AN AFFAIR TO FORGET
It was the morning of disembarkation, everyone had to be off the ship by 8:00 am. Maddie and David were on their third round of love making, oblivious to anything happening around them. Maddie, who was being serviced by David under the covers, turned her head, opened her eyes and noticed the clock. "David", she screamed, to which David said in a muffled voice "That was quick". "No, No" "Look at the time", "we gotta get up and get ready to leave", she said half heartedly. "Not until I make you come one more time, so I suggest you hurry up and do just that", David said, going back to finish his mission. Maddie pushed his head away and said "I can't come on the clock". To which David retorted, "I'm not asking you to come on the clock", I'm asking you to come on my face". Maddie sighed, rolled her eyes, and found the strength to pull herself out of bed and start the process of getting ready to leave the cruise. She ran to the bathroom to freshen up when David joined her. David was not getting the memo that the cruise was over and that it was time to rejoin 'life' back in the real world. He put his arms around her waist as she was brushing her teeth and nuzzled her neck. Maddie turned around with a mouth full of foam and said sternly, "Stop that". "Start getting dressed so we can leave". David laughed, wiped the foam from her lips and kissed her. "Okay, spoil sport", "I'll do as I'm told", "although I love your minty lips", and went back to pick up his clothes which were strewn all around Maddie's cabin.
They managed to pull themselves together and walked out hand in hand off the ship at around 8:15. They were literally the last ones to leave and David proceeded to find his friend who had come with him, to make arrangements to get a cab to the airport for all three of them. Maddie still lived in LA, whereas, David now lived in NY. In the past 11 years since they've been apart, Maddie had started a model agency for older models, something that was void in her business and was quite successful. David, meanwhile, found a small detective agency, something like the size of Blue Moon and worked sporadic hours. He didn't make much money and bartended, parttime, in SOHO, in Manhattan to sustain him.
When they arrived at Miami International, they both realized that it might be awhile till they saw each other again. Their flights were in different parts of the airport and David's friend walked away to give them their moment.
David took Maddie in his arms and swept her hair from her face. "I miss you already", he said, staring into her beautiful blue eyes. Maddie, always the over-thinker, then said, "How are we going to do this David"?, "we live on two different coasts". "I don't know", he said "but we will figure it out", "if you're willing". He then added quizzically, "Are you?" "Am I what"? Maddie said. "Willing", he repeated. Maddie looked into his green eyes and put her arms around his neck. "David", "Are you sure you didn't get caught up in a romantic moment of the cruise, the moonlight, the stars and the fact that your girlfriend had left you". David was taken aback. "How can you even ask that question?" "Oh, wait a second, I see, you're wondering if you didn't get caught up in a romantic wave and I just happened to be there to fill your 'urges', "Is that it"? Maddie waited a second before answering, a second too long for David and finally responded, "No, that's not it at all". David wasn't convinced and took her arms from around his neck and said, "You know what Maddie, I'm not getting invested into this relationship if it's just one sided". He stepped back, took a deep breath and said, "I'll tell you what", "Let's make a pact, you know all about them, right"? "Don't call or write to me, or try to see me for 3 months and see if what we had on the cruise was real, or more to the point, if what you felt for me was real". "If you decide that you can't live without me, then after 3 months I want to find you in my bed when I get home from work around 6:00". "Let's see, today is February 10th, which means May 10th is your deadline". "Capiche"? "I can tell you right now, I know it was real for me, but now I'm not so sure about you". "You're not doing this to me again". Maddie looked stunned at his suggestion. "David, I didn't mean it that way". "Yes, you did", he said sternly, "This time we're playing by my rules". David picked his bag up and turned to walk to his gate. Maddie grabbed his arm and said, "Aren't you going to kiss me goodbye"? David looked at her with hurt in his eyes and simply said, "No", "You'll have to remember them from the cruise". He turned to leave again, but stopped and turned one more time to face her. "This is it, Madolyn", your last chance, OUR last chance". "It's up to you", and found his friend and walked away.
Maddie walked to her gate feeling empty inside. What just happened?, but she knew. Her fears of loving David came roaring back. She knew in her gut he loved her and she knew she loved him but she could also see how easy it was to fall back into her pattern of wanting him or, what really scared her, needing him. No other man ever possessed her body and soul like David Addison. She prided herself on being a strong, indepentant woman but when it came to being involved with David, he had the capacity to make her a pile of mush, incapable of thinking logically. In just two days, he broke her will, as hard as she tried to stop it. "I should have heeded my instincts and stayed away from him", but she knew it was no use. "He is my kriptonite". She boarded her plane and asked the stewedess for a drink, God knows she needed one. She pondered David's ultimatum, 3 months to make up her mind. She started to panic and took a healthy swig of her cocktail.
David and his friend sat together on the plane, silent. He was in no mood for conversation and his buddy understood. He was so angry that he had let himself fall back hopelessly in love with her again. "That Bitch". "I should have known better" but knew when it came to Maddie, he was incapable of feeling anything but love. He thought back to the scene that just unfolded between them and felt justified in his ultimatum to her. He then looked up to the ceiling of the plane, closed his eyes and whispered to himself, "Please let her be in my bed on May 10th". David then regretted not kissing her goodbye, tasting her lips one more time, he knew it was gonna be a long 3 months.
When David arrived in his apartment later that day, he found Darlene, in his bed. He had forgotten he had given her a key, big mistake. "What are you doing here"? he asked, not amused. "Oh Davie, I should never have broken up with you, I'm sorry you had to go on the cruise alone". David started picking up her clothes off the floor and said in a smug voice, "Well Darlene baby, that ship sailed already, literally". "Don't worry your pretty little head", "I wasn't alone and had a great time". He handed her her clothes and said "Now if you don't mind, I'd like to be alone, and leave the key". Darlene angrily got dressed and on her way out slammed his front door closed for emphasis. David laughed and called out after her "You call that a door slam"?. "I've heard better, believe me". I've been door slammed by the best". He then went into his kitchen and poured himself a beer and turned on the TV so he could just hear other voices, anything but his own thoughts.
Maddie finally arrived home to her mansion which felt quieter than ever. She went through her mail that was on the floor when she walked in and saw an early birthday card from her ex husband Paul. "So typical of him", she thought. "Always remembering dates". Maddie reflected for a moment on her marriage to Paul. He was such a nice guy but the problem was it didn't matter if she was with him or not, so why be married? She went upstairs to her bedroom to change out of her clothes. As she unbuttoned her blouse, the smell of David's cologne clung to it. She sat down, closed her eyes, inhaled it and became aroused, just thinking of him. She opened her eyes and tossed it on the floor. This is exactly what she was afraid of, never being able to feel she had enough of him. Ironically, though, that blouse stayed on the chair near her bed unwashed for a week. That night, those fitful dreams she thought were over, came back.
Maddie woke up on her birthday to the sound of rain accompanied by thunder and lightning. "Great", she thought. "Happy 50th to me". She was in no mood for work and called out sick. Besides a call from her parents, no one wished her a Happy Birthday. "It doesn't matter to me" she thought and stayed in bed. By late afternoon, Maddie heard the mail coming through her slot in the door and went downstairs to gather it. The mail was mostly bills but there was a card with writing she recognized. It was from David. She opened it with shaky hands, her heart racing, thinking it was a birthday card from him. Instead it just stated his address and apartment number in New York with a key and a message underneath: May 10th, My Bed. No signature or salutations. He was making his point.
It was now a month and a half later. There was a month and a half left to make her decision. Some days she had convinced herself she could live without him like she had for the past 11 years but most days she ached for him so much, she stayed in bed, trying to sleep those feelings away. It was now the end of April and Maddie still hadn't decided what she was going to do. She pulled the card out of her drawer that had his address on it and held it to her chest. She knew David wouldn't give her another chance after this. The choice was simple, really, David or no David. She could justify each decision, but in the long run, it had to be the right one. "Damn him", "I told him on the cruise my life was in order and he was the one thing that could make it come apart" "and here I am". She had been in this predicament before, a long time ago. Heart vs. Head. Decision time.
For the past two and a half months, David kept as busy as he could. When he didn't have a lot of work at the detective agency he took extra shifts at the bar. He always met tons of girls when he was bartending and once in a while, he would have an urge to take one home but he never did. He hated to admit it but the simple fact was, they just weren't Maddie. Every night when he came home, he'd look at his bed and visualize her there, or not. He had a lot riding on May 10th and finally that day arrived. It was a Wednesday and he had a lot of paperwork in his office to keep his mind occupied and not think about what he may or may not find in his bed that evening.
David finished the day and arrived home about 6:15. When he got to his apartment door, he hesitated, not really wanting to open it. He put his head to the door and whispered "please". He opened it and his apartment was bathed in the late evening sun. His bedroom was down his hall and he slowly started walking towards it. He walked a few steps when he almost tripped on a shoe, a woman's shoe. He looked down and noticed a trail of clothing leading to his bedroom. David's heart began racing. When he got to his door, it was closed with a pair of lacy underwear on the knob. He held it in his hand as he opened the door and was ready with a sly remark but was shocked to see that Maddie was not in his bed. David literally felt his heart stop.
"You looking for me", came a voice behind him. Maddie slid past him and climbed into his bed.
"I couldn't wait any longer and had to run to the bathroom". "Well", she said seductively, as she wrapped herself in his sheet, "What was your plan now that I'm here". David smiled, walked to the side of the bed and said "I really don't have one", "I just wanted to see if you'd show up". "Oh really" Maddie responded and took his pillow and started hitting him with it. David wrestled it away, climbed on top of her and pinned her down on his mattress, holding her hands over her head. He hovered over her, "Tell me, Goldilocks", he said with a serious face, "Why are you in my bed"?. Maddie stared into his bright green eyes and simply said, "Because there is nowhere else on this earth I would rather be". "The truth is", she continued, "When I weighed all the options, not being with you for the rest of my life was unthinkable". "You are both the sun and the moon for me". "In other words", "My Universe" and "there is nothing I can do to change it". David gave her his sideways smirk as he released her hands from his grip and started to undress and when he was as naked as she was, slowly took the sheet off her and laid down on top of her and said, "Welcome Home Baby".