When I reach Maddy’s Tavern, the lights are off as I suspected they would be. If my plan works, I am going to have to convince Maddy to keep the bar open a little longer, although I suppose part of her ambience is the exclusivity that comes with closing at a decent hour.
I stand outside her window and fumble with my phone. When everything is set, I take a deep breath and call her name. I must say it four or five times, but she never comes to the window. “Here goes nothing,” I say to myself as I press the button on my phone.
The musical sound and voice of Bryan Adams booms through my MP3 player. His lyrics to Please Forgive Me cascade toward her window as I hold the player up in my hands. I stand there, looking like a fool in love, as people walk by and stop. A small crowd gathers, and someone asks me who I’m apologizing to.
“Maddy. She’s the love of my life and I messed up bad.”
“Dude, did you cheat?” someone asks.
“No, I would never.”
My new group of friends start singing, while a couple of them start to chant Maddy’s name. I don’t know if this is going to do me any good, but I’m willing to take all the help I can get. When the room illuminates, everyone cheers, but I still stand there, with my arms stretched toward her window and the music playing.
Madeline Metcalf, the love of my life, appears in the window. She opens it and leans out. “What the hell are you doing?”
“He’s telling you he’s sorry,” one of my groupies calls out.
I drop my arms and stop the music.
“Oh yeah, did he tell you what he did?” she asks the group.
“He didn’t cheat so that’s a bonus,” a stranger replies.
Maddy scoffs. “He lied about who he truly is.”
“Really, man?” the guy next to me says. “Who the hell are you?”
I nod and turn to face the crowd. “I did. I lied to her because I’m bound by contract to keep my work identity a secret.” I turn back toward her window. “But I never lied about how much I love her. Those words and feelings have always been true. I’m sorry, Maddy. I truly am. I wish I could’ve told you everything, but I couldn’t.”
“Maddy, give him another chance,” one person says.
“He’s sorry, clearly,” says another.
“The man is playing Bryan Adams for you—that shit is gold!” another adds.
“Maddy,” I say as I step away from the group. “You’ll never know how sorry I am for everything. But I’m here, and I’m staying.”
“You moved to Chicago?” she hollers toward me.
“I did because you’re worth it.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t know if I can trust you.”
I nod but suspect she can’t see me through the dimming street lights. “Give me a chance to prove my worth to you, Madeline. That’s all I ask.”
“Hell, if she doesn’t, show me where to sign up.”
I crack a smile but never take my eyes off Maddy. She disappears from the window and her light shuts off. My shoulders sag and the people around me start chanting her name again. When the door leading to her apartment opens, everyone erupts in cheers.
We walk toward each other and as much as I’d love to press my lips to hers, I don’t. Instead, I look her in the eyes and say, “My job doesn’t define who I am. Deep in your heart, you know who I am. I’m the guy who loves you, standing here on the street, surrounded by people I don’t know, asking you to love me back.”
9
Madeline
Adam walks toward me, his blue eyes focused on mine. “My job doesn’t define who I am. Deep in your heart, you know who I am. I’m the guy who loves you, standing here on the street, surrounded by people I don’t know, asking you to love me back.”
I never expected to see Adam again. Hell, I didn’t want to see him. At least, that’s what I thought. Turns out, I was very wrong. Seeing him again makes all my feelings come back with a vengeance. Now, he’s right in front of me. So close.
“Please say you can love me again, Maddy,” he begs. “I need you to forgive me. There’s so much I have to tell you.”
“Give him a chance!” one of the ladies in the group shouts. “He’s cute!”
Adam laughs and I can’t help but join him. His groupies disperse and we’re finally left alone. It’s as if all the anger melts away. Maybe I was too hard on him. I close the distance between us, his body just an inch from mine as I look up at him. He looks down at my lips and I know he’s dying to kiss me.
“Took you long enough. Three weeks is a little extreme, don’t you think?”