Hope you enjoy the 2nd installment. I guess you can figure out that the
characters of David Addison and Maddie Hayes are not my own but all the others
are! Happy reading!
THE BALLAD OF DAVID AND MADDIE - PART II
Maddie slowly moved David's arm from her waist and carefully got out of bed so she would not wake him. She tiptoed to the closet and took out a pair of David's sweat pants and a white shirt. Maddie gasped in surprise when she heard David's voice.
"I think a woman wearing a man's shirt is very sexy," David said with sleep still in his voice.
"You scared me David!" Maddie scolded. "I was trying to be quite so I wouldn't wake you. I remembered I had a gym bag in the car with shampoo and a clean set of clothes. I wanted to go down and get it so I could take a shower. Although….I kind of like what I have on." Maddie said as she caught David's eye and winked.
Maddie walked towards the bed and kissed David passionately. "Why don't you come back to bed for awhile?" David said slyly as he began to unbutton Maddie's shirt.
"What am I going to do with you Addison?" Maddie said breathlessly.
It was noon when Maddie and David finally woke again. "Sleep well?" David asked. "I know I did."
Maddie sat up in bed. "David…"
"I really don't want to discuss this now." David stretched and let out a loud yawn. "Let's not ruin the moment. I have not been this happy in a long time…and I bet you could say the same thing."
"How do you know what I want to discuss? How do you know what I feel? You haven't seen or talked to me in over ten years!" Maddie threw her clothes back on and pulled the blankets away from David. "You are so arrogant to think that you know me!"
"Ok! Ok! I'm sorry." David yanked the blankets from Maddie. " I just want to think that you are as happy as I am right now."
Maddie sat on the bed and sighed. "I am happy David. I really want to try having …whatever we had…again."
David grabbed Maddie's hand. "I do too so why do we have to discuss it to death?"
"I just want to be sure that's all."
"Maddie lets face it, neither one of us has been lucky in love after we went our separate ways. What have we got to loose?" David got out of bed and grabbed the room service menu from the nightstand. "I am famished. Let's order something."
"We are older now David," Maddie said as she watched David put on a pair of tiny wire frame glasses before he opened the menu. "I don't know if I …or us…. can handle the extreme ups and downs anymore."
"Maddie, I heard this twelve years ago." David was exasperated. "You have nothing to worry about. I am here now…I have always been here." David pulled his glasses down to the tip of his nose as he waited for Maddie to respond.
" I guess to you I am overly cautious, but I don't think that is such a bad thing, and I just want to leave it at that," Maddie said as she put on David's slippers. "I'll be back in a minute. I am going to the car for my bag. Order whatever looks good."
The food arrived just as Maddie finished her shower. They sat down to a meal of omelets, strawberries, juice, and coffee. Two complimentary newspapers, the Times and the Daily Chicago, were also included and they each took one to read. "You are right we are getting older," David joked as he watched Maddie put on her glasses, which were similar in style to his.
"Hey Blondie, Was I drunk last night?"
"Tipsy maybe. Drunk? No. Why do you ask? " Maddie put her paper down preparing herself for a long story.
"Look here." David pointed to a small headline at the bottom of the first page that read…
CHICAGO BLUES LEGEND JOHNNY "HARP MOUTH" WILSON 72, FOUND DEAD IN SOUTHSIDE HOME
"It states that he died yesterday at 4:00 in the afternoon but I saw him perform last night."
Maddie reached across the table to feel David's forehead. "Are you feeling ok? Are you sure?" Maddie asked.
"Positive. I saw 5 bands perform and he was one of them. I know my music Maddie."
"Maybe it's a typo."
David grabbed Maddie's paper and wrestled through the pages. "The other paper has the same info. This is really strange. "
"What did he die from?" Maddie asked.
"It said that he had a heart attack."
"Not to be insensitive David, but he was 72 years old."
"Well I am going to give the paper a call just to verify that I am not crazy. I know I saw him last night."
"You don't need to phone the newspaper to find out you are crazy," Maddie said playfully under her breath.
"Watch. I am going to prove I am right." David picked up the phone to call.
While David was talking on the phone, Maddie's cell phone rang. She noticed on her caller id it was Michael but did not answer it until she went into the bathroom and shut the door. "Hello?" Maddie could not disguise the guilt in her voice.
"Where are you?" Michael was clearly upset. "You didn't go home or come over to my place."
"Where am I?" Maddie repeated. "I ran into an old friend and lost track of time. It got late and I decided to spend the night. I'm sorry"
" You didn't even call."
"Really I am sorry. We need to talk. Can we meet later tonight or tomorrow?"
"I am on duty tonight but why don't you meet me at my house tomorrow morning at 10."
"Fine. I will see you then." Maddie hung up and held the phone close to her chest, lost in her thoughts. A stream of questions began to bombard her mind like hail. Why do I still have feelings for David? What am I doing? Why am I setting myself for heartbreak? How could I have hurt Michael like that?
"Maddie? Are you ok?" David called out.
Maddie opened the door and walked out. " I am fine. I just wanted to take this call and you were on the phone. So…" Maddie quickly changed the conversation. " What did you find out?"
"Nothing that the paper didn't tell us already. He does have a sister who directs a gospel choir at a Baptist church. Maybe we can check it out tomorrow? By the way, when are you going back to LA?" It suddenly occurred to David that neither discussed when they were departing.
" On Tuesday."
"I am going back on Tuesday too." It was pure coincidence that they both had the same flight home.
The rest of the day was spent relaxing. The weather was still cold but the bright afternoon sun shot rays of warmth through the air as David and Maddie decided to take a walk along the snow covered beach. The only other people on the beach were two children engaged in a snowball fight and a vendor selling hot dogs and hot chocolate from a cart. David had been holding Maddie's hand but suddenly stopped and pulled her close. "You are so beautiful," David said taken aback by his own realization. It was not often that David had the privilege to see Maddie's true beauty shine through…a beauty without makeup or the perfect outfit…a beauty that consisted of rosy, wind - blown cheeks, bright blue eyes that glimmered in the sun, and a smile that let David know that there was no other place in the world she wanted to be.
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David was already dressed in a suit and tie when Maddie woke the next morning. "Where are you going so early on a Sunday?" Maddie said as she wiped the sleep from her eyes.
"Did you forget? We have a church to visit."
A moment of confusion clouded Maddie's mind before it dawned on her what David was talking about. " You are not serious about talking to that musician's sister…are you?"
"Hell yes!" David leaned in close to Maddie. " And it is not "That Musician", you refer to him as the Great Johnny 'Harp Mouth" Wilson."
"Oh brother!" Maddie said as she pulled the blanket over her face.
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As David approached the address, he slowed down and looked intently at the buildings. In between a liquor store with metal gates on the windows and doors, and a Currency Exchange, he found the New Faith Evangelical Baptist Church. It was an old run down store front with one boarded up window and a pink neon cross on the outside. Maddie opened up the car door but hesitated to step out. "I don't like this one bit David," Maddie exclaimed. "Let's go back to the hotel."
David walked around to Maddie's side of the car and reached for her hand. "Come on! I am here to protect you. I know my way around these kinds of neighborhoods…after all, I use to live in the Big Apple."
" Oh sure, that will be a big comfort when I am looking down the barrel of a gun," Maddie said with a sarcastic tone.
Maddie held on to David as though she was about to enter a haunted house. The small church was loud, lively, and packed with people. After scanning the room, David found two metal folding chairs in the back row for them to sit in. Their eyes focused on the dramatic presentation the minister was giving.
"Jesus will save you!" the minister yelled out to the congregation.
"Testify! Testify!" The crowd yelled back with religious fervor.
"Can I get a witness?" The minister taunted.
" Amen! Amen!" Hands were clapping and waving in the air. When the chorus broke into a gospel hymn, the congregation grew silent as they all closed their eyes and seemed to be nodding "yes" in unison.
"Now this is old time religion," David whispered to Maddie.
When the service was over and most everyone had left the church, David and Maddie walked down the red carpet to the pulpit where a woman, who looked about forty, was talking to the minister. "Can we help you?" The minister said with curiosity, as he looked David and Maddie up and down.
" I'm David Addison and this is my partner…I mean friend… Maddie Hayes and we just wanted to tell you what an inspirational sermon you gave today and the chorus sounded incredible."
"Why thank you. I am Reverend Jesse Milton and this is Quanita Wilson my choir director." It was clear that Reverend Milton was suspicious of David and Maddie. "So what brings you here today? I don't believe I have seen you here before."
"Actually, we have come to offer our condolences to Ms. Wilson on the loss of her brother." David explained. He extended his hand to Quanita. " I was a big fan of Johnny. I saw him in concert on New Year's Eve."
Quanita quickly turned her back to David. " You two should leave now. I have a lot of work to do around here."
"Sorry we…." Maddie began to apologize.
"Good day Mr. Addison and Ms. Hayes." Quanita said abruptly as she walked out of the room.
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"Boy, she did not want us around. I wonder what her deal is?" David said once they got back into the car.
"She is probably just sensitive about the subject that's all…although she did seem a little nervous.
They drove in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. There still were many issues that needed to be out in the open and both Maddie and David teetered between talking and keeping their thoughts private. David finally broke the silence. "Seems like old time huh? You…me…a case."
Maddie now directed her attention from the view out of the window to David. "What? A case? What are you talking about?"
"I've been thinking…"
"Oh no! Please David, your thinking only leads to trouble if I remember correctly."
"Hear me out," David said as he pulled over to the side of the road. " I was thinking when we were in the church talking to the Reverend and Quanita…" David stopped, took Maddie's hand and looked her directly in the eye. "Wouldn't it be interesting if we got back into business together? This could be our first case."
Maddie reacted instantly. " Are you nuts!" Despite the fact I would have to get recertified and take classes, I couldn't do what we use to do. That was enough adventure to last a lifetime."
" Maddie! Maddie! Minor details. I still have my investigator's license. So we won't call it a case. Let's call it …two concerned citizens looking for the truth. Come on, what do ya say?"
"David you are not going to sweet talk me into this."
"I 'll give you time to think. You can get back to me later," David said with a smirk. He knew Maddie would eventually give in.
"I am not giving in to you David." David just smiled at Maddie. He knew better.
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Even though the bed was king-sized, Maddie and David were snuggled together in the middle with David's arm wrapped around Maddie's waist. The ring of the telephone interrupted their peaceful slumber. Maddie fumbled for the phone without even opening her eyes. "Hel…Hel…Hello?" Maddie said in a raspy whisper.
"Ms. Hayes?"
"Yes? Who is this?" Maddie said as she cleared her throat.
'This is Quanita Wilson and I was wondering if I could talk to you and Mr. Addison?"
Maddie was now fully awake and gently shook David. "How did you find us?"
"Well when you left the church a piece of paper fell out of Mr. Addison's pocket. It was directions to the church written on hotel stationary. I decided to take my chances and see if I could find you there."
"Couldn't this wait until a more reasonable hour? It is 2AM."
" I guess so, but time is really of an essence here," Quanita said with a teary voice. "I am at the church right now."
Maddie took a deep breath before answering. She knew she was going to regret her decision. "Ok we will be there when we can."
David rolled over to face Maddie. "Who was that?"
"Quanita Wilson. You had better get dressed, she wants to see us…now."
David just smirked and thought to himself:
Yeap, just like the old days!
Will Maddie and David go into business again? What direction is their relationship headed? Can they solve a murder after all these years? Stay tuned for the conclusion!