Another Man's Treasure

17. A Chance

Madison~~

Christian bites his lips as he admires his release decorating my stomach.

   He leans forward, pushing his hands on each side of my head. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" he whispers in my ear before kissing my neck softly.

I look up at him tiredly. "Shut up." I say out of breath and he grins and leans closer capturing my lips with his.

   "You enjoyed it though."

"You talk too much."

   "You're beautiful." He says softly.

"I hate you."

   Christian smirks. "You're making it hard for me to believe that, Maddie."
He says, his lips touching mine.

And I can't help but smile while looking up at him.

   "Let me take you out tomorrow." He suddenly says.

"I can't sorry, I will be busy preparing files for work next week, I'm way behind." I lie quickly.

I want to say it but...I can't.

I want to tell him I love him. I want to scream it at the top of my lungs but I just can't, it won't fix things. We're too damaged.

My smile fades and all that I'm left with is instant regret. I shouldn't have opened myself up to him again, but as my eyes searches his I try and find a reason to hang on to him, but I can't.

   He cups my cheek and my eyes shudders close, "What's wrong hm?"

I lean into his touch, silently wishing he would just walk away and leave like he always would do when things would get too hard for him because now was one of that times where I didn't feel like talking about the past, I just needed an escape, a little laughter.

   "You're never going to forgive me, are you?" I hear him say, and I try not to frown and cry. "Her nursery is still set up at home."

I move away from him, "Stop. Let's not speak about her."

  "I remember a few days before the accident you told me you had a name for her, you never told me what it was..." Chris looks at me pleadingly. "Or is..."

"You were never there, you-" Stopping myself, I pause and look at him.
  It's no use now to talk about the past, whether he knows what I named her was non of his concern now. If we keep talking about the past, it will keep haunting us.

Chris doesn't say anything and just lays back staring at the ceiling.
I finally get up and head towards my small on suite bathroom.

I stop and say, "You should give her things away to a family that needs it and use the room for something else."

   I hear him sigh. "Maybe you should help me then, don't you think? You would know what is best."

"Maybe."

After cleaning myself up in the bathroom I go back into my room and start dressing myself, it's dark outside, he must leave soon.
  He comes out of the bathroom and dresses himself too.
  
"I was a good wife, wasn't I?" He nods. "I treated you like a fucking king, and what did I get in return?" He looks down. "Once I was pregnant you didn't care, and I will never forget what you told me a few days before the accident, you said that I don't deserve to be a mother-"

  "I didn't." He protests.

"Yes you did Christian. Your words took her away from me, and for that I will never forgive you." I say trying not to break down in tears.

He frowns.

"You must leave, this was a mistake."

...

While slow jazz music plays from my Spotify Playlist through the speakers, I sway my hips as I scramble my eggs and sing the lyrics softly. I woke up in a good mood today.
   Once done making my breakfast I take a seat on the couch with my laptop in front of me and begin prepping my class tests for my students, I can't wait to return back to work next week. I substitute teacher has been placed in my position and has been giving me updates on lessons via email so I make sure to check that too.

It's been a long break but I needed it to deal with the divorce and moving all my stuff into my new apartment so I can't wait to be back and seeing my students again.

After getting alot of work done I decided to tidy up around the apartment.

Suddenly I hear a knock on my door. I go towards the door and take a look through the peephole, it's Nathan.
Since I am already dressed and all done I'm relieved he isn't getting me at a bad time.
I go ahead and open the door.

He stares into my eyes.
  My day just got a whole lot better.

  "Hi." He says with a small smile.

"Hi." I smile back.

   "Can I come in?"
I nod leading him in and closing the door behind me.
    "I like your hair, it's beautiful curls."

"Thank you, I don't know about my outfit though." I say frowning, looking down at outfit.

  Nathan smirks. "Don't worry about that, I have something in mind."

"You do?" I ask surprised.

  He nods. "Yes, now if we're done acting like teenage lovers can we go now? we're already late."

I laugh. "You're the one that showed up late."

  "And I feel like talking with you for a few more minutes." He takes a seat on my couch. "This is nice, being here with you."

"Why?"

   He chuckles to himself. "I can't really say, there's just something you Madison, I need to know more about you."

I'm surprised by his words. He wants to know me?
Then a wave of realization suddenly hits me, when a door close, a new and better one opens, maybe the man in front of me is that new chance I need, that I deserve.

  So I think I will open that door up. I will take that chance.

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13 December 2021.
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Happy Holidays to all that's celebrating!