Communication is Key

“Grandpa Rick really said that?” Maddy asks you, after you told her that her grandfather has allowed you to possibly date his granddaughter, and even encouraged Maddy to pursue a possible relationship with you if that’s truly something she wanted.

“He did.” You confirm to Maddy, making the young girl prominently blush once more, making the flecks of her freckles more noticeable.

You and Maddy are alone in your apartment now, sitting on the couch; while her grandparents are back in their own apartment, planning for a trip to Maddy’s home this coming weekend to talk to their son, Connor, in person. They told Maddy she doesn’t have to go with them, and that if it was okay with you, to look after her while they were gone. A request you happily accepted.

Meanwhile, your girlfriends and Brooke are hanging out at Viv’s apartment to give you and Maddy some private time to talk and address what happened earlier this afternoon.

Maddy remains quiet, obviously unsure how to handle this situation now that she’s calmed down, and more cautious as to what she wants to say. Her eyes don’t look at you, and she’s biting her lower lip in doubt of how to proceed with your conversation.

“You know, Grammy said something surprisingly similar.” Maddy confirms for you what the girls mentioned before leaving you alone with Maddy. Cassie and Stella even gave you questioning looks, asking with their eyes if magic was involved in Mrs. O’Brien’s revelation, to which you subtly nodded to confirm their assumption.

“It’s weird to find out that your grandparents aren’t as clean cut as you thought they were.” Maddy tells you with a chuckle. “Well, Grammy, at least. Dad always said Grandpa Rick had a colorful past, and it’s one of the reasons why they don’t get along.” Maddy adds.

“I know what you mean. I was shocked when I heard that your grandparents did orj-uhhh-nized swingers parties too.” You catch yourself before accidentally revealing that her grandparents participated in orgies as well; remembering Viv’s reaction in the group chat and her telling you that Mrs. O’Brien didn’t mention her orgy-having past to them. Maddy does raise an eyebrow at how you pronounced ‘organized’, but she seems to let it go.

“It’s just unbelievable that my entire life has been dictated by my dad’s lack of communication with Grammy and Grandpa Rick. It’s so infuriating!” Maddy reveals to you, and you can’t help but feel some kind of pity for her at that revelation.

“The nerve of my dad to act like it’s Grammy and Grandpa Rick that are wrong! He could’ve just talked to them and let them explain what it was he saw, then maybe Dad wouldn’t have been so… so… AGHHH!” Maddy lets out a groan of frustration.

“Conversations are a two way street, Maddy.” You remind her. “From what your grandfather told me, he wasn’t exactly sober when he got confronted by your Dad to have the conversation where they would have explained everything to each other.” You point out. “That being said, I agree with you that proper communication could have solved their gripes with one another. Then again, aren’t all arguments like that?” You add.

“I guess that’s true. I wonder what would have happened if my sisters and I just agreed to rebel against Dad as a whole. We probably could have gotten mom on our side too.” Maddy thinks out loud.

“Instead, we all just decided to slowly stew in resentment all these years. I always had an inkling that we all didn’t like how constricting our upbringing was, we just never voiced it out to dad in fear of repercussions.” Maddy shares with you. You were about to point something out, but you think it would be better if Maddy figured it out herself.

...

“I guess I’m not one to talk about them solving their issues if they just talked it out years ago, huh?” Maddy asks you, affirming your decision to stay quiet was the right one, as she arrives at the realization on her own.

As a pause occurs between you and Maddy, you realize both of you are just waiting for the other to start addressing the elephant in the room. You take a deep breath, knowing that this talk is inevitable. Especially now that Maddy’s basically confessed her feelings for you, and that her grandparents are going to support her decision to pursue you. It can’t be avoided any further.

“Mr. Craig?” Maddy asks, breaking the silence between the two of you. “Can we not talk about it right now?” Maddy then asks, taking you by surprise.

“Talk about what?” You ask her, just in case your idea of what she means is different from what you wanted to talk to her about.

“You know… I mean… you already know. Do I have to say it out loud?” Maddy asks shyly, blushing as she does so. At least now you’re sure you and her are on the same page of what conversation she wants to avoid.

“Maddy, if we’re thinking about the same thing, I think we do need to talk about it. I think prolonging it would just lead to both of us being awkward around each other.” You answer her.

Maddy bites her lip and looks around in panic, but you take her hands in yours to comfort her. Rubbing the back of her hands with your thumbs, as you noticed this helps comfort your girlfriends during times when your conversations with them become heavy.

Maddy stares into your eyes deeply. She takes a deep breath without breaking eye contact. You give her a reassuring smile. To tell her that there’s nothing to worry about if you do have this conversation now…

… and yet, Maddy still doesn’t want to talk about it.

“I know we’re going to need to talk about it eventually, but I don’t want to become your girlfriend just because we finally talked about our feelings for each other. I want what you feel for me to be the same as what I feel for you… before we consider each other… that.” Maddy explains, surprising you with her sudden change of heart. “More importantly, I don’t want to **** you into loving me just because you know I love you already.” Maddy tells you, still staring into your eyes, blushing red.

She keeps throwing the term ‘love’ like it’s nothing. You do know she has romantic feelings for you in some way, but only within the range of a teenage crush if you remember correctly. You want to ask her if her feeling’s about you are genuine, and maybe even ask her what it is exactly that she ‘loves’ about you like you and Viv did last night, but she doesn’t give you the chance.

“I know what I feel is real. Maybe you think it isn’t genuine based on that magical skill that only your girlfriends can know... but I know what I’m feeling isn’t something that’ll just fade…” Maddy says with conviction.

“I really do love you, Mr. Craig.”