This story takes place 11 years after Maddie
and David close Blue Moon Investigations. They have not seen each other since
that time until…oh just read the story. Hopefully, you will enjoy it!
Unfortunately, the characters are not my own creation but they do live in a
place inside my heart (is that sappy or what?)
THE BALLAD OF DAVID AND MADDIE
The snow fell hard and the wind chill was
well below zero in Chicago, but it did stop the endless stream of shoppers on
State Street looking for after Christmas bargains. Maddie Hayes made the trip to
the city from her parent's Northshore home to join the crowds. Her favorite
store was Marshall Field's. It was classy and traditional, a change of pace from
the trendy LA stores back home. Maddie lingered at Field's cosmetics counters,
examining the various shades of lipstick to find the perfect one to wear tonight
with her knock out, sexy, black velvet dress. After all, it was New Years Eve
and Maddie had big plans. Maddie checked her watch as she waited in line to
pay…3:00 she had better get a move on if she wanted to catch the 4:00 train back
to her parents.
Maddie wrapped her face in a soft cashmere scarf before leaving the store so that all you could see were her beautiful blue eyes glimmering through. She buttoned her coat to the top and waved for a cab to take her to the train station. It was impossible to catch a cab in this weather. Twenty minutes went by before a cab finally stopped…. a twenty-minute wait for the beginning of the rest of her life.
As the cab came to a stop, she noticed a man inside paying the driver. He opened the door and stepped out. " Its all yours lady", he said quickly with his head down; pulling the collar of his long wool coat up and grabbing it tightly to cover his ears and mouth.
Maddie became dizzy. She knew that voice! She just knew it …but here in Chicago? She had to find out quickly while the man was waiting for the walk light at the corner. Maddie told the cab driver to leave and yelled out, " DAVID? DAVID ADDISON?
Of course it was David. He turned around with a puzzled look on his face to see a woman frantically waving at him. "ITS ME MADDIE". Maddie felt a little hurt that he didn't recognize her right away. David was stunned. He motioned for her to go back into the store for warmth and he followed her.
Maddie pulled her scarf down to reveal a huge smile. "I can't believe its you", she said softly. Maddie was taken by her own feelings for David immediately coming to the surface. He still could melt her heart with his smirk and sparkle in his eye.
David and Maddie held each other tight, oblivious to the fact that people had to walk around them to enter the store. " It feels so good to hold you again. Too bad we have all this outerwear on ", David said with a smile. " Do you have time for a drink or a cup of coffee "?
"Sure…I mean no…but wait." Maddie was all flustered and was embarrassed that David had to see it. " I am supposed to take the 4:00 train home. My parents were meeting me at the station so I need to call them." Maddie took her cell phone out of her purse and dialed her parents.
" Don't worry about getting home… I will drive you back," David offered.
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Maddie and David walked into a nearby coffee shop. Both of them were feeling a little guilty for not really keeping in touch after they closed Blue Moon Investigations. They had talked periodically for the first couple of years but then faded away from each other. Both of them were definitely excited to see each other.
"I still can't believe its you" Maddie said still in shock. "So…Maddie hesitated, "what brings you to Chicago?"
I am visiting some friends I met at an investigators conference a few years ago. We like to get together a couple of times year and turn a major American city upside down." David's voice became animated. "You should have seen us in New Orleans during Mardi Gra."
"I feel a tall tale coming on," Maddie said in a droll tone of voice and rolled her eyes.
" Well …" David began his story but stopped when he realized Maddie Still thought of him as the same old David. "Never mind," he continued, "We are going to hit as many Blues clubs as we can tonight." Now it was David's turn to ask a question. " So what has Maddie Hayes…it is still Hayes I presume…been doing for the last decade?"
"I got back into the modeling business. I run a small agency where I represent young girls just starting out in the business. I make sure they are not taken advantage of and continue their education." Maddie spoke proudly of her agency but then became quiet and looked down. "Yes… I am still Hayes."
" Sounds noble. I work with young people too."
"What?" Maddie was shocked that David would leave detective work.
"Yeap. I teach fifth grade. I decided to take time off three years ago and finish college.
Maddie had tears in her eyes from laughter. All she could picture was David doing the limbo with a bunch of ten year olds or calling a poker game a math lesson. Their gym shorts were probably white boxers with hearts all over them.
"I'm sorry for laughing David but it just so…sweet." Maddie's voice trailed off softy. She blushed. David still had a way of catching her off guard.
An awkward silence fell over them as they drank their coffee and ate the piece of cheesecake they decided to split. Both knew what they wanted to say to each other. They had each been rehearsing it for years in their heads for a day just like this one.
David cleared his throat. "Maddie…David stopped for a second and took a deep breathe "Maddie….."
"What David?" Maddie was anxious to hear what he had to say and frustrated that he couldn't say what he wanted to.
"Maddie… I have never stopped loving you."
Tears began to well up in Maddie's eyes. They were the exact words she wanted to hear but she was angry.
"Then how come you never call? I really needed you. I guess… Maddie hesitated, I still need you."
David became defensive. "Maybe its not the manly thing to say but how many times have I needed you and you weren't there. You were in Chicago trying to figure things out, or married, or keeping things from me that I had every right to know. Maddie, we have been through hell and back. I guess it was my turn to figure things out.
"You know I never meant to hurt you. How many times do I have to tell you that." Maddie's voice rose enough for the people at the next table to stare at them. " When the baby died and we found out it was yours I really thought we would stick together and make it work…make us work… regardless if we keep the agency open or not."
"I told you how I feel. Honesty…that's what you want right?"
"Fine" Maddie yelled. "I never should have called your name." Maddie threw a ten-dollar bill on the table and stormed out the door with her coat wide open.
Maddie just made the 5:00 train. She held her composure. She told herself she didn't want or need David. After all, she had Mike, a prominent Chicago doctor who she loved and, despite the distance, they saw each other twice a month. They had even talked marriage and tonight they were going to a party. Maddie perked up. She almost forgot it was New Years Eve.
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"Mom? Dad? Maddie called out as she went up the stairs and headed for her old bedroom. Nobody answered. Maddie took her black velvet dress out of the garment bag, laid it on the bed, and stared at it. She was happy to be spending New Years Eve with Michael and she always loved seeing him in a tuxedo, but she couldn't get the image of David in a tux and how handsome he looked out of her mind.
Maddie grabbed a fluffy white towel and washcloth out of the hall closet and went into the bathroom to take a shower. The tears began to fall again as she turned on the water. This time, with no one around, she let all her sadness out. Maddie stood in the shower and let the water hit her body. She wasn't crying because she still loved David and missed him…although that was part of it. She wasn't crying over the loss of her child (which she sometimes did in the middle of the night)…. although that was part of the reason too. An overwhelming cloud of guilt and shame fell over her for all the pain she had caused David. Pacts, leaving for Chicago, not telling David herself that she was pregnant, a marriage…all those things that she did that hurt David rested inside Maddie's heart like a pile of stones. The weight of it became unbearable after seeing David again.
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Maddie's phone rang. It was Michael. " I feel bad but I have an emergency at the hospital. I shouldn't be too long so why don't you go ahead to the party. I will meet you there at 10:00."
"That's ok I guess. I can spend a little more holiday time with mom and dad." Maddie didn't see her parents every time she came to Chicago so she really enjoyed the holidays where she could spend time with her family.
Maddie wished her parents Happy New Year at 9:00 and headed back into the city. As Maddie drove down Lake Shore Drive, she tried desperately to remember what hotel David was staying in so she could send a little Christmas present to him. The Lakeview! That's it!" Maddie said out loud as she snapped her fingers.
Maddie walked into a condominium with the most beautiful view she had ever seen. She loved seeing her old friends and catching up on old times. It made her realize for once that she did have a life before David entered it. Maddie noticed the waiter putting out more o'dourves and excused herself to get a plate. She changed her mind and walked out onto the balcony. Maddie walked to the edge and studied the whole Chicago skyline. She loved how the lights of Navy Pier made the Lake Michigan waters glimmer like a diamond. "Maddie? Are you ok?" her friend Jane asked from the doorway. "Its cold out here!"
"Thanks Jane I am fine. Just admiring the skyline. It always amazes me how beautiful it is." Maddie noticed Jane turning to go back inside. "Jane I have to tell you something."
" I know, you saw David."
"How did you know?"
" I have known you since the third grade. Nothing gets past me. I know the David look. Let me ask you something." Jane moved close to Maddie on the balcony edge. "Do you still love David?"
Maddie stared out at the skyline. " With all my heart."
"Then GO TO HIM!", Jane shouted out.
" What? I don't even know where he is now. We ran into each other this afternoon downtown. We had coffee. Things got a little tense and I walked out. He said he was going to some Blues clubs tonight."
"Where is he staying?" Jane asked.
Maddie had an idea. " I am not really feeling well now. I think I am going to say my goodbyes and head home. Can you tell Michael I went home sick when he gets here?"
"You know Michael is a great guy too."
"I know. I know."
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David was clearly having a good time with Paul and Jim - the ultimate party boys. It was around 10:30 when David looked at his watch and all of a sudden he didn't feel much like partying. He couldn't put his finger on it but he figured it must have something to do with seeing Maddie today. Paul went up to the bar to get yet another pitcher of beer and Jim went to talk to a group of young ladies who had been making eye contact with them for the last hour.
"Hey Dave" Jim called as he motioned for Dave to move to the table he was at.
David maneuvered his way through the growing crowd to the table. "Yes?" David said with a playful tone and immediately made eye contact with one of the women. Jim noticed David's interest and introduced them.
"Dave this is Kim. Kim …Dave." Kim winked at David.
David thought Kim was adorable. She had long brown hair and big blue eyes. The freckles on her face made her look younger then 37. They both sat down and as their conversation went on, David and Kim moved closer to one another. They were both smitten. David soon found out that Kim was brainy too. She worked as an anthropologist and had just spent two years in Africa. She was in Chicago to present her findings on early human bones at a Chicago museum. David smirked as she told him remembering the times Maddie called him a Neanderthal. The most important thing though was they both had a love of R&B music.
Midnight came and David and Kim looked at each other with nervous anticipation. David pulled Kim close to him. "Happy New Year". He whispered. They both shared a sweet but passionate kiss.
Kim's friend Kris interrupted David and Kim's kiss." I want to go now." Kris said in
An angry tone.
"In awhile," Kim said through clutched teeth while nodding toward David. Anytime Kris saw that Kim had a man's attention and she didn't she would go into one of her jealous teenage like tirades. " I can't stand when she does this," Kim sighed and shook her head.
David laughed, "Women." Kim playfully hit David on the shoulder. David noticed Kris glaring at them. " Why don't you just take her home. We can continue tomorrow…or later tonight."
The smile left Kim's face as she passed David the number where she was staying and pulled Kris' arm. She looked back at David. "Call me in an hour."
David watched them leave the bar. " Davey boy is in love." Paul and Jim joked in unison.
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David got in a cab and headed back to the hotel. He held the paper with Kim's number in his hand looked at it, studying each number she wrote. He was definitely going to call her. "Here you are Mac," the driver said as he pulled into the hotel driveway.
David sang down the hallway and put his key in the door. Maddie had been laying on the bed but shot up and sat on the edge when she heard the keys. Maddie could not look at him when he entered.
"Maddie?" David looked at her sitting on the bed and then looked around the room. "Hey wasn't this scene in another episode?" David 's eyes were now fixed on Maddie sitting on the bed. "What's going on? Why are you here?" His eyes and mouth crinkled into a serious look.
" I don't know why I am here". Maddie nervously played with the ends of her hair. "I told the desk clerk I was your wife and lost my key. David, we need to talk …we really need to talk."
"It's your dime." David kicked his shoes off and sat on the bed propping himself against the headboard with a pillow.
" David, I'm sorry about this afternoon. It's just that I haven't seen you in so long… I t was a little overwhelming."
"Maddie Hayes admitting she was overwhelmed by my presence. This is a first," David said sarcastically.
" I am serious David." Maddie turned around on the bed to face David. " I am sorry for all the pain I have caused you. Not a day has gone by since we closed the office when I had not thought of you…where you are…. what you are doing…who you are with."
" I guess I could say the same. You are always on my mind. There were millions of times I picked up the phone to call you and dialed all but the last number. I didn't know if seeing me would bring you pain…I mean because of the baby and all."
Maddie now looked David directly in the eye. "I love you David…I always have."
David laughed and gently threw a pillow at Maddie. " I always knew that."
Maddie reached for the other pillow and returned the gesture. 'What am I going to do with you David Addison!"
" Man you have an arm!" David had both pillows now and instead of throwing them he moved in back of Maddie and softly kissed her neck. "I have always loved you too," David whispered in Maddie's ear. "From the moment you walked into my office." Maddie turned her head to meet David's lips. David slowly pulled the strap of her dress down and softly pulled Maddie down on the bed.
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Maddie woke up in David's arms. She couldn't remember a time she was this happy. She made a pact …this time with herself. She decided not to resist David anymore. Just as Maddie realized they would always banter and argue she realized they would always love each other.
To Be Continued????????
