MAGGIE’S STORY
Penn’s door opened. When he joined the others in the living room, Maggie saw that his face was streaked with tears.
“Hello, Penn. So sorry about your parents,” Alfred said,
shifting his weight.
“Now you get dad’s business, don’t you?” Penn eased down
onto the sofa.
“Your dad left his half of the business to you, with me as
your trustee until you’re twenty-one.”
“Really?”
“He had faith in you my boy. I have custody papers here. If
you’ll just sign them.”
Maggie held her breath.
“We can look after him, “ John piped up.
Alfred snorted. “You?”
“I’m going to call a lawyer,” Penn said, pushing up from
his chair. “That’s what dad would tell me to do.”
“Don’t
you want to move in with me and your Aunt Muriel?”
“I don’t know what I want. Right now, I want to stay here.”
“I’ll leave you here then. After you’ve consulted an
attorney, have him call me.”
Alfred handed the boy a business card and left.
Maggie brought out a sandwich and a glass of milk from the
kitchen, but Penn wouldn’t eat. The doorbell rang. John went. He returned with
a large vase of pink and white roses and a fat box of chocolates that he placed
on the coffee table.
“Oh, Christ, it’s Mother’s Day,” Penn moaned, after reading the message. He tossed the card on the table, then picked up one of the beautiful flowers. .
The housekeeper retrieved the card . It was from the Mister to his wife.
“She was beautiful, wasn’t she?” He asked.
Tears clouded Maggie’s eyes. “She was, lad. The most
beautiful.”
Penn fell into her arms, sobbing. In a few minutes, he
managed to pull himself together. He handed Maggie the box of chocolates.
“You’re my mother now.”
