Chapter Nine
Arguments
Esteban took out the little box from his pocket, looking at it, once again. He'd been carrying it with him everywhere ever since he bought it, because he didn't want Maddie to find it when she cleaned and tidied up in their apartment. He paused and smiled to himself.
Their apartment.
It sounded absolutely wonderful in his ears. And he wanted to give her something special. Since he never gave her an engagement ring or a wedding bond, like she deserved, he had dipped into his savings and ended up buying her this ring. He just hoped she'd like it. He wished he knew a lot about this stuff, but he didn't, so he'd had both Carey and Mr. Moseby with him, who both agreed with him on buying Maddie something nice.
It was a princess cut ring, with a white diamond stone. Carey had loved it, and she was a girl, who knew Maddie very well. Mr. Moseby, who knew quite a lot about this stuff too, agreed with Carey that it was a good choice, so Esteban had bought it, not worrying about the price. It was in a white box, and he couldn't wait to give it to Maddie.
He just hadn't found the perfect time yet, so he was still carrying it around, stopping now and then to imagine what it would look like on her finger. He could only believe it would look good. Everything looked good on Maddie. He liked it most when she wore nothing, though.
"Thinking about a certain blonde candy counter girl, we know?" Cody chipped, snapping Esteban right out of his trance.
Esteban turned to look at the guy, quickly stuffing the box into his pocket, "Yes." He replied, fiddling nervously, "She is my wife. I am aloud to think."
"Oh, I know," Cody smiled, padding his back, "I wasn't saying you couldn't." and then he left, leaving Esteban even more confused than earlier.
He shook his head and went into the lobby. He had to pick up some luggage in suite 245. He stopped in his tracks though, when he didn't see the beautiful candy girl behind the counter. Where had she gone? What if something happened? He turned around, perplexed, and saw London sitting by herself in the couch, going through a magazine. He quickly went over there.
"Miss London?" he questioned, looking at her, "Do you know where Maddie is?"
London looked up, annoyed because of the interruption, "Yes, Esteban," she told him, pointing towards the entrance, "She went out on a lunch date with her ex-boyfriend Trevor."
Esteban immediately felt a pang of jealousy stream through is body. But more than that, he felt hurt. She went out with another man? And why didn't she tell him, "Trevor?" he questioned, "Is he not that really smart, handsome guy from back then?"
"Yes," London said, "The guy she stole from me."
"Oh," Esteban said, looking at his feet, as he made his way across the lobby, to pick up that luggage, "Maybe I got it all wrong. Maybe Miss Maddie does not like me as much as I like her."
--
Maddie smiled at Trevor, who was sitting across the table, looking through his menu. She didn't feel totally at ease with this. She felt kinda guilty. She could at least have told Esteban where she was going and asked if he was okay with it. But then again, she should be aloud to lunch with whoever she wants to, shouldn't she?
"So?" Trevor stated, looking up at her, "I think I'm gonna go with the salmon salad. What are you having? Pick everything, it's my treat."
"Oh, thank you," Maddie smiled, a faint blush creeping into her cheeks, "Ah, I'd like the same."
"I thought you were gonna go with chicken," Trevor smiled, placing his arms on the table, "That was always your choice when we were dating."
"Yeah, I don't eat chicken anymore." Maddie replied, thinking of the cute pet chicken they had at home. Esteban didn't eat chicken because of him, and she admitted, she'd feel kinda wrong about it too. And not only that, it would hurt Esteban as well.
"Why not?" Trevor questioned, aching an eyebrow.
"Esteban has this pet chicken, so we don't eat that." Maddie said, bobbing her head up and down, "Besides, lately, the smell of it has just been making me… eww."
"Why?" Trevor said, ignoring the eww-comment, "That's Esteban's choice to have a chicken, that shouldn't affect you."
"It does." Maddie said, looking weirdly at him. But then she realized he didn't know they were married, "We're married, you know." she added, wanting to clear the air, to make sure he didn't get the wrong signals.
Trevor spit out the coke he had just taken a sip of, "You're what?" he shrieked, causing everyone in the restaurant to look at them, "You're married?" he grabbed her hand to look at her finger, "But where's your ring?"
"I don't have one." Maddie replied, whipping spit and coke off her chin, "And Trevor, I already took a shower this morning, I don't need another one."
"Sorry," Trevor said, "I was just – Woow, I can't believe you've gotten married. Why wasn't I invited?"
"Nobody really was." Maddie just told him, shrugging slightly, as the waiter came and took their food orders.
When he left, Trevor was still in shock, he bit his lips, and looked at the girl he once loved so much, "That's okay, I guess. I just can't believe it. Don't you think you're a little too young for that? You're only 18."
"They were about to throw Esteban out of the country, so it made sense to do it now, if you don't mind." Maddie chuckled, sipping her sprite, "But enough about me. What have you been up to?"
"Uhm…" Trevor trailed off, "Not as much as you, that's for sure. I don't even have a girlfriend right now."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Maddie told him, "But it's good to see you again, Trevor."
"You too, Maddie." Trevor replied, smiling at his ex-girlfriend, "You too."
--
Maddie made her way up of the stairs to their apartment, feeling defeated. When she came back from lunch with Trevor, she worked all day, looking forward to see Esteban again, and take their walk home together. However, Mr. Moseby told her that Esteban had left suddenly, telling him he was feeling very sick.
Maddie couldn't help but think it was something else. And why hadn't he talked to her about it? She was his wife, she should know. She would have gone with him home to take care of him and make him soup.
She locked herself into the apartment, taking off her boots. She shut the door behind her and hurried into the living room, anxious to see Esteban.
She wasn't the only one who had been holding secrets lately, and she wanted to share them with him. The time just hadn't been right yet. It was kinda huge news, and they were going to change their life together completely.
She stopped in the living room entrance, as she saw Esteban sitting on the couch, deeply in thought. He looked up at her though, and she saw hurt flashing through his eyes, which broke her heart completely. She wanted to rush over there and envelope him in a big hug, to make the pain go away, but before she got that far, Esteban spoke up;
"How was your lunch date, Maddie?"
Maddie froze in the door, not believing he knew that. Was that why he was so hurt? Was it her fault!? She let out a deep sigh and took a few stops closer, looking at him, "It was okay. Trevor says hi."
Esteban stood up from the couch, looking kinda angry with her, "Why did you not tell me?" he asked, "Why did you not tell me you were going out to eat with him, Maddie? How could you just do that to me?"
"Esteban!?" Maddie questioned, surprised by the hurt and the anger her husband was having. Had it really hurt him that bad? She couldn't quite comprehend that thought, "It was just a lunch! It's not like I'm running off with him now! I love you!"
"Then why did you not tell me?" Esteban asked, demanding for her to answer, "I was looking for you in the lobby, and suddenly you are gone. Then Miss London said you went out on a lunch date with your ex-boyfriend. What am I supposed to think then, Maddie?"
"I haven't seen him for a long time!" Maddie yelled, anger boiling in her. He may be her husband, but he can't decide who she spend time with, "He just dropped by, and I wanted to catch up! There's nothing to tell about it, Esteban!"
"I know how important that guy is to you, Maddie!" Esteban said, now yelling too, which was surprising, since it took a lot for him to actually yell, "You even told me all about your relationship back then! He was your first time, you do not forget your first time. I know I never will."
"Yes," Maddie said, thinking quickly about the last statement he made. Who had been his first time? He had never told her. She had never known he had had a girlfriend before her or anything, "Trevor was my first time, and my first real boyfriend, but we broke up, Esteban, we're not even friends anymore. It was just a lunch. It's not like I'm gonna see him again!"
"Great," Esteban confirmed, "Because I forbid you to see him!"
"You forbid me to see him!?" Maddie spat, the anger flashing back in an instant, "You can't decide who I spend time with, Esteban! If I want to lunch with him, I do! You're not the boss of me!"
"Well, then maybe this marriage means nothing to you." Esteban said, breathing out, as he tried to hold back the tears she was causing. He swallowed hard, and picked the white box out of his jacket, throwing it on the floor, which caused the ring to fly across the room, "Maybe I was just imagining love. And I even bought that for you."
Maddie stood still as Esteban sat down on the couch again, burying his head in his hands. She looked at the white box on the floor, letting tears fall out of her eyes. She knew what it was. It was a ring box. He had bought her a ring… she couldn't see it right now, because it was lying across the room, probably hard to find. She'd have to look for it later. She had to find it.
She slowly looked up at him, tears still streaming down her face. He looked up too, and their eyes met. He was crying too, she realized. She couldn't believe she hurt him that bad. And she couldn't grasp that he thought this marriage meant nothing to her. It meant everything. She loved him.
She was about to open her mouth and be the bigger one, and apologise. It wasn't like she wanted to see Trevor again anyway, so the whole thing was stupid. But she didn't get that far. Their front door burst open, and she turned to find two police officers, and the woman she believed they had gotten rid of.
"Esteban Julio Ricardo Montoya De La Rosa Ramírez?" one of the police officers questioned, looking at her.
Maddie couldn't speak, she was shocked, so she just pointed at Esteban on the couch, moving back to let them get through. They did so, and each grabbed one of his arms, ignoring his protests and questions.
"What's going on!?" he finally managed to yell, as they dragged him towards the door.
"You're being thrown out of this country and back to Peru. Your Green Card has expired." The other officer said, checking his watch, "We have proof to believe that your marriage to Madeline Margaret Genevieve Miranda Catherine Fitzpatrick is fake."
"WHAT!?" Maddie finally said. She was surprised… how? "It's not fake!" she hissed, making her way towards Esteban, "We're in love! We're married! What's going on?"
"Shall I replay the evidence?" Destiny questioned, holding up a tape recorder. She pressed the black button, and they all heard London's voice streaming through the little box:
"Oh. Don't tell anyone, but… They are married. Not together though."
"How?" they heard Destiny ask.
"Esteban was about to get thrown out of the country. So Maddie married him to keep that from happening. That guy she walked out with before, is her ex-boyfriend, Trevor. Maybe they're getting back together."
"Oh… So? They're not together for real? It was all a fake marriage?"
"Yes." They heard London confirm again, and then Destiny pressed the little black button, a satisfied look on her face.
Maddie locked eyes with Esteban, a scared look in her eyes. This was the fist time she really was scared. This meant something. They couldn't take him away, they just couldn't! He belonged here! She needed him… He was-
"Your plane leaves tonight." Destiny interrupted Maddie's thoughts, by talking to Esteban, a smock smile playing on her lips, "I hope you have fun in your weird little village!"
"But!" Maddie yelled, trying to get through to Esteban, "You can't take him! I love him, I need him! Esteban…" she cried, tears steaming down her cheeks.
"Too bad!" Destiny just replied, walking out of the condo, with the two police officers behind her. They had a good hold on Esteban, since he seemed to struggle to get free.
Maddie just watched them leave, not able to grasp the situation. They just took him away! What about his stuff, what about his life and his things? What about his wife?
She sunk down on the floor, tears clouding her vision. Was she just left alone now? She couldn't believe they really took him away… How was she gonna manage without him? And he left without her getting a chance to apologise. She felt awful. Trevor meant nothing to her. Esteban was her everything. What was gonna happen now?
She crawled across the floor to find the ring Esteban had bought for her. It didn't take her very long, since it was shining so bright. She took it on her finger, or rested her back against the side of the couch, looking down at the white stone. It was beautiful. It must have cost him a fortune, and still he had bought it for her.
She rested her head in her arms, not bothering to stop the tears from coming. How was she gonna cope? With everything that was going on, how would she manage to have money enough and working and… Oh God!
She rested her hand on her stomach, leaned her head back, letting out a deep sigh.
So yeah. This was the last chapter Trevor was in, since he's really not that important. Destiny finally got what she wanted, and I hope I made it all realistic, since I've never been through this, I can't possibly know. It's not like they're gonna go throw my family out of Denmark! Haha, anyway. Your reviews are very much appreciated. They mean the world to me, just so you know.
I don't own The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, it belongs to Disney. I'm borrowing it for this, but I promise to get them back, so you watch it on DC, lol.
