"Mummy!" Andrew rushed towards Maddie all the way from the car to the gate where she was standing, throwing himself into her arms when he reached her.A light smile formed on Maddie's face as she held him. "My sweetie, I missed you," she muttered in all sincerity, just seeing the lad was making her heart suddenly feel full.Andrew half released her, reaching one of his hand towards her face to touch it ever so tenderly with his fingertips. "I missed you more mummy. Daddy said you have been so busy and that was why you couldn't even call me while I was at Sheila's place. By the way, I had so much fun there. Their house is not as big as our mansion but it is so cozy and warm and Sheila and I frequented the park after school hours and had so much fun. I really want to do that again. But you should always find time to call me mummy no matter how busy you are, I am your sweetie after all, but…" Andrew was speaking so fast and with so much excitement, he was literally out of breath by t

"Mummy?" Andrew's voice jolted Maddie out from her thoughts. Maddie had needed some air. Mathew had left almost immediately after their talk. She had spent some time in the living room, her mind chaotic before she had decided to step outside to water the flowers hoping that doing something would help her better process her thoughts and feelings, both of which were all over the place. She had been wrong. The sun was already out and the sky was blue and clear. Moreso, the temperature was mild so Maddie hadn't bothered with a jacket when she stepped out. It was hard to wrap her head around everything, no matter how she tried. So Jake was a victim in all of this like her? The knowledge didn't make her feel any better in the slightest, if anything, it made her feel even more disheartened. More confused. More sick. More lost. Now, she was standing outside, watering the flowers so halfheartedly she had literally only been watering one part of the garden all the while and it was beg

Jake did well to stay out of Maddie's way for the rest of the evening. Even skipping dinner. He was already content enough that she had returned to the mansion although he knew that her reason for returning was most probably because of her son. It had been evident in her face earlier when she saw him after getting out of the car. The way she had turned away from him so swiftly. He was pretty sure that if she could, she would have dug a hole and hidden herself in it right there and then. It was how much she despised him now. Well, she did have every right to. Closing his laptop, Jake rose from his chair and started to make his way out of the office study. He proceeded towards the kitchen in the second floor, opening the refrigerator to take out a foil covered plate. The plate contained the quesadilla pizza his son had given him earlier saying that Maddie and him had baked it and kept some for him. He knew that them keeping some for him was all his son and not at all Maddie's decis

Jake couldn't believe she was really in his arms. Sleeping so soundly with her face pressed against his chest. He had been on his way out to get himself a fresh cup of coffee when the knock on his door had sounded. He had immediately known it was her. So, he had quickly answered the door and alas! It had been indeed her!Even though she had not exactly voiced out her reason for being there, he had seen it playing so evidently in her eyes. But then, there had been conflicting emotions playing in her eyes too and she had almost scurried away. Thank goodness he hadn't let her! He hadn't known where the courage had come from to ask her to stay and let him cuddle her. He had almost thought she wouldn't stay or let him even as much as touch her but she had agreed. She had stayed and now she was in his arms.However, Jake didn't know whether to be pleased or not. It was almost like she was giving herself one last time to be with him, and then afterwards she would leave him for good. It wa

Maddie had been sitting right across Karen for roughly fifteen minutes already, yet she hadn't said a word other than the greeting she had muttered to the lady when she had first stepped in. The warm smile playing on the therapist's face didn't falter, she continued waiting patiently for Maddie to speak. Drawing a sharp breath, Maddie finally opened her mouth to speak. "I umm, it's umm, complicated. I don't even know where to start." Karen's smile widened. "You can start anywhere you like Maddie. " The way Karen's office was designed, it was a modern office setting with an office table and a chair, and then across the table on the other end were two other chairs, arranged to slantingly face each other. There were a stretch of cupboards right behind the office table and chairs, at the far end of the wall, it contained drawers containing files of patients. Ahead of the office table before one got to the door or if one came from the door, were two adjacent reclining sofas. This w