Maggie Moves On

by Lucy Score

“I’m planning on you getting more attached to me than the state,”

“That’s my girl.”

“You are the surprise of a lifetime,”

“But being a good boyfriend doesn’t mean only showing up when you’re not pissed off,”

“God, I’m so into you, Maggie. Even when I’m good and pissed.”

“I’m kind of fond of you, too,”

“Pencil me in for that in-depth discussion of why you didn’t feel the need to tell your future husband about your family. Tonight.”

“Maybe you can call it a coincidence that your mama was the first one to bring you here and that your sister showed up here looking for a place in your life. But I see signs.”

“Then don’t waste your time trying to get comfortable first. There isn’t much comfortable about relationships, not if it’s a good one at least.

“It’s scary as fuck. I get it. But you can’t wait for everyone to be comfortable when it comes to you living your life. You’re the only one who gets to live it. So you might as well do what you want. And if anyone, and I mean anyone, gives you a hard time, you either deal with it or you come get me and I will deal with it for you. You deserve to be happy, Mikey. And anyone who doesn’t want that for you is a fucking asshole who doesn’t deserve to have a say in your life.”

“You don’t suck as a brother.”

“It’s okay to want more for yourself,”

“is that it doesn’t matter how much you have, if it’s not what you want. You can’t just decide to be happy with less than.”

“Babies do not complete you. Babies do not make you a fully realized woman. Neither does a man. That’s a truth we all have to learn the hard way.”

“I’d like to make a lot of things easier for you if you’d let me, Maggie.”

“Mama B always preached that, since life was uncertain, you should eat dessert first.”

“You ever stop and wonder what if life isn’t about earning your way to pleasure? What if it’s enjoying it when it makes itself available to you?”

“Then it hurts to walk away.”

He gave so much of himself to her like this. Taking on her needs. Doing whatever it took to make her happy. How could she walk away from this? How could she move on, knowing this was what she was leaving behind?

Float. Think. Be. And if you still feel like hitting me with the paddle when you get to Jeb’s Pull Out (you can’t miss it), I’ll hold still while you swing.

What was around the next corner that was going to be better than Silas?

“Because I’ve been building us into something you don’t think we are. A relationship. A partnership. You’ll get the time and space to decide if what you really want is to continue going solo.”

“Then I’ll go with you, if you let me. But you need to decide if you’ve got room in your life for me. And, darlin’, I take up a lot of space.”

“You are everything to me, Maggie. Do you hear me? The fact that you think I’d give you up over geography? What do you think we’ve been doing here?”

“They’re planted deep, and that’s why they’ll survive no matter where I am. It’s you, Maggie. I’ve been waiting for you. Make the decision. Don’t just do what you’ve always done and call it a choice.”

“Maybe you should think about what’s best for you instead of worrying about what you think is good for everyone else,”

“You are so much like your mother,”

She looked beautiful, ethereal. And maybe a little crazed. God, he loved that about her. He loved every fucking thing about her. Even the parts that drove him nuts.

“I’ve been waiting my entire life to find home. And I found one. I made one. Here. With you.”

“Baby, I’d go with you,”

But what I want most of all is you and this house. I want to fill this house with the family we choose, the family we make. I want to be here next to the fireplace when you string lights on that Christmas tree in the backyard.”

“Maggie Nichols, will you do me the great honor of putting up with me for the rest of your life? Will you let me love you? Will you be my wife and partner and best friend?”

“My mom loved your energy,”

“My mom said, ‘Maggie, that’s the way you do all the best things in life. You just run and jump and hope for the best. Just like that boy.’ Just like you, Silas.”

“It’s our sign. I’ve been carrying you around with me since I was twelve years old,”

“But I just asked a very special lady to marry me, and since she had the good sense to say yes, I have a little surprise for her.”

He loved her. Fiercely and forever.

“Do you think it’s a sign?”

“I most certainly do. I think your mom is here, looking down and feeling awfully proud,”

“A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.” “Yes, we do,”

“I know you guys think you’re being cute, but really, the Vanna White routine makes me want to murder your faces,”

“If I wasn’t convinced my head was about to split in two right now, I would laugh. Because that was fucking funny, and it makes you even more attractive than your good looks and top-shelf hygiene,”

“If I hadn’t thrown up less than ten minutes ago...

“I love that you can finally say ‘boyfriend,’”

“Damn, I love you, Maggie Nichols.” “Five bucks says I love you more,”

“Prove it,”

She met a nice guy with two little girls, and they’re taking their time getting to know each other. She has no idea that he bought a ring for her the day after their first date.

Wallace went on to write a book about Mrs. Campbell and dedicated it to his family: Maggie, Silas, and Cody.