Chapter 1

Whoever said that being a teacher was one of the most rewarding careers should have their fucking head examined!

Madison did not like blood. Not particularly when it was spurting out from the head of a four year old, and especially not when it was soaking into her silk charmeuse blouse.

She had always thought that the sound of the sirens would be somewhat softer from the inside of an ambulance but she was wrong. It was almost as loud as Trevor’s screaming.

She held his hand, stroking it soothingly as she promised him that his mommy will be coming to the hospital for him. The paramedics were methodically doing their jobs, putting pressure on his wound and checking his vitals. “Head wounds always seem a lot worse than it really is”, they assured. “Just want to make sure that everything else is okay.”

Trevor’s mother was waiting at the emergency entrance and rushed up to meet the ambulance. Madison started to give her a brief account of what had happened during nap time, that Trevor had run out from the room and had been climbing on the ‘big kids’ jungle gym and fell, when Jessica interrupted her.

“He’s just accident prone, Madison, don’t worry about it. We’ve been here so many times they already know us by sight!”
“Although, I don’t think they’ve seen him quite like this just yet.”

Assured by the doctors that he will be just fine and apologizing to Jessica once more, Madison left the hospital. Taking a cab back she decided to head home to change before returning to the school.

Letting herself into her 9th floor condo, she realized that her phone was ringing. And ringing. “No time for that. Let the answering machine get it.”

Madison decided on a more relaxed outfit; a pair of black skinny legged jeans paired with a lightweight black long sleeved sweater. This was Hawaii, but the air conditioning in the offices was permanently set to sub zero and the staff shopped the LL Bean winter catalog to compensate. She changed out of the stuffy suit she had chosen that morning in deference to a director’s meeting she had to attend that day. A thin, natural tan belt, double wrapped around her waist, a pair of sage green T strap heels and she was out the door.

She had noticed, however, that her phone was still ringing. Damn it! The answering machine must have taken a hike. Just ignore it. If it’s important, they’ll call back.

Just as she was closing the door, the machine kicked in.

"Maddie? Answer the damn phone! I just have to talk to you!"

*****

She was filling out the accident report when Elsie stuck her head in the office.

“How’s Trevor?”

“Just fine. The doctors said that head wounds tend to bleed a lot.”

“No shit.”

Being that they worked at a Catholic school seemed to have no bearing on Elsie’s vocabulary. Or on any of the other staff for that matter. No one seemed have any problems expressing how they felt towards the end of the school year.

Freaking tired and ready for summer to begin.

Although it was not a part of the reasons why she had chosen early childhood education as a career, three months of paid vacation was definitely a perk she could live with. Her salary as the assistant director at the private school afforded her small luxuries as she had a penchant for art and fashion.

That penchant had turned into an interest in designing jewelry. It began with simple beading which led into bead weaving. Her passion for the last few years has been making her own beads, especially ones made from precious metals. She learned the art of lost-wax casting and her beads have developed quite a following among collectors. The classes she took gave her new perspectives and skills, but her favorite had been in a peaceful, remote area of Washington.

She had planned to go to Ravensdale to take another class in metal working this summer. Last year she was thrilled to be able to take a class with Katherine Muller, a master silversmith artist she had long admired.

She thought back to the message on the machine.


Would it be news that would take her away from a coveted workshop?

*****

Returning to her apartment, she dragged herself to her room, dumped her bag and changed into her comfortable shorts and a T shirt that read: ‘One by one, the penguins are stealing my sanity’.

It was a Christmas gift from Elsie.

As she stuck her head into the fridge, she realized that she had not gone grocery shopping for more than a week. Two eggs, a block of cheese and a bottle of white wine stared back at her. Settling on a cheese omelet and pouring herself a glass of wine, she sat down on the couch and ate while watching a mindless episode of Wheel of Fortune.

Putting the dishes into the sink, she poured another glass of wine and settled in her studio. The space was comfortably messy, with silver sheeting and tools strewn about the worktop. Bins of semi-precious beads lined one wall and a bulletin board with photos and bits of magazine tear outs tacked haphazardly on, lined another.

Picking up a piece she was working on, she looked at it closely. Everything she created had the same underlying theme. Though she did not exactly know what that theme was, she knew it was there.

Searching? Yearning? Maybe it was a quest for peace. Not world peace. A peace to quell the constant ache in her heart.

Or something to stop the nightmares.

The soothing jazz filtering through the speakers had an odd ringing to it. She changed the song. The ringing was still there. The phone.

Running out to the kitchen, she snapped up the receiver and breathlessly answered it.


“Jesus, Maddie! How big is your house, anyway? I rang like fifteen times!”

“Who is this?”

“Maddie! It’s Joanna. Have you forgotten me already?”

“Joanie? Oh my god, it’s been ages! How are you? Where are you?”

“At home, and yeah I’m doing good, real good.”

“Home? What time is it there?”

“It’s almost 2 am, but I just had to call you. In fact, I've been calling you all day.”

“Joanna, are you okay? What’s wrong?”

“Yes, I’m okay. In fact, I’m better than okay. You’ll never believe what happened!”


“You’re getting married?”


“No! But before I tell you, please tell me you have the summer off.”


“Well, yes I do, but I was goin…..”


“Great! Madison Forsyth, you are now officially invited to be my guest to go on a concert tour with Bon Jovi!!!”



“Who?”