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Rags in hand, bucket in the middle, they began
scrubbing the floor on their hands and knees. After ten
minutes, Madison stopped scrubbing and said,  Wait.
Something s missing. We need music.
 You re trying to get me off task long enough so
that you can win. But, that s okay, I ll give you the
handicap.
Michael disappeared into another room and
returned moments later with an old radio that received
only a few stations. Settling on an oldies station, he
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Through Hazel Eyes
returned to his side of the room.  Doesn t look like you
made that much progress while I was gone.
Madison looked up at his face, a face that displayed
a wide grin and a glisten of sweat on his brow, which
he wiped with the back of his arm before squatting
back down.
 Yup, that s where a man should be. On his knees
with a soapy rag in hand. Madison went back to work,
whistling to the song on the radio as loudly as she
could.
An hour passed by before either of them
approached the middle of the room. Madison glanced
up to occasionally check on his whereabouts. He would
catch her looking and just smile. Caught up in their
game, the competition became silently fierce. Tension
in the room built. Madison wasn t sure what kind of
tension, but it felt good.
 See, I knew I d win, Michael announced as he set
the last slap of a rag on the wood floor around the
bucket, which was the unspoken finishing line. He then
tossed his rag into the bucket as though he would gain
two bonus points.
 No, no, no. I won. I was at the bucket already
when you hit the last spot, Madison said.  I just left it
for you.
 Oh, whatever! You know I won. Michael took her
rag from her and dropped it in the bucket next to his.
 Oh, sure. Whatever yourself, Madison laughed.
Hot and sweaty from the labor, she tied her t-shirt in a
knot above her now exposed navel.  I ll let you win,
but it s only a battle, not the war. Wait until you see
how well I paint, she smirked.
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Through Hazel Eyes
Madison looked in the mirror above the fireplace
mantle and brushed her hair back off her shoulder. It
fell to her back, letting the sunlight that streamed
through the window catch its auburn tint. She realized
how long it had grown since her last cut.
 Painting? That s my specialty, little lady. You ll
see. It s a battle you ll be sure to lose.
Madison heard the ring of her cell phone in the
other room.  I ll be right back.
 Sure, leave me to finish cleaning up this stuff.
When she pulled her phone out of her purse she
saw Phil s number displayed. How am I going to explain
where I am when I haven t had the chance to tell him about
who Michael really is yet? Madison let the call roll to
voicemail. She decided she would call him back later
from home. A loud thud interrupted her train of
thought. She found her way to the kitchen to explore.
 Oh my God! Now that s funny! Madison had to
keep from laughing too hard at the sight in front of her.
 Oh, so it s funny when a bucket of filthy water falls
to my feet, splashing every bit of the room? Michael
raised an eyebrow at her.
 Well, yeah, Madison said.  I m just sorry I wasn t
here to see it fall. But, something about just seeing the
aftermath makes it funny. See, you could make up a
great story about what happened. Like, maybe a bear
was in here and you tossed it on him in defense?
Madison gestured toward the door, as though the bear
had actually come and gone.
 Hardy har-har. Michael flipped the bucket right
side up and grabbed a mop from the corner closet.
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Through Hazel Eyes
Madison reached out and tried to pull it from him.
 What are you doing? he asked.
 Just trying to help. Madison s hand was below his
on the pole.
 Okay, Michael began to explain,  put your other
hand above mine on the pole and whoever s hand
lands at the top wins.
 Geez, you re competitive, Madison laughed and
took the challenge. Hands flew up the pole in rotation;
Michael's thick fists around the pole, topped by
Madison s delicate grip, then Michael s again until the
last speck of pole was covered by Madison s pinky.
 You win! And the prize is that you get to mop the
floor! Michael announced, but did not let go of the
pole. By now they were standing so close Madison
could see the reflection of the kitchen window behind
her in his eyes.
 Yeah, I guess I won that one. Madison stepped
away and waited for Michael to hand her the mop. As
she mopped the floor, he went outside to check on the
dogs and to bring in the aired out cloths. Madison
watched him through the window as she wrung the
mop out in the sink, trying not to notice how his jeans
clung tightly to his round rear end.
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Through Hazel Eyes
TWENTY-FOUR
Rain beating on the rooftop woke Madison up early on
Sunday morning. When she came to and focused on the
rhythm, she realized it had been awhile since she heard
the pitter-patter of raindrops. Knowledge of a snowfall
required opening the blinds and viewing the yard and
tree branches, unless she heard the radio announce a
snow day before she got out of bed. The rain was
undeniable from bed though. The gutter above her
bedroom window was clogged and created a waterfall
rush over the edge and onto the ledge below. On top of
it, the wind chimed in, causing the occasional brush of
a branch against the window that completed the
orchestra of a storm.
 Julie? Where are you? Madison called out as she
plodded to the bathroom. The clinking of Julie s collar
answered the question soon enough. After making her
way into the room, Julie followed Madison into the
bathroom and lay on the bathmat as Madison went
through her morning routine that hadn t changed since
Phil left. She had already listened to his voicemail on
her way home from Michael s. He wanted to tell her [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]