Page 21

I felt excited and nervous as I pulled onto our street. I could see that mother was in the garden, leaning over, pulling the hose behind her. I pulled the car up into the driveway. She turned and looked at me, then dropped the hose.
"Colonel! Colonel!" she called out for my father. The door to the house flung open and my father ran out, his pipe hanging from his hand.
"What the-" he stopped as he saw us. I waved meekly, unsure of what to do next. Should I get out of the car and hold hands with Madlax? Not hold hands? I heard the car door slam and saw that Madlax was walking toward them. My father tapped his pipe out on the porch railing and walked down the steps towards Madlax. I held my breath.
"Mission accomplished, sir." Madlax saluted him.
"What?" I got out of the car, thoroughly confused. Instead of tension and yelling, my father was standing there, tucking his pipe into his pocket with a smile.
"Good job, soldier." He extended his hand to Madlax. "Welcome to the family."
"Wait a minute! What's going on here!" I ran up to them.
"And were my assumptions correct?" my mother leaned over to Madlax and pointed her finger at me.
"Absolutely on target, madam." Madlax said politely.
"Ahah! I knew it! I knew it all along!" my mother straightened up triumphantly. I stood there in shock, as they all grinned at me in a conspiratorial fashion.
"Knew what? Just what is going on here?" I had my hands on my hips.
"That you lost your virginity to Williston in that old car." Madlax said calmly, as if it were nothing more than a weather observation. I staggered back, hand over my mouth.
"And that you refused to ever move on after that, dear. You would never let it go. You kept that car, and Will, like a chain around your neck." My mother stepped forward, her hands out to me. "We never thought anything would be able to break it."
"Until this bold youngster came along yesterday and took a challenge from me that I was sure would never be met." My father nodded his head at Madlax.
Stunned, I let my mother lead me towards the house. So the suits, the new car- it was for me, for my family. I could hear my father talking to Madlax behind me.
"Speechless for once, Vanessa dear?" my mother teased. "I have to say, I'm most impressed with this young lady- even if she is female."
"Oh." I was still in shock.
"But I still want those grandchildren." She raised her voice. I felt Madlax's arms go around my waist.
"You'll get them. I can't promise overnight delivery like I did with the car- can you wait nine months?" she patted my belly with her hands.
"Madlax!"