I apologize for the wait. The holiday's had me busy, then I got sick. This isn't the best chapter but I've been feeling under the weather and wanted to update regardless. Thanks for the reviews.
. . . . . . .
"Daddy's home!" Maddie's excited words sprung from her lips before Nathan even had a chance to surprise her. She must have been looking out of the front window and caught sight of his car. No less than a second later, Maddie watched another car pull up behind her father's.
"Ms. James is here, too!" She announced to Deb who was in the middle of washing dishes at the kitchen sink.
The excited six-year-old ran to the door, ready to greet Nathan and Haley. She was so overcome by surprise that she failed to notice their solemn eyes as they walked the front pavement.
Nathan traded a secret smile with Haley after noticing Maddie's white palms splayed over the glass screen. Despite the situation, he chuckled. Maddie was too cute for her own good—making what he and Haley were about to tell her that much more dreadful, no less difficult.
"I think she's happier to see you," Nathan quipped, playfully ribbing Haley in the side.
Haley giggled, "I'd beg to differ."
Maddie was thrilled to see Haley, but first, she ran into Nathan's stretched arms, throwing herself into his embrace.
"Daddy! I missed you so much," she cried, overcome by emotions.
Nathan, who had knelt down, felt Maddie's wet tears staining his shirt. A corner piece of his heart chipped away painfully—a little piece breaking every time she cried.
"I missed you, too, Maddie bear." He whispered and placed a soft kiss against her forehead.
"Please don't leave me again," she all but whimpered.
Haley stood in the frame of the door, blinking rapidly to keep her own tears at bay. She didn't know what it was, but whenever she watched Nathan and Maddie together, something scraped the bottom of her heart, stirring a deep dust of emotion to engulf the rest of her body.
She watched Nathan closely. His eyes were clenched shut. His strong arms wrapped tightly around Maddie made the already small girl appear even tinier. Haley loved how great of a father he was. She could only imagine how he'd be with a son; a little boy with those same blue eyes and captivating smirk.
At that thought, a pang of pain hit her stomach and the tears she desperately tried to hide, burst, and ran down her cheeks like a damn flood.
It had been a creeping through in the back of her mind, like a haunting shadow. She tried to avoid it, but moments like now, made it appear like a looming crevice about to swallow her whole.
She'd have to tell him, and soon, but today was not the day.
Instead, she wiped furiously at the hot teats staining her cheeks and plastered a smile on her lips. She had a lot to be thankful for; Nathan. Madeline. Brooke. Her career. She only hoped she'd be enough for them.
"I'll never leave you again. I promise." Haley heard Nathan whisper in Maddie's hair.
Maddie nodded and pulled away, wiping her eyes behind her tiny fists. Haley's lips turned flipped into an easy, true smile when Maddie wandered to her.
"Hi, Ms. James!"
"Hi, Sunshine!" Haley greeted, a warmth returning to her disposition. Even on her darkest days, Maddie brought light to her life, illuminating through the thickest clouds.
Maddie wrapped herself around Haley's frame. "I'm so glad you and Daddy are here!"
"Actually, Mads…" Nathan began gently, "There's a reason why Ms. James is here."
"To celebrate you're home a day early?"
He chuckled nervously, "Not exactly."
Before he had a chance to explain, Deb came in from the kitchen. Surprise masked her features.
"Nathan, you're home a day early! Is everything alright?" Surprise shifted into concern.
"Yeah, Mom, I'm fine. I just missed Haley and Maddie."
Deb's soft green eyes fell on Haley. She smiled secretly. Deb was no stranger to the strong feelings her son felt for Maddie's teacher.
"Hey, Ms. James. How're you?" She greeted politely.
Haley's welcoming smile matched the older woman's. "Good, thanks. And please, it's Haley."
Deb nodded, "Haley. I hope I'll be seeing more of you," she then winked at Nathan, who blushed in response.
"I guess I'll head out. Nathan, call me later, honey. And Maddie, come here, let me hug you goodbye."
Maddie flung herself at her grandmother and said goodbye. Deb then grabbed her stuff while Nathan lead both Haley and his daughter to the living room.
"Maddie, we have to tell you something, and you're not going to like it."
Maddie's blue eyes hardened and her lower lip jut out, "You can't break up! You're supposed to get married and have babies!"
Nathan and Haley's eyes widened as they turned towards each other, "What?"
"Are you- are you breaking up?" Maddie teared up again, looking between her father and his girlfriend as they sat on either side of her on the couch. She hiccuped in between words, choking on a sob ready to escape if it were true.
Haley took Maddie's soft hand in her own and smiled, "No, kiddo, your Daddy and I are not breaking up. I promise."
Maddie wiped her tears, cheering up almost instantly. "Good. 'Cos I'd be very, very sad."
"So would I," Nathan tried to joke.
"We don't want you to be sad," Haley began nervously, "But something bad kind of happened today."
Maddie's lake filled eyes expanded. "What happened?" She continued glancing between Nathan and Haley who were both fidgeting.
"Uh, well, you see, Mads…" Nathan tripped over his words, trying to find the best way to break the news. "I came home early so I could surprise you and Haley."
Maddie nodded softly but still didn't understand what was so bad.
"So I went to your school and um, I started to kiss Ms. James."
Maddie scrunched her nose in disgust but remained quiet. Haley couldn't help but giggle.
Nathan sighed, dreading the outburst he knew he'd receive from Maddie. "But when we were kissing, Principal Jenkins caught us."
Maddie scowled, "Daddy!" She reprimanded, "You know you're not supposed to do that! It has to be a secret."
Nathan blew out a deep breath, knowing her wrath would only increase. "I know. I'm sorry." His shoulders slumped visibly and Haley couldn't help but giggle at Maddie's scolding glare.
"Did you get in trouble?" She questioned quietly.
"Yeah, baby, we did." Haley answered. "Your Daddy and I really aren't supposed to be dating and we broke a lot of rules."
"So, what happened?"
"Well, I got suspended. Kind of like what happened when you and Elizabeth got into a fight." Haley explained gently.
"For how long?"
"Uh, only for a week," Haley squeaked, too afraid to tell her the rest.
Maddie huffed, dropping her face into the palms of her hands. "I guess that's not too bad."
Nathan looked at Haley, who was biting her lip— a tell tale sign she was nervous.
"There's more, Maddie."
Maddie looked up at Nathan and furrowed her dark eyebrows. "What is it?"
"The thing is, um, you won't be in Ms. James' class anymore."
"What!" Maddie screeched, falling back onto the couch and letting out a long wail. "Are you serious?"
Haley exchanged a somber frown with Nathan and tentatively reached out so she could grab hold of Maddie, "I'm sorry, sweetie. We really didn't mean for this to happen. The Principal said the only way I can keep teaching is if he moves you to another class."
"But- but, I- I don't want a different teacher. I love you, Ms. James! You're the best, and I- I…"
"Shh, it's okay, Maddie. I love you, too." Haley whispered soothingly. "It's going to be okay."
"It's not fair," Maddie continued to cry. "This is all your fault, Daddy!" She grumbled.
Nathan felt another piece of his heart gnaw away. "I'm so sorry, Maddie."
"I'm sorry, too." Haley sighed. "I know you're upset. I am, too. You're one of my best students, and I'd hate to lose you, but guess what?"
Maddie sniffled, "What?"
"I'm not going anywhere," Haley spoke with conviction. "You'll still see me. In fact, now we can hang out all the time without worrying. And, you can call me Haley now if you'd like."
A ghost of a smile traced over Maddie's lips, "I can?"
"Yep. Since I'm not your teacher anymore, we can do stuff we weren't able to do before. Like go shopping and spend more time outside of school."
Maddie started to perk up, "Does this mean you can be my Mommy now?"
Haley tensed. Maddie didn't notice but Nathan sure did. He watched her gulp a hard breath.
"Uh, Mads, we talked about this." Nathan warned, speaking up and hoping to change the topic.
"I know," Maddie huffed, "Mommies and Daddies have to be married. But you should marry Haley, Daddy. This way she can live here with us and play tea party with me every day!"
Nathan smiled sheepishly, "Maddie, it's too soon to think about stuff like that. I love Haley, a lot, but we've only been dating for a short time, kiddo."
Maddie grumbled under her breath, but then mulled over her father's words. "You love her?"
Nathan smiled, reaching out and taking Haley's hand between his own. "Yeah. I do."
"I love your Daddy, too, Mads. Very much so." Haley said with a smile biting her words.
Maddie grinned widely, wrapping her left arm around Nathan, and her right arm around Haley. "I love you, too."
"Are you okay, little bear?" Nathan asked.
Maddie shifted softly and smiled ever so slightly. "Yeah. At first I was freakin' pissed—"
"You were what?" Nathan's voice raised angrily. He didn't want his little baby cursing.
"I was freakin' pissed!" Maddie repeated innocently.
"You can't say that, Maddie. It's not a nice thing to say."
"But you and Uncle Lucas say it all the time!"
Nathan shook his head, "Just because we say it, doesn't mean you can. Don't listen to us, anyway. Listen to Haley. She's a better example."
Haley blushed softly, "That's not true."
"It is," Nathan bickered playfully.
Maddie giggled, "I'll miss having Haley as my teacher but I'm happy you didn't break up."
"I'm happy, too." Haley said.
"You know what?" Nathan thought aloud, "Let's go out to dinner."
Maddie clung onto Haley, almost afraid to let go. "Yay!"
Haley grinned, "I think that's a great idea."
She leaned over Maddie and kissed Nathan softly, then kissed Maddie's cheek.
Maybe everything was going to be okay, after all.