Be With Me

by C. D. Taylor

  “Sure no problem. How is he?” I asked.

  “Not good. Ever since you left he’s been down in the dumps, Jake has tried to talk to him but Tyler is hard headed.”

  “I understand. Well let me get off here and I will see you on Sunday.”

  When I hung up the phone I was saddened by what they were all going through. To lose someone you loved was devastating. Or at least I’d been told.

  I pecked around on my computer and found a flight that would get me to Texas in time for the memorial, and then I called a local florist close to the church to secure an arrangement to be sent over. I took the rest of the day off to go home and pack a bag for the trip. When I arrived home I noticed that my door was already unlocked. Surely I didn’t forget to lock up when I left that morning…

  “Hey Maggie.” I looked up and Richard was sitting on the sofa waiting for me.

  “Richard, what are you doing here?” I huffed.

  “I wanted to stop by and see how you were; I heard what happened in Texas…”

  “That’s old news, and I’m perfectly fine. Now what do you really want?”

  He let out a sigh and began. “I’m sorry for what I did to you, I fucked up and I regret it.”

  “I forgave you Richard, end of story.”

  “No it’s not the end of the story Maggie, I still love you. I think we can make this work.”

  “Ha! Really? How am I supposed to work around your pregnant girlfriend?”

  “The baby is not mine. She admitted that she had a relationship with someone else at the office, and the timing was off for me to be the father. I still want to marry you Maggie; I think we could have a great future together.”

  “I’m not sure I can do that. Things have…changed.”

  “Then tell me what I can do to make you happy? I will do anything.” He sighed.

  Was it crazy that I was actually considering his proposal? That I might let this man back into my life after what he did? I just wasn’t sure.

  “Look, I’m leaving for a few days Richard; I can’t make a decision right now.”

  “I understand, but please consider it.”

  “Okay, I’ll think on it.”

  Richard stood to leave and turned to face me when he reached the door. “You’ve changed Maggie…and for the better I have to say.”

  He was right I had changed, I finally let go of the things that were ruining me, and was learning to be happy with myself.

  Twenty-Eight

  As Tyler entered the church that housed his father’s body, he couldn’t help but tense up. He hated death, maybe more than the usual person. He witnessed mass death and destruction when he was deployed, and despised what it did to families. Yes this was different, but it hurt just the same deep down in his heart.

  His mom and brother walked to the front of the sanctuary and slipped into a pew reserved for immediate family. Emily sat in the seat behind them, holding tight to Maisy. When he looked forward to see his dad laid out in a cherry wood casket, he again lost control of his emotions. Jake began to pat him on the back to calm him down, and his mom wrapped her arms around him in a show of love and protection. It was all too much.

  He had to get up and walk around; just sitting there was driving him out of his ever loving mind. Tyler walked to the rows of flower arrangement to try and get his mind off of looking at his dad in such a way. He perused the bouquets, and came across one that seemed to stand out from the rest. It had at least three dozen roses, but they were dyed a dark cobalt blue. On the front of the vase, instead of a traditional ribbon, was a bow crafted from rusty barbed wire. Tyler knew that whoever sent this particular arrangement must have known that his father loved his ranch, and hated traditional colored flowers. When he reached for the attached tag, he was stunned to find that it read: From Margaret Wells. Maggie had sent these? He thought to himself.

  Tyler turned to glance at Emily, because she would have been the only one that would have contacted Maggie. Emily was bent over in the floor grabbing her daughter, and he couldn’t make eye contact with her. When he looked down the long aisle toward the back of the church his heart skipped a beat. There stood Maggie, dressed in black, and walking toward him.

  “Tyler, I’m so sorry about your dad.” She said tearfully.

  “Thank you. How are things back in Chicago?”

  “Okay I guess, trying to get back to normal.”

  “Yeah I suppose so.”

  He wasn’t sure how to talk to her, things had changed, and this was not the place to say what he needed to say.

  “I’m just going to sit back there, let me know if you need anything.” She gave a shy smile.

  He should have invited her to sit with his family, but she wasn’t family. She was just some woman that had passed through his life, and that was it. Those thoughts saddened him, and he wondered why she was actually there. She had no ties to his family, but yet she was there showing her support and compassion. Maggie Wells had managed to burrow deep within his heart and soul.

  Twenty-Nine

  Tyler looked like hell for obvious reasons. I felt sorrow for his family, losing someone so dear to them must have been heart wrenching. I wouldn’t have known what that was like, after all I’d distanced myself from my mother, and shot my father for God’s sake. Suddenly the feelings of being alone swamped me. I’d worked so damn hard to hold my head up after everything went to shit, but being at a funeral was bringing the blisters of hurt to the surface.

  The service was lovely, and I was sure that it honored the memory of Tyler’s father in an appropriate way. The family was being ushered from the church, and Tyler stopped at where I was sitting. I was shocked when he reached down and grabbed my hand, pulling me from my seat.

  “Come on.” He said in a gruffly voice.

  Was he pissed that I was here? I didn’t come to stir up trouble I just wanted to pay my respects. I didn’t argue with him, the man had such a way that he demanded respect. I walked behind him to his truck and he held tight to my hand the entire time. The contact between us was sending my nerves into overdrive, and I was hypersensitive to everything around me. Tyler didn’t speak when he opened the passenger door for me to the truck, and I didn’t try to make him have a conversation right then. When we took off for the cemetery, he finally spoke to me.

  “I wish you could have met my dad, I think you and him would have gotten along well.”

  “I wish I could have too Tyler, I’m so sorry.”

  “Yeah we all thought he was healthy, but that goes to show that you never know when your time is up.”

  He was right about that and I’d learned that every moment counted. I’d done so much worrying and thinking on my troubles in life that I lost sight of what was important.

  “Richard came to see me the other day, says he wants to still get married…” I blurted out.

  “Huh, the guy that knocked up his secretary?”

  “Yup that’s him. Although he says it was a mistake and the kid isn’t really his.”

  “And what do you think about it Maggie?” He turned his head and pinned me with a stare.

  “Honestly…I’m not sure what to think anymore.”

  “Guess you have some decisions to make then…”

  “I suppose so.”

  I was beating myself up on the inside for telling him about Richard coming back, why the hell did I think it was such a good idea to spill that piece of information? What an asshole move on my part.

  When we finally arrived at the local cemetery Tyler was yet again quiet and somber. He led me to the waiting grave site, and pulled out a chair under the tent that had been erected. He was sitting on one side of me and Jake was on the other. I felt out of place, but for some reason it felt good to be included in a family thing like that; even if it was a funeral. A few passages were read aloud, and the family threw roses on the casket of the deceased. I was surprised when Tyler handed me a long stemmed white rose, and led me forward to do the same. When it was all sa
id and done, we left the site and began to walk through the cemetery, and eventually ended up again where my mom was buried.

  “Never thought I would be back here again.” I commented.

  “Life happens when you least expect it sometimes.” Tyler smiled.

  “So, what’s in the cards for you now? I’m sure your mom will need help.”

  “Well, we’ve all discussed it and mom thinks it’s time to sell the ranch and find a smaller home. She’s right she can’t keep up everything by herself anymore.”

  “Oh, well I just thought you would want to take things over…”

  “Nah, it’s not what I want to do and mom understands that. She’s not upset, and Jake is fine with it all.”

  “That’s good I guess.” I tried to smile.

  “I’d really like it if you could stick around a few days Maggie.”

  “Tyler I can’t, I have a huge deadline coming up at work, and I’m still trying to get caught up from the last time I was gone.”

  Tyler looked terribly disappointed, and I hated that it was me who did that. I knew he was going through so much shit right then, but my life in Chicago was the only normal thing I had going for me, I couldn’t let it fall to the way side.

  “If you’re ever in Chicago though, you could look me up.” I laughed.

  Leaving Texas again was heartbreaking, not because I wanted to stay there, but because the man I’d fallen so deeply for was still there. I knew I should have just spoken up and told the man how I felt, but there wasn’t really time, and the moment wasn’t right either. Maybe I could learn to live with the regret.

  Several weeks passed, and I fell back into my old routine, of course I’d made some major decisions in that time as well. I told Richard there was no future for us…of course the man cried, but I felt great in my decision. He would find someone that could live with his philandering ways, and his three hundred dollar haircuts.

  Each day before I left work I would always do a final check of my email, and one day I was surprised to find one from Emily. I opened the email and it had a video attachment, above it was written:

  Maggie,

  I think this is something worth watching.

  Emily

  I clicked the play button to start the video and was shocked to see the image of my childhood home, the place that would haunt me forever. I heard voices in the background between Tyler and Jake.

  “Are you sure you want to do this Tyler?”

  “Hell yeah I’m sure! This baby is getting bulldozed!”

  I heard a piece of heavy equipment fire up in the background, and the next thing I saw brought fresh tears to my eyes. Tyler ran the bulldozer through the house and leveled it to the ground. I wasn’t upset, I was elated. That amazing man had somehow managed to knock down the one thing that stood strong through all the years of torment I’d faced. The next voice I heard was Emily’s.

  “Jake why did he want to do this, is he crazy?” Emily asked on the video.

  “Men do crazy shit for the women they love.” Jake answered.

  Whoa, did I just hear what I thought I did? Was it possible that Tyler had feelings for me? Holy Shit!

  When the video was over I closed my computer and left the office. I just needed to go home and think of what I was going to do. I mean this was huge…but maybe I was making a big deal out of nothing. It wasn’t Tyler who said that, it was Jake and maybe he just assumed it all. Yet again I was faced with a huge decision.

  Thirty

  It had been a few days since Tyler bulldozed Maggie’s family home down. To him it was a no brainer, he received his part of his fathers’ life insurance payout, and he’d purchased the home with the intention of watching it crash to the ground. He was satisfied with what he had done, but it hadn’t been only for the benefit of Maggie. She still had the demons of that house haunting her each and every day, if he wanted to get close to her and stay that way, it would take drastic measures. When Tyler found out that Emily had taped the destruction and sent it to Maggie, Tyler was beside himself. He wasn’t expecting her to find out about it so soon, and he wasn’t sure what she would say about it. Would she be pissed? He sure hoped not, or else his plan would backfire and then he would be stuck at square one.

  When Tyler stood in front of the door leading to Maggie’s condo, he wondered if flying to Chicago was such a great idea after all. He was sweating bullets, and half expected Maggie to rip him apart for what he had done. Only one way to tell. He lifted his hand and knocked a few times on her door.

  “Just a minute.” She yelled from inside.

  The door swung open, and Tyler sucked in a breath. She was sexy as hell in her flannel pajamas, and bunny slippers.

  “Tyler?” She breathed.

  “Hey, I thought I needed to come and explain…”

  “Yeah um, come in. Sorry the place is a mess, I’ve been pretty much living at the office lately.” She said nervously. “Do you want something to drink?”

  “No I’m fine.” He looked her up and down and then chuckled.

  “What?” She looked down self-consciously.

  “You look cute in those bunny slipper.” He laughed.

  She looked at her feet. “Oh shit. Uh yeah, they are my favorite…”

  “Listen Maggie, about the house…” He quickly changed the subject.

  “Tyler that was the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me. When I saw the video I cried, but not a sad cry…more like a cry of relief, if that makes sense.” She looked confused.

  “Actually it makes complete sense, and that was the reaction I was hoping to get from it. I knew that house was something you needed to be rid of, and I bought it with the intention of tearing it all down.”

  “Why would you do that Tyler? Why waste money on something for me…that’s crazy.”

  “It wasn’t a waste, it was for you, and honestly I would tear down this whole damn city for you.” He let out a breath. “Maggie, I love you.”

  He could see her eyes fill with tears. “Tyler, I…”

  “Look, I don’t expect you to say anything, but I want you to know that I will wait.”

  “I don’t want you to wait for me Tyler, I’m here now, and dammit I love you too!” She jumped across the room and threw her arms around his body, and damn it felt good.

  “So that means you’ll be with me?” He asked.

  “Of course it does!” She laughed.

  “Okay, but I have one condition I think we shouldn’t live in Texas.” He suggested.

  “Where then?” She raised her eyebrows.

  “Well, your career is here in Chicago, and I’m sure we could find a nice house in the suburbs.”

  “That would be perfect.” She smiled and hugged him tighter.

  “Oh shit I almost forgot.” He dug around in his shirt pocket. “Here, I don’t expect an answer now but…”

  “Oh my God! Yes!”

  Tyler wasn’t even able to complete the proposal he had lined out for her, but Maggie didn’t seem to mind at all. He slipped the sparkling ring on her finger, and it made him feel like he’d won the lottery. He would never be perfect and neither would she, but that was what made what they had so strong. He had no doubt in his mind that this woman was his heaven on earth.

  The End

  Thank you for enjoying the “Come Back To Me” Series

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