Runaway Love

by Amber Nation

  I didn’t take any time before running out of the station, having Deputy Bradley field the calls for me. I got in my Camaro, I wouldn’t use the typical Sheriff’s car, and headed towards downtown.

  Arriving at her building, I noticed her car was in the parking lot as well as Emmy’s minivan, Toby’s jeep, and Tessa’s car. I really hoped Toby was telling the truth, and Maggie was truly alright.

  I didn’t even get a full knock out on Maggie’s front door before Emmalynne jerked the door open, a sleeping Lottie in a sling on her chest.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, as I looked to each of their wide eyes. Sheridan was even in attendance, but no sign of Maggie. “Where is Maggie?”

  “Charlie sit down please.” Tessa muttered.

  I didn’t want to sit down, what I needed was for everyone to spit out what they needed to tell me. I defiantly crossed my arms over my chest, I wasn’t moving anywhere.

  They took my stance and thunderous expression as a signal to move on.

  Emmy moved to the couch and sat down, with Lottie strapped to her chest, she could do just about anything with ease. “Maggie came to see me this morning. She hadn’t talked to me in over two months because of what happened, she thought I had betrayed her as well by not telling her about your job.” She wasn’t looking at anyone, her gaze was pointed at the floor, staring off into space. “I first thought that she was coming to forgive me, which is what she did but it was more than that.” The tone in her voice turned almost melancholy, I uncrossed my arms and went to sit by Emmy on the couch. I had the utter and distinct feeling that I wasn’t going to like what was going to come out of her mouth, so I took Tessa’s advice, and took a seat.

  “She came to tell me goodbye.”

  “What? I don’t understand. Her car is here. Is she in the apartment?” I stood up, and proceeded to jog towards her bedroom yelling, “Maggie!”

  “Charlie she isn’t here,” Toby interrupted.

  Fear took root in the pit of my stomach. The worst feeling possible settled over me. Surely she wouldn’t...

  I couldn’t help it, tears started welling in my eyes. I looked back at Emmalynne, “She isn’t…” I swallowed past the lump that had formed in my throat, threatening to cut off my air supply. “She isn’t going to...” I couldn’t even get the words out. Surely she wasn’t so depressed that she would commit suicide? Had I missed the telltale signs? Yes she had looked sick, but wouldn’t her friends come to me if they thought she was having suicidal thoughts?

  Emmy must have realized the point that I was getting at, before her eyes got as wide as saucers. “NO! No, Charlie, she told me goodbye, because she was leaving Brown County. I actually believe she was leaving Georgia altogether.”

  Relief eased my nerves just a bit, as I let out an exasperated sigh. I was so thankful that she wasn’t on the verge of killing herself, but for her to be leaving Georgia, wasn’t that much better. She was really leaving me, leaving us behind.

  I went back to my seat on the couch and put my head in my hands, scrubbing my face I looked at the ceiling.

  “Does anyone know why she left? I mean she left all of her furniture and her car here.”

  It was Sheridan who spoke up next, “Maggie actually called me last night wanting me to meet her here first thing this morning. So, I showed up and she handed me the keys to her apartment saying it was mine. That she had let her landlord know, and all I had to do was sign the lease papers. She knew that I was trying to find my own place, and Mike is still working on fixing up my new car, but between his jobs, he hasn’t had much time. So, she told me to use it until it was fixed, then she would have it shipped to her once she was settled in her new place. I tried to object, but she wouldn’t hear of it.”

  Toby sat in the chair and started rubbing his hands on his pants, he was fidgeting. Toby didn’t fidget. He was hardly ever put into an uncomfortable situation, he would always make it work to his advantage.

  “There is something else Charlie. I told her that she should tell you, but she didn’t want you to feel obligated since you two are no longer together. She has it in her mind that things just wouldn’t work out…”

  His next two words changed my whole entire world.

  “She’s pregnant.”

  (Charlie)

  I was currently racing to get to the bus station that was thirty minutes outside of Brown County. I had to stop Maggie from leaving, there was no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I would do whatever it took.

  Giving up just wasn’t an option, and I couldn’t bear to lose both Maggie and my child.

  My child…

  I was going to be a father. Love swelled in my chest along with the pain of possibly losing them.

  At the bus station, I ran all through the building trying to spot a glimpse of her amongst the mostly empty seats, only to no avail.

  My heart was beating relentlessly in my chest. If she had already left, I wouldn’t know where to find her, it would be pure luck if she was actually here.

  I had tried on the way to call her cellphone, only to be told by the annoying recording that the number had been disconnected.

  “Last call for North Carolina,” the speaker informed the patrons inside the station.

  A voice inside my head, told me to check that bus before it left for its destination. I wasn’t going to question where the voice came from, there was no harm in trying.

  After flashing my badge to the driver and quickly and haphazardly explaining the situation, he agreed to let me board for a very limited time. Too much time, and they would get off of their strict departure schedule.

  I began walking through the middle row, checking each and every seat to the left and the right. Finally towards the back of the train, I spotted that all too familiar knot sitting at the top of her head.

  She had a seat all to herself, and she was currently wiping a stray tear off of her cheek as she stared at a picture of the two of us together. She hadn’t realized that anyone, let alone me was standing right beside her. She was in her own little world, a bubble where no one would bother her. She had retreated back to her old self, with the logic that if she didn’t look at anyone, they wouldn’t engage her in conversation. I caused her to do that.

  I knelt beside her and whispered in her ear, “Is this seat taken?”

  She slightly jumped, placing her hand over her heart and then finally looked at me. The tears were swimming in her eyes. I wanted to wipe away those tears, but I had to mentally refrain myself from touching her.

  “What... How? I didn’t tell anyone that I was taking the bus.”

  “Maggie, you forget that once upon a time I knew you better than anyone. You often said that you took a one-way ticket from your former life, and when you left without your car, I knew you were trying to take a one-way ticket out of this one. Being that this place is the only train or bus station within a hundred mile radius, I thought I’d take a chance. You’re trying to run away from your friends, your life, your home, us…”

  “Don’t do this now, Charlie. You made your choice when you decided not to trust me enough with your real job. How did you think I’d feel?”

  “Well, Maggie, how do you think I felt when I had to learn that I was going to be a father, from someone other than the mother?”

  She let out a little whimper, which automatically wanted me to cradle her in my arms. She didn’t think they would tell me. And I could honestly see why she would think that. But it wasn’t Emmalynne who shared that tidbit, it was Toby and he knew what it felt like to be withheld information from.

  The tears were flowing more freely down her cheeks, landing on her shirt, leaving it’s wetness in its wake.

  “It’s ok Maggie, I’m not mad. I understand why you didn’t tell me, I don’t like it, but I understand.”

  “Oh Charlie, I wanted to tell you so many times. But the truth is, I’m so confused. My heart still wants you, wants a family with this baby.” She placed her hand on her stomach, and I had to catch
myself before I did the same. “But my head is telling me something entirely different. What if you’ve kept more than just your job from me? What if you’ll do it again?”

  “I know it’ll take some time in order for me to gain your trust back again, but what we had Maggie, was something special. I was a complete fool for keeping you in the dark, but I still stand by that I did the right thing. You could’ve been in much more danger if you had known. I want us to be together, to be a family. I mean, how can you say no to this face?” I pointed to my face, and put on what I’m sure was the most pitiful pout. How could she resist?

  She cracked a small smile, and it was as if I was seeing daylight for the first time in months. My world had existed on nighttime alone, not even the glow of the moon made it bright. Just the twinkle in her eye, reminded me exactly why I fell in love with Maggie in the first place, why I was going to get this girl to marry me.

  I had to get her to smile more, I needed to. Remembering what fun we had when we each said those cheesy pickup lines, I had to use another one. It was our thing. But I couldn’t think of a single pickup line that would make a difference, it had to be something from the heart.

  “Do you want to know what I did last night? What I’ve done every single night since we have been apart?” I asked her. Seeing her look up at me with those big, beautiful, bright eyes, she shrugged her shoulders, and then nodded her head.

  “I looked up at the stars, and matched each one with a reason why I love you so much. That’s a lot of stars in the sky, and I had a reason for each one. That’s a lot of love, Maggie. All that love, for you.”

  But instead of making her smile, it made her cry even harder. I wasn’t aiming for such an emotional line, hell that wasn’t even a line at all. That was the God’s honest truth, and it came from the depths of my soul.

  “January fifth.”

  She eyed me warily, “What is January fifth?”

  “That’s the day, that I saw the woman of my dreams.”

  “But we didn’t meet until right before Valentine’s Day.” She watched me, questioningly.

  “Ah, but you see, we may not have met until then, which by the way was February seventh, but I first saw you on January fifth. You were running in the park, as you often do. But since it was so cold outside, you were bundled up so nice and warm. And you had tears in your eyes, and seeing those tears made me want to get to know you, to protect you, to be the one to wipe those tears away. And here all I’ve done is cause them.”

  I saw her visibly swallow, and I decided to go on.

  “Do you know when I found out that you were Mason’s sister? February seventh. I bumped into you at 11:15 and by 12:30 I knew who you were. But to me, it didn’t matter, because I was already halfway in love with you by then. I would’ve quit my job right then and there if it meant I would’ve never hurt you, because being in the FBI didn’t matter to me, you did.”

  “Time’s up,” the driver said. “You need to get off of this bus, we have a tight schedule to adhere to, and now we are already running behind.”

  I stood up, and wanted to see if Maggie was going to follow me, but she was still seated and completely still.

  “Now, Sheriff,” the driver said again.

  I began my retreat off of the bus, without my Maggie in tow. I didn’t know when I would hear from her again, or if I would ever be able to meet my child. I was almost to the steps that would lead me off of the bus, when Maggie yelled.

  “Charlie!”

  I stood back up on the top step, so I could see her face, to in fact see that she was standing in the aisle.

  “Aren’t you forgetting something?” she asked.

  I was confused, because I hadn’t brought anything with me, except my heart, and she could keep it forever, I didn’t need it any longer.

  Her lips turned up, into what would be the biggest smile that I had ever seen grace her face, as she excitedly shouted, “ME!”

  (Maggie)

  “Ugh! I can’t believe you are making me be a bridesmaid, I look like a freaking whale. And I can’t believe you are actually getting married on Valentine’s Day. Don’t you know that I loathe this day?”

  “Maggie, would you quit your bitching, you look absolutely radiant. Pregnancy really agrees with you.” Tessa quipped.

  “Really Maggie, you are positively glowing. Now, quit fishing for compliments, this is my day. Y’all are supposed to be telling me how beautiful and radiant I look.” Emmalynne said through a smile.

  Emmy was right, but wasn’t I allowed to complain? I mean seriously, you try waddling in heels down an aisle at eight and a half months pregnant. I was the size of a house, and if that wasn’t bad enough, I was covered in Pepto Bismol. Tessa and I, were both dressed in beautiful Chiffon Strapless Empire A-Line Tea Length dresses. They were absolutely stunning, but the color left a little more to be desired.

  Emmy enlisted the help of Toby for picking out wedding colors, since they both went absolutely nutso over Valentine’s Day, and this was the color they chose.

  “No, really you guys, all pregnancy hormones and jokes aside, I am tickled pink.” I burst out giggling, “See what I did there?! Pink…my dress…Valentine’s Day? Any who, I am truly honored that you asked me to be in your wedding. I am so happy that we all have become such close friends.”

  I could feel the tears starting to form, I immediately moved to start fanning my face.

  “No!” Emmalynne yelled, as she rushed over with a tissue, “Absolutely no crying today. If you cry then I will cry, and then I would mess up the beautiful job Toby did on my makeup. So, I forbid it!”

  A sharp stabbing pain in my belly, had me grasping it and wincing in pain. I tried to quickly shrug it off, but Tessa caught me.

  “Maggie, are you alright?”

  “Yeah,” I tried to wave her off, “it was just a little contraction.” But that was a lie, I’d been having contractions for a few hours now, and they were getting stronger and closer together. I didn’t want to ruin Emmy’s day, so I just kept my mouth shut. I wasn’t due for three more weeks yet, so I was sure it was just Braxton Hicks contractions.

  “Why don’t you go have a seat over there,” Emmy jerked her head in the direction of the couch. Having a seat on that couch did sound heavenly, but I would end up being asleep within five minutes, I spared a quick look at the clock and confirmed that we still had a bit of time, it wouldn’t hurt things if I took a little cat nap.

  I was surprised that Charlie hadn’t been checking in on me every ten minutes, he was a very attentive man, and would be a perfect doting father.

  I couldn’t wait until we were able to hold our baby. Through a very deep conversation, we had decided to let the sex be a surprise. Charlie wasn’t exactly on board, but when he saw that it meant a great deal to me, he relented.

  It didn’t matter to me whether this butterbean was a boy or a girl, I would love them regardless. This baby would never ever go one single solitary day without knowing how much love for them was in our hearts. Butterbean was the nickname I gave once I first saw their little tiny heartbeat on the monitor.

  I was completely overjoyed with how things were going. It had taken some time, but Charlie stepped up to the challenge, and earned back my trust.

  Since I had let Sheridan sublet my apartment, he was quick in trying to find us a house that we could build together in order to make it a home. And he didn’t even put up a fight when I made him sleep on the couch the first few weeks. Once I decided that he had, had enough I let him in. I no sooner had said the words, “You can now pass go,” he was on me like lightening.

  I was ecstatic we were back together, and I was glad he came after me. I would like to think that I would’ve ended up coming to my senses, in the end and came for him.

  Then, on a cold night in December, Charlie popped the question. It was cutest thing. I heard about Grady and Emmalynne’s proposal, but Charlie’s trumped theirs.

  I was snuggled on the couch, our first Christma
s tree that we put together as a couple, was proudly displayed in the front window. He was in the process of bringing in firewood to build me a fire, so I wouldn’t get cold. Once it was lit, he came down to sit next to me on the couch, pulling my legs over his so he could massage my feet, as he often did when I got home from work. But today things were seemingly different, he seemed nervous and jittery. I could tell by the way his hands shook, as he was massaging my instep.

  “What’s wrong babe?” I asked, and his thumb stopped its movement on my foot.

  I saw him take a deep breath before he looked at me, he was acting entirely silly, but he never failed to put a smile on my face. I bit my bottom lip and the sides of my mouth quirked up in a small smile, which ended up in a full blown grin.

  He angled to where he was able to see more of my face, “Maggie…I promise to always be good to you. I promise to always make you happy to be by my side because, I know how awful and lonely it feels when you aren’t.” He engulfed my hand in his and continued, “When I grow old and look at all of my pivotal memories, I’ll think of the day my children were born,” he slowly caressed my swollen stomach with his free hand. “I’ll think of the day I officially met you,” We each had to lightly chuckle, because he had finally confessed his creeper status tendencies and how he would often watch me run. “And I would especially remember this day.” My brows creased, because I didn’t know what was so special about today.

  He gently raised my legs up in order for him to slide out from underneath me, but instead of standing up, he kneeled down in front of me.

  “The day I asked you to become my wife.” He reached his hand up underneath the couch cushion and pulled out a ring. “Margaret Ann Walker would you do me the honor of keeping my heart forever, and giving me yours in return? Will you marry me?”

  “Hello! Maggie you just sat your butt down, don’t tell me you already fell asleep.” Toby rang out.