RED LINE [3]

18:00

Madeline Scott:

I took my seat at the head of the table.

Clearing my throat I nodded my head at George, thanking him silently as Dee placed bowls of salad on the table, Lewis bringing in the chicken that had been cooking for hours – Charlie sat next to me, grabbing cucumber from the salad bowl, despite telling her to wait.

The evening light was luminating the room, a subtle glow of the orange streetlight peeking through the curtains, the candlelight flickering at the low breeze that ran over my shoulders.

The strapless black corset hugging me tightly, by rib cage begging for air. The black suit trousers that clung to my legs pooling out around my feet now as I wasn't wearing heels anymore, my hair curling around my shoulders having been pinned up all day.

I was home, I was safe.

A knock comes from the front door, standing my chair scrapes against the stoned floor, "stay sat, I'll get it," George speaks softly, placing a kiss on my head as he passes, walking back through into the kitchen where Lewis and Dee could be heard squabbling about the burnt potatoes.

I smile back at him, continuing to scowl Charlie as I hear the front door open – the smell of rosemary and thyme filling my nostrils as the air from the front door wafts it into me, closing my eyes I take in a deep breath.

Lewis and Dee walk back into the dining room as Jack and Maddy stride into the room, a wide smile spread on Maddy's face as she looks at me. My eyes soften as I stand briefly to greet her, kissing her cheek when I take the offered wine bottle from her hands.

"This is a weird 4 o'clock," George laughs looking down at his watch, also giving Maddy a side hug and saying hello to Jack. He laughs, "we left on time but the traffic-"

"Oh, the traffic," George rolls his eyes and I laugh, "it's alright Jack, take a seat." I pat the chair on the other side of me.

We all sit, dishing out the roast dinner between us all, conversing about anything but racing which was refreshing – a forbidden topic at the dinner table.

Jack and Maddy cast fluttering eyes across the table, their bodies moving ever so slightly and if I wasn't so naive I wouldn't have noticed the subtle kicking of the table as their feet pushed back and forth at one another.

I watch how he speaks to her, bright and tentative, joking with her enough to cause a hiss from her lips, resulting in a subtle laugh on Jack's behalf.

They were flirting.

I sipped my wine and remember what it felt to be that young and fighting off those initial feelings that were love, neither of them wanting to admit to one another out of stubbornness - I worried she would endure the same pain I went through, but when I looked at Jack, watching her even when she was in discussion with someone else, his eyes were soft and his mask shifted.

He cared for her and he didn't care if anyone saw that.

"Jack, Maddy, I have both emailed you the itinerary for the holiday during the summer break," I smile at them both and they nod their heads, "so that's where the Audi budget is going, holidays," Lewis teases and I throw a brussels sprout in his direction, hitting Dee's wine glass instead, "God, thankfully you don't drive anymore, that aim was terrible." Dee calls out.

"You're the one to talk, you mount the curb into the driveway every time you come over," George snorts and Maddy almost spits out her drink, Jack looks confused, "there isn't even a curb near the driveway, it's like twenty feet wide," his eyebrows furrow.