A Second Chance by Bernadette Marie

Mommy!” She clung to her
and Madeline laughed.
    “ I dropped you off at your
dad’s house yesterday. It’s only been eighteen hours since you’ve
seen me.”
    “ I know.” Clara smiled up at
her. “I just missed you.”
    All of the knots in her muscles
relaxed; she was at home with her children here. “I missed you
too.”
    Clara walked her through the front
door by the hand and back to the family room where everyone had
gathered around the television.
    “ Super Bowl,” Clara
whispered.
    “ I had completely
forgotten,” Madeline whispered back.
    A roar erupted from everyone in the
room when the team they’d been rooting for missed the field
goal.
    “ Damn! When am I going to
pick a team that has a chance?” Alan sat back in his recliner and
looked up, noticing her first. His eyes lit up, and he struggled
from his chair to be the first to greet her. “Well, look who graces
our presence again.”
    “ Alan, how are
you?”
    “ I’m old.” He kissed her
cheek and then looked her directly in the eye. “How are
you?”
    “ I’m going to be just
fine.”
    “ I know you are.” He patted
her cheek and stepped back as her sons gathered around her. Each
member of the family kissed her and gave her a hug. Regan held her
tightly, and Madeline could feel her body shake from
tears.
    “ Don’t be sad for me,”
Madeline spoke softly in her ear.
    “ I can’t help it. I didn’t
know you were sick, and I really think I should have been there for
you.”
    “ You have a new person to
think about. Tyler needs you more than I do.” She kissed Regan on
the cheek. “Thank you for worrying though.”
    Regan stepped back and wiped her eyes.
“I’m overly emotional lately.”
    “ It’s lack of sleep. I
remember it well.”
    “ All he does is eat. I never
sleep anymore.”
    “ It won’t be forever and
you’ll miss it.” She looked around the room at her nearly grown
children. Regan would soon look back on it and wonder where the
time had gone.
    “ That’s what everyone keeps
telling me.”
    “ Hello, Madeline.” The soft
female voice came from the direction of the kitchen, and Madeline
looked up to see Kathy standing only a few feet away with a tight
smile directed toward her.
    “ Hello, Kathy,” she said
returning the smile, realizing they were both incredibly
uncomfortable in each other’s presence.
    Madeline had met her a few times.
Kathy had been there for Regan’s baby shower, the first Keller
family event Kathy had attended. It had only been four months
earlier, but to Madeline it seemed like a lifetime ago. Back then,
she was pleased to meet Kathy. Her heart had been full of optimism
for Carlos. She’d been happy for him.
    Now as she stood before the small
blonde with her thick, full hair and her full chest. She envied
her—not so much for the beauty she possessed and Madeline had lost,
but because Carlos loved her.
    Kathy took a hesitant step toward her.
“I’m glad Carlos convinced you to come.”
    “ I wasn’t sure I
should.”
    “ You’re part of the family,”
Kathy reminded her.
    “ Thank you.”
    It was then she realized she hadn’t
seen Carlos. She glanced toward the living room, but he wasn’t
there. Her face must have shown her thoughts.
    “ He ran to the store to get
some more milk.”
    Madeline nodded. Regan moved by her
with Tyler in her arms.
    “ I thought you could use
this.” She lifted her son toward Madeline, who took the baby and
cradled him close to her empty chest. The warmth from his body
filled her. The scent of baby lotion filled her nose and calmed her
nerves.
    “ You have no
idea.”
     
    Carlos pushed through the back door,
bags of groceries slipping from his fingers.
    Kathy raced toward him and grabbed a
bag before it could fall. “What did you get?”
    “ I couldn’t help it. They
had ice cream on sale.” He grinned.
    “ You are no help to my
waistline.” She kissed him on the lips and helped Emily unload the
bags. “She’s in the other room,”