Chapter 21
As promised, Clarke returns in exactly one hour. Madi is exactly where she left her, in a circle, sitting crisscrossed with the other children. Clarke wants to stay quiet not to interrupt the other kids. Gaia gives her smile when she sees her coming.
“Madi,” Gaia says quietly. She points behind the kids where Clarke stands. Madi whips her head around and smiles widely when she sees her mom. Her smile dims a little, Clarke observes, but she still runs into Clarke’s arms.
“Did you have fun?” Clarke asks, picking Madi up. Madi hugs her around the neck tightly.
“Yep! We had fun!” Madi responds. She turns to look at her friends. She wiggles around, her way of saying she wants to get down. Clarke let’s her down and keeps a hold of her hand. “Bye!” Madi says, waving. The kids all wave and tell her goodbye. Clarke nearly has to drag her out of the room, Madi continues waving and saying bye to her friends. Was she like this as a kid? Clarke wonders. Or is it more because this is the first time Madi has been around other kids? Clarke was quite a shy kid, which surprised her friends when she told them, and usually only played with Wells.
Once they leave, Clarke asks Madi again, “did you have fun?”
Madi nods. It’s not a lie, Madi thinks. She really did have fun with Auntie O. They played kicking and blocking. According to her aunt, Madi’s a natural. Madi wants to tell her mommy all about it. She always tells her mom everything. Auntie O said not to tell, this was going to be a surprise for her mommy and after she would be so happy. Of course Madi doesn’t want to ruin a good surprise, so she doesn’t tell her. Auntie O said it’s okay to lie in order to not ruin the surprise. Madi tells her first ever lie: “Azlea my best friend even though she’s bigger than me. And Tovin is my friend too. He’s a boy but he’s not my boyfriend.” Madi explains.
Clarke looks at her curiously. “What do you know about boyfriends?”
Madi shrugs, “some of the big kids. Kylen and Riya are boyfriend girlfriend.” At least, this she knows, is not a lie. She heard them talk a little before and after her lesson with her aunt. “Mina said that me and Tovin were boyfriend girlfriend, but that’s a lie.”
Clarke listens, and realizes she might have to have a word with Gaia. The older kids in her group are already almost teenagers, and little Madi shouldn’t be hearing these things. “Well that sounds interesting.” Clarke finally manages to say. “Did you do any actual learning? Or did you guys just gossip the whole time?” She asks with a laugh. Madi just shrugs and runs in front of her. “When I left, you guys were all in a circle. What was Gaia talking about?” Madi stops in her tracks. She doesn’t know. Gaia was just asking them about what the kids did on their recess before Octavia pulled her away. Madi turns around.
“I don’t remember.” She says.
“You don’t remember?” Clarke laughs. “You were just there a minute ago.”
“Mommy, I have a little brain.” Madi reminds her. Clarke shrugs, Madi does make a good point.
“Gaia said you guys were going to learn history. Did you learn about Wonkru history, grounder history, about the Ark? What?” Clarke tries to jog Madi’s memory.
“I don’t remember mommy.” Madi whines. “Can I go see Daddy?” Clarke is taken aback.
“Y-yeah of course.” Clarke stutters. “Are you mad at me Madi?” Madi looks forward and away from her mom.
“I just want to see Daddy.” Madi says quietly. Clarke takes Madi’s hand.
“Ok baby. We’ll go see your dad.”
Luckily it didn’t take too long to find Bellamy. He is in his room when the girls come by. His face brightens when he sees his daughter.
“Hi Madiren.” He greets, picking her up in a hug. Madi giggles and hugs him back.
“Hi daddy.” Madi responds. Clarke stands awkwardly in the doorway.
“So she wanted to spend some time with you, is now good?” Clarke asks. A selfish voice in her head wishes he will say that no, now isn’t a good time, and let Madi return with Clarke. She pushes those feelings deep down because she knows Madi spending time with her dad will benefit both of them. It doesn’t mean it’s not hard, though.
“You want to spend time with me?” Bellamy asks Madi. She nods quickly.
“Well, yeah,” she responds, sass seeping through.
“Okay, I was going to meet Octavia, but I guess it can wait. Unless you want to come with me to see Auntie O?” Bellamy asks, looking at Madi. Madi nods, a little less sure this time.
“No.” Clarke quickly steps in. “I don’t want her to be around Octavia without me.” Bellamy raises his eyebrows. “When I went to take her to school, O was there. She was trying to get me to let her train Madi.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Are you crazy?” Clarke asks and looks at Bellamy like he has two heads. “She wants to train her to be the next H-E-D-A.” Clarke spells so Madi can’t understand. Madi looks between her mom and dad suspiciously. What are they not telling her? “Do you really want that for her?”
“No,” Bellamy relents. “I don’t want her to lose her childhood. I did and Octavia did. I want Madi to be a kid, and then grow up to be anything she wants.”
“I want to be a butterfly,” Madi adds. She flaps her hands like butterfly wings. Her silliness makes Clarke and Bellamy laugh.
“Dream big kid!” Clarke tells her, still laughing.
“You can be anything you want.” Bellamy tells Madi and kisses the top of her head. “But maybe not a butterfly, you know, because you’re human.” Madi pouts. She’s going to have to come up with another plan.
“Anyway,” Clarke continues, “I think Octavia will try to influence her in that direction. I would feel a lot more comfortable if you would hold off bringing Madi around your sister while we figure this out.”
Bellamy nods. “That make-”
Someone running loudly down the hallway interrupts Bellamy. Monty runs around the corner and skids to a stop when he sees Bellamy, Clarke and Madi.
“It’s Murphy and Raven. They were taken by the prisoners.”