Chapter Eighty two

I stayed knelt down by Madison,  watching her while I waited for the emergency crew to arrive. I checked my watch, then after five minutes checked it again...  where were they?. D was sat across the other side of the room on a chair by the window. She kept looking out over the grounds then looking at her cell.
Given I was pre occupied with Madison I'd not really paid attention to her, but now as I studied her it struck me she was acting very strange. I said nothing.... until there came a knock at the door and she all but leapt outta her skin.

I went to answer the door expecting to see the emergency crew on the other side, but there was no one there.

"Strange..." D jumped again as I spoke and re entered the sitting room.. 

" what's with you?"

"I'm uncomfortable sitting here with you and your girlfriend." her eyes burned into me, and she fidgeted with the necklace hanging around her neck.

"Really?" I knew she was lying, I had been married to her for too long not to notice when she was hiding something.

"Yeah really..." this time her eye's avoided my gaze and she continued looking out of the window. Knowing she was hiding something I wouldn't let it go. " Not buying that crap, c'mon out with it, what you hiding?"

"Nothing I've told you...now let me alone..."

"I'll leave you alone when you tell me what's going on..." then it dawned on me, dot had said "do drug stores and coffee places spike drinks..." How would she know that, she was in the den when I spoke to Madison, unless someone had already told her.

"How did you know that Madison had been to the drug store and Starbucks for a coffee? I didn't know she'd had coffee until she came home? well?"

Dot got up from her seat and walked to the door and became defensive, which was another of the signs she was hiding something.

I said let me be Jon, I don't need this... it's not everyday you find your husband shacked up with some blonde bimbo of a nurse in favour of his marriage..."

"Nice Try Dot, but no dice, tell me what's going on and how you knew?"

"you must have mentioned it first?, now leave me alone... I'm going to the den..."

"I don't think so, go sit your ass down over there and start talking, or I swear to god I'll beat your ass black and blue..."

"Ha, I'd like to see you try... you don't scare me Jon, and for the last time I know nothing"

despite standing her ground she went back and sat on the chair, and with her face set like stone stared out of the window.

Checking my watch again, it was now some twenty minutes since the medics had been called...

talking aloud I asked, "God damn it where the fuck are they?"  

D spoke up without looking at me, "dealing with real urgent cases is my guess not just some intoxicated tart..."

Walking over to D I ordered, "Give me your cell?"

"no, I wont..."

"Stop pissing me off, give me your cell?"

"I said no..."

as she sat nervously twitching I snatched her cell from her grip, she tried to claw it back, but I moved away and scrolled through the last numbers dialled and found no call to 911, but there was a call made to a number not assigned a name.

"What the fuck, you never called 911?"

she tried to brazen it out, "I did, deleted it straight after the call..."

"Fuck, seriously, you expect me to believe that shit, what the fuck have you done, who was the number you dialled?"

She sat looking at me a sneer on her face,

"i'm telling you jack..."

As I moved over to take a hold of D a voice behind me spoke.

"Oh I guess that would be me..."

I spun round to find myself staring at Antonia.

"You, what the fuck, your dead?"

She smiled sinisterly at me, "Oh, are you really so dumb you aint figured it out yet?"

"Figured what out, Richie rang the hospital they said you were dead..."

She sided up next to me, and leant in close as she whispered, "I didn't say I was Antonia did I?"

I spat back, "Well if your not, who the fuck are you?"

"I'm karma, that's who the fuck I am.... and get ready baby, cause its gonna be a real bitch of  payback"

She had in her hand a knife, the blade glistened as she waved it in front of my eye's, time you took a seat next to your girlfriend...  

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Eighty One

I could not believe what I was hearing, Dot had seen Antonia or the spit of her and had left her in the grounds of our home.
"dot don't get you? I mean seriously"
"Why?"
"you leave a deranged psycho in our home grounds, with no regard for anyone's safety, you think she's done nothing to you? how stupid can you be huh? , remember your stay in hospital?, how you think, or should I say who you think was responsible for that?, have you already forgotten about the conversation we had when you was in hospital about you being dead.... what fucking world are you living in?"
feeling really pissed, I started pacing.
the look of realisation suddenly hit home.
"Shit I'm a dumb ass..."
"no Dot your more than that, in an attempt to hurt me, you have willingly put yourself, me and the kids and our home under the attack of a pyscho, well fucking done, round of applause for the fucked up ex wife..."
"I'm sorry"
I was mid pace and stopped to turn and look at her, "Your what?"
sheepishly she repeated "I'm sorry, your right I did want to hurt you, I was consumed by my own jealousy of your new bow, I lost reason for a minute..."
"A minute? are you for fucking real, You have managed to put stupid on a level of intelligence..." I was stopped by a knocking at the front door. As I went to answer I threw at D, "I'm surprised the fucking bitch knocked..."
As I opened the Door,  I was stunned and shocked to see Madison stood there, surprised, I blurted "Babes, your back" she didn't answer but walked in,  I noticed she swaggered a little as she stepped past me. forgetting about D for a second I asked her, "You ok?"
she looked at me through glazed eye's and shook her head. "I feel kinda drunk... and strange, but I've not drank anything, I don't drink..."
I made her sit on the chair by the phone in the lobby, "What have you eaten or taken since we spoke, you were going to the drug store for your script, then what?"
"Nothing really I, called in to Starbucks and grabbed a coffee that's all, then got in the car and drove home.... " she shook her head as if trying to clear it, "Jon I don't feel good.... I think I'm gonna" she stood up and ran for the bathroom. I followed and stood outside listening as Madison retched. After a few minutes she came out and her complexion was white and wax like, her eye's were more glazed and she looked weak as if she was going to fall.  I slid my arm around her waist, something wasn't adding up. I took her to the sitting room then went off and fetched her some water. Handing it to her I ordered "sip this." my mind was racing clutching at straws trying to make sense out of all of this, all I could think was Madison's coffee was spiked or she had been drugged, I asked
"Where's the coffee cup?"
"In the car... I think..."
I took the keys and went out to the car and got the paper container that had the coffee in it, I opened the white plastic lid covering and sniffed, nothing jumped back other than coffee. this was strange. I took out the script that Madison had collected too, I checked inside, and it was birth control pills and Tylenol. I checked the packs but nothing had been used. then I noticed the bag of sweets sitting in the glove box, they looked like Lemon drops, I picked up the bag and with the other things went back into the house.
walking back into the sitting room D was sitting next to Madison, she looked at me as I entered, "Jon, you let someone that's intoxicated drive my kids home? and you give me a hard time."
"Shut up Dot, she's not intoxicated, she'd been drugged somehow?"
"Oh yeah right, cause every Starbucks and drug store tamper with your script and coffee don't they? she's drunk Jon look at her, she cant even keep her eye's open..."
I knelt down bedside's Madison. Taking her hands I looked at her, she was in and out of consciousness... "Babes, look at me?" she tried to lift her dropping head, but she couldn't manage to, when she spoke her words were slurred... and then she completely blacked out."
I shook her Madison?" no response, frantically I tired again, "Madison?" again nothing. "call 911"
"If you think I'm saving that bitch..."
" DOT FUCKING DIAL 911 NOW"
I made her jump but this time she did as she was told and dialled the emergency services. I sat with Madison checking her pulse which I was relieved was strong, but her colour was ashen and still wax looking in appearance and she had beads of sweat forming and dropping from her brow.
She did not wake,  A moan escaping from her lips only. What the fuck had happened?

Chapter Eighty

I squeezed Dots throat and airway real tight, she tried to wiggle free and use her karate moves but as she was pinned to the wall by me she could not cement her moves.
"Why do you have to be such a bitch huh?, now you better tell me what the fuck is and has been going on or I'm gonna squeeze every last breath from you, and I'll enjoy doing it, you understand?"
With her eye's bulging, under my grip, she gasped out the word, "ok"
I released my grip and allowed her to fall back on to the couch. She coughed and rubbed her neck where I'd held her, ghost finger marks from my grip remained.
"Well talk"
Between coughing she replied, " give me a second here"
"I've given you my life, so stop pissing me off and talk"
"You know,what you've just done I can have you arrested for assault? "
"What your trying I can have you locked up in jail, so stop playing me D"
"Jail? For talking? I don't think so"
"its not just talk though is it? It's blackmail and threats?"
The self satisfied expression return to her face, "your word against mine."

"enough of the bull, out with it or im outta here" still she tried, " why you making me out to be the bad guy, your not innocent either ya know?" A deep sigh escaped my lips as i made to leave the room "I've had it with you, no more lets call the cops and let them decide." 

she laughed "call the cops for what?, a lovers spat... Oh stop already, I'll tell you, but your not gonna like it..." I returned from the door and

sat on the chair near the desk, "Alright I'm listening out with it, but stall and it's game over? Got it"

"Ok, jeez when you get so uptight?" 

"Maybe when all this shit started, maybe cause im fucked up listening to you shouting bull...." i crossed my arms and stared at her and paused waiting for the next crap to start, this time she told me what i wanted to know. " so, you've been seeing flashes right? bright lights and shit?"

"Yeah, is it you?"

"No, are you gonna listen or not?"

"I'm listening aint I?"

"earlier after my stand off with your girlfriend, I was taken to ER right?"

"Yeah I was there"

"well as the medics were driving down the drive to the gate, I noticed flashing too, I put it down to sunlight reflection you know, anyways, after I was discharged I came back, it was getting dusk, you and the guys were still in the studio, I saw you all in there, I was making my way to the house  when I saw the flash again. I knew now it was not sunlight so set off to investigate."

"And?"

"well that's the darndest thing yet?"

"when I approached the bushes I found a women and she was burying stuff?"

"What stuff.?"

" not sure but looked like mirrors, and flashlights, I can show you where it is, but she'd pretty much finished up when I got there."

"I made her jump and asked her what she was doing"

"when she looked up to speak it took my breath away...."

"Who was it D?"

"well I'm not sure but I thought it was that women that had stalked you..."

"It cant be Rich rang the hospital and they said she's dead."

"well if she's dead then she has a twin... cause It looked like her too me.. here take a look?"

D pulled her cell from her pocket and flicked it to the snaps she had taken and there looking back at me was Antonia.

"What the fuck? what you do?"

"I ordered her off of our property, she was protesting she had legal rights being here and that all the documents were in the gate house.... so I went there looking for stuff but found nothing."

"You left her?"

"Yeah, she seemed harmless to me, and without proof what could I do?"

"Wait a god damn second here, your a  black belt sixth Dan karate champion and you left a god damn stalker loose in the grounds, are you friggin for real? after what I've gone through?"

"well that's just it see, she aint done jack to me. so why not... I was hoping to see her kick your girl friends ass..."

"So she's still out there now right?"

Could be who knows?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Seventy Nine

I stood looking at the women that I had been married too for years, and realised I really didn't know her at all. That kinda spooked me.
"what are playing at Dot?"
"Oh I'm not playing Jon, I mean business, which is what this is all about... and now I have your attention, do you not think we can at least sit down and talk like the adults we are?"
I moved back round inside and sat at the desk.
I looked at D a cold feeling in my heart, I cannot believe I had ever loved her, it was like the blinkers had been lifted and I was seeing her with new eyes for the very first time.
With little to no know emotion in my voice I spoke,

"So talk."
She sat on the couch opposite the desk and crossed her legs and inter linked her fingers and lent forward as she spoke.
"Right this is what I want, and when you hear my proposal I'm sure you will think it fair..."
"I'm listening"
"right, I want you to buy me out of this place, and I agree to accept your original idea of moving and living in the Hamptons with the SoHo apartment in New York, but I do want a salary too, I had thought about having a one off payment but that is no good to me, so here's what I propose, you give me a monthly salary of $50,000, and I'll agree to have the kids live with me and carry on providing for them so you can go off and do what it is you enjoy doing, look at it as a business investment " she sat back and smiled to herself thinking she had won.
I studied her, and it dawned on me she thought she had something over me she could use, I was sure of it.
I asked the question, "And if I disagree? "
"Oooh I wouldn't do that..."
"and why not?"
"well lets just say Maddy, is that what you call her? she aint back yet is she?, a little car trouble wasn't it?"
"What have you done?"
"Oh nothing yet... as I said it all depends on you?"
I looked at D in total disbelief, "when you get so cold?" Then I answered my own question, "no you ain't just become cold, that's really who you are right?; I've been fooled all these years..... God you're some peice of work you know that?"
She clapped her hands together in a mock applause, "really jon, you used to love that I was independent, not clingy and needy, now your calling it cold, fact is Jon, I've not changed, you have, you've become a sad pathetic weak man, you know I used to respect you and your values; now all I can think is pity and from that I see an opportunity."
"Really? If that's what you think you see? You are way off Base. ..and D you really don't know me at all....."
She rolled her eye's to the ceiling..."Oh please.... everything you do is predictable, why you think it was so easy for that women to stalk you? Cause you are predictable, same routine, different day. Take a good hard look at yourself jon, wake up and taste the coffee" she sat back on the couch and laughed. I could not believe the audacity of the women, but she was not gonna win...
" You can believe what you want, that's your right, and maybe at times I am repetative,  but that's cause I care, I have a heart. Yeah Antonia saw her chance and she took it, but the world is full of whackos, and I guess I should thank you for your enlightened talk, now I know I've been married to one for years... as for your proposal and plan, you can shove it. I'll see you in court before I give you one cent... remember this D, you need to prove you have provided half of the money to get your share, and you haven't... your pathetic attempt from teaching brought in measly bucks, so not substantial... so do your worse... the fight is on"

I got up and walked to the door and opened it for her to leave, but she remained seated, "And Maddy?"

"what about her?"

"You want to have a nice life don't you?"

"out with it Dot..."

"Well either agree or she wont be getting home anytime soon tonight,?"

"wait a minute your blackmailing me?"

"No Jon, I'm bargaining and using the only think that you seem intent on protecting right now..."

"don't forget Maddy is a 6th dan black belt, you seriously think you stand a chance against her, she's young, fit and if she can whoop your ass, she'll do it to whoever gets in her face..."

she smirked, "mmm maybe, but not if its a gun..."

I moved so fast I left a dust trail in my wake as I reached out and grabbed D round the throat and dragged her to her feet, she had no time to react and the look on her face was fear. "I think you have underestimated me Dot, told you that you didn't know me..."

 

Chapter seventy eight

As I sat waiting, and willing my phone to ring; or should that be praying, I had a real bad feeling Maddy was in trouble, and the more I tried telling my brain she was ok, the more my muscles tensed and my anxiety grew. My concentration staring at the phone left me looking through burned blurred eyes.... then a knock came at the door. I all but ran to answer it, talking aloud as I opened the door, "well it's about time where you been?" I was not ready to see my soon to be ex wife Dorothea stood on the other side.
The hostility in my voice told her she was not welcome.
"What you want Dorothea?"
"To talk, nothing more, you owe me that don't you?...... Please?"
I relented and moved to the side to let her pass, but could not stop myself being sarcastic. " what ? you need another whipping? one not enough. you need a whole bunch?"
"Ok, enough jon, I'm not proud of myself I over reacted and got what I deserved"
"Dang right you did, thought you were at ER anyway?"
"I did, I'm bruised that's all, a few tynlenol until the swelling goes down and alls good"
" And just what the fuck were you doing at the gate house?" I started moving back to the den, with rushing so fast to get to the door I'd left my cell.
D followed me, "well if you hold up I'll tell you?"
I reached the den and quickly checking to see if there were any missed calls,  there weren't so with my butt resting on the desk I turned to look at D,  " so talk?"

As D started to speak my cell vibrated and started to ring, I looked at the caller and saw Maddison's name. I held up my hand to stop her and walked out of the den to the hallway to take the call.

"Maddy where the fuck are you? are you ok?"

"Hi, yeah I'm fine, just a slight problem with the car but its sorted, I'm bout five minutes from home..."

"I was worried, why didn't you call?"

"I have called... I'm a big girl don't stress ok, I'll be back in a few minutes, I'm just stopping at the drug store to get my script anything you need?"
"at 12.45am?"
"Yeah its when its  quietest.. so you need anything?"

"No, I'm good,  look I know your a big girl but stay safe and hurry back ok?"  

"Ok, I promise..."

I ended the call but still I had an uneasy feeling, for the life of me I had no idea why... I walked back inside the Den.

D started in straight away, "That was her wasn't it?"

"Yeah, what of it?" my tone told her to be careful, instead of bitching she hanged her tactic...

"Why she out so late anyway?"

"She took the kids back to my mom's.."

"Whoa there, you let a stranger take my kids in a car?"

"Drop the bullshit Dot,  she's no stranger..."
"Maybe not to you, but she is to me.. how could you Jon?"
"How could I what? you don't care abut the kids, you never have, there have been a bargaining tool like everything else in your life...."

"how can you say that?, I've always been an excellent mom, that hurts, sure i'm no angel but I love my babies..."
she turned her head away so I wouldn't see the tears falling.
"Stop already, your full of croc D, you know what I'm saying..."
she spun back round to look at me, a fire and hatred in her eye's that had never been seen before,
" and all the years I was bringing up the kids like a single parent? what about those times eh? was I bargaining with them then."
I'd heard enough, it was clear she wanted to start a fight, "look you said you wanted to talk, so either talk or leave, I've no more time for this crap..."
"Oh Mr Big man, calling the shots eh?"
this time my Italian temper joined the party as I screamed back
"D, STOP, I DONT FUCKING NEED THIS RIGHT NOW"  I walked to the door as she stood and blocked me from leaving...
with a sneer on her face, she looked at me and asked, "Don't you want to know what's been going on here all day and night then?"

 

Chapter Seventy Seven

"What you mean dead? Is she.... like dead dead?" My head could not comprehend the words that came out of Richies mouth, and I was cringing hearing myself ask the stupid questions.
"Yeah, dead as she can be. I told the hospital I was a relative, I gave her brothers name Tony." Rich walked over and slapped me on my back, "your troubles are over buddy"
Without realising I gave rich the stink eye, "hey, what's with the look eh? Thought you'd be pleased..... what you've seen and heard ain't Antonia. "
"And cause it ain't her, you think my life can return to normal?, you not think her mom is gonna want a peice of me now her daughter is dead? Man my problems have only just begun."
"Jon what you taking, her mom is locked up right in some Jail, she ain't getting out an time soon, her goons and brothers are outta the picture too.... what you think she has henchmen hired on a payroll somewhere? "
"I dunno Rich, but there's some strange shit going on here today, I wanna forget it but something is biting at me telling me alls not right."
Teek joined in, " hey that's to be expected with what you've gone thru, but today could be circumstance?"
This time I threw my stink eye at Teek,  "circumstance? What about the voice David and me heard? Explain that?"
He looked at me as he lit his fifth cigarette in minutes, as he exhaled the blue smoke, and looking ahead he replied, "I don't have all the answers, but you need to be logical not hysterical, is alls I'm saying."
I looked at the rest of the guys, even matty was shaking his head in agreement,  the only person to agree with me was David. " no what guys, I hear ya I do, but you weren't there, the voice spoke from right behind us, when we turned round no one was there. You can't apply logic to that."
Matt asked, "why can't ya? Seems if you want it to be unexplained spooky shit, it's gonna, everything  in life has an explanation it just depends on if you want to hear it and accept it."
"So your saying were imagining it matt? Is that it? You think were both screwballs now?"
I gave him a look to be mindful of his reply, " no I'm not saying your screwballs,  I'm saying your getting carried away with everything...."
This time my voice was dangerous as I repeated his statement. "Carried away?"
Matt paid no attention to me and carried on, "well yeah, look you have been to hell and back with Antonia, " I interrupted, "you think?" "Yeah and drop the attitude Bro,  open your ears for once, stop trying to intimidate me and the guys and listen, OK? " I stood silent for a few seconds and looked at my baby brother standing up to me for the first time in his life, and at that moment I could not decide if he was brave or stupid. He continued, "no one is judging you or David on what you saw and heard, we're trying to be supportive and offer some suggestions, advice, comfort call it what you will, but all were hearing is dismissal of suggestions, to us it's like you want it to be, oh I dunno.... " Rich joined in, "un-natural"
"Yeah, un natural" David had stood listening as the guys shared there wisdom, and take on the events, so now I had to know, was it just me, or was he still with me on this one.
I asked him, " so I've heard from them, you were with me, what's your take on it all now?"
"Jon, I hear the guys, I hear you, for me what I seen and heard has scared the shit outta me, I wanna believe the logic, but I can't,  what I saw and heard the logic spoken here tonight, just don't gel, and I ain't gonna try to convince anyone, it maybe one of those things that will never be answered, who knows eh..   so I'm still with you on this one buddy, and on that note, I'm going home.... I'll print off the shots and courier them over tomorrow OK? " He straightend himself and moved to the door, raising his arm in goodbye salute to the guys he was gone.

 

As David had gone it wasn't long before the guys were making there excuses to leave too, and I found myself back at the door watching them leave.

As Teek was the last to go, I secured the door behind him, and double checked it was locked. I made the usual route around the house doing the same with all the windows and other exit doors too. Half an hour later I was back in the kitchen and fixing coffee. I looked at the clock on the wall and it hit me that Madison had not come home yet. With Coffee in hand I made my way to the den and called my ma's number on my cell.

"Hey Ma, what time Madison drop the kids with you?"

"Ages ago, why?"

"how long?"

"I dunno, bout half hour or more, she not back?"

"no, she say anything bout stopping for gas?"

"no, no cant say she did, but it could be hold ups on the free way, you know how it is..."

"not at 12.30am ma... ok, I'll call her cell..."

Jon, you know I'm sorry... can we..."

"ma, not now ok, I have to go, we'll speak soon,,, night..."

I ended the call as I did not want a full scale spat with my ma again on the phone. I felt an uneasy feeling in my bones and rang Madisons phone. it rang and rang and rang and went to voice mail, "Hey this is Madison, I cant get to the phone right now, so leave your voice and If I like the sound of ya ill get back to ya..." I left my message, "Maddy, where are you call me its Jon"

as I ended the call I sat on the couch in the den and watched waiting for my phone to ring...

Chapter Seventy Six

Both David and I spun on our heels to see who was behind us, when we looked there was no one there. "What the fuck?"
"you heard that voice to right David?"
"fuck yeah I heard it?, what the fuck is going on Jon?"
"I wish I knew bud, I don't know bout you but I say lets get back to the house... and fast"
"Yeah and call the cops, there is some real spooky shit going on here..."
we took off in the cart back to the house, walking back into the kitchen the guys were all back...
"hey, where you and David go? we've been waiting to approve the photo's? we have lives other than Jovi you know" Rich joked.
I looked at Rich in total shock as I asked the same question "where the fuck have you guys been? we came out of the john and you'd gone, back door was open, and shit left everywhere?"
"What ya mean where we been, we checked out the new boat, I did tell you right? when we were in the studio?, Matt took us, its no biggie is it?" I felt real dumb as I answered,
"no-no-no that's fine, I forgot that's all..."
Rich asked again, "So where you both been? you look shaken bro what's up?"
David spoke, "that's cause we are shook, man there's some serious spooky shit going on out there tonight?"
Teek spoke, "spooky shit? what spooky shit?"
"If I told ya, you wouldn't believe it..."
"Try me?"
David told Teek what we had seen and sure enough, it wasn't long before rational thinking came into play.  David was leaning on the counter top, his camera still slung over his left shoulder, "no Teek, we know it wasn't a light from a flashing car, and it wasn't poachers with flashlights, or a refraction from a mirror, how do you explain Jon seeing the same thing during daylight time eh?"
Teek shrugged his shoulders and took out his cigarettes and it one and inhaled deeply, then spent the next ten minutes coughing trying to appease his poor lungs of the poison he was addicted to.
David coughed and wafted his hand in the air to rid the filtering smoke that was trying to infiltrate his own airways... "Man I cant believe your still smoking this shit?"
between coughing Teek gasped, I've cut it down to 3 packs a  day," then holding up his hand and bright red in the face he gasped, "I'm good" David laughed at Teek but moved away from the offending smoke and hoped it would not follow him "  Once teek had stopped coughing, he drew hard on the cigarette and inhaled deep before exhaling the smoke back into the room. He stood with his smoke cloud enjoying his vice.
the guys had been listening to David when he told Teek, so I had to give an explanation to the guys on what we had seen too, and just like Teek they were throwing idea's of logic into play. Same idea's as Teek had mentioned, then during a silent pause Rich was the one to out what we were all thinking, "You think its Antonia?"
"I honest to god don't know, I hope and pray not, last I knew she was in hospital knocking on hells door, but you never can tell..."
"So you not think making a phone call to the hospital would give you a simple answer?"
"How can I do that Rich? huh? think about it..."
he stood looking deep in thought before the dawn of realisation clicked in his mind...  "Got it, got it, she's your stalker right? your not hers..."
"Bingo.."
"So what about one of us then? we can check? right?" he looked at all the guy's and each shook their heads and agreed. "and the lucky guy is...." Rich made a drum roll sound waiting for my decision.
"Stop, ok, I cant make that call, its up to you guys if you want to help or not, I'm sure as hell not forcing anyone.... I'll be back ok, I'm gonna go check on Madison and the kids."
walking through the lobby, I saw a dark shadow whip across the sitting room, I stopped momentarily and put my head round the door and looked inside, nothing was there, so I carried on round to the den where I'd left the kids and Madison.
I knocked on the door and walked inside, all of them were sat on the couch, or round the desk listening to Madison, she stopped as I walked in.  My face must have showed my worry as the first thing she asked was "You ok?" I shook my head, "Yeah sure," then addressing the kids, "ok guys time to go..." sounds of protest were short lived as I gave them the stink eye, then one by one they walked past me and out to get their stuff.
Madison came up close to me, she whispered low, " So if your ok, why re you looking so worried, what's gone down? you had a show down with the guy's? " I shook my head, "no, nothing like that... I good really?" I smiled at her, "See?"
She folded her arms across her chest, "no way, I'm not buying it Jovi, what's going on?" As I moved to leave the room and follow the kids she stood blocking the doorway, stopping me leaving.  frustrated I snapped,
"not now Madison ok, I need to get the kids back to my ma..."
she still stood her ground, showing just how stubborn she could be, "eh huh, not till you tell me..."
" I will but later ok?"
"No, now."
In defeat I walked back to the desk holding my hands waist high, "ok, look its gonna sound crazy, shit it is crazy, but something is going on here that I can't explain..."
"such as.."
"flashing of white, voices heard clearly by David and me, but no one is there.... its been happening on and off all day... and then again tonight."
Madison looked at me, "So why you not tell me?"
"Cause, I thought it was me at first.. but then I saw it again, then with David too....I dunno, how do you tell someone, what you think you saw?, C'mon really?"
a worried look settled on her face, "you called the cops?"
"for what? for seeing things and hearing voices that then shows no one there, man are you serious, I'll be locked up on some psych ward and put on a thorazine drip.."
"So your gonna ignore it?"
"what else can I do? David and me went out on the grounds looking, and what we found  was Kav injured, why? cause I'd asked him to go check, on what I thought I was seeing.... man he's near lost his leg in a trap cause of me."
" how you know it's cause of you? accidents do happen..."
"Yeah? but that's just it? was it an accident...... Jesus listen to me....." I sat down at the desk and placed my head in my hands, my finger tips playing massage at my aching temples... "I'm doubting everything right now, and everyone..."
Madison came over, stood behind me she rested her arms around my shoulders and lent in close,  "look why don't you stay here and finish up with the guys and I'll drive the kids back to your mom's"
I looked up, my fingers paused on my temples for a second, "You'd do that?"
"Course, why not?"
"no reason, I'm just not used to having volunteered help that's all...its nice.."
"Good, get used to it, I'll go grab my key's, you write your ma's address down and I'll be back."
she kissed my cheek as she went to get her things... I found a pen in the desk draw and wrote my ma's address on a post it note, then sat with my head in my hands and rubbing my temples again of the ache that was increasing with every stroke.... I sat for what felt like ages waiting for Madison to come back.... I checked the clock on the wall, she had been gone ten minutes, I was just abut to go find her when she came back smiling and looking flustered,  a little breathless she spoke, " couldn't find my keys..."
she waved them proudly to show she had found them, I stood and gave her the post it as we both walked out of the den and back to the kitchen where the kids were talking with the guys.
"Ok kids, ready?"
"all shook their heads and came to stand by my side, then out to the drive as the kids got in the car with Madison, we stood waving until the tail lights were but a dot in the distance. the only one of us that was not out was Rich, as we filtered back inside the house, he hung u the phone receiver before he came over to speak to me. He face was serious. "I've rang the hospital bro,"
"yeah"
"Jon, I don't know how your gonna feel about this..."
"Yeah, for fuck sake Rich out with it... this aint no soap opera"
"Antonia... she's dead."