Read Online Witness Protection: Hide and Seek by Ursula Dukes - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ursula Dukes
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having a good day, then
embrace that day and throw away the guilt. If you're having a bad day and you
want to crawl into bed and cry, then do just that, cry. But, with each day,
things will get better and before you know it, you will be at peace with what’s
happened and you will want to start to live again. Right now, the pain still
has a tight grip on you, but soon, if you let it, that strong hold will start
to loosen."
Madison stared forward with unfocused eyes and released a
shaky breath.
"It's been a year now and I don’t miss him any less, I
suspect that I never will. But I have learned that the awful moment when I
learned of his passing, is not permanent. It is just that, a moment and it took
me a while to understand that, but I learned to work through it and I replaced
that dark moment with a happier, more joyful one."
Donna studied Madison's face for a moment, and then smiled.
"Madison, you are going to be alright." She said in a tone that made
her sit up and smile.
Donna patted her on the shoulder as she got up and went back
to preparing the dishes for the barbecue.
"Now how about you help me finish getting ready for the
party?" She smiled warmly.
"Of course." Madison nodded and made her way over
to the counter and busied herself stirring a large pot of beans.
Donna was chopping vegetables when she stopped and casually
leaned against the counter.
"So…how was it seeing Cole again after all these
years?" She asked hesitantly.
Madison stopped stirring the pot of
beans for a minute before shrugging and returning to her duties.
"It was fine, just fine."
Donna clicked her teeth and snickered.
"I'm not being nosey or anything and I realize that I
have no business mothering you… but last night at the party, we couldn’t help
but notice a connection between the two of you."
"We?" Madison stopped stirring again and turned to
face her. Donna saw the slightest hint of a playful smirk on her face.
"Yes. Hank and I. He may be a man Madison, but he's not
stupid. One would have to be blind not to see the connection you two
have."
It took only seconds for Madison's eyes to go from delight
to guilt.
"Oh sweetheart, it's okay to want to laugh and smile.
He'd want that. You think you gave Tristan everything that you had, am I
right?"
When Madison agreed, Donna continued.
"You did not give him all that you had honey, you let
him borrow it. And now it's your turn to reclaim it for yourself. You've got to
live in the moment. You have nothing to feel guilty about, you're a human
being, and it's alright to want to feel again."
"How do you know all of this stuff?" Madison wiped
tears from her eyes.
"Trust me honey, I know. I'm a lot older and wiser than
you are." She winked at her.
"I don’t know what I'm feeling right now. All I know is
that I would have never thought in a million years, that the connection he and
I felt three years ago would return with such a vengeance."
Madison blushed at the thought of Cole. It was the first
time in a very long time that someone other than Tristan had invaded her
thoughts. And it was the first time since his death that she allowed it.
"I don’t think that Cole's gone a day without thinking
about you. He's divorced now you know? Eight months. Did he tell you what
happened?"
Madison shrugged her shoulders and moved on to chopping
lettuce.
"Just that she cheated on him, that's all."
"Well, if you ask me, he's better off. He's a good man,
a very good man." She put her knife down and looked Madison square in the
eye.
"Cole Harding was the first person to help us out after
that animal set fire to the bar. When he got to the hospital, he never left
Hank's side until he knew that we'd be safe. And if you ask me, he did it
because of you."
"Me? I'm sure he was just doing his job.".
"No. The police were already there, Cole was under no
obligation to show up. They could have sent any
embrace that day and throw away the guilt. If you're having a bad day and you
want to crawl into bed and cry, then do just that, cry. But, with each day,
things will get better and before you know it, you will be at peace with what’s
happened and you will want to start to live again. Right now, the pain still
has a tight grip on you, but soon, if you let it, that strong hold will start
to loosen."
Madison stared forward with unfocused eyes and released a
shaky breath.
"It's been a year now and I don’t miss him any less, I
suspect that I never will. But I have learned that the awful moment when I
learned of his passing, is not permanent. It is just that, a moment and it took
me a while to understand that, but I learned to work through it and I replaced
that dark moment with a happier, more joyful one."
Donna studied Madison's face for a moment, and then smiled.
"Madison, you are going to be alright." She said in a tone that made
her sit up and smile.
Donna patted her on the shoulder as she got up and went back
to preparing the dishes for the barbecue.
"Now how about you help me finish getting ready for the
party?" She smiled warmly.
"Of course." Madison nodded and made her way over
to the counter and busied herself stirring a large pot of beans.
Donna was chopping vegetables when she stopped and casually
leaned against the counter.
"So…how was it seeing Cole again after all these
years?" She asked hesitantly.
Madison stopped stirring the pot of
beans for a minute before shrugging and returning to her duties.
"It was fine, just fine."
Donna clicked her teeth and snickered.
"I'm not being nosey or anything and I realize that I
have no business mothering you… but last night at the party, we couldn’t help
but notice a connection between the two of you."
"We?" Madison stopped stirring again and turned to
face her. Donna saw the slightest hint of a playful smirk on her face.
"Yes. Hank and I. He may be a man Madison, but he's not
stupid. One would have to be blind not to see the connection you two
have."
It took only seconds for Madison's eyes to go from delight
to guilt.
"Oh sweetheart, it's okay to want to laugh and smile.
He'd want that. You think you gave Tristan everything that you had, am I
right?"
When Madison agreed, Donna continued.
"You did not give him all that you had honey, you let
him borrow it. And now it's your turn to reclaim it for yourself. You've got to
live in the moment. You have nothing to feel guilty about, you're a human
being, and it's alright to want to feel again."
"How do you know all of this stuff?" Madison wiped
tears from her eyes.
"Trust me honey, I know. I'm a lot older and wiser than
you are." She winked at her.
"I don’t know what I'm feeling right now. All I know is
that I would have never thought in a million years, that the connection he and
I felt three years ago would return with such a vengeance."
Madison blushed at the thought of Cole. It was the first
time in a very long time that someone other than Tristan had invaded her
thoughts. And it was the first time since his death that she allowed it.
"I don’t think that Cole's gone a day without thinking
about you. He's divorced now you know? Eight months. Did he tell you what
happened?"
Madison shrugged her shoulders and moved on to chopping
lettuce.
"Just that she cheated on him, that's all."
"Well, if you ask me, he's better off. He's a good man,
a very good man." She put her knife down and looked Madison square in the
eye.
"Cole Harding was the first person to help us out after
that animal set fire to the bar. When he got to the hospital, he never left
Hank's side until he knew that we'd be safe. And if you ask me, he did it
because of you."
"Me? I'm sure he was just doing his job.".
"No. The police were already there, Cole was under no
obligation to show up. They could have sent any
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