2.9 Bring Home Madeline

It was late morning by the time Madeline was discharged from the hospital. Cam and she planned to take a taxi to the house. As they walked out of the hospital, she still felt a little woozy but she was determined that she would be okay. She had needed to get out of that hospital as soon as possible. Thankfully, Cam had been willing to not question her even when he put an arm around her waist and she none-too-gently gripped an arm around his neck.

When they arrived at the house, he paid for the taxi and once again they resumed their walk with his arm around her waist. But they hadn't walked a few feet before she stepped back and pausing took a deep breath.

Cam released her waist easily but he made sure to take her hand securely in his.

"Sorry," she said apologetically. "I just don't want to walk into your family like an invalid."

Cam smiled gently. Madeline took a deep breath. "Ok, I'm ready."

Cam lifted his hand. "Just so you know, my family is waiting to welcome you. They can be..." he seemed to waffle for a word. "Well, I mean, you know my mother.... and Collin and Laura..."

Madeline smiled. Sometimes Cam could be awkward but she knew that he meant well. "Yes, Cam, I know your family. Your point is?"

Cam smiled. "Family meeting." he said and then he let go of her hand and started up the stairs.

Ok, she knew that she felt tired and a little woozy but that really meant absolutely nothing. At least not to her.

She started up the the steps matching her step to Cam's. "What does that mean?"

He looked at her, that silly and conspiratorial smile on his face. "You'll see."

She wasn't really sure what to make of that. So she followed him in.

And then she knew what he meant. Adaleigh stood at the far side of the room her arms folded and the rest of the family was sitting around the couches, apparently they were waiting on them.

Madeline froze. Cam stayed beside her and very gently he took her hand in his again.

"Ok... I see what you mean."

He smiled and through his teeth he spoke. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Cam, Madeline." Adaleigh said addressing them from across the room. "If we are taking Madeline into the house there are a few rules that we need to go over as a family."

Cam helped Madeline sit next to Collin and then he sat across from her on the couch.

"Ok," Adaleigh said all business. "So, Madeline, through my politic contacts I found your mom some housing on the outskirts of Newcrest. She and your brother are not going to be on the streets any more. Once the doctors clear you, you are free to join them or to find your own place, but for the time being Cam has taken responsability for you and that means that until the doctors medically clear you, you are the McGinnis Family's responsability."

"And... while she's staying with us, she'll be rooming with me! I already helped Collin move the desk out and we set her bed." Laura chimed in excitedly.

"Yeah, about that... since when am I the manual laborer around here?" Collin complained.

Laura looked over at her brother. "Since you were the only male readily available." she said smartly. "Trust me, I would have taken Cameron's help over yours but he was too busy being a Knight in Shining Armor."

"Just my luck..." Collin grumbled then he looked over at Madeline next to him. "No offense."

"Anyway," Adaleigh said as a warning. "I am more than happy to have you stay with us, Madeline. And I know you mean the world to Cam, but I just... I want things to be laid out."

Cam looked over at Madeline and although she could see him out of the corner of her eye she did her best not to look at him. He was smiling and although she tried to keep her eyes seriously on Adaleigh, she couldn't help the small smile on her face.

"I understand completely, Mrs... Mayor... I'm not really sure what to call you." Madeline fumbled for a bit and her head began to ache just a bit.

Adaleigh smiled sweetly at her. "You can just call me Mrs. McGinnis or even Adaleigh, dear. You are a young adult after all."

"Well, thank you, Adaleigh. I really do appreciate it. I mean, it wasn't necessary..."

Adaleigh looked at her seriously and she trailed off. "I take my Mayoral duties seriously. Finding out the difficulties with your family shows me that my view of Newcrest was lacking. But no more, Cameron and I are already working on resources for families like yours."



Madeline felt a slight blush burn her cheeks. She knew that Adaleigh meant well but it was difficult to accept so much help. Her father... she let her thoughts trail off. Now was not the time for that. Suddenly her forehead felt like it was throbbing. The woozy feeling was coming back and although she was sitting she felt the sudden urge to lay down.

Laura had chimed in again but aside from noting her wild hand gestures, Madeline had always thought Laura was overly expressive, she didn't know what had been said. She had been too deep in her own thoughts.

Adaleigh seemed to understand this. "Laura, why don't you show--"

"I'll show her Laura's room, Mom." Cam interjected and Adaleigh nodded, if a little stiffly.

The two walked down the hallway and then as soon as the turned the corner past the kitchen doorway he turned and gave her a grin. He put a finger on his lips and then turning he open the door to his room. He ushered her inside and closed the door, leaving it just slightly open.

Madeline stepped inside and was taken by the large fish tank that took up one wall.

"I'm sorry, my mom can be a bit intense." Cam looked awkwardly at her and then at the fish tank. He didn't know how to continue it seemed. "I just wanted to say.... I'm glad you're here. When I went to talk to you. It's because... well I didn't care about what you did. And... when you're feeling better I want to..."

Madeline smiled and then she looked distantly at the tank.

"I like your fish," she said casually. Awkward and yet so cute.

Cam looked up confused. "Ah, yes, the fish. I...uh, caught them all myself."

"It's very relaxing... I can see why you like to have it in your room." she looked over at Cam seriously. "I'm glad you came to be my Knight in Shining Armor. I'm going to lay down now though."

I can't deal with these feelings now... is all she thought as she slipped out and across the hall to her room.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Madeline spent the rest of the day sleeping. Cam poked his head into Laura's room a couple times, always she just looked peaceful. She hadn't even bothered to take her shoes off before she jumped on the new bed that Laura and Collin had put together for her.

Although he worried, he told himself there were other things that he needed to get done. So in between obsessively peeking into the room Cam put himself to work on the computer researching, planning and canvasing for support for the latest project that he and Adaleigh had begun. 

Outside, the movers came and picked up the tables and other decor from the birthday party. This time Adaleigh watched from the porch as she watered her garden. And everthing returned to normal for the most part. Except now Madeline was living with them and Cam was thinking that maybe it was something he wanted. Now the only question was... did Madeline feel the same way?
__________________________________________________________________________

Author's note: So... poses. Walking up to the house, first post came from Sim-ply Reality's  Waiting for Baby Pose Pack and the hand holding poses come from the Plumbob Tea Society's Rustic Romance Pose Pack which comes included in their fan created stuff pack. Family meeting utilized the Something Wicked Sim's Situational Sitting Pose Pack and the Solistair's Sitting Comfortably Pose Pack. Movers used the tigresssimmer's Moving Day Pose Pack. And that's it. Going a little lighter on the poses for next time.

Also if you are curious. Moving truck was built using DasMatze's Container Homes found here on the mod the sims.