plane, and spend the following week really making a difference to these people," Charlotte said motivationally! "Any questions?"

A few hands went up in the room, and Charlotte answered them all gracefully one by one.

However, Madison couldn't focus on the topic at hand. She should have been paying better attention, she knew. All that she could think about was seeing Benjamin again after some 20 years. Of course they didn't live that far apart, so she had seen him in passing from afar and heard of his company's success, but this was the closest the two had been since...well since they parted. Madison didn't even attend her high school reunions for fear of seeing him. How on Earth would she be able to spend a week with him? She sighed heavily at the thought.

.................

After the Q and A session was over across the room, Madison noticed that Benjamin was still being bombarded by the same woman, Victoria. This made her chuckle a little seeing how quite uncomfortable he was in the conversation. Madison knew his body language all too well.

Honestly, he couldn't wait to be away from Victoria. She appeared to be about his same age. She was someone who would never go out without a ton of makeup. She could be considered attractive in her own right. However, she was definitely not Benjamin’s type. Even if Benjamin wasn't a faithfully married man, Victoria wouldn't cross his radar. No, Victoria was too abrasive for his liking!

"So tell me more about the survival gear that your company makes," Victoria intently asked while gently touching Benjamin's arm? “I’m so intrigued!”

Brian stepped back slightly in hopes to escape the awkward closeness that he found himself in.

"Well...we make a variety of items, but the items that we'll be bringing on the mission will be multi tool utility knives and gear to protect from the elements, like tents, bug nets, tarps, and rain gear," Benjamin stated!

"Oh, how fascinating," Victoria smiled in an overly flirtatious way.

"Yes, I guess it is," he said cooley. "Excuse me, now, I really need to be heading out! It's been a pleasure meeting you," he lied.

Honestly, he just wanted out of there! He couldn't stand one more moment with Victoria. He knew full well that she was looking for more than volunteer and he wasn’t interested in the slightest!

As everyone was preparing to leave Benjamin made his way over to Madison, who was now almost to her car. She didn’t bother to address Benjamin earlier. It was too awkward, and he did seem to have his attention monopolized. He, however, didn't feel right not addressing her. She had once been everything to him.

Seeing her brought back those memories full force. Those were the good days.

"Nice Porsche, Maddy," he hollered to her from about 15 feet away!

Madison turned around in shock. She didn't expect him to approach her. She was more nervous now after hearing her name than she could remember ever being before. She wasn’t sure what the appropriate response should be either.

"Thank you," she hollared back with a big smile! "How have you been, Benny?" she asked?

Ben started walking closer to her now so there was no need to shout. "No one has called me that since...well, probably since we last spoke," he chuckled!

"Sorry. I guess everyone calls you Benjamin now," she apologized!

"Yes, but my friends call me Ben," he added!

"Well, Benjamin," she formally addressed him! "How have you been?"

"You can still call me Benny! It doesn't seem right if you don't," he smiled!

Madison couldn’t help but blush.

"I've been good. Work is good. The family is good," he added!

"Yes, I've heard that you have a full house at home," Madison smiled back.

"Yes, six kids! They keep us on our toes," he stated! "Honestly though, Heather takes the brunt of it, with me working so much. She stays home with the youngest ones, for now... until they start school in the fall," he added!

"How is Heather," Madison asked cooley?

Heather was two years older than them. She went to a different school than they did, but Madison never got a warm feeling about her. She always thought that Heather played a small role in them breaking up, but she couldn't prove it back then... not that it mattered now either, she knew.

"Heather is busy with six kids! Besides that, though, she is good. She does some take some painting and art classes at the local studio to keep her mind at peace," he joked!

"That's good," Madison noted awkwardly. She didn't know how to respond. She didn’t know if it were appropriate to say any more.

"What about your family," Benjamin asked? "You have two kids, right?"

"Yes, Avery and I have two kids," Madison stated!

Just hearing the name Avery made Benjamin's blood boil a little. He had always been jealous of Avery’s success, and maybe even a little jealous that he ended up with Maddy... not that he didn't love Heather or their life together. It was just that things seemed to come easier for Avery than most.

"Both teenagers, no less," Madison added. "But they are both great kids. "Parker, our son is just like his Dad, and Morgan, my youngest, is much like I was at her age!"

“So smart and beautiful and witty,” he half joked!

“You are too kind,” she found herself blushing again.

Ben returned the sentiment realizing that he probably shouldn’t have said that either.

"That's great, Maddy! I'm so happy for you both," Benjamin added honestly! Indeed, he was happy for her. He always wanted the best for her!

"Thank you. Same to you.”

An awkward silence fell over them both and it wasn’t until the car parked ahead of her started that Maddy realized she really did need to end this conversation. She had nothing more to say, for today, anyway.

“Well, I must be going," Madison explained. "We should catch up sometime," she tried to be friendly. "It looks like we'll be seeing a lot of each other very soon!"

"Yes, I would like that," he responded with a kind smile.

Benjamin walked closer towards Madison, reached in, and gave her a friendly hug before walking back to his Escalade as gracefully as he had approached her.

"Bye, Maddy! Take care.”

“You too, Benny,” she received his embrace.

Inside her car, Madison took a few minutes to process what had just happened. They were both so much older, no longer the teenage lovers. They were adults and they handled the situation gracefully. Madison felt proud of herself. She knew that day could have ended much worse. She and Benjamin could have completely ignored each other as if they were strangers meeting for the first time.

“He hugged me. That was awfully nice of him. That shows that he still cares about me as a person, no matter where we are in our lives, he respects m.” This left Madison feeling content.

Down the road in his Escalade, Benjamin let his arms flair outwardly and shook off the thousands of emotions traveling through his body.

“Why did I hug her? Was that wrong? She didn’t seem to be offended by it. It just felt..right.” He contemplated the last few minutes. “ It really was good to see her again after all this time. I am happy that she is doing so well. I never doubted anything less. Madison was..is still an amazing person.”

“Ding, ding, ding,” Ben’s phone rang and popped up on his car play.

“Heather. It was Heather,” he realized.

Hurt like that Benjamin was back in his everyday world.

“I’m on my way, home,” he answered the phone.