Ready-Made Family

Chapter Twenty-Five

        

"Are you sure we should be going?" Madison asked. She was seated in the front seat of the car as Brandon drove through a small town in northern Ontario. They had left their children in the capable hands of Rebecca and Jonathan Haywood a little over two hours ago right before they hit the road.

Brandon had been the one to come up with the idea of a long weekend couple's escape. Although he still had a honeymoon planned for after they renewed their vows he thought it might be a good idea if the two of them got some time away to be on their own. With Christmas just weeks away they wouldn't have much time to be alone soon.

"Would you like to go through town a little?" Brandon asked. It was nearly lunchtime and he thought his bride might be getting hungry. "We can stop for lunch at this little café in town. It might be small but it's actually really good".

"Have you been here a lot?" Madison asked as he opened the door for her and helped her out.

"My grandparents actually live around here. During the summer my family used to come here for a visit. But we haven't really been since I was a teenager" Brandon said guiding her inside to find a seat. "We own a cottage a little more north from here".

"Oh if Maggie and Larry live around here maybe we should visit them. Its only nice" Madison said. She didn't want the two of them thinking she was rude and ignoring them.

Brandon smiled at her and held her hand softly "already planned sweetheart" he said "we will be going for dinner on our way back. Plus we will be driving them back to Toronto. They want to help plan the final touches of the wedding and they will be celebrating Christmas with the family".

Madison nodded and took hold of the menu "so what do you like from here?"

Brandon smiled a little and leaned forward as if he was telling her a secret "well twenty years ago my taste was very different. I would only ever touch their cheese and bacon burgers," he said with a cheeky smile.

Madison giggled a little "oh and your tastes have changed so much since then. I mean, it totally wasn't burgers that we had two nights ago for dinner".

He joined in laughing with her "well once a favorite, always a favorite".

She shook her head teasingly "well this sounds like a plan. Two burgers it is".

When the waitress came to take their orders Brandon told her what they wanted and handed back the menus. For whatever reason Madison couldn't help but think about the day they first met. How she had taken the kids to the Sloppy Joe and he ordered food for her. If it hadn't been for him she wouldn't have eaten that night.

But she also never expected that having one dinner bought for her would change the entire course that her life was on. The past six months her life was on a roller coaster that she felt as though she might never get off. But the thing is... maybe she really didn't want to get off. Despite all the challenges she's been facing – her ex making a reappearance, the woman that was once her best friend, then turn enemy is now a friend again and her parents are treating her as if they did nothing wrong.

Despite all of these she is still walking away with far more positive things. She has finally found a man that actually seems to be caring, she has the chance of getting a book published, a home for her children with lots of warm food, and above all else she is pregnant with another baby. It seemed as though things were finally looking up for her.

"So where exactly are we?" she asked looking our large window at the seemingly perfect little town.

"Riverbed" Brandon answered "its in the Kawartha Lakes region" he explained.