It only took five years, but eventually Rhonda got Hunter in bed. It was the second time she had gotten pregnant, but this time she would keep it.
Madeline had never told anyone about Rhonda’s operation, not even Hunter. She felt proud of herself that Rhonda trusted her and that she was able to help the poor girl. She had high hopes for her. Maybe she would turn her life around and escape the trap that Harlem seemed to be for so many people. She had thought about it often right after the operation. At the community center she wanted to hug her and ask how she was doing, but she felt that Rhonda had a barrier around her. She sensed that Rhonda didn’t want a hug, nor did she want to be questioned about her wellbeing, and Madeline respected that. Once Madeline moved downtown, she didn’t see Rhonda at the community center anymore. She thought about her less and less until eventually she didn’t even remember the girl’s name. The girl’s scared face and the way she shivered when Madeline touched her would stay in Madeline’s memory a little longer, but even those things had faded over the years. Eventually the experience was filed away in Madeline’s memory and she never thought it would come up again.
Chapter 28
When Madeline stepped into her kitchen, Brandon was filling a thermos with coffee. He had his laptop bag slung over his shoulder and was dressed for work. He nodded to acknowledge Madeline’s entrance, but didn’t make eye contact.
“Saw the news,” he said as he closed his thermos and studied the cup with his eyes. Madeline nodded to him and eyed the empty coffee pot on the counter. “Would have made you some, but didn’t know whether to expect you.” He brushed by without giving her a kiss on the cheek as Madeline would have expected him to do.
“You’re coming tonight?” she said, her tone more of a statement than a question, but she was still afraid of the answer.
“I don’t have a choice,” he said. “Don’t worry, I’ll be a good husband.” He let himself out the door and Madeline heard his car start.
The boys were already at school and Molly was out, so Madeline had the house to herself. She started another pot of coffee and headed upstairs to take a shower. She set her phone down outside the shower so she could see the screen in case of an emergency—and so many things could be considered an emergency at that time that it seemed almost criminal to get in the shower. She had just put the conditioner in her hair when her phone startled her. She quickly wiped her face and looked through the shower’s glass doors at her vibrating phone on the counter. Brandon. She stuck out her hand and dried it on the towel before answering the phone and putting it on speaker.
“Madeline?...” It was hard for Madeline to hear what Brandon said next with the water still pounding on her shoulders. She heard the words hospital, school, and…Noah? Madeline shut off the water immediately. She begged Brandon to repeat what he said.
“Noah was in another fight at school,” Brandon said. “He’s at the hospital. I’m on the way. I suggest you get on your way as well.” While Madeline implored him for more information, he had none. He’d update her from the hospital after seeing Noah.
Madeline finished her shower and completed her face routine as quickly as she could, smothering on all the anti-wrinkle, anti-shine creams that she was required to use, especially on big days like today. She slipped into one her senator-suits, even though she knew she would need to focus on being Madeline the mother while Noah was in the hospital. It was just the worst possible day for Noah to get injured. The day of her campaign launch, the day after Jay Flynn was shot in Harlem, her full attention was needed to be Madeline the Senator.
She called Jane from the car, telling her she wouldn’t make it back into the office that day, but would arrive at the event venue a few hours early to prepare. “Anything I should know in the meantime?” She asked as an aside.
“Madeline, I know you are busy, but you are a political genius!” Jane stated. “How did you get Hunter Williams to come speak at the event? It’s perfect with everything going on and he sent over a great speech. Why didn’t you tell me you were inviting him?”
“It was sort of a last-minute thing,” Madeline responded. “Email me the speech so I can read it.” She’d skim it on her cell phone from the hospital when she had a few minutes. Jane agreed and hung up just as Madeline parked her car. As she walked towards the entrance, her phone rang again.
“Where are you?” Brandon asked.
“I just parked,” she responded. He gave her directions to their room and said a doctor was on the way to give them updates. It took her a few minutes to find the right ward and room, but when she did, the doctor was talking to Brandon above Noah who was lying in the bed with a swollen face and his eyes closed. Madeline leapt to her son and put her hands on his shoulders.
“Noah, what happened?” She looked at her son, but he appeared to be sleeping.
“Do you have any more questions for me?” the doctor asked. It appeared that he and Brandon had already had an extensive conversation that Madeline had missed. She could see
