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“Sure,” Madison began wearily, and smiled wanly. “What can I help you with?”
“What are you reading?”
“This? Oh, it’s nothing.”
“Are you going back to school for your masters or doctorate?”
“No.”
“Then why are you reading a book on family law?”
“Because I am choosing to,” Madison said defensively. “I’m applying myself instead of delving into something that is make-believe.”
That… and she needed to make sure her skills stayed sharp because of her impending court date in six months. Her ex-husband was an aggressive, arrogant man that worked the system to his advantage, and she was tired of losing each time he filed for a reduction of child support. As it was, she wasn’t getting by financially anymore – and she was planning on counter-filing against him this round.
Lily sat down, looking at her with a comprehension in her eyes that was staggering.
“It’s bad, isn’t it?”
“I d-don’t want to talk about it,” Madison said hoarsely, feeling herself cracking. “What did you need? You mentioned you needed help? What can I help you with?”
“Well, two things actually,” Lily smiled congenially, sliding forward in her seat and putting an elbow on the desk to look at the woman. “We’re having a girls’ night at my house on Saturday, and there’s going to be several of us there with the kiddos… and I thought you might like to come and bring little Max.”
Madison hesitated.
She’d kept her two-year-old son Max away from a lot of people because society could be so cruel sometimes. Her mother watched Max for her during the day so she could work, and she spent the evenings with him, working on coordination, playing, and loving on him… and it was so very easy to do.
“I appreciate the offer Lily, but…”
“No buts,” she interrupted. “Please bring him. You’ll be surrounded by other mamas, a few puppies, and we just get together to talk… a.k.a. ‘gripe about life,’ sometimes over sundaes.”
“Lily,” Madison sighed heavily, looking at her. “I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because Max is,” Madison hesitated again. “… slow.”
“So?”
“He’s got Down Syndrome and…”
“I heard you the first time,” Lily interrupted, still smiling at her. “Do you think any of us care? I’m sure he’s beautiful, would love to meet a few other children, and could use a few more loving moms in his life.”
… And that is when she felt something splinter deep down inside, staring at the woman that all the teachers gossiped about.
Oh yes, word was rampant among several teachers that were not in Lily’s ‘group’ of friends. They talked about how Lily ‘trapped’ her husband, how she ‘fished’ through a list of soldiers to get one to finally talk to her, but the woman seemed so content… so happy.
Madison wanted happiness like that, and felt like she was drowning. For the life of her, she couldn’t imagine what it would be like to spend a few hours laughing or being around others that didn’t ask her those terrible questions.
‘Oh, gosh, I’m so sorry…’
‘Did you know he was – different – before he was born?’
‘Did you cry? I bet you were devastated…’
… And the worst of all?
‘You kept the pregnancy?’
