Whispering Madelynn

Whispers (3)

I followed Adelynn around for a while as she talked about each room in the house. It was a wedding present from her ex-husband's family and it had about five rooms and three and a half baths. As she talked, she mentioned this is just her winter home and we would be moving to her preferred house in a few days, so I shouldn't bother with packing or memorizing the house too well. I looked at her funny. Some people have more than one house? She smiled at my confusion and went to make dinner and left me to be comfortable. I wonder how much money this woman has. I noticed there were security guards on each floor and surrounding the house, Adelynn even introduced me to all of them. Why would one woman need so many guards in Washington? 

About two hours after getting to her house it was about 5 p.m. and Adelynn called my down for dinner. I walked down the stairs with a guard who's name I remembered was Austin following behind me. When I got downstairs there was a few selections of pizza and dipping sauces on the table. My stomach growled loudly and Adelynn giggled. "Hungry?" she asked. I nodded quickly and sat opposite to her before grabbing a paper plate and a slice of pizza and ranch. Adelynn watched me for a few seconds before helping herself too. 

   "I hope fast food is okay for a few days. I'm afraid I was spoiled growing up so I can't really cook anything but sweets. My cook is back home, you'll love her, her name is Marabell and she's just the sweetest old lady ever. I've had her as my chef for over twenty years," she tells me before taking a bite out of her cheddar jalapeno cheese dipped pizza. 

   "It's better than no food," I say quietly and she looks at me sadly. "Where does all of your money come from and why are there so many guards?" I ask her before taking another bite of my pizza. She gulps loudly and looks at her pizza. 

   "That's a talk for another day. Right now we are getting to know one another, my money and title don't really have anything to do with getting to know me right now. How about you? Do you play any sports?" she says completely changing the topic. I smile at her antics. 

   "I run. That's basically it. I used to play soccer but I got too dirty and my father would-" I stop myself from telling her too much and take a bite of my pizza. 

   "Running? Are you any good?" she asks ignoring my last comment. 

   "Almost record breaking good," I say and take another bite like it's not big deal. 

   "Like your schools record or...?" she says curiously. 

   "Like state," I say once again like it's not big deal and she chokes on the bite of pizza she just took. 

   "You've almost broken the Washington record?" she asks with big eye. I nod and shrug while finishing the last few bites of my pizza. "That's a big deal, Madelynn," she says with all seriousness. I shrug. 

   "I'm a poor kid from the other side of the tracks. The best I'll get is paid college and then I have to do everything myself," she looks confused. 

   "But you get goods grades?" she asks. I nod and grab another slice of pizza. "Then where you come from will have nothing to do with when you get into college." 

   "It doesn't help that I'm gay," I say nonchalantly. Her eyes go big before she starts coughing. 

   "Well at least we have something in common," she says nicely. I nod and take a bite before processing what she said. 

   "But you were married. To a man," I state the obvious and she chuckles dryly. 

   "I never romantically loved Grayson. The woman I was in love with was his second cousin, Elyza. Grayson's father had her killed so the marriage would go through," she says with her head held high. I nodded and felt sorry for her. 

   "I haven't told anyone. If I told my father-" I stop myself again and eat more. 

   "He would have made it impossible for you to ever run again," she finishes with eyes that looked to have a fire of hatred in them. "I've always hated your father. Even when he didn't drink he was cocky and snide towards you mother. No offense but your mother is very shallow, and only wanted your father for his looks and his title," Adelynn says confidently. I nod. I always knew my mother never really loved my father, but now she is stuck and doesn't know how to get out of living with him. 

   "I know. I don't want to be like my parents, so I stay away from love like that," I say honestly. Adelynn looks at me with sadness. 

   "Just because your parents love life sucks doesn't mean your has to," she says with actual concern. I nod and stand up and throw away my plate. 

   "I'm going to get some sleep and wake up early to run extra since I didn't today. Goodnight," I tell her and leave the room. It's not even six and I probably won't sleep tonight, but it felt awkward in there and I was tired of the tension. My Guard- Austin? August? I don't know- followed me upstairs and stayed watch outside of my door. He said earlier that a woman named Mave would take his post later so he could sleep, and she'd be with me until around 10 am, then he'd be back for his shift. I still think it's weird that one woman needs this many guards in Washington. I roll my eyes and sit in my bed and read until it gets dark out, before turning off my light and laying on my back. I stare up at the ceiling as my mind runs through everything that has happened in the past twenty-four hours. I hope my mother is okay.