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Chapter 3

Maggie watched the outline of Jon getting smaller and smaller in the distance. The mild morning had certainly turned into a scorching afternoon. Her blonde tendrils clung damply to her forehead as she stood on the porch watching him leave.

"Mommy!" a small voice jarred her back to reality. "I'm still hungry." she said while pointing to the kitchen.

"Okay baby I'm coming." Maggie answered as she was forced to tear her gaze away from Jon. Truth is, she hadn't been able to even see him to a few minutes. She'd just been staring out after him.

A convict? In her house? Never. She believed people could change, but you just never knew about things these days. She couldn't take that risk. Not with Mikey around. If she had to she would just continue doing all the work herself.

Who was she kidding? There was no way she would ever get this done. There it was again, that feeling of complete and total hopelessness. She glanced down at her daughter and forced herself to pull it together. She could do this. Did she know how? Not a clue.

~ Jon sat in a booth at the diner again. Doing all that walking had certainly worked up an appetite for him. Plus he was going to need to get full before he caught the bus and headed out of town. JUst as he was pondering his next stop he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Howdy there son. How did it go out at the Blackbird?" Buck asked.

"Not too good." Jon pursed his lips and thought back to the humiliating moment when Maggie had tried to find a way to tell him no without seeming impolite.

"Aww, I'm sorry. Can't believe she'd turn ya down though, she really needs a worker. Been looking for a few weeks and hasn't came up with anybody to help her."

"Yeah, well. I got a certain qualification she didn't like. She has a right not to though." Jon shrugged, "So, I'm gonna catch the bus and head out as soon as it runs again."

"That won't be till tomorrow mornin'." Buck said while refilling Jon's coffee.

"That's annoying." Jon said while rolling his eyes. He was hoping to get out of here as soon as possible.

"Well, could always be worse." Buck reminded him before scooting back to the counter. His body feet barely able to carry him a few steps without stopping.

He paid his bill, left a tip for Buck, and went back to his hotel room. He sighed, in all the places he had been in his lifetime why was it that this place felt like home? Was it the salt in the air? The ocean breeze? People's genuine niceness? Whatever it was, he hated to admit that it was tearing his heart just a little to be leaving.

He stripped off, showered, and changed into a pair of sweats before flipping on the tv. Friday Night Smackdown was playing. He should've switched it. He had every other time. What made tonight different? Jon knew. He was finally ready to face his demons.

He saw all the old familiar faces. He closed his eyes and his mind drifted back to four years ago...

"Come on Colby, forget it." Jon had warned.

"I can't just forget it. Fuck you man."

Jon grabbed his friend's arm and tried to keep him from leaving the bar, but Colby was mad and he wanted to go back to the hotel. He caught a cab and Jon watched him leave. Now, he couldn't even remember what the fight was about. All he knew was it made him so angry. His blood was boiling, but then again his blood always boiled when he drank.

He walked back into the bar, and as he sat down an old man placed himself on the stool beside guy struck up an innocent enough conversation. Upon further inspection Jon realized the guy looked familiar. He quickly realized that it was his same father who made him run the streets. The same father who offered him drugs, and got him hooked on alcohol at same father who beat him have to death for no good reason.

The man clearly didn't know who he was.

JOn couldn't remember what exactly led to the following events. He was practically black out drunk. Somehow they were out in the street. Jon was letting loose all the years of pent up anger, hurt, disappointment. It wasn't pretty.

His father wound up pressing charges, and suing him as well. Walking away with a large portion of Jon's money. He should have just walked away...

Jon shook his head and opened his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Just digging up bones.." he whispered to the emptiness of his hotel room.

The next morning Jon stopped at the diner to say goodbye to Buck, and get some coffee for the road. Just as he was saying his goodbyes he felt a tugging on his pants leg.

"Jon! Jon!" said a little voice.

Confused, Jon looked down to find Mikey. Hair in pigtails wearing a cute little summer dress. When he looked up he found her mother. God, why was this women breathtakingly beautiful without even trying? She was also wearing a sun dress. Hair pulled on top of her head in a messy bun. Large sunglasses covering her eyes.

"Hello again." she smiled sweetly.

A weird electric energy filled the room. Even though they werent touching. Their chemistry was thick, and heavy enough to draw all attention to them.

"Hello Maggie."

"Listen, I was actually hoping I would run in to you again...I'm sorry about yesterday. I was wondering if you'd like to come work for me? On a trial basis." she added.

What? Had she really just said that? Maggie had no idea why those words came out of her mouth.

Jon was just as surprised, but didn't let her see it. "Of course." he said. "I'll be out later today."

He waved to Mikey and was gone from the diner. Once again Maggie found herself watching him go.

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