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“It’s going,” I answered, pulling her in for a kiss, making Matthew grin.
“Me, too, Daddy,” he demanded, pointing to his cheek. I took him from his mom and delivered the requested kiss with a big smack before setting him down.
Maddy sank down on the cushy couch with a groan. I sat at the other end and lifted her feet onto my lap. I plucked her shoes off and rubbed the balls of her feet.
“Mmm,” she groaned. “Oh, that feels so good,” she praised as she closed her eyes and rubbed her swollen belly.
I smiled as she caressed our growing baby, due in about three months. We didn’t know if it was a boy or girl; Maddy didn’t want to find out, saying there weren’t enough special surprises in life, and she didn’t want to spoil this one.
“How did it go today?” I asked, moving my hands up to rub her calves.
“Long, but good,” she sighed. “Productive. I think we got a couple more companies on board, and several were interested in making contributions to New Tomorrows. I’m really excited about it.”
I crawled up the couch until my arms were braced on either side of her shoulders. I leaned down and kissed her. “I’m so fucking proud of you, baby! What you’re doing is amazing and life changing.”
She beamed at me. “Thank you.”
After we moved into our new house five years ago, Maddy quit her job at McCloskey, Barnes, and Wilson. I had wanted to argue for her to stay since she really was an excellent assistant to me. But when she outlined what she wanted to do instead, I was one hundred percent behind her. She wanted to go to college and earn a degree in business administration with a minor in counseling, with the long-term goal of establishing a program to assist newly released prison inmates to give them the same kind of opportunity she had.
“Not everyone is blessed to have people like you and the McCloskeys to believe in them and give them a new beginning. I want to be that for someone, Holt. I know how hard it is, but also how possible it is to change your life with the right support.”
And my girl had done exactly that. Two years ago, she used her new skills to set up New Tomorrows. She worked closely with Mary, learning from her how to make inroads into the local business community. She applied for grants and worked closely with the local prisons and law enforcement to find candidates they believed would truly benefit from her program. She and Mary created a tutoring program to help those who needed academic help as well as office and computer skills; Sara worked with her in providing low cost professional clothing; and John McCloskey and I offered free legal advice when needed once they were released and officially part of the program. I helped Maddy with all legal aspects of the company itself, and I loved that we were partners in more than just our marriage.
Maddy had set up a rigorous application process; her program wasn’t meant to be a handout, but a hand up. Applicants had to be willing to work hard and were subject to random drug tests. So far, out of sixty-four candidates, only three had been kicked out of the program, and after a local news interview, word spread about the success of her program.
She was constantly meeting with local businesses to establish a work release programs, but others across the state were starting to reach out and making contact with her, interested in her program due to its high success rate. She’d actually had to hire some help to keep up with the traveling since she thought it was more important she was home every evening with her family. She was able to conduct most of the business from the office space we’d created for her in our house so she could stay at home with Lily and Matthew whenever possible. My mom pitched in and babysat whenever Maddy needed to be present somewhere else, like candidate interviews or when she was asked to speak at business forums, like today.
Now, with a second baby coming, she decided she needed to begin training a new assistant. Nothing would ever be more important to Maddy than family, so when New Tomorrows began to take up more time, she knew she was going to have to turn over some of the responsibilities.
Maddy now officially had no criminal record. John McCloskey filed an appeal based on a Virginia code section for a writ of innocence based on new evidence since Charly’s letter was allowed as testimony. Maddy’s conviction was overturned and struck from her record. It didn’t give her back the six years of her life, but typical of her, she focused on the positive and moved on.
The front door opened and slammed. “Auntie, what’s for dinner? I’m starving!” Lily came sliding into the room dressed in her riding clothes.
“Shower first,” Maddy reminded her, sitting up with my help. “Then you can help me in the kitchen. How were lessons today? Di
d you remember to thank Mrs. Carson for the ride?”
“Great, and yes, I did. They got a new mare and she’s absolutely beautiful! I got to ride her today and practice jumping.” Lily still loved horses. She and her best friend Lauren took riding lessons together after school twice a week.
There had been a few growing pains when we became a family after Maddy officially gained custody of Lily. We carefully established new routines and ground rules, but Lily was a sweet girl and rarely challenged us. Although we retained the title of ‘aunt and uncle,’ I didn’t think of her as any less than I would if I were her father. Matthew even called her ‘Sissy.’ Someday, when she was older, we’d tell her more of her mother’s background, but we always kept any conversations about Charly positive. My family had no problems embracing her as part of their own, and we’d been sure to keep the Barnes involved in her life, since to her, they were like grandparents and an aunt. Lily had thrived with all the extra attention, despite missing her mother.
“Mooommmy,” a little high pitched voice called from upstairs. “I neeeed you! I’s on the potty!”
At the same time, the phone rang and the puppy whined to go out.
“Duty calls,” I smiled and kissed my wife and helped to pull her up off the couch. “I’ll get the pup and the boy. Let the answering machine get the phone.”
She threw her head back and laughed and hugged me tight. “Always something, isn’t there, Mr. Andrews?”
“Beautiful chaos, Mrs. Andrews,” I answered, rubbing her nose with mine. “It’s perfect, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” I kissed her sweetly, kissed her belly, and went to take care of my promises while she went into the kitchen to get dinner started.
And I meant it. I adored and loved my family. They were my life, crazy schedules and all.
Years ago, I had a structured life with routines and lines that I thought were what I needed to get through each day after my happiness was ripped away. It took an unwanted errand and a broken girl to blur everything and bring it into a whole new focus, and now our future was full of promise and new tomorrows. And I couldn’t wait for all the new chapters we’d write together.
The End
