Mr. CEO and Me

Broken Promises... Broken Hearts

Madison's POV

I remember when I was younger, my dad sat me down on our porch after Maya's first breakup. To this day, I still remember that day clearly. It was a cold autumn evening, with the leaves slowly falling off trees. We could sense winter was coming soon.

Maya was eighteen at that time, and I was thirteen. She had spent the day crying in our bedroom because her jerk of a boyfriend cheated on her, with her best friend. I couldn't stand the sight of my sister, whom I loved so dearly, crying like there was no tomorrow. She didn't deserve the pain she was forced to go through. Seeing her cry, made me cry.

"She didn't deserve it, dad" I sniffed as I pulled my knees closer to my chest, trying to warm myself up from the cold.

"I know kiddo... I know" he sighed as he rubbed his palms together, brought them up to his face, and gently blew on them to warm them up.

"Then why dad? Why do bad things always happen to good people?" I cried as I shuffled closer to him and rested my head against his arm.

"Look kiddo... As much as I want to say that isn't true, I can't. This world... It isn't a nice place. Troubles will definitely come your way. You can either look them straight in the eye and deal with them, or you can run"

"Running definitely seems easier..." I contemplated.

"But how far can you run, until your troubles come back, chasing after you?"

"But wouldn't facing them hurt?" I asked innocently.

"It would kiddo. It definitely would. But in the end, your struggles and how you overcome them, are what make you a strong person" he said as he put his arm around me, and gently squeezed my shoulder.

"Dad, will Maya be okay?"

"She'll eventually get over it"

"I love you dad" I smiled as I put my arms around his waist, hugging him.

"I love you too kiddo... I love you too" he laughed as he hugged me back.

******

I felt as if a bucket of ice water had been thrown onto me. Fear, anger, confusion, and panic whirled inside me and spread to every part of my body. My dad's words kept ringing in my head.

"Face your troubles.
Don't run away from them"

"You hurt me" I croaked.

"And I never forgave myself for that" he said sincerely, as he took a step toward me. As if on instinct, I immediately took a step back.

No Maddison!
You have to face him.
"In the end, your struggles and how you overcome them, are what make you a strong person"

"Maddison just hear me out okay? " he pleaded.

You can do this.
Just take in a deep breath...
Relax...

I nodded hesitantly, allowing him to carry on talking.

"Look, I know how you felt-"

I don't know what came over me after that, but I burst. It felt as if things I'd tried to suppress long ago, were finally coming out.