“Jim, darling, you must have questions I’m sure, thank you for being patient with us. I understand you had a bit of difficulty today.” She stirred her tea as she waited for me to speak.
“Just a lot of aggravation really, I had to attend to some damage to some fencing on the farm as a result of yesterday’s storms.” I saw Penny wince at this mention, then a slow half smile as she recalled the events of yesterday. “I also had a blow out of a tire on my pick up as I drove to town, that repair and then finding a replacement for my spare definitely side tracked me for a while.” I sighed. “Some days are challenging to say the least.” I lamented. Maggie looked up at this and smirked and nodded as if I had spoken a common wisdom.
“Forgive me Jim, I’m just a little emotional this afternoon. You see, the young lady you just met, Terry is…” Maggie paused taking a deep breath and swallowing before continuing. “…was another one of our students. She is very dear to both Penny and I, much in the same way has you have become to us.” She added with a smile, Penny reached over and patted the top of my hand and smiled as well. “Today was Terry’s last lesson with us. You might say that she has graduated. Penny and I have grown so fond of her and we are so proud of her growth and success, she will be missed.” Maggie’s hand shook ever so slightly as she picked up her cup and blew across the hot tea before taking a sip.
“Maggie, I can come back another time if you like, I don’t mean to intrude or anything…” I began, honestly ready to leave the two to their emotions if they would prefer.
“Oh nonsense! You don’t need to go anywhere darling.” Penny spoke up as she playfully swatted my hand in mock reprimand. “Just give us two old ladies a moment or two to collect ourselves.” She added watching Maggie intently. I had the impression that Penny was more than a little concerned with Maggie’s state of mind, and or emotions. I myself was picking up waves of tension radiating from her as if it were heat from a hot stove. I’m not sure what possessed me or came over me at that moment, maybe it was empathy or some basic instinct that I wasn’t even aware of before but I stood up and walked behind Maggie’s chair and laid both hands softly on her shoulders. Maggie tensed and froze for a moment or two but as I began to slowly but firmly knead her shoulders and neck she seemed to relax as she realized that I was only trying to comfort her. She actually leaned her head back into my chest briefly, her hands coming to rest in her lap as she submitted to my manipulations. I glanced over at Penny and she sat still in her chair, both hands still holding her tea cup, her jaw slightly agape with a look of wonder on her face that slowly morphed into a warm soft smile. I might have been imagining it but I could almost swear that her eyes watered up momentarily before she blinked several times and sipped her tea.
After a few minutes Maggie reached one hand up and patted one of mine and leaned her head over to rest on that hand momentarily before turning and kissing the back of my hand. I gave her shoulder one last squeeze before resuming my seat. Maggie looked at me with those warm amber eyes and smiled before saying.
“Thank you Jim, darling, that was kind of you. Tell me, what possessed you to do that?” She asked, her head tilting slightly to one side.
“Honestly Maggie, I’m not sure… I, well I felt, in my heart that you were in some sort of pain, you seemed so tense. I just thought that you should be hugged, or touched somehow to be reassured that everything was okay. I’m sorry if I was too forward.” I added softly, my head down a bit as if waiting to be reprimanded. Instead, Maggie just looked at me long and silently, studying me, finally simply smiled that warm soft smile again and nodded her head closing her eyes for a few moments. When she reopened her eyes they were clear and it seemed if Maggie was back to her usual self. She looked across the table at Penny who was studying Maggie as well, with one eye brow arched in silent question.
“Penny, could you work with this gentleman this afternoon? I think I will go lie down for a bit.” Maggie asked in a voice that was uncharacteristically meek, at least to my ears. Penny simply nodded with a sad understanding smile. Maggie rose from her chair but paused as she passed my own, she placed one hand on my shoulder before continuing on out of the kitchen and down the hall. I watched Penny closely as Maggie made her exit, she looked somewhat lost in thought as she idly stirred her half empty tea cup. Finally Penny looked up at me before she too stood up.
“She will be okay Jim, I’m afraid that both she and I do get somewhat attached to our students, some more than others. Maggie was very fond of Terry. Ordinarily once we’ve concluded our teaching we stay in contact with our graduates. We learned today however that young Miss Terry is moving far away, she was accepted at a University out of state. We are happy for her of course, but sad as well. I feel like you understand that somehow though. You do continue to amaze both Maggie and myself with your maturity and surprisingly your empathy. You are not only observant but you have a very big heart it seems.” Penny chatted away as she gathered up the tea cups and saucers along with the spoons to place them in the sink. Coming back over to stand behind my chair she put her hands on my shoulders and in a similar fashion as I had with Maggie she began massaging my shoulders. She leaned down and kissed the top of my head then whispered near my ear. “Thank you for reaching out to Maggie, it really meant a lot to her… and to me. Now, come with me.” She commanded, waiting for me to stand up and then taking my hand to lead me to the stairs. I followed her down the first flight to the landing then down the second flight to the beaded curtain and then beyond. Instead of turning left into the “classroom”, Penny led me to the right and to the only door on the right side of the short hall.
Opening the door and reaching in to turn on the light switch, Penny led me in and then turned to close the door. I took in the room, it was larger than either her own or Maggie’s bedrooms upstairs, it was more like a hotel suite than a bedroom. To the right of the doorway were three bookcases full of books and a few nick knacks. There was a console television sitting catty cornered in the corner, next to it a standing floor lamp with a small side table under it beside a comfortable looking wing backed easy chair with a matching ottoman. A couple of feet further along the wall to the right was an antique wet bar with glassed cased doors behind which stood a variety of spirits, along with glasses. There was another end table in the corner to the left of the wet bar, next to an older rumpled looking sofa along the next wall facing the door and the television. To the left of the doorway was an antique china cabinet with more books and some decorative plates and serving ware against the wall, a small dining table sat beneath a very plain hanging leaded glass shaded light fixture.
Beyond the table was an open doorway leading into a small galley kitchen with a small stove, a counter with a sink, and of course a refrigerator. Another open doorway exited the galley kitchen into the next room beyond the wall behind the sofa, it was a bedroom. A large closet took up most of the wall to the left of the doorway with multiple accordion style doors. Along the wall immediately to the right of the doorway was a long low dresser, scattered across the top were an antique radio, an old fishing tackle box, a large ornate amber glass ash tray with a pipe stand in the center complete with several pipes. There were several tins with different tobaccos I assumed behind the clean empty ashtray. There were also several framed pictures propped up. As I looked closer I saw the images of a smiling young couple holding hands in one picture, arm in arm in other pictures. They both seemed to be happy and obviously in love, the same two people at different ages. It dawned on me that the girl in these pictures was Maggie. WOW! I thought she was a very sensual and attractive woman as she was now, but it would appear that in her youth she was simply a knock out!
Penny still hadn’t said anything, she continued to let me simply take it all in, perhaps she was waiting on me to ask a question, or she was still lost in thought herself. To the left of the dresser in the corner was an old steamer trunk with a quilt folded up and resting atop of it. There was a queen sized bed with a bookcase headboard centered along the wall between matching low night stands on either side. Along the far wall was a tilted drafting table with the hooded work light centered over it, to the left a low table with more books and a reading lamp with a low soft easy chair.
“The man, in these photos with Maggie, was he her late husband?” I asked of Penny. She nodded solemnly.
“Yes he was, they were very much in love for many years, even after…” Penny abruptly censored herself before continuing too far. “I’m sorry Jim… Oh what the hell, Maggie would tell you herself if you asked… yes Maggie and John were very much in love. Over many years they were happy, but at some point John developed interests in another woman. He had an affair that lasted for several years before Maggie found out about it. She was devastated. She immediately separated from John and sent him packing. However, she learned from the other woman, John’s mistress, more than she learned from John. The woman was the widow of John’s lifelong friend, John was his best man at their wedding. He was beyond grief when his friend died in a tragic accident. They consoled each other as friends not lovers, at first. Neither had any designs for anything more, but over time it did develop and john struggled with feelings of guilt and remorse at having done so. The woman couldn’t bear to see him in such turmoil and sought out Maggie to try to explain and express her regret and sorrow for having come between them. Somehow she convinced Maggie that John had never stopped loving her but had only shared his love with her as an extension of their friendship. By then John and Maggie had already divorced and were living separately. Maggie still loved John but of course the trust was gone, but they remained friends, even if it was a strained version of such. A few years later Maggie had an aunt pass away and was left a small sum of money from her estate. Maggie bought this house. Later when she learned that John had fallen ill, he had been diagnosed with cancer, she arranged for this small apartment to be part of the house. She had him move in and he spent the last three years of his life here. He’s been gone for a few years now but Maggie just couldn’t bring herself to get rid of all his things. Still waters run deep, and she loves deeply when she lets someone into her heart. I think you already recognize that though don’t you?” Penny said more as a statement than a question, squeezing my hand. Turning to face Penny I asked.
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