* * *
Ken headed west on the Atlantic City Expressway, cruising along at a
pretty good pace, thanks to the late hour. Though weary from a long
workday, the biting cold air funneling in from a slightly open window,
along with real excitement over seeing Madeline again, were providing the
caffeine benefits of a hot cup of Wawa coffee-something he'd forgotten
to purchase prior to hitting the road.
From the speakers, Just Another Day blasted out its soulful anthem to
love and heartbreak. Ken laughed out loud as he wondered about the
wisdom of choosing this particular number as his and Maddy's "song";
perhaps it had been a bad omen from the beginning. Funny, a few short
months ago, he'd made this exact same trip under very different
circumstances. Back then he was so sure of Madeline's feelings for him,
though she never could quite articulate the words "I love you."
But there was always something in her eyes that made him trust in her
deep feelings for him; something about the way she'd always listen with
empathy to his innermost thoughts and most cherished dreams; and of
course, something in the warmth of her kiss that told him she really did
love him, in spite of her reluctance to say the words.
He smiled now, thinking back to that weekend in Pennsylvania, when
he'd decided to teach her how to drive a stick-shift. They'd driven his
black Acura to her high school parking lot, where Maddy made a valiant
effort to master the nuances of shifting gears. Ken patiently encouraged
her even as the car lurched forward and back, sputtering under the
clumsiness of a novice who couldn't effectively maneuver the clutch. "It's
ok, sweetheart, you're doing fine," he'd soothe her, lifting her tiny hand to
his lips. The driving lesson had been one of the many highlights of a
perfect weekend.
The night they'd gone to Lily Langtry's had also been unforgettable-
she'd looked breathtakingly beautiful in a hot pink dress, studded with
rhinestones in the bodice and set off by a filmy, full skirt that accentuated
her sexy legs. When he saw her coming down the stairs, her auburn hair
flowing sensually past her shoulders and her smile lighting up her face, he
knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would one day make her his
wife. Then a few weeks later, she'd effectively deflated every hope he'd
had of ever seeing her walk down the aisle in a stunning white gown.
So now here he was, blindly throwing caution to the wind. Was there
still a chance for him and Madeline, or was this simply the beginning of a
new phase in their relationship, one he'd have to learn to accept? As he
looked up at the blinking red lights of the Walt Whitman Bridge and the
illuminated Philadelphia skyline, he suddenly felt nervous.