Maggie's Five ...the first in a LOVE story Read Online Free PDF Page A

filled with scrambled eggs.
    I need my
husband. I need my girls.
    “ Jon,
the girls-”
    “ YOU,” Jon yells abruptly. “YOU FUCKING
ARSEHOLE.” He instantly drops his hold on me and takes off
running down the street, screaming. “You fucking bastard, I’m going
to kill you-”
    Large hands
engulf my cheeks and force my attention to the two piercing blue
spheres centimetres from my face.
    “ Maggie, look at me. Just focus on me and breathe, that’s all
you need to worry about. Breathe for me Maggie Mae.” I notice his
chest rise and fall in exaggerated motions and find myself
mimicking his action. “Good, you’ve got this Maggie, just keep
breathing, we’re going to get you to your girls okay?” He nods, so
I nod, he breathes, I breathe.
    I don’t think
he’s right, though. I don’t think I’ve got any of this.
    His hands are
tacky as they leave my face and fold around my frame, his shoulders
twisting with him when he looks over his shoulder.
    “ Jon,
we don’t have time. We’ve got to get going,” he calls, securing his
hold and leading me away.
    “ Luke
Andrews?”
    I haven’t seen
Luke in years. There was that last weekend we all went down to his
parents’ beach house when… then they moved away.
    “ Did
you see that son of a b-” Jon barks. Luke interjects.
    “ Not
now Jon.” He shifts to look at me again. “Maggie, honey. I’m going
to help you into Jon’s car, okay? We’re going to go see the girls
right now.”
    “ Luke
here is going to sit with you while I drive,” Jon adds, lifting my
chin so I look up at his tear streaked face, making sure I’m
listening. I don’t know what he wants me to say so I just stare up
at him. “You’re fine Maggie Mae. We’re leaving now.”
    Luke manoeuvres
me gently, as though I’m the most fragile thing he has ever held,
over the prickly grass to the side of Jon’s car. He settles me onto
the back seat and slides in next to me without ever completely
letting go.
    I’m so numb, I
feel like I’m a spectator to someone else’s life that’s panning out
for my morbid viewing. I do as I’m asked without question until we
reverse out of my drive, Jon puts the car into gear and presses
down on the accelerator, causing it to lurch forwards.
    “ Wait. Jon, what about Brendan?” I’m all but climbing over
Luke’s lap to get a better look out the tinted window. He
immediately rests a placating hand on my back and presses the side
of his face to the top of my head, drawing me into an embrace. I’m
not sure but I think his cheek’s wet.
    Squinting
through the sunshine, I’m relieved to see there are a few people
lifting Brendan from the ground and onto a stretcher. I start to
think maybe I’m wrong; maybe he’s going to be alright after all.
The carers roll him carefully into an ambulance, but close the back
doors gently. No slamming and screeching for him.
    “ He’ll meet us there Maggie,” is all Jon offers while he
impatiently drives through the labyrinth that is my
neighbourhood.
     
    JON PULLS ME by
my hand through the hospital’s Emergency Department. He parked his
car with the front half up on the curb, leaving the tail end
protruding over the road, not bothering to remove his keys or close
the door. The ambulances that were once parked in the front of my
home are now sitting in bays to the side of the vast building, the
back doors closed; the vehicles vacant.
    Tugging rigidly
on each other’s hands, Jon and I alternate in taking the lead,
frantically searching for my family as we brazenly barge our way
into occupied rooms and tear open curtains to the verbal berating
of the occupants. I’m too distraught to express our regret, but I
hope they will forgive us anyway.
    A small voice
carries from behind. A young nurse is chasing after us. I’m sorry
for her, but I’m sorrier for myself at the moment so continue my
frantic search.
    I hear Luke’s
deep timbre ask the young girl a string of questions I’m too
distracted to listen to