Work Text:
A scalding and bright sun shone high above Alfred who was leaning upon the top of his shovel. His skin was darkened by being outside for hours every day, blonde hair covered by a faded baseball cap. Dirt caked his hands and his steel toed boots and there were several patches on his jeans.
“Hey Jones! Focus on the job will ya,” called his boss who walked over slowly, probably too hot to jog.
Alfred's attention snapped back to his job and he went back to digging.
“Sorry sir,” he said, allowing a dopey smile to cross his features, “I was distracted.”
His boss smacked his back with a light-hearted laugh, “Ah, I can't blame you. You're the lucky one. That beautiful wife of yours.”
“So I've been told,” Alfred drawled with his southern accent and gestured around him to his co-workers, “You know, I think I'm gunna be havin' a son.”
Just as his boss opened his mouth to reply, Alfred's phone chimed from his pocket. The ring-tone he'd set for Madeline. Letting the shovel drop from his hands, he grabbed desperately to answer the call.
“Hello? Maddie? Are you ready to have the baby?” said Alfred, words excited and worried at the same time.
His wife's sweet voice didn't drift to his ears. Instead it was that of her brother, Francis.
“It is not mon petite Madeline. I was visiting her and she went into labour,” said Francis, sighing, “I'm coming to pick you up right now, since I know that your car is broken down right now.”
She'd mentioned cramps that morning but had thought they were just Braxton Hicks.
“But is she okay?” asked Alfred, trying not to let his voice waver.
Tone softened at the worry in Alfred's voice, Francis said, “Of course. Alice is with her at the moment.”
Just as he said that, Francis' Mercedes pulled up and the man waved out the window.
Alfred's boss grinned and said, “It's only just begun for you two. Good luck.”
Not even stopping to punch out for the day, Alfred hopped into the passenger's seat, ignoring the grimace Francis made at the dirt on his clothing. Alfred's legs bounced and his hands knotted together.
The two drove nearly half and hour towards the hospital in relative silence until Francis spoke up, “I wish you two would let me give you money. Or buy you a better car.”
“Look I know you don't get it but-”
Francis hit the steering wheel and said, “No I don't, because my baby sister deserves somebody who can buy her everything she'd ever want.”
Alfred knew he should be angry at that. He and Francis had never gotten along – always fighting over one thing.
Sweet Madeline.
Right then, however, Alfred just couldn't do anything else but laugh.
“You know, even though we ain't got money. Even though my car needs to be repaired more times than I can count, and the roof sometimes leaks in our house? None of that matters. You know why?” said Alfred, leaning against the passenger door and looking at Francis with his big blue eyes shining with absolute sincerity.
“Fine. Why? Because all I can see is my sister snatched from the lap of luxury, forced to live on the other side of the tracks in the slums,” scowled Francis.
“It doesn't matter because I'm so in love with her. Every morning when I rise, seeing her brings a tear of joy to my eyes. She's the best thing in my life and I know that everything will be alright,” said Alfred, watching their car pull into the hospital parking lot.
Francis was quiet as he payed for the parking. Then, just when Alfred was about to open the door, Francis called out, “I'm glad to know that you love her so much.”
Alfred gave a faint grin back and ran into the hospital.
#
To Alfred, it seemed like just yesterday that he was in college.
He'd worked hard in high school to get good grades. His parents had never been able to get a higher education. They'd had to work hard to make ends meet and couldn't even finish high school. It was a fact of life for those born into poverty. They'd needed to help support their own parents and siblings and get jobs young.
Alfred had been determined to get out of the cycle of poverty. It wasn't that he'd hated his life growing up, since his parents had always loved him. He just wanted something different for his life.
So he'd worked hard in school and got in, though just barely. He worked while studying, never even had time to party with the other students. Never got high even once.
He was so tired and strung thin between work and school, feeling really sorry for himself sometimes. Alfred would wonder if it was all worth it.
Then he saw her.
Madeline and her beautiful smile.
She walked down the hall of the college, a book clutched to her chest, blonde hair tied in a red bow, curls cascading over her shoulders. Her eyes were a deep blue that, in the right light, almost seemed violet.
Biting her lower lip, she came up to Alfred and, with the softest, most melodious voice, said, “Hello. My name is M-Madeline and I'm pretty lost about now.”
Alfred had always been one for words, cheerful and charismatic. However then he barely had words. His mouth dried up and he nodded, “Uh, well lemme show you around.”
After that, the two of them hardly spent any time in class. They'd fallen hard and fast. That may have seemed foolish, but for once, Alfred could think. He was calmer and happier than he'd been in a long time. It was as if she'd helped his mind.
She was more than just a pretty face. She was also strong and kind. Madeline was everything perfect and good. That wonderful woman held the world in a paper cup and Alfred couldn't help but drink from it.
After a few months, he brought her to his small apartment near campus. It wasn't much, only one small room. But it was home and Madeline began to spend more time there than her own place.
All they cared about was each other and getting lost together.
#
When Alfred found that he simply couldn't keep up with school and work, he was torn. Even more than he had while growing up, he wanted to make something of himself. He wanted a good job to support Madeline.
He'd holed himself in his one room place and refused to come out except to work. Madeline had caught him when he was just coming home from his job and squeezed inside.
“Maddie,” said Alfred, wincing at what he was about to do, “You should just leave. I don't deserve you.”
Her eyes misted over but not a single tear fell. She simply closed the front door behind her and walked over to where Alfred had flopped down into a chair.
“Why?” she whispered, crouching in front of him and placing a hand on his knee.
“Because I had to quit school. I just couldn't keep up. You should have a man who can spoil you rotten and give you everything,” said Alfred, pouting.
“You already do.”
Blinking several times, Alfred said, “What?”
“Even if you ain't got money, I'm so in love with you,” she told him, plain and clear, kissing his work worn hand, “You make me happier than I'd ever been when I lived in a mansion and had anything money could buy.”
With those words of hers, Alfred knew that he'd love her until the very day he died.
#
Back in the present, Alfred took a deep breath and opened the door that led to the girl that now shared his name.
There she lay, hair sweaty and matted, tied loosely behind her. Her sister-in-law, Alice stood beside her, smiling at a bundle held in Madeline's arms. Alfred bare noticed the posh British woman. All he cared about was his new family.
“You made it,” whispered Madeline, eyelids drooping in exhaustion, but her smile just as brilliant as the sun, “Meet your son.”
Alfred went to a nearby sink and washed the dirt off of his hands. There was no way that he'd mess up such a perfect new life so early. Then he resisted the urge to run across the room.
A pink face peeked out from the white cotton blankets, a blue knit cap covering his head. Hazy blue eyes peeked up at him, hazy with some kind of goop. The baby was mouthing lazily at Madeline's breasts, seeming to have already fed a bit, if the tiny dribble of white from the corner of his perfect little lips was anything to go by.
“He's mine. My little boy,” whispered Alfred in awe.
“Yes he is. Would you like to hold him? I'd really like a nap right about now,” said Madeline with a tired laugh.
“Course!” said Alfred, picking the bundle up gently, having held enough siblings and cousins to know how to hold a baby.
As he rocked his baby, he gently sang, “Even though we ain't got money,
I'm so in love with you, honey,
And everything will bring a chain of love.
And in the morning, when I rise,
You'll bring a tear of joy to my eyes
And I'll tell you everything is gonna be alright.”