Crush

Six

Tess wasn't exactly sure why, but she was feeling nervous walking up the stairs of the McGregor house. She couldn't decide whether it was the thought of seeing Maddie again that was making her feel like that, or the thought that the woman who Maddie said wasn't her mum didn't like her for some reason. She knocked on the screen door and stepped back. The woman she'd seen earlier that afternoon answered the door. "Yes?"

"Hi. I'm Tess," Tess said, trying not to sound nervous. "I brought some stuff to give to Maddie. If that's okay." She held out the containers in her hands. 

The woman narrowed her eyes and for a moment, Tess thought she might not let her in. Eventually, she stepped aside, held the door open for Tess and said, "Maddie's in the lounge room."

"Thanks," Tess said and stepped inside. It had been a few years since Tess had been at the McGregor's, but she remembered her way around. She walked straight down the hall past the front two bedrooms and took the third door on the right, where she found Maddie laying on the lounge in a t-shirt and shorts, her left leg resting on a pile of cushions. She sat up when she saw Tess. 

"Hey, Tess."

"I just came to see how you were doing," Tess said.

"I'm good," Maddie replied. "My ankle's a bit swollen, but otherwise I'm okay."

"What about your graze?"

Maddie's eyes widened and she said, "Hurt like hell when I had a shower but it's not too bad now. I just have to stop bending my knee so much so it stops weeping."

Tess nodded. "I brought some paw paw ointment over for it. Gran didn't know if you'd have any." Tess offered it to Maddie, who took it and peered at the container.

"What else have you got there?" Maddie asked, stretching up to see.

"Oh, Gran made me bring some washing powder for your clothes. She makes some special blend that gets the red dirt out." Maddie took the container of powder, gave it a shake and placed it on the floor. 

Tess continued, "And there's some chocolate pudding as well. I guess she was hoping it would be a good apology for me almost running you over today."

Maddie smiled and said, "So she made you come over?"

"Yeah, I mean, I was happy to come over. I was going to anyway, to see how you were, but she made me bring all this stuff."

"Uhuh," Maddie said. "Chocolate pudding?"

"Yeah. It's the best you've ever tasted," Tess said, handing Maddie the last container. 

Maddie popped open the lid and breathed in. "It smells amazing."

"I could get you a spoon, if you want to try it?" Tess asked. Maddie grinned and nodded, and Tess headed out into the hallway and down to the kitchen at the back, where she found the woman who wasn't Maddie's mum sitting at the table tapping away at a laptop. She looked up when Tess entered. "I'm just after a spoon," Tess said.

The woman pointed to some drawers and Tess muttered a thanks. She could feel the woman's gaze on her as she left. 

Tess handed Maddie the spoon and Maddie patted the lounge beside her. "Sit here," she said. Tess eased down beside the pile of cushions at the far end of the lounge so she didn't accidentally bump Maddie's foot.

"Are you in witness protection or something?" Tess whispered.

Maddie laughed. "Sometimes it feels like it." She dug into the pudding and sighed as she ate a spoonful. "Oh. My. God. That is so good."

"I know, right? Gran is the best baker in town. Wait til you taste her cupcakes. She's making a heap for the festival."

"What is the festival anyway?" Maddie asked around a mouthful of pudding. "I asked Jo but she said she couldn't remember much about it. Is it a music festival or something?"