Chapter 3: Safe or Not
After having dinner, Meg helped her mother, Helen, with washing the dishes, while her sister Patty cleared the table. Meg was off in her own world. Meanwhile, Patty's mouth did most of the talking.
"So Meg you've been awfully quiet this evening," Helen managed to get in when Patty paused to catch her breath. Meg continued to concentrate on the plate she was drying. Helen dried her wet hands on the waist apron she was wearing. Placing a gentle, raisin-like wrinkled hand on her daughter's shoulder, she said softly, "Meg? Is everything alright? Did something happen at Bandstand today that you're not telling me?" Meg continued drying. Helen with her free hand took the dry plate from Meg's hands, placed it on the counter, and then grabbed Meg's other shoulder turning her to face her directly. Cupping Meg's chin in her right hand she said, "Meg, tell me what's wrong."
Meg looked into her mother's deep, big blue eyes. Meg had seen this look many times from her mother, the one full of motherly concern for her children. Lately, it had been directed more towards her brother J.J., who's joining the Marines, caused an upset in the family. Meg couldn't stand to look at her mother looking like this anymore for fear of crying again as she had done earlier with Michael. So she rolled her eyes away. She bit her lip and wrinkled her forehead. Will Rox ever call me? thought Meg as she desperately tried to avoid her mother.
"I know what's wrong. It's because that Jimmy Riley hasn't written her," Patty piped up. Meg and Helen turned to look at her who was now standing with her arms folded across her chest, leaning on her left leg, and a contented look on her face. In a monotone voice which always meant Patty thought she knew everything, she said, "She probably thinks he's dead or something."
"Patricia Pryor!" warned Helen as Meg dropped her jaw and widened her blue eyes letting out a noise of disgust.
"Meg…Meg…Me—"
"What is it Will?" asked Helen who turned to see her youngest son make his way into the kitchen.
"Meg has a phone call," Will replied shyly.
Roxanne! Meg thought feeling saved.
"Mom—"
"Go ahead Meg," Helen cut off her daughter seeing the sudden change in her hearing this news.
"Thanks, mom," Meg said hurrying towards the hallway by the stairs where the phone was kept.
"Roxanne, you don't know how glad I am to have you call right now!" Meg exclaimed into the phone.
"Well, you sound better already," Roxanne's voice was like music to Meg's ears. "So what's going on? And you better tell me all of the details!"
Meg explained the whole story being worried about Jimmy because she hadn't heard from him in so long.
"Are you sure that's all that has you upset?" Roxanne asked over the phone not being convinced.
"Yes, Rox. After what Patty said I can't help but thinking if maybe something that serious really did happen to him. Plus…"
"Plus what?" inquired Roxanne. When she only heard silence she demanded, "Plus what, Meg?"
"I…I've been having these dreams," stammered Meg.
"What kind of dreams?" gasped Roxanne her attention caught.
"They really aren't much of anything really. I'll just be going through my day as regular and then I'll see him, standing there, in front of me, in his uniform, smiling. Then I wake up."
"Hmmm…I wonder if they mean something." Roxanne mused not really directing her question to Meg in particular.
"I don't know. They're kind of creeping me out, Rox."
"When did they start?"
"This week. That's probably why I've been acting a bit weird these last few days."
"Meg, I think you've been on the phone long enough." Meg turned and saw her father standing at the bottom of the stairs.
"Rox, I—"
"—gotta go. I know I heard your dad. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Bye, Rox."
"Night, Meg."
Meg laid down the receiver and just stood and stared at it.
"Are you planning on staying like that all night?" Meg looked up to see her dad half-way up the stairs, looking down at her with a teasing smile on his face. She couldn't help but smile back at him. "C'mon, I'll walk you to your room," Jack gestured with his left hand for her to join him on the stairs.
She ascended the stairs by his side as he put his right arm around her shoulders, hugging her to his side, and leaning down to plant a kiss on the top of her head. As he led her up the stairs, Meg enjoyed the safety she felt in his embrace. It was a bittersweet feeling though. Is Jimmy safe right now? she couldn't help but asking herself.