Sebastian Bear (complete)

FIFTY

FIFTY

Madeline pretended not to be nervous as she led Sebastian inside the house. He had been there so many times but it was the first time Maggie would be aware of his presence. She pushed through the kitchen door, ignoring the slight squeeze Sebastian gave her hand. The last time they'd been there really was the night Blake had slammed her head in. She glanced over her shoulder, smiling. She wanted him to know she was fine, that the bastard hadn't broken her. She had moments where she'd wake up gasping but her nightmares usually included being left alone in the Nothing. She wouldn't tell him that, at least not right away.

Maggie was standing at the kitchen counter, her fingers playing over the glassy surface of her smartphone. She glanced up upon their entering. Madeline tried to ignore the relief that bubbled up through her aunts smile. She was still worried. Madeline knew that worry stretched out further than her nightmare night. Maggie had been worrying about her since she was a kid. She had worried about her with her chaotic mess of a mother. She had worried about her after her father's death, so many concerns with that one. She had worried about her gentle heart and the love Nolan never returned. Most of the worries were quiet and pushed away from the day to day. She didn't want Madeline to think she was breakable. If anything she had preached the opposite from day one but the night with Blake had sent a tremor through their peaceful existence. She had tried to calm the shaking that took over most of her thoughts but Madeline could see it still, in the tense wrinkles around her mouth. She was still expecting the bottom to fall out.

"Hey, Mags!" She sounded too chipper. She reeled it in with a deep breath and a widening of her eyes. "I have someone I want you to meet."

Sebastian walked in, towering over both females. He offered Maggie his hand. She took it, eyebrows crinkling in confusion.

"Who is this?"

"Sebastian," he explained. "Madeline's boyfriend."

"Boyfriend," Maggie nodded. When she made no move to speak, Madeline cleared her throat out of pure awkward energy alone.

"Yeah, he surprised me last night," she started. She had dropped his hand, her own fingers playing with the cool edge of the countertop. "He's moving here. Well he moved here."

"Did you?" Maggie sighed. Madeline couldn't quite place the emotion behind her tone. She glanced over her shoulder with a reassuring smile. Sebastian didn't look bothered. She wasn't surprised by his relaxed posture. He always seemed to understand emotional reaction's far better than she could.

"Is Ethan in there?" He gestured toward the living room.

"You know Ethan?" Maggie asked. Sebastian explained that they had met briefly over that summer. She nodded, quietly accepting the fact. She waited till he removed himself from the kitchen before she turned her concern to Madeline.

"So," she sighed. "I don't know what to say."

"I know it's weird," Madeline started. "Him just showing up like this..."

"It's not weird it's absurd," Maggie shook her head. "You were heartbroken over this guy, right? Is this the guy?" Madeline nodded. Keeping quiet seemed the right thing to do. She didn't know how to explain their situation without sounding absolutely mental.

"I don't see how there..." Maggie started but cut herself off quickly. "So it's all good now?" There was a harsh line under the question that Madeline couldn't ignore.

"It's all good," Madeline nodded. Maggie covered her face with her hands. After a few calming breaths and muttering some nasty words, she turned her attention back toward her niece. Madeline smiled, biting her lip in thought.