Solitude || Evan Buckley [1]

chapter twelve

wonderful news and chaos

Inside a restaurant that morning, Sasha, Buck, and Maddie were sitting in a booth together. Sasha and Buck continued to check in on brunette every now and then in the last few weeks since recovering after being discharged from the hospital and the nightmare of her late ex-husband. Maddie casted an amused look between Sasha humming in satisfaction devouring a stack of pancakes while Buck swiped through his phone with one hand as the other passed the syrup to the pregnant woman.

"Okay, so every unit is different, but I think-" Buck paused after feeling Sasha nudging him with her elbow. "We think this one is the best for you." He corrected himself, presenting pictures of the apartment from the listing on his phone.

Maddie was visibly uninterested of the apartment, not giving a chance to take a glimpse. "Nice but I'm not looking for an apartment to rent. Because I have my own apartment." She affirmed to the latter sitting across the table.

"Y-You don't think it's weird?" Sasha shared an incredulous look.

"Yes. That's why you two shouldn't bother looking for apartment listings for me." Maddie clarified, though find it endearing how much they cared. When she earned unconvinced expressions by the duo, she sighed in defeat. "Okay, fine. It's a little weird to go back to my apartment, but...I'm not just gonna force myself out of it because..." She trailed off when the waitress came to pour more coffee into her and Buck's cups.

When the waitress left, Sasha snatched Buck's cup of coffee from his hand. "Everything that transpired that night?" She vaguely answered, understanding that her friend didn't want to keep bringing up the subject.

Buck attempted to retrieve his cup, sparing a pointed look towards Sasha. She scoffed, "Doctor said I can have one cup a day." She swiftly turned back to Maddie, ignoring him and sipping the refreshing coffee.

Maddie stifled a laugh at her brother pouting and leaning back in his seat. She began to explain, "I will go to my support group, but I have to start putting little pieces of my life back together, and work is a very big piece."

"It seems like, maybe you're moving too fast. You need time to heal." Buck suggested lightly. 

"I've been healing, for weeks. I'm sick of resting. I'm tired of talking about my feelings, and I just want to go back to the real world." She exhausted an irritable sigh.

Sasha tilted her head with a concerned expression. "Even if you're not ready?"

"Once my life is normal again, then I will feel normal again." Maddie declared; she didn't want to deprive her life due to her trauma any longer.

Buck cleared his throat, leaning forward. "Okay, so where are you going to take Chimney on your "second first date"?" He airs quoted.

Maddie's face faltered, sighing out. "I have no idea." The whole table erupted into laughter at the answer. "Anyways, did you two only invite me for some intervention to find a new apartment or..." She trailed off, willing to move onto another topic other than her well being.