There Will Be Freedom (not mine)

7. Return

MADDIE POV

Jeremy lifted Pattie up and quickly left the room, not even bothering to shut the door behind him.

"This is going to be hell." Finn straightened himself out after getting off of the floor. "She is going to shit her pants."

"After she kills you guys." Keegan pointed to Justin, Jaxon, and I.

"Pattie's the one I'm worried about the most," I admitted.

"She has the right to be mad, though," Olivia said. "Mostly at Jeremy, but still..."

"How do you think she'll handle it?" Jaxon wrung his hands together.

"She just fucking fainted. What do you think?" Bridget got up from her seat and walked around the room in frustration.

Everyone kept the conversations around the table going, catching up and trying to figure out what we had missed in each other's lives. I think they realized that things were getting too hard for Justin to stay alive, and they understood why he had to be hidden. It was harder for me to justify disappearing into thin air after I got out of prison, but they knew how much I loved Justin. Olivia and Bridget would have done the same thing. I could tell just from the look of approval in their eyes when I explained it to them.

Nothing of importance had happened since we'd been gone. Justin kept tabs on everyone back in Chicago throughout the years so we were still in the loop, but it was nice to hear it from them. We missed not only Olivia and Finn's wedding, but also Bridget and Keegan's. Of course, Olivia had pictures and wasn't afraid to pull them out for viewing.

We told them what we did on the island, and they just kept staring at us like we weren't really here. I had made a promise to myself a long time ago that I wasn't going to be mad at them forever. I would say my peace and be done with it. I had said a lot earlier, but I wasn't finished yet.

It did feel good to see everyone again, though. There was that awkward hour of testing each other, where we just talked about the weather and shit. There wasn't much to say after the initial introductions then Keegan cracked a dirty joke and we all laughed-except Justin who just produced a lopsided smile.

Nothing had changed.

While Keegan, Justin, and Finn talked about things within the family, I got up from my seat and went to the window. Cars were pulling up in the driveway, and Olivia told me that they were having a small gathering here. A lot of people were expected to show up, but it wasn't supposed to be a sad thing. Nicola wouldn't have wanted that.

I had been watching Justin all day, trying to judge if he would crack any time soon. I knew he wouldn't cry, but I expected... something. He had barely uttered a word about the funeral, and I was starting to get worried. I knew he had to have some kind of feelings on the subject. He would tell me later.

"Maddie, how are you doing, really?" Olivia said from behind me.

I sat on the windowsill. "I'm good."

"Happy to be back?" She smiled brightly.

"I am and happy to see you."

Her face fell a little and she sat next to me. "I, um, really did want to go visit you... that last year. I just couldn't. My dad died, on my birthday no less, and I was pretty shaken up."

"I didn't know that." My forehead scrunched as I tried to remember. "What happened?"

"He got hit by a car. He and his girlfriend died, so I was kind of a mess for a long time. I wasn't even thinking about you and for that, I'm sorry. I know it's not really an excuse..."