Page 81 of Real Forever
Tammy grabbed Dave’s forearm. “Babe, calm down.”
Madison’s eyebrows shot up. “Babe? Oh, isn’t this sweet? You two are just fucking adorable together.”
“Shut up, Madison. You better listen the fuck up—”
Madison raised her hand in front of Dave’s face. “No Dave, you better listen the fuck up. Here’s how this is going to work. You’re going to give Lauren a divorce. Lawyers are not going to be involved. You’re going to give her the house, her vehicle, custody of Maisie, and whatever else her beautiful little heart desires. And you,” Madison spun to face a stunned Tammy, “you are going to write Lauren a check for sixty-eight thousand dollars. Exactly what NorAsana took from her.”
Dave burst out laughing. “Sixty-eight grand? You’ve always been bat shit crazy, but this is a new level of—”
Madison raised the photo on her phone screen to face them, shutting Dave up in his tracks. She scrolled through the photos in silence as Tammy cried and Dave seethed.
She continued in a calm and measured tone. “You two will give me everything I have asked for. If you don’t, then you will see Lauren and I in court. And I will make sure these photos are published in every tabloid magazine and every website on the goddamn internet. Everyone will see you both for what you are.” She looked Dave up and down with disgust. “An abusive, adulterous piece of shit,” she turned her withering gaze to Tammy, “and a tacky, greedy homewrecker. How’s that going to look for NorAsana, Tammy? Hardly the perfect Christian wife you advertise yourself as. Are you going to hold his hand in court while he tries to destroy an innocent young mother and her sweet daughter?” Madison cocked her head and pursed her lips. “Not a good look, hun.”
Madison took a step back and surveyed the damage from the bomb she’d just detonated. Dave’s jaw was clenched tight, and he was breathing in short, angry puffs through his nose. Tammy was crying quietly and hiding her face in her hands.
Good. Stay mad, you miserable fucks.
Dave broke the silence. “I don’t give a shit what you do with the photos, Madison. Put them on Instagram or whatever other bullshit you think you’re going to do. It’ll be a cold day in hell before I give you or your bitch sister a thing. She can try fighting me in court and—” Tammy interrupted with a firm hand across Dave’s chest.
“Dave, shut up. You’re not the one with something to lose here—I am. You’ve got what? A two-hundred thousand dollar house in fucking Snowbrook on the line? I’ve got a multi-million dollar company to worry about. I’m making this decision.” Tammy shot Dave an icy glare, and he shrank underneath it. Madison couldn’t hold back a snort. Tammy turned to Madison. “We will give you what you’ve asked for. But you’ll need to agree to destroy all the copies of those photos. All of them.”
“Agreed,” Madison offered her hand.
Tammy glared at it but didn’t take it. “I’ll have my lawyer write it up today. Dave and I will both sign it. I promise.”
With a triumphant smile, Madison turned and strutted out the door.
* * *
Snow fluttereddown as Madison walked home after dropping Agatha’s car off. It was a calm night, and the fresh blanket of snow silenced quiet little Snowbrook even more. The crisp air felt good on her skin and she tipped her chin up to the sky, letting the snowflakes land on her cheeks.
I did it. I came through for Lauren when she needed me. She and Maisie are going to be okay. We’re all going to be okay.
As happy and accomplished as she felt about the Lauren situation, a ball of pain sat heavy in her stomach. Jake was still leaving. As she walked, she thought about what Agatha had said. Could she really pick up and move to Calgary? The thought of being so far away from Lauren and Maisie, even knowing they’d be safe from Dave, made Madison’s throat lump. But then again, so did the thought of losing Jake forever.
What would I even do in Calgary? But, I guess, what will I do here?
Her thoughts engrossed her as she approached Lauren’s house, and she didn’t notice the silhouette sitting on the porch step, illuminated by the twinkling white Christmas lights lining the house.
“Hey.”
A rush of adrenaline flushed through Madison’s body at the sound of Jake’s voice. She stopped mid-stride.
“Hey.”
Why is he here? Oh god. Is he here to say goodbye?
“Listen, Madison. I need to—”
Panic gripped Madison’s chest, and all at once, she knew exactly what she wanted.
“No,” Madison interrupted, stepping toward him and holding out her hands. “Please, don’t say anything.”
Madison shuffled her boots, searching for the right words in the snow beneath her. “When we were at the NorAsana conference, dancing, you asked me what it felt like to be free. Do you remember that? I’ve thought about it so many times. Because I don’t feel free, Jake. I don’t feel free at all. I feel like… have you ever lost control of your car on the ice? That’s how I feel. I’m fishtailing, and I’m spinning and I try to steer out of it, but it only makes it worse. I can’t see which way is forward anymore, so I’m sitting in the driver’s seat with my hands in my lap, waiting for it to stop.
“But it’s time for me to grab the steering wheel again. Because my dad wouldn’t want me to be sad forever. Because I deserve to create an exciting, fulfilling life. And because I love you, Jake. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone, and I’d rather risk the pain of losing your love than of never having had it. The other day I went home—to the house I grew up in. I sat outside, waiting for that familiar, safe feeling to wash over me. But for the first time in my life, it didn’t feel like home. And I realize now, it’s because you weren’t there. You’re my home now, Jake, so if I need to move to Calgary to be with you, then let’s go. I’m in. I’ll pack a fucking bag right now and we can—”
“Madison, stop,” Jake interrupted.
