Chapter 12 - The Business Trip, the Party, and the Unexpected Arrival.
*****
"I'll be gone until next Sunday."
Madison pulled a mug of disappointment. At times, Daniel traveled for work, and when he did, Madison didn't like it. Since their wedding, Daniel had done his best to moderate the amount of time he spent on the road, but there were times he just couldn't avoid it.
This latest unavoidable engagement would be his longest stay away from home since Madison had met Daniel. Daniel had been invited to be a guest speaker at a college graduation and then he would sign books in another city. He would be gone for seven days and Madison's jealous bone did not like that one bit, especially since there would be other women around him. In fact, that thought made her want to break things, however this was for work and Madison went into the relationship with the knowledge that at least part of Daniel belonged to the world, no matter how he resisted his fame. That didn't mean she couldn't have a good pout about it though, so Madison engaged pout mode, crossed her arms, and stuck out her bottom lip.
Madison also had a second secret reason to pout. A secret reason. This trip was doubly inconvenient because she had recently decided to start a family with Daniel and Madison could not wait to show Daniel a positive pregnancy test. After consulting her girlfriends on the topic, Madison had stopped her birth control pill regimen almost two weeks ago and she was pretty sure she was either about to ovulate or in the midst of ovulation. With Daniel gone, her chances of pregnancy this month were exactly zero. Her pique over his absence at this critical time ignored a slight oversight on Madison's part. She hadn't told Daniel about her attempt to get pregnant... yet.
Her girlfriends agreed with her decision, so Daniel would surely have agreed with her decision if she had asked him. Why spoil the surprise? Besides, it was what she wanted, and Daniel should give her everything she wanted, as her girlfriends helpfully reminded her. She pictured how happy they would both be when she told Daniel she was pregnant and Daniel's absence at such a crucial time vexed her. To Madison it seemed as if he had put her off even though he technically did not know that they were in the middle of an attempt to get pregnant.
"Do you want to come with me?" he asked.
Madison shook her head bitterly and huffed.
"Don't go!" she insisted petulantly. "Stay with me!
Daniel tilted his head to the side in a conciliatory manner.
"I would like to. I really would, but I need to do some publicity for the new book and...."
Madison huffed and turned her head away. Whether he knew of it or not, Daniel's participation was required to start a family and Madison felt snubbed, so she folded her arms, crossed her legs and kicked her foot in irritation. Daniel simply shut up and went upstairs to pack.
Madison sniffled a little after he was gone. She wanted to hoard Daniel's full attention, and she definitely did not want him out of her sight for that long. Adalina, Ivy and Deva all had warned her against such things. An out of pocket man might get up to trouble, and the last thing she needed was a pregnancy marred by a potential infidelity with some bitch who would shamelessly try to steal her man. While intellectually she knew that Daniel wouldn't cheat on her, her fiercely jealous bone just couldn't rule out the possibility. Besides, even if Daniel behaved himself like a choir boy, that didn't mean other women wouldn't look at and even make a play for him. With her jealous bone thoroughly picked at, it did not take much effort for Madison to worry herself into a first-class snit. Madison kicked her foot angrily as she fretted about the implications of Daniel's inconvenient absence. Maybe she should go with him?
Then again, this could be an opportunity to show off a bit to her girlfriends. Madison could assume the role of Mrs. Selene, invite her friends to her pretty, gracious and stylish home and be the pretty, gracious and stylish hostess. That thought mollified and intrigued Madison a bit. If Daniel was away for a week, she wanted some company. Who better than her faithful band of girlfriends, with whom she could plot the trajectory of her relationship with Daniel. It sounded like a solid plan and with that in mind she picked up her phone and texted Deva an invitation.
It only took a few minutes more to send invitations to Adalina, Ivy, Cassidy, Kelly, and Moira and then Madison put her phone down with a nod of satisfaction. With Daniel out of town, it was a perfect time to show off what a great life she had to her friends. This fall had been unseasonably warm, so it was also opportunity for them all to work on their tans before the games started. In short order they all had agreed to come out to the lake-house and spend the week with her. Madison didn't even bother to run it by Daniel. He wouldn't mind. He would be out of town anyway, and this was her home, so she could have her friends over if she wanted and Madison could implement her pregnancy plan when he returned.
Still, even though Madison felt a little better,her jealousy burned just below the surface. She decided the prudent thing to do was to play a little offense and she headed up the stairs to attack Daniel. After she cleaned out his pipes and left her scent all over him, she'd feel a lot more comfortable with him out on the road. And, as a pleasant byproduct, she might just get her pregnancy wish as well.
*****
It had been a fun week of girlishness and familiar fellowship. In short order the lake house rang with laughter and gossip like a sorority house and it all served to reinforce Madison's position as a boss bitch. They enjoyed each other's company, the wine held out and tasty delivery food kept everyone full and happy. Madison insisted that she pay for everything because Daniel's credit was more than up to the task, and she settled easily into the role of pretty hostess in her pretty house and showed her friends a grand time. The Fall weather cooperated, and temperatures stayed nice and warm, but not muggy. It was perfect for afternoons of sunbathing and TikTok dances and selfies. The only mild disappointment of an otherwise great week was all the pregnancy tests she took were negative, but her girlfriends consoled her with the knowledge that when Daniel came home she could try again. Meanwhile Saturday was their final day together before Daniel came home on Sunday, and they had planned a final day by the pool and a night of pizza before Madison's friends left. Everyone was up and bikini clad for a 9 AM breakfast of bagels and giggles.
By 10:00 AM Madison and her friends were all laid out in the lounge chairs by the pool for suntans and girl talk. They had only been in place for a few minutes when the first car rolled up. It parked next to Deva's SUV and six people, five men and a woman, clad in beach attired got out, but Madison did not recognize any of them.
"Who are these people?" Madison asked warily.
"Oh, just a few friends I asked to come over," Moira piped. "You don't mind, do you? It will give you a chance to show off your home a bit, anyway. It's a great house and this patio and pool just begs for a small party."
Madison was dubious. She didn't know these people and she wasn't sure how Daniel would feel about a party at their home. But then again it wasn't exactly a party, was it? Eleven people wasn't a party. At least not the kind of party Madison worried about. She relaxed a bit.
"Cool."
"Hey, you pack of hobos!" Moira shouted at the new arrivals. "Did you bring the alcohol?"
One of the men gestured toward the trunk of the car.
"Vodka. And beer."
"Great! Make some punch with the Vodka, OK? We don't like beer."
