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Madison felt like her face probably resembled a fish landing in the grass, opening her mouth and closing it several times, barely able to draw in a breath as these women stared at her.
“Youdidshag your new husband… didn’t you?” Julia gaped, before busting out laughing as she looked at the other teachers in shock. “I mean, Keller was all over me within seconds after saying ‘I do’.”
“You did, right?” Molly breathed, looking stunned. “You ‘I do’d’ it… and then did it, didn’t you? You did do it… or should it be ‘did done diddle-e-de do it’ after ‘doing it’ and ‘I do-ing’?”
“I doooood it? I do-ing? …And you teach kindergarten?”
“Ignore them both. Words are hard.”
“Hush up, Leia,” she hissed, putting her hand up and not looking away from Madison. “You didn’t?”
“I plead the fifth,” Madison strangled out, wishing the clock hands would move a little faster or the school bell would ring.
“Nuh-uh, girl…” and all five women crossed their arms over their chest at once. “Spill it.”
Madison stared at them in disbelief, dumbfounded that they could be so deep on the ‘inside’ and perceptive about what was going on. They had connections everywhere it seemed… and it was slightly alarming.
“On paper,” she uttered, realizing she wasn’t going to get out of this anytime soon and they would only press more or talk among themselves, snoop around, or try to research what was going on – and the more digging they would do, the bigger chance it would get back to Asher and give him ammunition for the hearing. “We married to set up a stable home for the hearing on Max’s custody, and this has to stay between us or I could lose everything,” she breathed nervously.
“I mean it. You cannot say a word, not to your husbands, no one. My son is on the line, and I know none of you would ever do anything to hurt your child… so you have to understand how desperate I was, and took Eric’s offer immediately.”
“We won’t say a word,” Lily nodded. “So, it’s in name only?”
“Yes… for a year.”
“I see.”
“Eric is fine with it, and we talked quite a bit regarding boundaries, limits, and what this would entail.”
“And he was okay with that?”
“Yes.”
“Reeeeally?” Leia drawled, lifting an eyebrow. “Jason would not be alright.”
“Yeah, he would,” Tabitha interrupted. “Just like Brandon was. They do it for us, because we need more time and more security in our lives. I get it completely, and think that maybe you found yourself a ‘keeper’, Madison. Good for you both.”
“I agree,” Lily smiled.
“A true relationship is more than sex,” Tabitha continued. “It’s having that person there for you when the other one is falling apart and knowing you can hold them together. It’s the good times along with the bad, the scars, the smiles, the holding hands, or passing the tissues because you are both sick. That’s what love is… and that’s what is so special about what I have with Brandon. I hope you have that with Morrison, my friend, because if you do? It’s worth fighting for with everything you have.”
No one said a word.
They just sat there, each of them silent and looking at the other in silent understanding, obviously thinking of their own relationships with their husbands… as Madison thought of Eric.
He was so different, so kind, and so immovable that he came off as gruff or standoffish… but he wasn’t. He was a gentle giant, a big bear with a soft heart. A man that played openly with her son and his dog… and a man who gave and gave, asking for nothing in return.
Madison drew in a shaky breath, realizing they were right. She needed to be the one to tell Eric – and then comfort him, because he was the person that she wanted a deeper friendship with… perhaps longer than a year.
That was the reason it bothered her so much that Asher had destroyed her wedding ring, because it was a symbol from him, a reminder of their promises to each other, and it meant the world to her that he’d done something so sentimental.
“Are you okay?” Lily said quietly.
“Yeah,” she admitted, giving a quick smile. “It’s just been a lot to handle in the last week, and I’m still processing.”
“If you need to talk, say the word and we’ll plan a girls’ night.”
“Thank you.”
