Chapter 10
Chapter 10
The sandwich was warm and inviting, but the red chili sauce spread thickly in the middle was anything but. Maddie wrinkled her nose, the pungent aroma making her eyes water.
“Why is there so much chili sauce in my sandwich?” she exclaimed, setting the offending meal back on the plate.
Rico glanced up from his cup of coffee, looking puzzled. “Wait, chili sauce? That can’t be right. I made the sandwiches with ketchup!”
“You sure about that?” Maddie asked, her tone sharp, eyebrows raised. “Because this looks–and smells–like chili sauce.”
Rico scratched the back of his head, a sheepish smile spreading across his face.
“Maybe I mixed them up? I swear it looked like ketchup.”
Jane, standing awkwardly by the counter,
1/6
Chapter 10
let out a nervous laugh. “Oh, Rico, you‘ re always so scatterbrained in the kitchen. No harm done, right?” She turned toward Maddie, attempting at playful smile.
Maddie wasn’t amused. Her lips curled into a tight smile, masking her irritation.
“No harm? Jane, even if you can’t cook, surely you can tell the difference between chili peppers and tomatoes. I mean, the bottles are labeled. Or don‘ t you bother reading?”
Jane’s face flushed red, her
embarrassment evident. “I–I didn’t see any labels! Both bottles looked exactly the same and they didn’t have any packaging. How was I supposed to know?”
Maddie shot to her feet, leaving the table as Rico frowned. “Come on, Jane, Maddie didn’t mean it like that. It was just a mistake,” he said, trying to smooth things.
over.
“Mistake or not, I’m checking,” Maddie
2765
Chapter 10
“Ohmuttered, storming into the kitchen.
brain
ight
item:
Herl
ig her
YOUR
деге
Sure enough, two nearly identical bottles of
ed sauce sat on the spice rack. Their labels
had been ripped off, leaving no clear
ndication of what was inside.
“When did this happen?” Maddie murmured under her breath. “Yesterday,
ne ketchup bottle still had its label…”
es.lmico followed her into the kitchen and in‘ tricked up one of the bottles. After
her
nspecting it, he chuckled softly and eached out to ruffle Jane‘ s hair. “Don’t e so hard on yourself, Jane. Without the
joked.00
bels, I can’t tell the difference either.”
ave4addie crossed her arms, glaring at them now oth. “So why is it that your sandwiches
on’t have any chili sauce and mine is ractically drowning in it?”
eattle
Italico looked taken aback. “Hey, there‘ st tono need to be aggressive. Jane even asked
e what you like and I told her you love etchup. She just tried to make it special
DOL HEST
3/6
10
ing into. We don‘ t care for ketchup, so we
ed it.”
o nearly inear
the spiceese clenched her fists at her sides,
I off, leariff, back a retort. She knew Rico was too
at was in wared with Jane to see through her.
y excuses. It didn’t matter anymore happen app of it did. After all, she had already er her brother t
up her mind.
tle stille still
er intothe into
of the bd they after Rico and Jane left for their ? chuck chúaddie packed her things and went
uffle buffle where it all began: the orphanage. burse burselfied a bag full of gifts for the tell thetell the, hoping to leave a part of herself
d in the only place that had ever truly
hered her an
te home.
is it is it that
wehity chilise!” Mrs. Walker, the virowning stress, called out, rushing to
ce her. “Oh, it’s so good to see you But where’s Rico? Didn’t he come
ed taken aback
abc aggress!” you like and li
She just trie offered a small smile. “He’s been
4/6
pter 10
ire care Didn’t have time to visit.”
- s. Walker sighed, her expression turning ther fistul. “Busy with that actress he’s Shekg, huh? I saw the news. Such a shame. jane to says thought the two of you would end dit didn’ogether.”
rAfter all, sh
ind.
ighing softly, Maddie shook her head. here’s no shame in it, Mrs. Walker. o’s always seen me as a little sister.
he has his own life and I have mine.
ico and Jan
cked herth he took care of you for so long. When t all began ally had enough to support himself, ag full of gought you home. That boy has always. g to leave u first.”
nly place top,
die’s voice softened. “That was a
gime ago. Things change. We’ve both
on.”
- rs. Walker
alled out, ed
“Oh, it‘ sn
re’s Ricoll
Valker nodded, but her expression ened. “Your mom donated another
illion dollars to the orphanage last She said it was in your name!
a smalls me so lucky to have found your family
15:51
5/6
り
Chapter 10
after all these years.”
“Yeah,” Maddie murmured, a bittersweet smile on her face. “It’s about time I went back to them.”
***
Back at Rico’s house–soon to be just his house–Maddie began packing up the remnants of her life. Every day, she dragged bags of her belongings down to the trash. With each trip, she discarded more than just clothes and trinkets; she let go of the past, of the memories, of the part of her that had clung to what could never be.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Maddie made one final trip to the trash bin, her arms full of discarded dreams. This time, she didn’t look back.
1904 15:51
