Page 44 of Playing for Keeps in Starr's Fall
“Do you think Zach is going to come to the opening?” Ben asked, almost as if he’d been reading her thoughts, or maybe just missing him as much as Maggie was.
“I don’t know,” she replied honestly. “I hope so.”
Ben frowned as he slumped into one of the leather sofas, next to Penny, who stilled but didn’t move away. Progress already. “Why hasn’t he come around all week?” he asked mournfully. “And he’s not been playing RQ, either. I messaged him online and he said he was busy with the store, but…” He shook his head, his bangs sliding into his face. “I feel like it’s something else.”
“I told you he was busy,” Maggie reminded him gently as she smiled at her son. He really needed a haircut, she couldn’t help but notice. His bangs were far too long, and a trim would give her son less to hide behind, which might be a good thing. They both needed, she knew, to take steps back to a normal life—school, friends, activities. It all felt very far off, especially without Zach in the picture, cheering them on, making them laugh. He really had been good company… for both of them.
“I know you miss him,” Maggie continued, “but if he’s busy, he’s busy, I’m afraid. He’ll come back when he’s able.” Maybe. She wasn’t ready to admit to Ben her part in Zach’s absence. Whether that made her a coward or a responsible parent she couldn’t decide, but she and Ben needed to figure out a way to move on… together.
“But the grand opening?” Ben persisted. “After all the work he’s done? Hehasto be here, Mom.”
“We’ll see,” she murmured. It was all she could think of to say. She walked over to scratch Penny under her chin, grateful when the cat gave an approving purr in response. “Meanwhile we have this little lady to keep us company.”
As cute as she was, though, Maggie thought, a cat was no substitute for a human… especially one like Zach.
* * *
Maggie spent the rest of the afternoon doing the boring admin work for the café, which involved squinting at her laptop screen and filling out a lot of forms, while Ben did his schoolwork, Penny curled up on his lap like she’d known him all her life. Out of the corner of her eye, Maggie saw Ben absently pet the cat in his lap and she smiled. Getting Penny had clearly been a good decision.
Outside, spring was finally starting to bud—the sky was a pale blue with lemony sunshine bathing Main Street in brightness and warmth, and the tiniest, tightly furled buds on the cherry trees in front of their building had just begun to form. Maggie had checked her phone, and the weather was set to soar to a balmy fifty-two degrees. Well, you took what you could get in New England.
After several hours of sitting cramped in front of the computer, she decided she needed a break. She checked on Ben, saw he was deep into his math homework, Penny having disappeared to another part of the house, and dropping a quick kiss on his forehead—something he let her do if she was fast enough about it—Maggie told him she was going for a quick walk to “clear the cobwebs.”
“Cobwebs, Mom?” Ben looked up from the screen, shaking his head. “You sound so old.”
“Well, not literal ones,” she replied with a smile. “I’m not quite that decrepit yet.”
She slipped on her parka and a pair of ankle boots and headed downstairs, stepping out onto Main Street, which was empty. Foot traffic for the café was, she supposed, going to be pretty light. Was she crazy to have continued with this whole endeavor? Maybe, but she didn’t want to think negatively. Not anymore, even if it felt sometimes like that was all she was doing.
Maggie took a deep breath, let the cool air fill up her lungs. Although the sun was warm, the breeze was brisk; spring hadn’t quite sprung yet, although it was on the horizon. Maggie smiled to see a red-breasted robin flit from cherry tree to cherry tree. She set out up toward the village green, waving at Rhonda in The Starr Light Diner, Lizzy in The Rolling Pin and Zoe in The Latest Scoop, feeling heartened when each woman smiled and waved back. She kept going, up to the village green and around it, glad to see that the messageboards by the church, community hall, and library all sported Your Turn Next posters. Ben had done a very good job with the graphics, she reflected with motherly pride; he’d made the pawn, die, and elven figure 3D, with beams of light streaking out from each one. The writing had a retro vibe, which Maggie thought suited the feel of the café. She hoped others did, too.
It wasn’t until she was on the road out of town that she realized where she was walking to. Miller’s General Store. Had this whole clear-the-cobwebs idea really just been an excuse to accidentally-on-purpose run into Zach? What would she even say to him if she did?
Annoyed with herself, she turned around and started striding back into town. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she slipped it out to see it was her sister Lynn. She’d been avoiding talking to her for the last week because of this whole blowup with Zach, but maybe it was time to admit what had happened. Maggie swiped to take the call.
“Hey,” she said, doing her best to inject some enthusiasm into her voice. Her sister wasn’t fooled.
“What’s wrong?” she demanded. “What’s happened?”
“Oh, Lynn…” Maggie sighed. “Nothing all that much. I’ve been running myself ragged trying to get ready for the grand opening on Saturday.”
“Yes, I’m planning on being there, you know, and with bells on.”
“Are you really?” Her sister had made similar noises in the last few weeks, but Maggie had semi-discounted them, because it was a two-hour drive and Lynn was usually so busy with work.
“Yes, of course I am!” she exclaimed. “This is a big deal. And,” Lynn added, her tone softening, “I took to heart what you said to me earlier. You want this to work, Mags. Well, so do I.”
“Thanks.” Maggie sniffed and then let out a shaky laugh. “Sorry, I’ve been kind of emotional lately.”
“So what’s been going on? Because I can tell something is eating you up. Iknowyou.”
“I know you do.” Maggie decided to be at least semi-honest. “You remember Zach?”
“The thirty-one-year-old gorgeous gamer?Yes.”
Maggie smiled at that, even as her heart ached at the thought of him. “Well, things kind of… blew up there,” she told her sister.
“I’m assuming not in a good way.” Lynn sounded briskly matter of fact, which made Maggie feel a tiny bit better. Maybe it didn’t have to be all drama and discord, the way it was in her head. Maybe there was a way through this.
