Second Chance - 4

 | 1 Month Later |

"Sometimes I ignore them, like you said and others I cant help it, I totally lose my cool ..." Celia, Maddox's sister was recalling a couple days ago when she was trying to cope with bullies at her high school. She was a senior, but still managed to feel like an outcast. She sat there, looking at Maddox lying there, that's when someone walked in, she looked up, "uh hi, can I help you?" She wiped the tears from her face and stood from the chair next to Maddox's bed, "were you seeing my brother?" She knew his only type, since she could remember was pretty black girls.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhh ... No." Janine smiled, "I'm just a coworker," then held up the flowers she was holding. "I can come back though."

"No it's fine, I'm always here," she motioned to the chair, "come and sit down. What's your name?"

"Janine." She took the seat and shook her hand. "Sister? You look alike."

"Yeah, thanks ..." she smiled, "i get that a lot, however if you saw our brother Trent, now that's his doppelganger." She chuckled, "so how long have you worked with him?"

"Just a couple of weeks before the accident. I was supposed to be training to be one of his underlings," she chuckled.

"Oh, my brother the big boss. Only position he can handle, otherwise he gets in trouble for being a smart ass, too bad you didn't get to know him better. He'd probably fall in love. You're beautiful and black, the only prerequisites he has for dating," she half joked with a smirk.

She chuckled. Janine had heard from the women in the office about his dating habits. "He probably wouldn't have liked me much. I like to argue."

"If i know my brother way i know i do, that would be perfect ..." she chuckled, "he would kill me right now if he could, tellin his business, he knows i cant hold water."

"Oooooh. You've got the dirt." Janine paused and stared at the man hooked up to those machines, then looked at Celia, "any change?"

"Nope. He's gonna be the same jerk he's always been, keep us waiting and wake up in a year or so and ask us, what took US so long. I really and truly miss my big brother. he is my support system." She sighed as her eyes began to water, "I'll leave you to it," Celia left out of the room.

The door closed and Janine frowned. "Your sister is ... Pretty great. Well... I don't have any updates for you. All the season finales have happened and there's nothing else on worth mentioning." After a long silence, Janine told him, "I hope you wake up. No one at work can really do what you do and ... You should have asked me out. If your sister thinks we would have worked out, I believe her." She stood, "hurry and get up so we can talk for real. See you later." 

+++

| 1 Year Later | 

"This kid is smarter than you are," Celia was joking around as she played with her nephew. Maddox and Janine had a little boy a few months back.

"I wouldnt have it any other way," Maddox said proudly.

Janine handed Celia a bottle, "i think he made my hair fall out. It's an omen."

"But he's so perfect," Celia cooed at the baby as she took the bottle and began to feed him.

"Look at this ..." Janine held her head towards Maddox. Shed gotten a haircut during the pregnancy because so much hair was coming out. It looked fine now, just shorter.

"i see you halle berry ..." maddox kissed her on the lips, "you look fine baby."

"I've always had hair. It was my crowning glory!"

"But this IS sexy." He ran a hand down the back of her head.

She calmed, "as long as you think so." Sitting down, "Lia what's new?"

"living freshman campus life. It's fascinating how different college is from high school, no one is giving me a hard time yet."

"Good. If they do, you call me. I'll go up there. I ain't scared."

"I love it though, i've already met a couple of cool people too."

Janine and Celia chatted a while longer, then she went upstairs to a bedroom since she was visiting for the weekend. "Hey..." Janine got right in Maddoxs face and smiled, "let's ditch the baby and go out. Celia will watch him. He's sleep anyway."

"You bad parent you...' he smirked, "I'm down."

"Yes!" Janine got out of bed and went to the closet, "how sexy will i be? I think I'll go moderately. Let's do a bar."

The two of them got dressed and headed to a bar called Scripts where they held adult plays and comedy shows. Maddox wore a henley, nice jeans, timbs and a fitted cap. he put his arm around Janine, "we needed this right?" He looked down to Janine, "baby, You are so fuckin gorgeous. How did i get this lucky?" he admired her for a moment.

"Babe..." Janine shook her head and looked at him, then kissed him. His compliments were always genuine and she always blushed as if they were first dating. "thank you... You're pretty amazing yourself. I'm just as lucky." 

"We have a table up front," the hostess told them. "if you want it... Most don't."

"Uhhh balls out tonight, let's do it.." maddox chuckled and looked to janine, "no time to be a punk."

"I'm ready." then she nodded at the hostess who walked them to a front table. "Don't cuss anybody out," Janine told him.

"No promises." He rested his arm on the back of her chair and they ordered drinks, thats when the comic was announced. Maddox immediately rolled his eyes, "i regret life right now.." he looked up on the stage as Hai, the worst possible person entered the stage.

Janine sighed. She didn't mind Hai but he had a unique ability to make Maddox blindly angry. "I havent seen him in a while," she mumbled.

"Big crowd... Looking good..." is how he started. Halfway through his set, he looked out to the crowd, "So many couples..." 

That's when Janine started praying.

"I'm gonna fuckin kill him." maddox mutterered

"Y'all tryna make feel bad for being alone," hai kept on, "so many assholes get the good women... Take this guy for example..." he motioned to Maddox, "he's a grade a dick with a woman like that ... Lemme shoot my shot," he looked to Janine, "Me?! I'm competent. Don't sleep on the job often. Clean the refrigerator everyday at lunch... "

Maddox glared at him, "janine, I will murder him in front of EVERYONE."

"Drink your drink, baby..." Janine touched his leg, ignoring the comedian. 

Hai continued, "its like his nose is a radar. He always knew when i was trying to get something to eat. Look at it... Look at the beak. It's blipping like a space satellite."

The crowd laughed as maddox just mugged hai. it wasnt even what he was saying, it was just him, the person, he hated the kid, such a waste of human.

"I have never met a whiter man who thinks he's blacker than the women he dates. It's embarrassing. I apologize, for him, to every black person in the world." He kept going with his set, finally moving from Maddox to some other person. When it was over, he disappeared to applause. 

"Glad that's over," Janine looked at Maddox and then noted the band coming to set up.

"Yeah, me too, shouldve kicked his asss in front of all these people, see how he likes that. See how funny that is." He said calmly. Seriously considering it

Janine shook her head and ordered them both more drinks. Not long after the drinks were brought, Hai came out and pulled up a chair at their table. "How'd you like my set, x-boss?" He smiled real big.

"Hilarious." Maddox said dryly

"That's what I thought!" He moved his chair close to Janine, "did something happen to you?"

She looked at him crazy, "what are you talking about?"

"I mean ... I aint tryin to be rude but... You bald. You needed the hair cause your head is small."

Janine picked up her drink, sipped it and tossed it in his face. "Get away from me," she was still sensitive about her hair.

"MAN!" Hai backed up and stood, "what I say?"

Maddox stood up and pushed hai away from the table, "say some more slick shit to my wife again and see what the fuck go down."

"You aint gon do SHIT! SECURITY!" Hai yelled out.

Janine's jaw dropped, "are you serious right now?"

The security guard walked over and Hai pointed at Maddox, in his face, "I have been assaulted!"

"Tell that dip shit to quit being disrespectful to my wife and wont be a problem."

"This mufucka can't take a joke!" He pointed at both Maddox and Janine.

"Look." The security guard said, "if you can't take being heckled in the front row at a comedy show, you should try going to a different place. Let's go ..." He got ready to turn Maddox around.

"No no, thats not how this is gonna work. Its not about the show. Its about what he just said to her right now. Im a grown ass man, you're not about to turn me around like a little ass kid."

"GET HIM OUTTA HERE, PERCY!" Hai yelled.

"Hey!" A nosey black couple that was table behind them stood up, "he went to their table starting shit. I got video!" The woman tossed her weave around and walked her phone to the security guard and played it.

"This is my wife's first night out after having my son, this muthafuca is startin shit. Keep the lil asshole away from my table.

Percy looked at Hai, "you're always in the middle of something. Your set is over, go home."

Hai immediately started cursing but walked away.

Janine sighed and thanked the couple, then she and Maddox sat back down, "you good?" She asked him.

"Yeah im fine, and you look beautiful. Fuck that kid..."

+++

| 6 Months Later |

Lynn battled Doc to keep Maddox on life support. She then had him moved to their home into a bedroom that was fitted with the proper equipment. Only a few months after the move, and while Lynn was reading to him, Maddox opened his eyes. "Maddie!?"

Maddox looked at her trying to say something but couldnt as his moth was so dry. He began coughing a little.

"DOC! DOC!" She started yelling, then got her own water bottle and gently held it to his lips. At least he could move his mouth. That's a plus. "Oh baby ..." She gently poured the water in in small drips and started crying.

Doc came in and couldnt believe his eyes, "finally ..." he sat on the side of Maddox.

"I need to call the doctor," Lynn announced, then handed the water to Doc, kissed Maddox on the forehead and ran to get her cell phone.

Maddox wanted to talk but couldnt. Not even something quick witted and snarky since his dad had the nerve to have tears in his eyes. It would be something he'd do in the middle of something so serious

"The doctor is coming," Lynn came back with the phone on her ear. She was answering questions, then put the phone away and moved Doc off the bed so she could sit in that spot.

Half an hour later, as the doctor was checking Maddox's vitals, he erupted in a fit of seizures. 

+++ 

"What are you doing? You can't go in there!" Jeremiah Tanner was Maddox's partner. They were detectives for the Portland Police Department. Both of them were standing outside a restaurant where someone they needed to talk to was inside. "We don't have a warrant, Ames!"

"Look, im tired of the fuckin hold up," maddox ames was the cop who broke the law all the time. He was fearless and uninhibited, "shit, if they wont come to us."

Jeremiah sat in the car a few more moments, thinking Maddox would come back but ... When would he ever. Getting out of the car, Jeremiah jogged up next to him, "we're only talking. That's all." He put a hand on Maddox's shoulder, "don't shoot anybody got damnit."

As long as the sonofabitch keeps it cool there will be no issues

"Jesus ..." Jeremiah made the sign of the cross over his body and followed Maddox into the restaurant. THey flashed their badges and walked past the host, through the kitchen and to a back room. 

They knocked and small piece of the door slid open. Jeremiah held up his badge and the latino man rolled his eyes and turned around, talking in spanish. A few minutes after, the door opened and the two were welcomed inside, "my two favorite detectives," Ricardo Montega stood up from a table that was perfectly empty except for the petite dark skinned woman that was draped across it in a sheer dress. She spoke to Ricardo in spanish, he kissed her, she slid off the table and went to lay across a chaise close by. "What do you want?" Ricardo asked them.

"We're looking for someone," Jeremiah started. "Word around town is you would know where to find him."

"I do not know what you speak of," he smiled.

"Hey chachi, we're not here for your no speaka-any english bullshit. Where the fuck is ernesto or we'll make business for you harder than it has to be." Maddox sat down, "how does no room to breathe sound. Not a single moment to conduct what you call business."

"I will remind you that you came into my place without a warrant," Ricardo smiled. "I will make sure to have my lawyer file a harassment suit on my behalf. You two are completely out of control."

The woman behind him chuckled quietly, then said something about a 'gringo' to someone close by her.

Ricardo continued, "better yet. I will call the mayor."

"No." Jeremiah shook his head, "we're not calling the mayor today," he tapped Maddox on the back, "come on . This was pointless."

"We'll see. ." He backed up, gently pushing over a bottle of champagne as it poured all over the table and floor. "Piece of shit.." they left

"You HAD to go in there swinging your balls around," they left the same way they came. "And I'm willing to bet that that bitch will be a tattle tale and call the captain."

"So what! And you aint do shit. "

"I'm not about to get put on the desk duty with you again!" Jeremiah lowered his voice.

"Then switch partners! I need one thats not a pussy anyway," he walked to the car so they could leave.

Second Chance - 3

 +++

It was nearly Christmas and Jeremiah snuck Maddox out while Janine was out with her girlfriends. "Your wife is killing our flow ..." Jeremiah said to Maddox as they got in his car. "Do you HAVE to keep her?"

"Man, fuck outta here, she ain't going nowhere."

"Alright, alright!" They got into the car and drove off. The drive from beachside was almost 30 minutes before they pulled into a neighborhood with nice homes. They parked and walked a few houses down, then into a house. Music was going, but not too loud. There were poker tables and other card games set up all over the first floor and bars set up on the second landing overlooking downstairs. Jeremiah whispered, "just have my back at the tables, man."

"Not a problem " Maddox just looked around.

They walked through, spoke to a few folks, then they walked up to the guy who apparently owned the place, "Maddox ... This is Antonio. Antonio ... Maddox," Jeremiah introduced them.

Antonio raised an eyebrow at Jeremiah, then shook hands with Maddox. He then turned back to Antonio, "are your hands clean this time?"

Jeremiah raised them like he was surrendering, "hospital grade antimicrobial cleansers, bro,"

"Enjoy yourselves," he chuckled and walked away.

Jeremiah looked at Maddox and grinned, "lets get a seat somewhere."

"What was that about?"

"Nothing," they sat at a Blackjack table, "he's just being funny," Jeremiah assured him. "If there were a problem, I wouldn't have been invited. Right?" He turned to a young woman walking with gambling chips. He traded a wad of cash for some chips, then looked at the dealer, 'deal me in."

Half an hour they sat at the Blackjack table. Jeremiah walked away with a little over 5grand. He grinned at Maddox, "you not playing?" He held out some money to him.

"Nah im good.." Maddox looked around, "you done?"

"No way. Too many suckers around here ... Let's get drinks," they went upstairs and greeted the woman who was working the small bar. Jeremiah chatted with her while looking around a bit, then he and Maddox walked back downstairs, "new dealer at the black jack table. We can go there or somewhere else. Aye ... Roulette." They walked in that direction, "come on ... Try not to have a stick up your ass tonight, man."

"Alright alright..." Maddox went into his wallet and headed to the poker table, pulled out 5 100 dollar bills and looked to Jeremiah, "go big or go home huh?"

"Exactly." They stood playing roulette. Both of them winning ever so often. Halfway through, Jeremiah put a big pile of chips on the table on Red25, kissed the dice and then threw them. He hit and started yelling. He hit again, then two more times. After the last time, he started scooping up his chips, "alright, we good, let's go," he looked around, holding all the chips and rushed over to the cash-out table. He smiled at the girl as she counted out his and Maddox's winnings. As she was loading the money into a briefcase, Jeremiah started to get antsy. The two of them started to the door. Jeremiah noticed the roulette guy pointing at them and then security came. "Shit! Move it!" He said to Maddox as they started running.

"Fuck! are you shittin me?" Maddox took off running putting his All-State gold medal in Track to good use. 

Jeremiah grinned as they weaved through the crowd quickly. A lot of 'STOP' and 'HEY' and 'GET THOSE ASSHOLES' were heard as the two men were stopped at the door by a guard. Jeremiah looked around, then hit the dude in the face with his briefcase and hauled ass out of there. "Catch!" He told Maddox. He tossed his briefcase to him and pulled his keys from his pocket. He unlocked the car and started it with the keyless entry. They got in and drove away. "SHIT! THAT WAS CLOSE!" Jeremiah was pounding on the wheel out of sheer excitement as they drove away.

Maddox was fuming. He looked to him, "I told you to keep me out of your shit because of my wife. You really that fuckin selfish, knowing i could lose her if we end up getting caught because of your bullshit?!"

"It was just some weighted dice. Chill ... Besides ... She won't leave you, man. And look! We got away clean."

"Principle man, principle. Take me home."

"Damn dude. Lighten up!" Jeremiah smiled, "how much you win? Huh? How much?"

"7 Gs.." he paused, "and i'm not kidding, take me home."

"I got 15. Just show her the money and you be alright." They drove to Maddox's house. "I'll see you Sunday for the game."

"Yep.." they slapped hands and Maddox got out and went inside his house.

Janine hadn't long gotten home. She was standing in the foyer with her heels in one hand and cell phone in the other. She'd just opened her Messages to send one to Maddox when she heard the door open. She turned, "there you are."

"Hey love..." he grabbed her by her head and kissed her lips, "i missed you."

"I missed you too. Anya and the girls and i went for happy hour." she started walking off but looked at the briefcase, "what's that?"

"Nothing baby, just did a little light gambling," he sat it on the coffee table.

Janine frowned but also smiled a little, "at least you didn't come home broke."

"I want you to take half of it and do whatever you want with it. I'm putting the rest in our retirement savings."

She laughed, "just put it all in there. We're about to start having kids and kids are notoriously expensive."

"True..." Maddox sighed, loosening his tie.

"You okay?" she looked him over a good while.

"Just a little pissed, but I'll be cool baby, dont worry. Want to get a shower in?" He pulled the tie off and then started unbuttoning his shirt as they stood in the livingroom.

She dropped her heels and took her hair down. She didn't know what he got into while gambling but he looked tense. Must have been with that fucker Jeremiah. Walking to him, she helped him undo his pants then took off her dress, "let's go."

+++

Second Chance - 2

"He's not here," Janine lied. She couldn't stand Jeremiah. He was always getting Maddox into some shit. Sometimes, Janine had to get them both of out jail and sometimes someone went to the hospital. Then there was the one time he got Maddox fired from his job. So hell no. Jeremiah was not getting in.

"His car is right there!" Jeremiah waved in the general direction of the driveway.

"He's not here!" Janine said a little bit louder and then started to close the door in his face.

"Yo! Open that door for my boy," Maddox reached over her head and pulled the door open, "whats good man? "

"Aye!" Jeremiah hugged Maddox.

Janine rolled her eyes, extra hard, and then shut the door, then walked away. 

"What you got going on today?" He asked Maddox. "Cause I got something big happening and I need a plus 1."

"Nothing really, what is it?"

"A Party. Put on a suit and I'll send a car for you. We're gonna talk business so i need your math whiz brain."

"Who are these muthafuckas at the party? Janine specifically told me, 'if you get into some shit with jeremiah, you'll homeless' i can't piss her off again."

"No no no no," Jeremiah shook his head, "its just business. A few drinks, some big money men... It'll be simple. I promise."

"Alright, im in."

"Cool. I’ll send a car around 7:30." Jeremiah gave him a big smile and then let himself out.

Maddox went to lock the door, but before turning around, he felt a presence, "look, I’ll eat your pussy so good you forget about how irritated you are with me. C’mon ..." he patted a table top in the foyer.

Janine remained standing with her arms folded across her chest. "I'm not going to tell you to not go," she started, "and i appreciate you thinking of me kicking you out WHEN something happens," she approached him, "but he is bad news and you know it."

"Baby, listen, that is my brother, known him all my life. Even before you. I cant stop the train from rolling. I love you more than life itself, however, he is my family. Now... table? Im talkin good to the point you can’t unravel your legs from around my head. You passin?"

"Yes. I'm passing until you come home unharmed and not in any kind of trouble ... Tonight... Not tomorrow." She started walking up the other room.

"Hey, cmere ..." Maddox walked up a few stairs and grabbbed her hand, bringing her back down. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her temple, "I love you and i will be home by 1 at the latest."

"You better," she rubbed his back, "or I'm calling the cavalry." She meant his uncles.

"Look, i hear you." He walked off to shower.

+++

| 1 Week Later |

"What the hell did you do to yourself?" Sasha, Maddox's ex-girlfriend, questioned while she rubbed his head. They were long broken up and weren't even on good terms and yet she came to see him. Beginning to cry she laid her head on his chest.

+++

Maddox and Janine were sitting at a table looking through their menus and talking kids. They both wanted to grow their family but we're just trying to discuss details, "we need to figure a way to have a boy first."

Janine frowned, "gender selection is a thing. Celebrities do it." Although Janine wasn't a fan of jacking with whatever God decided. And this was doing exactly that.

"Let's do it," he smirked, truth was, he'd be happy with whatever they got.

She nodded, "okay." Then she smiled, "our first baby. I'm ... Excited already. He's going to look just like you."

Grabbing her hand he winked when they heard a clearing of someone's throat. Janine followed the noise and saw Sasha, Maddox’s ex-girlfriend, standing by the table. Janine wanted to roll her eyes so badly but instead, kept holding on to Maddox's hand and looking at her, waiting for her to tell them what the fuck she wanted.

"Maddox ..." Sasha greeted him, then glanced at Janine briefly, "hello."

"Uh huh," Janine responded.

"Just saw you two and decided to say hi.." she smiled warmly at the both of them even though she knew Janine didn't like her and she didn't care.

"How you doin girl?" He didn't dare get up and hug her, Janine would tear him a new one.

"Great. Just opened my third boutique downtown. Grabbing a late dinner after closing now." she smiled, "what are you two having?" 

'Married couple time,' Janine said to herself, then answered, "trying the sea bass."

Sasha nodded, feeling the ice from the table. "Well I better get going, have a good night."

"You too, Sash." Maddox watched her walk off and then looked to Janine, "yeah he I traded up." He said knowing she was watching him stare.

"Do you know why my claws come out when she shows up?" Janine finally let go of Maddox's hand and leaned back in her chair, then started picking over her food.

"No, but I'm sure you're about to tell me." He listened.

Janine chuckled, "because despite how different she and I are ... We're both your type," she paused, "you've always made me crazy."

"So you wanted to be crazy for life huh. Lucky us ..." He chuckled again, "she is so far in my past, baby, I'm over her." Sasha broke his heart. She was Maddox’s first real heart break experience; sleeping with and leaving him for his best friend, Cordell.

"I know. But I can't help it. It's instinctual I think. I know what she was to you and at the time you and I met ... I didn't think I was your type at all." Smiling, "there you were in your nice big office ... Young ... Good looking ... I mean you're still young and good looking ... But it made sense that you'd gotten that far so fast while I was coming in as an intern."

"Yeah but she broke my heart. Why would I ever go back to that. Love is winning over here. LET IT WIN!"

"It's winning ... It's winning." She shook her head and went back to eating her food.

+++

Jeremiah came back to see Maddox before he was supposed to leave town. He left flowers, told a couple of dirty jokes and then promised to come again next week when he had some downtime from work. When he left, Janine passed him on her way in. She did NOT want to go. But shit, the boss was making her, "hi Maddox," she said in a cheery tone. "I don't have any Game of Thrones updates for you but I may have a spoiler for The Walking Dead." Once Janine told him and put some flowers down, she looked around the cold hospital room and sighed. She hated hospital rooms and hated even more the fact that a man this fine was destroyed for life. She missed her chance if she ever had one. She gently pulled the sheet up over his torso, "it's cold in here," then patted his hand, "goodnight."

Second Chance - 1

"How much can you really hear?"Janine Hines looked at a doctor while asking the question. She'd come straight from work in a black knee-length dress and heels. Her hair, usually in a mass of natural curls, was straightened and falling to the middle of her back. With such brown skin, her blue eyes were almost a shock to people and always drew their attention. Now her eyes were trained on the hospital bed in front of her. A guy she barely knew was in a hospital bed; in a coma. They'd only met a couple of weeks ago at work, never gone out, but their boss insisted everyone from the office take the time to stop by and take a flower or something. The hospital room wasn't big, but it was clean and the open window had a nice view of the city below. The man in bed still had scars. If Janine remembered correctly, he'd been drunk driving and wrapped his car around a tree trunk.

"Everything," the doctor responded. "Of course ... When they come out of the coma, they may not remember, but they hear you. And sometimes they remember. Usually someone will say a phrase that stuck with them while they were in the coma, and it will jog a small piece of memory." The doctor wouldn't give the co-worker any details. Definitely wouldn't tell her that he wasn't getting any better, but maintained that the man in bed, Maddox Ames, was comfortable.

"Okay ..." Janine took a seat in a nearby chair. She really had no interest in staying long but she felt bad for the guy, "since you watch Game of Thrones ... and you missed the last episode, I'll fill you in." She started to talk, giving him a run down of what happened. When she was finished, she picked up her purse, "good luck," she gently squeezed his hand and left.


+++
Yea. You could really hear things while you were in a coma. Maddox didn't realize that along with hearing her, he could actually feel her if she touched him. It was gentle and seemed far away but she definitely touched him before she left. As soon as the feeling brushed across his subconscious, he dipped further into his coma.

Every day after she left, Maddox had a recurring dream. The bulk of the dream was always the same, but the end of it would be just a little different each time. He and his wife, Janine, were sitting on a back porch. Calming waves rushing the shore not far from the beach house they lived in. He had his hand resting on hers, that she squeezed gently when he touched her. He smiled softly, realizing the voice he'd heard speaking to him in that hospital room belonged to the woman sitting next to him on that porch. 

Maddox had been in that bed going on 2 weeks at that point, 3 weeks total. All because of a stupid mistake.The car wreck resulted in the coma, a broken neck and legs. His family was going to kill him, he knew that due to the constant reminders they gave him when visiting. Until then, he'd be milking this coma. It was all he could do at that point anyway.

"I'm thinking I should probably learn how to swim ..." In the dream, Janine was sitting next to him on that porch. She was absently drawing a circle on Maddox's hand with her middle fingertip. "Every time I go a certain distance out to the water, I think I'm going to get knocked over and BOOM ... I'm dead ... Dead in paradise." She glanced at him, catching the side of his face.

"I dont know I believe thats how it would go down. For someone who is as amazing as you are, amazing never dies. I have a feeling that if you died, youd live on by haunting all of us mortals."

Janine inhaled deeply through her teeth and leaned back further in her chair, "I could see myself doing that. My ghost would be decked out in dress made of gold. I'd have big braids piled up high on my head and a gold sheen all over my body. Who wouldn't want to get haunted by that?" She smiled and closed her eyes, "wouldn't you want to? I'd even be extra bitchy to the women you date after my death."

He nodded, "haunt me all you want, get all that gold shit all over my body. I insist. Hell, i wouldnt be mad."

"You're so easy to please."
+++


Inside Maddox's hospital room was his mother, Lynn. The family decided to pull the plug but didn't know when they'd do it. Lynn was a wreck. Doc convinced her that this was better for Maddox than continuing to be a non responsive vegetable for however much longer he had in that bed. "Oh honey ..." Lynn rubbed Maddox's forehead, "I don't know if I'm doing the right thing. You can't be happy like this ... but ..." She'd take care of him. It's not like they were strapped for cash. Lynn started to consider moving Maddox back home and having a room outfitted with the hospital grade equipment. She'd take care of him until he passed away on his own. "You should have gotten married like I told you to," she forced a laugh but it came out strained. After a long silence, Lynn leaned back in the recliner next to the hospital bed, and drifted to sleep.


+++
| Days Later |

"Hey! I said put that down!" Janine walked towards Maddox, who had a butter knife in his hand and walking towards a warm pie. Janine was holding a spoon that had cake batter on it. "It's not ready yet and I told your mother she'd get first crack at it. You cutting a piece will make it look ... Less than stellar."

"Why would you lie to her? You know old people hold grudges. You fucked up.." he continued going for it.

"Don't ... You ..." She watched Maddox get ready to dip a knife into the pie, "I will ..." Then she slung cake batter at him, hitting him in the face, "warned you." She smiled, proud of herself.

"For real? Cake batter on my new fade? Thats really how you feel? You want a whoopin?" He began to remove his belt. At 6'4'', it looked like Maddox was stalking his 5'2'' wife. Janine often thought that Maddox's blonde hair glowed in the sun and his blue eyes sparkled like the ocean. God, was the man good looking. He knew it, and used it to his advantage.

"Don't you take that shit off! You watch too much Narcos," then snatched the pie and walked off.

"Yeah, and in a minute, you're about to be callin me narcos.." Walking behind her and pulling the belt completely out of the loops, Maddox watched her sit the pie down and then snatched her by her wrist, "you could take this standing or over my knee, you choose?"

Janine heaved a sigh and then motioned to the chair for Maddox to sit. When he did, she draped herself over his lap and laughed, "I can't stand you. Cake on your face and you're starting something."

"Yeah, fuck yeah. When you feel whats coming to you, just remember it was your doing." He lifted the long dress she was wearing above her butt and then pulled her panties to her mid thigh, "any last minute requests? "

"Be gentle ... Unless it's with your hand, then I want you to leave a print," she winked at him.
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| 1 Week Later |

Jeremiah Tanner was Maddox's best friend growing up. He stood 6'1'' and more brawny than Maddox. With brown hair and brown eyes, Jeremiah was just as handsome but had a much easier smile than Maddox. They hadn't seen each other in a few years but still kept in general contact. He flew into the city on business but stopped by to see him. The nurse was on her way out as he was coming in, "how long will he be like this?"

"Hard to say," she answered. "He's comfortable," she assured him, "but he is paralyzed from the neck down." 

"The neck down?!" Jeremiah looked at her in disbelief, then at Maddox, "how the fuck did you do this to yourself?"

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"Can I borrow him for a minute?" Jeremiah was hanging on the inside of the doorframe to Maddox and Janine's beach house. He was smiling all slick at Janine and then looked around behind her. Jeremiah was in a simple pair of jeans, Lebron's on his feet, and a clean white t-shirt.