In Sequence | H.S.

29.

Madelyn. 

"Are you sure he hasn't called either of you?" I ask Gemma and Anne for the umpteenth time.

I check my phone again to make sure that I hadn't been the one to miss a text from Harry. Leaving him after his flare from his knee has been causing me to be more anxious than usual, and the crowd from the sales isn't doing anything in my favor.

A hand lays on my shoulder, "He's just fine," Anne reassures me. "I bet he's sleeping right about now."

I couldn't shake the balled up feeling of concern pitting my stomach into a cramp. I allow myself to take Harry's mothers comfort with a grain of salt and give her a smile that I hope was convincing enough. "You're probably right. I just hate that we had to leave him in the state that he was." Sure, I was upset with him when I left - he blew me off for some private physical therapist that he's paying out of pocket to see - but seeing Harry in such a state of hurt shook me to the core. His injury was a product of neglect, both on his part, and his new found PT.

A bit of guilt has found a way to seep into my thoughts. If it hadn't been for me mentioning the idea of putting him back on prescription painkillers, he wouldn't have felt the need to replace me. Of course, that doesn't excuse the poor work of the new physical therapist, but they don't know him like I do. Over the past few months, I had gained his trust and thus been able to provide the care he needed.

Now look at him.

"He wanted us to leave," Gemma scoffs. "He can take care of himself, Maddy, trust me."

I nod and turn to look at the rack of clothes behind me. I was hesitant on looking at things in my size because that left less searching time for other people. The sales going on brought in quite the rowdy bunch who appeared to not give a shit on their behavior.

"What's the point of having your salary, your event calendar, and your looks if you don't spend some time and money on yourself?" Gemma says to me as she holds up a little red dress.

She wasn't wrong. I mean, I was invited to the Charity Ball for the Holiday banquet.

It's a Bruins tradition. Before I had become too consumed with my figure skating career, I would attend annually with my parents. The charity ball and banquet wrap up the Bruins' Season of Giving, but also doubles as a celebration for the winners of the Junior Bruins Hockey Intensive game. It's been a festive way to bring the team and community together for decades, and for the first time, my name will stand alone on the guest list without any association to my father.

Quickly swiping the hangers against the metal rack, my hand pauses on a sliver of green silk that catches my eye.

The dress is about mid calf in length and the prettiest sage green silk I think I've ever seen. The straps are a thin piece of fabric that with one quick snatch, it would easily rip at the seams.

A gasp sounds behind me as I hold the hanger above my head to get a view of the dress as a whole. "Maddy, you have to." Harry's sister beckons.

"Oh, I don't know," I tell her but yet, I don't go to put it back on the rack. I can't bring myself to part with my findings just yet. A giddy sensation swirls in the pit of my stomach, and when I hold the gown in front of my figure to admire it in a nearby mirror, my smile ties the look together. "Do you think it's too much?"

"Madelyn, with all due respect, if you don't buy that then I'll have to tell my brother that he's dating an idiot."

My jaw clenches immediately at the reminder of the act Harry and I were playing for his family. The smile is quickly removed from my face, allowing my cheeks to feel the soreness of the constant grin I have been holding around Anne and Gemma.