“Dad, what are you doing?” Michael asked, flabbergasted.
“We gotta go, Michael. We gotta get lost for a while. You and me, okay? It’s always been you and me. We can start over. I made a mistake, but I’ve dealt with the guilt. I’ve lived each day with the guilt of what I’ve done. We gotta go now.”
“Dad, calm down.”
“No!” James’ face was red. He kept rolling his shoulders and blowing out short breaths of air. “We need to leave, Michael. We have to…” His words faltered as he started to sob uncontrollably. “I held her, Michael. I held her in my arms. I didn’t mean to…”
Michael approached his father with his hands raised. “It’s okay, Dad. Come here, come here. We’ll go. We’ll go.” He wrapped his arms around his father and pulled him in close. “You’re okay, Dad. You’re fine.”
James continued to cry into his son’s t-shirt, saying words that were unrecognizable.
When Michael looked over at me, he nodded toward the desk telephone, and mouthed, “Call the police.”
By the time James realized what was happening, it was too late. His son held him in a bear hug and wasn’t going to let him budge. The cops arrived, and after some explanation of the situation, James was taken into custody. The whole time Maggie stood tall. She spoke to the police officers with poise and strength. Her words never tumbled, and her voice hardly shook.
When the police car with James inside drove off, a heavy breath left her body. “He’s gone?” she asked me.
“Yeah. He’s gone.”
Her body almost collapsed to the ground, but I caught her. I held her up as she cried and cried, but I knew her tears weren’t from fear anymore.
They were the tears of her freedom.
After the events unfolded, the police sent out a search team to search Harper Creek. It took five days before they discovered Julia’s body. The discovery weighed heavy on many people—all of Harper County. Maggie’s family dealt with the revelation of what had happened the best they could, which meant standing by one another through all of it. I wasn’t too worried about them—they’d come out on the other side stronger for their dark days.
Yet the person I felt the most for was the son who believed his mother walked out on him. The son who lived a life with a father who in a blink of an eye became a monster. Michael had a long road ahead of him, and I wasn’t sure how he’d deal with the truths that unfolded in front of his eyes.
I’d prayed he’d find peace as he stood in the eye of the storm.
I was due in court, but my feet wouldn’t budge.
I wore a black laced dress, yellow flats, and my hair was curled, along with my eyelashes, thanks to Cheryl.
“You have to look presentable in court, Maggie. There are always cameras around, especially when you leave the building. With a story as big as this one, there’s going to be reporters,” she explained as she curled my hair.
Since she’d finished making me camera appropriate, I’d moved to my floor-length mirror, and I hadn’t stopped staring. Everyone was worried about me after what had happened at James’ Boat Shop. They’d thought I’d fall back into my fear, back into my silence—which was somewhat true. I hadn’t spoken much since James was taken into custody. I hadn’t said a word at all about what I witnessed in those woods, even though they knew it had to be awful watching a woman die and believing you were next.
When I was called to testify against James, I quickly agreed. I knew how important my side of the story would be. I knew how important it was to finally speak not only for myself, but for Julia. For Michael.
I was ready. I was ready to go to the courthouse. There was only one small problem: my feet wouldn’t move.
Brooks showed up and stood in my doorway. He wore a navy blue suit with a checkered light blue tie. His small smile made me grin. He didn’t say anything, but I knew what he was thinking.
“I’m okay,” I whispered, going back to smoothing out my dress.
“Liar,” he said, walking over to me. He stood behind me and wrapped me in his arms. We stared at one another in the mirror. Brooks rested his chin on my shoulder. “Tell me what it is. What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“It’s just…I have to sit across from him today. I have to sit knowing what that man did and try my best not to react. When I saw him before, everything happened so fast. It was all a flash, but now I really have to face him. He was the one who dealt me my hand; he was the one who stole my voice from me. How do I deal with that? How do I stand in front of the man who stole my voice all those years ago, and how do I ask for him to give it back?”
“You don’t ask,” Brooks said. “You take it. You take back what he stole from you without permission. Without guilt. It’s yours. The only way you take it back is by telling your story. You have a voice, Maggie May. You always have. Now it’s just time for the rest of the world to hear it.”
“Can we listen to a song maybe?” I asked, still nervous.
“Always.” He took out his phone and grabbed a pair of earbuds, handing me one. “What do you want to hear?”
“Play something that will drown me,” I whispered.
So he played me our song.
I told my story. Every piece, every inch, every scar. My family sat in court listening. Mama cried, and Daddy wiped her tears. Cheryl and Calvin didn’t look away from me for a second’s time. I wasn’t certain I would’ve been able to speak so loud without their quiet support coming my way.
When I finished, I met my family in the hallway, and they told me how strong I’d been, going through everything I experienced. The doors to the courtroom opened minutes later, and Michael walked out. His eyes were heavy, and I could see it—the weight of the world on his shoulders. He walked in my direction and gave me a smile that transformed to a frown within seconds. His hands were stuffed in his slacks.
“Hey, sorry. I know I’m probably not supposed to talk to you, but I just wanted to say what you just did was brave. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what you went through your whole life. I’m so sorry for what happened to you.”
“You have no reason to be sorry. You’re not your father’s mistakes,” I told him.
He nodded understandingly. “I know, I know. But still. Your life was stolen from you. And my mom…” He snickered nervously. “I thought she walked out on us. I spent all my life confused and hating her, because every memory I had of her was filled with love. I couldn’t for the life of me understand why she’d leave.”
“If she had a choice, she would’ve never left your side,” Mama chimed in. “Trust me, I know.”
Michael thanked my mom and started to walk off until he heard me calling after him.
“She didn’t suffer,” I lied. “It was fast, painless. It was over in seconds. Your mom didn’t suffer.”
His shoulders appeared less heavy as I spoke to him. “Thank you, Maggie. Thank you for that.”
After years of not speaking, I understood the importance of words. How they had the power to hurt individuals, yet they also had the power to heal if used correctly. For the rest of my life I’d try my best to use my words carefully.
They had the power to change lives.
The next day I headed over to Mrs. Boone’s house with tea and turkey sandwiches. She rolled her eyes when she made her way to the door and then invited me inside to eat.
“I saw you on the news yesterday,” Mrs. Boone said. “You could’ve used a bit more makeup. You were on television, not at some pajama party, Maggie.”
I smirked. “Next time.”
“Next time…” Mrs. Boone huffed, shaking her head. “I’d think you were kidding, but you and your boyfriend might be the most dramatic people I’ve ever met, so I wouldn’t put it past you for there to be a next time,” she said, drinking her tea. “And you are awful at picking out tea. This is disgusting.”
I laughed. “Now you know how I’ve felt all these years.”
She looked up from her cup, and her hands began to shak
e. “Your voice isn’t as ugly as I thought it’d be.” She smiled and nodded her head, pleased. A semi-compliment from my favorite frenemy was the best. She picked up her sandwich and took a bite. “I knew you would talk someday. I knew you’d be able to do it.”
The two of us talked for hours about anything and everything that came to mind. We laughed together, which was the best feeling ever. When it began to get late, Mrs. Boone used her walker to get to the front foyer. Whenever her nurse tried to help her, she told her to piss off. Which in Mrs. Boone’s world meant, ‘thank you.’
“Well, you take care, Maggie May, and take a break from tragedy, all right? It’s time for you to go and live the life you deserve with that boy who looks at you all googly-eyed. But don’t be afraid to stop by any time you need a break from your adventures for some tea.” Her eyes met mine, and she gave me the sweetest grin I’d ever seen. “Or you know, just to talk to an old friend.”
“I will do.” I smiled. “I love you, Mrs. Boone.”
She rolled her eyes, wiped away a falling tear, and replied, “Yeah. Whatever.”
Which in Mrs. Boone’s world meant, ‘I love you, too.’
As I crossed the street, I noticed all of my family members sitting on the front lawn, staring up at the house. “What’s going on?” I asked, walking over to them. Cheryl was resting her head on Calvin’s shoulder, and Daddy’s arms were wrapped around Mama. I sat down beside my siblings and stared up.
“We’re saying goodbye,” Daddy said.
“What?” I shook my head. “You’re selling it?”
He nodded. “We all think it’s time. This home has been a place of new beginnings for us, of laughter, of love.”
“But also of a lot of pain,” Mama said, giving me a small smile. “And we think it’s time to start again. To find new places, new sights. It’s time for us all to let go of the past and find our future.”
I didn’t argue with them, because it felt way past due, but still there was a sadness that came with the idea of letting go of the house that saved me from myself.
The house sold in fifty-five days after it was listed on the market. Brooks and his band went off to Los Angeles to start rebuilding their music, and I promised I’d meet him out there once everything was in order with the house.
On the final day of our move, the sky was dark and rain fell over Harper County. Two U-Haul trucks were parked in our driveway, and we’d been loading up the trucks for hours. When the last box was packed, I asked my parents for a few minutes to say goodbye.
My once packed room was emptied of all of the history. My hand fell over my heart as I listened to the raindrops pound against the windowsill. I wasn’t certain how to begin to say goodbye. The ache in my chest was reminding me of all the moments those walls brought me. It was the first place I learned what family meant; it was the first place I fell in love, and no matter where life took me, that yellow bricked house would always be home.
I was on the verge of tears when I heard my favorite five words. “You okay today, Maggie May?”
“You’re supposed to be in LA,” I said, smiling as I turned to see Brooks standing there with his hands behind his back. His hair and clothes were soaking wet from the rain, and he had the biggest smile on his lips. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, you didn’t really think I’d miss saying goodbye to the house that gave me you, did you? Plus”—he stepped into my room, brought his hands from behind his back, and held up the dry-erase board with his words written in permanent marker—“I made a promise to a girl a few years back, and I think it’s time we cashed in on it. I want to show you the world, Maggie May. I want to take you on the biggest adventure of your life.”
I smiled, walking over to him. What he didn’t know was that he was the biggest adventure of my life. He was my favorite journey, my anchor that always led me home. He placed the board on the floor and took my hands into his.
“I’m ready for that. I’m ready for our lives together, Brooks. I want you, and only you, for the rest of my life. I’m ready to let go of this place now.”
He smiled. “Are you sure?” He glanced around the emptied space.
I curved into his body as he held me close.
I bit my bottom lip. “Maybe five more minutes,” I whispered.
He kissed my forehead, and softly spoke. “Let’s make it ten.”
When it came time to leave, Brooks grabbed the dry-erase board and held my hand as we walked out of the house. The rain was still falling heavily, and I started to hurry toward the car, but Brooks made me stop. “Maggie, wait! I forgot to tell you the only requirement to my promise of helping you complete your to-do list.”
“And what’s that?”
He flipped the board over, and I read the words.
Marry me.
“What?” I chuckled nervously.
“Marry me,” he repeated. Water crystals dripped down his nose and slid to the ground.
“When?” I asked.
“Tomorrow,” he replied.
“Brooks.” I laughed taking his hands into mine.
“And the day after that. And the day after that one, and the one after that, too. Every day, Maggie May. I want you to marry me every single day for the rest of our lives.” He pulled me closer to his body and the chilled rain somehow felt warmer in that moment. In that moment we became one unit in the pouring rain. His skin on my skin, his heart beating with mine, our souls linked together from that day forth. He grazed his lips against mine, and softly spoke. “Say yes?”
I squeezed his hands twice.
And we kissed beneath the rain.
That was it.
That was the big moment. That was what my father always told me would someday happen. Brooks was the moment I’d been waiting for all my life.
This time is forever.
Ten Years Later
“It’s too loud,” Haley shouted from the front row of the arena. She’d just turned six two weeks prior, and it was her first time seeing The Crooks live in concert. Brooks and the guys were celebrating their twentieth anniversary in the arena center fifteen minutes away from our house, and Haley asked if it could be her birthday present.
“It’s not too loud, you’re just a baby,” Noah mocked his younger sister.
“No, it’s a bit loud,” I replied. I reached into my purse and pulled out a pair of pink soundproofing headphones, and placed them on my daughter’s ears. “Better?” I asked.
She smiled wide and nodded. “Better.”
As the lights began to fade, Haley and Noah both started jumping up and down. When the band entered the stage, the kids seemed seconds away from losing their minds. Their eyes were wide with wonderment as they stared up at their papa.
Their hero. My love.
“Hey, Wisconsin,” Brooks said, wrapping his right hand around the microphone. “If you have ever been to one of The Crooks concerts, you know that we’ve never opened a show with a speech, but tonight is a bit different. Tonight marks the twentieth anniversary of the band, and tonight we are back in our home state to celebrate. So the guys and I thought it would be best to dedicate this show to the one person who made our dream come true all those years ago. There once was a girl who uploaded a few videos online, and she was the reason The Crooks were discovered. Hell, she even named the band.”
“We love you, Maggie!” the twins shouted in unison.
“Love you, sister,” Calvin said, smiling my way.
“They’re talking to you, Mama!” Haley said, amazed.
I kissed her forehead. “I know, baby. They are pretty amazing, aren’t they?”
She sighed, stars in her eyes. “Yeah, Mama. Daddy’s amazing.”
“So the first song isn’t a song by The Crooks, but it only seems fitting to perform this hit on a night dedicated to my heart, my soul, and my best friend,” Brooks explained. “This is an oldie, but a goodie, and I welcome you all to sing along. This is “Maggie May,” by the amazing Rod Stewart.”
r /> Calvin started playing the introduction on the guitar, and within seconds Brooks wrapped his hands around the microphone and began singing directly to me. The kids kept cheering, shouting his name over and over again.
“I’m gonna be a rock star, just like Daddy,” Noah shouted, jumping up and down.
The show was amazing as always. After the final performance, Brooks said, “Thanks to everyone for coming. We are The Crooks, and we are so damn happy you allowed us to steal your hearts tonight.”
“Daddy, I thought you were really good tonight!” Haley said, yawning. She had those same blue eyes as her mama and the same beautiful smile which made me bend to her every need. Her arms were wrapped around my neck as I carried her to her bedroom. Even though I’d toured the whole wide world and seen so many sights, there was nothing better than being home with my loves.
“Yeah? You think so?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I think Mama sings better than you, but still, you were good.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “Oh, is that so? You think Mama’s a better singer?” I laid her in her bed and began tickling her. “Say I’m the better singer! Say it!”
“Daddy!” She giggled. “Okay, okay. You’re the better singer! You’re the better singer!”
I laughed and kissed her forehead. “That’s what I thought.”
“Daddy?” Haley asked.
“Yes?”
“Secret time?”
I nodded. “Secret time.”
She moved in closer, pulling me in for a secret, and whispered, “I lied about you being a better singer.”
The tickle war began again and continued until we were both out of breath. I picked up the cat roaming around the room and placed him at the edge of Haley’s bed where he slept each night. “Okay, it’s time for you both to get some rest.” I kissed her nose. “And, Haley?”
“Yes, Daddy?”