I’ll Go Until My Heart Stops

"MADDIE!" my Mother bellowed from the foot of the stairs, her voice rising in anger. It was honestly not my fault that I was suddenly deaf to her calls; I had just slipped the ear buds of my brand new iPod into my ears. Music had been recommend to my Mom as therapy in times of grief, so she had purchased both myself and Zoe brand spanking new iPods.

The news of my newest possesion had caused such excitment to stir in Zac, he had boomed; "No way!" so loud that a Junior at the next table had jumped in fright. He had instantly convinced me to hand it over to him so he could, and I quote: "Spruce it up a bit!" at which Taylor had exploded with hysterical laughter; the milk in his mouth spraying all over our table and its none too impressed occupants.

"Madison Emily Stewart!" came an exasperated cry from outside my bedroom door. Yes, this one I heard loud and clear.

"I'm sorry Mom, you can blame this thing!" I chirped holding the ear phones up for her to see, flashing her a meek smile.

"Never mind it's okay!" she sighed in defeat. "I'm thinking about eating out tonight, I'm pretty beat!" her voice was laced in fatigue.

"Cool, sounds great Mom. Anywhere in mind?" I enquired as I gathered my homework books and began piling them into my book bag.

"Christie recommended a place in town, it only opened a couple of years ago so I think I'lL check it out!" she answered, her pitch rising in enthusiasm. Suddenly, she sprang from the bed and hopped across the floor to the door.

"Be ready in five!" she sang as she skipped out the door, her mood had obviously lifted considerably.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So Mom, what kinda restaurant is this?" I asked from my position in the passenger seat of our car. I had rolled the window down attempting to use the piercing cold of the November wind to keep me awake; school really was taking over my life, exhaustion the result.

"Italian supposedly!" she chirped flashing me a mischievous smile, so simillar to Hayley's it was unnerving. Something told me she knew a lot more about this evening we had before us than she had previously let on. I sighed, sliding down in my chair in defeat.

As we pulled up in front of what I could only describe as an adorable Italian restaurant, my senses filled with the acutely familliar scent of tomatoes and garlic. Even through the haze of my exhausted state I began to get suspicious of my Mothers motives.
Following the mouth watering scent that led to the painted lemon yellow door, I pushed it open causing the brass bell above ths door to chime cheerfully, alerting the staff to our entrance.

A warm welcoming woman glided out from behind the counter at the end of the room, winding toward us through the mis-matched tables and chairs that littered the floor expertly. Her genuine smile widened as she seemed to recognise us. Then she spoke in that same velvety voice that was now oh-so-familliar.

"Welcome! How may I help you? Table for three?" she finished, turning toward a small rectangular table in the corner of the dimly lit room which was flanked by three uniquely shaped chairs.

"Yes please. Thanks, Janine isn't it?" My mother questioned.

"Yes, Nina? It's lovely to finally meet you, I've heard so much about you from Christie and Hayley!" She finished with a crooked grin as she placed our menus before us. As she skipped across the room to a door that presumeably led to the kitchens, I hissed across the table at my Mother; "You knew that this was the Farro's restaurant all this time and you didn't tell me!" I demanded with a grimace.

My exclamation went unanswered as our table was once again approached by a member of staff. "Are you guys ready to order?" a soft velvety voice asked hesitantly from behind me.

"Zac?" I gasped in shock spinning around to look at him.

"Maddie?" he echoed, his voice laced in surprise as his cheeks flushed a deep red and his smile transformed to a meek shy grin.

This encounter was the first outside of our daily ritual walks to school and it was an uneasy situation for both of us. We had not had a chance to spend much extra time together due to my escalating assignments for school and his now obvious work commitments. If I'm honest, seeing him here was a very pleasant surprise. I felt like I could breath a little easier, like he was the lifejacket keeping me afloat that was slowly failing but now had a new lease of life.

"Hey, you wanna go for a walk with me? I'll get us some food on take away and I'll walk you home and everything!" he finished, looking to my Mother for permission. She gave an enthusiastic nod of her head.

"Sure Zac, that sounds amazing!" I gasped, my pleasure at this inviataion went unmasked in my haste and his grin stretched across his features lighting them up.

As he scurried off to prepare my Mother glanced up at me with a satisfied smile gracing her face, her eyes wide with excitment and she spoke, "Go hunny, you deserve this!" with pure sincerity.