ACT V
MICHELLE MILHORN COMMUNITY CENTER & ASSISTED LIVING
"Almost ready for showtime Mom!" said Janice as she's putting the finishing touches to the birthday cake that's set to be delivered to one of the residents in the center. Janice is wearing a blue polo shirt that has the name of the community center on her left chest and jeans that covered her legs along with white sneakers. "Good to hear Janice, lets not keep our guest of honor waiting for her cake any longer. The Johnson family along with the birthday Grandma is looking forward to the cake." said Sonia wearing the matching uniform her daughter wears. Soon after, the Hayleys begin to deliver the cake to the family and afterwards, it's time to dig in to the meal on the patio of the community center! "This is the best cake I've ever eaten in my life!" said Grandma Johnson taking joy in her new pastry devised by the Hayleys. "Glad you enjoyed it, let us know if you need anything else" said Janice joyfully while her mother looks at the conversation satisfactory. "Looks like we have another satisfied client and a satisfied family Mom, glad those hospitality degrees and certifications paid off in the long run!" "I agree Janice, you've been working hard on your lessons and you've put them into good use for which I'm very proud of you." said Sonia as she patted Janice on the shoulder. Just then, Janice's phone rang in the middle of the party. "Hello, this is the Michelle Milhorn Community Center and Assisted Living center. My name is Janice Hayley and what can I do for you today?" answered Janice just like her response to her clients. "Have I caught you at a bad time?" asked a familiar voice "No, but who am I speaking to right now?" "Its Maddie, Madeline Sawyer." replied Maddie on the phone "OMGGGG Maddieeee! How's it going?! It's been so long since we last chatted" said Janice excitedly "Its been going good, just got out of prison and back into society. Even though I'm kinda surprised that my house phone still works after all these years haha" said Maddie "And I haven't asked anyone this before but I might need some help setting back into society as well as starting up a new chapter of my life. Before you ask how I remembered your phone number, not too long ago, you told me that if I ever needed some help I would ask and let you know as soon as I can." "Send me your address and I'll be on my way" said Janice "Thank you very much, I hope to see you real soon" said Maddie as she hung up the phone. "Who was that on the phone Janice an old friend of yours or something?" asked Sonia "Remember the prisoner that we visited years ago shortly before and after I graduated from high school named Madeline Sawyer?" asked Janice as she was trying to remind her mother of the now-former crazy soccer student turned prisoner that stalked her coach years ago. "Yeah, why?" said Sonia "Well, she's out of prison and she needs our help getting back on her feet, no pun intended" replied Janice as she told her mother that she'll be back soon with Maddie with her.
"And now the waiting game begins" said Maddie to herself. "This place right here has nothing but bad memories for me. Most of which is my misplaced love for Dominic. I don't know what the Hayleys would think of me looking like this mentally because I still have to live with the fact that I killed someone and putting a family into danger. Not to mention losing the best thing that happened to me in my high school career: my friendship with Amber Halligan. She went on to have a successful soccer playing career from her college to the big leagues and as for me, I lost 10 years of my life due to my heinous actions and I honestly don't know where to pick myself back up and go on with my life. It's going to be hard for people like myself to find a job and I can't seem to go back to school since who would want someone that endangers a well known family and took a son from their families' hands to be working with them or taking classes with them. Let's take it one day at a time…"
About an hour later due to traffic in the area, Janice finally arrives at Maddie's place. "Well, this is it. This is the apartment that Maddie told me about earlier today." said Janice in her head as she parked her car in the driveway to Maddie's home. "I have a feeling that it's gonna take a while for Maddie to get settled into society once again after spending a number of years in prison."
Janice would proceed to head over to the entrance of Maddie's home and ring the doorbell. "Hello?" asked Maddie as she opened up the door to a special guest which turned out to be Janice! "Maddieeee!" said Janice giving Maddie a hug to which she reciprocated. "Janice buddieee how's it been?!" asked Maddie excitedly "It's been good for the most part, just got out of a birthday party that we threw for one of our residents. It was a BLAST making the birthday cake with my mother along with the related pastries for the extra desserts" said Janice "So I'm guessing you and your mother work for an assisted living center or something?" asked Maddie "Not only that, we own the assisted living/community center where we house some of the residents in the community and provide a space for the community to do some volunteer work along with hosting select events!" replied Janice "Mind if I step in for a little while, its starting to get a little bit hot outside" "Absolutely! I have a couple of barely working fans around here so make yourself at home. Speaking of home, I'm kinda surprised that no one has occupied this space after I was sent to jail all these years ago. Not that I'd blame them by the way." said Maddie as she and Janice walked into the dusty, decrepit home "I remember you telling me on the phone that you wanted to move outta here. I think that the center has a couple of guest rooms available that we saved up just in case something happens to one of our family members and friends." said Janice "Yes of course! Let me pick up my belongings that I have and I'll be right back to you asap" said Maddie ready to get out of her apartment once and for all! Maddie would then go into her room and pick up her wrinkled clothes from her closet and her drawers. Along with that, she dug into her closet and found a dusted suitcase from one of the shelves and proceeded to put her clothes, her toiletries, as well as a couple of her pictures of herself with her late parents as a reminder of who she was before meeting Dominic, Amber, and Kelly to name a few. "All set and ready to go!" said Maddie coming down to meet Janice with her suitcase that's barely undusted in tow. "Well, are you ready for your next adventure?" asked Janice "Looks like you're carrying some baggage with ya" "Yea, I believe so Janice." said Maddie assuming that Janice is talking about her luggage that she's holding in her hand and unknown to Janice at this time, Maddie is also carrying mental baggage as well. "Let's hit the road!" said Janice
They proceeded to do just that after both women boarded the teal car. After they departed the driveway and into traffic, they are set out on their way to the community center. "So how is life treating you after so many years?" asked Maddie beginning a conversation between her and Janice. "It has some ups and downs. Been working on getting my degree at my college along with my scholarships and whatnot. During the basketball athletic program, I scored a lot of points in each of my games and we were on the verge of winning the national championship. Until suddenly, a freak accident sadly ended my basketball aspirations." reflected Janice "But hey everything happens for a reason you know and by the grace of God, my mother (who is a business owner and former community center worker) decided to open up an assisted living/community center building where we also live in and soon enough you too!" "Did your team win the tournament?" asked Maddie "Barely." said Janice feeling bittersweet in her thoughts. "As for me, prison was a mix of good things and bad things. The bad things first, I have to live with the fact that I'm never going to regain my ten years of my life that I had lost and also, aside from you and your mom, I barely have any visitors seeing me since who would want to still be friends with a murderer and a stalker *chuckles*. The good things that came out of it was that I was able to finish up my education in prison, learned some self-defense via kickboxing lessons to help get rid of some of my stress, and for a few months, took charge of the Straight Path program during the remainder of my sentence. I don't regret a thing from that experience if it meant that it'll help keep the youths from making the same mistakes I did." reflected Maddie. "Oh, before I forget, I ran into Dominic Antol for the first time in a long time during his visit to deliver his lecture. Had to stop my fellow prisoner from hurting him with her knife and I've learned that he's a father now. For that, I'm glad that he can start a family with Kelly..." "Seems like you had a lot going on in your prison stay" said Janice. As they stopped at a traffic stop along the highway, a red convertible that has its roof laid down with 2 tanned, barely muscular and white haired men wearing blue tank top shirts in the driver and passenger seat. "Wait, I know you, you're Janice Hayley, how's it going?!" asked one of the men. "My life has been going good, no thanks to you Eugene" replied Janice as she reflected on a time that Eugene and his brother Eric harassed her during a lunchtime session at her college. "I can see that, you have someone with you and she looks kinda familiar.." said Eugene "That's Madeline Sawyer! I heard she's into coaches and we're just happen to be coaches for a soccer team as well! Wanna join in the E squared express?" asked Eric. "Well let me say this, I used to be into soccer coaches but not anymore and I'm trying my best to get back into society so I'd suggest that since the light is green is that we go our separate ways and NEVER talk to us again. Otherwise I'll do something that I would regret" said Maddie with a serious intent. "Saved by the green light..." said Eugene as they drove away.
"Thanks Maddie, never saw that side of you" observed Janice "Lets just say that I don't like it when people attempt to hurt my friends. Lets drive." said Maddie
END ACT V