Chapter85Picnic
The result of a hangover was waking up the next day with a thirst like no other, paired with a pounding headache.
Thirst awoke Matthew, forcing him out of bed to descend the stairs for a drink. After guzzling down two large glasses of warm water, he felt somewhat better.
In his merriment the night before, he'd overdone it with the drinks. He was still wearing yesterday's clothes and distinctly remembered lying on the sofa.
He had no idea how he managed to get upstairs and back to his room.
The house was quiet. Hannah's room door was closed. Madison hadn't woken up yet?
As he pondered this, he heard a door opening.
Then he saw Madison emerge in casual home attire.
Madison hadn't expected him to be up already, especially not after how drunk he'd been last night she thought he'd sleep in.
Remembering the nonsensical things the man before her had said last night, she couldn't help but feel a blush creep up to the tips of her ears.
Glancing down at her clothes and feeling suddenly self-conscious, she rushed back into her room and closed the door behind her, only to come out again properly dressed.
Matthew poured himself another glass of water and sipped slowly, watching Madison's series of actions—opening and closing doors, seemingly unsure what to do. Plus, she seemed to be shyly avoiding his gaze.
Had something happened last night that he didn't remember?
After Madison was neatly dressed, she headed downstairs, ready to whip up breakfast for the two little ones.
Passing by Matthew, she caught a whiff of alcohol on him and slightly furrowed her brows.
Noticing her subtle reaction, Matthew, who had just woken up incredibly thirsty, had come down to grab some water without taking a shower first.
Now, looking down, he saw his clothes were wrinkled, and there was still a hint of last night's booze clinging to him. Did he gross her out?
He set down his glass and headed back upstairs to his bedroom, grabbed fresh clothes, and headed straight to the bathroom for a shower.
Matthew took a long shower, using shower gel twice. After rinsing off, he brushed his teeth and then lightly sprayed some cologne. He checked himself to make sure the smell was gone before going back downstairs.
By the time he descended, Quentin and Hannah were already seated at the breakfast table, starting their meal.
For breakfast, Madison had steamed some cornbread, some milk, and also fried eggs.
Hannah, thinking her dad had just woken up, said to Matthew, "Dad, how come you got up later than me and my brother?"
"I overslept," Matthew cleared his throat and replied.
"Dad’s such a sleepyhead," Hannah playfully teased Matthew, making a funny face at him before continuing with her pancakes.
Matthew, looking affectionately at his daughter, simply smiled without saying a word.
Madison came near with the last two fried eggs, immediately noticing Matthew sitting at the table, now in clean and neatly arranged clothes, his hair even combed.
Approaching with the plate, she detected no trace of alcohol. So, he had been upstairs all this time taking a shower.
Madison quietly sat down to eat, contemplating how to broach the topic of moving. The new place was nearly ready, and she wondered if Matthew had discussed it with Hannah. Tomorrow, she intends to drop Quentin and Hannah off at daycare and then return to pack and move.
They didn't have much in the villa, just enough to fit into two suitcases. Taking all of Quentin and Hannah's toys wasn't feasible. They would only bring the small ones that didn't take up much space. The new house was smaller and couldn't fit too much. Madison planned to discuss with Matthew about leaving some things in the villa or packing them up and storing them away if it wasn't convenient.
Matthew stood up to pour himself some milk, eyeing the small woman across from him, lost in thought as she picked at her breakfast, seeming preoccupied.
Madison, noticing Matthew's leisurely pace with breakfast, suddenly looked up and asked, "Aren't you going to the office today?"
Matthew paused briefly before responding, "It's the weekend. No need to head into the office today."
"Oh," Madison muttered, her mind racing with the thought of why he was still here and not off to work like he usually was on the weekends, toiling away at overtime. 'Has JK Group finally slowed down?' she wondered. It seemed that even the boss was now enjoying weekends off!
Picking up on Madison's less-than-pleased tone, Matthew ventured cautiously, "How did I get back to my room last night?"
Hearing him bring up the previous night, Madison, in the midst of drinking milk, choked in surprise. Bent over, she couldn't stop coughing.
Matthew, seeing her distress, quickly went to her side and gently patted her back. "You okay?" he asked with concern.
Madison pulled away from his comforting touch, her face briefly showing awkwardness beneath the flush from her coughing fit. Remembering his drunken confessions from the night before, she retreated, using her cough as a shield for her embarrassment.
Seemingly oblivious to Madison's unease, Matthew casually settled back into his chair to finish his breakfast.
Seeing the pleasant weather, Madison opted to take Quentin and Hannah for a stroll after breakfast to avoid staying indoors for too long. Back in Frostpine, they had embraced outdoor activities, limiting their screen time. Despite having various electronic devices available now, Madison aimed to maintain that balance for them.
When Matthew overheard Madison’s plan to take the kids out, he insisted on coming along. He mentioned to the two excited little ones about flying kites, something they eagerly looked forward to.
Madison grabbed a canvas bag, filling it with snacks, freshly washed fruit, and drinks. Matthew glanced at it and silently took the bag from her hands.
While he felt everything could have been bought there, he didn’t dare argue with the carefully prepared bag of goodies. He knew his job was to carry it to the car.
Driving to a resort not far from their villa, they arrived at a huge lake surrounded by vast lawns and a central square, complete with a small artificial beach where you could pitch your own tents.
It was a typical weekend with pleasant weather, and the place was bustling with visitors. After parking, Matthew took out the tent and picnic mat that was already in the car and carried Madison's bag of food.
The four of them found a spot in the shade. As soon as Matthew had the tent pitched, the kids couldn't wait to dart inside and lay down.
Outside the tent, Madison spread out the picnic mat and arranged the food.
She never imagined there'd be such a wonderful place on this side of the villa, where the breeze off the lake was incredibly refreshing.
The park was lively, filled with couples, families, and children playing. Some had set up tents, while others relaxed on picnic blankets. Vendors in the central square sold water guns, pails, kites, snacks, drinks, and ice cream, adding to the bustling atmosphere.
After pitching the tent, Matthew took Quentin and Hannah to pick out kites—one for each of them.
Quentin ran off to fly his kite, mastering it after a few tries. Hannah struggled a bit but eventually succeeded with Matthew's help. He launched the kite for her and then gave her the reel to control it herself.
Turning back, Matthew saw Madison sitting quietly on the blanket, hugging her knees and watching them. He bent to remind the kids to play safely before walking over to join her.
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