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Max was her baby – and for her own sanity, she avoided being around others as much as possible, but this woman before her seemed to genuinelynotcare in the slightest.
“And whatever you’re thinking?” Lily said softly, smiling. “It’s much worse in your head than in real life. Come spend time with us for a little bit. You never know, we might not be such ogres as what those witches’ gossip about me.”
Madison started.
“You think I care?” Lily laughed easily. “People can be hateful when they are jealous or don’t understand. The more happiness that they see? The more it gives them something to talk about… which is why I don’t ever let on that I think they are horrid gossips.”
“You know?”
“Of course, I know. It’s a small town, and I don’t need their malice infecting my world. I have a husband that loves me and two beautiful children. Why do they even matter? So, I’m not a size eight. I didn’t marry a doctor. I don’t have a big fancy house or drive a Lexus… and I don’t care in the slightest,” Lily winked. “Which leads me to my next favor?”
Madison could feel her stomach plummet.
“What’s this one?”
“I have a friend stationed overseas that is wanting someone to talk to him and…”
“No.”
Lily’s eyes widened at Madison’s vehement denial as she slammed the family law book shut with a thump.
“I’m sorry… but no thank you,” Madison began again, clearing her throat nervously. “I am too busy and…”
“But you haven’t even heard me out?”
“I am getting ready to be dragged back into court by my ex-husband, and I cannot be caught corresponding to anyone or…”
“Or you might be friendly?” Lily quipped in confusion. “What harm will that do? I mean, the court system sticks with facts, and you already got a divorce. Is he going after money? Custody? What else is there? Oh, wait… oh no!No, no, no.Madison?”
Lily looked at the book – and at Madison.
“He’s trying to take…Max?”
“Do not utter a word, Lily,” Madison hissed between clenched teeth, holding back the scream of pain at hearing the statement said aloud. “He thinks I cannot take care of my son and that Max is the reason we divorced. So, to get back at me? He’s going for blood.”
“His son.”
“No, he’s going for the jugular,” Madison uttered, reaching for a tissue and glancing at the clock. “He wants the house I was awarded in the divorce, a lower child support payment in lieu of having Max ‘cared for’ elsewhere… and trying to get custody to ‘help’ me.”
“You… are… kidding… me…”
“Do I look like I’m kidding?” Madison sobbed openly in angry horror. “I have ten minutes left, and seriously need some Tums or a wet washcloth. Forgive me if I say that this has not been fun in the slightest… and I really don’t want to do this again.”
She stood up, not waiting for an answer, and walked out of the classroom – heading towards the teachers’ facilities to use the restroom and hide for a few moments to calm down before her class returned from their lunch period.
* * *
That evening,two days later on Saturday night, Madison was sitting on the floor playing with Max. Asher, her ex, was pulling his usual stunts, having her followed once again. He was trying to discredit her as a parent and building a case… ‘because he loved her’.
Puh-lease.
Max had been happily making noises, smiling and laughing, as he played with his favorite bright green tennis ball. The doctors said that Max’s hand-to-eye coordination was doing really well, and he was thriving at his age, despite the fact that he wasn’t talking much, nor was he walking. He crawled everywhere, pulling and scooting himself along like a little inchworm.
“You want the ball again, Max? Hmm? Let’s catch the green ball together and play, sweetie,” she crooned happily to the toddler that sat in-between her legs on the blanket… and looked up, hearing a knock at the door. “Is that Grandma? Hmm? I bet she forgot something or…”
Madison hefted her son up onto her hip and walked over to the doorway nervously, peering through the peephole… hesitating.
Lily and several other teachers were standing there on the front porch of her house. She recognized them, too. It was her ‘gang’ of friends from the school – Leia, Tabitha, Molly, Lucia, Julia, and a few other women she didn’t know, nor had she seen at the school.
