“How did you know I’m Madeline?” I asked, a bit puzzled since I had graduated a year or two ago.
“Madeline, who at the design institute doesn’t know you? I actually met you in person!” the girl said excitedly, hugging me directly.
The hug was warm and comforting.
“My name is Lily Turner. I’m a big fan of yours,” she said with a bright smile.
She was a cute little schoolgirl. We wandered around the campus for a while, chatting about the changes and our design dreams.
When I got home, Zachary still wasn’t back. He usually doesn’t stay away all day. I made a simple dinner, leaving out his portion, thinking he wouldn’t return. Emma had just added me to her contacts and sent me photos of them hanging out, with Zachary passed out on the sofa.
“How about letting Zachary hang out with us for the night; you don’t mind, do you?”
That night, Zachary didn’t come home. The next day, when he finally did return, everything seemed normal, but he started going out more often.