Past, Darkly (The Dreams Book 2)

by Hunter Jones

  He looked at her and smiled that dazzling smile again. She doesn’t know who I am. “No Maggie, I’m European and only here for a while.” He looked at her from head to toe, and he said, “I may be here longer than I planned.”

  “Oh, okay. I don’t know what that means, but I hope you enjoy it. I love living here.”

  He started to say something and a waiter opened the door, bringing their drinks. He handed James an LP, and James nodded to him as a thank you.

  “This is for you, Maggie,” James said, handing the LP to her.

  “Oh, are they giving these to everyone tonight?”

  “Maybe they are, maybe they aren’t. Who’s to say? Maybe it’s just a gift for you,” he replied, the fire reflecting the laughter in his eyes.

  “Oh, how sweet of you to give me your copy. You don’t have to do that.” How do I tell him that I don’t even own a record collection? My life is books and archives. Poor guy, it’s probably his copy and he’s being nice because he thinks I’m having a bad night.

  Reaching in her Lady Dior bag, she pulled out the copy of her book. “Here. I brought this for a friend who left before I arrived. You gave me something, so this is for you.”

  James took the small book and said, “Did you write this?”

  “Yes, it’s just a small collection of fables and poems, something I did for my friends as a side project.”

  “Will you sign it for me, please?”

  What a sweet guy. I wonder why he doesn’t have a girlfriend. “It’s already signed, but thank you for asking.” James opened the front cover of the book to see that it was signed, and her phone number was written underneath.

  “My pleasure, I assure you.” Holding up a champagne glass, he said, “Cheers! Here’s to new beginnings.”

  “Cheers,” Maggie replied, their glasses clinking and the effervescence of the bubbles mirrored the fire’s dance. The two sat in silence until Maggie finished her drink and left for the evening, thanking him for the champagne before she left.

  ~~~

  The next morning, James woke up, before noon and by himself. He ordered coffee and called Frank immediately afterward.

  “Frank, man, I think I want to stay in Atlanta awhile. Can you see if the suite is available for a week, maybe a month? Even better, see if the Four Seasons in Midtown has a private residence I can rent for the next month.”

  “Did you have a good time last night, and good morning to you.”

  “Oh yeah, good morning! I had the best time I’ve had in a long time. One more thing, can you check on someone for me, please?” He gave Frank the name on the book cover and the phone number underneath the signature inside. “Call me back when you find out anything.”

  “Did all go well? You didn’t have any trouble last night, did you?”

  “All’s well, Frank. This could be the best I’ve been in a long time.”

  With that, his breakfast arrived and the men said good-bye. Within the hour, James received a text saying:

  Dr. Margaret (Maggie) Pickett. Originally from Tennessee, now a professor at Emory University. Recognized worldwide as an expert in folklore, fairy tales, etc. Her background check is clean, even has national security clearance. She’s a unicorn. You’re learning. FV

  With that, James tried to call. He kept calling. Finally, after three miserable days, Maggie answered the phone. He never felt so relieved in his life.

  Chapter 15

  Following the concert, Maggie had locked herself in her apartment, closed the blinds, and cried for the next few days. She called Aunt Charlotte on Wednesday to let her know that she wouldn’t be in Tennessee for Thanksgiving and assured her aunt that she was fine. It was the first time in her life she had lied to her, but she couldn’t talk about her pain. Not yet. It was too fresh. By Friday evening, she decided to take a shower and go out to get a bite to eat, or something…anything to get her through this until classes began on Monday. She turned on her phone and walked to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. She stopped in the living area and opened the blinds. I don’t even know what time it is.

  The whistle blew on the kettle just as her phone rang. Thinking it was Charlotte, she clicked it without looking at the number. A man’s voice said, “Is this Maggie?”

  “Who wants to know?” She went to the kitchen to make a cuppa while the kettle was still on the boil.

  The man gave a nervous laugh and said, “This is James. We met at the Fox a few days ago…on Tuesday, on the terrace.”

  She thought for a moment, then realized who it was. Oh no. The waiter with the man bun. This is really what I don’t need.

  “Oh, hi. How did you get my number?”

  “It was written inside the little book you gave me. Do you have a minute?”

  Maggie could hear him fumbling with something – maybe he was scratching his head – then she realized he was flipping through the pages of her book. “No, this really isn’t a good time. Can I call you back?” She sniffled by accident.

  “Have you been crying? Are you okay?”

  For some reason, the tone of his voice made her soften. “No, it’s just a bad day. Everyone has them from time to time.”

  “I’ve been feeling the same way,” he said. “Would you like to go to dinner tonight and talk about it?”

  “Not really. I don’t meet strangers for dinner. But thanks for asking.”

  There was a pause on the other end of the line. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t meant to offend you. Would you like to meet for lunch or a coffee?”

  “Why?”

  “Well, why not? I…uh…I like the way you write…Your usage of iambic pentameter is unlike anything I have ever read.”

  “Well now, I really don’t know what to say, except that’s the best line I have ever heard. Listen, you’re a pretty boy. I’m sure there are a ton of women that would love to meet you, but I’m just not interested right now. Thanks for thinking of me. I’ve got to go.”

  “No, wait. You can’t hang up.”

  “Pardon me? I can do anything I want.”

  “Yes, yes, you can. You are absolutely right. I forgot my manners for a moment. Please accept my apology. May I call you later to see if you’ve changed your mind?”

  There was a sweetness in his voice that made her believe he was honest. “Yes, you can call, but I may not answer.”

  “That’s fair enough, and I accept the challenge.”

  Maggie ended the call, wondering why he had so much confidence, but he was a hunk, and he had been nice to her. If he calls tomorrow, I’ll meet him for a coffee. Otherwise, I’m going to read and take a nice long bath. But she didn’t answer any of his ten calls on Saturday, although she did send two texts saying Call you back? When he called at 11:30 p.m. on Saturday night, she sent a text saying Meet me tomorrow at Einstein’s on Juniper Street. 3:30 p.m. Golly, if this guy likes me this much, I can at least take thirty minutes to have a cup of coffee with him. Her phone pinged a reply from James. #CantWait See you then!

  Maggie had no way of knowing that James had spent all day worrying about her. He couldn’t get her off his mind. No one had ever refused him anything, even before he became a star. He cried, he called Frank, he thought about hiring a call girl and getting wasted. But he didn’t do anything except stay in his room with the phone, waiting for her to answer him. He realized that Maggie didn’t know who he was, which made the chase all the more alluring. And, he even convinced himself that Maggie’s eyes were the same as the girl’s in his dreams. Hadn’t I had a dream before about Maggie Pickett? Some kind of crazy dream, almost like a past life recall.

  Somehow, between the alchemy of no and maybe, James had an experience that only a few men understand. He fell hopelessly, head over heels in love for the first time.

  When Maggie finally went out with James van Lee, she was surprised that not only was he very tall, with a perfect face, but he was completely, mesmerizingly intelligent. James had a beautiful clipped European accent that was equally captivating. Sh
e noticed the antique sapphire ring he wore but said nothing about it, wondering how a waiter could afford a piece of jewelry like that.

  They sat at Einstein’s and drank coffee for an hour the first afternoon they met. James was totally smitten with Maggie. As they chatted, they came to realize they read the same books, enjoyed the same movies, and shared the same love for a good Indian curry. James and Maggie both loved purple paisley. Maggie was greatly impressed, as was James.

  Maggie had no idea who James was. When he excused himself, the barista walked over and asked Maggie how she knew Jago.

  “Jago? Who’s Jago??” was Maggie’s reply.

  “Don’t tell me you don’t know who he is.”

  He laughed as he set two more fresh coffees on the table for Maggie and James.

  “No, I don’t have any idea who he is, but he seems like a nice guy,” Maggie replied.

  They left that afternoon, agreeing to meet for dinner on Tuesday evening.

  When James walked into the restaurant that night, it was as if the entire place stopped breathing. James had such a presence that even if people didn’t know who he was, they knew that if he wasn’t famous yet, he would be soon. Even though her back was to the door, Maggie knew James had walked in. He came to the table, sat down, and looked Maggie straight in the eyes.

  “Yes, yes, I do remember meeting you,” James joked as he sat down beside her.

  God, he’s gorgeous. Their conversation started again, just as if they were continuing their discussion from two days ago.

  “Do you have brothers and sisters? I’m consumed by you and I want to know everything. I can’t seem get enough of you,” he said.

  It was as if no one else was in the room. He told her he was a musician, and she didn’t seem to mind. By their third date, he explained that once he left Atlanta, he would meet the band and eventually he would return to New York City to work on a final production. Then they would prepare for another world tour. By the end of the evening of their fourth date, he explained that the world knew him as Jago, lead singer for the band, TASTE. She explained how she had ended up at the Fox Theatre, and they both agreed to never speak the name Natasha again, and they would never discuss the past. The world began the moment they met. Anything before that time was not important.

  There was no denying the chemistry between Maggie and James. She invited him to her studio for their next date, and James felt like he was living an old-fashioned romance. He sought out three dozen Anne Boleyn roses for her. When he walked into the small apartment, he saw the writing on the wall.

  “Awaketh not love before it so desires,” he said as he took a seat on her sofa. He noticed the antique mirror and remembered the nightmares he had for most of his life. Handing the flowers to Maggie, he pushed his hair behind his ears and smiled at her, amazed at her natural beauty.

  “Don’t tell me you read Hebrew too. I have never met anyone who knew what my inscription meant.”

  Their evening together was magical, and James left her knowing that she was everything he had longed for. He had finally found a woman who he believed loved him just for being James.

  His mind was made up – James wanted Maggie all for himself. Maybe crazy with love, or desire, James knew that he wanted Maggie on a different level than he had ever wanted anyone else. There was something about their chemistry that was timeless.

  Later that evening, when James finally returned to his new accommodation at the Four Seasons Hotel, he pulled up the Sabian symbols on his iPad, and looked at the moon phases. If his timing was right and his intentions were from the heart, he knew there was a chance he would receive the answer his heart desired. He would protect Maggie and ensure that she lived her life like a beautiful character from a rock and roll fairy tale.

  One weekend, he visited Maggie’s aunt and her boyfriend in Tennessee. He told Aunt Charlotte of his plan and she approved. She didn’t mind that he was a musician but warned him to protect Maggie, and even shared the story of Maggie’s mother abandoning her for the music business in her quest to become a star in Nashville. Charlotte’s instincts and heart told her that this boy was head over heels in love with her niece, and that was all she had ever wished for Maggie; true love.

  He took an old Romani book he carried with him everywhere and researched the placement of the stars and planets. James believed he had found the exact moment for his plan. The notations made in the manuscript indicated that the heart ceremony needed no space or time. It was as valid when James performed it as it had been for his ancestors. Now all James had to do was wait. He knew the signs were right – the moon was at the right placement and all the planetary signs were at the correct alignment. It was time for the Blessed Ones to work their magic, if it was indeed their bidding that he and Maggie would be together. His heart fluttered. If love was magic, then its enchantment had cast a spell on him. Now he would have to see what the ancestors had planned and if his future included Maggie. James couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.

  One week before Christmas, he had a florist deliver another three dozen roses to her with a note.

  Dear Princess M,

  Meet me at the Four Seasons Terrace on Thursday, 7:30 p.m.

  Dress: Formal

  A car will pick you up promptly at 7:17 p.m.

  In the meantime, your stylist at Neiman’s has been instructed to get you anything you want. Buy something for Aunt Charlotte too.

  Yours,

  Prince Charming

  x

  Maggie found herself sitting on the terrace of the Four Seasons that Thursday evening with only James, a string quartet, and their servers, each of which James treated as his best friends. He had rented out the entire space and recreated the evening they met. Fig trees with fairy lights surrounded the perimeter of the rooftop. Oversized chairs surrounded a fire pit. It was nothing like what she imagined a rock star would do. James van Lee was a man of surprises. Time had no meaning when they were together. They drank champagne, talked, and after dinner, sat in front of the fire, just as they had a few weeks ago.

  A long silence was finally broken when James said, “Maggie, what do you plan on doing with your life?”

  “I don’t know,” Maggie replied simply, wondering why James was so philosophical.

  James looked at his feet, more like a little boy than a world-famous rock star.

  He continued softly, “Did you know that when I saw you at the Fox Theatre, you blew me away. You have an aura – a shimmer, there’s something so special about you. I believe I fell in love with you at first sight.”

  “No.” Maggie didn’t know that and she didn’t know where the conversation was going either. She giggled and looked at him. James stood in front of the fire, then reached for her. That was the first time James kissed Maggie. It was as if the lights had gone out and fire consumed the room.

  Maggie thought, I’ve never been kissed like this. It is magic.

  Then, she thought about Rhett.

  “No... James, no. I’m scared of getting my heart broken,” she whispered.

  “Understood,” James said as he still held her close to him.

  Maggie could sense his disappointment; would she ever forgive herself for not saying “yes”? Had she changed this enchantment in some way by delaying the magic?

  “But I believe you will eventually find me irresistible,” he said.

  She and James laughed at the same time.

  He kissed her a second time. The door to the past closed and it was as if Maggie and James had slipped into another dimension.

  James placed his hand on hers and said, “I’m going to tell you something and it may scare you. Before you answer, I want you to think about what I’ve said, then answer me. Take as much time as you want before you respond.”

  “Okay,” Maggie replied, feeling butterflies of nervousness but curious about what he had to say.

  He smiled and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes, and looking at her, eventually, he said, “I believe
I am falling in love with you. No, I am in love with you. I have never felt like this before. And, if I am right about this, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  The silence between them was disturbed only by the evening’s buzz of traffic in the distance and a band playing a party somewhere in Midtown. Maggie looked up at the stars as if looking for divine intervention or some type of sign, a soft breeze blowing the candlelight on the terrace. The light danced in time with the beat of her heart, which pounded so quickly she wondered if James could see or hear it. Looking at him, she could see he was sincere.

  We are in love and it’s happened so quickly, as if it was meant to be. I’ve tried to make someone love me, yet when it happens, you don’t have to do anything. Love simply is and its magic finds you. Just like in fairy tales.

  Following a small eternity, she smiled at him and whispered, “That sounds okay to me.”

  THE END OF STORY 2.

  Look for The Dreams, Story 3 in Spring of 2017.

  DOCUMENTS OF INTEREST

  ~ ~

  The Chattanooga region was part of the Cherokee Nation until 1838. At that time, the final journey was made by the Cherokees to the Oklahoma Territory. Families were torn apart due to what we now call the Trail of Tears. The next generation in the Chattanooga area suffered through the American Civil War. Chattanooga was first used by the Confederacy as a hospital outpost for the wounded soldiers from Nashville, Tennessee because of the city’s accessibility by railroad. As the tides of the war turned, Chattanooga became the city where the Union Army sent it’s wounded to heal. Medicines were made and sold in the region during the war. Before the war, Chattanooga had a population “exceeding 4000” according to the Memphis Weekly Bulletin, although the U.S. Census gives a higher population. The city’s population exploded to 23,642 in the 1880 census. The mixture of locals, displaced people, and new residents, combined with the availability of rail travel, made the city colorful and, oftentimes, volatile. The year 1873 saw the city suffer an epic flood of the Tennessee River followed by a deadly outbreak of cholera, both of which resulted in major losses of life. The year also saw the economic collapse known as the Panic of 1873, in which many Chattanooga businessmen lost fortunes due to their investments and business speculations.