Chapter Nineteen: (Blessings Follow Darkness)

Chapter: 19(Blessings follow Darkness)

 

            The next few days went in a wave of card games with Addison on the soft sheets of the bed and a few friendly older women who came to check how I was healing. I had a dislocated shoulder a fractured rib and a possible concussion. Jackson visited a few times over the next three days. He never stayed long or said much but it was obvious he was worried about me and also upset with Addison. It worried me that the boys were fighting. They usually started speaking to each other again by the end of the day. By the third day of my stay at the infirmary, I was getting restless. My shoulder didn’t feel as sore and was only a little bit stiff, I could easily walk around, and I was ready to get out of this room.

            Late into the evening, I was curled on the bed with a book. Addison had went to go grab a bite to eat about thirty minutes before that so when I heard the door to the infirmary open I figured it was him.

            “Did you smuggle in anything sweet?” I asked him without looking up from my book.

            “Actually I kind of did.” I heard someone say. That someone was not Addison. I looked up a bit startled to see Nicholas standing in the doorway holding a vase full of daises.  “Sweet smelling anyway, but if I knew you would have wanted chocolate I would have brought a box of those instead.” He spoke while smiling and walking to the chair beside my bed and sitting down. He placed the vase of daisies on the bedside table.

            “No, actually daisies are my favorite flower. They are perfect.” I grinned over at him and sat the book down on my lap.

            “Well I got very lucky then, didn’t I?” He looked across the bed at me and grinned widely, making his eyes squint and made him look like a carefree young boy again. “I actually picked them because they reminded me of you.” I raised my left eyebrow and looked at him as if he was crazy.

            “How do I remind you of a flower?” I teased. I expected a sarcastic answer in return but instead he looked at me with an intense thoughtful look on his face.

            “Because you think you are like a daisy. Simple and ordinary, you think people don’t remember you, or that every other flower around you out shines you. All daisies think in this way. Yet if every flower wanted to become a rose I think spring would lose its charm.” He smiled at me then looked down at his hands, worn tough and callused.

            “So did you come here to talk about flowers or is there something else I owe this pleasure to?”  I elbowed him in the ribs. Making him look up at me and grin which in turn made my heart speed up a few hundred beats per minute.

            “Well actually there was a very important reason I came to visit you today.” He looked at me in a mock gentlemanly way and bowed his head slightly.

            “I have been hearing this rumor the last few days and I decided to do something about it.” He looked at me even more seriously and I would be lying if I said it wasn’t a bit intimidating the way his eyes seemed to have a fire behind them. Nicholas stood up and looked down at me.

            “I heard it was your birthday tomorrow, Madison Cazadore and I am slightly hurt that I didn’t know about this until now.” He pouted out his bottom lip and he crossed his arms. In that moment I was certain that as a child he always got exactly what he wanted. My jaw dropped open a few inches and I groaned.

            “Oh my gosh! I totally forgot! I haven’t even gotten Addison anything.” I clasped my hand onto the side of my cheek. How could I have forgotten? It had almost been a week since we had fought so terribly with our parents. It had almost been a week since Zavion had taken my parents away from us and we had learned about the Guild and our role in this whole mess.

            Addison quickly came to the side of my bed, sat down beside me, and looked at me for a moment. His facial features kept changing from happy to something else. I couldn’t quiet tell. He was so hard to figure out.

            “Go out with me tonight Maddy. I want to give you an early Birthday present.” He spoke quickly as if he couldn’t get it out of his mouth fast enough.  I immediately felt my face getting hot. I was sure that I was blushing. Just perfect, a gorgeous guy wants to take me out and I have to look like an idiot.  I looked up into his eyes, which were the color of Ireland and then looked back down at my hands suddenly disappointed.

            “I can’t. Addison and I always celebrate our birthday together at midnight. Usually my parents are there too but I guess they won’t be making it this year. It’s kind of a tradition.” I looked up at him apologetically. He looked at me for a moment longer and then started laughing under his breath.

            “I hope you don’t mind Madison but I kind of already asked your brother. He basically said that since he can’t get you anything for your birthday that He wants me to be your gift. Well that’s kind of what he said anyway.” He grinned down at me and ran his hand through his dark hair. I frowned slightly. Did Addison really say that he wanted me to go out with Addison instead of celebrating our birthday together the way we always did. What was he going to do? I didn’t know why but despite how much I wanted to go out with Nicholas I still felt somewhat upset that Addison had written me off like that.

            Nicholas must have seen that something was wrong because before I had a chance to say anything he broke off my thoughts, saying;

            “But when he also told me about the tradition your family always has for your birthday I told him how important it is to keep those traditions strong and be together.” He casually laid his hand down on mine and smiled.

            “So we decided that I will get you for an hour and get you to him just before midnight.” I felt the tension in my stomach loosen as he spoke.

            “I kind of like the idea a lot better then what I had planned. It reminds me of a fairy tale don’t you think?” He grinned and stood up.

            “Anyway, your brother should be back shortly.” He looked over at the clock that was hanging just above the door.

            “He decided to hang around with Jennifer and Marcus for a bit so we could talk. He should be back anytime to help you get to your room and ready for you to go out tonight.” He winked at me and started to head for the door.

            “Hey wait a minute.” I called after him. He turned around and gave me a curious look.

            “What if I had said no?” I asked while giving him a long look. He stepped back for a moment and looked shocked. The he gave me an anxious look.

            “Well I suppose I never even thought of that.” He brushed the hair off of his brow and his eyebrows knitted together in thought.

            “Would you have said no?” He asked hesitantly. I grinned widely at him.

            “No.” I said laughing. His shoulders loosened and he laughed richly along with me.

            “See that’s what I mean. You’re different from anyone else I know. Most girls wouldn’t have even thought to ask something like that.” He chuckled as he closed the door behind him.