If Only..(Part 1 And Part 2 Included)(Under Edit)

Chapter 41 - The Mirror

His eyes widened and he rushed out of the room at once and started searching every corner of her house, desperately. He dialed her number but in vain. All forms of adverse possibilities started to flood his mind, as he gradually started to get engulfed in his own guilt of not being able to receive her calls. There was now only one person that passed his mind.

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Madeline stood by the door, took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell. Cleo opened the door, with a meek smile glowing up her face that was now coveted by dark circles and fade patches.

Cleo: Come in.

Madeline forced a smile to cover the signs to pity in her face and walked in. She looked around the house and shut her eyes to stop the tears from forming up. She turned towards Cleo.

Madeline: How are you holding up?

Cleo(shrugged): As a new, pregnant, hormone driven widow?

Madeline face winced as she gazed at her(whispers): I am sorry.

Cleo twitched her lips and nodded while closing her eyes. She looked up at Madeline with another smile.

Cleo: You shouldn't be. Had he failed to save you at that moment, he would have stayed alive, but like a leaving corpse. He wouldn't have been able to forgive himself. But, now, that's true that he is(voice drifting off)no more. (composing herself) But he died, proud, on duty.

Madeline couldn't stop her tears after she heard that. Cleo saw her tears and cupped her cheeks.

Madeline(quivering voice): He was no less than a guardian angel to me.

Cleo twitched her lips and nodded: And, he left when his duty was over. To save you from the demons and help you avenge yourself.

Madeline's eyes suddenly fell on a huge paper bag, showing the tip of a blue cap. Her eyebrows slightly creased out of inquisitiveness and she walked towards the bag. Cleo kept her gaze on her. She separated the opening to see blue decoratives, inside. She pulled out a packet of blue balloon, and turned towards Cleo.

Madeline: Baby Shower.

Cleo(looked and smiled): That was day after tomorrow. Jake told me he will be busy, so we did all the shopping in advance.

Madeline gazed down at the packet of un-swollen balloons and caressed it with her thumb: It's a boy?

Cleo(muttered): It's a boy.

Madeline sensed the change in her voice and looked up at her to see tears streaming down her eyes as she caressed her tummy with her right hand.

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Jackson pulled out his phone and called Jereff.

Jereff(over the phone): Jack!

Jackson: Something isn't right.

Jereff: What?? Where are you? What happened?

Jackson: I am inside Madeline's house. She is not here.

Jereff: Brother, stop freaking out. She must have gone out for some fresh air.

Jackson: THAT IS NOT WHY I CALLED YOU? Her entrance door wasn't locked. That never happened, even when she is home. She called me multiple times, the previous night. And, she isn't answering her call since morning.

Jereff: And?

Jackson: There's broken mirror and a shattered vase, and the room is a mess.

Jereff: *sigh* What do you have been mind?