Invisible String

C.2: one single thread of gold tied me to you

*~*~*~*

A string that pulled me
Out of all the wrong arms right into that dive bar
Something wrapped all of my past mistakes in barbed wire
Chains around my demons, wool to brave the seasons
One single thread of gold tied me to you

Invisible String - Taylor Swift

*~*~*~*

"Madison."

"This is where I admit that I can't remember your name."

"Josh Lyman."

"Madison Montgomery." 

*~*~*~*

It'd been over three weeks since Madison had arrived into the capital, having spent a few nights crashing in the middle of the city in Peter's, her young brother, home. A home that he shared with four other medical professionals, two doctors, one nurse and a paramedic. Occasionally their partners stayed as well. Meaning that sometimes there could be upwards of seven people, all lived in one small home. To say it was a packed house even without Madison crashing on the occasionally couch was a lie.

Madison couldn't stay in for too long regardless, as the constant talk of blood and gore and other medical related issues, greatly upset her stomach. The practice materials were left everywhere, in the kitchen, the only living room and the bathroom. There was nowhere that Madison could escape to without finding something that she hoped not to see. The inconsistent schedule of everyone, everyone coming and going at odd hours of the day and night, combined with the painful springs on the couch forced Madison back to the ancestral family home, once more, after a few sleepless nights.

The home that she'd be kicked out of the second before her father arrived back in the states, which could be tomorrow, or next week, or even a year from now. No one was quiet sure.

The informal coffee dates which were code for an unofficial job interview led to absolutely nothing. She didn't even get a call back letting her know that they weren't hiring at that moment. She was still stuck at square one, she'd been back in the country for just under two months. With less money than she'd arrived with, the little money she made playing piano at Better Days and other establishments that allowed her to make some quick and easy cash, barely covered her side of those meetings.

Rosa informed her that the man she went home with hadn't come back since that night. This information was more than enough for Madison to keep sharing her tips with Rosa as the pair grew closer. Madison finally understanding what sort of Ph.D. Rosa was doing, in the sciences, Genetics to be exact. Madison explained her job struggles in great detail, leaving out a few private details about certain familial connections. Both complained heavily about their roommate struggles, with Rosa's roommate was about to leave after three months, right after resigning the lease for another year, leaving her with the rent on a small two bed apartment that she could barely afford even with the help of another person.

The rare night that Rosa wasn't working the pair found themselves in a different bar, drinking most of the money that Madison managed to make, while mopping around. Being rude to any man who had the audacity to approach them.

It only took a few more days of this helpless mopping around from Madison for Constance to interfere.

Madison paced around the large living room as she tried to figure out what she was going to do, if there was any excuse to avoid the informal event that her mother had gotten her invited to. Anything other than a medical emergency that'd land her in front of her doctor brother.