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“Madeline Olsen.” He said as he took my hand. “I love you. I want you to be my wife. And even though you drive me fucking crazy half the time, I can’t imagine another day in my life without you in it. Will you marry me?”
My entire being flushed as he slid the ring over my finger. I gasped and covered my mouth. Fighting back tears, I started to nod my head, slowly at first then with greater vigor as my answer welled up inside. I cast one final look at the ring. I’d never seen anything so beautiful. As I looked back at Grey once more, my tears betrayed me.
“Yes!” I cried out as I dove into his waiting embrace. Grey swept me into his arms, spinning me around as I screamed through tears of joy, “Forever yes! Oh my God, Grey! I love you! I love you!”
MADDIE
Grey left later that afternoon to return to Chicago and handle more details relating to his grandfather’s trust.
I hated to see him go. I wanted so badly for us to be together and celebrate. Grey wanted the same of course, but he explained until he handled estate matters, he’d never get any free time. In any case, he promised a celebration as soon as he returned. Still though, as depressing as it was to see him go, I was just as excited to tell Katy all about it.
I walked, no ran, as fast as I could to get my phone. Plopping down on the couch, I kicked my legs up onto the living room table. The late afternoon sun filled the room with a reddish pink hue and caused my ring to sparkle with brilliance. I leaned back into the firm leather, admiring it and letting my mind fill with thoughts. Thoughts about what had been and what might lie ahead for us in a future that seemed impossible not all that long ago.
The sun’s rays shined against my cheek, kissing it with warmth.
It still didn’t seem real. Turning my hand from one side to the other, I smiled as gazed down at the ring’s beauty.
Mrs. Greyson Sinclair.
Me!
Uh, I still couldn’t believe it. I just couldn’t.
Shaking my head, I swiped my phone and dialed Katy right away.
After she answered, Katy asked, “Hey honey? How are you feeling?”
Without wasting a second, I replied, “Incredible.”
Katy remained silent for a moment. “Incredible?” she asked with a rising tone.
“Mmm, hmm.” Eagerness laced my reply.
“Well, I have to say, I’m surprised. I would have expected it to take you a lot longer to begin getting over the miscarriage.”
Until she said that, I wouldn’t say I’d forgotten. Of course I hadn’t. But, for the first time in months, where there had been nothing but pain, doubt and fear, new emotions of hope, faith and redemption began to take their place. I looked down at my ring, a breathtaking reminder of the bond Grey and I now shared. A tribute to the pain we’d endured, the beautiful trinket symbolized how inseparable we’d become. And now, I wanted to tell my best friend so she could share the joy with me.
“I’ll never be fully over losing my baby, Katy,” I replied. “I don’t think that’s the case with anyone who’s lost a child.”
Katy remained silent for a moment as I finished speaking.
“But you seem… content. Hell, almost happy. Something’s not adding up, Maddie.”
“It’s because you don’t know why I’m happy. As for children, I think we’ll try again soon.”
“What do you mean, ‘try again soon’?” Katy replied. The tone in her voice suggested her complete focus on the next words coming from my mouth. “Are you and Grey still together?”
My lips stretched wide with a smile as she spoke. I could hardly contain myself.
“Yes,” I said, as I rushed to answer her. “We are.”
“Wow, well… That’s good news I guess.”
The sound of her voice suggested a different meaning than the words coming from her mouth.
“Why did you say it like that, Katy? I thought you’d be happy to hear it.”
“Hmm?” she replied. “Say it like what? I told you it was ‘good news’. What?”
“No, no, Katy,” I began. “You aren’t being honest with me. I can hear it in your voice.”
“Maddie, don’t be ridiculous.”
“Katy!” I snapped. “Out with it. Now.”
Katy groaned. “What difference does it make, Maddie? As long as you’re happy, that’s all I care about."
“Tell me or so help me… You will not like what comes from my mouth next.”
She exhaled as my threat lingered over the phone. “Fine. Okay well I guess I’m surprised you caved in to him.”
“What do you mean? Caved in? Caved in how?”
“Do I need to remind you? When he proposed to you? Before you lost the baby? He couldn’t bring himself to tell you he loved you. So unless by some miracle that’s changed, I don’t know, it seems like you gave in just to be with him.”
I nodded as she spoke.
“Well I guess I’m surprised you think I would do that!”
“Wait, so, what are you saying, Maddie? That Grey told you he loved you?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“What!” Katy exclaimed. “When?”
“Earlier today,” I began. I raised my hand and looked at the ring as I continued. “And that’s not all he said.”
“Goddamn it, Maddie! You better spill it right now or I’m driving over there and beat it out of you!”
A sinister chuckle sputtered from my lips as Katy threatened me. Satisfied I’d tortured her long enough, I cut our phone conversation short and demanded she come over so I could tell her the truth.
In less than an hour, my best friend sat next to me and demanded I give her the rest of the story. Still incredulous and unsure where to start, I just blurted it out the first chance I had.
“He asked me to marry him again, Katy. And, this time, it came with something besides words.”
“Oh my God! Oh my God! Shut up! Are you serious Maddie?”
“Yes,” I said, as I began to relive the moment all over again in my mind. “It was incredible. I said ‘yes’, Katy. He told me he loved me and I said ‘yes’!”
“Oh Maddie, honey!” she cried.
Like literally, Katy started to cry. Of course, that made me do the same. Before I realized what happened, we both blubbered and sniffled our way through the next few minutes as I told her the whole story.
“That’s amazing, honey,” she said as I finished. “I’m so happy for you. You deserve it. I love you.”
“Thank you, Katy. I love you, too.”
“Well?” she said. “When’s the big announcement? Are you having a party? What’s going on?”
“No,” I answered as I shook my head. “Nothing right now. We’ve decided to hold off for the time being. Oh, which reminds me, you can’t tell anyone. Okay?”
“I won’t,” she replied. “I promise."
MADDIE
It had been about a week since I’d come home from the hospital. With each day that passed, my strength returned. In fact, I felt so well I decided to pay a visit to the studio and check in on the current state of the production. At the rate I was going, it wouldn’t be long before I’d be able to work again, and I didn’t want to keep Susan or the rest of the crew waiting one day longer than needed.
In fact, well over a month had passed since I’d had any contact with Susan or the crew. I felt terrible about it, of course. My only hope was they’d all find a way to forgive me after I came back to work and enough time passed. In any case, I showed up to the studio in the middle of the morning and made my way to the soundstage.
Yet as soon as I came upon it, it was obvious something was wrong.
The entire set was completely different. I didn’t recognize anything about it. For a few moments, I wandered around looking for signs of anyone familiar. It appeared as though I’d arrived during a break in shooting, so I didn’t see any crew members right away.
Just then, I noticed someone and I called out.
“Excuse me!”
A thirty-something looking man with a bulky pair of headphones wrapped around his neck stopped in place and turned towards me. He raised his eyebrows in my direction. His non-verbal cue suggested I’d interrupted him, so I hustled over to where he stood.
As I approached, I continued, “I’m sorry for bothering you, sir.”
“Mmm, hmm,” he replied with his eyebrows still tented in an expectant position.
At last I closed to within a couple of feet of the man.
“Yes, could you tell me where Susan Milton is?”
He considered my question for a moment before shaking his head. “Never heard of her.”
Wrinkling my brow, I leaned away from him a bit.
“Um,” I began. “You know, the director for this picture. Susan Milton? Can you tell me where I could find her please?”
“No Susan Milton directing here,” he said. “You sure you’ve got the right lot?”
For half a second, I considered the idea I didn’t. But, I’d been here so many times there was no way I’d mistake it. I shifted my line of questioning. I explained what the movie was about, the last time I’d been there and anything else I could think of to help him understand. Nothing worked. Exasperated, I asked a final question.
“Um, well, how long has production been going on for this movie?”
