Honor Among Friends (NaNoWriMo14)

Chapter 2-A

“Madison! Dinner!”

“Coming Dad!” she yelled from her bedroom floor. Putting down her pen, she closed her books and neatly stacked her homework.

Her father was bent at the waist, pulling a casserole out of the oven. She began gathering plates and silverware when her father said, “It’s only the two of us tonight, jelly bean. You’re mother called and said she’d be working late. Something about a new case.”

Madison looked down at the two plates she’d automatically grabbed. Her mind hadn’t even considered making it three.

He took her silence as condemnation. “It’s only for a short time. She’s new on the force and wants to make a good impression.”

She scooped a heaping pile of chicken and rice on her plate. “It’s Friday night. I thought the whole point of moving was so she could spend more time with us,” she said, following her dad into the living room. She sunk into the couch next to her dad. They always ate there when it was just the two of them, neither liking the formal dining room.

“Give it time. Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

“There’s always going to be a new case, Dad, whether we live in a large city or some beachside town. I don’t see why I had to leave all my friends so she could work the exact same hours. We could have stayed.” Not hungry anymore, she dropped her fork on the plate.

“She’s trying. Her partner’s shooting really shook her up. It could have easily been her who died that night.”

Madison closed her eyes, remembering the panic she felt when they got the call to rush to the hospital. All they knew was that an officer had been fatally wounded in a shootout. She’ll never forget the rush of relief she felt when she saw her mother standing alive and well in the emergency room. Her knees literally gave out and sank to the ground with a small sob.

After that fateful night, her mother started to change. She grew restless, constantly prowling around at night, too agitated to sleep. She snapped at her husband and started badgering Madison about every little thing. She wanted to know where she was going, whom she was going with and what they were planning on doing. Her mother even checked up on her a few times, showing up at the mall or park where she hung out.

For Madison, the sudden interest in her life was unwelcome. She was use to the easygoing nature of her dad. He trusted her, allowing her to do what she wanted—within reason of course. So it insulted her to constantly be questioned by her mother, interrogated like a criminal.

It was her father who suggested the move, explaining a change of pace in a quiet town might do them some good. Eight weeks later, they packed and flew to Edgewood.

“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. It’s just…”

“I know. It’ll get better. You’ll see.” He patted her head like he did when she was little. “What do you say after dinner we buy some ice cream sundaes and bring one to your mom like we use to? I’m sure it’ll make her day.”