Neighbors

Secrets and Surprises Part Two

Approximately seven hours, three rest stop breaks, two gas re-fills, and two food breaks, Alex and Madison were at their first stop. Madison sat with her eyes closed as per Alex's nagging that it was a surprise as he pulled into the parking lot of Tiger World in Rockwell, North Carolina.

"Alex?" Madison questioned as the car was shut off and his door opened.

"Hold tight, love" he replied before closing his door and running around the car to Madison's door. He pulled the door open and reached over her body to unbuckle the seat belt before helping her out of the car.

"Okay, just take my hand and keep your eyes closed" he instructed as his laced their fingers together and began trekking across the parking lot to the entrance where they would meet their guide. Alex had called ahead that morning to pre-pay for the visit over the phone. He wanted Madison to be completely surprised.

"Alex, seriously what are we doing?" Madison questioned, her impatience finally make its presence.

Alex chuckled but didn't answer the impatient girl, instead just pulling her along behind him until they he stopped outside of the holding cage to meet their guide. Alex listened to the guide and guided Madison to sit on the pulled out metal chair before finally telling her to open her eyes.
Madison opened her eyes, her eyebrows scrunching as she took in the outdoorsy cage they were sitting in the middle of. She looked up at Alex, who was staring behind her with a huge smile on his face. She followed his gaze, turning her head until she finally found what he as staring at.

She brought her hand to her mouth and her eyes filled with tears as she watched the young tiger cub pounce on a soccer ball.

"Her name is Lily; would you like to hold her, dear?" The instructor asked.
Madison nodded her head, still speechless that Alex had managed to do this for her. She listened to the instructor as she told Madison what she could and could not do and how to avoid being bitten by the striped animal.

Before she knew it she had the purring cub cradled in her arms, its electric amber eyes staring curiously at her as she lifted a hand to pet it. The cub nuzzled its head into her hand and licked her arm. Madison giggled happily.

Alex stood to the side taking pictures and videos on his phone and feeling extremely proud of himself for bringing that much happiness to the girl that captured his heart.

"I can't believe you did that for me, 'Lex. Seriously, you're the greatest." Madison gushed to the boy as they wandered back to the car.

"I'm glad you liked it. I-I just want you to be happy, Mads" Alex truthfully confessed wrapping his arms around her frame and kissing her forehead. Madison kissed the corner of his mouth in return and pulled out of the embrace so Alex could open her door. Madison climbed into the car and buckled herself into the seat as Alex got into his side to do the same.

"you'll make a wonderful husband for some lucky lady someday, ya know?" The thought left her mouth before she could reel the words back into her brain. Alex's hand slipped from the keys in the ignition, he turned his head to look over at Madison but her face was cradled into her hands.

"I'm sorry; I don't know why I said that." Her words were muffled through her hands and her face was an unrecognizable shade of red.

"Hey..." Alex pulled her hands from her face, his hands instead gently cupping her cheeks as he said "the only lucky lady will be you, you're the only woman I would want to make my wife."

Madison opened and closed her mouth, unable to find an appropriate response so she settled for quickly ejecting the seat belt from its buckle and lunging herself across the car to collide her lips with Alex's.

Their lips moved together in perfect sync, Alex's hands gently cradling her face and relishing in the closeness of their bodies until they just barely pulled away to suck in oxygen. With their lips still brushing Madison said "I can't promise you a future but I promise you right now for as long as I can."

Alex pressed their lips together for a quick kiss and brushed the fallen hair from Madison's face back behind her ears. He admiringly looked into her green eyes, wondering if he would ever make her as happy as she had made him. Finally, Madison got herself settled back into her seat and Alex started the car to continue their journey to the next spot of Charlotte, North Carolina where they would stop for a night at a cheap hotel for the night. It wasn't even twenty minutes into the car ride before Madison was curled against the door, her head pressed against the window and small snores escaping her body.

"I want an eternity with you, Mads" Alex whispered to sleeping girl, his words getting lost in the sound of the stereo.