Of Love & Regret (Madison & Logan 1)

ter was a half-hearted smile that was more of a grimace.

“Not really,” I admitted. “But sitting out here won’t make it any better. Let’s go.”

I grabbed the white lilies from the backseat and climbed out of the car. Logan got out, opened the trunk, and took out a huge bouquet of flowers, much larger than mine, encased in a beautiful glass vase. It was a gorgeous explosion of vibrant colors, made up of hydrangeas, tulips, roses, and a variety of other flowers I couldn’t even name. I glanced at my small bouquet of white lilies that were dwarfed in comparison.

“We can say mine is from both of us,” he ventured, looking a little discomfited by the disparity of our bouquets.

I shook my head. “No, it’s okay. White lilies were Cassie’s favorite flower.” I nodded my head towards his vase. “Those are beautiful, too, though.”

“Right. Lilies.” It was clear that Logan didn’t remember Cassie’s favorite flower, but I hadn’t expected him to.

We walked to the front door, but before we could ring the doorbell, the door was flung open and Mrs. Brooks greeted us with a large smile. She looked perfectly coifed with her dark blonde hair pulled up in a twist. As far back as I could remember, she had always looked effortlessly put together, and today was no exception. Her gray slacks and cream sweater offset her slim figure, making her look much younger than her years.

“Come in, come in! Madison! It’s so good to see you! It’s been too long.” She immediately enveloped me in an enthusiastic hug, and I returned it warmly. Despite all my trepidation about making the trip to Laurenston, I couldn’t forget how much Mrs. Brooks had done for me over the years.

“It’s good to see you, too, Mrs. Brooks.”

She pulled back and studied me from head to toe, nodding approvingly. “You’ve grown up to be such a beautiful young woman. I remember when you were just a little thing with those big green eyes of yours.”

She glanced behind me and her smile widened when she saw Logan.

“Logan!” she exclaimed. “I barely recognized you! It’s so good to see you, too!”

Logan returned her hug awkwardly as he tried to balance the vase of flowers in one hand.

“Thanks for having us over today, Mrs. Brooks,” he said when she finally let go of him. He thrust the vase of flowers between them, almost as a barrier. “These are for you.”

“They’re beautiful,” she said with an impish smile. “Cassie will be jealous that I’m getting flowers from such a handsome boy.”

My stomach dropped at her mention of Cassie, but it was to be expected. She ushered us into the living room and noticed my bouquet of lilies for the first time. Her face lit up.

“Sweet girl. You always remember Cassie’s favorite flower. She’ll love them.”

I nodded, trying to smile, but I knew it looked horribly forced. I was relieved when I heard footsteps approaching and Mr. Brooks joined us in the living room. As vibrant as his wife was, Mr. Brooks was subdued and plodding. It was a stereotypical case of opposites attracting, but it worked for them.

“I’m so glad you two could make it,” Mr. Brooks said with a kind smile. “Judith has been looking forward to your visit all week.”

“Not just me, silly,” Mrs. Brooks admonished gently. “Cassie has been excited, too. I hope she gets home soon.”

To his credit, Mr. Brooks’ smile barely faltered, but I figured he was used to it by now. On the other hand, I saw how pained Logan’s expression was, and I hurried to move the conversation along.

“How have you been doing, Mrs. Brooks?” I asked as she gestured for us to sit. Logan sat down next to me, and Mrs. Brooks sat on my other side, grabbing one of my hands and holding it between hers. Mr. Brooks sat opposite us.

“I’ve been doing wonderful, dear,” she chirped. “I’ve been so busy with my volunteering committees that I barely have time to take care of Charles and Cassie.” She glanced at her husband with a warm smile before continuing. “Charles’ business has been so busy, but he’s such a family man. He always makes sure to get home in time for dinner. In fact, he comes home early most days. I suppose that’s one of the perks of being the boss.”

Mr. Brooks owned a highly successful construction company, but it had taken a back seat to taking care of his wife. Fortunately, he obviously had highly competent employees that were able to run the business in his absence.

“What about you?” Mrs. Brooks asked. “How are your classes?”

Mrs. Brooks seemed stuck in our college years, since that’s when Cassie had passed. I think it helped to explain away Cassie’s absence; she could just pretend Cassie was away at school most of the time. There were often inconsistencies in the way she spoke about Cassie. Sometimes Cassie still lived at home, but in the next breath, she would speak about Cassie being away at school. Her mind seemed to change the story as necessary so she could keep up the belief that her daughter was still alive.

I glanced at Mr. Brooks before answering, and he nodded his head, indicating for me to play along.

“They’re good,” I answered, trying to keep my answer short and vague. I tensed when she turned towards Logan, since I knew he had a much harder time keeping up this charade.

“What about you, Logan?” she asked. “I know how difficult those pre-law classes can be.”

“They are, but I’m surviving.” He looked supremely uncomfortable, but he tried to smile for her benefit.