Chapter 21

One Month Later

Maddie can't believe it. That is has been already a month since James got shot and she almost lost him. At least she won't have to hear about John anymore because after he shot James, detective Frost shot him and killed him.

Currently, she's lying down in bed beside James, who's still asleep. Maddie lifted her hand and traced James' face with her finger, from his eyes all the way to his lips.

"What are doing, my goddess?" James asked her with his husky voice. Her body reacted to his husky voice she loves to hear every morning.

"I just want to trace you, so I know that I'm not dreaming because I don't want to wake up from this." She watched as he smiled and lifted the blanket to cover them and to make love to her, to show how much he loves her.

Few hours later, Maddie was in the kitchen making their breakfast, when she heard the voices of James and Drew as they were coming down the stairs.

"Good morning to mommy, how are you feeling?" Maddie smiled at James, who asked her in mimicking Drew's voice and held him in her arms.

"Good morning, Drew, I'm doing well. Did you sleep well?" Maddie sat Drew in his chair and gave James a small kiss, but what she most loved was when James gives kisses to her growing pregnancy belly.

"I can't wait to meet our baby. I hope it's a girl and she'll look like you." Maddie laughed at his words and went to the counter to bring the plates so they could eat.

"How is your shoulder? Does it hurt?" Ever since he got shot, Maddie can't stop being worried about him, especially that James is going back to the base tomorrow.

"Yes, Maddie. Don't worry, it's not good for you and the baby. It doesn't hurt at all, I promise you. Let's eat and have a family time with Drew, OK?" Maddie nodded her head and continued to enjoy the breakfast with her family.

After a few hours, Maddie saw James leaving the house by telling her he's going to hang out with his father and Mike. She knew that there was nothing to worry about, because Mike will protect the two men.

Maddie enjoyed the rest of her day playing with Drew. Ever since the kidnap, she couldn't enjoy it. While playing on the carpet with Drew, there was a knock on the door. "I'm coming. Want to come with me to check who came to visit us, Drew?" Drew clapped his hands and crawled alongside Maddie until they reached the door.

When she opened it, Maddie smiled because Terry and Dekota came to visit her.

"Hi mom, hi Dekota. Please come in, look who came to visit us, Drew. It's grandma and aunt Dekota. Are you happy?"

"Happy, happy." Drew laughed and clapped as he watched them enter the room.

"Come here, you little devil. Are you having fun with mommy?" Dekota asked him as she picked him up in her arms and followed them to the living room. "How are you feeling, Maddie? And I see your pregnancy is growing up slowly and safely." Maddie smiled at Dekota's words.

"Yeah, my baby is growing safely and beautifully. That day when I was in the hospital after falling down the stairs, I got scared of losing this baby more than that time when I lost John's baby. Let's not talk about the past and let's enjoy our day together with Drew."

Terry and Dekota smiled at her and followed her to the living room. When they arrived, Dekota left Drew in his playground area and joined the others on the couch.

"Mom, do you know what James is hiding from me?"

"No honey, why? Did James upset you? Oh, when I see this boy, I'm going to reap his ear from his head. This is not the way to treat his pregnant girlfriend." Maddie laughed at Terry's words and hugged her.

"No mom, James did nothing bad. It's just that… Lately has been sneaking out with all kinds of excuses. Did dad say something?"

"NO, Albert didn't tell me anything. Maybe he wanted to do something regards the military or the rookies that had their final exam and had to know what the result is. You know James loves you, so be patient with him."

"You right mom, thanks. What about you, Dekota? How's everyone at the house? I miss them a lot."

That's how the whole day has passed for Maddie, but she had the feeling that James is hiding something from her, and she'll get those answers from him, eventually.

#

James didn't enjoy sneaking out with white lies to Maddie, but he had to do it. While he was driving his car, his phone rang.

"Hello? Where are you, Mike?" James answered his phone through blue tooth.

"What do you mean, where am I? I'm at the jewelry shop that you told me to be. Where are you?"

"Sorry man, it was difficult to sneak off on Maddie, plus I'm on my way with dad. We'll be there in 15 minutes."

"OK, drive safe." James Hang up the call and continued to drive.

"Are you nervous, son?" Albert could feel that his son was holding too tight the wheel, so he put his hand on top of James' hand.

"I'm sorry, dad. To tell you the truth, I am nervous. I know Maddie is going to say, 'yes' but I don't want to lose her too, like I lost Paula the moment that she gave birth to Drew." James tried to relax while driving them to the jewelry shop, he wanted to ask Maddie to marry him and grow old beside her.

"It's fine, son. It's normal to feel this way. I'm sure that Maddie is going to be beside you until the end. So, now drive us safely to the jewelry shop and pick the perfect ring for my daughter-in-law." James laughed with his father and drove them to the mall.

They arrived in 15 minutes to the mall. The moment that they left the car, they met with Mike, who was sitting on the bench and waited for them.

"Finally! Hello sir, how are you?"

"I'm fine, young man."

"Are you not going to ask me, how am I feeling? I'm hurt, my friend." James lifted his eyebrows playfully toward Mike.

"OH please, I know you are doing fine. Let's pick that ring already."

"You are not helpful today." He said but went with them to the shop.

As they entered, a man around his father's age approached them. "I supposed you are James Davis, am I right?"

"Yes sir. Thank you for helping me with this."

"How can I not help the son of my friend Albert? You are like a son to me. Follow me to the back room, where you'll feel more relaxed. It's good to see you again, Albert."

"It's good to see you too, my friend. How's everyone at home?" James watched as his father and the jewelry owner continued to chat between them as he and Mike followed them from behind.

After a few hours of looking at all kinds of unique rings, James has found the perfect ring that represents Maddie's personality. The ring had a small white diamond with a small crown that circled that diamond. He was glad that he measured her fingers yesterday.

As he was driving back home with his dad, after saying goodbye to Mike and telling him to meet them tomorrow with the troops and the commander at Dekota's restaurant.

"Maddie's going to love this ring, son. You picked well."

"Thanks dad, I hope Maddie won't be mad at me for sneaking out of the house." Albert laughed and spoke.

"Well, when she sees tomorrow, the ring. She'll forgive you. As of today, Maddie's going to love the roses you just bought her." James looked through his mirror at the red roses that lay there in the back sit of the car. At least he bought her something, so she won't be mad at him alongside with the small baby boots.

After an hour of driving, they finally arrived at his house. At least he was smart to give his father to keep the ring, because he knows Maddie will look for something.

"We are home. Maddie? Mom? Where are you?" James yelled from the entry. Albert slapped his son's back head for yelling. "Ouch, dad that hurt."

"Well, maybe that will teach to not to scream at the house. Have you not thought about that? I don't know. Maybe Drew was sleeping?"

"Sorry, I forgot." Albert shook his head and continued to walk to the living room.

As the two men entered the living room, James saw his mom was trying to make Drew stop from crying, and Maddie looked at him with an angry face.

"Look what you did. Now try to make him fall asleep again." James felt ashamed that he woke up Drew from his sleep. He approached his mother, gave her a small kiss on the cheek and took Drew from her hands.

"Shh, daddy is sorry for waking you up. Let's go to the garden and swing a bit at the rocking chair." James kissed Maddie and said, "I left roses for you at the table with a small bag. They are for you." James left with Drew in his hands to the garden and tried to plan in his head about tomorrow's event that he's going to give Maddie.