Teariffic Reunion| Maddox & Alice
Maddox had been keeping tabs on Alice since him and Harris had come to town, but they had yet to actually reunite. He was working in the tea shop restocking some of the shelves when he heard the door open. "I'll be right with you." He said, glancing over to see Alice. Maddox nearly dropped the merchandise, but managed to sit it on a table instead. "Oh Alice. I knew you'd find me." He smiled.
Alice was a connoisseur for tea, so when there was a specialty shop she had yet been to, she decided to go. Plus, it would be a nice distraction from what happened to her neighbor and friend. She walked in through the door, hearing the quiet jingle before freezing. The man by the shelves. She knew him. A bright smile appeared on her face before she ran to him, “Maddox?”
He chuckled and nodded. "Yes it's me." Maddox nodded, pulling her into a hug. "It's great to see you again." He said placing a kiss on the top of her head. "How are you, Ali?" He asked, pulling back to look her over properly.
She returned the hug immediately, feeling herself clinging to the familiarity. How many years had it been? Her eyes started to tear up from the kiss on her head before she shook her head and looked up at him, “Things haven’t been well at all. But, I’m just so grateful to see you again— you work at this tea shop?”
Maddox had honestly thought about their reunion many times and had thought about what he'd wanted to say, but all that had gone out the window as soon as he saw her. He frowned at her response. "Why not? What's wrong?" He asked. "Oh this place? I actually own it, well Harris and I own it together. Would you like a cup of tea and a cookie?" He inquired.
She wiped at her eyes, hoping to will the tears not to fall, but it was too late. They were spilling as she stared up at her oldest friend. “My friend... my friend is in the hospital. Carbon monoxide poisoning and maybe more...” and there was more that upset her, but she wasn’t ready to spill that yet. “You own it? Maddox, I’m so proud of you!” Alice hugged him tight again. “You know me, I would love tea and a cookie... it is a gloomy day.”
"Oh no no no don't cry." He said as he bit his lip. "Oh yes I believe I saw something about that somewhere. I'm terribly sorry that he's your friend. I mean that that happened to your friend." He corrected. He grinned when she said she wax proud. Maddox hugged her back, rubbing her back comfortingly. "Very well then you shall have them on the house. He replied gesturing for her to sit down at one of the tables and looking her over for a moment. "Peachy Keen. That's the one." He decided before going to brew her a cup of tea and get her a special cookie, figuring she could use it with what she was going through.
“I’m not... trying to. It’s just I’m so happy to see you,” she laughed through the tears. “I miss him already. But, Officer Charlie says he is getting better.” Alice giggles at his verbal slip up and shook her head. As she was led to a table, she quickly took her seat, watching as he chose the tea and went to brew it. She had to tell him. Somebody had to know. “Actually, Maddox, one other thing is very wrong and... I need to tell someone about it before I explode.” She laughed quietly, looking down to the table.
"Oh ok. Happy tears are acceptable." He said relaxing slightly. "Well see that's wonderful news. I'm sure he'll be back to normal in no time." Maddox assured. He told Harris to watch for customers since he was tending to Alice. He soon returned with the tea and a cookie tucked between the cup and saucer, sitting it in front of her. "Oh? Well you know you can always tell me anything." He assured reaching out and placing a hand on top of hers.
Alice offered him a little smile as she watched him at work. Spotting Harris, she offered him a small wave which he returned before going to finish the stocking. “Thank you,” she said quietly as the tea and cookie were set down. They smelled wonderful. When he took her hand, the tears threatened to spill again. She could barely say it, “I’m pregnant.”
"Of course." He said with a smile. He waited for her to say more, sensing that there was a serious issue. "You're...oh. I know you were kind of unsure about having kids, but this doesn't have to be the worst thing ever." He said. "You know what let me get you a different cookie." He said, taking the one he'd given her and going to grab one that wouldn't affect her.
“I just don’t know what I’m going to do. I mean, what if I’m not ready to be a mom? I’m only twenty-three, Maddox,” she continued to whisper, looking to him for any sort of advice. But then, the cookie was taken away. “Oh, is there... What’s wrong with that one? It looked fine.” Thankfully, she didn’t truly know anything was up. “You know chocolate chip is my favorite.”
"Hey. You are a very strong woman who can do impossible things. You can definitely handle being a mom." He assured her. "It could be worse. You could have gotten pregnant when you were a teenager." Maddox pointed out, trying to make her feel better. "Yes I know it's your favorite, but this one has...raisins in it which I'd momentarily forgotten that you didn't like. So I'm going to get you a true chocolate chip cookie." He lied, putting the other one away and quickly returning with a new cookie, slipping it onto the saucer. "So what does your boyfriend husband thing think?" He asked, not sure of her relationship status.
She sniffled as he said that, nodding and cupping her hands around the tea. He was right, maybe she could handle this. “Thank you. You’re right, I could have still been a teen mom. I have my own apartment, I’m independent... It could be so much worse,” but it didn’t mean this was the best case scenario. As he explained why he had to take the cookie away, she wrinkled her nose, “Oh, ew, I hate raisins. You’re right. Thank you for catching that before I took the worst bite of my life.” Once the new cookie was delivered, she took a big bite. Just in time for the hard question which had her nearly choking as he asked it. Alice swallowed and then answered, “My friend doesn’t know? I kind of... I ghosted him when I found out. We’re going to a trivia night this weekend though.”
"Of course I'm right." He grinned. "Exactly. You're a proper adult and sometimes proper adults have babies." Maddox nodded, glad she was trying to focus on the positive. He chuckled at her reaction. "Yes well you're welcome." Maddox reached a hand out to touch her arm when she nearly choked. "Are you ok?" Maddox nodded in understanding. "Ah friend. I'm sure he was not exactly pleased with that. Are you going to tell him? I mean unless he's a terrible person, I would think he kind of deserves to know. I know I would want to know if i had an unborn child out there somewhere. Thank God I'm gay." He said glad that he would never have to worry about getting someone pregnant.
She took a sip of her tea then, to recover from her near death by cookie, and offered him a grateful look. He was saying everything she needed to hear. It was as if they were never apart. Plus, he remembered her hatred of raisins— even if it was belated. “No, he found me at work and tried to talk about it... I only just reached out to him because what happened to chase made me realize life’s too fragile for a grudge.” Though, she already knew that with the disappearance of her father. “He’s a wonderful person, but... I don’t want him to know— I don’t really want anyone to know yet. I need an action plan... in case he reacts negatively. I want to try this on my own... Yes, be grateful you are. I wish I had chosen to be friends with benefits with a girl so this wouldn’t have happened.” Then, she caught sight of Harris, back at the counter and helping someone with a purchase. “Is the co-owner your...?”!
Maddox was glad that she'd believed the whole cookie thing, not wanting to have to explain that it had been a pot cookie. "To talk about the baby I thought...oh oh that you ghosted him, right. Sounds like he cares about you." He pointed out. "I won't tell anyone. Well he might actually help and if he wants nothing to do with it, then you have me and Harris. I'm sure your friends here would help too. Being a single mom isn't that strange nowadays." He shrugged. "You could have also just been more careful but I'm not one to judge." He said holding his hands up. "Hmm?" Maddox asked, looking over at Harris before looking back at Alice. "Oh. We're friends." He replied.
“Yeah, that I was a shitty friend.. Still am. I’ve been kind of... pushing people away,” she mumbled, telling the honest truth. “When the time is right, he’ll know, but right now, the time isn’t right. There’s been a murder, an attack, and creepy texts... A baby doesn’t need to be mentioned yet.” At the offer of help, she smiled sadly, “You would be the first person I would call. Or Joy— she’s been my best friend since I came to town.” When he looked back at Harris and confirmed their status, she nodded, “Ah, of course.”
"I get that it's scary, Ali, but you shouldn't push people away. People that care about you are very important to have." He said with a smile. "You shouldn't have to tell him till you're ready. Wait have you recieved any creepy texts?" He asked with concern in his voice. "Good. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one looking after you." He smiled. "Yes met in college and been best friends ever since."
“People like you. I’m so happy you moved here. I was worried honestly,” she smiled and put a hand on his arm after setting down her cup. “Only the weird ones at a party during Never Have I Ever. Nothing like... too bad, I guess.” She raised her eyebrows at his explanation of him and Harris. “Same major?”
"Yes exactly. People like me." He grinned and tapped against the table. "Worried about me?" Maddox asked with an eyebrow quirked. He placed a hand on top of hers, rubbing it gently. "Well that's good I suppose." He chuckled and shook his head. "No. He was going to study Astronomy, but he dropped out."
“I always worry about you when you’re away. You’ve been my best friend for so long,” Alice mumbled and met his eyes. She really meant it. After all, contact hadn’t been the best after all. “He dropped out? You didn’t drop out did you?”
"You don't need to worry about me. I'm a survivor, you know that, plus I'm not going anywhere." He assured her. He couldn't help but wonder which of them had worried the most about the other. "Yeah he didn't think it was worth it and got bored of it. No, no. Majored in horticulture. Ask me anything about plants and I probably know it." He chuckled. "But yeah he ended up living with me while I finished my degree and um now we're here." Maddox shrugged.
"A survivor, right," Alice smiled finally returning to her tea as she listened to him describe his school years. "Horticulture? Alright, can you tell me how to take care of the orchid in my apartment? It isn't going very well and no book at the library is helping me. Maybe I have some sort of deadly touch," she sipped at the tea. "And now you're here. Best friends forever, I assume."
"Yeah I always did love tea and plants are pretty cool, so I figured why not?" He responded with a shrug. "Yes I can absolutely help with that. Orchid's are such finicky little creatures, but they're beautiful so it's worth the hassle. I doubt it's you, Alice." Maddox assured, trying to think back to his knowledge on the flowers. "How much water are you giving it? Cause overwatering seems to be the biggest issue with them." Maddox nodded and smiled. "Yep, pretty much. And we opened a tea shop, which is pretty exciting. I can put my knowledge to good use."
"So, you'll help me choose which teas to leave here with, yes?" Alice asked, resting her hand on her cheek. "I definitely want this one-- it's decaf? I mean, I'm allowed caffeine but it's limited. Doctor's orders." She listened to his advice on the plant before going wide-eyed, "Wait, you can overwater a plant? Maddox! Where were you when I was practically drowning the poor thing?" Alice whined in embarrassment from the mistake before covering her face. She peeked out to look at Harris once more, however, "You definitely can... And he can help with...? Stocking?"
"Yes of course." He assured with a grin. "Right. Well tea doesn't have as much caffeine as coffee, but that one is herbal and I have a lot of herbal teas, so you can enjoy your tea guilt free." Maddox grinned. "Oh yes you definitely can. The soil doesn't need to be soaking wet. You definitely don't have to water it daily. It's usually approximately once a week, but every one is different. Sorry." He said. Maddox laughed. "He knows enough about tea to help customers out as well."
“Well, that’s a relief,” she smiled and took another drink from the herbal tea. “I feel like I should be taking notes on all of this. Because I absolutely know nothing about plants— except for which plants are cat friendly. Are plants baby safe? I’m sure they are but— Maybe you should come over soon to check my plants.” Alice offered. “Well, he sounds like the perfect business partner then.”
"I can print you up some instructions if you'd like." He offered. "I would be willing to bet if it's safe for a cat then it's probably safe for a baby. Plus it's not like your baby is going to be climbing and jumping up to the plants, at least not at first." He assured. "I can definitely come check it out though." Maddox added in. He shrugged and glanced over at Harris once more. "Yeah he's pretty great."
“That would be wonderful!” Alice beamed, seeming to come out of her melancholy funk for a moment. “Even if you don’t want to look at my plants, I would still enjoy you coming over to my apartment. It would be like old times except my mom won’t be asking when the wedding date is,” she rolled her eyes at that memory. Seeing Maddox glancing over at him, Harris offered a smile and a wave back, nearly toppling off of the step stool with the box of tea, but he caught himself and got back to work.
"I'll try to remember to do that and bring it when I come over." He nodded, making a mental note to do that. "You'll just need to tell me where you live." He said, not wanting Alice to know that he knew they were in the same apartment building already. He laughed and nodded. "Like old times but better." He replied. Maddox smiled and waved back, but his smile faltered and he nearly jumped up from his chair when Harris almost fell. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, before turning his attention back to Alice.
"Oh, I live in that apartment building that used to be a hotel, Shadyville Apartments? I'm in apartment 201," she told him with no hesitation. This was her childhood best friend after all. It would be rude if he didn't know where she lived. "Like old times but much, much better because we're adults and we can have way more fun together," she nodded. At Harris's near miss, Alice had to hide a little laugh. The guy seemed to be making a joke of it to a nearby customer.
"No way! We live there too." He said, hoping his surprise was convincing. "Harris and I are in 112 so right below you. Well the floor below you 101 would be right below you." Maddox smiled and laughed. "Yes we can have more adult fun." He grinned.
It was convincing because her eyes went wide in surprise before a grin spread across her face, "Really? That's wonderful! It means we could see each other practically every day-- as long as you don't grow tired of me." 112, she'd passed that room many times. Alice tried thinking now of who his neighbors were and if she knew any of them. "Well, more adult fun as long as it doesn't include alcohol, fish, too much caffeine, or," her voice dropped to a whisper, "drugs. No more party girl Alice."
Maddox relaxed slightly as she believed him, glad he'd be convincing. It wouldn't be the worse if she found out that he moved there because if her, but he didn't think she would appreciate being checked upon like she wasn't an adult. "Yeah small world." He chuckled. "I don't think I could ever get tired of you Alice." He assured, honestly excited to have her friendship once more. "Right because of the wee one to be. I'm sure that we can still have plenty of fun without all of that. I don't do a lot of that anymore anyways. Reality isn't so bad to live in." He nodded.
Setting down her empty teacup beside the saucer that once had a cookie, Alice looked Maddox over. She wondered if there were any changes or obvious differences since they last saw each other, but... There was nothing. He was still her Maddox. "Good, because now that you live here, you aren't getting rid of me any time soon. Even if you try to," the girl smiled. "The wee one to be. Yes, the little baby whatever it is. We can have lots of fun watching movies or playing board games or whatever morning sickness will allow of me," she almost debated about reality not being so bad, but Alice bit her tongue. "I'm happy you had a choice in getting out of it... Though, I suppose I had one too."
Maddox glanced down to see that she was done with her tea. "Delicious right?" He asked. "I wouldn't even dream of getting rid of you. So nothing to worry about there." Maddox said, not planning on ignoring her or anything. He made a face at the mention of morning sickness. "I'm sorry you have to deal with that. I wonder if peppermint tea could help with that." He mused thinking about how it was good for stomach problems but this was a little different. Maddox shrugged. "I just realized I wasn't going to get far in school if I kept up the way I was. Maybe this is a good thing for you."
"Extremely. I've never had peach tea before if I'm honest. Plus, it always helps to have my favorite kind of cookie," she smiled. "Good, because even if you tried to get rid of me, it wouldn't work." The girl warned. She grimaced at the face he pulled, maybe it wasn't the right thing to mention. However, it was her reality. "Peppermint tea? Do you sell that here? Maybe I will try it." A sad laugh left her as he mentioned the pregnancy possibly being a good thing before nodding, "Yeah, like some sort of divine punishment."
"Really? Well I'm glad you like it. Yes I can see that." He said, smiling. "A good cup of tea and a cookie can solve most problems." That was Maddox's opinion anyway. "Yes of course. Pep me up peppermint." He nodded. "I'll get you some of that as well as some other herbal varieties." He said, moving to stand up and take her cup and saucer. "Be positive Ali. Maybe it's not a punishment. I have a feeling that little one is going to come and you're going to be so in love with it."
It was also an opinion Alice shared as her smile only grew, "My dad used to say the same thing-- but... You know that." Mentioning him brought a moment of heartache, but she knew he would be happy they were together again. Alice watched him get to his feet, standing as well to at least try to help before remembering she was the customer in this situation. "Thank you, Mads." At his reassurance, a hand instinctively moved to rest over her stomach, "You're right. Maybe it's... Just what I need." That had been the reason she decided to carry to term. There was a missing piece of her family. "Exactly what I need."
"Yes I remember. He taught me quite a few valuable life lessons." He nodded with a small sad smile at the memory. He'd wished that he could find her dad and bring her back, but he hadn't had much luck in that department. "Of course." He nodded. Maddox glanced at her stomach when she rested her hand over it. He nodded at her words. "Besides the universe rarely gives us more than we can actually handle, despite what we think we can handle." Maddox put her dirty dishes back to be cleaned before starting to pack a bag full of teas for Alice to take.
"He was always full of them. He was the visionary and Mom was the realist." In Alice's eyes, that was the perfect balance a relationship needed. She was in high need of a realist in her life even as her life was trying to force her to be one. "You think that, really? Because sometimes it feels like the universe only wants to test me," she joked, following him over and watching as he packed the tea, unaware they were all for her.
Maddox nodded with a smile. "I'm really glad you all took me in. I don't know what I would have done otherwise." He said, happy that he'd had a surrogate family to depend on. "I like to believe that, yes. I think we're all stronger than we believe we are. I also feel like sometimes life testing you is life opening you up to something new and good. I like to think there's a reason for everything." He shrugged. He put a couple more in there along with a little bag of cookies and held the bag out to her. "All of them are labeled and tell you what all is in them. You'll have to let me know what you like and don't like."
"You really think the Liddell family leaves anyone behind?" She asked. Had he been closer, she would have nudged him gently as she spoke. His advice was exactly what she needed right now, something her father would say. Maybe people knowing her truth wouldn't be so bad. Maybe but... Not yet. Alice gave him a hug for the advice and took the bag before asking, "And how much do I owe you for this? And the advice?"
He chuckled and shook his head. "It would seem that they don't which is very appreciated." It really was nice to talk with Alice again. He'd almost forgotten how much fun she could see and the brightness she could bring when she was happy. He glanced back in the bag as if calculating. "Mm how about another good hug?" He asked with a grin.
While she waited for him to calculate the price, she began to dig through her purse for her wallet. Then, at his price reveal, she looked back up wide-eyed. "Maddox! I want to support your business. Please, let me at least pay half?"
Maddox chuckled at her reaction. "Yes but you're family. You can support me by word of mouth. But if you insist, I'll take twelve dollars." He replied.
"Word of mouth and twelve dollars and a hug. I can do that," she nodded, pulling out the requested cash and handing it off before offering the biggest and warmest hug. "I'm so happy I found you again."
"I know I know. It's a steep price. Get it. Cause you steep tea." He chuckled at his own joke. He gladly accepted her hug, squeezing her a little tightly, but not too tight. "I'm really happy you did too."
She giggled at his pun and had to cover her mouth. "Please, come by and visit for dinner soon, yes?" She asked as she pulled away before glancing over to Harris once more. "And bring your friend. I want to get to know him."
"Yes absolutely. I'll be by with directions and to look at your plants and have dinner. Also to catch up more." He nodded, smiling at her. "I'm sure Harris would love to join as well. I...we will both see you soon, Alice."
Squeezing his hand as she finished pulling from the hug, Alice then walked towards the door out. "I'll see you both soon." Then, the bell over the door rang as she exited the store.
