Chapter 13

Maddie

After having breakfast, we went with Uncle Henry to surprise Claudia's mom in the hospital. 'Hey honey, I have a surprise for you?' He said he went up to his wife and kissed her. We hid from her and patiently waited for Uncle Henry signal to finally come out and surprise her 'What's the surprise?

'Girls!' We finally came out of our little hiding place and both shouted 'Surprise'. She was really thrilled to see us. Claudia went into her opened arms and they hugged for what seemed like forever. 'I missed you.' 'I missed you too mom.' 'How was your school break in Namibia?' 'It was amazing, I will tell you all about it when we get home.' 'Oh Maddie, why are you just standing there, aren't you going to give me a hug or you have outgrown them?' 'I will never outgrow your hugs Auntie Gracie.' I went in for an embrace and she gladly welcomed me into her opened motherly arms. Even though we aren't related I call her aunt and I actually consider her one, I'm sure she considers me her niece as well or even her daughter 'cause she always goes around telling people she has two daughters.

'What did you apply on your hair?' 'Why? What is it?' 'It smells amazing.' She said sniffing my hair once again. 'Hair oil.' 'I wish I could sniff your hair the whole day.' I blushed, it is really awkward to receive compliments and I always don't know how to react or say when I get complimented. 'How about you guys wait for me in the cafeteria, I will be with you in a few.' 'Sure' we both muttered making our way to the cafeteria. She came approximately twenty minutes later. 'So what should we do today? How about we have a girls outing, go to the mall and go back home, chill and watch a movie? And catch up, I really wanna know all that happened when you visited your Nana and Pop Pop.' 'Can we do some shopping?' Claudia asked. 'Of course, we will do some shopping then have something to eat.' 'Shopping spree here we come.' I amused.

We went to the mall and bought some clothes, we had something to eat and bought some groceries. 'This was fun, we should do this more often.' Aunt Gracie commented as we headed back home. 'I totally agree.' I replied.

Claudia was knocked out in the back seat, she said her stomach hurt from eating too much food.

Claudia

I fell asleep on the way home, Maddie woke me up when we arrived and we helped mom with the groceries. She went and took a nap while Maddie and I made dinner. She was responsible for roasting the chicken while I made Mac and cheese, my mom's favorite. After having dinner Maddie and I went up to my room and she bathed first while I did my skin care routine. Afterwards I also took a bath.

Maddie

While Claudia was bathing her phone started ringing. 'Claudia your phone is ringing!' 'Who is it? Answer it for me please. It was Ken, I answered it. 'Hey babe what's up?' 'Its Maddie, Claudia is still in the bathroom. She said I should take a message for her.' 'Uh, could you please tell her to call me when she is done?' 'Yeah sure.' 'It was Ken who called, he said you should call him back when you are done.' I said handing her her phone. 'Hey babe, I was taking a shower. What's up?' 'Okay, I am coming.'

She got dressed and was ready to leave before making a stop at the door. 'Ken wants to see me. I will be back in ten minutes and then we watch a movie okay.' 'Yeah sure.' Then she exited the room, I listened to her footsteps as she walked away until I couldn't hear them anymore.

Claudia

After taking a shower I went to see Ken, he said he was waiting for me outside. He parked his car in front of my house and he looked so hot leaning on his car bonnet. 'Hey babe, how are you?' I said embracing him. 'I miss you.' He said breaking the hug and looking straight into my eyes. He sounded like he was about to cry as he said this. 'Aww baby, I miss you too' I kissed him. 'Ever since you came back, I never got a chance to spend time with you. Let's go on a road trip, just you and me.' 'Road trip to where?' I laughed at the idea thinking he was joking. 'Anywhere, we will see where the road takes us.'

'I would really love to come with you but I promised Maddie and mom that we will watch a movie together tonight.' ' You have been spending time with Maddie ever since you came back. Soon school will be opening and I won't ever get a chance to spend time with you again cause I will be very busy, you know that. You and Maddie have the rest of the year and the coming year to hang out. I just want to spend time with my girlfriend with the little time that I have, is that too much to ask?' He sounded really sad and it really broke my heart to see him hurting. How inconsiderate I have been. 'Okay, let's go but first I have to inform Maddie.' 'Come on babe, you got your phone you can just send her a message. Get in the car.' 'Okay_' I felt unease about not telling Maddie face to face about this.

I sent her a quick text which she instantly opened, and it showed that she was typing. I stared at my phone for about seven minutes while she typed, my anxiety levels were going up, I started shaking my leg uncontrollably and biting my nails. I do this when I get anxious. I knew whatever is taking her this long to type it's not gonna be good. 'Okay.' She finally replied. I couldn't believe it, she took seven minutes to just respond with "Okay." 'I am really sorry Maddie, I didn't know Ken would want me to go with him but I will surely make it up to you. Could you tell mom for me please?' And again it showed she was typing for five minutes, still she responded with "Okay". I really didn't know how to react to this, if she could have at least yelled at me or said something it could have been better.

I was in deep thought that when Ken swirled his hand on my thigh I flinched. 'Are you okay babe? 'Yeah I am fine.' 'Lets get some gas and snacks for the ride. Do you want something to eat?' 'Yeah I am hungry.' We stopped at the gas station and bought some gas and snacks before beginning our destination unknown road trip. 'Claudia, relax and enjoy.' I kept telling myself that. After a while I relaxed a little, I put on some music and Ken and I sang to every song at the top of out lungs.

Maddie

I peeked out the window to see why Claudia was taking so long to come back, and as I opened the curtains I saw her getting in Ken's car and they drove away. How could she just leave like that? I asked myself. After some moments my phone beeped and it was a message from Claudia. 'Ken asked me to go with him on little road trip. I couldn't refuse.' I began typing a very long message, and after a lot of self control I deleted the message and just sent "Okay". Then she asked me to tell her mom and how sorry she was. If she did this to only me, I would be okay with it, I felt bad for her mom; she really wanted to spend some time with her daughter and now I was the one to rub this news on her face.

I went to her room and slightly knocked on the door while still preparing what I was gonna say. 'Come in'. She wrapped her body with a white towel and her wet her cascaded down her shoulders. She went up to her dressing table and started applying lotion on her face. I could see she was looking at me from her reflection in the mirror. 'She just sent me a message to let you know that she and Ken went out.' ' Went out where? I thought we were going to watch a movie and catch up.' She was disappointed and I felt sad for her. 'I went up to her and hugged her neck from behind. 'We can still watch a movie and you can tell me the latest gossip at the hospital. It's been a long time since I heard it. 'I love that.' She smiled and hugged me back. 'Girl you have to tell me the brand of your hair oil cause wow; it smells great.' 'I will buy it for you when I go to the mall.' 'You will? Aww thank you. So where did they say they were going?' 'She said they were going on a road trip, she didn't say where.' 'Okay, let her know she should be home before eleven o'clock or else she is grounded. If it wasn't Ken she went out with I would have grounded her the second she left.' 'Copied. Let me go tell her. I will wait for you in the living room.'

I went to the living room and sent Claudia a message letting her know she was expected to be home before eleven o'clock. She immediately replied saying she had no idea Ken was going to take him on a road trip and that she would make up for me. I wish she could have come and told me that they were going on a road trip in person rather than just texting me after they had already left.

Aunt Gracie came back some moments later in her PJs and sat next to me. 'Blanket?' I asked her. ' Yes please.' I placed the fleece I was wearing around her and we cuddled up on the sofa. 'What movie should we watch?' I asked. 'I thought you were going to pick a movie ' 'No you pick it.' 'Come on Maddie, you know my taste sucks when it comes to picking movies. Pick a movie, I will go get us some snacks.' We ended up watching "some kind of beautiful", it was a great movie.

After the movie ended we went to her bedroom and chatted before we called it a night at around ten o'clock. 'Goodnight Aunt Gracie.' 'Good night honey, love you.' 'Love you too.' I went to Claudia's room and tried to keep myself busy so I didn't fall asleep as I waited for her to arrive. I heard the front door opening and went rushing downstairs thinking it was Claudia.

'Hi Maddie, where is everyone?' 'Asleep.' 'Oh. I am starving.' 'Let me go warm up your food for you.' It was just Uncle Henry, after eating he also went up to his room. I stayed a little longer in the living room with the hope that Claudia is about to arrive.