“It’s not important. The only thing that matters is you. It’s been a big night. I’ll take you home,” I say, needing to get as far away from Juliet as possible.
“Can I stay at your place?” she asks nervously.
Normally, I would be overjoyed at her confidence, but now, I just feel undeserving. But how can I say no? “Of course,” I reply. “I would like nothing more.” Still in my arms, I can’t help but ask her, “Why Beth?”
Madison sniffs, wrapping her arms tighter around my waist. “Apparently, her mom named her after Juliet Capulet. The reason for this, according to Juliet, was because she was exceptionally beautiful and would capture the heart of any man. Friend or foe,” she adds, and I can’t help but snicker at Juliet’s arrogance.
“Anyway, Mary and I decided that Macbeth was a better-suited Shakespearean character for her. And when I say Macbeth, I mean Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is ambitious, manipulative, and evil. And she’s also in cahoots with the witches. Therefore, Beth stuck, as it’s better suited than Juliet.”
“I think you’ve chosen well,” I spit. Madison pulls away, looking up at me curiously. I don’t elaborate. I do, however, ask her, “What’s my nickname?”
She thinks about it for a moment and smiles. “You’re just Dixon.”
“Really? I don’t get a special name?” I question with a staged frown.
Madison reaches up and lays her palm against my cheek. “Your name is special enough,” she sincerely confesses while my heart shatters.
In life, you’re given a choice to do good, or to do evil. And whatever choice you make, impacts your entire future.
If I knew then what I know now, would I have chosen differently?
Looking down at the sleeping angel beside me, I know the answer is yes. I would have done so many things differently. But that’s the thing about hindsight: No one has a crystal ball to predict if your decision was the right one to make. You simply have to live with the consequences and deal with the life you’ve chosen to live.
So choose wisely, my friends because once you’ve chosen…there’s no turning back. So what choice did I make?
There was only ever one choice to make.
My hand was forced and now…it’s time to be wicked.
What greater punishment is there than life when you’ve lost everything that made it worth living?
Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare.