Part 11 (2/2)

Taking a breath, she said, ”I'll be okay. It's just that....”

Mitch interrupted, ”you don't have to pretend with me. I'm sure you are devastated about your engagement. Grady was a good guy.”

Shaking her head, she didn't want to hear him take up for Grady. He was wrong. She could only think of Mitch. It was far too much for her to handle right now.

Mitch swirled the chair around and put his hand out. She took it, like she'd done so many times before. ”Let's go. Doc awaits.” He referred to Doc from Back to the Future.

”You always know what I need,” she said hoa.r.s.ely.

She looked down at her hand. The five-carat fake ring was long gone, but she only saw the antique ring she'd tried on so many times in her life and remembering what Mitch would say, ”If we aren't married by the time we are thirty, this ring is yours.”

”Excuse me.” Maggie pretended she needed to go to the bathroom. Any more memories would have her bawling like a baby. She closed the door and leaned against it, fighting for composure. d.a.m.n, it's what she got for going back into the past.

With a deep breath, she opened the door. Mitch turned to face her and she lost it, crumbling to the floor.

Mitch wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair like he'd done when her father pa.s.sed away. ”It's okay, Maggie. We will figure this out.”

Maggie longed to hear the other words he'd always followed up with, I'll take care of you.

But he didn't.

”It's just land and a guy.” His voice was tight as he spoke and his muscles stiffened up. ”Meet me in twenty?”

”Okay.” Maggie wiped her tears, and regained her composure.

”I've got some paperwork to finish up here and I'll be over. Other mayoral duties call.”

Chapter 27.

Take away love and our earth is a tomb. ~ Robert Browning There wasn't much she could do in twenty minutes. To kill time she headed over to the Trembling Cup. She was going to need caffeine if she was going to the late-night showing. Getting a latte and going to the park to see the last showing of Back to the Future sounded pretty good.

Through the gla.s.s window, a familiar and most welcomed wave motioned for Maggie. ”Hey, girl!” Jenna waved from a corner table. Her perfect black bob gave way to a graceful sway.

The Trembling Cup was busy from the after-dinner crowd. It was tradition to eat at the Fatted Pig and finish the night off at the Trembling Cup for dessert.

Jenna was always one of Maggie's favorite relatives. She was a pillar of strength and when Richard was killed. She stayed poised the entire time, even though her life was turned upside down. Jenna turned her grief and the town's grief into a charitable cause by bringing awareness to the community on the effects of drinking and driving.

Jenna stood up, her green eyes glowing.

”Hi, Jenna.” Maggie set her purse on the table. ”It's good to see a refres.h.i.+ng face.”

Maggie was beginning to feel the town closing in on her. She knew how the town felt about the outlet mall, but she sure didn't want it to be on Hazel's land. She was going to fight tooth and nail, no matter who stood behind her.

”I don't know how refres.h.i.+ng it is.” Jenna smiled, swiping her hands through her hair. She picked up a few papers sitting on the table. ”Working on the benefit. It gets bigger and bigger each year.”

Maggie had read in the Grandberry Falls Chronicle how much the benefit had grown as the town had grown. Surprising, since it was held on New Year's Eve and there was a strict ”no alcohol” policy. That's the great thing about Grandberry Falls; you could always count on the community to rally behind each other.

”How's Samantha? I haven't seen her in so long.” Maggie questioned her aunt about her cousin.

Jenna ran her hands through her hair. ”She's already got senioritis and her senior year hasn't even started yet.”

”I can't believe she's going to be a senior. Time flies.” Maggie picked up a couple different pieces of paper on the table, looking over the centerpiece options.

”I'm glad to see you realize how precious time is.” Jenna had a gentle way of reminding Maggie just how much Grandberry Falls was the center of their lives.

Maggie wasn't in the mood for more lectures.

”How is the MADD benefit coming along?” Maggie asked, changing the subject.

She wondered if she'd be in town that long. If not, she'd definitely make it back to support her aunt. Being in Grandberry Falls, going to the park, the hoedown, and visiting with her friends has made her realize all the things she thought she'd never miss. She even liked seeing Susie today.

”Very busy.” Jenna waved to Liz Day coming through the crowded door. ”And I couldn't have done last year without my co-chair.” Jenna's eyes lit up like she pulled one over on Liz.

Maggie scooted over to make room for Liz and the big binders she was carrying.

Liz heaved them onto the table. ”Hi.” She shook her wrists trying to undo the strain. ”These are a few of the sponsors I've collected so far.”

Jenna grabbed one of the binders and began to thumb through it. ”We still have six full months until the benefit. We are going to rock it this year.”

”I know.” Liz sat down in the open chair next to Maggie. ”Maggie, I won't ask how you are. I'm sure you're devastated. You know I'm divorced and if you need anything, I'm here,” she said, pulling her long brown hair to the side Maggie never thought of her broken engagement in those terms, but Liz was right. It was like a divorce. She and had Grady lived together, without Hazel's approval. Maggie should've known better. Grady had the best of both worlds, as Hazel put it. ”Why buy the milk when you have the cow for free.”

”I appreciate it.” Maggie wondered why someone as beautiful and nice as Liz Day was divorced. Liz had delicate facial features, resembling Nicole Kidman, all the way down to her slender nose. ”I'm keeping myself busy with the whole eminent domain issue.”

Jenna slammed the binder shut and threw her hands in the air. ”Thank you, Lord!” She turned to Maggie. ”I'm so sick of walking on egg sh.e.l.ls around you. I told mom you needed to know, but she wouldn't hear of it.”

Hazel had good intentions, but those might have backfired on her, Maggie feared. This acquisition had been going on long before Maggie knew about it and now was in the final stages. Van Meter always brought Maggie in for the final kill and that's what she was worried about. The meeting she missed before she was fired had to have been about the farm. All the dates in the paperwork matched the dates of her emotional breakdown.

”I hope it's not too late.” Maggie was honest. There was no reason to sugar coat it. ”If it weren't for Butch, I still wouldn't know.” Maggie stood up and grabbed her purse. ”I'm going to let you two get down to business. I'm going to grab a latte and head to the park for the last showing of Back to the Future.”

”Maggie Greenlee, haven't you seen that movie enough?” Jenna's laughter filled the cafe. She turned to Liz and said, ”When she was kid, she made me watch that movie eight times in one weekend.”

”One of my favorites.” Liz smiled. ”I wish Hayes, my son, was in town. He'd love to have seen it at the park. He has visitation with his father every other weekend in Cincinnati.”

”I'm sure they'll show it again.” Maggie said her goodbyes.

She didn't have much more time to spare. She'd make it to the park, under her favorite tree and pop-a-squat. Mitch would know where to find her. He always did.

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