Page 19 of Madden

My heart speeds up, hoping it's Madden.

I reach out, grabbing it, and turning it over so I can see the screen. It's a text from the man I've been thinking about.

Madden: I'm leaving right now, should be over to your apartment complex in about ten minutes. Will you and Mick be ready?

Me: Ready and waiting. We'll see you soon.

I do my best not to care too much about what I'm wearing. After all, Madden isn't here for me. He's doing this for Mick, but a little part of me can't help but hope it's kind of for me too. T-shirt and shorts on, I step into my bathroom and run a brush through my hair. There. I look but together, but not as if I made a big deal about it. Walking back out into the living room, I put a small bag on the counter, making sure we have water, and whatever else we may need. I didn't have to have a diaper bag with Mick, but I definitely need a few things here and there when we go out.

"I'm ready." Mick says, joining me.

He's dressed as he said he would be, with basketball shorts and a tank top. "Are those the shoes you want to wear?" I eye the Crocs he refuses to part with.

"Yup." He answers with no hesitation.

Since this is one question he's not waffled about, I give in. No sense in arguing when he's done exactly what I've asked him today. "Okay, wanna go outside and wait for Madden? He said he's on his way."

He nods, grabbing a bottle of water.

I put my bag over my shoulder, cross body style as we head outside and down the stairs. Just as we're hitting the sidewalk, I can see Madden's truck heading toward us. "There he is."

Mick smiles widely, and I try to look at this from his perspective. So many people have let him down, I don't think he believed Madden would show up.

"He's here," he says the words with a bit of wonderment.

The tone makes me want to cry. So many failed this kid, including me. I should've been a more present aunt, should've been more aware of what was going on in his life, but I wasn't. There's no way for me to change any of that now. The only thing I can do is promise to be better, and that's exactly what I'm doing.

He comes to a stop and waves at us. 'Y'all ready?"

We nod enthusiastically. I walk over, opening the back passenger side of the quad cab. "Will you be okay sitting back there with Donut?"

"Yeah, we're old friends."

Madden laughs, giving me a look through the rolled-down window. "Yeah, they've met. Don't touch that door handle," he warns.

I've never met a man who refuses to let me open my own door. I could get used to it. Stepping back from the truck, I wait for him like he's asked.

When he comes over to me, he hooks his arm around my waist, pulling us closer together. "I had a great time with you last night. I've thought about it most of the day," he says, tilting his head down to take my lips in a chaste kiss.

"I have to," I admit, a smile across my face. "I haven't had a date that I thought about this much in a long time."

"Me neither. I think it's a good omen." He taps my nose with the tip of his, before reaching behind me and opening the door.

"We'll see." I wink, before I hitch myself up into the passenger seat.

"Yes, we will." He shuts the door, and jogs back around the front, before taking his seat. "Alright, let's go."

"Isthat okay for me to touch?" Mick asks Madden.

"No, that's poison ivy. You want to stay away from that."

"How do you know?"

Madden bends down so that he's at eye-level with Mick. "The amount of leaves."

I take in this teaching moment. It should be Trey here telling him all these things. They should be spending time together and strengthening their father/son bond, but they aren't. All because of what Trey thought was more important in his life.

"Yeah, you can hang on to his leash. Let him lead you, but don't let him drag you too far ahead." Madden is telling him as he and Donut start walking ahead of us.

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