Coming Back Home

Chapter 37

*Natalie

I kept my arm tightly wrapped around Madison's shoulder and quickly walked out to my car. I snuck a glance behind us, and it luckily seemed like Kyle was staying put.

"Hold on, what - what did he mean?" Madison asked.

"Nothing, come on," I said, trying to dismiss her question.

"No, what did he mean Natalie?" She asked again.

"I'm sure he was just talking about when he told me that you two shouldn't have broken up, it's nothing," I said.

Madison tried to walk towards her car, but I steered her back towards mine.

"Nooo way, you're riding with me today. No way you're driving to work after that," I continued.

"I'm fine," Madison said as she shook my arm off of her shoulders.

I hesitantly let my arm fall, but I reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Mads, please just ride with me? It will make me feel better even if you're fine," I pleaded with her.

She looked up at me and narrowed her eyes, but she nodded.

"Fine," she mumbled.

We both got into my car and I drove towards work. It was silent for a minute, I had no idea what to say after that.

"God I don't know what the hell to do," Madison said angrily as she slammed her hand down on her lap.

"Fuck I'm sorry Mads, I really wish I knew," I said.

I knew I had to be careful with what I said to her, this was obviously a sensitive subject. And I really had no idea what to do either.

I glanced over and saw her sitting there with her hands clenched in her lap. As frustrating as this was for me, I couldn't even imagine what it was doing to her.

"Is there - I don't know - is there anything you want me to do?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, go back to a few years ago and make sure I never gave Kyle the time of day, would you?" She said in an irritated voice.

"I wish I could," I responded, "I know he hasn't technically done anything wrong yet...but you don't think the police could do anything, do you?"

"Probably not," she said with a sigh, "I don't think it's even worth it to try...he's just going to keep showing up."

"There has to be something..." I trailed off.

"I don't know, there wasn't last time," she said.

"What did you try last time?" I asked her.

"I did go to the cops," she said quietly, "they said I could file a restraining order, but I was moving so I decided not to."

"Well there you go," I said, feeling a tiny bit of hope, "why don't you try that now?"

"Yeah I - I guess I could, but I don't know if I'd get one or not," she responded.

"Might be worth a try," I said as I reached over and put my hand on her leg.

She nodded slightly, looking like she was considering what to do as we pulled into the parking lot at work.

"You going to be good today?" I asked.

"Yeah, it'll be a good distraction," she told me.

We got out of the car and I heard Ella close behind us.

"Wow, showing up to work together now, huh?" She asked us with a grin.

"I thought you said you got that out of your system?" I said to her as I raised an eyebrow.