Part 3 (2/2)
Maggie tip-toed around through the gra.s.s with her arms out to her sides to keep her balance. She stopped. The daisy smacked her head.
”You are so stupid.” Maggie bit her lip and planted her feet firmly on the ground. She took her first step, then her second, followed by the complete walk to her parent's stones.
”See.” She brushed the dirt off the tops of their tombs with a giant smile across her face. ”I walked on the graves and nothing bad is going to happen to me.”
If she was going to debunk the Greenlee family superst.i.tions, she had better start now.
The Fatted Pig was busy. It was a good place to meet before and after church-and everyone went to church in Grandberry Falls.
She glanced around to see where Hazel and Belle were, but they were nowhere to be found. Maggie was excited to see the Fatted Pig had been untouched by all the town's remodeling. Just looking at the old tables with the ladder-back chairs around them made her feel warm and fuzzy. She had many good times here with family and good friends.
She shook her head. She didn't like the feeling of longing for her old high school friends. She had no one to blame but herself for the distance. Deep down she knew she put on an act when she was in town, but she wanted to show everyone she was going to make something out of this small town girl and if she had to say so, she wasn't doing so bad.
She made another trip around the dinner. She didn't see them so she took the last spot on the bench in the waiting area. She could sit and be incognito next to the artificial tree. The dusty leaves hid her very well. Too well, in fact.
”I can't believe you went to her shower.”
Maggie recognized that nasally voice. Beth Harrison would never be able to escape the sound that comes out of her mouth.
Maggie recalled how Beth would say Maggie's name. ”Maggie Greenlee!” Beth would draw out the ”a” in Maggie and the ”lee” in Greenlee and follow it up with a laugh that made you cringe like fingernails on a chalk board.
It made Maggie's skin crawl then just like it did now.
Maggie tilted her head in Beth's direction as Beth continued to talk, ”Maggie Greenlee can stay in New York City for all I care. She made it very clear at the cla.s.s reunion that she wanted nothing to do with us and this town.”
Maggie huffed and sat back. The high school reunion was a joke. She didn't want to come, but Mitch and Wendy had insisted. Of course she wanted to look great, so she bought the cutest Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress and look-a-like Christian Louboutin shoes.
Deep down Maggie wanted to look like she had ”made” it in New York as the greenhorn of the law firm, which really meant she was the coffee girl, low-woman-on-the-pole, what have you. Truth be told, her credit cards were maxed out, and she lived in a one room shack in a not-so-desirable part of the city. A far cry from her big dreams she claimed in all her emails to everyone at home.
”Oh, yeah.” Susie snorted recalling the event. ”Oh my G.o.d, it was so funny when she had a trail of red paint following her every step out of the bathroom.”
The toilet had overflowed and Maggie had no idea the bottom of her fake Louboutin's were painted red with washable paint instead of dyed red. So when she stepped in the toilet water and walked, red stains were left on the high-school gym floor.
And when Beth pointed and told the entire cla.s.s reunion Maggie's shoes were fake. Maggie wanted to die. Little did anyone know, Beth was an avid ”in the closet” fas.h.i.+on magazine connoisseur and knew the ins and outs of all things chic, especially Louboutins.
Maggie didn't want to think about that, she had become a great lawyer and was getting married in three weeks to one great guy. She had proven them all wrong. She pulled back so the leaves would cover almost all of her face. She tilted her head slightly to listen in. Idle gossip in Grandberry Falls was also something she didn't miss.
”I heard she was a total sn.o.b.” Beth continued to bash Maggie.
Beth laughed. ”And when Belle gave her the bride-to-be sash, I thought Maggie was going to die.” Snorts and giggles made it around the group of friends.
Maggie closed her eyes. She didn't want to hear all of this. They were jealous that she got out of this two-bit town.
”If it weren't for Mitch, I wouldn't have gone to her shower.” Maggie's eyes narrowed. She glared as Susie Benton talked and tossed her waves over her shoulder and emphasized her point. ”You're lucky, Wendy. I'm glad Maggie moved. That way Mitch found his true love.”
Maggie's eyes went back and forth between the three friends searching for some type of clue to who they were talking about.
”Oh, now. Mitch really likes Maggie. I admire her for packing up and moving away.” Thank, G.o.d for Wendy. Maggie knew she could count on her. The voice of reason was one characteristic Maggie didn't admire in Wendy as they were growing up, but it was coming in handy today. ”Mitch said she didn't even take any of the family fortune. You know you wouldn't be able to do it on your own. Especially after today. The Greenlee's are going to be one wealthy family whether they want to be or not.”
What the h.e.l.l is she talking about? Maggie couldn't recall Hazel telling her anything significant about today. Not only was Hazel acting strange, but so was the entire town.
”I did have a dream that Maggie Greenlee was left at the altar.” A hush grew over the group and Beth added, ”Oh, well we can't worry about her. I hope they seat us soon. I haven't had breakfast.”
Maggie pulled herself back around the tree. Her hands crossed in front of her heart. She wished she hadn't eavesdropped. Her gasp sounded like a dead cow.
Hazel popped into her head. It was like sparks flew from her eyes, ”Maggie Greenlee, don't you ever, under any circ.u.mstances tell your dreams before you eat breakfast.”
In her little girl voice, Maggie had asked, ”Why, Granny?”
Hazel bent down, a shadow cast over Maggie and chills found their way all over her body. ”You never want your dreams to come true, no matter how great they are.”
Maggie jerked away from the tree, and before she could grab it, the tree fell to the ground leaving a plume of dust in the air around the bench and tree.
”I'm sorry.” Maggie profusely apologized to all the patrons that were waiting for a table when she bent down to pick up the tree.
”Maggie?” Maggie squeezed her eyes tight, wis.h.i.+ng that hand wasn't on her back, but the voice proved otherwise. ”Let me help you.”
With a sigh and a small grunt, Maggie sat the tree exactly where it had been before she used it as camouflage.
Wendy Owens was there, with her entourage backing her up.
”Wendy!” Thank, G.o.d she had put on her Juicy sweat suit and not some scroungy sweats. Maggie threw her shoulders back to create a taller illusion to her frame. Plus it made her feel more confident. ”Hi, girls. Didn't we have so much fun at the shower?”
Wendy and Susie waved their hands in the air to clear all the dust. Beth covered her nose and glared at Maggie.
”I loved the sash. As a matter of fact, I think I'll put it on.” Maggie reached in her purse and pulled out the wrinkled sash. ”Beth, I'm sorry you couldn't make it. We sure did miss you.”
”It was great seeing you. Talk to you soon.” Wendy herded the group and waved over her shoulder as they made their way to their table.
”Hi, girls!” Belle trotted over from the interior of the restaurant. Where the h.e.l.l did she come from? Maggie looked beyond Belle's shoulder. ”There you are. We've been waiting. Come on, we are in a hurry.”
Maggie glanced around the room. Was it her or was everyone staring at them? She wasn't sure what to make out of all the crazy nonsense. She chalked it up to a town gone mad. She was happy to see that the Fatted Pig hadn't changed.
”Be nice to Mitch and don't embarra.s.s him in front of *the girlfriend.'” Belle made those stupid quotes with her fingers sounding just like their father.
Girlfriend? The words stung her ears. She might not have ”those” feelings for Mitch Dozier, but she never expected him to have a girlfriend and had had no clue about it.
She looked at his table. There was nothing unusual. The gang sat there like they did every Sunday. Tommy, Susie, Beth, Mitch, and Wendy.
”Wendy?” Maggie whispered in disbelief when Wendy reached over and kissed Mitch on the cheek.
<script>