DECENT PROMOTION
Part I

Wednesday, January 9, 1991 - Addison/Hayes residence

It was one of those wee hours in the morning. Three o'clock... four o'clock, maybe. The starless city sky was dark and the moon… a warm, glowing crescent.

Maddie stepped away from the counter and pressed her back against the cool bathroom wall. She took in a long breath and shut her eyes, not wanting to look at the test strip until the three minutes were up. She tried counting the seconds, a good distraction if it wasn't for the fact that her mind wandered every time she got to the number thirty-nine. That was a number she thought a lot about these days. Thirty-nine. In just a few short weeks she would be thirty-nine. She'd never gotten hung up on an age before, but this one felt different. Her clock was ticking. No, literally, the clock was ticking, and so she looked down at her wristwatch. The three minutes was up, and she squeezed her eyes shut again.

She felt fear. She felt excitement. She felt apprehension. She nodded her head and slowly opened one eye and then the other until everything in front of her came into focus. And then she felt the letdown. There it was in front of her... the same result as last time and the time before that. How could that be? she wondered. They'd been so active lately, and they never use protection. She really thought that this would be the time.

At once she heard David start to snore, and her senses heightened. She suddenly felt anxious, like a wave of panic washed over her. She collected all signs of the pregnancy test and placed everything into a small plastic bag. She then quietly crept into the kitchen and shoved the bag as far down into the trash receptacle as she could. Far enough that David would never see it. She did not want him to know she tested. She knew how he would react, and she just couldn't bear to see the flash of happiness followed the hint of disappointment on his face. So, she washed her hands of everything and then she returned to bed. She couldn't even cry she felt so empty inside.

Tuesday, January 29th - Blue Sky Publishing

'I doubt I'll be able to make it to the baby shower, Mom.' Maddie sat at her office desk, talking on the phone and trying very hard to hide that she was getting increasingly agitated. 'That's my birthday weekend, and David made plans to take me somewhere. Overnight. We're renting a car and driving out of the city. To a nice bed and breakfast upstate.'

The last thing Maddie wanted to do was go to Annie Charnock's baby shower. And though she had the best reason in the world not to want to attend, she knew she could never let her mother know that her dear sweet niece Annie had committed adultery when she slept with David. She'd never understand the complexities of that whole debacle, and even if she could understand, the tension that would cause at future family events simply wasn't worth it.

'Yes, I know there are bed and breakfasts in Connecticut. Yes, I know they are very nice, but Mom, he's already paid. A large nonrefundable deposit.'

Maddie grabbed a pen and began tapping out her frustration on her desk calendar. 'I promise. I will think about it.' She noticed a green light flashing on her phone and felt relieved. 'I have to go, Mom. I'm getting another call. Okay, bye, I love you.' She pushed a button on the phone. It was her boss, Vienne Brandt, requesting she come to a meeting. With a pen already in hand, Maddie grabbed a notepad and quickly scooted out the door.

The elevator came to a stop on the 22nd floor and Maddie stepped out, one low-heeled pump after the other. She wore a light gray suit jacket and matching slacks. With her eyes straight ahead, she was all business as she walked briskly down the hall. This was not a planned meeting. She couldn't help but wonder what this was all about. Something good, she hoped. Almost there, she turned a corner and nearly bumped into...

'Timothy!' She exclaimed.

'Maddie!'

'What are you doing here?' she asked her friend. She rarely saw him in the office. He was a successful freelance photographer, after all, who spent most of his time out on location. As such, he was dressed casually in a white, button-down, collared Armani dress shirt, tight dark blue denim jeans and loafers. Timothy could get away with having his shirt untucked. He looked good. He looked like money.

Before he could answer, the door in front of them opened, and Vienne Brandt emerged. The 32-year-old senior magazine editor was smart, sophisticated and strikingly beautiful, a winning combination in the field of fashion. She was not a tall woman, a good five inches shorter than Maddie, petite but physically fit, and she looked great in her pricey business attire. She was a blonde, though not naturally, with a trendy pixie cut and flawless makeup. She put her hand out to welcome them both. 'Come in,' she said. 'I'm sorry this was such short notice, but I have... what I think is good news.'

Maddie and Timothy both looked at each other. Their eyebrows raised, looking pleasantly perplexed, they slipped past Vienne Brandt and each took a seat at the table. Maddie placed her pad down and readied herself to begin taking notes. The anticipation made her heart beat faster. She had no idea why she'd been called into this room. Good news? Really? If she was being completely honest, she'd never thought her boss even liked her. From day one Maddie was certain Vienne resented how she'd gotten her job. A favor from an old friend turned top dog, the editor-in-chief at Blue Sky Publishing. But now Vienne was about to bear good news? Maddie was hopeful, but she tried not to smile.
Vienne closed the door and took a seat at the end of the conference table. She looked at Timothy, gave him a warm smile. Then she folded her hands in front of her and gave Maddie a warm smile, too.

Say it already, Maddie thought to herself.

'Maddie... you came to Blue Sky Publishing a little over eighteen months ago, and during your time here, you have been a valuable member of my team.'

Even though Vienne's words seemed sincere, Maddie had a sneaking suspicion that she was lying through her pearly white teeth.

'Recently, I was told of what I think would be a wonderful opportunity for you.' She looked up at Maddie and then over at Timothy. 'And for you, too, Mr. Hollencourt. Blue Sky has a new project in the works... what will be a supplemental magazine that will be sent out to subscribers. A digest-sized quarterly, if you will... promoting seasonal clothing, accessories... each issue will feature a world-class resort as a backdrop. We hope our subscribers will see this as added value, and that it will result in greater renewals year over year... more subscribers overall. The top executives are very excited about this idea. Maddie, you know Mr. Dillon Todd.'

Maddie nodded her head. Of course, she knew Dillon Todd. He was the old friend who gave her this job when she and David first landed in New York City.

'Well, Mr. Todd told me personally that a lot is riding on this...'

Maddie swallowed the lump in her throat. This could be the chance she needed to prove herself.

'Maddie, we would like to offer you the opportunity to be the project manager for this new venture. You'll have a small team of people working under you. And, in case you are wondering, Mr. Hollencourt here has already signed on to be dedicated to you… er... dedicated to the project, I mean, scouting out locations and doing all the photography.'

Maddie's eyes widened and she looked over at Timothy. He looked back at her, seemingly trying to gauge her reaction. She was surprised to know that he had already known about all of this... that he had already signed on for the project, but the thought was fleeting as her own excitement began to set in. She couldn't help that it was written all over her face. Finally, the recognition she felt she deserved.

Vienne Brandt sat back in her chair, her hands on the table, her fingers intertwined. She had a satisfied smile on her face, or was it a smug smirk? Maddie couldn't quite tell. But either way, Vienne looked certain that Maddie wanted this, like she knew she had Maddie on the hook.

'Should you decide to take the offer, Maddie, you must know that there is one small... stipulation, and that is that we would need you to...'

Evening - Applejack Diner, Midtown Manhattan

'Relocate.' Maddie said the word gingerly because she knew the punch it would pack.

'Come again. Did I hear you say relocate?' David asked, as though he could not have possibly heard her correctly over all the noise. The diner was pretty crowded after all.

'Relocate,' she said, louder this time.

'What is that? Some fancy word corporate America uses nowadays... means moving you down the hallway to a bigger office with a window?'

Maddie took the cheeseburger that was in her hand and placed it down on her plate. She hadn't even taken a bite from it yet, but her appetite was completely gone. 'It means living in London for six months.'

'London... six months...' David sat there looking like those words had just knocked the wind out of him. He placed his fork and knife down. Took his napkin to wipe the ketchup from the side of his mouth, and then he sat back, focusing his stare on some random spot on the wall on the far side of the room. Deep in thought. He stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity.

She wanted more than anything to know what he was thinking. She could only imagine what was going through his mind. Hell, even her own mind was having trouble processing. Was this an opportunity? Was it an obstacle? She needed him to talk. 'Say something, David... please...'

When he looked at her, he did the best he could to mask the worried expression on his face with a slanted smile. 'Guess I should start working on my British accent...'

'What?' She exclaimed.

'Ya know, I always wanted to try and make one of those palace guards laugh. I don't think a dirty joke would be appropriate. Do you think a sight gag would work?'

'David, what are you doing? What are you saying?'

'We are moving to London, right? I mean, you're not going to turn down an opportunity like this.'

She thought he was being ridiculous. 'First off, we are not moving anywhere. You have a job here. Two jobs. You can't give that up. And I love living here in New York. I love where we live. And more importantly, if I were to take this... opportunity... it would be temporary. Temporary, David. I would tell them I'm coming home after six months.'

'Sounds like you want this...'

'I don't even know if I want this...'

'It sounds really terrific.'

'It is really terrific.'

'Well, you must be doing a good job. I'm proud of you.'

She didn't expect that from him... words of praise and encouragement that sounded more like something her father would say than the man she shared a home with, a bed with. The man she made love with. It wasn't like the sentiment he made wasn't nice, it was, but she couldn't help but feel a little put off. 'You're proud of me?'

He nodded. 'Yeah.' He smiled warmly and held her gaze for a long moment, but then he lowered his eyes. He took his fork and started moving the fries around on his plate. A crack in the facade.

Maddie sat there watching him and wondering. His words sounded sincere, but she just wasn't sure. Where was the fight? Where were the impassioned pleas for her not to go? But then she realized they were there. In the silence. Beneath the humor. She didn't need to hear him say that he didn't want her to go. She knew how he felt. A little scared. A little confused. She felt the same way.

'I'm not sure yet. If I'm going to take the offer. Six months is a long time. I feel like... I wouldn't want things to change. It took a lot for us to get here. I think we're in a good place.' She considered telling him the obvious. Obvious to her at least. That six months in London meant six months of not getting pregnant. That biological clocks don't just stop ticking because you leave the country or get a great job offer. She wanted to tell him, but they never did talk about getting pregnant. Talking about getting pregnant opened up old wounds and it was just too damn painful. They had a mutual understanding that if it was meant to be that it would happen. Sometimes, though, she wished he would say something.

'Babe, we are in a good place. London won't change that. If you want to go, go. I'll hold down the fort here... 'til we can pick up where we left off.' He reached across the table and took a hold of her hand. 'You got this, boss.'

She smiled at him, and a swell of emotion made a single tear fall from her eye. 'I hate it when you call me that...'

He cocked his head to the side. 'Liar.'

The way he claimed to know her so well... inside and out, orchestra to balcony... it comforted her and infuriated her at the same time. But when she stared deep into his light green eyes, she found nothing but comfort there. And so, she took a deep breath and let all of her frustrations go. 'I love you, David Addison.'

'I know. I love you, too, Maddie Hayes.'

Friday, February 1st - Blue Sky Publishing

Maddie sat at her desk, reading an email. It was Friday, so she was dressed more relaxed than usual in an oversized light pink sweater and gray slacks. She heard a knock at her already-opened door. She looked up to see Timothy, casually leaning in with a hand placed on either side of the doorframe. He again had on jeans, but this time with a dress shirt and a brown suede jacket.

'Hey,' he said.

'Oh, Timothy, hi... I'm surprised... you're hardly ever in this office, but I think I've seen you almost every day this week.'

'You sound disappointed...'

'No...' She wasn't disappointed; she didn't really care either way.

'I, uh... I just got out of a meeting with Vienne,' he said, as he proceeded to make his way towards the chair in front of her desk. 'Mind if I sit down?'

'No, go right ahead.'

'She said you haven't given her an answer yet. About going to London.'

'Well, there's a lot I need to think about.'

'Of course, absolutely. It is a great opportunity, though.'

'It is.'

'David must be happy for you.'

'Oh, yes... he is.'

'Good.'

'And Mei?' Maddie asked, referring to Timothy's girlfriend whom she had met once when the two couples went out to dinner recently.

'Mei is no longer my girlfriend.'

'Oh, I'm sorry...' Maddie immediately felt awkward and regretted asking the question.

Timothy waved his hand in front of himself. 'Eh, no big deal.'

Maddie didn't know how to respond to that so she let it lie, and Timothy just shrugged it off.

'Vienne said she needs to have your decision by Monday,' Timothy stated, lightly pressuring her.

Maddie tilted her head and looked past him, at a painting on the wall. It was a landscape with an old castle on a hill surrounded by trees and meadows. It could have been any castle… anywhere. Somewhere in Europe, maybe. Pensively, she asked, 'Why London?'

'Pardon me?' He acted like that question came from out of left field.

'I've been thinking, and it doesn't make sense. I live here. You live here. Why London? Why not just work on this project here in New York?'

'Oh, I don't know. The team is there, I suppose.'

'But Vienne made it sound like they haven't yet pulled together a team,' she countered.

'It's going to be exciting,' he said, disregarding her concerns. 'We're going to be doing photo shoots at five-star resorts all over Europe,' Timothy explained. 'I've already been over there and I've scouted out locations at the best resorts in places like Strasbourg… Florence… Lisbon... Athens...'

'All of which require us to fly out of London. And doesn't that beg the question? Couldn't we just as easily fly out of Kennedy or LaGuardia? And, let's not forget to mention all the beautiful resorts that are located right here in this country.' And then something dawned on her and Maddie questioned Timothy further. 'What do you mean when you say you've already scouted out locations? How long have you known about this project?'

For a quick second Timothy froze, like a deer caught in headlights, but then he got up and shoved his hands deep in his pockets. He took a few steps back and stood in her office doorway. Was that complacency she saw on his face? She couldn't quite tell, but the answer he gave her was simple and straightforward. 'I've known for a few weeks. And I could barely wait to tell you.'

He walked away leaving Maddie feeling more confused than ever.

Sunday, February 3rd - The Fighting Norseman

It snowed earlier in the day and the evening temp was holding steady at a chilly, but bearable, twenty-nine degrees. In regard to winter fashion, times and minds change, so long gone were the days when Maddie Hayes would be seen out and about in public wearing real fur. She missed the classic look, though, so before heading out, she bundled up in her brand-new faux fur-lined beige hooded puffer jacket. She pulled her brown knit hat down over her ears, and slid her hands into her matching mittens. Winter-chic, she completed her look with a fashionable pair of black waterproof boots.

It was shortly before nine when she finally walked into the Fighting Norseman, the local neighborhood bar where David worked the occasional Sunday evening. The place wasn't crowded. Possibly due to the weather. Chicago's "Along Came a Woman" was playing on the jukebox.

Maddie stood in the doorway and stomped the wet snow off her boots. She waved to David where he was behind the counter helping customers, and he flashed her a big grin. She didn't stop by at his workplace often, but when she did, she could see that it made him happy. Even from across the room, there was no missing the twinkle in his eye.

She walked towards the back of the bar to a cozy curved booth and table for two. She took off her coat and hung it up. Then she smoothed out her long red turtleneck sweater and black leggings and sat down. She indulged, for a moment, in watching David from afar. Noting everything… from his five o'clock shadow to the way the top two buttons on his shirt were undone… the way his sleeves were rolled up… the way he wore that black bar apron wrapped low around his narrow hips. He really was a handsome man and very, very sexy. She quickly scanned the room to see if any of the other women there were checking out her man. They better steer clear, she thought. It was then that David motioned to her that he would be with her in a minute. His shift ended at nine.

When he eventually made his way over to her, he placed a glass of white wine and a bottle of beer on the table. Then he less-than-carefully placed down a basket of chicken wings, one of which fell out and landed on the table. Maddie glanced over at him with a look of disgust.

'My dinner,' he chuckled, as he picked up the wayward chicken wing off the table and ate it, much to Maddie's dismay. 'And this is for you. I got you extra carrots and celery,' he told her as he slid the plate of veggies and a cup of blue cheese dressing in front of her.

'Sorry,' she told him, 'I already ate.'

'What'd I miss?' He asked while reaching for a long piece of celery.

'Couscous.'

'Ca-choo,' he quipped and she smiled.

'I had roasted vegetables and couscous, David, and it was very good.'

David looked at her like he didn't quite believe her. But clearly, their culinary tastes differed greatly, as they both dipped into the blue cheese dressing at the exact same moment. She, with a carrot stick, he, a piece of greasy meat on the bone.

'Cheers,' David said, as he then picked up his beer and waited for her to clink glasses. They both took a drink. 'So... this is nice. You comin' to see me at work.' He had a skeptical look on his face. 'You walked all the way over here. Why? I mean... not that I don't love that you did that, but...'

Maddie shrugged. She was thankful for the music coming from the jukebox. Meant they could talk and no one there could hear them. 'I don't know... I thought... maybe I just felt like taking a walk in the snow.' She knew she was being evasive. She also knew he would dig deeper. Maybe she wanted him to. The subtle teasing look she gave him dared him to try.

'Okay, Maddie.' He placed his beer bottle down on the table and then he leaned back and casually stretched his left arm out along the top of the booth. 'May I? Take a shot in the not-so-dark here? And say that, sweetheart, I know you. I know there is no way you came down here tonight because you just wanted to take a walk in that winter wonderland out there.'

'No?' She challenged him.

'No. You came here to talk.'

Just then a group of bar patrons called out to David as they were leaving for the night. Young guys, with college sweatshirts on and no coats, despite the freezing cold weather. They referred to him as "T.C.", and it was obvious they thought he was the coolest bartender around. Trying not to sound irritated at the interruption, David replied, 'Get home safely, fellas.'

Maddie saw the distraction as an opportunity to shuffle to the end of the booth. 'I think I'm going to head back.' She was about to stand up when he reached for her arm and pulled her to sit right next to him.

'You just got here, Blondie. What's the rush. Stay and sit a spell.'

With his fingers still wrapped around her right arm, she made like she was trying to break free.

'David, what are you doing? I should go...'

He let go of her arm, his hand moving behind her and coming to rest on her hip. Again, he pulled her close and held her. With her back against his chest, he placed his chin on her shoulder. 'Talk to me, Maddie.' She could feel his warm breath on her skin. His voice was low and tender. 'C'mon, honey, you've been bothered all week about this job decision. We gotta talk.'

Maddie knew he was right, and so she stopped putting up a fuss. And then finally, she let herself relax and accept the comfort he was trying so hard to offer her. She turned her body so that she was facing him. His green eyes pleading with her. Then she took a deep breath, quivering ever so slightly, just enough to shake off the nerves, and she exhaled. She stared at him. She looked woeful as she said, 'Thirty-nine.'

He raised his eyebrows like it was his turn. 'Sixty-nine.'

She was confused. She scrunched up her nose. 'Huh?'

'I thought we were saying our favorite numbers that end in the number nine.'

'Oh, David!' Maddie lowered her head, frustrated at his constant attempt at finding humor in everything. 'I'm turning 39 next week, David, and look at me!'

'What? I am look at you...'

'You'd think I'd be happy. You'd think I'd be thrilled. Here I'm offered this wonderful promotion...'

'It is a wonderful promotion...'

'But why does it have to be now? And why does it have to be in London?!' Her face was red. She was near tears.

David sat there looking at her. He went to say something, but he had no words, no answers. She rarely cried in front of him, but the sight of her so upset tugged at his heartstrings. He inched closer and tried to take her hands in his, but that was when she looked up, her emotions reigned in, a newfound confidence on her face and the strength to tell him exactly what she was feeling.

'The problem, David, is I want all of it.' She pushed her blonde hair away from her face and patted her wet eyes with a napkin. 'I want the promotion. I want to be recognized for doing a good job. I want to stay here in this city with you, in our little apartment that I never thought in a million years I'd get used to living in, but now can't imagine living anywhere else. I want to be a mother, David, and for you to be a dad. I want us to be a family, and I just… I want all of it! All of it…'

David was nearly speechless, at first. To hear all that, it made him emotional. But then, with his own watery eyes, he looked directly into her glistening blue ones and nodded slowly. 'I want you to accept that promotion, Maddie. I've thought about it a lot, and I, uh, I want you to take it. I don't want you to worry. I got things covered at home. And I'll come visit you in London. At least once a month. We'll call 'em our... ovulatin', family-formin', baby-makin' weekends.' He smiled at her and she couldn't help her face from blushing and they both chuckled. 'You know me. Honey, I'd sprout wings and fly across the Atlantic if it meant I could spend my time making love to you. I'm here for you. I support whatever you want to do, Maddie. One hundred percent.'

He sat there with that sweet, sincere, slanted smile of his. The one that made her feel safe, like he had everything under control. It was that same look he gave her the day they first met, when he took her back to his office at City of Angels and told her that he was the best. He really is the best, she thought. It took her a long time to figure that out, but she was glad she finally did.

She couldn't resist him, and so she slipped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him to her. 'Thank you,' she said softly, as she touched her lips to his. The world fell away and it was just the two of them. Caught up in the moment. Feeling warm. Feeling passionate. She let her tongue seek out his, but then he stopped her, backing away slightly.

'Maddie, Maddie, Maddie... I work here,' he said, in a half serious, half playful tone.

She licked her top lip, recalling a steamy tryst or two they'd had at Blue Moon once upon a time. 'Hey fella,' she played along, pouting. 'That never bothered you before.' As she spoke, she lightly ran her left hand down the length of his arm 'til their fingers intertwined.

'Believe me, baby, if this place was closed and we were alone in here... see right over there by the bar... picture me and you... up against that counter... buttons undone... hands everywhere... your legs wrapped 'round my waist... kissin' like crazy and makin' love... that's what I picture sometimes... when I'm here... missin' you... the stuff daydreams are made of.' He took her hand and kissed her palm.

Maddie felt blown away and her heart was beating fast. If sweet words could make a woman climax, then surely, they did just that. 'Let's go home, David,' she whispered.

'Your wish is my demand.' David stood up, cleared the dishes off the table, and gave Maddie a wink. 'Be right back. Gotta go grab my coat.'

She couldn't take her eyes off of him as he sauntered across the room. Forever intrigued by the relationship between his shoulders and his hips. She watched as he approached the jukebox, his hands full. The song that had been playing ended, so he had to work his magic. He bumped the jukebox with his hip and gave it a little kick. Then, as if on cue, a record began to play mid-song.

"Be My Baby" comes on and we're movin' in time
And the heat from your touch
Makes me feel like I'm losing my mind, oh yeah...

David glanced back over his shoulder at Maddie with that frolicsome, boyish grin of his, and then he disappeared through the backroom door. Maddie took a sharp breath, and when she slowly exhaled, she bit her bottom lip. She didn't know how she was going to get through the next six months.

Turn the radio up for that sweet sound
Hold me close, never let me go
Keep this feelin' alive, make me lose control
Baby, baby
When I look in your eyes, I go crazy
Fever's high with the lights down low
Take me over the edge
Make me lose control

Monday, February 4, 1991 - Blue Sky Publishing

Maddie walked into her office wearing a stylish purple wrap dress. She sat down at her desk, opened a drawer and pulled out a small hand-held mirror. She made like she was checking her makeup, but what she was really doing was making sure the hickey she had low on the side of her neck was not at all visible. 'Oh, David...,' she muttered to herself. 'Why did I let you do this to me?' But then she remembered why… and when… and how, and she smiled sweetly to herself, albeit somewhat reluctantly.

It was early, not quite nine o'clock, so she picked up the phone and dialed her mother's number.

'Good morning, Mom. I have some good news.'

'Well, I think you'll be happy to know that David was able to move our reservation at the bed & breakfast to Friday night.'

'Yes... I'll be free on Sunday to go to the baby shower with you.'

Maddie still felt that the last thing she wanted to do was to attend Annie's baby shower, but just hearing how excited her mother was did make it all seem worthwhile. And then there was also the sheer selfish satisfaction she felt knowing that her presence alone at the baby shower might be just enough to make Annie uncomfortable.

'Tell Daddy I love him, okay?'

'No, Mom, I told you before, there's no other news to report.'

'I'm looking forward to seeing you, too. Goodbye.'

Maddie hung up the phone. She sat there at her desk. Looking around. Contemplating. Considering her next move. She didn't know why she chose not to tell her mother about London. Maybe it just didn't feel real yet. She nodded her head and stood up. This was it, she thought. There's no better time than the present.

Twenty minutes later, in a small conference room on the 22nd floor, Maddie sat at a table directly across from her boss, Vienne Brandt. Vienne again made the job offer and Maddie accepted. She was now officially an editorial director.

'Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity,' Maddie put her hand out to shake Vienne's hand.

'Oh, Maddie, I'm not the person you'll want to thank. Mr. Hollencourt insisted we put you in charge of this project.'

'I'm sorry, I'm not understanding. Insisted?'

'Yes, Timothy Hollencourt insisted. He was a difficult one to lock in for this project. Had other clients looking to hire him so we had to sweeten the deal. You can thank Timothy for that gorgeous, fully furnished apartment in Kensington being included in your very generous compensation package, Maddie.'

'I can,' worried Maddie.

'Yes, you can. He wanted to be sure the offer we made you was one you couldn't turn down.'

'Oh.' Maddie fretted. She never thought that getting promoted would leave her feeling so manipulated. She wasn't quite sure what to make of all that. But she told herself, this was all going to work out for the best. She stood up and walked towards the doorway before she stopped and turned around. 'Well, thank you, again, Vienne, and uh, I just want to say that I can't wait to get started.'

Wednesday, February 27, 1991 - Flight AA 142 from Newark Liberty International Airport to London Heathrow Airport

Though there had been times in her life when she'd flown quite frequently, Maddie never really did like to fly. She had, what she liked to call, a healthy fear of flying. That flight she took to Boston years ago to visit Sam when he was at college saw to that. Usually she would just wrap her fingers tightly around the end of the armrest... or when she was with him, she would rest her head on David's shoulder and close her eyes. It was the little things like that that often worked to take the edge off.

The takeoff that morning was uneventful and after a few minutes the plane leveled off. The pilot's voice came over the sound system with a cheery welcome in a British accent and an announcement that above the rain clouds the weather was always sunny and the flight conditions ahead looked favorable. The light on the fasten seatbelt sign turned off and Maddie took her hand off the armrest.

She looked up as the flight attendant approached. 'Would you care for a beverage, mam?'

Maddie considered her choices. 'Yes, please, I'd like a mimosa.'

The flight attendant first poured champagne and then orange juice into a flute glass. She stirred the drink with a plastic swizzle stick and handed it to Maddie. 'Here you go, mam.'

'Thank you,' Maddie said, and as she placed the glass down on the tray in front of her, she was reminded of the last time she'd had a mimosa. It was at Annie's baby shower two weeks ago in Connecticut. She had been concerned about seeing her cousin. It had been a long time. Not since she caught a quick glance at her at the police station as she was walking away with her husband, Mark. Leaving a big mess behind her. But if Maddie learned anything at that baby shower, it was that her fun-loving relationship with her younger cousin was never going to be the same. Aside from a quick hello, a short goodbye and a curt thank-you-for-the-gift, there wasn't a word spoken between them. You can't mess with Maddie's man and get away with it.

Maddie's man. She smiled just thinking of him. She reached for the necklace David had given her that morning before she boarded the plane, and she touched the heart-shaped pendant with her fingers. It was a little thing that meant a lot.

She thought she might look through some paperwork so she bent down to pull her briefcase out from under the seat in front of her. She undid the clasps and lifted the top. Inside was a handwritten note: Welcome to London, Maddie... I'm hoping you'll love it here. It was signed, Timothy. She didn't know how it got there. She hadn't seen Timothy in over a week, and yet, there it was.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART II.

Note: I chose to include the Eric Carmen song, "Make Me Lose Control" in this story because it references the song, "Be My Baby". Therefore making it a perfect fit for Maddie and David.