She said she was okay. He knew she wasn’t but what else could he do? He could only say it was his fault so many ways. He didn’t know what else to do He knew their first time wasn’t going to be some big Hollywood movie scene but he wanted it to mean something to her and all he ended up doing was hurting her. He went on about his business but she was never far from his thoughts. He even tried calling a few times but she wouldn’t answer. He felt horrible. She was everything he ever wanted in a woman and the last one he saw coming. Isn’t that what they say about THE ONE? The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her but he managed to do a bang up job on all levels. It was killing him to not know how she was every day. He missed her. A lot and when she didn’t show up at the coffee shop Monday morning, he just figured she needed a little more time but when she didn’t show up on Tuesday, he started to panic. He tried her phone and still no answer. The bell on the door went off again and he looked up praying to see those beautiful blue eyes staring back at him but just another customer. Ring after ring, he would look up from his coffee until he finally gave up and headed for the door. He was halfway there when he saw Maggie’s friend enter the store.
He approached her and said, “Camille right?
“Yes. Where’s Maggie?”
“I was hoping you could answer that question.”
“I haven’t seen her since Friday. She told me you were coming home so I didn’t bother to call because I figured she’d be spending time with you.”
“I haven’t seen her since Sunday morning. She won’t talk to me, answer the door. Nothing. I even went by the library and they said she was out sick.”
“Maggie never calls in sick.” They nodded knowingly toward one another. Camille said, “If it’s not too personal, what did happen this weekend?”
Brian stuffed his hands in his pockets and diverted his gaze to the ground. It shouldn’t be a big deal but what happened was between himself and Maggie. He wasn’t the kind of guy to go advertising his sexual escapades to God and everybody. Former girlfriends and wife had but for the first time in his life, he met someone that didn’t want the world to know what they were doing behind closed doors. He was sure they would know but that’s about as far as it was going to get in his book.
Camille was attempting to contemplate why he was being so coy about it when it struck her. He and Maggie……..”Oh.”
His eyes rose back to Camille’s. “ I love her Camille. I don’t think there’s anything I can do right now to make it better. I just need to know she’s okay until she’s ready to talk to me.”
“Hold on.” Camille pulled her cell out of her purse and hit the speed dial for Maggie. Maggie still had a land line so that’s what she was trying. The answering machine picked it up and Camille said,”Mags, it’s Camille. What’s going on lady? Give me a call as soon as you get this.”
“Thank you.”
And not two seconds after he spoke the words, Camille’s phone went off. Maggie. Unlocking the phone, she answered, “Mags, what’s going on? I went by the library yesterday to take you out to lunch and they said you were out sick. Is everything okay?” She heard the sniffle on the other end. Not a good sign.
“No.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
“Not really.”
“Too bad. I’m picking up your favorite ice cream and we’re gonna get rid of the doom and gloom with it like we did in college.”
“It’s not gonna help this time.”
“I don’t care. I’ll be there in twenty minutes and you’d better open your door because you know I’ll find a way in with or without you.”
“Fine. I’ll see you.” Swiping away the tears from her face. The freshest batch to consume her.
“Yes you will. Goodbye.” Camille hung up and turned back to Brian. “She’s still alive and breathing. “
“Thank you. “
“ No problem. I’ll get to the bottom of this. Perhaps I should get your number so I can let you know.”
“Sure.” After they exchanged numbers, he thanked Camille again before she left and prayed to God that Maggie would talk to him. Soon.
True to her word, Camille arrived with the raspberry sherbet. She surveyed the front room. The floor was littered with Kleenex, the sink was filled with tea cups and bowls. Maggie’s comfort foods. Chamomile tea and chicken noodle soup. Maybe she was really sick but this wasn’t cold or flu ill, it was heartbreak plain and simple. Maggie had wandered back to her room and was blowing her nose when Camille joined her. A tornado whipped through this place. Sheets everywhere on the floor and the comforter laid in a random pile of it’s own. “Start talking.”
She buried her face in her friend’s shoulder. “Why does it hurt so much Cam?” She’d been on an emotional rollercoaster the last two days and she felt so out of control. The physical pain had gone away but there was a hole growing bigger and bigger in her heart and she just wished it would go away. She missed Brian but didn’t know how to face him. She really wasn’t sure how she was facing Camille. Nothing made sense. She was happy as a lark one minute then crying at one of those inspirational commercials five minutes later. Felt like a light speed version of PMS and it sucked.
“What?”
“Love.”
“I take it this has to do with Brian.”
She burst into tears yet again.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“He hates me Cam. He touches me and it’s like I repulse him.”
“Um Mags. That’s where you’re wrong.”
“How do you know?” She pulled away from her friend and sniffed.
“Because he told me he was worried about you. He’s been trying to call for the last two days girl. That doesn’t sound like a guy that hates you.”
“You saw him?” She blew her nose in the wadded up tissue in her hand.
“First off, you need a shower. You look like death warmed over. I’ll straighten up things then you can tell me what happened.”
“Okay,” she agreed and followed Camille’s instruction. Once she got under the running water, she did feel better but it still wasn’t helping the heartache consuming her. She put on a clean pair of sweats and a loose fitting T-shirt before heading out to the living room to find the kitchen clean and the Kleenex picked up. Camille had just closed the laundry closet door and turned to Maggie.
“Feel better?”
“Cleaner. “
“So tell me what happened this weekend Mags. We’ve been GIRLS for far too long. “
“Jaz and I hung out Saturday afternoon and went shopping. When we got back to my place, Brian was standing at my door. I was so ready to just have my way with him there in the hall but he came straight from the airport and needed to freshen up. We were going to have dinner anyway but I couldn’t take it anymore so I slid on the lingerie and one of those loose fitting dresses I have and went to start dinner. We……we… I don’t know what we did but it repulses him to touch me.”
“What happened Mags? He’s worried about you.”
She started crying again and Camille immediately wrapped her arms around Maggie and let her work through it. “Shouldn’t you be at work Cam?” Maggie pulled back enough to look at her friend.
“I called in sick. Now what happened that was so terrible?”
“I don’t know. I mean I knew it was gonna hurt but it was like he was done before we even got started.”
Camille didn’t even have to think twice to know what happened. Brian got excited too quick.”Mags, that had nothing to do with him hating you. He got way too excited too fast.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean he loves you so much, everything about you overpowered him. You didn’t do anything wrong lady.”
“No? Then why does it feel like it?”
“Because it was your first time and you’re supposed to feel like a total mess but not like the world is going to end. You need to talk to him.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“Mags. He loves you. He’s not going anywhere for a long, long time. Not even then.”
“So I should call him?”
“It would be a good idea. I’ll even be here for moral support but you have to do the rest on your own lady.”
“Deal.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
I apologize for the sporadic updates but my work schedule has changed from nights back to days so bear with me please and thank you for reading:)
