Chapter 48: Voicemail
The neighborhood I'd grown up in consisted of rows of houses and family members with a tight knit connection, almost everybody knew everybody.
As the car rolled up to my house number, I couldn't help but stare in awe at how little things had changed. It left me feeling nostalgic.
I made my way to the trunk, grabbing out my bags and letting out a puff of frustrated air at the weight of the bag.
"Home sweet home," I mumbled under my breath as I stared at my childhood home. It was a small two floor house with a front porch barely able to accommodate a chair. I couldn't deny a few things had changed. For first, it seemed my mom finally got rid of the egregious colour scheme and had opted for a more cooler tone, blue and grey. She also seemed to have gotten a gardening habit telling by the luscious rows of greenery in our front yard.
I drew in a deep breath, thinking about the surprised look my mom would make when she saw me here, in the middle of the day.
"Maddie?"
I paused after only taking one step. I looked over to my neighbours yard where she stood, Mrs Johnson.
"Hi Mrs Johnson..."
"Miss" she casually corrected as she made her way to me, giving me a warm hug. "I didn't know you were back from school, the semester isn't over is it?"
I gave a small laugh as I shook my head. "Just needed a break," I explained.
She laughed. "I totally agree, the whole partying and drinking must be really hectic, heaven knows my stomach was running solely on alcohol back in those days."
I gave a small smile, partying was barely my scene but miss Johnson didn't know that, I'd barely grown up in this neighborhood seeing as I moved to boarding school at an early age.
But if any neighbor knew me best, it was her, I could remember spending my days in her house whenever I got back home from summer break, my mom tried her best to keep me away from my dad so I spent most of my holidays there, "babysitting" miss Johnson's daughter, Dia who's brother was back at uni and mom having a tight work schedule.
She gave me a small pat, urging me to go. "Why don't you get some rest, the trip back must have been tough," she said.
I made my way to the porch, searching for the key but I couldn't find it where my mom usually kept it so I guessed she must be inside, maybe off from work.
"Can't wait for you to tell me all about your boyfriend," miss Johnson chimed, leaving me frozen.
She smiled. "Come on, did you really think you'd get a boyfriend and your mom wouldn't tell me"
Like I said, everyone knew everyone in this neighborhood.
But there was nothing to tell, the man I loved was dead and as much as I tried to forget, I was constantly reminded.
"Dia's in school right now, when she gets back, I'd tell her you dropped by," she said
I quickly smiled and pushed myself through the door and into the house before I could breakdown in front of my neighbor.
...
The warm scent of Mexican food welcomed me as I pushed into the house, eagerly taking off my shoes at the door while calling out to my mom.
"Maddie?" My mom called, surprised. "What are you doing here? Is the semester over, you could have told me, I'd arrange somewhere you could stay."
"It's fine," I said, " I wanted to come home... I've missed you mom."
I rushed into her arm, pulling her into a surprise hug.
But she didn't seem convinced. Jennifer Maurice was many things, a hard working mom, a strong woman, a hopeless romantic. But she wasn't dumb.
"Something's wrong," she said. She casually took my sunglasses off to see the teary mess that was my eyes and just then, I could barely hold myself. I fell back into her arms, crying.
And she let me, she didn't ask questions, she just let me cry in her arms.
"Well Lucky for you, I just so happened to be making your favourite, Machaca with a crap ton of burritos, sure it can cheer you up."
I gave a small smile even though I wasn't hungry, but I felt at home... home.
•••
It was currently 7:15pm, I'd gotten changed into my pyjamas and settled in bed, staring at my childhood ceiling.
Yeah, I'd found a couple old furniture's here and there which had been broken by my dad but all in all, the place felt different. Familiar yet different.
My phone buzzed to life, ringing once again but I simply silenced it knowing fully well who it was. Alex had constantly been calling all day for some reason but I wasn't in the mood to talk, and sure, I owed both he and Justin an apology for the things I'd said, I'd figured I'd give both boys and myself some time to grieve, Ashton was like a brother to them after all.
As I sat up from my bed, opening my laptop to probably watch some mind numbing movie, I could immediately catch the steps of someone as they made their way to my room.
"Maddiee!!" Dia grinned as she rushed into my room, almost jumping right on my laptop but thankfully I avoided that disaster.
"Dia, hey." I pulled her into a hug, both of us grinning from ear to ear as I'd finally reunited with my neighborhood best friend.
"Girl, you've been gone in a hot minute, there's so much I have to tell you," Dia screeched in a single breath excitedly.
It'd actually been a while since we last spoke, about a year actually. She'd grown a lot, easily taller than me now even though I was two years older, her curly hair tied into a bun, amber eyes littered with specks of gold, full lips curving into a smile. Her chocolate skin seamlessly complimenting the purple nightgown she wore.
Well someone won the gene pool lottery.
"First, crazy John down the street finally moved out, says his house was infested with rats, that sounds like a 'him' problem if you ask me but whatever. Second, my SATs are coming up and you're helping me study," Dia said. "Third, can I just mention senior year is hell, my chances of getting into Harvard are low but not zero so I'll take my chances... how about you, how've you been doing?"
With the amount of information she'd just lodged on me, I barely had time to even register the fact she just asked me a question.
"Okay, what about your boyfriend? Ashton was it, my mom told me all about him." She laid on my bed, eyes eagerly waiting for some tea.
My lips quivered at the sound of his name but I simply smiled. "I've been good," I said.
"Hey come on, you've been gone for over a year, at least spill the beans, is he hot? I heard he's a boxer, not really into boxing but his dad's a UFC champion, is that true?"
"Dia can we not talk about this right now?" I begged but Dia, the overly excited teenager didn't seem to notice my unease.
"What's the matter? Okay, at least can I see a picture, all the guys in my school are gross."
"I DON'T HAVE A PICTURE OKAY?" I yelled, easily frustrated.
That caught her off guard, almost making her flinch with surprise. Her expression quickly turned to one of concern. "Maddie, are you... okay?"
"No, I don't think I am," I mumbled, the tears falling once again.
I'd tried to brush it all away, I'd tried to forget about him but even miles away, the thought haunted me
"He's... dead," I cried.
Dia looked at me with utter shock, probably wondering if this was a joke or something, her expression shaped into one of sympathy.
"He died fighting... for me," I mumbled, tears running down my eyes as I looked up at Dia. "I don't know if I can live with the guilt, Dia."
"Hey, look at me" she took my face in her hand lifting my gaze to meet her.
"You'll get through this, I know you will Maddison, you're strong, quirky and beautiful, it'll be tough but you'd grow from this, you'd love, like you've never done before and you'd be happy, truly happy..."
The words sounded poetic, like a warming embrace and I just nodded, cause that was all I wanted.
"Thank you," I whispered.
She nodded, creeping under the sheets with me as we cuddled to sleep like we did when we were kids.
•••
10.00pm
I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing once more, turning over and silencing it.
Dia slept right next to me, hairs littered over her face, the cover sprawled to the floor. I smiled as I got up from bed, grabbed the cover and laid it over her before tucking it into bed like I always did when we were younger.
I made my way to the to the living room where I found my mom nestled on a couch, numerous sheets of fashion designs sprawled all over the floor, she'd clearly been working late.
I quickly helped gather up the sheets, placing them on the centre table before going to the kitchen.
It was good to be home.
I poured out a glass of water, chugging it down like some hard beer as I rested against the counter. My eyes caught an old family portrait.
I was just a baby then, nestled in my mother's hand, my dad standing right behind her with a cheeky smile on our faces, we were truly happy then.
And maybe we still could be. According to the nurses at the rehab, my dad was doing better, he seemed to be recovering quick and that left me excited to see him out of that place.
At least one good news right?
I made my way back to my bedroom, Dia still sleeping comfortably in my bed, letting out tiny snores which sounded almost like giggles. I made a mental note to tell her that once she woke up.
Ping!
The blue light of my phone illuminated the room, drawing my attention to it. I sighed, finally exhausted from the endless calls, I picked up the phone.
47 missed calls
1 voice mail
I sighed, as I checked my call history, surprised to find some calls had been from both Jessica and Angie, even Justin and Devin.
Just then, worry crept in. Had something happened? Was everyone okay? Anxiety rushed to me, leaving me wide awake as I suddenly began to sweat.
I quickly scrolled to the voice mail, pressing play.
"Maddie..."
I froze.
•••
Well, this was a long one, hope you guys are still with me?
I'm so terrible at sticking to outlines seeing as there's actually still two more chapters left (fingers crossed I don't do any new rewrites)
But what do you guys think? How did you like Dia iykyk ;)
Two more chapters to go and this duology would be over so hold unto your seatbelts folks.
It's about to go down,
-Thea