Chapter Twenty- Nine

Isaac

Maddie was sleeping peacefully, finally. I wondered if it was memories of her abusive ex coming back to torment her dreams. I slid into the bed next to her, careful not to wake her, and turned on the TV. The storm hitting Portland was bad, the heavy snow they anticipated days ago finally arriving with a vengeance.

Maybe we could turn back, call the trip off, and we could stay happy together forever.

“What time is it?” Maddie mumbled, turning to face me with sleepy eyes.

“It’s almost midnight,” I answered, my heart swelling with regret and remorse as she looked up at me. “Are you hungry?”

“I am,” she said, sliding herself up against the headboard and out of the cocoon she’d made from the thin sheet.

“I ordered pizza earlier. It’s probably still warm,” I offered, sliding from the bed to retrieve the box I’d left on the table.

Her eyes lit up as I brought the box to the bed. I slid back in next to her, opened the lid, and watched as she selected the piece she wanted. “Oh my God, this is so good,” she groaned, chewing her first bite.

“The weather is still bad,” I said, hoping she’d retreat from her mission to destroy our relationship.

“Hopefully it clears up soon,” she smiled nervously. I wrapped my arm around her as she continued devouring her slice of pizza from the only place I could find that delivered to the hotel. “I know you have to get back to work. If it doesn’t clear up, we can reschedule,” she said sweetly.

Her words were like music to my ears.

Maddie sat up, staring at the TV as a gym commercial came on. “I used to get the most amazing veggie pizza at the place right by my gym,” she blurted. “My gym?”

My body tensed as she stared at me, her eyes filled with hope and confusion. “Did I have a gym?” she asked.

She didn’t have a gym, but Rob did. That’s where she’d worked before arriving in Miami, the place she’d walked away from, the life she’d left behind. My heart ached as I realized her memory would indeed return, with or without her trip to Portland. I needed to tell her the truth, and if I was going to, this was the time. I froze.

“Did I ever say anything about a gym?” she asked me, her eyes still filled with that same hopeful confusion.

“Yes. You taught a class at a gym near your apartment,” I admitted, leaving out the details that may have led to the truth.

Her smile widened as she reached for another piece of pizza. It was obvious her memory gave her hope. It destroyed any hope I’d ever had.

Maddie slid into my arm, slouching down onto the mattress and stared at the TV. “Maybe going to the gym will jog a few more memories,” she said sleepily.

I pulled her close, letting the scent of her perfume waft under my nose. My phone beeped with a message on the table beside the bed. I reached to grab it, trying not to disturb Maddie. “It’s the airport update,” I announced as I read the message.

“Looks like the flight has not been rescheduled for tomorrow after all,” I sighed with both exhaustion and relief.

“We have to stay here another day?” she mumbled.

“Looks like that may be the case,” I replied, hoping to hear her say ‘let’s just go home,' but instead only soft rumbles escaped her throat as she drifted back into a deep sleep.

I held my phone tight in my hand, pondering what this all meant. Was this a sign? Was it fate telling me to come clean, giving one last chance to hopefully save the relationship that meant so much to me?

My eyes grew heavy, and soon they closed, but my mind played through scenarios of how I would tell Maddie, how she’d react, and what would happen if I didn’t tell her.

My eyes opened as the light of the day slammed into the hotel room. Maddie was still asleep, obviously exhausted from the botched trip. I slid out of bed, careful not to wake her, and moved towards the door. There was a small café up the street, so I figured I could call Elijah for advice on what to do while grabbing Maddie an ice coffee drink.

I stood on the sidewalk in front of the café with my phone to my ear. It rang several times, and I was ready to hang up when I heard Elijah’s voice.

“Hey, Isaac,” he greeted me. I swallowed hard before speaking, and then dumped the entire story in his lap. I could hear him breathing as I waited for his reply. “Sounds like you’ve got a good opportunity to tell her,” he finally replied. That wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but it was what I expected.

“Okay, but should I come back to Miami first?” I asked.

“I don’t know if you should wait any longer,” Elijah warned.

I took a deep breath, studied his warnings, and realized he might be right. If I waited, I’d only back out again, and her memories were starting to come back. There might not even be enough time to wait. If they came back before I explained everything to her, she’d for sure run from me forever.

“Okay. You’re right,” I exhaled.

“Where are you now?” he asked.

“Boise,” I told him, and then gave him the name of the hotel when he asked. “Hold on,” I sighed, looking at the message that buzzed my phone. “The flight is rescheduled for this afternoon now,” I gasped.

“Isaac, you really need to tell her before you get on that plane,” he insisted.

“I’ll call you back and let you know what’s going on.” I hung up the phone and tried to steady my thoughts. They were flying through my head at a million miles an hour, making me dizzy and nauseous.

I went inside the café, ordered Maddie’s iced coffee, a hot coffee for me, and then two breakfast specials to go. There wasn’t much time to make it to the plane, so we wouldn’t have time to stop and eat. This was going to have to wait until we arrived in Portland. There wasn’t time to explain everything, and she’d never forgive me if I messed up her chance to get home. I’d already been selfish enough; this time I was going to have to think of what was best for Maddie. She needed to get home, and she deserved the truth, so she’d have both in a few hours.