Chapter Two pt. two

 

Maggie listened to what her mother proposed unable to believe what she was hearing.

 “You want me to WHAT?!” Maggie screamed at her mother. Disbelief hit her from all sides and Maggie paused for a moment thinking she must have done something really heinous in a past life.

“How could you? No! No way! The last time I ‘did you a favor’ I…” Maggie’s voice trailed as tears rolled down her face.

“Oh pfft. Don't be so dramatic,” her mother said with more than slight irritation. “It’s so like you to take something innocent and use it to turn me into some kind of monster.”

“I’m only sixteen! Besides that, I have a biology exam tomorrow, and if I don’t get at least a B, I won’t be able to go to Hawaii. Please don’t make me do this.” 

Maggie stood there in shock. She knew what ramifications would come if she didn’t do exactly as her mother said. She suddenly felt very ill. The acid in her stomach threatened to unleash itself all over the kitchen floor, and almost as if he had timed it with purpose, Barty walked into the kitchen.  He looked at Maggie, exaggerated a cough and turned to his wife.

“What’s going on in here? Joan, we’re going to be late. How would that look if the director of the cantata were late? Get your things and let’s go. NOW!” The look on his face told both Maggie and her mother that he meant what he said in no uncertain terms.

Joan looked back at Maggie as she was walking out the front door. “It’s only for dinner and you’ll be home in time to finish your homework. It’s not up for debate. You’re going! He’ll be here in less than an hour, and you WILL be ready.”

The door slammed behind her as Maggie broke down in tears. Speaking to the walls as if a coherent audience, she started rambling.

“I can’t BELIEVE that woman. She wants me to go out with a man twice my age and entertain him like I’m some kind of escort or something.”

 

 She walked into the bathroom to shower, still in shock. When she got to the sink, she looked into the mirror and started shouting.

“Just dinner!? YOU GOT THAT RIGHT SISTER! He’ll be lucky if I make it through the first course without puking! GAWD, what did I ever do to YOU?!”

If ever there was a time that she missed her older siblings it was now. Her brother Al, the eldest, was on assignment in Japan working as a welder in the shipyards. Charlene was on vacation with her husband in Acapulco, and no one had heard from Matt or Elise in weeks. Her little sister Georgia was at a friend’s house practicing for her flute recital.    She was completely alone and had no choice but to get ready for dinner with this stranger.

Charlene, before she left on vacation, was kind enough to take Maggie shopping for her trip to Hawaii. It was a rare day. She was usually not allowed to spend time with her older siblings. It was the best time they'd ever spent together, as far as Maggie was concerned. They joked for the first time in years, and Maggie really felt like something special that day. They were able to find several cute and summery outfits that Maggie could wear  so that she didn’t feel so out of place in her current hand-me-down wardrobe. Charlene was very proud of her little sister. Maggie was only one of twelve people chosen to tour the island of Oahu singing and dancing at the local high schools of the island.  

After her shower, Maggie smiled for a moment, remembering her joyful day with her older sister. She then went to her closet, with building resentment, to see which of those outfits she could wear to dinner. Just as she was putting on the finishing touches to her make-up, the doorbell rang.

 

* * *

 

Maggie opened her eyes and felt the beads of sweat above her brow.  She reached up above her head to turn on the oxygen, and raised her hand to grab the attention of one of the stewardess'.

"Yes, can I help you?" It was the same stewardess that had awakened her just a few moments earlier.

"Yes, if you please.  I've changed my mind.  Would it be possible to get a cold bottle of water and a wash cloth or towel of some kind?"

The stewardess looked concerned once again and replied quickly, "You bet! I'll be right back."

The stewardess was quick to bring the items to Maggie that she had requested.  The pilot still had the “fasten seat belt” sign on and Maggie didn't feel comfortable getting up to stand in the small, confining compartment they called a restroom.  They were only a little over an hour into the ten hour flight, and she was in desperate need of refreshment.  She opened the sealed bottle of cold water, and she carefully poured half of it onto the wash cloth the stewardess provided.   Thankful she had decided to wait to apply her make-up, she took the wet wash cloth and patted her face and back of her neck with it.  

She shook her head in response to the thoughts that were flooding her memory banks.  She was no stranger to airline flights, but for some reason, this one was different.  Perhaps because this was the first time in almost ten years that she was flying for leisure and not business.   There were no files to review, no tax laws to memorize, and no numbers to desperately work and re-work before landing and heading off to a powerhouse meeting.  Work was something she was comfortable with.  Some would argue that she was too comfortable with it and was married to her job.  She ate, drank, and slept spreadsheets and formulas.   When she wasn't closing multi-million dollar escrow deals, she was researching the next billion dollar client.   She wasn't one that was comfortable with silence, especially a silence that had little or no prospect for profit.  

 

She drank the rest of the water in the bottle the stewardess had given her which she found both cold and refreshing.  She considered asking the stewardess for another bottle of water, but thought better of it.  She didn't want to wear out her welcome with the service staff, so she leaned her head back and closed her eyes hoping for a bit of rest.

 

 

Reviews

[Arthur Henn]

I'm really getting into the feelings and emotions of Maggie...Her mom is something else, and I'm not liking her very much right now. I like the way you did the prologue, because the last part of this brings you back into his character of they way he was, already giving us an heads up of whats going to happen yet at the same time you are connecting us to the emotions of Maggie not knowing what to expect on this so called date.

Am I making any sense of my understanding of what I'm reading of your fine story.

[Jet Lag]

great flow. my only suggestion is that since the story is told from maggie's pov, there are some things she can't know, but might think. for example:
Charlene was so proud of her little sister.
as a pov purist, i prefer:
Maggie had felt as if Charlene was so proud of her.
or
Charlene had acted like she was so proud of Maggie.

[Ken Simm.]

A premonition that there is going to be something horrible happen. Your charactization goes from strength to strength. We all now feel for Maggie as we know that what is happening is going to be life changing. More please and quickly.

[George Love]

I'm almost speechless. This had a quick hook, kept the reader in the story and left me wanting more. Well done.

[Dezaraye]

I like that you're splitting it up. It does make it easier to keep reading.

This is really great so far. From what I've read on your page, I know that I won't like what's coming. I hope that writing this helps you. It's hard sometimes to share our stories.

You're doing a fantastic job! Keep it up.