Madeline

3. The after effect

3. The after effect

"You're back already?" I wiped my hands on my apron and made my way to the front door.

"You can put him over there." That was Mr. Smith's voice.

"I told you I'm fine," my dad grumbled.

"You took a hard fall. You should be glad nothing's broken."

"Daddy, are you all right?" I rushed to his side not taking note of anyone else. "What happened?"

"He took a nasty fall. If it wasn't for this young man here he would have broken something."

I turned to the stranger with the intention of thanking him but suddenly became quiet. My silence was more due to anger than anything else.

"This is my daughter Madeline."

"Maddie, I told him he could stay for dinner. It's the least I could do after falling on him."

"Of course. It's almost finished. Excuse me."

I stirred the stew furiously while listening to their conversation in the other room. How dare he show up here after what he did? How dare daddy bring him in here and ask me to feed him? After what he did he shouldn't be allowed anywhere near me. What was Marc Paxton doing here anyway?

I listened to my daddy brag about me and my accomplishments. He was like that. He'd brag about me to anyone who would listen. I set the table putting down the utensils with a little more force than necessary.

"Are you all right, Maddie?"

"I'm fine, daddy." I gave him a reassuring smile. I would not let Marc Paxton be a thorn in my side.

Once everyone was seated and everything had been put on the table I took my seat.

"Thank you for inviting me to dine with you, sir. I'm not really a fan of hotel food and that's all I've been eating since I got here."

"Call me Stephen, please. It's a pleasure to have company over. Maddie is a great cook. It's a shame to waste her cooking on just little old me. Come over anytime."

"Thank you, sir."

I scoffed so loud everyone turned and looked at me. I quickly covered it up with a cough. If daddy knew what that man did to me he wouldn't be inviting him over for dinner. But I wouldn't give Marc Paxton the satisfaction of knowing how much he'd scarred me. I would kill him with politeness and kindness.

I listened to the story of how my father had accidentally fallen on him getting them tangled up in nets, and laughed at how ridiculous it sounded. I would have liked to see Marc Paxton suffering even if it was for a little while. My father had taken a liking to the horrible man. I was not happy about it.

"So what brings you to New Zealand?" I didn't address him by name nor do I intend to. "Are you conducting business in the area?"

"No, I'm not here for business. This is a personal trip." His face didn't give anything away. This man could talk about business, sex, the weather, even death, with the same expression.

"Well I hope you find what you came here looking for," I said cutting into the piece of meat I was imagining to be Marc Paxton's head.

"I hope so, too." He smiled. I think it's the first time I've ever seen him smile like that. I'd suddenly lost my appetite. Thankfully the dinner ended quickly. If I had spent another minute with him sitting across from me I would have exploded. Clearing the dishes away gave me time to calm down.

"Do you need any help?"

"No, thank you." I barely managed not to hiss at him like a cat that had been doused with hot oil.