Madison dropped her shopping bags on the bed and dashed into the bathroom to fill the tub with scented bubble bath. She always felt cleaner and a little sexier after she had a relaxing bath.

She checked the clock - Daniel would be there to pick her up in just under three hours. She would have to rush. She didn’t want to be late. His mother was cooking.

She was a nervous wreck. She hadn’t even been to his place yet, and already she was meeting his parents. It just so happened to be Daniel’s dad’s birthday. She had no idea what to expect.

She’d spent her entire first paycheck on new clothes and a haircut. She had bought some new jeans and a green sweater with a white camisole to peek out from under the top. Her new haircut was kind of bouncy with layers at the bottom that were curled on the ends.

After her bath, she carefully applied make-up - eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara. Then painted her nails with a light pink polish she had purchased.

She got dressed and was ready to go - just in case Daniel showed up early. Then she went into the kitchen and mixed up some oatmeal cookies which she placed in the oven to bake. Daniel had told her that oatmeal cookies were his dad’s favorite. She hoped it was appropriate to bring cookies to one’s boyfriend’s dad’s birthday party on the first meeting.

She was going to drive herself crazy with worry. Baking helped to calm her. She’d picked up a little basket to carry them in and had tied a wide blue ribbon on it.

While she was waiting for the cookies to bake, someone rang her doorbell. Thinking it must be Daniel - he almost always showed up early - she threw open the front door.

A middle-aged woman stood looking at her. “Hello, Madison,” the woman said, with a tentative smile.

“Hello,” Madison said, not recognizing the woman.

“I didn’t realize you were here until last night when you were saying goodnight to someone on the doorstep.”

Madison thought quickly back to last night. She remembered she hadn’t turned the front porch light on - just in case someone might be watching, and apparently it was a good thing, since their goodnight kiss had gone on for some time. In retrospect, she should have invited Daniel inside, but the plan had been for him to say a quick goodnight and be on his way.

“We’ve been out of town ourselves,” the woman informed her, and only got back a couple of days ago.

The night Madison had spent at the inn in the mountains.

When she didn’t answer, the woman continued. “Anyway, I didn’t know you were coming up, since your parents just left.”

Parents?

“They didn’t mention it,” the woman continued. “But, then, we don’t tell our parents everything, do we?”

“No, I don’t suppose we do,” Madison said, finally, her mind racing.

“I just wanted to check to be sure you were good.”

“I’m fine,” Madison said quickly, and heard the timer going off in the kitchen. “I have to go,” she said, and quickly closed the door in the woman’s face.

With the door closed behind her, she leaned against it and closed her eyes. Who am I?

The timer kept going off, louder now. She pulled herself away from the door and rescued the cookies, all the while, her mind was whirling in a daze.

This was not good. This person knew her - the old her. The one she didn’t even know. This was definitely dangerous territory. She mustn’t let Daniel talk to her. Daniel would delve. Then everything would be all messed up.

She didn’t even want to know who she used to be anymore. She was Madison McKivitz - railroad brakeman, girlfriend of Daniel Beaumont. That’s all she needed to know.

While the cookies cooled, she peeked out the front door. The woman - whoever she was, was nowhere in sight. She had to make sure the woman didn’t cross paths with Daniel.

Packing the cookies in the basket, she inhaled sharply. She was staying in her parents’ house. She supposed that explained what she was doing here, if not how she got here.

Daniel showed up a few minutes early as usual. Madison was waiting at the door in case the neighbor showed up again.

As they walked toward his dark gray GMC Denali, Madison realized this was the first time she’d been anywhere with him not work related. As he helped her into his truck, her pulse raced.

“How was your first day off?” he asked, as they moved into traffic.

“It was kind of busy,” she said.

“Really? What did you do?”

“I just had some things to catch up on,” she said, vaguely.

“Something’s wrong,” he said.

She looked at him, then, for the first time since he’d picked her up. “No, not really. I’m sorry.”

“I’m here if you want to talk about it,” he said, reaching over to take her hand.

She wanted to tell him about her new discovery. But she knew if she did, he’d go digging and find out more than she wanted to know. Already, she was feeling a little weird knowing that she was living in what most likely was her parents’ vacation home. That meant she would be discovered – eventually.

It also explained why the refrigerator was stocked with food and it explained why she had such a nice place to stay without paying any bills. They probably took care of all that remotely.

All in all, it was a good deal for her while it lasted.

Daniel was so handsome. She would so miss him when things changed. She wanted to keep things the way they were for as long as possible. It probably wasn’t right.

She was spinning off-kilter.

As she was spinning in her own little hell, Daniel turned into a gated driveway and Madison brought herself out of her reverie long enough to pay attention to where they were going. A few minutes later, they were pulling up to what could only be called an estate - or maybe it could be called a mansion. Whatever she chose to call it, it was nothing like anything she expected.

When she looked at him accusingly, he shrugged.

“This is where you grew up?” she asked.

“Oh, no, I grew up in a much smaller place,” he said. “About half as big as this.”

“I see.”

“After I left home, my parents decided they needed to upgrade so my sisters would have someplace to live.”

“I think you got a bad deal.”

“Not really. I have a little place in town, but on my days off, I’m usually out here. At least I was,” he said, squeezing her hand. “That may be changing unless you like it here and want to come out here with me.”

She wasn’t sure what to say. She glanced at the clock. She hadn’t realized that they had been driving for almost an hour. She’d been too busy spinning around in her own head.

As they drove up the circle drive to the front door, two dogs came out to greet them.

“That little one is Rover,” he pointed out proudly.

“I thought Rover stays home and sleeps all day.”

“He does. I brought him out this morning so he’d be here tonight when you got here.

“Daniel, why didn’t you just bring him with us?”

“I didn’t know how you felt about dog hairs and, well, I just didn’t want to do that on our first night out together,” he said, and got out of the truck. “Wait here. I’ll come around,” he said.

They were greeted by the two dogs as soon as her door opened. Laughing, Madison, let Rover lick her hands.

“I think he likes you,” Daniel said.

“Either that or he wants to eat me.”

“Oh, they just ate. He won’t be eating anyone for awhile,” a man said.

Madison turned at the unfamiliar voice. The face, however, was quite familiar, only a few years older.

“Madison, this is my dad, Charles,” Daniel said, introducing them as the older man approached.

“I can see the resemblance,” Madison said, holding out her hand.

“Don’t hold that against me,” Charles said, taking her hand and pulling her into a hug.

Madison looked at Daniel.

“I think he likes you, too,” Daniel said. “And, that, definitely runs in the family.”

When he released her, Madison said, smiling, “happy birthday, Mr. Beaumont.”

“Please, no Mr. Beaumont. It makes me feel old. Call me Charles. And thanks.”

Daniel took her hand, and they went inside, making their way straight to the back of the house. “We spend most of our time back here,” he told her.

She could see why. The huge open kitchen looked out onto a wide expanse of manicured lawn with a pool in one corner. As they got closer, she could see the patio with chairs, a table with an umbrella, and large grill.

“Since it’s my birthday, they’re letting me cook,” Charles told her.

“Are you kidding?” Daniel said. “He won’t let anyone else touch his grill.”

A woman who looked more like she could be Daniel’s sister than his mother came forward and introduced herself.

“Hello, Madison,” she said, “I’m Barbara, Daniel’s mom.”

“It’s so nice to meet you,” Madison said, again holding out her hand.

Barbara, like Charles, pulled her into a hug.

“My family is sort of affectionate,” he said, almost apologetically.

“It’s okay,” Madison said.

“Your sisters will be here soon,” Barbara said, going back toward the kitchen. “I’m glad you could come early before things get chaotic.”

Madison almost laughed. Rover and the other dog had followed them into the house, and followed Charles out onto the patio. Compared to what she had gotten used to the last few days, it was already quite chaotic to her.

“Want to help me decorate the cupcakes?” Barbara asked.

“I’d like that,” she said, following her over to the island which looked a little chaotic itself. “Oh, and I brought some oatmeal cookies I baked. I hope that’s ok.”

“Are you kidding? Charles will love you. Those are his favorite. Daniel, why don’t you take your father a cookie?”

“Alright,” he said. “I can take a hint. Be nice to her.”

Madison had a sudden tinge of fear. She was being left alone with the mother.

“Don’t worry, Madison,” Barbara said. “I’m harmless.”

“What would you like me to do?”

“Take this icing and do some kind of design on the top of the cupcakes.”

Madison picked up the icing dispenser and made some roses on the first one. “Something like that?”

“Wow! I see you’ve done this before.”

“Baking is sort of a hobby of mine.” At least it had been this past week. “What does Charles like?”

“He likes football, hockey, sports of any kind. And dogs. He loves dogs.”

Madison made a football design with a cute little border on the next one.

“Now, you’re just going to spoil him,”

Madison laughed. “It’s his birthday.”

“You’re right. Go ahead,” she said, checking something in the oven. “I’m glad you could come.”

“I’m honored to be invited into your home. Which, by the way, is so absolutely beautiful I don’t know what to say.”

Barbara waved her hand in dismissal. “It’s just a house, like any other. Decorating is a hobby of mine, so I keep myself entertained with it.”

“I guess it could keep you a little busy,” Madison said, as she contemplated her next cupcake design.

“It does. By the time I get to the last room, it’s time to start all over again.”

“Sounds like fun. I think that’s something I could enjoy myself.”

A disturbance at the front door caught her attention.

“Megan and Vaughn are here,” Barbara said, “get ready for a whirlwind.”

It turned out that Daniel’s sisters had brought along their friends.

Madison was introduced to Megan, a classically beautiful brunette; Vaughn, a classically beautiful blonde, two other pretty girls that were their friends, and Bobby, who seemed to be a friend of all of them and having the time of his life with all that female attention. Madison couldn’t tell which of the girls he liked best.

“I warned you about the chaos,” Barbara said, as the girls and Bobby went outside to greet Charles.

“I sort of thought you were kidding.”

“We don’t mind. It’s quiet when the girls aren’t here.”

“They don’t live here?”

“They might as well, but they stay at the U during the week and some weekends. They’re here a lot though. You did a great job on those cupcakes. I’m tempted to have you help out some more, but I think Daniel’s starting to miss you.”

When Madison looked up, Daniel was watching her from outside. He smiled.

“Go ahead,” Barbara said.

“I don’t mind helping out. You’ve got a lot to do.”

“Don’t be silly. You’ve done more than enough. The girls can come in here and help out in a few,” she began washing lettuce in the sink. “Besides, once I’ve made the salad, I’m coming outside.”

“Ok,” Madison said. “Just let me know if there’s anything else.”

“Just go make Daniel happy.”

Madison smiled, feeling she had made a connection with Daniel’s mom.

Madison went to the patio door and stood watching. She felt a little wistful watching the family comradery. She knew she had parents out there, but she didn’t know if they were close like this family. She suddenly rather hoped they were.

Daniel went to her side, and pulled her over with him. “Come on out here, and join us.”

“She probably isn’t sure if she wants to do that yet,” Megan suggested.

Daniel looked at her questioning. “Madison, you don’t mind?”

“Not at all,” she said, looking at Daniel with what she knew said it all.