Shade

By the time Madeline had gotten done with her work and made it home, a large headache has settled in her mind. She tried to think about what happened at work and why. Why had she agreed to a date? Why had she given her number, let alone her address, to the creep? Why couldn't she think when she looked at him?
 
Madeline had no answer. Except that the experience was weird and she had the creeps. He was creepy, right?
 
"His eyes weren't that bad…" she thought. "Shut up!" She shook her head and walked to her door.
 
A terrible pain shot through her head from her neck to her eye. Madeline quickly hurried inside. She held her head in her hand as she turned the key in the lock. She could hear Laura scratching on the other side and prepared for an ambush.
 
Madeline was greeted by excited puppy kisses. She dropped to her knees and scratched behind Laura's ears. Madeline's head pounded, but the kisses made it a little better.
 
"Did you miss me? Did Caroline take good care of you?" Laura gave a big wet kiss in return. "I'm glad."
 
Caroline came out of her room. She had changed from earlier into some husky hair covered PJs.
 
"Yah! We've been lying in bed with Joe. Hey, do you mind if he stays over?" she asked.
 
"No, have at it!" Madeline weekly smiled. She walked down the hallway to her bedroom, an excited puppy in tow. Madeline pushed her door open and flung herself down on the bed. Caroline had followed her down the hallway.

"Are you okay?" She asked, very worried about her new friend.

"I had a long, weird night at work and my head is killing me. Please stop, Laura." Laura had settled down next to her owner to stick her nose into Madeline's ear.

"What happened, if you don't mind me asking?" Caroline sat next to her on the bed, turning off the light by the ceiling fan.

"This shipment of books came late, and this weirdo came by and asked me out." Madeline conveniently left out her weird complicity.

"Yah? Well, at least you can sleep now! If you want me to take Laura, I will. She sure loves Joe!" Caroline got up and motioned for Laura, but Laura curled up closer to Madeline, who moved to get under her covers.

"I think she's going to hunker down with me tonight. I'll see you in the morning, my head is killing me!" Madeline rolled over and buried herself in Laura's soft fur.

Caroline took the few seconds she had to look around Madeline's room, since she couldn't earlier when she moved her stuff. Madeline's four poster bed sat on the right wall, surrounded by a long curtain that could be pulled around. A long, white dresser sat right across the room, holding her television and what looked like a jewelry box. Next to that sat a pink chair and a blue dog bed. She could see a hallway on the other side of the room, presumably leading to the bathroom and closet on the other side of the right wall. Every wall was covered in pictures, mainly of her and her father. One framed portrait hung on top of Madeline's bed with a woman in pearls and a large blue dress.

Caroline closed the door behind her and entered her room to find Joe passed out in her bed.

Madeline had not asked, but Caroline had a reason to move into an apartment before she married Joe. She had been living with him in his house, but ten other guys also occupied the house, and she had had enough. Between clothes thrown everywhere, the awful dog smell, and constantly being asked to cook and clean, she decided that if Joe loved her, he would get her a place of her own until they were married.

So, he packed all of her stuff up and said he would take care of her wherever she wanted to live, as long as the rent was not outrageous and he could stay with her sometimes.

Caroline guessed "staying" with her meant coming over to sleep instead of spending time with her. She couldn't blame him, his job was very demanding, and very secretive. He constantly came home with large bruises and cuts everywhere. But she never asked, after being told she would get to know the second they were hitched.

Caroline turned on the lamp on her side table. Nothing could wake him up, so she put a box on the bed next to Joe and continued to unpack her things.

Joe let out a loud snore and she smiled.

"Six months and you're all mine."