Madison's Life Lessons Read Online Free PDF

felt that way, why didn’t he complain over Momma’s usage of make-up?
    “Push that insecurity I see in your eyes aside. Embrace the woman you know resides within you. Claim your destiny and enslave men to do your bidding. That gives you the key to your future and freedom from Daddy.” Madison met her mother’s gaze in the mirror’s reflection, confused by her comment. What made Momma think she wanted to enslave men? She had no desire to be like Momma. “No one should make you ashamed of being a beautiful woman. Not even your Daddy gets that right.” Momma squeezed her shoulders. “Put your high-heels on, sweetheart; I’ll meet you in the car and we’ll face your future together.”
    In the mirror, she watched Momma’s curvy reflection retreat from her bedroom. Madison continued to stare over her shoulder in the mirror until Momma’s heels ceased to clack against the marbled hallway floor. Slowly, she stood, checked her appearance. Her new dress displayed her figure as proudly as Momma showcased hers. She looked as sexy as Momma, too. Inside she felt like an insecure schoolgirl and other students would probably make fun of her for her bold attire.
    Madison squared her shoulders. She had as much right to be at this funeral as any of them. Maybe Momma was right and it was time for her take control of her own destiny. Certainly nothing bad could come of that decision.

Life Lesson Nine
     
    Madison stared at the hole where Jack Moore’s pale blue casket glittered in the midday sun throughout the funeral. In the hour she’d stood there since everyone departed the cemetery, she’d watched the workers lower his casket into the earth. Now, they used a backhoe to cover it with good ole’ Alabama red clay. Sitting on the top of a tombstone, she didn’t worry if the deceased inhabitant was offended. She figured dead folks had more to worry about than if she sat on the granite marking their spot.
    “I’ll leave you alone.” Momma squeezed her arm. “I’ll be in the car waiting when you’re ready.”
    Surprised her Momma hadn’t already demanded they leave, Madison remained mute, staring at the hallowed out earth where Jack was being buried. Struggling with the frailty of life and how quickly it could end—there one hour and gone the next—she couldn’t digest the injustice of God allowing one so young to die. Death had never visited her family, so it had always been something suffered by other people. She felt guilty for Jack’s death, even though she’d done nothing specific to cause it.
    “Did you know Jack?”
    Madison wrenched around at the sound of the male voice. At the sight of him, her heart rammed against her ribs and her belly churned.
    “Everyone knew Jack.” She tried to calm her rioting reaction to his presence. The last person she expected to see here was Micah—the man that’d done funny things to her libido in church on Christmas morning. Uncomfortable and excited at the same time, she turned away and sucked in long steadying breaths. She hoped he didn’t notice his effect on her, while swearing she didn’t see the way the wind tugged at his neatly cut blond hair.
    “True,” he agreed in an amused sounding voice.
    From the corner of her eye, she watched Micah walk around the headstone, his gait self-assured and confident. Nothing like the insecure boys that attended her school, many of them full of bravado and struggling with their identity in the world, most of them too silly to take seriously.
    Madison resisted fidgeting or the impulse to tug at her hemline. Way too much thigh was exposed. Micah leaned against the granite beside her and crossed an ankle over the other one. A casual stance, but his perceptive gaze reminded her of one of those Jaguars she’d watched on the safari channel—totally aware of his surroundings even in a relaxed state and ready to sprint into action at the first sight of prey. She predicted he could take his quarry down as fast as a Jaguar, too.
    The