weekend,” Dad continued. “In more ways than one. And all these people can’t help make it any easier or more comfortable. But even if I seem distracted, or Stephanie seems busy, we’re here for you.”
“Whatever,” Madison said.
“Now, don’t be that way,” Dad said. “I hate it when you do that.”
“What?” Madison said.
“I need you to try to behave, okay?” Dad pleaded. Madison felt as if he were talking to her the way he had when she was little.
“Behave?” Madison repeated. She was getting all choked up again.
“You know what I mean,” Dad said, trying to soften his words. He kissed Madison on the forehead.
“I know,” Madison said.
“I really want you to meet Stephanie’s sisters. I know they’re here somewhere….” Dad scanned the crowd. “They’re running the show, so I bet they are both in the back with Catering….”
Madison rolled her eyes.
Dad knew what was wrong.
“I just need to mingle with a few more people. You sit here. Then we can head back to the hotel,” he said. “I promise.”
Madison wondered how Dad would ever be able to leave his own party. Was this just another promise that was made to be broken?
She stood up from the leather chair. “I’m coming with you,” Madison said.
“You are?” Dad said.
Stephanie buzzed over toward them again. “Jeff, let’s find the kids and Madison can hang out with them. You must be so bored by all these friends of my parents….”
“Kids! That’s a great idea!” Dad said.
Madison grabbed his arm. “I would rather be with you , Dad,” she said.
Stephanie made a face. “You’re sure?” she asked Madison.
“Yes,” Madison said resolutely, staying by Dad’s side.
Stephanie sighed. “All right.”
“So, let’s mingle,” Dad said.
The three of them walked into the middle of the party action again. People rushed in to congratulate the bride and groom.
Across the room, Madison spotted the boy she had seen earlier and some other kids entering and exiting again. But she didn’t make any move to introduce herself, and neither did they.
Instead, Madison clung to Dad as if he were a life preserver.
She wanted never to let go.
Chapter 10
D AD DID MAKE GOOD on his promise to Madison—sort of.
After an hour of mingling, he and Madison headed back to the Bellville Villas and left Stephanie to party until the wee hours. Actually, most of the dinner guests ate and disappeared early, too. It wasn’t a late, late night. Everyone was saving their energy for the main event on Saturday.
And that was still a whole day away.
Madison’s heart sank when the attendant at the front desk of the Bellville Villas told them there were no messages from the Houston airport or Sky High Airlines. Madison was becoming more and more convinced that, indeed, her luggage had plummeted to earth somewhere north of nowhere. She would never see her stuff again, she thought.
She and Dad took the elevator up to the third floor and said their good-nights. Dad thanked Madison for coming to the dinner, and then she thanked him for being such an understanding father “most of the time.”
“I’m sorry about the way I acted at the party,” Madison said as they stood in front of her room. She plugged her key card into the slot in the door and half hugged Dad good night at the same time.
“I don’t ever want you to hide your feelings from me,” Dad said. “Not even in the middle of my wedding.”
“Okay.” Madison nodded. “I won’t.”
She threw open the door.
“Hey, why is your light on?” Dad asked, curious. He pushed his way into the room ahead of her.
“I thought I turned it out….” Madison said.
“Oh, no!” Dad cried. “Get in here, Maddie!”
Madison went inside.
There, on the bed, was a blue, checkered bag.
“My suitcase!” Madison shrieked when she saw it sitting in the middle of the bed. “It’s heeeeeeere !”
Madison flung herself on top of the bag and unzipped the sides. Everything inside
“Whatever,” Madison said.
“Now, don’t be that way,” Dad said. “I hate it when you do that.”
“What?” Madison said.
“I need you to try to behave, okay?” Dad pleaded. Madison felt as if he were talking to her the way he had when she was little.
“Behave?” Madison repeated. She was getting all choked up again.
“You know what I mean,” Dad said, trying to soften his words. He kissed Madison on the forehead.
“I know,” Madison said.
“I really want you to meet Stephanie’s sisters. I know they’re here somewhere….” Dad scanned the crowd. “They’re running the show, so I bet they are both in the back with Catering….”
Madison rolled her eyes.
Dad knew what was wrong.
“I just need to mingle with a few more people. You sit here. Then we can head back to the hotel,” he said. “I promise.”
Madison wondered how Dad would ever be able to leave his own party. Was this just another promise that was made to be broken?
She stood up from the leather chair. “I’m coming with you,” Madison said.
“You are?” Dad said.
Stephanie buzzed over toward them again. “Jeff, let’s find the kids and Madison can hang out with them. You must be so bored by all these friends of my parents….”
“Kids! That’s a great idea!” Dad said.
Madison grabbed his arm. “I would rather be with you , Dad,” she said.
Stephanie made a face. “You’re sure?” she asked Madison.
“Yes,” Madison said resolutely, staying by Dad’s side.
Stephanie sighed. “All right.”
“So, let’s mingle,” Dad said.
The three of them walked into the middle of the party action again. People rushed in to congratulate the bride and groom.
Across the room, Madison spotted the boy she had seen earlier and some other kids entering and exiting again. But she didn’t make any move to introduce herself, and neither did they.
Instead, Madison clung to Dad as if he were a life preserver.
She wanted never to let go.
Chapter 10
D AD DID MAKE GOOD on his promise to Madison—sort of.
After an hour of mingling, he and Madison headed back to the Bellville Villas and left Stephanie to party until the wee hours. Actually, most of the dinner guests ate and disappeared early, too. It wasn’t a late, late night. Everyone was saving their energy for the main event on Saturday.
And that was still a whole day away.
Madison’s heart sank when the attendant at the front desk of the Bellville Villas told them there were no messages from the Houston airport or Sky High Airlines. Madison was becoming more and more convinced that, indeed, her luggage had plummeted to earth somewhere north of nowhere. She would never see her stuff again, she thought.
She and Dad took the elevator up to the third floor and said their good-nights. Dad thanked Madison for coming to the dinner, and then she thanked him for being such an understanding father “most of the time.”
“I’m sorry about the way I acted at the party,” Madison said as they stood in front of her room. She plugged her key card into the slot in the door and half hugged Dad good night at the same time.
“I don’t ever want you to hide your feelings from me,” Dad said. “Not even in the middle of my wedding.”
“Okay.” Madison nodded. “I won’t.”
She threw open the door.
“Hey, why is your light on?” Dad asked, curious. He pushed his way into the room ahead of her.
“I thought I turned it out….” Madison said.
“Oh, no!” Dad cried. “Get in here, Maddie!”
Madison went inside.
There, on the bed, was a blue, checkered bag.
“My suitcase!” Madison shrieked when she saw it sitting in the middle of the bed. “It’s heeeeeeere !”
Madison flung herself on top of the bag and unzipped the sides. Everything inside
Similar Books
