Lost In Silence
by Bethany
Chapter Five
Walking through the front door, she felt a strange sense of deja vu. It had been years since she stepped foot in this place, but strangely, nothing had changed. Over in the far right corner of the bar sat Norm Peterson on the very same stool which surely he had occupied day in and day out over the course of the past fifteen years. Beside Norm resided his side kick -- Cliff Clavin. Of course, this didn't surprise Lilith. She was sure they'd be side by side till the very end. Theirs surpassed devotion to the bar. No, they had no lives outside this place. They were trapped, as if they were stuck in a stale, tedious marriage to Cheers.
Behind the counter stood Sam Malone, chipper as always, pouring his friends drinks and pushing a draft in Norm's direction. Despite newfound gray hair and added pounds in several parties, it was as if time had paused and she had never left this place that had become her home away from home. Everything was exactly how she left it, minus the two doctors seated directly across from Norm and Cliff.
Lilith walked up to the bar, brushing her raven locks from her face. She peeled off the tight cardigan she bore, revealing the pink tank top which blended in with her floral printed capris. Placing her purse on the bar, she heard a low, demeaning whistle as she looked up.
"Well, hello there, sweetheart. What can Sammy get you this fine morning?"
Lilith rolled her eyes. "You can get me Madison Westmore. I was supposed to meet her here," She glanced down at her watch. "Ten minutes ago."
Sam stood there stunned, as the stout woman approached the bar, forming a hex with her fingers. "Which graveyard did you return from?" Lilith could feel a room full of eyes staring her down. "It's nice to see you again, too, Carla." Lilith tried to remain cool, but the woman had always gotten on her last and final nerve.
"Lilith, I hadn't even recognized you. You look... amazing. What happened? I mean, er, what--"
"Why, thank you, Sam. I suppose your moronic ramblings are endearing in a way. Is Maddi around?"
"Madison? Why on earth would you want Madison?" Diane approached the corner. Lilith suddenly felt as though she were being ganged up on, as they all circled around her. "Dr. Sternin!" A wave of relief consumed Lilith as the young girl appeared.
"Madison, darling." Diane slid her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "You didn't inform me you were acquainted with Dr. Sternin."
"I don't have to tell you everything, Mother." There was a vindictiveness in her voice which told Lilith she held a great deal of resentment towards Diane. Lilith observed the interaction between mother and daughter, and pain soon replaced her curiosity as she envisioned her own daughter, all grown up. All the rebellious adolescent jargon she had missed out on. The events in which a mother and daughter look back on many years down the road, and laugh about together over coffee. All the milestones in her daughter's life were gone... ripped from Lilith's grasp. Precious memories never to be replaced. Someone else held those memories that rightfully belonged to Lilith, and God help her if Diane was the one who possessed them.
Diane looked hurt by Maddi's revelation, which Madison caught sight of, quickly trying to repair the damage already done. "I'm sorry." She said, sheepishly. Madison and Lilith exchanged glances before she continued. "If you must know, Dr. Sternin is tutoring me."
"Tutoring you?" Diane looked shocked.
"Tutoring you?" Lilith echoed back, confused.
"Madison, if you were having trouble in school, you could have come to me."
"It was just in psych, and, well... no offense, Mother, but I think she's more qualified in the area. She came highly recommended by Ludlow."
"Are you still seeing that boy? What did I tell you about dating a Tortelli?"
"Watch it, Stick. That's my son you're talking about."
"Mother, we aren't dating!"
"Wait... you're in school? What happened to summer vacation? Did I miss something?" Norm perked up, a step behind in the conversation.
Lilith sat back and watched the conversation before her in awe. Madison lied so flawlessly that it was unnerving. She couldn't quite figure the girl out. It was obvious she didn't want Diane knowing her business, so she decided to send her on a little detour in discovering the truth.
"Madison is taking several classes at Emerson, Norman." Diane said, proudly. "She values her education and thrives off learning."
"Actually, it was just for something to do this summer." She said nonchalantly. "Emerson corresponds with Boston Conservatory, so all my credits will count."
"Madison, I still can't believe you're having trouble. You've been doing so well in psychology. What happened?"
Madison looked at Lilith nervously, afraid to be caught in her lie.
"It's not that she was doing poorly, Diane." Lilith finally spoke. "She had a project in the class which she didn't know how to approach. She just needed a little push in the right direction, so she came to me for help."
Diane looked dumbfounded. "What's the project on?"
"The effects on the psychosocial and academic functioning of children and adolescents suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and the use of cognitive-behavioral treatment." She conjured up a faux project, as Madison stood behind Diane mouthing a big, 'Thank You' to Lilith. Diane just looked on skeptically.
"Well, if you'll excuse me. We have to get to work. Sam, could I please have the afternoon off?"
Sam sighed, reluctantly. "Why not. It would truly be a sin for any of my waitresses to complete a single shift."
"Thank you!" Madison squealed in her usual bubbly tone. Grabbing Lilith's hand, they left the bar and started down Beacon Street.
"Well, don't keep me in suspense any longer..." Maddi giggled, skipping in front of Lilith, waiting for her answers.
"Slow down." Lilith laughed, a grin forming across her face. Madison's energy was contagious. "Well, I made several phone calls."
"And...?"
"And you were right. Your father had all your assets frozen."
"Damnit."
"Wait, you impatient girl. I wasn't finished. In his will, he stated they were only to be frozen until the day of your 18th birthday." Madison grinned wildly. "All your father's possessions are locked away in a safe in New York City. We had two options. We could have waited for them to ship you his belongings after filling out endless paper work, which would have taken, all together, a good two or three weeks. I, however, took the liberty of canceling all my appointments for the rest of the week and booked us a hotel right in the middle of Times Square." She pulled out several tickets from her purse, flashing them in front of Madison's face. "I hope you're a Sondheim and a Kander and Ebb fan because we have fourth row orchestra seats for Into the Woods and Chicago this weekend."
Madison's eyes bulged from her head. "I love you!" Was all she could say as she took the tickets from Lilith's hand and threw her arms around her neck. Lilith beamed seeing the child so happy. "Go home and pack your bags. We have a train to catch in an hour."
by Bethany
Chapter Five
Walking through the front door, she felt a strange sense of deja vu. It had been years since she stepped foot in this place, but strangely, nothing had changed. Over in the far right corner of the bar sat Norm Peterson on the very same stool which surely he had occupied day in and day out over the course of the past fifteen years. Beside Norm resided his side kick -- Cliff Clavin. Of course, this didn't surprise Lilith. She was sure they'd be side by side till the very end. Theirs surpassed devotion to the bar. No, they had no lives outside this place. They were trapped, as if they were stuck in a stale, tedious marriage to Cheers.
Behind the counter stood Sam Malone, chipper as always, pouring his friends drinks and pushing a draft in Norm's direction. Despite newfound gray hair and added pounds in several parties, it was as if time had paused and she had never left this place that had become her home away from home. Everything was exactly how she left it, minus the two doctors seated directly across from Norm and Cliff.
Lilith walked up to the bar, brushing her raven locks from her face. She peeled off the tight cardigan she bore, revealing the pink tank top which blended in with her floral printed capris. Placing her purse on the bar, she heard a low, demeaning whistle as she looked up.
"Well, hello there, sweetheart. What can Sammy get you this fine morning?"
Lilith rolled her eyes. "You can get me Madison Westmore. I was supposed to meet her here," She glanced down at her watch. "Ten minutes ago."
Sam stood there stunned, as the stout woman approached the bar, forming a hex with her fingers. "Which graveyard did you return from?" Lilith could feel a room full of eyes staring her down. "It's nice to see you again, too, Carla." Lilith tried to remain cool, but the woman had always gotten on her last and final nerve.
"Lilith, I hadn't even recognized you. You look... amazing. What happened? I mean, er, what--"
"Why, thank you, Sam. I suppose your moronic ramblings are endearing in a way. Is Maddi around?"
"Madison? Why on earth would you want Madison?" Diane approached the corner. Lilith suddenly felt as though she were being ganged up on, as they all circled around her. "Dr. Sternin!" A wave of relief consumed Lilith as the young girl appeared.
"Madison, darling." Diane slid her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "You didn't inform me you were acquainted with Dr. Sternin."
"I don't have to tell you everything, Mother." There was a vindictiveness in her voice which told Lilith she held a great deal of resentment towards Diane. Lilith observed the interaction between mother and daughter, and pain soon replaced her curiosity as she envisioned her own daughter, all grown up. All the rebellious adolescent jargon she had missed out on. The events in which a mother and daughter look back on many years down the road, and laugh about together over coffee. All the milestones in her daughter's life were gone... ripped from Lilith's grasp. Precious memories never to be replaced. Someone else held those memories that rightfully belonged to Lilith, and God help her if Diane was the one who possessed them.
Diane looked hurt by Maddi's revelation, which Madison caught sight of, quickly trying to repair the damage already done. "I'm sorry." She said, sheepishly. Madison and Lilith exchanged glances before she continued. "If you must know, Dr. Sternin is tutoring me."
"Tutoring you?" Diane looked shocked.
"Tutoring you?" Lilith echoed back, confused.
"Madison, if you were having trouble in school, you could have come to me."
"It was just in psych, and, well... no offense, Mother, but I think she's more qualified in the area. She came highly recommended by Ludlow."
"Are you still seeing that boy? What did I tell you about dating a Tortelli?"
"Watch it, Stick. That's my son you're talking about."
"Mother, we aren't dating!"
"Wait... you're in school? What happened to summer vacation? Did I miss something?" Norm perked up, a step behind in the conversation.
Lilith sat back and watched the conversation before her in awe. Madison lied so flawlessly that it was unnerving. She couldn't quite figure the girl out. It was obvious she didn't want Diane knowing her business, so she decided to send her on a little detour in discovering the truth.
"Madison is taking several classes at Emerson, Norman." Diane said, proudly. "She values her education and thrives off learning."
"Actually, it was just for something to do this summer." She said nonchalantly. "Emerson corresponds with Boston Conservatory, so all my credits will count."
"Madison, I still can't believe you're having trouble. You've been doing so well in psychology. What happened?"
Madison looked at Lilith nervously, afraid to be caught in her lie.
"It's not that she was doing poorly, Diane." Lilith finally spoke. "She had a project in the class which she didn't know how to approach. She just needed a little push in the right direction, so she came to me for help."
Diane looked dumbfounded. "What's the project on?"
"The effects on the psychosocial and academic functioning of children and adolescents suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and the use of cognitive-behavioral treatment." She conjured up a faux project, as Madison stood behind Diane mouthing a big, 'Thank You' to Lilith. Diane just looked on skeptically.
"Well, if you'll excuse me. We have to get to work. Sam, could I please have the afternoon off?"
Sam sighed, reluctantly. "Why not. It would truly be a sin for any of my waitresses to complete a single shift."
"Thank you!" Madison squealed in her usual bubbly tone. Grabbing Lilith's hand, they left the bar and started down Beacon Street.
"Well, don't keep me in suspense any longer..." Maddi giggled, skipping in front of Lilith, waiting for her answers.
"Slow down." Lilith laughed, a grin forming across her face. Madison's energy was contagious. "Well, I made several phone calls."
"And...?"
"And you were right. Your father had all your assets frozen."
"Damnit."
"Wait, you impatient girl. I wasn't finished. In his will, he stated they were only to be frozen until the day of your 18th birthday." Madison grinned wildly. "All your father's possessions are locked away in a safe in New York City. We had two options. We could have waited for them to ship you his belongings after filling out endless paper work, which would have taken, all together, a good two or three weeks. I, however, took the liberty of canceling all my appointments for the rest of the week and booked us a hotel right in the middle of Times Square." She pulled out several tickets from her purse, flashing them in front of Madison's face. "I hope you're a Sondheim and a Kander and Ebb fan because we have fourth row orchestra seats for Into the Woods and Chicago this weekend."
Madison's eyes bulged from her head. "I love you!" Was all she could say as she took the tickets from Lilith's hand and threw her arms around her neck. Lilith beamed seeing the child so happy. "Go home and pack your bags. We have a train to catch in an hour."