I know bad, bad, me. I haven't updated in like forever. I am extremely sorry, but work and transcribing Everwood episodes is taking up a lot of my energy. Here is another chapter. Enjoy. Leave a review please.
Time was flying by and another month had passed. Ephram was working one morning when he received a phone call from his lawyer, Mr. Huner.
"I just wanted you to know that I haven't received the signed custody papers yet."
"You're kidding me, I thought this was handled right after our meeting two months ago."
"Nope, the papers haven't been returned. I've called Madison's attorney, but he won't return my calls."
"Well, I'll ask her about it tonight, we're taking Jake to a Dodgers game."
"Good, I really want to get this resolved as soon as possible. I'm about to be really busy with some cases and this should've been cleared up a while ago."
Ephram was sort of shocked by all of this and he hung up the phone.
After work, Ephram went straight over to Madison's to pick up Jake because they were going to a Dodgers game. Jake opened the door and he had a Dodgers foam finger on his left hand and a Dodgers ball cap on.
"Hey, Daddy. I'm ready to go to the game. Can we get hot dogs and nachos?" Jake said elated and was jumping up and down.
"Absolutely. Go grab your jacket because it might get cold while I go see if Mommy's ready."
Jake ran towards his bedroom and Ephram walked into the den and didn't see Madison and then walked through the kitchen and noticed she wasn't in there either. He walked back towards Madison's bedroom and saw that she was putting her hair in a ponytail.
"Hey." Ephram said as he walked in and sat on the bed.
"Hey. Jake's been yelling "Go Dodgers" ever since I picked him up from school." Madison looked through the mirror and noticed Ephram seemed spaced out. "You okay? Something bothering you?"
Ephram's face had given him away. "I got something on my mind."
Madison gave a look of curiosity, "Should I be worried, because your facial expression is making me think I should be worried?"
"We'll talk when we get back from the game."
Madison walked over to him and sat down on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "How about you tell me now so we don't have to talk when we get back so we can get onto other things?" Madison planted a kiss right on his lips.
Jake came running in Madison's room with his coat on his head, "I got my coat, let's go."
Madison jumped off of Ephram's lap and Ephram stood up fast too, "Okay, sweetie, let me get my purse."
Jake looked at his parents standing there, "What were you and Daddy doing?"
"Talking. We-we were talking. That's all." Ephram sputtered nervously from his lips.
"We were talking about the game, sweetie." Madison said reaching for her purse on the bed.
Jake gave them a look of curiosity and Ephram noticed it, "Come here, kiddo, you want a piggyback ride out to the car."
Jake erupted into a smile and ran and jumped on the bed and onto Ephram's back. "Let's beat Mommy to the car." Ephram gave a quick a subtle smile at Madison before running out of the room with Jake on his back.
Jake yelled back, "Catch us Mommy."
The game went into extra innings and Jake fell asleep in his seat throughout all of the commotion.
When they got back to Madison's house, Madison took Jake to his bedroom and got him into bed while Ephram went and grabbed a drink from fridge and sat down at the kitchen table and flipped through the newspaper.
Madison came into the kitchen about 15 minutes later, "He didn't even flinch while I was changing him into his pjs."
"He has the right idea to pass out instead of staying awake and watching the Dodgers lose." Ephram spouted back.
Madison started unloaded the dishwasher and Ephram watched her, "So what did you want to talk about earlier?"
"Uh, I got a phone call from my attorney today saying he hasn't seen the custody papers yet from your attorney, could you give him a call and tell him to send them?"
Madison stopped putting the dishes in the cabinet and laid them on the counter and turned toward Ephram.
"He doesn't have them." Madison replied. "I do."
"Okay, so send them to your attorney and then he'll send them to mine."
"I haven't signed them yet."
Ephram raised one eyebrow and looked at her with a curious face, "Why not?"
"Because we worked it out on our own and I just figured we would eventually... Madison paused, "I don't know, I guess I felt that I didn't need to since we were getting along so well."
Ephram got up and walked over to her, "Just sign the papers, okay?"
"Why is signing them so important to you?"
"First of all, because we agreed to them. Second, those papers solidify Jake's future. Third, I just want something in writing in case..."
"In case what Ephram?"
"We don't make it." Ephram said it.
Madison's face turned a little angry, "Do you think something bad is going to happen between us? Do you not want to be with me, because if you don't, I never asked you to come around in the first place." Madison stomps off into the den.
"Madison, calm down, please." Ephram said following her.
"I'm not going to calm down. I don't know what I was thinking. I never expected you to come back in my life and now that you're here with me and Jake, it's like you don't want to be."
"You're jumping to conclusions."
"Oh, really, the only conclusion I see here is that you want your cake and eat it to. Have these past two months been a game to you, because you obviously were just yanking my chain the entire time if you still want me to sign those papers. I mean dammit, Ephram, I love you, can't you tell?" Madison's voice was rising.
"I love you too." Ephram said calmly and then sat down on the chair.
Madison started to pace in front of Ephram. "I mean, if you want to just be friends we should have never started this. I mean what exactly are we? I mean I know we're Jake's parents, but what are "we"?"
Ephram stared at her with a serious face as she looked with anger at Ephram. Finally, he cracked and let out a snicker.
"What's so funny about all of this?"
"You. You said you loved me."
"I know, I was an idiot to think that actually you loved me."
"Well, you obviously didn't hear me reply that I love you too."
Madison was speechless. Ephram got up from the chair and walked over to her, "Now do you feel better that we've gotten that out of the way?" He tried to wrap his arms around her and she backed away.
"Then why do you want me to sign the papers?"
"Because I just want to make sure Jake is provided for. Ever since I found out about Jake, my priorities changed. Jake is my priority, like he has been your priority since you found out you were having him. It's just I have a lot of making up to do. Signing those papers doesn't mean I'm going to stop loving you or that we won't have a future together. From the moment you came back in my life five months ago, I knew I wanted to be with you. Yes, I love you and to be honest, I don't think I ever stopped."
Ephram reached for Madison and pulled her close and gave her a peck on the lips and she gave him a smile.
"Now what shall we do for the rest of the evening, Mr. Brown?"
"That's up to you, Miss Kellner."
