“Why didn’t you tell me when we went to college? Better yet, why did you keep your distance when I tried to get close to you?”
“Charlie, think about it for a minute. I don’t know when someone is genuinely interested in me because they care for me. Look at all the relationships in my life. Really. Look at them.”
“Hmmph. Have you been going to a therapist?”
“No, but I’ve been doing a lot of reading.” She smiled. “It’s pretty interesting. I think that’s what I might go back to school for.”
“Thus the move out of the house.”
Maggie nodded. “Actually, more my mother kicked me out as soon as I was able.”
Charlie put the car in drive. “So where do you live now?”
“Above Leena’s Diner.”
Charlie guided the car onto the road. “So you work there and live above it. Good for you.”
“Are you checking up on me?”
“My mother is friends with Tess. Small town. People talk.”
“Well I plan on getting out of it as soon as I can.”
“Where will you go?”
“I’m going back to college, but as far away from here as I can get?”
“What about Aunt Agnes? You could go to college near her?”
Maggie was beginning to feel irritated that they were having a normal conversation. She didn’t want Charlie to care about her or talk to her like they used to. She had been replaced.
“Aunt Agnes has a new man. She’s busy.”
“I’m sorry.”
Charlie turned the car down Main Street and pulled in front of the diner. She turned the car off.
“Don’t be. Everyone deserves someone. Thanks for the ride. Take care, Charlie.” Maggie opened her door.
Charlie put a hand on her arm. “Maggie.”
Maggie pulled away as gently as she could so Charlie didn’t get offended. “It’s okay, Charlie. I’m okay.” She smiled at her and when Charlie smiled back she felt warmth within her body for a brief moment because that’s all she would allow herself to feel. “Thanks again.”
Maggie got out of the car and began to walk around the building. She listened for the car and when she knew Charlie was driving away, she looked back.
Chapter Twenty-seven
One year later to the night Charlie had showed up at Only Road Bar, Maggie had saved enough money to get herself to New York City. During that year, she worked double shifts, spent little, changed her mind as to what she wanted to do, and changed it again.
When she thought about going to college for psychology, the only thing she wanted to do with the degree was to help people. That meant a lot of schooling to either get a Masters in counseling or a degree in medicine, so she scrapped that idea.
Next, she thought about computer science or engineering, but after extensive research, both careers bored her.
Then, one winter day she had off from work, she spent a lazy day on her second hand recliner she found on the side of the road and had Tess help her bring it up to her apartment, watching television. She surfed the channels and found a mystery movie in which she immediately got hooked. She watched five more movies that day, and when she turned off the television, she knew what she wanted to do.
She researched New York City and its acting community. She found every website she could on renting, finding roommates, auditioning, and finding temp jobs until the big break would come along.
Her long year of research and savings resulted in a two room sublet and a roommate to share the two thousand dollar monthly rent with. She had applied on line as well as sent out resumes to every restaurant and diner she could find. Tess and Leena gave her great references, and soon she had a couple of offers.
Of course, she took the one that was going to pay the highest base salary and popular enough to expect good tips.
Next she found an actor’s website listing auditions for plays, movies, television shows, and even dressing up as different characters to entertain at children’s parties.
By the time she had to turn her apartment keys in to Leena, she was ready for the next chapter in her life. But before she was to leave, she took a walk to the woods.
Maggie meandered down the path looking at the trees and downed wood and logs where fairies and their houses had appeared to her in times of need. She didn’t need them now, but she was scared. She had been on her own pretty much her whole life, but this was different.
She always had her parent’s house to come back to even though it was only a building. It didn’t offer any kind of support, a sounding board, or love, but it did offer her a roof over her head and some food.
She knew once she left for good, it was for good. Her mother wouldn’t let her come back. Ever since Doug’s heart attack, her mother had become her father, drowning her sorrows and problems in toxic liquid. Soon, she would drown herself. Her mother might not be there if she needed to come home, and if she was, she probably wouldn’t open the door.
Maggie kicked at the dirt. She didn’t want to fail, but more than that, she didn’t want to make a wrong decision. That scared her more than anything.
When she looked up, she saw a fairy house further down the path and close to the ground. It was built into the side of a log and had the appearance of a backwoods cabin in desperate need of repair. There was a ladder leaning against the side of the house and a tiny swing hanging from the roof.
A fairy swung her legs forward and backwards with a smile of satisfaction and blissful enjoyment on her face. Her frock was soft yellow that appeared connected to the swing. In place of ropes were green vines, and the seat was made of a piece of bark. Yellow light scattered about her dress, feeding into the vines as if the sun was delivering nourishment through the fairy’s light.
Maggie sighed as she walked over to the tiny house and sat down next to it.
“I’m pretty sure you know I’m Maggie, so what’s your name?”
The swing stopped. “Me? Why I’m Bhaskara. I
am a fairy of the sun. I hold the spiritual rays that lead to knowledge.”
In Maggie’s younger days she would have scoffed at the fairy because what she said would have sounded so bizarre to her. Today, however, she had already met six other fairies since she was a small child and experienced their magic and strange way of talking firsthand. So if Bhaskara said she held the spiritual rays that lead to knowledge, then who was Maggie to argue with her?
“You’re lost child, aren’t you?”
“I know where I am.” Maggie still resorted to sarcasm when she was scared or frustrated.
Bhaskara glared at her.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t really think I was lost. I mean I do know where I am—I’m just not sure of where I’m going.”
Bhaskara softened. “Oh, that makes sense and is actually very wise of you.”
Maggie picked up a stick and started scratching at the dirt. “I’m afraid I’m going to make all the wrong decisions. I’ve worked so hard to get where I am. I’m going to be on my own, and I’ve planned everything out.” She looked at the fairy as tears fell from her eyes. “I don’t want to end up like my parents—if that’s what you want to call them.”
Bhaskara smiled sweetly. “Child, it may not seem like it, but they did their best.”
“Then I’d hate to see their worst.”
The fairy giggled. “I like you, Maggie, and I think I understand what you need.” She extended her hands toward Maggie. “I bestow upon you the gift of foresight. It is a gift I give to you, and you must not misuse it. This gift will be yours until your next birthday. But, if at any time before that you abuse my gift, you alone will reap the consequences, and the gift will come back to me.”
“Thank you, but Bhaskara, how do I use the gift of foresight?”
“If and when the time comes, you will know.”
Maggie stood up. She knew how this worked. By the time she was standing, Bhaskara would be gone. She was never given directions to the gifts the fairies
gave her. They just…happened.
Maggie brushed off her pants and looked to where the tiny house was. As she suspected, it was gone and so was Bhaskara.
Tess was waiting for her when she got back.
“Where have you been? You said to meet you here a half hour ago.”
“I’m so sorry. I was just…saying good-byes.”
Tess eyed her warily. She knew Maggie’s history and was pretty sure there weren’t many people that she’d want to say good-bye to.
“What? I’m not planning on coming back.”
“There’s no way you can make me believe you’re sentimental about leaving this god-forsaken town.”
“It’s not there’s family I love here and high school friends I’m gonna miss kind of sentiment. It’s more like see ya, never comin’ back, not gonna miss anything or anyone kind of sentiment.”
Tess linked her arm in Maggie’s. “Now that I believe. Except I know you’ll miss me.” She led Maggie to her car and opened the door for her.
“Yeah, I’m gonna miss you.” Maggie smiled as she got in.
Tess drove Maggie to the railroad station. As the train pulled away, she was standing on the platform, a sad smile on her face.
Maggie waved and blew her a kiss. Tess, she would miss.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Maggie had never seen so many people in one place. The streets of New York City reminded her of an ant hill where hordes of insects scurry about to get where they need to go. New York City had many ant hills with people going in all directions. It became a test of her fortitude to make her way through the throngs of people to her own ant hill—the small diner on a side street in Brooklyn.
She had been working for three months and didn’t have one audition, but she wouldn’t let herself get discouraged—failure was not an option. As she walked home from the subway station one night, she wondered about the gift Bhaskara had given her. She had had no dreams since she arrived in the city, no signs of any foresight what-so-ever. Then again, she hadn’t questioned any decision she made or was about to make
She had no idea how this gift would work or if she would even know it was working. She smiled as she turned the corner to the street where she worked. Even though there were no auditions—yet—she didn’t need Bhaskara’s gift. She had made all the right decisions.
“Maggie?” The voice was familiar to her and she could hear uncertainty in its tone. “Is that you?”
Maggie turned around to look in to the face of Mike.
“What are you doing here?”
“I think the bigger question is what are you doing here?” Maggie answered with her own question.
Mike didn’t look as gorgeous as she remembered him being in high school. He didn’t seem as thin, muscular, or as tall. He had a bulging stomach, scruffy hair and the beginning of a beard.
“I’m going to school here—Brooklyn Law School.”
Maggie sized him up. “You? A lawyer?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I probably don’t look like one right now, but I have to dress decent whenever I’m at school. When I’m not, I look like this.” His hands swept down the length of his body.
“You still look good.” Maggie really did think he looked good but maybe because he was someone familiar in a vast sea of unknowns. She hadn’t missed home until she saw him, but there was nothing at home to miss, so the thoughts running through her mind confused her.
“Hey, are you free right now? How about we grab something to eat? Or a coffee?”
“I’d really like to, but I’m on my way to work.”
“When do you get off?”
“I’m done at eight.”
“Late dinner?”
Maggie didn’t have to think about it. “Yeah, that would be nice.”
“Where do you work?”
Maggie pointed across the street to the Brooklyn Diner.
“I’ll pick you up at eight.” He flashed the same alluring smile he had used on her in high school the first time they met.
She returned his smile. “I’ll see you then.” She hurried across the street, feeling the same giddiness she felt the first time he had asked her out.
Suddenly, she felt a head rush causing her to stumble as she stepped onto the sidewalk causing her to fall against the building.
She put her hand to her head to stop the images that were flooding her brain. She was walking down Fifth Avenue with Mike—hand in hand—smiling, laughing. They were sitting in Central Park, and then throwing bread to the ducks in the ponds. She was at an audition, and she was nailing it.
She stood up happier than she had been in a long time. IF this was the gift of foresight, she was liking it even if it did throw her off balance for a few seconds…literally.
Promptly at eight, Mike was leaning against the outside of the building, arms folded. Maggie walked outside, beaming like a high school student on her first date. Funny thing was she was on a first date with the man who was the boy with whom she had had her first high school date.
She forgot about how she thought he used her just for sex the night he left her naked in bed to go party with other kids. She forgot about how he dropped her for the head cheerleader and how badly he treated her after they broke up—teaming up with the girl she thought was her best friend and joining the group of bullies.
None of that mattered. They were both adults, living independent lives and now had a chance to start over. As he took her hand and led her down the street, she forgot about the night he told her he was breaking up with her, and it had been a fun ride.
Mike led her to a tiny Italian restaurant hidden in between some very large buildings. He explained to her that it was known for Mafia meetings back in the 1920’s. Now it was just an Italian restaurant with really good food.
They dined on linguini with scallops and a bottle of Chardonnay. Maggie had never experienced anything like it before, and she felt dizzy with euphoria over her new adventure in dating and hooking back up with Mike.
They talked about the futures they were pursuing in New York City, and he seemed genuinely interested in her quest to be an actress.
“I never knew you liked acting.”
“The bug, as they call it, hit me later in life… much later.” She chuckled.
“You never did anything like that in school.”
Maggie shifted uncomfortably in her chair, deciding how much she wanted to tell Mike about her revelation of becoming an actress.
“I always like movies. When I was deciding what I wanted to do with my life, I looked at several different options, and this one kept coming to the forefront. So, here I am.”
“Are you taking classes?”
“Can’t afford to. I figure once I raise enough money, then I’ll take some. Until then, I’ll just keep working and going to auditions.”
“Have you got anything yet?”
Maggie’s high emotions were beginning to tank. She wondered if Mike would think she was a failure since she had no acting parts. Would he think less of her? After all, he was going to school to be a lawyer.
She thought about being married to an attorney, how her life would be so much better, but it wasn’t foresight—just a wish or a dream.
She couldn’t screw this up.
“Not yet, but I have a couple of possibilities.”
Mike leaned back in his chair and picked up his glass of wine. He raised it in Maggie’s direction. “Very admirable. I’m impressed that you’re doing this on your own.”
“As far as I could see, there was no other way, but thank you.” She lifted her glass, tilted it in his direction, and took a sip.
He took her to his dorm room that night, and they had sex. It wasn’t love…yet. Maggie hoped and prayed it would be. They had a history, so how could it not be?
They settled back into the same routine they had been in during high school. She was at his beck and call, and every date ended with sex, always at his place. She had a roommate after all, who she shared a bedroom
with.
On one of those nights, Mike’s roommate came home and called him out of the room. Ten minutes later he was back climbing in to bed next to Maggie.
“I’ve got something for us?”
Thinking he had a piece of jewelry or a key to his place, she sat up, happy to take the next step in their relationship.
He pulled out a tiny bag filled with white powder. “What d’ya think?” he boasted. “If you think sex is good now, just wait,” he beamed.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Six months passed since that day Maggie heard Mike’s voice, but each second rolled into the next after the first hit she took in his dorm room. Her world took a turn away from the original route she had mapped out. She stopped going on auditions, and she worked more hours to help Mike pay for their drugs. He got her hooked without her knowing it, then informed her one day she was using too much of his stash. She’d have to pay for her own. So she did.
Mike was right, though. Sex was better when they were high, or so she thought. She began to drift from day to day losing focus of her dreams, failing at the life she had planned out for herself. She found the future she had worked so hard to put into place was at odds with Mike, drugs and sex.
Why hadn’t she seen it? But she knew why. Mike was everything she ever wanted. He was going to be a lawyer, and she would be his wife. She would never want for anything again, so she convinced herself she was happy.
One day Mike sent her home because he had to study for a final. Maggie was actually happy to be in her apartment because her roommate was gone for the night visiting her family in New Jersey.
She rolled over in bed and glanced at the clock.
She had to be to work in an hour. She was going to be late, and that was even if she could drag herself out of bed in the next five minutes. The few hits she had taken before she went to bed was a foolish thing to do on a night before she had to work because the mornings were always horrendous afterward.
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