Best of Intentions

Here is the next installment of the story. Let me know what you think about it, good or bad.

"You are so beautiful, to me." (B. Preston -- B. Fisher) sung by Joe Cocker.

*

I then turned toward Phyllis. She looked wonderful, as beautiful as ever and I told her so.

"Thank you, John and you look great." She motioned to a group of chairs around a small table and said, "Here, please let's sit."

As we sat she asked, "How's your Mom? I had heard that she was ill."

"Well, we had a bout with breast cancer but after the surgery, we seem to have beaten it, knock on wood," I said as I knocked on the side of my head.

"And how is Becky?"

I laughed and said, "As insufferable as ever, she just finished her first year at Georgetown."

"Georgetown, that's wonderful."

"It's a bit on the pricey side but they gave her a scholarship and we got her through. But, now you will be paying for her."

"I'm glad we could work it out."

I steeled myself and said, "How is Maggie?"

She gave a small smile and said, "She is fine, doing well"

I softly said, "That's wonderful."

I wanted to ask her a million questions, but I didn't know where to start. I went silent. It was just about become awkward when Phyllis' secretary came into the office and said in a nervous voice, "I'm sorry to interrupt, Ms. Dumont, but Nelson was just on the phone and he said he has Jason on the line from London and things aren't going too good..."

Phyllis interrupted saying, "I'll be right there." She turned to me and said, "Please excuse me, John, but this is very important."

I started to get up and Phyllis stopped me saying, "No, stay here, John, make yourself at home. There is a bar behind that panel, make yourself a drink."

I said, "That's okay, I'm fine."

She stopped and said, "There's also a tea pot and some Earl Grey there."

I smiled and said, "Now that I can go for."

"I'll be back as soon as possible," and she ran out of the office.

I went over to the bar and put some water on. As it boiled, I measured out the tea, we never used tea bags. I poured the boiling water into the teapot and let it brew.

I started to walk around the office. I looked at the photos in the bookcase (she did say to make myself at home). There were some photos of Phyllis and some guy, a handsome guy. They had their arms around each other, lucky man.

I saw what seemed to be familiar photo so I picked it up and looked at it closely. It was a photo of Maggie and me. It was a photo that was taken at the first beach party we went to. I think that Harry or Didi took it. We had our arms around each other, our cheeks pressed together and we were giving goofy smiles to the camera. Why the fuck did she have that.

As I put it back I saw that there was another framed photo. It was a silver frame with blue letters that read "To the World's Greatest Auntie." It was a photo of Maggie and a beautiful little blonde girl. They had their cheeks pressed together and they were giving goofy smiles to the camera.

I knew the instant that I looked at that photo that I was looking at my daughter. She seemed to be about four or five years old. She was beautiful, with long blonde curls and bright blue eyes. I took the photo off of the bookcase and held it in my hands.

They looked so happy, being silly and grinning for the camera. I was totally lost in that photo. I have no idea how long I stood there staring at the picture, wanting it to be real, to see her move, to hear her voice.

I didn't hear Phyllis return nor did I hear her tell her secretary that we were not to be disturbed for ANY REASON AT ALL.

I realized that she was back when she put her hand on my shoulder and said, "I didn't think of those being there. I should have removed them."

I ignored what she said and said, "Her name is Katherine." It was a statement not a question.

Phyllis was obviously surprised. She stammered a little saying, "Yes, she's our Katie."

"That's the name we talked about giving our daughter."

I continued, "She is the reason that Maggie left."

"Aren't you making a rather large assumption..." Phyllis started.

I interrupted, turned to face her and said in a quite hard voice, "Don't go there, Phyllis. I think that I have been lied to enough."

Phyllis' face softened and she looked at me and said, "Yes, Maggie was pregnant when she left."

I looked at her and said, "But why did she leave? Why did she go? Could she think that I wouldn't want her? We could have married, we could have made a life for us and for our child. Did she think that I wouldn't want that?"

"She wanted that. She told me that she just learned that she was pregnant when she met me at the airport. She was going to tell you when you came over the next day."

"That can't be true, Phyllis. Then why did she go back to him?"

"That was my fault, John. I told Maggie that you were so young and could she straddle an eighteen year old with a wife and child. What kind of life would you have? You wouldn't have gone to school. I was afraid that you would have been stuck at that grocery store," she said softly.

I looked at her incredulously, "Do you think that I wouldn't have worked as hard as I have? Do you think that I would have just stopped and stocked shelves for the rest of my life? I would have broken my back working so that we could have made a life for our child and ourselves. Do you think that little of me?"

Then all of the pain, the ache, the anguish that I had been repressing all of these years overwhelmed me. My façade of nonchalance crumbled and I sat and I put my face in my hands and wept.

Phyllis came to me and put her arms around me and with tears in her eyes said, "Oh god, John, you still love her. John, I'm so sorry. I was wrong, so so wrong; I should have trusted you and Maggie. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

I pulled myself together, placed my hands on her shoulders sat her in a chair and kissed her forehead. "You did what you thought was right. Your intentions were good. There is nothing to forgive, Phyllis."

"And, yes I love her I've never stopped loving her. That night when I told you that I hated you both, I wanted to, I wanted to hate you two so much but when I walked out into the rain, I realized that I didn't hate anyone. I loved Maggie and I always would."

"I decided that if she thought that she would be happy with David; I wouldn't ruin it for her. I guess I was right...she's still with him, isn't she?"

Phyllis slumped back into the chair. "David died about a month or so before Katie was born."

I looked at her and said, "Maggie was alone?"

Phyllis nodded, "I went out to be with her just before Katie was born and for a while after, but Maggie has been alone."

She got up and went behind the desk and sat. She took a pen and started to write. When she finished, she pushed the paper toward me. There appeared to be two addresses on it. I looked back up at Phyllis and said, "No, Phyllis, Maggie has made a life for herself. I don't want to go there and mess that up. I would die if I rang her bell and a man answered."

Phyllis gave me a small smile and said, "When you ring her bell, two people will answer; Maggie and Katie. Katie will be hiding behind her mother, peaking out to see who it is. John, there is no one else and there hasn't been anyone else, since she went back."

I reached out and picked up the addresses, one was in Minneapolis and the other in a place called Maple Grove. It appeared that one was her business address and the other was her home address. Phyllis confirmed this.

Then Phyllis said, "Oh god, the contract, I really think we should sign it."

As I picked up the contract I laughed. "As soon as we sign this, I will be officially banned from the office for the next two weeks. Harry and Ethel have decided that since I haven't taken any time off since we started school, when this contract is signed; I am to stay away from the office for two weeks. Even if there is an emergency."

Phyllis smiled and as she got up she said, "We can sign the contract in a minute. but give me a minute to see my secretary."

As she went out to talk to her secretary, I remembered the tea and got up and poured two cups. Remembering that Phyllis liked one cube and a "hint" of milk and just a little milk for me.

Phyllis returned and smiled when she saw the tea. She opened the contracts to the last page and signed them. She pushed them to me and I signed. She took one and I took the other.

Phyllis smiled and asked, "Now that we signed it, what are you going to do, John?"

"I hear that Minneapolis is beautiful this time of year," I answered as I sipped the tea.

Phyllis' secretary had walked in and handed her an envelope. After her secretary closed the door, Phyllis said, "John, I was hoping that's what you would say. Here take this, I hope in some small way it will make up for what I did."

I opened the envelope and found on line round trip boarding passes for a flight leaving Baltimore/ Washington International Airport at 9:00 pm this evening and arriving in Minneapolis at 10:30 pm local time.

She also had a hotel reservation for two weeks at the Hilton that was to be charged to her company.

I looked up at her and she said, "Please take it, John. I want to help."

"Thank you, Phyllis," I said as I put the envelope in my jacket pocket.

Looking at my watch, I said, "I'd better be going, I have a plane to catch and I have to get home and pack."

Phyllis smiled as I got up, "Things will work out, John. I know they will."

"I know, Phyllis," I told her as we hugged.

I left and caught a bus back to the office. When I got to the office, Harry and Ethel were there. Ethel took the contract and looked at it. Then the two of them turned to me and Harry said, "Now get the hell out of here and we don't want to see your ugly face in here for two whole weeks."

I was at my desk packing my laptop and getting some papers into my brief case. I turned and said, "Don't worry, I promise that you will not see my pretty face around here for the next two weeks."

Ethel looked at me in surprise; they had expected an argument. "Are you going somewhere?" she asked.

"Yea, I hear that Minneapolis is beautiful this time of year, what with the Mississippi River and all."

"Minneapolis? What the hell do you want to go to Minneapolis for?" Harry yelled.

"Well, I always wanted to taste a Minnesota." I giggled.

Harry screamed and threw a book at me, "PUNS...You and your damned puns."

Ethel looked at Harry like he was nuts and said, "What are you talking about?"

"He makes the worse puns in the entire world, and he... is ... always...making...them. Holy shit, Maggie's there isn't she?"

"Right, in one, Harry."

He had a look of concern on his face and he began to babble, "Do you know what the fuck you are doing? How do you even know she is there? What about David or there could be someone else in her life."

I put my hands on his arms and said, "I know exactly what I am doing. I am positive she is in Minneapolis. David passed away and although there is another person in her life, it's not what you think."

I turned back to my desk and continued to pack. Harry was still going on about how did I know, who told me, etc.

Finally, I said, "Look who signed the contract." Harry looked at me like I was crazy, but he opened the contract and then said, "Phyllis."

At this point Edith threw up her hands and screamed, "STOP. No more talking in code. I have been putting up with this crap for years." She pointed at me and said, "You get the hell out of here, get packed and get to Minneapolis and find that MAGGIE of yours. And you," pointing at Harry "are going to take me to McAnn's, buy me some drinks and tell me everything you know about this whole affair. Now get going."

As I ran out of the office, I heard Harry laugh and say, "Okay, let's shut this stuff down and close-up shop. McAnn's here we come."

I got in my car and drove home. When I got there I ran upstairs and shouted, "Oh, Rebecca, my sweet, darling, beautiful sister. Tell me where you are so that I may gaze upon your loveliness."

Mom was in her room and yelled, "Run for your life Becky, you know that he wants something."

Becky just started screaming.

I was laughing and ran into my room, got out a backpack and began to throw clothes and toiletries into it.

Mom and Becky got quiet and came into my room.

"What's going on, John? Were you drinking, celebrating the new contract?" Mom asked in a soft voice.

I slowed down and said, "The only thing that I have been drinking is tea. I'm taking that vacation that you two have been nagging me to take for the last few years. I'm going on a trip. I have to be at the airport for a 9:00 o'clock flight and Becky if you take me to the airport, you can use my car, while I'm gone."

"I can use your car. GREAT, by the way where you goin?" Becky asked.

"Minneapolis," I said.

"Minneapolis? What's in Minneapolis?" Becky said.

Before I could say anything, Mom said very seriously, "Becky, it's not what's in Minneapolis, but who's in Minneapolis."

I sat down on the bed. "You're right, Mom. Maggie is there."

"John, are you sure about this?"

"Mom, I know what I'm doing. I am positive that this is the right thing to do."

Becky chimed in with, "How do you even know that she is there, she could be anywhere."

"Phyllis told him." Mom said.

Both Becky and I looked at her in surprise. "How did you know?" I asked.

"When you came in before and I asked if you had been drinking, you said just tea. The only person you have ever had tea with is Phyllis."

"Yea, Mom, she's the big boss. She signed the contract," I said.

"What does she think about you going out to Minneapolis?" Mom asked.

I pulled the envelope out of my jacket pocket and said, "There is a round trip ticked in here. Phyllis had the reservations made and her company paid for the tickets and is paying for my hotel."

"Well then I guess that I won't have to worry about you," Mom said with a worried smile.

Becky and I both laughed and said, "Yea right, you won't worry."

Mom got up and helped pack my bag the right way. The three of us were on our way to the airport at around 7:00 pm.

The flight was uneventful and I got to the hotel around 11:30 pm local time. I called Mom, even though it was 1:30 am in Baltimore. I knew that she would not get to sleep until she heard that I was okay.

There was a message from Phyllis telling me that the bar in the room was there to be used. So use it. I made my self a drink.

I awoke the next morning at about 11:30 am, a little disoriented at first. But I came to very quickly. I showered and took my time getting dressed. I dressed casual, just a pair of slacks a collared shirt and a sports jacket.

I went down at about 1:00 pm and had a late brunch; I walked around down town and at about 2:30 pm started toward the business center where Maggie worked.

Phyllis told me that Maggie worked from 7:00am to 3:00 pm. All of her clients were on the east coast so their 9 to 5 was her 7 to 3. Maggie loved it because she was home about 4:00 pm after getting Katie from the after-school program.

Maggie would walk across the plaza to the bus depot and take the bus home. I positioned myself on a bench where I thought Maggie would pass.

3 o'clock came, nothing. 3:15 then 3:30 came and went. As the time passed I became more and more nervous. What if she doesn't come? What if she just ignores me? What if she doesn't want to see me? What a fool I am, sitting here and waiting, not knowing. I should just go back to the hotel, get my stuff and fly home. But, I knew full well, that I would sit here until dooms day waiting for her.

3:45...nothing. Then at about 3:50 I saw her walk through the revolving door. There she was...Maggie, my Maggie. She waited until three other women came out. They stood there talking for a minute and one of the women walked away. Maggie and the other two women started walking across the plaza.

My heart was beating so fast I thought it would explode. I wanted to scream to her, I wanted to run to her. I got up and started to slowly walk on an intercept course. I would meet them in the middle of the plaza. As I walked all thought left my mind, all I could do was take in her beauty. I stared.

The three women got a little a head of me. I fell in behind them about 15 feet away. I could hear her laughter and I was in heaven, I was in hell. I quickened my pace until I was about 6 feet behind them. Everything I had prepared to say was gone, but then in a voice loud enough to be heard, I said, "Excuse me; Mrs. Castleton."

Maggie stopped, glanced at her friends and then turned to face me, saying "Can I help youuuuu..." her eyes widened, she became pale, she stammered, "JJJJohnnn? John, is that you?"

I stuttered, "Maggie...Maggie...oh my Maggie." I took a step toward her and then another. Maggie rushed into my arms. We wrapped our arms around each other and held on like our lives depended on it.

Our lips crushed together. Mouths open, tongues attacking. In my head I was screaming, she is mine again...she is in my arms again...I have my Maggie again.

After a life time our lips parted but we kept kissing each other's face. I was moaning Maggie's name over and over as she kept repeating mine.

All of a sudden we heard a rather loud voice, "AHEM, look we are really enjoying the show, but if you guys keep this up, the cops are going to come and arrest you."

Maggie jolted away from me, turned bright red and stammered, "AH...yea...John, this is Jessica and this is Matilda." Then she turned to them and said, "This is John, and old friend...no, he is the man I love."

Maggie hugged me close as the women held out their hands. I shook Matilda's first and she said, "Please call me Mattie." Then I shook Jessica's hand and she told me to call her Jess.

Jess looked at Maggie and then at me and said softly said, "John, I am so very happy to meet you...that you're here. Now we will leave you alone, bye."

As they left, Jess said in a loud voice, "Margaret, don't forget my party tomorrow. Bring John, because we are playing party games, called 200,000 questions, and you guys are it." She then gave a high pitch laugh as she and Mattie walked away.

Once again I took Maggie in my arms and kissed her. This time it was soft and loving. When we parted, Maggie said, "Oh John, I don't believe this. You are here. Let's sit and just talk.

I smiled, "Why don't we walk and talk, because the longer we sit here, the longer it will be until I meet Katie."

Maggie looked at her watch and then said, "KATIE, oh my god, we have to run John, oh god we can't miss the bus. Hurry! We have to get that bus."

We sprinted across the plaza, holding hands. Going as fast as Maggie could run. Through the depot door, up the ramp and down to the stall. We made the bus with about 30 seconds to spare.

The driver looked at us and said, "Margaret, you're here." Then in a voice loud to be heard by the whole bus, he said, "Oh look, the oil light went off. We can leave now."

There was snickering and laughter from some of the people in the bus.

Maggie smiled at the driver, "Thank you, George."

George smiled and said, "Was gonna hafto check the oil; couldn't have you missing the bus tonight." I reached into my pocket, but he just waved me by.

There weren't two seats together so I went to sit in a seat about 2 rows from Maggie, when one woman got up and said, "Margaret, you two sit here." She went to the seat I was going to sit in.

We sat there with our arms around each other trying to catch our breath. Maggie cuddled into me and with a little quiver in her voice and said, "About Katie..."

"I know that she is our daughter. I knew as soon as I saw that photo of the two of you in the Phyllis' office."