Bright

Madison Jumalee | Eros.


Chase Matthew Sanders | both of us.


Matt Sanders | anchored lungs.

Matt walked down the cereal aisle, biting his lip as he tried to figure out which one to choose. He hated when Val sent him grocery shopping. He wasn't good at this at all, and in fact, he hated it. He didn't know whether to get ham or turkey, or to get mustard or mayonnaise. She didn't make him lists, she just told him to go in and get what he needed, but he didn't know what he needed. He just knew that he needed food. He rubbed his face and reached out, grabbing a box of Fruity Pebbles and tossing it in the cart before moving on. He went down the chip aisle, grabbing a bag of flavored pretzels, potato chips, ruffled, of course, and moved on. He went towards the candy aisle, thinking about getting a bag of candy to snack on. He was craving sugar like a motherfucker.

@ anchored lungs.
Madison yawned softly as she got some lunch meat from the deli, thanking the woman softly and putting it on her cart. She looked around for Chase, shaking her head as she saw him over by the sweets. "Chase, I just bought you cupcakes," she said, grabbing his hand and having him follow her down an isle. It was a mixture of candy and soup, which was really weird, but she didn't complain. Madison grabbed a few cans of soup, making sure to get a bunch of the dino shaped chicken noodle ones because thats what her son loved. "Momma, can I get some candy? Please?" Chase begged, tugging on her shirt. Madison sighed heavily, nodding. "Sure, but be quick," she said, watching him go off to get some candy down the isle. She absolutely loved her son. He was the best thing that ever happened to her, but he sure did look like his father. Luckily, Chase never questioned her about his daddy. Which Madison was grateful for. She really didn't know what to tell him. Hopefully by the time he finally did ask, he'd be old enough where she could tell him the truth. That his daddy's a rockstar, she was a dancer on his tour, they had a small fling and she got knocked up right as they were getting off the tour. Madison noticed a man standing there looking at the candy, her eyebrows furrowing together as she tried to figure out why he looked so familiar. She really couldn't place it, though, so she decided to just ignore it.

Matt picked up a bag of Dots, tossing them in his cart before he looked over at the woman with her child, smiling slightly. The little boy was absolutely adorable, and he had the puffiest cheeks that any grandmother would just pinch the hell out of. He looked over at the boy's mom, his brows furrowing slightly. She looked kind of familiar to him, but he couldn't make out where he'd seen her before. He shook his head and looked at the little boy, smiling. "Hey, you know, these are the best candy," he said, grabbing another bag of Dots and handing them to him. He knew it was kind of weird of him to talk to the little boy so randomly, but it was only friendly and he wasn't a creep or anything.

@ anchored lungs.
Madison pushed the cart a little bit down the isle, watching Chase with the guy. She giggled as Chase excitedly took the dots from him, thanking him. "Awesome! Thank you!" He said with a big smile. Chase finally took a good look at the guy, his eyes getting so big they looked like they were going to pop right out of his head. "Oh my goodness, you're the singing guy from the band on tv! With the skull bat!" Chase squealed, clutching the Dots so tightly in his hands his little knuckles turned white. Madison finally put two and two together, and she about all but had a heart attach. "Oh god," she muttered, trying to control her breathing and not have a panic attack. The father of her son was standing right there in front of her, talking to their child. She never thought that in a million years that this would be happening. "I'm really sorry," she said, walking over and taking Chase by the hand, trying to pull him away but failing miserably. "Come on, sweetie, let's not bother the man," she said, giving Chase's hand a few tugs and huffing when he still wouldn't budge. Madison looked up at Matt, biting down on her bottom lip and giving him an apologetic smile. She wondered if he recognized her. She doubted it, though she wasn't so sure if she wanted him to or not.

Matt looked at the little boy, his mother, and then back at him, chuckling softly. "Yeah," he said. "My name is Matt." He looked back up at the woman and extended his hand out to her. She was really beautiful, and he cursed himself for not being able to figure out where he'd seen her face before. But maybe that didn't matter, and he could get to know her all over again or something. He just couldn't get over how absolutely adorable get child was. He had huge dimples, a bright smile and gorgeous hazel eyes. And as Matt was realizing all of this, it hit him, and his eyes widened.

@ anchored lungs.
Madison smiled, taking his extended hand. "Hi, Matt. I'm Madison, and this is my son, Chase," she said, motioning towards her son after she shook Matt's hand. Madison raised a brow at the expression on Matt's face, wondering what that look was for. Did he put it all together? "Are you okay?" she asked him softly, biting down on his bottom lip. Her heart felt like it was about to pound right out of her chest. She definitely didn't want to deal with this right now. How the hell was she supposed to explain any of this? Matt was married. Plus, chase was five years old, soon to be six. How was she supposed to explain why she kept him from him for all these years?

Matt looked at her, completely dumbfounded. There was no way she couldn't remember him. She knew, and she stood right there and acted as if he was an insignificant stranger. Maybe that's what she wanted. He looked away and cleared his throat, crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head. "Yeah, everything's fine," he said. He looked down at the boy and smiled slightly. "Hi Chase." He bit his lip as he returned to his cart. "Well, it was nice meeting you guys," he said. "Maybe I'll see you again at a concert someday." He smiled brightly at the little boy before he quickly rolled his cart away.

@ anchored lungs.
Madison sighed heavily, watching Matt walk off and debating on if she should go after him or not. "Matt, wait," she said, taking Chase's hand and running after Matt, leaving her cart behind. "Do you remember me?" She asked him, biting down on her bottom lip hard as she stared intently into those gorgeous hazel eyes that she fell in love with years ago. "I know you so. I saw the way you looked at me, and then the way you looked at Chase," she said, sighing heavily and running a hand through her hair. "Momma, what's going on?" Chase asked her softly, tugging on her shirt. "Hold on, baby," she murmured, looking down at Chase then back up at Matt. she was terrified right now. She didn't know what kind of reaction he was going to have or what was going to happen. Anything could happen.

Matt stared at her, scared to death. He felt like he was going to vomit, like his world was crashing down around him. He wanted nothing more than to turn and run away from her, but he knew he couldn't do that. He wasn't a pussy. He was finding it very hard to process all of this, but what he did know, was that he was a grown man who always took responsibilities for his actions. He shook his head and rubbed his face. "I, uh . . . yeah," he muttered. "I do remember you." He looked down, his eyes catching Chase. He instantly turned green, and he covered his mouth, squeezing his eyes shut. He couldn't have a kid. This couldn't be happening.

@ anchored lungs.
Madison bit down hard on her bottom lip, instantly regretting going after him. "Yeah... Okay, well, it was nice seeing you," she murmured, not liking the look on his face. She turned, taking chase by the hand and hurrying out of the store, out to the parking lot. "Momma, what about the food?" Chase asked, trying his best to keep up with his mother. Madison was embarrassed and she just wanted to get as far away from there a possible. "I'll come back later, okay?" she said with a sigh, unlocking her car and attempting to help Chase into his carseat. She'd be glad when he didn't need one anymore. Madison was going to have to find a different place to shop. Possibly a different place to live, too. She had no idea that Matt came here to grocery shop, she also didn't have a clue that he lived so close. She never would have moved here if she had the slightest idea.

Matt's eyes widened slightly. Was she going to take off just like that? There was a part of him that wanted to follow her, to ask her how she could just abandon her son's father like that, to act as if he didn't even exist. But there was also a part of him that wanted to turn and never look back, just pretend that this never happened. But he knew if he pretended this never happened, it would be on his mind forever, never knowing if that boy was actually his or not. But what if he wasn't even his son to begin with? What would he be getting himself into? He groaned softly and rubbed his face. What the hell was even happening right now? Was this some kind of sick joke? He turned and looked ahead of him before glancing back behind him, at the little boy, that might never know who his father is. "Shit," he cursed. He turned and walked after them, clearing his throat. "Um, wait," he said, scratching his neck.

@ anchored lungs.
Madison had just shut Chase's car door when she heard Matt, letting out a smal sigh. She turned around, raising an eyebrow. "Yes?" Her heart was beating wildly in her chest. She felt like she was going to have the biggest panic attack of all panic attacks and she didn't know what to do about it. The only thing that calmed her down anymore was the hoodie she had taken of Matt's when the tour was over. It still smelled like him after all these years. Madison felt pretty fucking pathetic for still having that hoodie, and especially for it being the only thing to calm her down during her servere panic attacks

Matt sighed softly. "I, um . . . " He rubbed his neck and shook his head. "I'm sorry, I just . . . this is so weird." He looked at her. "If what I think is right, and uh, he's mine, then I guess we have some things to talk about." He reached into his pocket, fidgeting with his phone before pulling it out and handing it to her. "Put your number in. I can call you." It was then, as he was looking at his phone in her hands, that he remembered Val. His eyes widened slightly and he felt his world start crumbling around him. His heart began to thud in his chest and he felt lightheaded and before he could even process what was happening to him, he fainted, right there in front of her.

@ anchored lungs.
Madison bit down hard on her bottom lip as she slowly took his phone, just kind of staring at it. What was she supposed to do? He has such an amazing life, he was a rockstar living his dream. He didn't have time for a kid. Besides, he was married and deeply in love with Val. Madison didn't want to ruin that for him, she just wasn't that kind of person. A loud thud a faint squeal from inside the car broke her from her thoughts, making her look up to see what the commotion was all about. Her eyes widened when she saw Matt on the ground, gasping and falling to her knees beside him. "Matt? Can you hear me? Wake up," she said desperately, hitting his cheek. This was the last thing she needed right now. "If you don't get up right this instant I will call 911," she said, feeling like she was about to burst into tears. This was all her fault. Madison looked up when she heard her the car door open, Chase struggling to get out. "I call 911!" He said, his eyes wide as he held her phone. Madison's eyes widened ten times the size they already were, rushing over and taking the phone from Chase. She saw that he indeed ha dialed 911 and someone was on the line. Madison rubbed her temples, shaking her head as she talked to the operator on the phone.

Val showed up to the hospital after receiving a phone call that Matt had fainted while grocery shopping. She met up with his doctor, and frowned when he told her that Matt had been a bit dehydrated and over-stressed. She couldn't help but to think that he was stressed out because of her, and she knew she'd have to make it up to him once he got home. After he got some fluids in his system, he would be okay to go home, which made her happy, and less nervous about his health. Her brows furrowed when she saw a woman in the waiting room with a little boy. The girl looked familiar, and she smiled when she remembered her from the tour. "Madison?" she questioned, walking over and standing in front of her. She remembered the girl because she'd spent a lot of time backstage with the girls and had talked to a lot of the dancers. "Is that right?"

@ anchored lungs.
Madison sat in the waiting room with Chase, doing everything she could to keep him occupied. She didn't know if she should leave or what she should do at this point. With Matt's whole reaction to this entire thing she knew she was better off walking away and letting him life his life the way he needed to. Whenever Madison met a man someday hopefully that man can be the father figure Chase has always needed. Madison shook her head a groaned, slumping in her seat and covering her face with her hands. She needed to give Matt a chance, for Chase at least. She needed to put her own selfish needs aside. Madison furrowed her eyebrows together when she heard someone call her name, looking up and seeing Val. She stood up, swallowing the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. "Val, Hey," she said, running a hand through her hair. Well, this had to be her cue to leave now. This had to be the most fucked up situation ever. What was she supposed to say? "Oh, I was just casually talking to your husband about our son that I hid from him for six years and he decides to faint during our conversation"? Nope, no way.

Val smiled softly at her. "Thank you for staying there with Matt," she said. "It means a lot. I guess I've been kind of hard on him lately." She shook her head. This wasn't a conversation she should be having with the other woman. "Anyways, it's been a while. How have you been?" Out of all the dancers on the tour, Madison had been the most quiet, but also the one that Val had gotten to know best. And she was the only one that Val hadn't needed to worry about Matt sleeping with, because she didn't seem like that type of girl. And Matt had promised her he hadn't slept with any of them. And she believed him.

@ anchored lungs.
"It's no problem, really. My son is actually the one that called the ambulance," Madison said with a small giggle, rubbing the back of her neck as she glanced back at Chase, who was playing Angry Birds on her phone. "I've been alright. Pretty busy with my son," she said with a small smile.
"How have you been? I was so happy to hear that you and Matt had tied the knot finally," she said with a smile. Madison honestly didn't know what had gotten into her and Matt when they did what they did during tour. Val was so nice, she was the only one out of any of the girls who actually went out of their way to talk to Madison. Madison always felt so guilty when she was around her, she always found it hard to speak. But hey, you just can't control your heart. It does what it wants.

Val smiled at her and nodded her head. "Yeah, I love him so much," she murmured. She looked at her. "You know, we should hang out sometime, go shopping, get some coffee. It would be fun, just us girls." It would be nice for her to have some girl time with someone other than her sister and their friends for once. She needed to make some new friends and maybe it would be cool getting to know Madison again. Plus, her little boy was so adorable and she couldn't help but want that with Matt.