FicWad

Strict Machine:

I feel like I did something bad here. Ever since I announced that Madison Bude was coming, nothing has been the same around here for days. I'm starting to feel the effects of her as well. Duncan and I don't have time for each other anymore. My headaches are getting worse each day. This Bude visit is cutting into our personal lives. Sighs It's all frustrating. But, what can I do?

That evening, I sat the kitchen table, eating dinner alone. My girls and I used to eat dinner together all of the time. Now, they are just too busy for me. Morgan's with Greg and Judy is with Meredith. I don't know. It's an age thing, I guess. The older your kids get, the less time they want to spend with you. Looks like another lonely night tonight.

Then, I heard the doorbell ring. I lifted my head from another forming headache./Huh? Who is that?/ Curious, I got up and walked over to the door. I peeked out at the peep hole. Duncan looked in, smiling at me. I found myself pleasantly surprised. I had to blink a few times to see if I was imaging things. No, my boyfriend was on the other side of my door. I unlocked and opened it a crack.

"Duncan!" I said. "What are you doing here?" He gave me a cute, little smile.

"Oh you know," he said. "I was just in the neighborhood and decided to stop by. This isn't a bad time, is it?" I quickly shook my head.

"No!" I said. "I was just about to have dinner by myself. Come in."

"Gladly," he said. My boyfriend walked inside. I closed the door behind him. We sat down at the table. Duncan watched me for a moment.

"I really wasn't expecting anybody over at this time of night," I said. He shrugged at me with that cute smile of his.

"What can I say?" he asked. I managed to smile for the first time this week. Duncan noticed my face.

"What's the wrong, Kath?" he asked. I tried to keep smiling.

"What do you mean?" I asked. He only shook his head at me.

"Come on, Kath," my boyfriend said. "I've known you for years. You always try to act like everything is fine when it isn't. What's the matter?" My smile became to fade away. I had forgotten how well he can see through me. Damn it, he caught me! Well, I might as well say it. I lowered my head and sighed to the table.

"Fine," I mumbled.

"Work's gotten to you too?" Duncan asked. I looked up at him, surprised.

"Does it show?" I asked. He nodded at me.

"Yeah," my boyfriend said in a low voice. I breathed out as I dropped my head on the table again.

"What happened to all of us?" I asked. He shrugged at me.

"QB," he said.

"Her name is Madison Bude," I corrected.

"Oh," he mouthed at me. I peeked up at him.

"But yes," I added on. "She is a factor in this." I sighed out loud. "I don't know what I'm going to do," I complained. "If this keeps up, we're all going to lost it." Duncan gave me his kind, little smile.

"There, there," he said. "We all just need to relax." I looked up at him, oddly.

"How?" I asked. Duncan didn't answer me. He just got up from the table and came around behind me. I felt him place his soft, lotioned hands on my shoulders and rub on them. I was about to speak when he shushed him.

"Don't talk," he whispered. "Just close your eyes and relax." I didn't know how to react at first. Finally, I closed my eyes and did as he said.

"There, you see?" he whispered. "Just let me take care of things from here, okay?"

"Alright," I mumbled.

"Very good," my boyfriend whispered. He kept on rubbing on his shoulders. I whimpered in amazed happiness. For once in days, I began to feel relaxed.

Today's the Macy's Day Parade