He smiled at me. "Because, Maddi, you're mine." My expression must of perfectly conveyed how confused I was, because he took the initiative to explain...further. "I can't hide it any longer, I want you Maddi." He took a step toward me again, and this time I didn't react by stepping back. He smiled again at that, and closed the space between us. "Do you mind?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close to him. I couldn't speak, I could barely breathe. My brother just said he. I managed to get her car started, and she sped off, waving and mouthing her thanks. A couple of hours later I heard my doorbell ringing and went and opened it up, and was pleasantly surprised to find Michelle standing outside.“Would you like to come over for a cup of coffee and some cake?” she asked, “as a way of saying thank you for helping me out earlier on.”“I’d love to Michelle, thank you,” I replied, “I am just going to lock up here and I will be right over.” I quickly locked up the house. Alfred looked at me questioningly. I gave him a wink to let him know that everything was alright again."Eh ... Berthold, renowned Doktor Eisenbart, do you think this is the right stuff to give Wilbur? We don't know yet..." Oh, yes, Alfred, I do know. How do you think I fixed your wagon since there was no time to take you to a vet?"His comments were too late in any case, his reference to the ridiculous doctor figure of folk lore superfluous, because Wilbur was busily draining the glass, licking. I felt as if I was dropped back into reality like Cinderella’s shoe crashing and shattering onto the ground with my cleaning rag in hand with half the patio table still in need of cleaning of sticky smears and smudges. ‘No fair!’ I screamed at him as quietly as I could. Rick gave me a wicked grin and went back to the business of scrubbing the chair that was in serious need of cleaning. Heaven forbid someone should sit on a cushion covered in chocolate syrup with their clothes on. Then he.