The Water Ice Man

Chapter 20: One Less Friend, Part 2

   It was like a slap across the face. “I don't love you Jeff. I really don't." Madison kept repeating it over and over again. Jeff had no idea why. She got the point across; and Jeff heard her the first time. He kept replaying it in his mind. Boy, that hurt, Jeff thought. Although he loved her, he never knew what was going to come out of Madison's mouth.

   “What do you mean by you don't love me?" asked Jeff, shocked once again. At this point, it was sort of expected.

   “It's as simple as that Jeff! I don't know what else to say!" Madison exclaimed. She walked over to the front door and opened it. She looked at Jeff and pointed her finger to him. When their eyes met, she yelled, “Jeff, get out of my house. I don't want to argue with you right now."

  Jeff's mouth opened wide. He couldn't believe it. He was being kicked out of Madison's house: the woman he felt so strongly for. Tears were almost about to fall from his eyes. “If this is how it really has to be, I'll leave. But let me just say to you, you were the one crying, not me. You were the one who wanted the hug, not me." He walked past Madison out the door and past the driveway.

  Jeff got into his car and started the ignition, touching the steering wheel and about to drive home, when all of a sudden he thought of something. I'm not going to listen to Madison. I'm going back in there and we are going to have a nice talk. So, Jeff got out of his car and ran over to Madison's front door. He rang the door bell. No answer. He rang it again. No answer. Jeff was getting angry.

  He was thinking of leaving. To not bother with her anymore. He'd be done for the day. But then he knew in his mind that he needed to make things right and started to pound his fists on the front door. “MADISON! COME ON MADISON! It's Jeff!" he yelled with all his might.

   Finally, Madison answered the door. She was holding a box of tissues. “What the heck do you want Jeff? I told you to get your butt off of my property!"

  Jeff pushed his way through Madison into her home. Madison slammed her door shut. “This better be..." Madison started to say.

  “I'll do the talking. Thank you very much," Jeff interrupted Madison while plopping onto her couch. “You know Madison, I thought we were closer than this. I really thought we were. You agreed to go on that trip to me and you met me children, so you know me a little bit. I really only know that your husband passed away and you ate going through a rough time right now. I want to know more about you."

   “Remember how I hated you? Remember how I wanted nothing to do with you? Well, don't anymore, obviously, but I'm not in love with you. I don't know if I will be for a while. I don't know if I'll ever love you Jeff," Madison replied.

   Jeff didn't want to hear any of this. He thought it was pure nonsense. “You'll never love me? Never? You're kidding!" Jeff laughed.

   “I'm being very serious Jeff. My husband only died four months ago."

   “I hear this same story every time I see you, Madison. I know he's dead. Stop saying it!"

  Madison walked over to Jeff with anger and slapped him across the face. “How dare you talk to me like that? I will not stop talking about it." 

  Jeff gave Madison a stare and ran to the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror and touched his right cheek, where she slapped him. It was hot, burning, and the right side of his face was in pain. It was red like a strawberry. She must of used all of her force.

  He ran out of the bathroom and stopped to look at Madison, who looked back at him and started to stay something. He didn't bother to stay and ran out the front door to his car. He quickly got in his car and drove away as fast as he could, leaving her house.

   No one had ever slapped him before, and he didn't want the first person to slap him be the person he loved.