Maggie
There was no way to shake the constant thoughts of The Mill since Henry's declaration. She heard about the last show, wishing she could have been there to see the amazing performance by Williams' band. All the critics raved about it. Maggie couldn't imagine how everyone at The Mill must have felt; it broke her heart to think about.
She was sitting in the living room, staring off into the distance and turning ideas over in her mind when Henry came in. "Oh, Henry! Just the person I was hoping to see," she said, jumping up. He smiled, waiting for her to continue. "I've decided I want to go to Atlanta, and I was hoping you would come with me."
Henry's smile faltered, just barely, at the suggestion, though he did his best to hide it. "Of course, whatever you need."
"Perfect. I have a plan. I was hoping you would be able to help me work out the details," Maggie said, clapping her hands and rushing off to get everything set up for the trip. Of course, she would have preferred to go alone, but she really did need Henry's help. She just hoped he didn't take the suggestion the wrong way.
Tucked away behind a corner, Eden had heard the whole exchange. She grinned to herself, glad that things were finally turning out the way she wanted. Now, if only Henry could manage not to screw it up this time, everything would be perfect.
They were able to get a flight the next day. Once Maggie laid out the general outline of her plan, Henry spent most of the flight working out the details and running the numbers. He had to admit, it wasn't the worst idea. From the information he had, The Mill was generally profitable. Thornton had fallen just short enough to put him under; it wouldn't take much to get things back up and running. Henry almost wished that wasn't the case. It would be a lot easier to just write The Mill off and convince Maggie to find a new tenant for the building. Instead, he was going along with her plan and putting her back in the path of those godforsaken southerners. Maybe Henry was a fool, after all.
The Mill sat silent and empty. The door was unlocked, even though there wasn't a sign of anyone in the building. Maggie had hoped John would be there, perhaps cleaning out his office or finishing up last-minute paperwork before closing things up for good. Instead, she found his office half empty. It seemed like someone had left partway through the job of packing away all the papers and knickknacks. Maybe he had just stepped out for a moment.
Henry had dropped her off before heading to the hotel to check-in, making sure she got in the building before pulling away. Maggie decided to check upstairs and make sure no one was up there while she waited. The silence was louder than any show she had ever seen there. It was so easy to imagine the bands that had played on the stage, to hear the echoes of the screaming crowds. She wandered over towards the bar, remembering the first night she stepped foot in The Mill. She could practically feel John's eyes watching her from the steps. How things had changed since that night.
"He's not here." Mrs. Thornton's sharp voice startled Maggie from her thoughts and sent her heart racing. "If you've come to boast over him. He's not here." There was a distinct note of sadness in her voice as she made her way to Maggie before standing in front of her, arms crossed. "So, you've come to survey your property, then? And after he's worked his whole life for this, too." She shook her head, daring Maggie to contradict her.
The words stung Maggie for a moment, even though she knew they weren't true. She could see the hurt in Mrs. Thornton's expression. "You once said I didn't know what kind of man I'd turned down," Maggie said softly. "You were right, I didn't. But if you really think that I would come all this way to flaunt my success over him, that I don't acutely feel the pain in the emptiness here, well. Then clearly you don't know the kind of person I am."
Mrs. Thornton couldn't hold her gaze. "I don't know where he is," she said. "He was gone when I got up this morning, he hasn't answered his phone. He just said he'd be back soon." She looked back up at Maggie, suddenly defiant again. "Don't think that I'm worried for myself. He wouldn't abandon me. He never has."
Not sure what to say to that, Maggie gave the older woman a small smile. She thought about reaching out to her, comforting her, but the hard look in Mrs. Thornton's eyes put a stop to that. The words hung in the air for a moment before Mrs. Thornton shook her head and walked away, leaving Maggie alone again in the silence.
John
There was that restless feeling he couldn't shake, back again, tensing up his shoulders and tingling in his fingers. Her brother. The words bounced around in his head, constant and unending. John thought back to that night at the Greyhound station, every memory painted with the new information. The day on the porch, when Maggie wouldn't let him inside, claiming they had no visitors. Her absolute denial that she was at the station that night. It was amazing how that one piece of information made it all seem much less sinister.
Why hadn't she told him? Was she afraid of what he would think? That question was eating him alive, even though it didn't really matter. He knew now, and somehow it changed both everything and nothing. He was full of energy, alive for the first time in months with no outlet now that The Mill was closed. What was he supposed to do now? He wandered around the city, thinking.
Somehow, he ended up on the Gold Line headed south. It was early, there weren't many people on the train. He was so lost in thought; he hadn't realized how far he'd traveled until they reached the end of the line.
"Exit here for Hartsfield Jackson International Airport." The announcement suddenly pulled John from his musings. He automatically got off the train, intending to hop right onto the waiting train on the opposite tracks, but something stopped him. Instead, he headed inside the airport, which was quiet so early in the morning. He felt an idea forming, one that he couldn't ignore no matter how hard he tried or how little sense it made.
The girl at the ticket counter smiled at him as he walked up. "When is the next flight to Boston?" John asked.
"It leaves at 7:20," she said. "There are only a few seats available, would you like to reserve one?"
And just like that, he was on his way to Boston. Though, not actually Boston, he decided. He planned to rent a car once he got there, take a drive out to the countryside, see what all the fuss was about. Maybe the country air would help clear his head.
When the plane landed, John had to convince himself not to try and track down Maggie. He seriously considered it, imagining the scene in his mind. But he knew that wouldn't turn out the way he would want it to. It was best to leave her alone and let her live her life, as much as it pained him to do so. He would have to be content knowing she was happy without him.
Maggie
"The flight is delayed," Henry said with some irritation. "Typical, I don't know why I expected better from this city."
Maggie gave him a small smile. He wasn't wrong; the planes were late more often than not. It was one of the things locals just got used to after a while. "That's why I said there was no need to rush down here to the airport," she said. Henry just shook his head and sat down carefully on a seat, making sure to avoid the mysteriously sticky substance on the seat next to him.
There was a plane pulling up to the gate. Maggie stood up and walked to the window, watching idly as it taxied closer and the workers attached the walkway. It wasn't long before people started filing out into the terminal, everyone focused on their own destinations. One person, in particular, caught her eye, standing out among the stream of people. It felt like a dream. What were the odds of seeing him here, of them crossing paths in the busiest airport in the world? She moved forward without realizing what she was doing, staring in amazement at the man slowly making his way through the crowd of travelers.
When John finally looked up and caught her eye, Maggie felt her heart stopped beating. They both stood frozen for a moment before an announcement overhead pulled them from their daze. John turned and started walking, almost bumping into someone with his sudden change in direction. In just a few strides he was there, standing in front of her.
"Where are you going?" he asked, not bother to say hello. He was standing so close; Maggie could hardly think straight.
There was something different about him, something she couldn't describe. Maybe it was in the way he moved; he seemed more relaxed, more at ease. He had on an old band t-shirt, one from Williams' band. It looked soft and worn. And shorts. She didn't think she had ever seen him in shorts before. Maggie was struggling to make sense of what was happening. "We're heading back to Boston," she finally said, glancing back at Henry for a moment. "I went to The Mill…" she trailed off, unsure where to go from there.
John smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You'll never guess where I've been," he said, pulling a cluster of light blue flowers from his pocket and handing them to her.
The bluebells in her hand instantly brought back memories of her old home in the country. She somehow knew where he had been, even though it didn't make sense. "You went to Helstone?" She asked, looking up at him in surprise. "It's so late in the season, I thought these would all be gone."
"I found it in the meadow. You just had to look closely." He was staring down at her softly, amazed that she was here, in front of him. "Why are you in Atlanta?" He asked, sounding urgent.
She looked back up at him. "Oh, I came on business," she paused for a breath. "I mean, I came to talk to you about a business proposition." She stopped again, an uncertain look on her face, and glanced back at Henry who was watching them carefully. "Oh, let me get Henry to help me explain," she said, turning to go over to him.
A strong hand on her arm stopped her in her tracks. She spun back around to face John, who was standing even closer now. "You don't need Henry to explain," he said, leading her over to some seats far away from where Henry sat.
John
The quick jaunt to the New England countryside relaxed him more than he thought possible. There was something about the air there. He could easily see why Maggie had such an idealistic view of the place. John's mind felt clearer than it had in months, though he felt bad leaving without telling him mother where he was going. The quick email he sent her telling her not to worry was hopefully enough to set her mind at ease.
He hadn't come up with any grand solutions while he was gone, but somehow that didn't bother him. He had the distinct feeling that they would be alright, no matter what happened. Now, if only he could hold onto that feeling once he was back in Atlanta.
That was his focus as he got off the plane, trying to harness that feeling while returning to the real world. He was so focused that he almost didn't notice the eyes staring so intensely at him or who they belonged to. He must have felt them, though, because something made him look up before walking past.
Maggie looked just as shocked as he felt as he made his way over to her. Their conversation didn't feel like one between two people who had so much left unsaid between them. It was too easy, too normal. "Why were you in Atlanta?" He suddenly, desperately needed to know. She had said she went to The Mill. Was she looking for him?
"On business" wasn't the answer he was hoping for, but she looked so uncertain, not the confident woman she usually was. He hadn't even noticed Lennox sitting nearby until Maggie turned to call him over.
Henry was the last person John wanted in this conversation, so he stopped her, his hand burning where it made contact with her arm. They were standing so close he was having trouble thinking clearly. They sat down, facing away from Lennox. John wanted to hear what she had to say without interference.
Maggie looked down at her hands, still uncertain. "Let's see if I can get this right," she said. "It's a business proposition. I have all this money from Mr. Bell, just lying in a bank right now. It doesn't earn much interest." She looked up to make sure he was still listening, only to find him smiling indulgently at her earnestness. "So, I've been thinking, and Henry agrees, that if you took this money and used it to get The Mill back up and running, it would be a very good investment."
She fiddled with the flowers in her hands, watching them instead of looking at John. He could see she was anxious, worried about his reaction to her offer. "So, as you can see, it's purely a business agreement. You wouldn't be obligated to me in any way. In fact, honestly, it would be you who would be doing me the favor…" she trailed off as John grabbed her hand. He couldn't help it; watching her fingers twirl the flowers was driving him mad.
They both looked down at their joined hands as if they belonged to other people. Maggie bit her lip as she ran her thumb over his knuckles, just once, sending a shiver up his arm. Before John could think of anything to say, she pulled his hand up to her mouth and kissed the back of it, softly, still not looking up at him. He reached up with his other hand and cupped her cheek, forcing her eyes to meet his. Maggie was an open book; the emotions he found there were almost painful.
There was no resisting the pull. Like being drawn by a magnet, John leaned in until their lips touched. The effect was instant. He felt like his lips were on fire, like he was breathing in heat, burning his lungs. Suddenly he couldn't get enough; he pulled Maggie closer, held on to her tighter, kissed her more deeply. It didn't matter that they were in the crowded airport where everyone could see. John didn't care that people were watching, that Henry was probably watching. In that moment it was just him and Maggie, finally where they were supposed to be, in each other's arms.
Just as suddenly, Maggie pulled away like a startled bird. Watching her walk away would have been too much, so he turned away. He couldn't handle any more heartbreak. It felt like a book closing on the final pages of there story. But this wasn't the happy ending he had been after. He put his hand out for support, leaning against the wall as he struggled to gather the strength to walk out of the airport.
Maggie
"Now boarding Delta flight 496 to Boston," the announcement overhead snapped Maggie out of the spell she was under. She pulled sharply away from John, instantly regretting the loss of his warmth and attention. He was staring into her eyes, searching for answers she wasn't sure she could provide. The announcement was made again. She had to make a decision, and she needed to make it soon. Her lips were stinging, her cheeks warm with embarrassment.
Standing up, Maggie quickly made her way back towards where Henry was still sitting. He had been watching, there was no doubt about that, judging from the look on his face. Every step away from John was a struggle as if she was swimming against the current in a riptide. That alone told her everything she needed to know. Henry stood up and silently held out her bag. "Henry, I just…" she couldn't find the words.
"Goodbye, Maggie." It felt final, the closure she had been looking for, ever since they first broke up those many months ago. She knew he had never given up hope, was always secretly biding his time. But now, Henry was finally letting her go with a sad smile. She was grateful for that. They would have never been happy together, something she had accepted a long time ago. She was, finally, truly free.
It felt like a burden was lifted off her shoulders as she turned around, only to find John wasn't where she had left him. There was a moment of panic before she spotted his broad shoulders a few steps away, slouched against the wall. Her heart ached; he thought she was leaving him. Well, there was only one way to fix that.
She ran over, her footsteps drawing his attention. John turned, eyes lighting up when they saw her. "You're staying here with me?" he asked, almost in disbelief. Maggie smiled up at him before she dropped her duffel bag and threw herself into his arms. This time she was the one that kissed him. Nothing had ever felt more natural or right than that moment. They had a lot to talk about, a lot to figure out, but none of it mattered just then. The only thing that mattered was the two of them, where they belonged, together at last.