Life - Message From The Past

16-Seriously?

A couple hours into his journey Jeremy stopped to get something to eat along the way to the airport. He booked a return flight, just in case by some small miracle he would survive. Then sent a text to Madeline.

I can feel the cancer spreading.

Who knows how long now?

You know where I am headed.

I know it looks as though I am running from Gwen, the kids, Charlie, and your friendship.

But what I am doing is making a decision and not leaving my existence to fate.

Maddie, I have to do this.

Hey, thanks for showing up in my life. Give Charlie a big hug for me.

Madeline read the message and let what he wrote sink in before returning a text.

You are the most stubborn, irresponsible horse's ass I have ever known, you know? And I have met a lot of them.

It is crazy, but I feel you are doing the right thing for yourself. I think modern medicine has its limits at this time but I still believe it helps.

Charlie just yelped at me...she says take care of yourself.

So listen to Charlie!

Charlie placed her head on Madeline's lap and the woman sighed deeply after sending the long text. "Am I crazy to believe he is doing the right thing, Girl? Has he always been this stubborn?"

Pete and the Thompson twins strolled into the kitchen. "Still here?" Not expecting expecting Madeline to still be hanging around.

"You always walk right into someone else's house?" Madeline stood as Charlie greeted Pumpkin and the twins with rolling friendly yelps.

"Uh-huh." Pete walked past the doctor calling out for his friend. "Jeremy!" He turned to Madeline. "Ah, where is he?"

"Headed to Mexico." Madeline raised an eyebrow and tilted her head.

"This have anything to do with that note?" Rarely did Pete get angry but knowing how sick Jeremy was changed things. "So, I guess he is not getting help here?"

Madeline shook her head. "Nope."

"Fool! He is going to chase a miracle into Mexico?" Pete clearly seemed agitated. "That note said nothing about curing cancer."

"He thinks differently, Pete." Madeline played it neutral.

"It's Pumpkin." Pete looked at her as an outsider but softened his tone. "Just call me, Pumpkin." He paced the kitchen. "Everyone calls me an idiot and moron but what he is doing is crazy! Ahh..." Pete had forgotten her name and pointed at Madeline.

She frowned. "Maddie."

"Maddie?" Pete shrugged before going off on his friend. "There was no address on the note! Where the hell will he even begin? What a moron!"

"He seems like a pretty smart guy," Madeline added. " Jeremy's dying, Pumpkin, and he's doing the only thing he believes will help him and Gwen."

"Gwen?" Pete frowned. "The neighbor, Gwen?" Not knowing what his friend kept from him. "Why help her?"

Madeline smiled. "Seems you don't know everything about Jeremy."

The Thompson twins were all ears as Madeline continued. "Seems they both secretly thought the world about each other and just yesterday before Gwen collapsed, they confessed their true feelings."

The Thompson twins spoke in unison which got Madeline's attention. "Gwen collapsed?"

"She collapsed? Is she okay?" Pete seemed genuinely concerned. "What about the kids?"

"It has hit them hard but they are in good hands with Liza and Bobby," Madeline assured the three were okay.

Pete sent a text to Jeremy.

You bastard! Go to Mexico without telling me! I'm your best friend?

"Well, I can't let him die alone." Pete turned to the twins. "The world tour is off ladies." He thought about what he just said then rephased it. "Well it's delayed."

"World tour? This I need to hear." Madeline straight up laughed.

"Nothing to hear. When did he leave?" Pete looked at his cellphone for the time.

"Ah, two hours ago." Madeline looked up at Pete.

"Crap! He has a two-hour head start and can talk his way onto any plane already taxiing to the runway." Pete ran his hand through his beard. "I've gotta go now!"

"Pumpkin!" The Thompson twins objected in unison, as usual.

"Girls, I'm going!" Pete turned to Madeline. "Call him until you get through to him. Get him to tell you exactly where he is!" Then added. "Tell him not to move!"

"I'll try, but you know how stubborn he is!" Madeline reminded Pete.

"Yeah, I know. The question is, how do you know?" He raised an eyebrow in return to the doctor.

"I am the doctor who tried to get him to take chemotherapy." Madeline rolled her eyes.

"Right. Good point." Pete shrugged. "Girls, give Maddie my number so she can call me when she finds out where Boss ~ I mean, Jeremy is headed."

Pete kissed the twins before he rushed out the screen door to his brand new truck he purchased with the money Jeremy gave him. "Well, let's see what you can do!" He started the powerful truck and rammed his foot to the floor leaving a long rubber streak on Jeremy's spotless driveway.

"Uh-oh, Boss will not like that!" Pete cringed but kept the throttle down to the floor. "I will deny it!" He laughed like a villain.

Jeremy did not answer any attempt Madeline made to contact him. Finally, she sent another text but by this time he simply shut his phone off as he boarded the seven-hour flight to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Pete did not have the same luck getting onto a flight to Cabo. Unfortunately, the way he looked with the beard and faded jeans may have had something to do with it. He had to settle for a red-eye flight to Mexico City instead of waiting until the next morning.

Madeline tried for hours to contact Jeremy to no avail. He would not answer his phone or read the texts."Damn you, Jeremy!"

Madeline kissed Charlie on the top of her head. "I better call, Pumpkin!" She dialed Jeremy's best friend but it went directly to voice mail. "Seriously? These guys are thick!" The beep sounded and she spoke. "Pumpkin, I still have nothing. Stay in touch."

Madeline sat back down on the chair drained from the day. She looked at Charlie perched next to her. "Bedtime, Girl?!"

Charlie got up and headed to the master bedroom. "Oh no, Girl. I am not sleeping there. Let's go with door number two."

The two settled onto the double bed in the guest bedroom. Madeline turned the light off and quickly fell asleep as Charlie snuggled in close.