Chapter 7

After leaving James's house, Maddie felt a little lost with herself. Right now, she was sitting in her car trying to figure out with her life.

I'm such a coward, I should have stayed but I can't look at James's eyes and know that I've cost him pain, she sighed to herself and looked outside of her car and knew that only she can help her because without her she will have lost in this world.

Maddie got out of her car and went to the entry of her only friend that she knew ever since she was living since, she moved to LA from Texas. Maddie took a deep breath and knock at the front door and waited for that person to open it. 'I'm coming,' she heard from the inside of the house. Few minutes later, the front door opened, and Dekota was standing there looking at her with shock.

"What's wrong, Maddie? Come in." Dekota pushed her in and gave her a hug, seeing her friend in the state of wanting to cry. "Please, don't cry Maddie. Tell me what happens. Is something wrong with Drew or James?"

Maddie shakes her head, "Drew is doing good, but James…" She couldn't continue without wanting to cry with the pain that she cost him when she told him he can tell her about his nightmares. "James is in the hospital right now, and it's my fault. He told me about his nightmares that he's been having, I should have told him to go to a professional, maybe it was better and… and…" Maddie just could not hold anymore her tears and broke down on the floor to cry in Dekota's arms.

Dekota Just held her and tried to comfort her, Maddie knew that, but she couldn't stop crying when she thought about the pain that James had to go through because of her. After a while, Maddie felt she had no more tears left. She and Dekota went to the living room and sat down on the couch.

"Do you feel better now, Maddie? Wait here and I'll bring you some water." Dekota got up from the couch and went to the kitchen to pour some water for Maddie. "Here Maddie, drink some water because, I'm sure that your throat is dry from all the crying." Maddie took the glass that she gave her and sipped it.

"Thanks, Dekota. I'm sorry that I came so early to your house. It's just I didn't know where else to go."

"You don't have to apologize to me, that are friends for. Wait, you want to tell me you left the house?" Dekota looked at her with a shock.

Maddie putted her head between her hands and nodded, "I did, I just couldn't continue like that after I've put him in the hospital."

"It's not your fault Maddie, it could have happened to him even if he told a therapist about his nightmares so stop with the blames that you are putting yourself with. Do you want me to go with you to James's house and talk to him?"

Maddie shook her head. "No, Dekota, I don't want to go back there. I really appreciate it, but I think I'll go find a place to stay and look for a new job. I'll call you when I'll find a place." Maddie was about to leave Dekota's place when she stopped her.

"You don't have to look for a place Maddie, you can stay with us and about a new job, well I am looking for a new waitress in my restaurant, you can come and work for me."

Maddie looked at her friend and couldn't believe it. She's going to help her and give her a job. Maddie gave her a hug. "Do you really mean it, Dekota? Do you really going to help me?"

Dekota hugged her back and laughed with her, "Yes Maddie, I'm got to help you. You are my friend, and I will not abandon you."

Maddie is thankful for her friend's help, "Thanks Dekota, but where exactly am I going to stay?"

"At my old place that is near my restaurant, it's a very cozy place. You're going to like it. I used to live there before I met Bill. You know what? Let's go. I'll show you the place so you could put your stuff there and I'll show you the restaurant where you're going to work starting tomorrow!"

Maddie hugged again Dekota and said, "I don't know how to repay you all this kindness that you showed me all these months that we've got to know each other. I'll be forever grateful to you. When you'll need a babysitter for the boys, just let me know and I'll do it for free!" Dekota laughed with Maddie, and both left Dekota's house and went to see the place that she's going to live for now on and her new job.

#

Currently, James was sitting in his office at home, he still has the letter that Maddie left for him in his hands, and every time he reads it still can't believe that she left this job after he told her about the nightmares that his been having since he came back home where he lost his fellow soldiers and friends. He doesn't blame her for that. He hoped she would at least have talked to him about leaving.

What am I going to do now? I don't want to hire another person, but I don't want to put everything on my parents. GOD, why these decisions are so hard right now?! James sighed to himself with these thoughts. There was a knock at his office. He got up from the couch and went to open it.

"Hi James, can I come in?" James saw his father at his office door and let him in. They both sat down on the couch sitting opposite of each other.

"Yeah, I think so, dad. Maybe not. I'm so confused right now!"

"What are you confused with? Is it about Maddie? Because she left this house or because she left you?" James looked at his father, and then looked down at his hands. He could feel them sweating from the nervous he was feeling right now.

"I don't know dad, it's just…" James sighed a bit and continued, "I don't know what I'm feeling right now toward Maddie. It's so confusion right now, I love Paula and I'll always love her even though she's not with me, she's the mother of Drew and I'll hurt her if I'll fall in love with some else." James looked at his dad and thought that he'll pity him, but he understood him the most. "If Maddie left this house, it's her problem. It's not fair to Drew. He got attached to her, and she abandoned him like that. Don't look at me like that dad, you know I'm right. But one thing I can tell you, I don't know what I'm feeling toward Maddie."

His dad got up from his armchair and went to sit next to James and put his hand on his back, "I'm sure that Paula will not hate you, the only thing she'll want is for you to be happy and find haziness, if Maddie makes you happy then why not. Don't get depressed at this situation and try to find Maddie and ask her why she left this house after everything."

"You're right, dad, I'll try to find Maddie. If I don't find her, that means that she doesn't want to see us at all."

"Exactly son, so cheer up, James. Well, I'm going to see what your mother is cooking for us and hang out with Drew while you're trying to find Maddie. Don't give up hope James, if she's hiding from you, then I'm sure there is a reason for that."

James saw his father leaving the office and leaving him alone with his thoughts.

I don't know why you left this house, Maddie, but I hope it has nothing to do with the nightmares that I've told you about or because you hate me for how I've treated you these past months. I'm going to find you Maddie and you're going to explain to me why you ran away! James promised himself.

For the month, James was trying to locate Maddie but didn't have any luck. He even talked to Dekota, but she didn't want to reveal her location. And told him to give her some time to herself and give some time for himself as well. James had returned home empty hand and decided that it was time for them to stay the way it is now and maybe in the future they'll meet again.

#

A Month Later

Maddie was currently working as a waitress in Dekota's restaurant, and she felt relaxed a little, even though she missed Drew. Dekota will tell her now and then how James and Drew are so she could be relaxed.

"Maddie?" Maddie looked up at from the table she was cleaning at her co-worker Lisa.

"Yes, Lisa."

"Can you go to my table to take a note? It's just that I need to go to the bathroom." Maddie smiled at her and nodded. Lisa thanked her and Maddie went to her table.

"Hello, would you like to order something?" Maddie looked at her notebook and waited for the couple to order. When she lifted her head up, her eyes couldn't believe it. There was Terry and Albert sat at the table in front of her and smiling to her.

"Hi dear, how are you?"

"Hi, Terry. Albert. I'm good. How are you feeling?"

"We are fine, Maddie. We didn't know that you work here now."

"I've worked here for a month. Please don't tell James that I'm here. Would you like to order something meanwhile?" Terry and Albert looked at their menu and Maddie felt nervous about having them here, but she knows it was only by chance that they came here.

After they ordered their lunch, Maddie went and gave their order to the kitchen and continued her work. Occasionally, she looked in their direction. She really missed them.

"Maddie? Are you OK?" Maddie turned to the right at the sound of Dekota's voice.

"Yeah, I'm OK. It's just that I didn't know that I'll see them here. Are they always come? What about James? Does he come here too?"

"Relax Maddie, the last time that James came to my restaurant was when Paula was alive, and that was 2 years ago before she was pregnant. His parents come here occasionally to eat their lunch or when they celebrate their anniversary. You won't see James here, so relax and breath. You want to take a minor break?" Maddie looked at her friend and sighed.

"No, Dekota, I'll just continue working but thanks for telling me." Maddie smiled and went to serve her tables like nothing had happened. She didn't want to make her friend worried about her, even though she had to talk to James's parents and convince them not to tell James where she was working right now.

#

Ever since Maddie left his house, James returned to the base and move on with his life. He finds a new babysitter for Drew, but he could see that Drew didn't really like her, so he had to make his mother to check on them occasionally and to see that everything is OK in the house.

Currently, he was watching the rookies running around and doing the exercise that he told them to do.

"Why do you look down, James?" James looked behind him and saw Mike approaching him.

"Hi Mike. I don't look down; it is just your imagination. I'm watching the boys and thinking if they can pass our exam."

"If you say so, my friend. But seriously, how are you? Ever since you came back, you are not the same person. Is it Drew?"

"No, Mike. Drew is fine. I've found him a new babysitter. Maddie quit her job at my house after I had a panic attack." Mike looked at him in shock.

"Are you serious? Why?"

James sighed at his friend question, "I didn't want to go to therapist and tell a total stranger about my nightmare, so I've told Maddie about them and after that I've suffered the panic attack and when I came home at the next day, she was already gone and the only thing she left was a letter of resignation. She didn't explain the reason of why she left. The only thing she orate was that she's sorry for the panics that I've suffered that day and wished me a good luck. I've tried to find her. I even went to see Dekota, but she didn't tell where Maddie was and told me to give her time to heal and give myself time as well. What do you think, is Dekota is right by telling me that?" James watched his friend thinking for few minutes.

"She does. Dekota is right. You two need some time out from each other." James sighed and nodded. He knew it was what Mike will answer. That's why he stopped looking for her and move on with his life and concentrate on training these rookies and watch over Drew.