A Love Like Ours

Chapter 43

Which was why Madelyn's worry was so humorous to me now.

She didn't even realize, I thought, just how easy she was to get along with. Just how naturally it came to her to make others feel comfortable. Just how simple it was for her to brighten a room with nothing but her smile.

She and Mum were similar in that respect. Mum had always been the same way.

It was a huge part of the reason I loved them both so deeply.

"Hello?" I called into the house, closing the door behind Mads. She was too busy glancing around and squeezing all the blood out of my fingers to bother taking off her jacket. "Mum?"

"Up here!" came her voice from upstairs. "Sorry," she groaned, footsteps pounding louder, her voice coming closer, "So sorry, I've just had a shower. Give me five minutes, and I'll be down!"

"Okay," I said, staring up the stairs. From the sound of her voice, she was standing right at the top—just out of sight. "We'll—"

"Hi Madelyn!" Mum called.

Mads was smiling. "Hi Anne."

"I'm so sorry I'm not down there to greet you. I was sure I'd given myself enough time."

"Don't apologize," Mads said, and her grip on my hand loosened. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

Mum groaned again, and I could tell she was preparing to say more, so I cut her off before she could. "It's fine, Mum, get dressed. We'll be in the kitchen."

"Well... make yourselves at home!" she called again. "If you're hungry, I made some sandwiches. They're in the fridge. And you can put the kettle on if you want!"

I smiled, looked at Mads. She was grinning, too. No matter how old I got—how old Gem got—no matter what I did, or where I went, or how successful I'd become, she'd always be such a Mum.

"Alright," I said, choosing to placate her rather than rile her up by making fun. "Thanks. Go get ready. We'll be fine."

"Take your time!" Mads called after me.

And when the sound of Mum's continued grumbling about how she couldn't believe she wasn't ready and down here to greet us quieted, I smirked at Mads.

"See?"

She knew what I meant. Her eyebrows relaxed and her smile fell open to say, "Don't say it."

"Didn't I tell you?" I asked anyway as I led her into the kitchen. "Nothing at all to worry about."

"I wasn't worried!" Mads said, coming to stand beside me at the counter. "I was just..."

"Worried," I supplied as I reached for the electric kettle.

Mads gave me an embarrassed look and planted both elbows on the counter as she leaned down, lifting her hands to cover her face. "I just didn't know what to expect," she said through her fingers.

"I know," I said with a chuckle, plugging the kettle in.

Mads blew out a breath. "Think I'm just so conditioned by my mom I tend to think most mothers will react the same way she would."

I chuckled as the kettle started whirring and turned to face her. She was looking up at me with embarrassed blue eyes and slightly pink cheeks. "Totally understandable."

Mads let her hands fall to the countertop. Studied her fingers for a moment and murmured, "She probably should hate me, but..." She gave me a pitiful smile. "But I'm selfish enough to be happy she doesn't."