Click.
In a flash, Roxanne was down the stairs and dancing the dance of a girl who had been missing her mother.
“What are you doing here? Why didn't you call? Mom?”
“Before you ask the question of the month, no, I am not getting married again.”
They both laughed.
“That isn't what I was thinking at all, actually. Why would you say that?”
“I'm just echoing your siblings.”
“You've seen them all? What's going on?”
“Can't a mother take a road trip to see her kids?”
“Yes, but I sense this is something more. Come on up and fill me in.”
They entered Roxanne's dorm only to find her roommate had returned from a class, leaving them no privacy, so they decided to go have an ice cream somewhere.
On the way, Maggie filled Roxanne in on all the news from the other siblings. Roxanne felt so cut off from them. She was so busy with her studies that she didn't call as often as she should have. She was grateful for the summary her mother presented to her.
When they sat and had ordered their sundaes, Roxanne looked deeply into her mother's eyes and didn't like what she saw. She began to tear up even before Maggie opened her mouth.
“It's serious, isn't it?”
“Yes, it is. I have lung cancer.”
“But you don't smoke. You never have.”
“Well, actually, I did when I was very, very young. You just never knew about it. I guess I'm just a late bloomer.”
“Oh, mom, what's the prognosis? Are you going to undergo surgery or radiation or something? You are going to fight this, aren't you?”
“Yes, actually, I just made this trip to talk to each of you and as soon as I get back home, I'm starting treatment. I am going to fight it. I wasn't at first. But I had a change of heart.”
“Are you scared?”
“You know, you're the first one to ask that. But, no, I'm not at all. I think I'm more worried about the effects of the treatments than I am dying. I know I am. I don't fear death. I think that's probably the easy part.”
“It's just another door. There is a great life beyond this world. Anyway, that's what I believe.”
“I believe that as well. It's funny we never really talked too much about such things, but I guess the time has come.”
Roxanne reached out and took her mother's hands.
“I love you, mom. Do you want me to come home next semester and help care for you? I wouldn't mind at all.”
“No, no, no. I don't want you to take a break. It would be too tempting not to go back. Just carry on and so will I.”
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“There's someone I want for you to meet.”
“No!”
“Yes! It's finally happened. I'm in love.”
“Get out of town! Who is he? Why haven't you told me?”
“Well, we've been dating for about 5 months and it just kind of gradually got serious. He was my lab partner in biochem and our molecules just sort of found each other.”
“You silly girl. When do I get to meet him?”
“Well, we are having dinner tonight. How about then?”
“Great. What's his name and his major?”
“Peter and laboratory medicine. He wants to cure cancer. How crazy is that?”
“You're kidding, right?”
“No, mom. I'm not.”
They chuckled and then broke down and cried into their ice cream. It was not how Maggie had envisioned it, but that's how it played out. The irony was even more delicious than their treats.
“Well, I think I'll go check in somewhere and meet you back at the dorm at what time?”
“Come back at four o'clock. I'll give you a quick tour before we meet up with Peter.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“I love you, mom. I'll see you in a bit, OK? Why don't you have a little nap.”
“I think I'll do that. And maybe write a bit. I'm writing now, you know.”
“I'm so glad to hear it. I know you've wanted to do that for a long time. You always threatened to have a best seller.”
“Well, let's see if I can make that happen, shall we?”
“Later, tater.”
They blew kisses and Maggie drove to another motel and unloaded her things into another room, glad that it would be the last before arriving home. She did not handle all these different beds very well. She missed her cats and her routine and looked forward to arriving home, however, with that would come a whole new chapter to her life that brought more than a little uneasiness to her.
She napped for about thirty minutes, showered, dressed and still had about two hours to write before leaving to meet Roxanne.
The words came to her, tripping over one another and screaming for her attention like small children to a department store Santa. She couldn't type fast enough. Her thoughts burned through to her fingertips and pushed her further and further and digging deeper and deeper into her psyche. She felt liberated from the prison she had built for herself these long years. Her eyes were opened to the self-inflicted oppression she had been living under, drawing her away from the friendships of others and the potential of a healthy relationship. The tears began to flow as she madly poured her soul into the keyboard.
She was startled out of her mission by a sound she knew she must have been familiar with, but could not identify quickly enough. She had to get her bearings and remember where she was and then it became clear. It was Tchaikovsky playing on her cellphone.
“Hello?”
“Maggie, this is David.”
“No.”
“Yes, actually, it is.”
“I mean no to whatever it was you were going to say or ask. No.”
“Maggie, listen, I need to talk to you.”
“No.”
Click. Maggie had the newly found strength to hang up on a man she had no desire to speak with.
Once again, Tchaikovsky began to play.
“No.”
“Mom?”
“Oh, Roxanne, I'm so sorry. I thought you were someone else.”
“Did you forget? It's four thirty.”
“Oh, dear, sweetie, I'm so, so sorry. I was writing and just lost track of the time.”
“Well, I guess that's good. If you are on a streak, we can reschedule dinner I guess.”
“Don't be ridiculous. I'm already showered and dressed. I'll be right there. Give me fifteen minutes. We'll just have to abbreviate the tour.”
“That's fine, if you're sure.”
There was a little bit of disappointment in Roxanne's voice, as if she felt a little slighted by Maggie's disregard. Maggie would have to be extra effusive that evening to make up for the slight.
Quick as she could, she saved her work, brushed her teeth and grabbed the car keys.
When she pulled up to the dorm, Roxanne was waiting for her with a big smile and she surmised that everything would be fine.
“I want to show you the most magical place on campus. May I drive? It would be easier.”
“Of course.”
They drove to a building that looked older than the Civil War with grand marble entry and huge, heavily ornate iron doors.
“What is this place?”
“Come with me.”
She grabbed Maggie by the hand and the two of them walked reverently up a flight of ancient stone steps and into a library the likes of which Maggie had never before witnessed.
Tears ran down her face.
“Oh, Roxanne, of all the places you could have possibly shown me, this one is the most beautiful and not just on a superficial, tangible level, but you know how dear books are to me. And look at all of them! They are everywhere.”
“I thought you might like it here. Let's find some books and sit and read.”
Maggie thrilled at the idea that not only was Roxanne astute enough to know how much she would appreciate this place, but that she would be content to j
ust sit with her mother and read and not have to fill every moment with chatter.
“I love you, Roxanne, thank you!”
They spread out, went through the stacks and met back at some overstuffed easy chairs in the reader's section. The spent the next hour and a half perusing the topics most cherished by them and some that they had hesitated to investigate until now. The devoured the books with reckless abandon and when there were sate, they closed them up, put them on the rack of returns, and walked out the doors, hand in hand.
“That was the best time ever! Thank you, Roxanne!”
“Believe me, it was my pleasure. I'm here, right here, on the same campus with that amazing edifice and I never seem to find the time to just be there. It's always to look for something in particular for some paper or another, most of which I have absolutely no interest in, but have to spend brain cells defending or persecuting or proving. It was as much fun for me as it was for you. I'm sure of that.”
“That makes me very happy. So, where's dinner and where's Peter?”
“We're meeting him at The Global Shepherdess. It's kind of a hippie joint with food from around the world. There is something there for everyone. I know you'll like it. Peter introduced me to it. It's about ten minutes away. I'll drive.”
“That's fine, Roxanne, but is there some reason why you're doing all the driving?”
“No reason, why do you ask?”
“Call it mother's intuition.”
“I just know you've been driving and I thought I'd give you a break.”
“I'll buy that and thank you for the respite.”
They arrived and Peter was waiting at the curb for them. At least, Maggie hoped it was Peter. It was a intellectually handsome young man who rushed to his daughter and planted a kiss on her lips.
“Mom, this is Peter. Peter, mom.”
“Mrs. Austen, I can't tell you how I've looked forward to meeting you. You have an amazing daughter who has literally changed my life. She has transformed me from an awkward geek into a suave and sophisticated man about town.”
Maggie giggled nervously until she realized that this was his brand of self-deprecating humor.
“I'm just kidding. Seriously though, I adore her and she loves me despite my socially clumsy afflictions. You've done a great job with her.”
“I have to tell you, Peter, that who she grew up to be is pretty much her doing. She came from the womb more mature than I was.”
“Well, thank you both for your collaborative effort and to that end, since you are here, the timing is perfect.”
“For?”
“Let's go on in and sit down and order.”
Roxanne squinted and Maggie felt her palms getting sweaty, but the followed him to a table that was ready and waiting for them. After they ordered, Peter arose from his chair and banged his knife on his water goblet.
“Everyone, everyone, may I have your attention please? Everyone? I'd like to, in front of God and all you strangers who have no clue who I am, well some of you do. Hey, Frank, Stu, Jocelyn. Anyway, in front of this whole crowd, I'd like to ask this beautiful girl to be my bride. Roxie, baby, what do you say?”
Roxanne could not utter a sound. She just sat with a catatonic look on her face and her mouth agape. Silence. Silence. Silence.
I grabbed her hand and the skin contact snapped her out of her trance.
“Yes. Yes, Peter, I will.”
The entire restaurant stood and applauded and it was the most exhilarating and nerve-racking moment Maggie could remember. She was so relieved at Roxanne's positive response. She had only just met Peter, but already she liked him well enough to want him spared the humiliation of a “no.”
He took his seat and slipped a gorgeous estate ring on her finger. It was lovely and clearly he had put thought, time and money into it. He took Roxanne's hands and for a few moments Maggie did not exist, and that was fine with her.
“Oh, mom, can you believe it? I was so not expecting this.”
“Nor was I!”
“Wow, I'm not only in love, I'm engaged.”
Maggie turned to Peter, and inquired, “So, do you have any idea when you are thinking?”
“Actually, yes. Day after tomorrow.”
“Excuse me?” Maggie and Roxanne both squealed.
“Yes, I have it all set up. The campus chapel, Saturday evening, just a few friends and family.”
“What about my family?” Roxanne was looking a little worried.
“They've all been called. They'll be here tomorrow evening. Your brother is giving you away. Your sisters are your bridesmaids. We'll all meet back here for a reception—I've reserved it—and then off to St. Bart's for a brief honeymoon. Back here on Tuesday for classes. What do you say?”
“Oh, my word. You know me too well. This is awesome!”
Roxanne jumped onto his lap and kissed him again and once more the restaurant stood and showed their appreciation for the moment. She turned to her mother.
“Mom, I'm getting married Saturday. Can you make it?”
“I think I'm free.”
Suddenly Peter caught on to the fact that his future mother-in-law might have felt a little slighted.
“Mrs. Austen, I tried to reach you as well, and left a message on your home phone. It's just unbelievable that you happened to show up when you did. I just reached the rest of the family last night. I wasn't going to leave you out of this! Believe me.”
“Oh, Peter, of course. I understand. I hadn't even thought about it,” Maggie lied.
“You are the most thoughtful man I've ever met,” Roxanne gushed.
“I just knew that a big formal thing would take your attention away from your studies and I didn't want that. It's all going to work out. I have an apartment picked out for us and we'll move in during break.”
“You've thought of everything!”
“Everything except a gown, and I think your mom might be able to help you with that.”
Roxanne turned to her mother.
“Of course! Tomorrow morning?”
“I have class until one o'clock. We'll head out then!”
They finished their dinner, with much gazing and giggling, and then Roxanne asked if they could call it an evening. She had a lot of studying to do.
Peter offered to take her back to the dorm and Maggie conceded and made her own way back to the motel. She eagerly pulled out her laptop and began pounding the keyboard once more, effortlessly picking up where she had left off.
Hours passed and Maggie finally stopped to use the restroom and smiled at her progress. Just out of curiosity, she checked the word count. Fifty seven thousand words! Wow, this was so much more than she realized. She might actually have a novel here. Wouldn't it be fun if she lived to see it published?
When she finished, she plopped back down on the bed and continued pouring her thoughts into the computer. It never got stale. Every moment she spent writing became more pleasurable than the last. This was her passion and her only regret was that it took her so long to really get to it.
She heard the cell phone ring, but decided to ignore it and finish her thoughts. Finally, she came to the realization that it could be problems with Sarah or one of the other children or grandchildren and checked her voice-mail.
“Maggie, it's David. I want to talk to you. Call me back. It's important.”
“I will not,” Maggie cried out loud. “I'll do no such thing and you can't make me.”
However, this call broke her concentration and she decided to walk down to the end of the hall to the vending machines and grab a candy bar.
When she got back to her room, her phone was ringing and this time, not being caught up in her writing, she answered.
“Maggie, thank goodness you answered. It's David.”
“No.”
“Yes. You need to listen to me. That guide of yours, Jacob, he's been here. He's visited me. He's left me messages—weird messages.”
“What do you mean?”
&nb
sp; “Like he leaves a book open with a pencil pointing to a passage. Passages from books warning me to leave you alone and to stay away from you.”
“That's Jacob alright. Maybe you should listen to him and leave me alone.”
“Those were the messages until now. He just left me one which threatened my life. Is that anyway for a spiritual guide to conduct himself?”
Maggie couldn't speak for a moment.
“That was not Jacob,” she stated without full conviction.
“I think you might be in danger. If he is capable of doing something like that, he is capable of anything. I think I should come and protect you. I would like to stay with you for awhile to make sure he does you no harm. Clearly this is one guide who is suffering from some ectoplasmic imbalance. You need looking after.”
“I'm fine, I can assure you. Jacob is fine. I think you must be reading something into this that wasn't intended.”
“Don't delude yourself. I think maybe this is some kind of poltergeist or something. I don't know. I know they can be good or they can be evil and I think you found yourself an evil one.”
Grimm's Last Fairy Tale Page 18
