by Mj Fields
���Well he doesn���t, Maddox; he���s walking on pins and needles around you.���
���Good,��� Maddox sneered.
���Oh for God���s sake, Maddox. IT���S NOT HIS FAULT!��� Harper screamed.
Maddox stopped walking and turned and looked sternly at her and took her face in his hand, ���I know that, Harper.���
���NO YOU DON���T!��� She screamed and smacked his hand away, ���NO YOU DON���T! You think it���s everyone���s fault!��� Harper pushed him, ���You think it���s his fault, you think it���s her fault,��� she pointed at Claire and then pushed him again and he stood and watched her face. Maddox reached for her hand and she slapped at it furiously, ���You think its Blake���s fault! You think its Daddy���s fault!��� Harper slapped him in the shoulder, ���You think I���m awful because I didn���t tell you about our baby, and������
CJ ran up and grabbed her arms stopping her from hitting Maddox again, ���Harper, enough!���
���NO, CJ! He hates me! He thinks I���m awful. I hid his baby from him because he would hurt him.��� Harper turned and looked at Maddox with tears running down her face, ���SAY IT! Say I deserve this for hiding it. For resenting him, when I was mad at you. SAY IT!���
Maddox looked at her expressionless.
���I HATE YOU!��� Harper screamed.
���Harper that is enough!��� CJ scooped her up in his arms and carried her sobbing as he walked up the stairs boarding the plane.
Maddox looked down at the ground. He pinched the bridge of his nose and then turned and walked down the tarmac.
Tessa covered her mouth as tears streamed down her face. Brody patted her shoulder and looked at Maddox, ���Em, you and Tessa go ahead, I got this.���
Brody stood watching his son, giving him enough time to work through whatever must be going on in his head. When Maddox stopped Brody slowly walked towards him.
Maddox saw Brody standing next to him and looked up from the ground.
���We have to get going, Maddox.���
���I know,��� Maddox said and squinted as he looked off into the distance.
���You���re doing great, Maddox,��� Brody patted his shoulder.
���I���ll continue doing so.���
���Alright then, let���s get going.���
When they boarded the plane Maddox looked around quickly.
���She and mom are in the back,��� Matthew answered his unspoken question, ���CJ is with them.���
Maddox shook his head and walked to a seat away from the others and sat looking out the window as the plane began to taxi down the runway.
When they were able to Harper unbuckled her seat belt and walked to the door and opened it. She looked out and saw Maddox sitting in a chair away from everyone else. He had his knit cap pulled down low and his eyes were closed. His elbows rested on his knees and his hands were clasped tightly together. He lowered his head looking at the ground.
���Harper,��� Matthew said.
Maddox looked up quickly and saw her shut the door.
Maddox looked at Matthew and Matthew nodded towards the door telling him to go in.
Maddox sat back contemplating and decided not to.
Harper sat on the bed and looked at Tessa, ���I���m sorry, Mom. I am so sorry.���
Tessa hugged her, ���It���s expected, Harper. This is awful for you, for me, for your brothers. It���s awful for everyone here on this plane and when we get home, well it���s going to be awful then as well. But for you and Maddox, Harper,��� Tessa hugged her daughter, ���I know it wasn���t planned and I know you���re holding guilt about a lot of things inside, but you lost twice and so did I. I���m so sorry, Harper.���
���Mom, it���s fine, I���ll be fine,��� Harper swallowed hard.
���If you want to talk about this with me���when you are ready to, please Harper— understand that I���m here and know that I���m equally as sad that I lost a grandchild.���
Harper shook her head as tears built in her eyes, ���Mom, I���m so tired.���
���I know, you lay down and go to sleep. We���re all here for you.���
Everyone had fallen asleep and Maddox stood up and walked to the cabin door. He opened it slowly and saw Harper and Tessa asleep on the cabin���s bed. Harper���s head rested on Tessa���s shoulder and they were holding hands. He walked in and grabbed the blanket and pulled it up around them and kissed her head softly.
As he exited the room Harper opened her eyes and saw him leave. She closed her eyes and felt her eyes heat up.
Maddox sat back down in his chair and grabbed his head phones out of his bag. He popped them in and sat back and closed his eyes, hoping to get some sleep before they landed, knowing he wouldn���t.
He felt someone sit beside him and the music playing in his ears changed.
Waves crash of thunder inside my mind
I run I run
Seas grand reflection open to warmth
Undone Undone
Reflecting the love burning inside
My soul my soul
The sea whispers softly
Don���t hide, don���t hide
She welcomes the yearning caresses my pain rippling water lightly kisses away
Life���s stain Life���s stains
Washed away by the seas calm, nurtured by the wind the sound of her song,
Maddox opened his eyes and Claire sat next to him.
He smiled and she returned his smile, ���She���s just sad.���
���I know Jazz,��� he patted her hand.
���Claire,��� her lips turned up slightly.
Maddox smiled, ���Claire.���
She sat back and held his hand, ���She loves you.���
���I love her, too.���
���It���ll be okay,��� Claire smiled.
���You sure about that?���
���Yep.���
���Why so sure?���
���Because it���s Harper,��� Claire���s smile broadened.
Maddox chuckled, ���I know.���
They sat silently for a few more minutes.
���I���m sorry about what happened to you, Claire,��� Maddox said softly.
���Been through worse,��� she answered as if it were no big deal.
Maddox shook his head in agreement even though he was not sure that was true.
���She hasn���t though, Maddox. She needs you to be strong for her,��� Claire sat up and looked at him.
He opened his eyes, ���I will be, of course��� I will be.���
���I know.���
Claire leaned back into the chair.
���Claire, I���m also here for you, alright? As your friend, I���m here for you anytime you need me.���
She smiled and hugged Maddox. He hugged her back, ���Thank you, Maddox.���
���You���re very welcome.���
���I���m here for you as well,��� Claire laughed and sat back and shook her head and giggled, ���We are friends, aren���t we, Maddox?���
���Of course,��� Maddox smiled.
When the plane touched down, Maddox woke and Claire���s head rested against his shoulder. They both opened their eyes and smiled.
���Morning buddy,��� Claire giggled.
���Morning friend
,��� Maddox stuck his hand out and they shook hands.
When he looked up Harper was walking out of the cabin. She had on dark glasses and as she walked past him completely ignoring him he reached and grabbed for her hand. Harper pulled it away as if it would burn her skin and exited the plane.
Maddox closed his eyes, ran his hands through his hair, and stood up.
Matthew looked at him curiously and Maddox scowled and shook his head. He turned to walk off the plane.
Claire looked sternly at Matthew, ���Just because I am what I am, does not mean he is!���
Matthew���s jaw dropped on shock, ���Claire I didn���t������
���You both did,��� she grabbed her bag and left the plane.
Matthew looked around and Brody looked at him and patted his back, ���It���ll all be fine.���
Matthew nodded, ���Gotta be.���
Harper slammed the door of the car as Maddox walked down the stairs from the plane. He walked up and opened the door and climbed in. Harper moved to sit between her mother and CJ. Maddox sat across from her.
���Good morning,��� he said as he looked at Harper.
She looked away.
���Good afternoon, Maddox,��� CJ smiled, ���Time change.���
���Right,��� Maddox acknowledged his correction with a polite smile and continued looking at Harper, ���Good afternoon.���
Tessa mouthed sorry to Maddox, and he shrugged, ���Please don���t be������
���Be WHAT Maddox!���
���Harper, he was������
���Don���t stick up for him, Mom.���
���Harper������ Maddox began.
���Don���t!���
Tessa closed her eyes, a silent plea for him to stop and he closed his eyes and sat back.
���When we get home, there���ll more than likely be a very large welcoming committee waiting for us,��� Tessa said as she brushed Harper���s hair with her fingers, ���You should both know that your loss has not been talked about. Even London knows it was between just our very immediate families���
Maddox looked at her and then at Emma, ���She���s fine, Maddox.���
He let out a breath nodded and sat back watching Harper.
They pulled down the long driveway and Tessa smiled and a tear escaped her eye, ���They���re all here.���
Harper lifted her head up and looked out the window, she smiled at Tessa and wiped her tear, ���Of course they are.���
Brody opened the door and stepped out of the car and helped Emma out. The girls ran towards them smiling and he scooped them up, ���Hello, little Princesses.��� Emma joined their embrace.
Maddox waited as Tessa got out, ���Harper,��� he grabbed her hand and she looked at him. ���We will get through all of this, don���t shut me out. I love you.���
Harper slowly pulled her hand away and got out of the car.
London looked up at her and her eyes widened. She swallowed hard and let go of Brody and Emma and quickly walked to Harper, ���Hi.���
Harper smiled, ���Hi.���
London threw her arms around Harper and started to cry, ���London I���m alright, okay?���
���Yes,��� she looked up. ���Harper I ���I������
���Hey London,��� Maddox bent down and kissed her head.
���MADDOX!��� London opened her arm for him to join their hug.
He smiled softly at her and joined.
Harper���s body tensed when he put his arm around her, and Maddox kissed the top of her head, ���I love you, Sweetness.���
Harper shook slightly and London looked up, ���Harper, don���t cry.���
Harper wiped her tear, ���Sorry.���
���London, Harper and I need to talk for just a couple minutes, alright?���
She shook her head and walked away.
Maddox wrapped his arms around Harper and he breathed her in deeply and whispered, ���I won���t let you push me away.���
She looked up at him, ���You���re doing it all by yourself.���
Maddox���s eyes locked on hers, ���No Harper, you���re trying to read my mind. Trying to figure out what I am thinking, feeling���I told you the other night I don���t even know what I���m feeling. I do know that I���m not going anywhere, Harper; no matter how hard you push me away, no matter what it is you say to me, I���m not going anywhere. We belong together���.���
Maddox looked up as Matthew cleared his throat he pointed to the back of Harper, and mouthed Blood.
Maddox closed his eyes briefly and let go of her. He removed his jacket and started to put it on her, ���I���m fine.���
���Show me where the bathroom is?���
Harper looked at him, ���You know������
Maddox turned her around and held her hips as he walked her towards the house, ���Back door. Less people.���
���Maddox, you���re pissing me off,��� Harper growled.
���Harper I���m taking care of what needs to be taken care of.���
They walked in the backdoor and walked through the mudroom towards the bathroom.
���No— the one near your room.���
���Maddox,��� she pulled away from him.
���Harper— you need to get a change of clothes and wash up. There���s blood on the back of your pants and ���,��� Harper gasped and her face, still bruised turned bright red.
���Come on, I will help you.���
���I can do it myself!���
���I���m sure you can,��� Maddox lifted her up and carried her up the stairs.
Harper began crying and he held her head against his chest. He opened her bedroom door and walked towards her closet as she cried.
He grabbed a shirt and some jeans, still holding her he walked to her dresser and opened a drawer and grabbed underwear.
He walked out of her large bedroom and into the bathroom next to it. He dropped the clothes and rubbed her hair away from her face and kissed away her tears.
���STOP!��� Harper wiggled out of his arms.
���Harper������
���Did you kiss her like that?��� Maddox looked confused, ���Last night when you were mad at me? Did you comfort her like you used to?���
Maddox looked appalled as he tried to keep it together, he took a deep breath and laughed an angry deep laugh.
���DID YOU?!���
Without saying a word, he walked to the shower and started it. He felt the water to make sure it wasn���t too hot.
���I am going down to get new bandages and the wrap to cover your incision. I will only be a couple minutes,��� Maddox started walking away and stopped, ���I asked you to marry me Harper. Not her, not anyone else. I asked YOU to marry ME!���
Harper sat on the floor and cried. Angry and confused and completely overwhelmed by the events of the past few days. She reached up and grabbed a towel from the towel rack and dragged the towel to her face and screamed into it. She cried for her mother and her brothers. She cried for herself and she cried for Claire. She cried for her child, her father, and finally��� she cried knowing she was hurting Maddox.
Maddox walked in and found her on the floor and dropped his bag as he fell to his knees and pulled her into his arms. Harper wrapped her arms around him and screamed into his neck.
���Shh, shhh, shh,
��� Maddox whispered as he held her tightly.
Harper tried pushing him away.
���Harper, I���m not letting go. Stop fighting please, just stop.���
���I want to know! I want to know what happened last night!���
Maddox held her face in his hands, firmly but gently, ���I was sitting down in the same area as your brother, my parents and Claire, Harper! After I snuck in like a fucking thief when you had fallen to sleep to kiss your head and cover you with a damn blanket I came back out and sat. I was listening to music, trying to fall asleep because I haven���t slept since Switzerland because your mood swings are fucking epic, and that���s putting it mildly! The music switched and I opened my fucking eyes and she was sitting there. I thanked her, we talked about you������
���What did she tell you?��� Harper grabbed his wrists and tried to pull his hands away from her face and he didn���t let go, ���I want to know!���
���We talked about friendship and������
���Did she tell you about our shower together? Did she tell you about us washing each other? Did she?!���
Maddox could not mask the surprise expression that covered his face and he shook his head no, ���We talked about how much I love you. She played Stained, what are you talking about?���
���Let me go,��� Harper growled.
���Never. Answer my question, Harper. What are you talking about?���
Harper glared at him and wiped her tears away not saying a word and avoiding eye contact.
���Fine, I���ll ask her,��� Maddox stood up, ���Although I should be able to talk to my fucking fianc�� about it.���
Maddox turned to walk away and she grabbed his leg stopping him.
���NO!���
���Harper,��� he pulled her up, ���Whatever it is,��� he lifted her chin, ���Whatever it is, it is fucking with you hard core. Talk to be damn it!���
She shook her head no.
���Fine, when you���re ready.��� Maddox pulled her shirt over her head and she looked down at her still swollen stomach covered with bruises. He slipped her bra over her shoulders and then pulled her pants down. Her underpants were saturated. He grabbed a towel and draped it over her shoulders and walked her to the toilet.
