for, lover (Completed; editing)

Chapter 34

I've never felt happier to be home. As soon as I hit my bed I desperately craved, I pass out for a few hours going well into the afternoon. Mom denied my request for her to go home. She wanted to stay with me until I got completely settled.

She wakes me up a quarter past 5 to get me to eat. Maddy had cooked an entire meal for the three of us as a glad to be home welcoming for all of us. I'm sure they are probably just as excited as I am to be back in North Carolina.

I haven't had much of an appetite since Tennessee but that tends to change when it comes to Maddy's cooking. She made a giant batch of alfredo and garlic bread. She even set up the table with a set of roses and a candle to make it look fancy. I giggle and sit down in my seat.

"Wow Mads, you didn't have to go this hard."

"I know it may be a shock to you but I actually missed cooking."

I laugh under my breath and take a sip of my water.

"That sounded like an understatement." Mom adds.

Maddy smiles and starts digging out pasta onto everyone's plates. It smells incredible and tastes even better than expected. She must have changed the recipe because it has much more flavor than it did before. Maybe it's just been the lack of homecooked meals for the past week and a half.

"Have you talked to Jeff about going back to work?" Maddy asks.

I swivel a few noodles around my fork and stare down at my plate. I had called him while I was in the hospital when they told me I wouldn't be back by the time my mini vacation ended. He was surprisingly chill about the whole thing and sent his warm regards for a speedy recovery. Apparently everyone at home saw the News and wanted posters out looking for Levi. Thankfully, they didn't release my name or picture so I wouldn't be bombarded by anyone when I returned home.

"Yeah, he said my extension was approved and I should just relax and get well soon." I explain.

"Oddly nice of him considering he's usually a prick."

"Maddy!" I gasp and fail at fighting my fit of laughter.

I even see my mom crack a smile. Her gaze doesn't break from the TV in the living room. Levi's picture flashes across the screen again. She's been watching it nonstop waiting for any update on him being found. He wouldn't be dumb enough to return back here where everyone knows who he is but she's still paranoid.

"You never told him where you live did you?" she asks, still not looking away.

I don't think so but I can't imagine it'd be hard to find me since he tracked Miles down so well. I'm not too worried about him. Everyone knows what he looks like and supposedly has been keeping an eye out. I really don't think he could get far.

"No but he knows I work at Scream Beans. That's probably why Jeff is okay with me staying out for this long."

"You still have to heal too. You can't go right back into running all over the place serving coffee." Maddy says.

"I feel great, though. A lot better than a few days ago. I was just tired from the car ride. That's probably why I was asleep for so long."

Mom sets her fork down and finally breaks attention from the News to look at me.

"You should take it easy, Bree. At least until they find this psycho."

I'm too exhausted to argue with her so I just nod my head and keep eating. The rest of dinner consists of Maddy talking about some local art contest she was thinking about entering. Of course, I encouraged it and she's got plenty of things to show since her last breakdown filled our apartment with beautiful pieces.

I tried to help clean up the table and kitchen but my mother insisted for me to go lay down so I don't strain anything. Once again, I decide not to fight with her. She'll be leaving soon and we don't need another blowup like what had happened at the hospital. Things have been calm and I would really like to keep it that way before she goes home.

"Are you sure you don't need me to stay the night? I just want to make sure you're okay."

I'm practically pushing her out of the door at this point.

"Momma, we are perfectly fine on our own. I've got my pepper spray and Maddy still has her taser so we're all good to fight if need be."

"I hope you're joking." She says flatly.

"About the fighting or about the tasing?" I ask.

She chuckles and leans over to peck my cheek.

"Get some rest, ladies. Goodnight."

She shuts the door as she leaves and I let out a huge relief filled sigh. Maddy smiles as she finishes putting up the clean dishes. I walk to the kitchen where she is and hop up on the counter, snagging another rocky road brownie from the crystal blue plate Maddy had presented after dinner.

"I'm really glad to be home." I tell her as I dig my teeth into the gooey texture, fueling my serotonin.

"Girl, me too. I'm seeing Ben in the morning by the way so if I'm not here when you wake up that's why."

"Dang, you're gonna leave me alone already?" I chuckle.

"Duty calls."

"Did you mean to say booty calls?"

She snags the hand cloth from the oven handle and slaps my leg with it.

"You're one to talk. Have you even called Tony back yet?"

"Tony is not a booty call. Also no, I haven't. We just got back into town. I'm not talking to anyone right now."

"So not Miles either?"

I shove the last bite of brownie in my mouth and shake my head.

"Nope." I answer.

"You know he's back in town too, right? He obviously wasn't going to stay with those bastards."

I know he's back in town. He told me he was moving back the last time I spoke to him. He probably told me that to see if that would change my mind.

"Are you just never going to talk to him again or something?" She asks when my silence overwhelms the room.

"I don't know, Mads." I whisper, kicking my legs back and forth anxiously.

"I know that before I was really adamant on you not seeing him but I...I think you should think about this. Obviously if you don't want to be with him, you don't have to be but it's something to consider because he was also going through hell right alongside you."

I stare at her.

He must have said something to change her mind. There's no other explanation for her defending him in front of me.

"I'm not doing this because I think he's a bad person or anything...I just don't think he's right for me."

"I dunno. I saw a whole new side of you every time you were with him. I was beginning to think this one was different."

Yeah, me too.