Wishing Well

Happy Festive holidays to all that's celebrating

<3

__

Madison~~

The car comes to a halt.

"We could've walked, you know?" I say looking over at him.

Nathan unbuckles his seat belt, looking my way. "And risk getting seen around with you?"

I gasp, not believing the words that came out of his rude mouth. He smiles, laughing. "I'm kidding! Look, Madison, you just seem a little tense. I just wanted to make you laugh but I ended up making myself look bad."

He really isn't good with women.

I narrow my eyes at him. "Let me just get out of the car before I slap you." A smile spreads on my lips, I unbuckle my seat belt and get out his black Mercedes.

He steps out too. "Before you go and assume things about me, I just want you to know that I'm not like that."

He locks his car.

"Like how?"

"Like...us being seen together or something. I don't care what people think." Nathan says confidently walking by my side towards one of the entrances of Central Park.

I frown, looking down.

Should I believe that?

He was engaged to a woman and it seemed like he didn't even love her, my bet is that it was an arranged marriage. Meaning, deep down, he does care what people think. He does care about his reputation.

"I forgot to tell you, but I think now is be the perfect time to say it." I look up at him, wondering what he has to say. "Last month, there was an article about me...about me and you."

Frowning, I stop dead in my tracks. "Say what now?"

Nathan let's out a nervous chuckle. "A picture was leaked of us exiting the bar, but luckily for your safety, your face couldn't be seen. The article assumed that we're dating or hooking up-"

I start walking away from him, huffing breaths escapes me. I don't want to hear any further.

He follows me. "Great! Now you're mad at me."

"And you expect me not to be? We're from different worlds, so whatever this is between us should come to an end." I say looking back at him.

There could be paparazzi hiding in the trees as we speak.

His blue eyes pierce into mine. "You regret it." He says more like a fact. And I can't but admit to myself that I do.

"And that's really okay. It was a one time thing, don't take it too seriously."

"Do you regret it?" I can't help but ask.

He stops and thinks for a moment. "No."

I'm surprised.

"Regret is something I don't have time for. Whatever I do, I take responsibility for it."

Him saying that makes me realize just how irrational I really am. I shouldn't complain, and I shouldn't be mad at him.

A chilly wind blows over us. "Well said...I just overreacted Nathan."

Nathan trails his fingers to my face and moves out a piece of hair to the side. "We can consider us strangers, or we can consider us friends. What's your pick?" He gives me a small smile.

I bite on my lip, not knowing what to say. "Friends it is." I finally say.

"Great, thought you were gonna reject me there for a second but you said yes, so you wanna go grab a hotdog?" He laughs, walking ahead. "Come on, I know where a cart is."

I chuckle watching him sprint towards a cart.

What have I gotten myself into?

...

I thought Nathan was kidding, but no, he actually went and bought the both of us a hotdog plus a bottle of water for me and a latte for him.

The dark night sky greets us above with a few stars glowing, and a half moon shines as well.

We're sitting on one of the park's benches near a beautiful flowing waterfall. A dozen pennies glistens in the water and I wonder if wishing wells are actually true.

"You were lying, weren't you?" Nathan asks, breaking the calm quiet space between us.

I take a proper bite from my hotdog. I don't want him judging my eating skills. "About what?"

"Come on, Madison. You gonna tell me what happened to your door or not?"

Does he really want to know that bad? Why?

I know I've considered him a friend but that doesn't mean I have to tell him.

Maybe I should.

I look ahead once again. "There's no point in hiding it any more." I shrug. "My ex husband came by earlier when I wasn't there and tried to break in."

Nathan says nothing.

A small laugh escapes me. "Yeah, I got a crazy ex."

"Has he tried other things before?" Nathan asks straightforwardly. "Was he violent towards you?"

I turn to look at the man next to me, finding his blue eyes stare back into my brown ones. "Why do you think I left him?" Something in his eyes changes. He's disgusted.

"We had extreme highs and alot of lows. We loved each other but I couldn't stay with someone that kept hurting and degrading me. So, I left thinking I would live a better life, like it would be an effortless fairytale, but... I-I still feel trapped."

"He didn't love you." He says.

I frown.

"He wanted to control, and it looks like he still wants to do that."

"A month ago I got a retraining order against him but soon realized that a piece of paper will not keep him away from me." I look once more at the wishing well.

"I'm sorry you went through that. He's not a real man. But you should at least be proud of yourself for leaving." Nathan gives me a nudge against my arm and I turn to him with a small smile on my face.

He's right. I should.

Just as I was about to say something, a total of six reporters jumps out from behind us.

My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach, I turn to Nathan wide-eyed. The reporters starts shouting questions in our faces as I try to hide my own.

"Who is this Mr. Lane? Are you two dating?" One asks.

Another asks with a camera in his hand. "What about Amelia Brooke?what must her father think?"

I can't take this anymore, so I grab my handbag and start running away.

"Wait! Madison come back. Wait!" Nathan's raised voice behind me gets blurred out my the sound my increased breathing and fast-paced footsteps.

I run until I see one of the exits of the park and I cross the road, almost letting a cab run me over but it stop just in time. My first instinct is to apologize to the cab driver but instead he honks and curses me out from his window.

Some people in this city is just rude.

Once I know I'm out of sight from the paparazzi, I grab my phone from my bag and call-

I almost called Christian. What am I thinking?

I rummage through my contacts again and come across a good friend of mine.

Jace Miller.

Whitney's husband.

...

"Thank you for picking me up, Jace."

Jace came immediately after work to pick me up after I called him.

We stop in front of his apartment door, he unlocks it. It's one of the more posh apartments on the south side of the city, way better than mine. He's still in his work attire which is a blue scrub suit and a pair of black Nike shoes. He's a nurse for one of the private hospitals in the city. "It wasn't a big deal." He gives me a smile and let's me enter first.

As Jace closes the door, he calls out for his son. "Will, guess who's here!"

"Is it mommy?" Will yells out.

"No, bud. Remember mommy said she's coming next month? Just come here please." Jace and I walk further down the hallway and stand by the kitchen entrance. "Will?" But Will's eyes is fixated on the TV.

A few seconds later a tall light skinned girl comes out from one of the rooms.

"Mr. Miller you're back!" She smiles brightly. "I was just packing his toys away. He's already fed and bathed."

Jace thanks her and makes his way to Will, bending down tightly hugging his son while whispering something in his ear.

Will turns around. A bright smile on his face as he sees me. He comes running right into my arms. "Aunty Maddie! I missed you!"

A pure smile on my lips as I hug him back. "I missed you too sweetheart! I hope you've been a good boy?"

Jace puts his work bag on the kitchen counter. Will nods. "Will aunty come to my birthday party? It's in June, I'm turning 7."

It's three months from now. "Of course I'll come."

"Will, it's almost bedtime, so say goodnight to Jessie."

After Will hugs his nanny it looks like he's about to cry. "Will you come back tomorrow?"

Jessie gives him a kiss on the cheek and he blushes whilst giggling. "You keep asking me that. I will be here when you wake up, bud."

Will smiles and let's her go. Jace thanks her and locks the door after she leaves. He picks his son up and heads to his bedroom.

After a while he comes out again, still with Will on his arm and heads into his and Whitney's room. He chuckles at me.

I walk over to one of the couches and take a seat. Jace returns, all dressed out of his work attire and into something comfortable.

He takes a seat opposite me. "I think my son has a crush on his nanny."

I chuckle. "How old is she?"

"I don't know. I think 18." I nod. "All I know is she needs the money to study for next year, so Whitney gave her a chance. But she's good with Will, that's important to me."

I nod. "That is yes. How are you though? I'm sorry I haven't kept in touch with you lately or with Whitney. My mind has just been all over the place."

Jace leans forward. "You apologize too much, Madison." I look down. Do I? "I've just been working like crazy and Will is doing good in school, but he just misses his mom alot."

"I was just telling her last month that the opportunity she got was amazing, she really deserves it. I'm proud of her."

"Yeah, you don't see many black women making it far in the beauty industry. Something always gotta be taken away from us black folks. I am proud of her." Jace smiles to himself. Then faces me again. "What happened to you? I can tell you're not doing so great. Was it Christian again?"

I let out a dumbfoundly chuckle. "You're the fourth person to ask me that tonight." Tonight's events has just made me so tired, but still I tell Jace everything about what happened between Christian and I.

About last month. I needed to tell someone. I needed to get it off my chest.

"So, please don't tell Whitney." I say after I've told him everything.

"Why not? Your mother was in the hospital and you didn't think of telling your friends? We could've been there for you. Look at you, you're carrying so much on your shoulders, Madison."

I shake my head at him. "You and Whitney have already done so much for me. I can sort this out by myself, Jace. I'm okay."

Jace just looks at me. "It's okay to not be okay. It's okay to ask for help."

I say nothing.

A short silence is left between us, and then suddenly Jace stands up and disappears down the hallway into one of the rooms.

He returns with a duvet and a pillow and hands it to me.

"You're sleeping here tonight." He says in a straight face.

He's mad. But for what?

I look up at my friend. "Thank you."

He smiles down at me and says. "You should've let me beat his ass when I had the chance."

I look down, remembering the time when Jace and Whitney took me away from Christian. The day of the fight.

That day was the end of us. The end of our love.