Haven

Chapter Fifty Two

Alex

Honestly I wasn't sure what I was expecting to come home having left Madison and Jaida together. But the absolute love bubble I walked in on wasn't on the list.

It was like someone had came in and given Jaida a personality transplant. She was completely calm, relaxed and hanging on Madison's every word. Frankly I didn't know whether to be thankful or concerned.

While Jaida didn't address the Jamie thing (rightly fucking so), I had the feeling the issue was resolved without me, which was music to my ears. Still, getting the story on what transpired with Madison confused the life out of me.

"My daughter? Who literally ransacked my house and tried to runaway cause you sent her friend home? That daughter? Asked you to spank her?" I sink back in my chair in my office, looking at Madison's face for signs of a laugh, anything to tell me it was all a lie.

She simply nods. "Yes Alex, she asked me to take care of it instead of you," she repeats. "Though I thought maybe she thought it'd be easier from me than you but it wasn't that. She like had a moment of vulnerability and thought she could handle it and went for it. Honestly I was so proud of her in that moment. I roasted her with my hairbrush so I'd imagine she'll shy away from it a second time, but afterwards she folded in on me and we just laid there. I feel like she really let go of some of her guilt about her mom, you know." She tells me and I let out a loaded sigh. My poor baby.

I look to Madison again, holding my arms out for her to come to me, and she does. "How are you after it?" I ask her, cause nobody ever did give Maddie a whole lot of choice in this situation and to her credit, she's been there with us through it all.

She wraps her arms around my neck, seated on my lap, as she sighs. "Well it was strange, but honestly I feel so much closer to her now," she tells me. "And you need to see the difference in how she speaks to me, it's like a different girl. And it's so subtle, Alex, but just the little things. She did all the laundry by herself, and actually asked me if she could go down to the beach with Ellie. Then last night she kinda had a moment of sass and said but dad never makes me go to bed early on weekends," she pauses for breath. "So I said I'm not your dad, and I don't wanna have to repeat myself so she just pouted and went off to bed, no slammed doors, no profanities." She sighs, contentedly and I smile.

There was hope for our little blended family after all.

"Do I need to address the Jamie thing?" I ask, hearing my tone change.

Madison chuckles. "No, you don't. I blistered her ass, I didn't want her to think that she could simply use me to get off easier, so I didn't bother to warm her up. I hated it when pops did that to me, so I knew I could shock her into reality real quick with that technique." She tells me and honestly I don't know whether to be impressed or scared.

"I'd say she bruised up a little then," I remark, though I don't mind. It happens, and as long as it's nothing extreme, it's simply an ugly part of an ugly job parents should carry out when necessary.

She shrugs. "Nah, I asked her and she said it was tender but not bruised." She tells me, before giggling. "She said she feels sorry for her future brother or sister with me and you running the show." She informs me and a chuckle escapes me too at this.

Fair enough, Jadey.

"Quite the team, by the sounds of it, eh?" I kiss the top of her head, as a pang of regret hits me. A desire to have a family with Madison. Something I can't give.  

She nods. "All three of us," she murmurs and my heart soars, she loved my girl almost as much as I did. And Jaida hadn't made herself easy to love where Mads was concerned.