* * *
"Madeline! How are you? I am so sorry to keep you waiting!" Maddy
looked up to see Isabella standing before her, impeccably dressed as
always in a beige suit with a red silk blouse. She quickly stood up to shake
the woman's extended hand.
"Hi Isabella! Don't worry; I took the day off to meet with you before
heading to the studio for show rehearsal."
"Oh that's right; your show is coming up! How exciting!" She ushered
Maddy into her sunny corner office, where they quickly segued into a
discussion about salary requirements, start dates and performance
expectations. A thrilled Maddy accepted her generous offer, a definite
improvement over her current paycheck. And while her goal of becoming
a paid writer still lived on in the secret chambers of her heart, financial
obligations and a stable work environment took precedence for now.
Once assured of the ability to pay her rent and save for a rainy day,
she'd tackle her larger objective in a series of small but critical steps.
Perhaps she could find a local publication in need of contributors; from
the moment she'd arrived in Florida, her hectic schedule had prevented
her from investigating that further. Hopefully now that things were settled
with her employment, she could focus on working towards her true career
aspirations. In the meantime, she'd give her very best to Isabella, a woman
for whom she harbored tremendous admiration and respect.
* * *
Maddy thrashed around the bed like a fish out of water, desperate to
fall back into a restful sleep, fully cognizant of the trying day ahead of her.
While it thrilled her beyond description to hand in her resignation to
Charlie Dowling, she shuddered to think of his reaction. Thank goodness
she'd never been forced to sign a non-compete forbidding her to work for
any other employment agency within 30 miles; otherwise she'd have been
forced to turn down Isabella's generous offer.
However, Charlie's wrath-an unpleasant byproduct of his excessive
ego-was something with which she was unfortunately well acquainted.
Thanks to right-to-work laws, Maddy was free to terminate their
employer-employee relationship and thus save her sanity; but it was a safe
bet that this despicable man would make every second of her resignation
miserable. Hopefully, he'd waive the customary two-week notice, in light
of the fact that she was a sales representative. Isabella had promised an
earlier start date, should that occur.
Suddenly, a knock on the door startled her. After throwing on a short robe, she
answered it to see Kenny's smiling face. "Can I come in Maddy?" he asked. "I really
have to talk to you!"
"Ken, come on now, you shouldn't be here!" she admonished him forcefully.
"Please, sweetheart? I have something really important to share with you!" His
sparkling blue eyes pleaded with her earnestly.
"Oh, ok," she agreed. "But please, make it quick; I have a busy day tomorrow."
He entered the living room and sat down on the couch before motioning for her to join
him. Against her better judgment, she sat down, tightening the belt of her robe as she
did so.
"Maddy I wanted you to be the first to know I broke off my engagement to Erin.
There was no way I could marry her when I am in love with someone else." Her heart
jumped to her throat as she struggled to digest this shocking but welcome news. For a
moment, she was speechless. That's when Ken took her hand in his and leaned in close
to her.
"I love you, Madeline Rose. You're the woman I want. No one else comes close to
you. Please forgive me for hurting you! I am so very sorry."
"Kenny, of course I forgive you," she cried, throwing her arms around him. "I love
you, too, so much!"
"Oh my God!" he laughed. "I am the luckiest man alive! And in the very near
future, I am going to make you my bride, just like I've always promised!"
"Oh, Kenny, I can't wait to be your wife," she sighed, before they melted into a
passionate kiss.The music blasted from the speakers of the nightstand alarm clock,
rudely awakening her from this very real and disturbing dream. As she
shot up in bed and silenced Vanessa Williams' song, The Sweetest Days,
Maddy took some deep breaths and wiped the tears from her eyes,
wondering when if ever, the torment would end.