Finally they were done. Everyone was upstairs. Kelly and Riley were on the bed watching Madison unpack. “So Ri, how have you been? You look real skinny. Tired too. Nice tan, though. You’re not still thinking about that night are you? You really shouldn’t. It’s not good for you. You got to get past it. I know it’s hard, but you got to girl.” Kelly petted Riley softly and looked down at the bed, “Yeah, I just can’t shake the feeling off. I have this thing now. All I do is work and run. I run everyday. Like I’m running from the guy who did this to me. I hardly eat. It’s like I’m not hungry anymore. I don’t go out with anyone except Austin. All I do is work and come home to Riley. I never go anywhere anymore. I figure I’ll be single all my life. But enough of me,” Kelly said, changing the subject quickly. “You look great. How are you? It’s been a month since we’ve talked, but I haven’t seen you since you moved out of New York. It’s been a year almost. I see you on the billboards and stuff. Hee Hee.” Madison had already filled up her main closet and was working on the bathroom closet. “I am having so much fun with my life. I love my work. I love the freedom of being single. Although I have seen many hotties in this modeling business. I just love it. I love the money too. Oh, about the show next week. It’s on Wednesday and you got to dress up fancy. I’ll help you pick out clothes if you want. You can bring a date like I said, but you don’t have to. It’s Tuesday today so we have a week to get you ready. Riley, we are going to have so much fun this month. I am going to change your ways. Get you out of this place and we are going to party!!!” Kelly laughed, “Okay, okay. Look. It’s 12:00 in the morning. It’s really Wednesday and now we really have only a week to get me ready. I have work tomorrow starting around one, but if you can get up we can go get you a car from the rental place over on 86th. I’d let you drive my Jeep but the hospital is half an hour away and I don’t want to ride the bus that far and I have to give Austin a ride home when he’s working. I’ll try not to wake you up when Riley and I go running tomorrow. Okay? Oh, yeah. If we have time let’s go shopping and get a dress for me for your show because I don’t have much more free time the rest of the week. A really hectic schedule for thenext couple of days.” “Great,” Madison said, “But what do you call early? And when did you get this new Jeep?” “If you’re up by nine than we should be fine. And I bought the new Jeep with some of my promotion money.” Kelly smiled and got up from the bed. “The towels and everything are already in the bathroom. Just get me up if you need anything. I’m so glad you’re here and I hope that you can help me get out of this daze. It feels a lot safer having the three of us in this mansion. Come on Riley, let’s leave her alone.” Madison walked over to where Kelly was standing and gave her a hug. “Goodnight girl.” Kelly pulled away a little with a sheepish grin on her face. “Huh, yeah. Goodnight.”
Kelly and Riley went down the staircase into Kelly’s room. Madison noticed that Kelly still flinched when anyone tried to get close to her. “Girl, you gotta shake out of this,” Madison said to herself, thinking about her friend.
Kelly walked down the stairs thinking to herself. “God, I must be out of it. I couldn’t even hug Madison back. Oh man Riley!! I almost forgot to check the locks. We got so excited I don’t even think we shut the door.” The two ran across the room and into the entryway. They were lucky. They door was shut, but not locked. Kelly locked all of them and the two walked back into Kelly’s room. Kelly took of her jeans and put on a pair of lounge pants. She got in her bed and then Riley jumped on right next to her. “Good thing this bed is big enough for the both of us boy.” Kelly got under her down comforter and pulled it up around her neck and yelled up through the stairs into Madison room above her, “Good night Madison.” Kelly waited for her answer but all she heard was Madison snoring softly. Kelly turned over and turned her light off. She patted Riley on the head and said goodnight. He curled up closer to her and in minutes they too, were both asleep.