The Perfect Storm 2

Chapter 192

Miles's POV

I wait in the kitchen while I hear sobbing upstairs both from Madison and her mother. At first, it felt like I had waited thirty minutes, but after seeing how dark it has gotten outside, I realize it's much more than that. 

I've been so lost in my own damn thoughts that everything around me seemed surreal and the emptiness around me feels as if it's providing me more thinking than I need. Now I understand why Madison spends half her time staring at some damn ceilings. 

It was something I noticed before, but I didn't think too much of it to mention it, but now I get it. It's the perfect surface for thinking and something about it draws thinking out of you. 

I finally sit up from Madison's hard floor, the covers I'm using as a pillow isn't doing shit and by the time I manage to detach my head from the warm end of the cover, I feel lightheaded, as if someone hit me with a baseball bat at the back of my damn head. 

The rush still stays with me as I take a few steps toward the kitchen. The sobbing continues but it's much quieter now as if died down a little since I sat up and now when I'm standing and entering the kitchen it's almost inaudible. 

My feet take me further into the kitchen and then I stop as I hear creaking sounds coming from the stairs. Madison and her mother slowly walk down the stairs. 

Madison gives me a small smile before explaining, "I'm going to get her medication." Her voice is quiet as if she doesn't want Angela to hear her even though she clearly does. 

Angela stands behind Madison as I nod softly toward both of them, watching the situation and unsure of how to react to any of this. 

I didn't expect to find Madison crying that night and for everything to be so fucking bad but it is. It's fucking terrible. 

I can't stand to see Madison like this, so hurt and yet so caring, what she should be is not going through this shit. Madison finally reaches the stairs as I stand there numb. She approaches, gives me a small smile again, and kisses me on the cheek.

"Take care of her, okay? I'll, um . . . I'll be quick." She whispers softly and kindly before turning around and leaving the room and as soon as I pop out of my numbness I chase her out the door only to see my Lamborghini driving away. What the fuck? I feel so numb, so cloudy and tired as if all of my brain has been swept by a fog, forcing me to somehow be fucked up.

"Are you, uh, are you okay?" I attempt to Angela, I can't do anything but attempt and try I need to pop the hell out of this trance and be present, be here for Madison; for both of them. Angela touches my arm and smiles.

"No, but I will be." She explains and a mixture between a sad smile and a forced one follows the words. She lets go and I can almost feel how she's broken. 

He walking is quiet, but difficult and her breathing is deep and harsh as if she's trying her best to hold it all together. Her hands tremble in order for her to lift up the kettle and I rush to her side.

"I'll do this for you," I tell her and shake my head softly. At first, she won't let go but after looking into my eyes she doesn't and then kindly smiles a 'thank you' before sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Plum tea." She says as soon as the water is heated and I roll my eyes. What the fuck is plum tea? I almost want to laugh and when I see that the plum tea is merely a name of the tea I do laugh and Angela turns to take a better look at me.

"I laughed too." She smiles as we're now facing each other better. It takes me a second to try and figure out what she's talking about but thankfully she elaborates.

"At the store, I thought it was the stupidest thing, it's peach tea, but it's called plum tea." She explains and I chuckle.

"It's bullshit," I say, and this time I hear her laugh. She laughs similarly to Madison but it's different. It's more mature, stronger, and deeper and then it's all of a sudden full of hurt and we both stop. I turn around and dip the tea bag into the small light green pottery cup before pouring burning hot water over it. I make sure not to pour enough so that her trembly hands don't spill the burning liquid all over her. I take a deep breath, put everything away, and slowly hand her the tea.

"Thank you, Miles." She says and even though I know that deep down she'll probably never like me, I feel that she does. In everything she says, I know she cares even if it's only deep, deep down, behind everything she's been taught and everything she has learned through her divorce. I know she cares and I know she always will.

"Is that Peter?" I ask, watching the small photo she's fiddling within her hands. 

She gives me a small smile and then nods, handing me the photo. I've never seen the guy but when I glance at the photo, he looks nothing like me.

"I think he looks very much like you," Angela says as if she read my thoughts and is now taunting me. I try my hardest not to roll my eyes.

"I miss him, very much." She then says and I'm completely caught off guard, hearing that he looks like I sparked annoyance and confusion, and now, I'm not sure how to feel.

"It thought it didn't end well," I say, tiring to be as sensitive as I can but I'm not sure how to ask her this in a different way.

"So forward." She smiles, a little caught off guard too.

"I understand why Madison didn't hesitate with you." She adds and I'm not sure if she's insulting me or not but I decide not to say anything and instead listen to her. She gives me a warm smile and I start to realize that maybe she isn't insulting me after all.

"It was, it was terrible and it ended in an even worse way but love is love, and no matter how much he hurt me, I'm still in love with him and I think in a way, I always will be." Angela's words come out as released hurt into the thin air of the kitchen.