A Girl Named Madeline

Chapter 4

POV: Outside View (1993)

13 year old Madeline tries to sleep, but her mother's sobbs and the yelling of her step-father keep her awake. Just as she's starting to drift off to sleep, the bang of a gunshot jolts her awake again. This has been going on every night since they've been married. As it goes every night, the door slams followed by the sound of Danny's car driving off. After hearing the door to her mother's room close, she gets up to pick up the mess. It's worse every night. Broken glass, pillows thrown across the room, blood stains on the wall and floor. When is this going to end. The next day, she goes out to buy some paint. She ran out of it yesterday, and wanted to be prepared. As she walks down the street, she sees him. Nick is sitting on the curb of the road, waiting for something. She's about to walk over to him when a van drives up, and he gets in. And drives out of her life.

POV: Nick (2010)

"Beautiful Tampa!" I say as I walk along the familiar streets. I start walking down my street, and see my familiar house. "Ma!" I yell as I close the door behind him. "Oh, Nicky!" she says excitedly. She runs to greet me. "Easy, easy!" I say as she squeezes me. "How have things been down here?" I ask when she finally lets go. "Normal." She looks past me. "Do they have to be here?" she asks, pointing at my bodyguards. "Yeah, ma. They're here to protect me." "Hmm." she says, glaring at them. "So, how have you been?" I ask. "Oh fine, fine." My phone rings, and I walk out of the room to answer. "Hey, B-Rok. What's up?" "Just making sure you're fine. How's Mama Carter?" "She's fine." The doorbell rings. I walk down the hall, to the door. When I open the door, I drop the phone when I see who's on the other side.

POV: Madeline

"Nick..." I whisper, and almost drop the glass pan of casserole that I brought. He looks as if he'd seen a ghost. Then he reaches to pick up his phone that he dropped. "Hey, Frack. Listen, I've got to go. Bye." and he hangs up. "Umm, would you like to come in?" he asks after a while. "Yeah, sure." I say awkwardly, and walk through the door. "Oh, Maddie! I started worrying when you didn't come yesterday." "Well, I'm here now Mama C." I say, smiling. "Oh, I brought casserole!" I say, holding it out. "You're a doll." she says as she takes it, and walks out of the room. Nick and I stand in awkward silence. "So, how have yo-" he starts. "No. Don't." I say. "Don't what?" "Don't act like you haven't been gone for 17 years. Don't act like you didn't leave me without a single word. Just don't." I say sternly. "I've got to go. Tell your mama I said goodbye." I say as I turn around and head towards the door. "Maddie, wait." he says, grabbing onto my wrist. "It's Madeline. Now let. Go. Of. My. Wrist." I say staring him in the eye. He lets go, and I slam the door behind me. A tear rolls down my cheek as I turn the corner away from his house.