Once in a Lifetime Love
Chapter 3
Maddie woke up the next morning and smiled over at Mike. He was sleeping on his side, with an arm around her. He had shocked her and she had enjoyed every second of it. She hadn't had that many serious relationships and a one-night stand or two. No one she had ever invited to live with her. Mike was certainly more experienced then her but it sounded like it had only been with Christine. She seemed to be the love of his life and Maddie could only hope one day to find a love like Mike had for his dead wife. Christine had been a very lucky woman.
Maddie could easily rely on her trust fund to finance her but she wanted to go back to work. She'd start putting her resume in that day. She wondered what Mike would do with his time. He had made it clear that he was retiring and didn't seem to be a freeloader. He would be bored stiff in no time. Maddie knew that he was going to go through a bit of a grief process, since the last five years had been incredibly busy for him. Just as Maddie began dwelling on that, Mike's eyes popped open and he smiled at her.
"Morning." Mike said as he gave her a passionate kiss.
"Good morning. You hungry?" Maddie asked.
"I could eat." Mike admitted. Maddie started to get up but Mike stopped her by giving her more kisses.
"In order to cook anything; I have to get out of bed and take a shower." Maddie told him.
"True. I could always join you in there." Mike said as he followed Maddie out of the bedroom and into her bathroom. Thankfully, she had a huge walk-in shower.
A half hour later, Maddie was downstairs and cutting up vegetables for breakfast burritos. Mike was still upstairs, shaving and getting ready for the day. Maddie was still in her robe and was going to have to get ready later. She put the eggs, veggies and leftover steak in to cook and looked at her phone. There were texts from various friends, wanting to meet up for lunch, dinner or drinks, and of course a voicemail from her mom. Maddie thought about not listening, but as always guilted herself into it.
"Madison, its your mother. I understand you are back in Florida. I need you to call me. I need you to call the Ritz in Paris and pay my tab. Peter and I are divorcing and he took my money. I also need you to get me a plane ticket…somewhere." Her mother, Marilyn blurted out and then hung up. No, I love you or I would love to see you, just pay my bills.
Maddie stood staring at her phone, wondering what to do. It wasn't the first hotel tab she had picked up or plane ticket she'd bought for her mom. She had the money and Marilyn knew it. She just didn't want her showing up on her doorstep. Madilyn wanted to enjoy the time with Mike and not deal with her needy mother. Plus, how was she going to explain that she was sleeping with a widowed Admiral who was several years older than her? Or did she have to explain it?
"Hey, everything okay? I thought I heard another voice down here a couple minutes ago." Mike asked as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed a cup of coffee.
"Just checking my voicemail. One from my mom." Maddie said.
"Oh. Is she visiting? That would be nice for you." Mike said warmly. He must have had normal parents.
"Wanted me to pay for her hotel fees and a plane ticket to somewhere." Maddie told him awkwardly.
"Oh. I see. I figured she would want to visit you since you were home." Mike said.
"Uh, Mike; my mom doesn't visit. The last time I saw her, I had to travel to Athens. She globe-hops on my dime." Maddie explained.
"Oh." Mike said simply, obviously struggling for words.
"I…my attorney wants me to stop paying her bills, not because I'm running out of money but because it does get ridiculous. I just don't know what to do." Maddie admitted.
"I won't get involved with your finances and I will pay my own way, but I will say, I agree with your attorney. How does she pay her bills?" Mike asked. He had sat down at the island and watched her stir the burrito mixture and flip the tortillas.
"Like a job? She doesn't have one. I think she gets some alimony from one of her ex-husbands. Its not enough to finance her lifestyle though." Maddie said.
"You have a job and a nice house but you don't seem to want to dip into your money much." Mike said.
"Right. I live off my salary. I did dip into my trust fund to buy this house and make it how I want. I don't have a payment on it or my Jeep. The car was bought as a gift from my mother until she couldn't handle the payment, so I took it over. I don't really like the car but I don't want to hurt her by trading it in." Maddie admitted.
"So, the car that was supposed to be a gift, wasn't a gift?" Mike asked.
"Yep, pretty much. Do you want sour cream?" Maddie asked. Mike nodded but got up to get and the other condiments himself. He seemed deep in thought.
"I suppose that you can do whatever you want. What would she think of me?" Mike asked.
"Its hard to say. I never really introduced her to any of my other boyfriends, not that I've had many. She would probably be pretty critical." Maddie admitted.
"How so?" Mike asked. Maddie dished her own food up and sat down next to him at the island.
"She would say you are too old for me." Maddie said.
"I am only forty-five. I look older. Been through a lot the last several years. It ages a person. You're…thirty?" Mike guessed.
"Thirty-Four." Maddie corrected.
"Would have never guessed that. Eleven years isn't so bad." Mike said.
"No. My mom would have an opinion though." Maddie said. She knew Mike was trying to make her feel better.
"I'm sure. So, as badly as I would like to stay here all day, I do have to go to the office later and put everything into writing. Figure out terms." Mike explained.
"Oh, fun. I did that while I was on ship. Any second thoughts?" Maddie asked.
"No. I want to retire. Its time and I'm tired. I need to find a way to do my hobbies though." Mike admitted.
"Which are?" Maddie asked.
"Building and refinishing furniture. I have all the saws and such, just nowhere to keep them. I have them in storage." Mike explained.
"Oh. I have just the place. When we're done eating, I'll show you." Maddie told him. Mike looked suspicious but nodded.
They finished eating and Maddie quickly got dressed. Mike had washed the dishes while she was upstairs and then followed her back to the workshop behind her garage.
"I don't use it. Is it big enough?" Maddie asked.
"More then. Its perfect." Mike said as he gave Maddie a kiss.
"Good. I do want a hutch for my dining room by the way?" Maddie hinted as she led Mike into the backyard.
"Sure. Find me a picture of what you want." Mike said.
"Perfect." Maddie said as they walked back into her house.
"I'll go up and change into a uniform. Anything you need while I'm out?" Mike asked.
"No. I'm going to type up my resume and bake." Maddie said.
"Sounds like a plan." Mike said before climbing the stairs. Maddie looked down at her phone, thinking about how she was going to handle her mom. She didn't need to know she was stateside, not that she would visit. She punched her mom's number in and her mom answered on the third ring.
"Madison, have you called my hotel yet?" Marilyn asked.
"Hi, Mom; its good to talk to you. I figured I would let you know I was home in Florida. I was in a helicopter crash but I'm okay. My gunner died though." Maddie said, not missing a beat.
"Like I said, have you called the Ritz?" Marilyn asked.
"Not yet. Mom, why can't you pay it?" Maddie asked.
"I don't have the money and I know you do. I also need you to call and pay the bill at Chanel. My credit card was declined." Marilyn said.
"How much?" Maddie asked.
"How much? You know they don't price their outfits. I did get some of that perfume you like." Marilyn said.
"I have enough. Seriously, how much?" Maddie asked.
"Twelve." Marilyn said.
"Twelve, what? Twelve dollars? Twelve hundred?" Maddie asked.
"Oh, don't be stupid. Twelve thousand." Marilyn said. Maddie wanted to just hang up.
"Okay. I'll tell you what. I will pay the bill at Chanel; I will pay the hotel tab and I will get you a plane ticket to New York and I'm done. I still have Dad's old apartment there. I'll call the doorman and he'll let you in but you are going to have to find a job. I don't care what. You can stay at the apartment until you get on your feet and can afford something of your own. I will pay the fees for the apartment and the utilities. I have a maid go in once a week and clean up. She will tell me if you leave her a mess. I will give you six months in Dad's apartment, and then you'll have to figure it out." Maddie said. Maddie had sold all her dad's properties, other then the one in New York City because she loved the city and it had been her dad's main residence.
"I hate that apartment. You know that." Marilyn said.
"Its that apartment or nothing. I own the property and will let you stay. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." Maddie said.
"Fine, whatever." Marilyn said.
"I'll call and get everything set up and email you the flight information. I'm serious, once you to New York, find a job." Maddie said.
"Easy for you to say." Marilyn said before she hung up.
Mike had walked in mid conversation but had stayed quiet. He had only heard one side but had gotten the drift. Instead of saying a word, he wrapped his arms around Maddie and kissed the top of her head. She hadn't expected him to comfort her.
"You okay?" Mike finally asked.
"Yeah. I think I'll put off my resume today and just bake." Maddie said.
"Is that you're destresser?" Mike asked.
"Yes. I love to cook and bake." Maddie said.
"I love to eat so that works out and I don't have to worry about physicals anymore." Mike said.
"And I was thinking how good of shape you're in. I do have a gym here too." Maddie teased.
"Good. That's my destresser. I'd better go. Text if you need anything at all." Mike said as he pulled her in for a passionate kiss. It made Maddie breathless and only wanting more. Mike finally pulled away, grabbed his cover and left. All Maddie could think of was his homecoming.