Please Forgive Me

Chapter 3 - Madison

The days leading up to Trinity's birthday are relatively uneventful. I wake up, eat, go to work, eat, clean, go to sleep and repeat. I'm trying to take advantage though. My siblings will be going back to school in a few weeks and with the idea of going to Boston being more in my head, I'm not sure how much more I will be able to see them.

Leah, Liam and I are decorating for Trinity's party now that she left to go to the store with mom. I told mom of the plan and told her to distract Trinity as long as possible. She hates shopping even more than I do so I know our time is limited.

My phone rings just as Liam starts bickering with Leah about only God knows what.

I pick up my phone and my heart skips a beat at the sight of Maxon's name.

"Hey," I greet cheerfully.

"Hi beautiful. You sound cheerful right now, what are you up to?"

"Remember, I told you it's Trinity's birthday today. We are throwing her a surprise party."

"Ah I see, in your element are you." He lets out a throaty laugh that has me grinning. "Well, let her know I wish her a happy birthday and many good wishes."

"I will." I clutch the phone close to me, hanging up the happy birthday banner that is a ranch/cowgirl theme.

He's quiet for a bit and I ask him what's wrong.
"I just really miss you." He answers and the sad tone breaks my heart.

"Maxon..."

"Being kept busy helps distract me that you aren't here with me but it's only for a bit. At night, it gets extremely lonely and I seriously wonder how I lived without you before." A few more seconds pass by when he whispers in a barely decipherable voice. "I need you."

I bite my lip, wishing I could be there to kiss him and hug him and love him. He's just too sweet. I don't know why I hesitated in giving him a chance in the first place. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me.

"Maxon, I've missed you so much too. You don't even know how much I––" A loud BOOM resonates throughout the entire house and I jerk, spinning around to face Liam and Leah who stand completely still. My heart races as I take in their shocked faces. I glance at what was once a whole balloon completely blown to pieces on the floor.

"What the fuck was that?!" I hear Maxon yell through the phone but I quickly run to my siblings making sure they are okay. "Liam! Leah! Guys!" I shake both of them, panic starting to course through my veins at their still faces and frozen bodies. "Are you okay?! Can you hear––"

Liam bursts out laughing and Leah snaps out of it, smacking him upside the head.

"You idiot! You just destroyed the balloon! And it was the cute horse too!"

Leah slides her hands down her face in frustration.

"Shit, sorry." He holds up his hands in surrender. "That shit should come with a warning."

"It does, dumbass." She rolls her eyes and strides out.

"Madison? Beautiful, what happened? Madison." I put the phone back to my ear, grateful my siblings are okay even though they are bickering about the balloons now.

I take in a shaky breath, calm yourself Madison. "Yeah, hey. I'm here."

"What the heck happened?" Maxon asks, sounding distressed.

"It's fine." I assure him. "Liam was just blowing up the balloon on one of those electric machines we ordered from online and he didn't remove it fast enough. It exploded into pieces from all the air."

"Oh." I can practically see his shoulders sagging from relief. Maxon worries as much for my siblings as he does for me. He's family now.

"Hey, I'm going to go finish decorating. My siblings clearly need my help and," I sigh, hating to cut this conversation short. "I'll send you pictures of the party. I'll call you later, okay? I have something I need to tell you."

No sound comes from the phone and for a second I worry he's angry with me but then his voice comes through. "Alright, I'll be waiting. Send Trinity my best wishes. I hope you have fun with your family and Vanessa."

"I will." I bite my lip before telling him, "I love you, Maxon."

"Me too, mi amor. I'll talk to you later."

Then he hangs up.

I try to keep my heart from filling with disappointment. I hate that he's all the way over there by himself.

It just makes me more sure of my decision and I don't regret what I'm about to do.

* * *

It's been three weeks since Trinity's successful birthday event and now I'm packing up the last of my things to fly out to Boston to be with the love of my life. I can't help the silly little grin on my face. When I relayed the news to Maxon a couple of weeks ago he immediately scheduled a flight over for me. I had told him to wait. I needed a few weeks to sort out of my life here. What hurt the most––second to my family––was leaving sweet Hailey behind but Leah volunteered to look after her during afternoons and weekends. So that made me feel a bit less guilty for leaving. Besides that, it's all good.

"I can't believe you're leaving tomorrow." Vanessa tells me as I stuff the rest of my clothes in my bag. She's sitting on my bed, pillow in arms as she recalls. "It seems just like yesterday when I tricked you into going to New York with me. Now you're moving in with Maxon freakin' Blake."

"I know." I grin at her.

"Damn, life sure is full of surprises. I'm happy for you guys Mad." She jumps up and hugs me to her, squeezing the life out of me. "You both deserve it."
I hug her back but pat her on the back to let her know to let go. "V, I. Can't. Breathe."

"Oh, sorry. Sometimes I don't know my own strength." She grins back at me and I see her eyes gleaming with emotion.

"Don't cry, V. Or else I'll start."

She takes in a deep breath then lets it out. "Sorry. I won't cry. I won't. Want to watch a movie? All of us?"

I nod, "Sure. Let's go."

And we head to the living room where I spend the last night in Cali with my family and best friend.