Oh hell.
Shaking my head, I walked over towards her. I lowered my arms, hooked them together around her upper body and tugged Maddie into me. She resisted for an instant before relenting and leaning into my thighs while I stood in front of her. After a moment or two, she wrapped her arms around my legs.
“Maddie, shhh…” I began as I tried to calm her. “You’re being silly. Of course I still want you.”
She sniffled for a few more moments before at last releasing her grip on me. Maddie looked up towards my face and as she did, I brushed her hair away from her eyes.
“You do?” she said with a whisper.
I nodded. “Yes. Absolutely.”
She leaned away from me. Maddie’s shoulders slumped as she dropped her hands in her lap and interlocked them. She remained still for a moment or two before looking up towards me once again.
“Well,” she began. “Why did you reject me in the kitchen earlier?”
I shook my head. “I didn’t reject you Maddie. That’s not it at all.”
“It’s okay,” she replied. “I know how unattractive I am right now. I just thought if I dressed up and made an effort, it would change your mind.”
“Maddie, look, the reason I’m not interested in having sex right now has nothing to do with the way you look. I’ve got something on my mind. It’s something we need to discuss. Before it’s too late.”
As I finished my thought, I looked down at her.
“Too late? For what exactly, Grey?”
I ran my fingers through my hair and sputtered an exhale. This wasn’t something I wanted to put off any longer. There was only one correct path for the two of us and it was about time I got Maddie on board. After all, it was what she wanted anyway. There was no question in my mind about it. I glanced down at her for a moment before clearing my throat.
“Maddie,” I began. “With the baby coming, I think it’s time for us to take the only logical step left.”
As I spoke, Maddie’s eyebrows drew together in confusion. “What are you trying to say, Grey?”
“I’m not trying to say anything. I’m telling you we should get married. And the sooner, the better.”
Maddie’s mouth dropped open as I finished speaking.
“What?” she replied. She looked at me as if I’d just killed a puppy. “Uh! You want to marry me? Since when, Grey? Why?”
This wasn’t exactly the reaction I expected. I’d asked exactly zero women to marry me in my life and I sure as shit didn’t picture a response like hers. Incredulous, I glared down at her.
“What do you mean why?” I asked. “What kind of question is that, Maddie?”
She shot to her feet. Waving her arms, she said, “Just like that? Out of nowhere? After all of this and now, all of a sudden, you want to marry me?”
She was starting to piss me off.
“Yeah,” I snapped. “What the hell is wrong with that?”
“Do you love me, Grey?” she fired back. Her tone had the ring of a dare to it. She crossed her arms at her chest as she completed her thought.
I grimaced at her. “Maddie, why are you acting like this? Don’t you want…”
“No!” she exclaimed, interrupting me. “Do. You. Love. Me? It’s a simple question, Grey.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. This goddamn woman. She wanted to say ‘yes’ and marry me. I knew it and she knew it. Why wouldn’t she? Funny how what you do is always more important in every situation in life except when it came to this right here. It wasn’t enough I promised to take care of her and the baby. I’m not sure how many more ways a man is supposed to show a woman what she means to him in this world.
“Maddie, it’s not that simple,” I groaned. I gestured towards her stomach. “I have an obligation here. This isn’t about you or me anymore.”
She rolled her eyes. “Ohhhh, I see. All right. So you are marrying me out of pity? Is that what you’re saying?”
“What? No! Jesus Christ, calm down would you?”
“I’m not upset,” she deadpanned. “I just want an answer to my question. I love you, Grey. You see? I have no problem at all admitting that to you.”
I didn’t get this grandstanding of hers. Instead of engaging it, I decided to make her understand my point, but before I could she continued.
“I’m not marrying you because you are the father of the baby, Grey. That’s not enough of a reason.”
I shook my head.
“Maddie, there’s more at play here than the baby. I’ve got obligations to my family.”
“What?” she snapped as she stepped in my direction. “What the hell does that mean? Obligations to your family? I’ve never met any of them! You aren’t even making any sense!”