MADELEINE

"You too! It's crazy to see you again." I admitted and he hummed as an understanding. Once the young kid took off his gaze from you, his dark eyes went over to my son and he smiled at him.

The hockey player pointed his finger at my son with a slight frown as if he was confused. "Is he your brother?" He asked. That was probably the fifth time someone's told me that and it just impresses me so much.

I laughed and shook my head. "Um, no, he's my kid." Looking over to him, he glanced up at me and gave me the sweetest grin ever. I did the same and roamed my fingers through his soft fixated hair.

"Oh, wow, you must've had him when you were young." By the look of the hockey player, he was truly shocked. He was taken aback by my words as soon as I said Mason was my kid.

I chuckled. "Pretty much." And carelessly shrugged my shoulders once I was switching my eyes back and forth to the young hockey and my son whose small hands were wrapped around my leg, hiding the half of his face.

"So what are you doing in New Jersey?" The young kid unexpectedly asked me and I licked my lips, my forehead slightly raised at the question.

"We only came here for a short vacation," I replied, smiling. "And ice cream." With a quiet tone, I included the behind meaning of all, clearly narrowing my eyes at my son to give the young hockey player a hint.

The guy chuckled, instantly knowing what I meant. "Ah. I get it." He nodded his head. "Oh! This is my younger brother, Luke. I'm Jack. We even forgot to introduce ourselves." He laughed at his own mistake.

"Oh, hey. I'm Ma-" I began, but his younger brother cut me right off.

"I know. It's nice to meet you." Without hesitation, I quickly frowned. I pursed my lips and even Jack was confused. He didn't know what he said, the fact that his brother already knew me before I was even cut off, never introducing myself.

"How do you, uh, know me?" I questioned him with a curious look, clutching my son off the ground in my arms and holding him gently.

Luke suddenly widened his smile as he scratched the back of his head. "You're famous." He said in a duh tone.

"Right." I laughed and lightly began to sway Mason in my arms once he got a bit comfortable in the position he's currently in.

On the other side, Jack furrowed his brows and looked lost. It was like he didn't even know me anymore or what his brother was talking about.

"What? Am I missing something?" He asked and crossed his arms together to his chest, narrowing his eyes between Luke and I.

I quickly shook my head at Luke and shrugged my shoulders. "Oh, Luke, you don't explain-oh ok." Suddenly, I was once cut off by him as he began to explain to his older brother who I individually am.

"Oh, my g-you're the Madeleine Kennedy?" Jack exclaimed a bit loud, gasping the third time right now and I quickly shushed him down.

I didn't want to be surrounded and suffer being trapped by little fans for my attention. It was even worse for a crowd for myself and Brendan where plenty of articles and newspapers were published about when I gave birth to Mason.

Millions of other headaches and different traumas were a part of that and I've always hated it. I came to New Jersey with my son for a reason and that was a piece of escaping the spotlight and paparazzi for once.

I exhaled with a deep force from my chest that I've kept for so long. I swallowed hard and nodded. "I am."