Chapter 8 Pt. 3

Maggie is on her way to her mother's house

The drive up the Interstate was plagued by anger and memory.  Try as she might to drown it out, the Italian accent was undeniable.  She turned off the radio and drove the next few miles to her mother’s house in silence. 

 

She decided to pull into the coffee shop on the corner to get a triple shot hazelnut latte before heading to her mother’s house.

 

Normally, she drove through the drive-thru to get her coffee to save time, but she wanted to get out of the car to stretch her legs.  Just as she pulled into the parking lot, the phone rang again and she hesitated before looking at the number listed on her caller recognition.  It was Charlene.  With a sigh of relief, she answered the phone. 

 

“Well, hi there!” Maggie said, happy to hear a friendly voice.

 

“Hi yourself!  We’re not going to make it this afternoon.  The soonest we can make it to mother’s house is tomorrow morning.”

 

“That’s fine.  I can use the alone time anyway.  I’ll get started shuffling through her things and call you if I need you.”

 

“OH, one more thing” Charlene said with a hurried voice.  "Ginger will be by the house day after tomorrow.  She is flying down from San Francisco once she gets off work.  You’ve got the house to yourself at least until tomorrow.  Love you.”

 

“OK, sounds good.  See you tomorrow. Love you too.”

 

Ginger was their little sister from Joan’s second marriage.  Maggie pushed the disconnect button on her phone and then decided to turn her phone off.  She would need all the strength she could muster and certainly did not need any more unwelcomed distractions. 

 

Maggie had a barrage of things on her mind and had not noticed the gentleman who had opened the door for her.  She gave and absent nod to him and entered the shop without a second look.  She stepped up to the register, placed her order for her coffee, and stepped back to stand by the window to wait for her coffee.

 

It was then that she noticed him.  He was sitting at a small round table reading a newspaper.  There was something familiar about the man and she realized he must have been the man that had opened the door for her.  She tried to shake the feeling that she had seen him somewhere before.  He was a tall, attractive, older gentleman with dark wavy hair and light eyes.  At that moment he looked up at her from his newspaper and embarrassed for staring for so long, she quickly gave a curt nod and looked away.

 

Her name was called and her coffee was ready.  She stepped up to the counter and was thankful to be on her way.  As she stepped up to the door, the same man opened the door for her.  This time, she was not caught unaware.  She thanked him for opening the door for her and he responded in a thick English accent “not at all young lady”.   She nodded at him again and quickly walked to her car.  She was blushing.

 

Thankful the car was facing away from the door of the coffee shop, she unlocked the car door, put her coffee down and sat down in the driver’s seat.  She could not shake the feeling that she had seen that man before.  How could she know this man?  Perhaps it was the lingering feeling that she would like to know that man.  She shook her head to clear it, started her car and continued the short drive to her mother’s house.

 

Reviews

[Dezaraye]

Building suspense. I want to rush through to the next part! SOLVE THIS!

[Ken Simm.]

Ah, who is the man with the accent? What is happening? All getting very exciting. You are keeping the suspense up very well and the story is flowing nicely. Maggie is becoming a very rounded character that we, the reader, find time for and empathise with. Excellent continuation.