CHAPTER 5
AM I GOING TO DISNEYLAND?
It was that weekend that heralded some of the worst days of my life. My Dad had to go to NASF in El Centro for the rest of the weekend to work with the Blue Angels. My brother asked my Dad if he could go up to Disneyland and stay overnight with Greg at a friend's place.
"What is your sister going to do? Who's going to look after her? No, you need to watch your sister."
"What if I take her to Disneyland with us? Can we go?"
He thought about it, "I guess..." My Dad trusted my brother completely. He gave him $35.00 for my ticket and food. When Dad left that Friday morning he told me to behave and listen to my brother. I gave my Dad a kiss, a happy hug, and then he left, giving me a wink as he closed the door.
I was so excited, I was going to Disneyland and I was going with Greg House. I put on my nice slacks, clean blouse and sensible shoes. I grabbed my sun hat.
My brother put my overnight bag in the trunk with his and Greg's stuff. I climbed in the back seat.
Greg saw me and immediately exploded, "What's she doing here?"
"I have to take her or we can't go. My Dad is gone this weekend."
Greg threw his jacket down on the ground in protest, "That's bull-shit man."
I was trying to be very good, extra quiet, so that Greg wouldn't be so upset that I was there. "Greg, I'll be really good on the rides, I won't scream and I won't barf, I promise."
Greg looked at my brother, "What is she talking about?"
"She thinks we're going to Disneyland. That's what I told my Dad so I could go. He'd never let me go if he knew we were going to a Led Zepplin concert."
"But what are we going to do with her?" Greg motioned towards me.
"Don't worry, I've got it all planned out."
"Aren't we going to Disneyland?" I asked.
"Stop your whining. No, we're not going to go to Disneyland, but you better tell Dad that we did." He was looking at me in the rear view mirror with a mean scowl and mean eyes.
"Christ, Jeff, you told your little sister that you were taking her to Disneyland and now you want her to lie for you when you don't? Boy, you are stone cold." Greg shook his head. "I don't like this, I"ve got really bad vibes."
Their concert was at 8:00 p.m. but they were suppose to hook up with some old friends of Jeffs to eat and get high. We arrived in Anaheim around 1:00 p.m. Jeff took us to the Westminster Mall near Anaheim. It was the largest mall I had ever seen; it was huge.
We parked and went inside, Jeff pulling me to the center of the shopping mall. "Ok, here's the plan. You stay here in the mall until 6:00 p.m. when it closes. Then you go across the parking lot to the movie theater. Stay in the theater until 11:30 p.m. and then come outside and we'll pick you up. Just don't tell anyone you're by yourself. And don't draw attention to yourself. Just be calm and normal."
"Oh, no man...you can't leave a nine year old kid in a shopping center and then a movie theater! There's got to be a better plan. What about your friends, don't they have parents that could watch her?" Greg asked, his face contorted wit a mixture of anger and dread.
"Nah, they're all living in dorms at USC. Hey, it will work. She's a smart kid, she'll do ok. Here Maggie, here's $10.00 for food and the movies. That should be more than enough. Ok, don't forget, I'll pick you up at 11:30 p.m. outside the movie theater."
"I can't do this Jeff. She's nine years old for Chris'sake. If something happens to her you'll never forgive yourself."
"Hell, if something happened to her it would be a blessing. Look at her Greg, she's got no Mom, no friends, no personality. She's a loser anyway...come on man...are you coming?"
I didn't want Greg to be sorry that I came with them so I acted brave and said, "It's ok Greg, I can take care of myself. My mom used to let me go to the shopping mall by myself all the time. I'll be ok. You go ahead." I lied to him, my parents never let me go anywhere by myself.
He shook his head and said with an almost soft voice, "Maggie May, this isn't a good idea."
"Come on...let's get going." Jeff was getting really pissed at Greg.
I waved Greg away. "Go ahead...I'll see you, I have to go pee, bye." I ran off so Greg would go. He watched me as I disappeared down an aisle. I peaked around and I could see Greg screaming at Jeff and Jeff sulking off. Greg looked around and then went with Jeff. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that Greg was very unhappy with my brother.
I spent the afternoon pretending I was Princess Leah with a big budget and could buy anything in the mall. Of course, Greg House was my prince and I needed to make sure he was taken care of too. I pretended to buy long dresses and nice shoes. I bought my pretend Prince a watch and some after shave cologne. I went from store to store to store doing this until it was 5 p.m. then I went to get some food at the food court. I ordered a slice of pizza and an Orange Julius. I was full and happy to be doing something-something different. The mall began closing down at 6:00 p.m. so I started my journey across the parking lot to the movie theater.
When I got to the multiplex, I discovered that there were three theaters. Not one of them had a G rated movie. I tried to get into each of the movies, Five Easy Pieces, Woodstock, and Joe, but they wouldn't sell a kid a ticket to an R rated movie without a parent. I was frightened. It was getting dark and I didn't really know what to do. I was wandering around the parking lot trying to look like I belonged. It was chilly and I didn't have a sweater, I'd left it in the car. I didn't know how I was going to spend 5 hours in the dark with no sweater. I sat on the curb for a half hour, then I sat on one of those concrete bumper guards, and finally I laid down on one of the cement benches outside of the theater. A woman came up to me and asked me if I was alone. I told her no, that my brother was parking the car. She looked suspiciously at me, but left me alone. About fifteen minutes later two security cops for the mall pulled up. One guy, the driver, was an older guy, about my Dad's age. The other guy wasn't much older than my brother.
"What are you doing here?" the older guy asked.
"Just waiting for my brother to park the car."
"Ok, mind if we wait with you?"
"Well, it might take a long time, he has a big car."
"That's ok, we can wait." the younger one said.
After ten minutes the older guy said, "Now, why don't you tell us what you are really doing here?"
I didn't want to get anyone in trouble so I told them that I had asked to be left off at the Mall because I didn't want to go with my brother to the concert and that he was coming soon to pick me up.
He put his warm hand on my shoulder and started to push me lightly towards the car, "You come with us and we'll call your parents."
My stomach did carmped up. I was going to be in a lot of trouble with my brother and Gret.
They took me to the security office, which was warm and cozy. After giving me hot chocolate, they asked me my name. "Maggie May Molloy." I gave them my home phone, but of course, no one was there. They told me that they might have to call child protective services and that's when I panicked. "No don't, there's another number." And I gave them the number to the Colonel and Mrs. House.
The older security guard was on the phone, "Yes, she gave us this number. She says her brother dropped her off and is going to pick her up but it's 8:00 p.m. and the manager of the theater says that she's been loitering for two hours now. Yes, take the Westminster exit and we're on the north side of the mall, the Security Office. Ok, two hours, fine." He hung up. "They're coming to pick you up. It's going to take them a couple of hours to get here from San Diego. Do you want to watch some television? "
I nodded and the old man pointed to leather couch that had duct tape holding a split in the leather together. I sat down and watched their twelve inch black and white television. We watched a rerun of The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
I was hoping Mrs. House would be the only one to show up, but it was both of them. Mrs. House looked relieved as she ran up to me and gave me a hug. "I'm ok. I was doing ok." But Colonel House was so angry his nostrils were flaring. He thanked security for not calling the cops and we went to the car.
"Maggie, you are gong to tell me everything and I mean everything. I don't want any lies, do you understand?" the Colonel ordered.
"Yes, sir." I told them the Reader's Digest version. They were going to a concert and I couldn't go. I was going to shop and then go to a movie for 5 hours and then they would pick me up. To me it all sounded perfectly sound and rational.
"I don't believe this," Col. House turned to Mrs. House shaking his head, "Do you believe this? Doesn't he have better sense than this...and we're going to let him go to Michigan? He's too immature."
I realized that they were blaming Greg. "Colonel, it wasn't Greg's fault. He tried to tell my brother not to do it. He fought with him about it. But my brother is the one who left me, not Greg, sir."
"Maggie, when you're older you're going to realize that this is just as much Greg's fault as your brother's. Greg knew better and he should have stayed with you. Now we have to figure out what to do. If they come back for you and you're not here, they may call the police. We need to wait until they come. They told you 23:30?"
"Yes, sir." I could convert military time since I was 5.
"Well, we'll go get some coffee and that should eat up some time doing that. Are you hungry sweetie?" He asked me.
"A little sir." So we went to a Bob's Big Boy and got some food. We wasted an hour until 11:15 p.m.
In the meantime, Greg had convinced one of the girls with them at the concert to give him a ride back to the theater. He hadn't been able to enjoy the concert at all. He kept looking at his watch and remembering that I had gotten out of the car without my sweater. The girl let him out at the theater at 10:45 p.m. I wasn't suppose to be out of the theater for another 45 minutes. Greg was worried and he didn't want to wait so he bought a ticket to get into the theater. None of the movies were G rated so he wondered which one I would be in. He searched each of the theaters calling out my name until finally the usher started to throw him out.
"Hey man...hey just wait a minute. Did you see a nine-year-old girl here this evening?" Greg asked.
"Oh, you mean the one we refused to let in because she wasn't 16? Yeah, well she hung around the parking lot for a couple of hours, but I haven't seen her for the last few hours."
From what he told me years later, it was then that Greg broke out in a cold sweat. He ran outside and started running through the parking lot yelling for me. "Maggie come on, I know you're mad at us, but I swear I didn't want to do this. Please, Maggie May, don't hide." After fifteen minutes of that, he was pretty sure I wasn't in the parking lot. He was shaking and he felt like barfing. He finally decided he better call the cops and report me missing just when we pulled up in the Colonel's car.
I jumped out and ran over to him, "I'm sorry Greg, I'm sorry, I had to call them." But he wasn't listening to me. He had crouched down on his knee and was hugging me. Then he saw his Mom and Dad and his face dropped. "Oh, Shit."
His father just shook his head in disgust. "Where's Jeff?"
"He's still at the concert, I got someone to give me a ride back."
"Oh, guilty conscience? You finally realized what a moron you had been?"
Blythe interrupted, "John, don't. Can't you see how upset he is? He obviously came back early..."
"That doesn't make it any better, Blythe. He wants to be treated like an adult, but he can't do the responsible thing in the first place. " He looked at Greg. "You really screwed up this time."
Surprisingly, Greg didn't argue, he just said, "I know. Believe me, I know." Greg was standing, but I was still holding onto him around his waist, his hand on top of my head like a big brother.
When it struck midnight and my brother hadn't showed, we all piled into the car and went home to San Diego. It was quiet in the car. I laid down on the seat in the back with my head in Greg's lap and went to sleep with his hand resting on my arm.
The Houses couldn't really ground Greg because he was an adult, but they did take away his driving privileges, except for work, for the rest of the time he was at home. He was also banned from being around Jeff. My father gave Jeff a tongue lashing, but nothing more. My Dad wasn't very good at doling out discipline. Besides Jeff told him it was Greg's idea. I felt horrible about Greg, I felt like it was my fault because I got caught.
It was about a week later that I was watching television and a photo of my Mom and the roofer was flashed on the television with a voice that said, "Woman slain by boyfriend in Kearny Mesa, details when we get back." I thought I was in a dream but just about then my Dad burst in through the door and ran and turned off the television. He was still in his uniform.
"Dad, is Mom dead?"
He looked disappointed that I had already seen something on the television. "Yes, honey, your Mom was killed this afternoon."
"Who did it?"
"The guy she was staying with...he got mad at her and stabbed her."
I didn't say anything after that. Because they were still technically married, my Dad went down to make arrangements for my Mom's cremation. Mrs. House came over to stay with me. When Dad got home he looked genuinely upset. I overheard him tell Mrs. House, "He must have stabbed her a dozen times...several in the face. I could hardly recognize her. You know, I still loved her."
"Rory, why don't I take Maggie for a few days. She won't be a bother and it's probably better if she is with someone full time for a few days."
"Thanks, Blythe, I appreciate it. That would be great."
Jeff was not my mother's son so he really didn't care one way or another if she was dead or alive. My Dad was sad for a long time. I was just numb. Being dead was the same as when she was with that guy– gone. I never saw her anyway. She hadn't bothered to call at all, even on my birthday. I guess it was easy to leave me, but I wondered how she could leave Dad? He was a good guy, nice looking and he was funny.
I went to stay in the guest room at the House's. When I went inside, I put my bag down and sat on the edge of the bed. Greg opened the door and peaked in. I was quiet. He walked in and sat next to me on the edge of the bed and put his hand on my shoulder. "Sorry, Maggie May."
"I'm sorry too. I wanted to tell you I'm sorry for getting caught by security. I should have run away."
"You didn't do anything wrong, Maggie May...we did. We screwed up and my Dad was right, but just don't tell him that I agree with him. Do you miss your Mom?"
"I don't think so. It feels the same as before...she's gone."
There was no memorial. My mom didn't have friends in San Diego and it didn't seem appropriate for us to celebrate the life of a woman who left her husband and daughter for a murderer. But Dad did let me take the ashes down to the pier on Point Loma and spread them. It was interesting because there were still bits of bone that hadn't vaporized to dust mixed in the ashes. I wondered what part of my mom I was holding between my fingers.
A few days later Mrs. House called my Dad and told him that I needed to see a doctor. I didn't know I was sick, but she said I was. My Dad came over.
"She isn't eating and she's getting too thin. I think her mother's death is really getting to her. She has to eat. Her pants are falling down and I can't stand watching her just fade away." Mrs. House told him.
"Blythe, she wasn't eating before the murder. I think this has something to do with Greg."
"You mean what happened in Los Angeles?"
"No, she stopped eating even before that. It was right after Greg got his scholarship and told her he was going away."
"What?" Blythe made a face like she didn't believe him.
"Haven't you noticed? My daughter has a huge crush on your son. She's even been having trouble concentrating at school. I don't know what to do. How did your parents handle your first crush?"
"Oh, wow, it makes sense. She acts strange around him. She sits under the piano whenever he plays; she was always hanging out in your garage with them. I can't imagine why she has a crush on him? I love my son, but he's a little on the prickly side for a young girl to worship."
"If you haven't noticed, Maggie is a little on the odd side. She can make friends easily, but she chooses not to. She's brilliant and scores high on all the tests, but she acts like she's an idiot sometimes. She lives in a fantasy world whenever she's alone. Your son may be prickly, but at least he's grounded. My daughter is so ethereal it's scary."
"Well, I know how to get her to eat."
For the next week, whenever the Houses and I sat down for a meal, Greg was there. Normally, he ate on the run or in his bedroom, but he started eating at the table. And I sat by him and ate whatever he suggested I eat.
I heard Greg tell his mother, "I don't know how you're going to get her to eat when I leave."
"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it."
Christmas was spent at the House's. I saved up my allowance and bought my Dad a t-shirt that said he was the "World's Greatest Dad." I got Jeff a cassette he wanted. I bought Mrs. House a locket. I had asked her if she had any photos of Greg she didn't want and she gave me one. I cut it out and put his photo in the locket. She really seemed to like it. I gave the Colonel a Padres ball cap. And for Greg, I bought him the piano sheet music to, "Maggie May." When he opened it, he smiled as if he understood. He gave me a peck on the cheek, "Thanks Maggie May."
I got a lot of gifts that year, more than I was used to getting, but the gift I loved the best was Greg's. It wasn't new and shiny, it wasn't pretty and feminine, he gave me one of his two old acoustical guitars. "I want to hear some songs on that when I come back next summer." That guitar was going to be my lifeline through high school. It would take away the loneliness and it gave me a connection to others who also played music. I loved the guitar and when my Dad offered to replace it when I was in high school, I told him no. But I did let him buy me an electric guitar with an amplifier!
Greg left. His Dad and he packed up the truck my Dad had loaned them and when it was time to go he gave his mom a hug and a kiss and told her not to cry. He said goodbye to everyone else and then he came over to me. He took his hand and ruffled the top of my head. "You be good. Eat something and work on that guitar." He didn't give me a kiss or a hug. He just walked over to the truck got in and he was gone.
To say I was lost would be the world's greatest understatement. I didn't let anyone see me cry because I knew they would start to worry. I made sure that I ate so that no one would suspect how miserable I was. I studied hard in school and brought my grades up. But the effort to get through each miserable day was so much that I didn't have any energy left for friends or television or anything except my guitar.
My report cards in fourth, fifth and sixth are glowing except that they each say, "She doesn't seem to have any friends."
Greg didn't come back for the summer. He got a job in Michigan and stayed up there. The Houses flew up and saw him once during the summer, but of course I didn't get to see him. The next time I saw him was Thanksgiving.
"Maggie May! You've grown!" he put one arm around my shoulder from the side and gave my shoulders a quick squeeze.
"You have a beard."
"Boy you're quick," he said sarcastically. "Yeah, do you like it?"
"It's pretty full, isn't it? I guess it's ok." I was ten years old and didn't appreciate what it takes to grow a full beard. His beard was about two inches long but well trimmed. His blue eyes were highlighted by all of the reddish brown hair.
I spent the Thanksgiving secretly keeping tabs on Greg House. When he left to go back to school I got a tussled hair thing and a quick goodbye. "See you at Christmas."
But we didn't see him at Christmas. He went skiing with some friends instead of coming home. I didn't see him again until the following Thanksgiving when I was eleven. He didn't have a beard or long hair. He was strikingly handsome.
"What happened to all your hair?" I asked.
"I'm interviewing for Medical Schools. I need to look the part.."
At the beginning of 1980 my Dad received orders for Pensicola, Florida. We were going to leave in one month. In the meantime, my brother had been accepted at Cal Tech for their Masters program. I was glad to be rid of him. He was bitter, mean and a slob. I constantly had to pick up after him and wash his clothes. I stayed with the Houses while my Dad drove Jeff and his crap up to Cal Tech. Colonel House had retired and they were doing a lot of traveling, but they were home this weekend and agreed to watch me.
That night there was a knock on the door. I heard Colonel House open the door and ask, "What can I do for you officers?"
Mrs. House and I looked at each other when we met in the hall. I kept thinking as I raced through the hall, Police? My God, had something happened to Greg? We both hurried towards the front door.
"Oh, oh no...oh my God that poor girl." Colonel House sounded devastated and heartbroken. Mrs. House must have realized when she heard him say, "poor girl' that it had something to do with me, because she grabbed me and held me still so that I wouldn't go all the way to the front door.
The police left and Colonel House closed the door, looked at me, then Mrs. House and then me again.
"John, what is it?'
"Maggie, honey, it was very bad news. Oh dear, this isn't easy. Maggie, a large truck lost its brakes on the freeway and hit your Dad head on. Both he and your brother are gone:"
Mrs. House drew in a breath and shuddered, "Oh my God." She clutched me tightly to her. I was stunned.
"Gone?" I wasn't sure what he meant.
"Dead."
"Oh."
Surprisingly, I didn't cry at first. I was too much in shock. For the next week I was silent most of the time and I started to lose weight again. My Dad was cremated and his ashes were interred at Fort Rosecrans. My brother's ashes were spread out at sea. To a twelve year old, the ritual of death seemed to go on forever. People fawned over me and made tsk, tsk sounds and tried to tell me platitudes about my family. I didn't find that comforting. I finally broke down at the reception the Houses gave.
I yelled at a woman who had told me that my family was in a better place, "Well, tell me, if my entire family is in a better place then why didn't they take me? Why did they leave me behind if they were going somewhere so good?" I had started crying for the first time. Mrs. House was crossing the room towards me when I felt long fingers on my shoulder.
"They left you behind to torment us." It was Greg.
I turned and hugged him. By now I had grown enough that I was level with his breast bone. He hugged me back. Later when everyone left I laid down on the couch, put my head in his lap and went to sleep. It was the first time I had felt safe since my Dad had died.
Chapter 6
Little Orphan Maggie
After my Mom died, my Dad had redrafted his will making the Houses my guardians if something happened to him . The court approved it with little fanfare. I had other family, but they were distant cousins who lived in Pennsylvania and my Dad told me they were holy rollers, whatever that meant. I wanted to stay in California with the Houses. They seemed more like family to me than my cousins. I told the court this during the hearing and so the judge brought down the gavel and I went home with them.
There was a lawsuit against the trucking company that hit my father's car. I was kept out of it for the most part except that I had to give a deposition. After my deposition, the case settled for what Mrs. House said was, "Quite a chunk of money for someone to get when they're 18."
The funeral reception was the last time I saw Greg House for six years. He had excuses for his parents at every holiday. Sometimes they would fly up to see him, but he didn't bother to come home. When he graduated from the University of Michigan he didn't walk, he told his parents it was a waste of money and time. He took off for Baltimore to start his med school at Johns Hopkins. At one point there was some kind of scandal and Greg almost didn't get to graduate from Hopkins. He was denied an internship and barred from Hopkins for the year of his internship. He went back to Michigan to start his year as an intern.
I didn't miss Greg as much in junior and high school because there was so much to do to get ready for college. I also made friends in high school because of my guitar playing. I had brought it to school to give a presentation on old English folk songs. We were studying the history of 18th and 19th century England. Some of the kids in school who also played guitar came up to me afterwards. Within a few minutes we had bonded. I joined a rock band and played electric guitar. We called ourselves the "Morons." I loved the name, it sounded cool. When someone asked, "Are you morons?" We could answer sincerely, "yes." We were pretty good and played several events. I was the only girl in the band and the guys all felt it was their duty to protect me. A couple of them had major crushes on me, but I was oblivious to the attention of males. I didn't think I was attractive, so I didn't believe the flattery some of the guys heaped on me. I thought that high school boys would do anything to get you to have sex with them. So I ignored them. Unfortunately, I ignored them so well that I had no one to go with to the prom. Our band was playing the first half of the prom so I had to go. I was a little embarrassed when I was asked where my date was because I didn't have one. In fact, I overheard some of the girls making fun of me in the bathroom. "She doesn't have a date because she's so 'weird.'" I didn't care, I would be out of high school soon and these girls would be a thing of the past.
Graduating as Valedictorian, I was expected to give a speech. I had originally written it with some very cutting jokes about the cliques in school and a scathing criticism of the immaturity of most of the people in high school. But when I practiced it, I saw a horrified look on Blythe's face so I knew I had to rewrite it. I toned it down and she let out a deep sigh of relief. John and Blythe had asked me to call them by their first names when I turned sixteen, but it took me awhile to get used to it. They had been incredibly good to me and I loved both of them dearly. Moody and broody as a teen, I thought I was horrible, but they didn't seem to think so. They said I was a piece of cake after Greg. I received a graduation card from Greg. His mom was genuinely surprised that I got anything since he typically blew those things off.
My money, which had been placed in a locked account until I was 18, was ready to be disbursed to me. Blythe and John took me to meet with a financial advisor. I was shocked to find that with the life insurance and settlement, I had 2.2 million dollars to my name. I decided to invest all but 200,000 in long term investments. I was going to use the 200,000 to buy a new car, sundries and pay for tuition at the University of my choice. With my grades and my money, I could write my dance card anywhere. I decided to major in English at Georgetown University.
It was just about the same time that I was graduating that we learned Greg was going to do his first Internal Medicine residency at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Housing was tight so Greg had leased a three-bedroom house about half an hour south of the hospital. I was having trouble getting housing back east too. The dorms were full and the Houses were very worried that I would end up in a bad neighborhood since we weren't familiar with the D.C. area. I was on the list to get first choice of dormitory space in the spring semester, but for fall I had to fend for myself.
I overheard Blythe call Greg, "You're place is half way between Baltimore and D.C.; it's perfect for her. You can keep an eye on her and make sure she gets settled into her campus." There was a pause, I strained to hear what Blythe was saying, "Greg, we paid for that expensive education of yours, you can do this for Maggie...No, you're going to do this for Maggie. It's only for one semester until she can get into the dorms at Georgetown." There was another pause, "Yes, of course she's willing to pay rent, just don't take advantage of her money. Yes, one semester, that's it. She's been guaranteed a room next semester. Okay, it's settled." They talked for a few more minutes and then she hung up. Blythe really missed her son, but she never showed it to anyone but me. I think she knew I missed him too.
Blythe was crying and John was choking up when I waved goodbye to them at the airport and walked through security. I felt like I was starting a whole new life and leaving my childhood behind. The Houses had been my rock and my soft place to land. They had been both kind and stern when I needed it. It took a lot to take in a twelve-year-old with all of my baggage and raise her. I just hoped that I could make them proud of me.
I wasn't happy about staying with Greg. He was 27 now and I'm sure he thought he was going to be babysitting me. In his mind, I was still twelve. I was only 18 but I wasn't the cute pixie-cut little girl anymore. I had changed. Most of the girls at my high school had perms and lots of makeup. I had shoulder length light blonde hair, no perm and I wore a minimum amount of makeup. I wore jeans a lot and cotton shirt or t-shirts. I was 5'4", 117 lbs. and most guys I met told me I was very attractive. I still didn't see it.
I arrived in Washington D.C. and rented a car. I had to go to one of the local "rent a wrecks" because I was so young the big chains wouldn't lease to me. Flying in a month before classes started, I wanted to get my bearings. I had decided to use the rental until I could buy a new car. After receiving the keys to the car, I found Piney Woods Drive on the rental car map and started driving north. It was close to 7:00 p.m. Greg had told us he had the day off and would be home when I got there. I drove up the street and found the address. It was hot as hell. Although I was used to heat, I wasn't used to the east coast humidity. The house was wood-framed and probably forty years old. It was in fairly good shape with a nice front porch and storm doors that hadn't been removed for the summer.
I was nervous. I didn't know what to expect out of him and that made me anxious. Pulling my two suitcases up the steps to the front door, I knocked. No answer. I knocked again. No answer. I tried the door knob and it was open. I opened the door and carried the two cases inside, looking around. The place was very quiet. I walked down the hall and opened a door and jumped back. Greg was sleeping on his back and there was a woman next to him also asleep, they were both naked. I ran back down the hall. I must have made a lot of noise, because a few seconds later a very tired Greg House yelled, "Maggie? Is that you?"
"Yes, Greg." My voice cracked with embarrassment; I had never seen Greg naked.
The door opened and he walked out to the living room in his boxers. He was over six feet and he had fleshed out a little with nice defined muscles, no fat. And judging from what I saw in bed, he had fleshed out down there too. Greg House was hot and I was going to be living with him for four months.
He stopped in his tracks and did a double take, "Whoa, you're all grown up. Jesus, when did you develop that body? I was going to hug you but that might lead to something embarrassing so I'll just point you in the right direction. Your room is down the hall opposite of mine. I just got off of a 72-hour rotation so I was getting some sleep."
The woman came out to the living room in her bra and panties. She stood next to House and waited for him to do introductions. "Maggie, this is ...Mandy?"
"Cheryl. My name is Cheryl. Glad to meet you. I work with Dr. House at the hospital." I was taken back, having forgotten that Greg was now a doctor. Cheryl went into the kitchen to get some water and I looked at Greg. "You had sex with her and you don't know her name?"
I was taken back, having forgotten that Greg was now a doctor. Cheryl went into the kitchen to get some water and I looked at Greg. "You had sex with her and you don't know her name?"
"I ...hey, we were at a bar, she came on to me and I brought her home and screwed her. Welcome to the 80's."
"Haven't you heard of that new disease, AIDS?"
"Are you my mother?"
I shut my mouth, grabbed my suitcases and went to the back where my room was. I opened the door and there was nothing in the room. "Greg? Where am I suppose to sleep?"
"I told Mom it was an unfurnished room. The couch is pretty comfortable if you sleep at the end with the grape stain on it."
I walked out to the living room and Greg was hunched over Cheryl, giving her a deep sexual kiss. This wasn't going to work. It reminded me of those days that he would kick me out of the garage when he was having sex with his "girlfriends." I walked past him and into the kitchen. It was a cute kitchen with a table and four chairs in the middle of it. Of course I couldn't find anything in the cabinets to cook or eat. I walked back out and they were obviously back in his bedroom. I could hear them through the walls.
She was screaming, "Oh Greg, oh Greg." A minute later I heard Greg, sounding like he was in pain screaming, "Oh God, Oh God" and then it was silent.
I couldn't believe what I had gotten myself into. Sitting on the couch, I looked around. I was in a one man Frat house. I grabbed my keys and purse and took off to go grocery shopping. I found a Super Wal-mart that was open and bought a blow up bed, some linens, a pillow, some nice pots and pans, a tea kettle and then some groceries. My stuff from home was being shipped and should arrive any day. When I arrived back at the house, Greg was on the couch, alone, drinking a beer and watching television.
"Help me get the bags in." I told him.
"You are my Mom." He got up and went outside in his boxer shorts and brought in some of the bags.
"Put on some clothes before you go out there again."
"Are you going to nag me the whole time you're here?"
"Depends, are you going to act like a frat boy the whole time I'm here?"
"I liked you better when you were a pathetic nine-year-old. Now you're a hot mean 18-year-old." He went back out and brought in the rest of the bags.
I was putting things away in the kitchen when he came in and sat down at the table. He watched me like I was performing some Olympic event. I finally turned around and gave him the evil eye. We stared at each other.
"I still can't believe how gorgeous you turned out. God, you must have had boys hanging off of you in high school."
"Greg, I always expect you to tell me the truth. Please don't start lying now."
"What do you mean?" He was clearly confused.
"I know you're exaggerating."
"How beautiful you are? I'm not exaggerating, I wouldn't do that. Hasn't anyone told you before?"
"Yes, but you know how guys will do anything..."
"To get in your pants? Boy, if you were older, I'd stand in line. Maggie, you are gorgeous, enjoy it. Rarely does someone get the trifecta, brains, beauty and personality."
I smirked, "How do you know I have a personality?"
"Hmm, you may have something there." He yawned, "I have to go back to the hospital in the morning, but I should get off and be home around 8:00 p.m."
"Why so late?"
"Nature of the beast. Part of doing your residency. But then I have two days off in a row. I can show you around then."
"Sounds good, now do you want a sandwich?"
"Sure."
I made him a sandwich, cut up some fruit and poured him some milk. He ate and drank it all and then belched. Since belching contests between Greg and my brother had been a common occurrence, this didn't surprise me. I washed up and sat down with him to watch some television. At no time did he even bother to get up and put any clothes on. I was amused because I was sure that little gap in the front of his boxers was going to open up and I'd get another view of the family jewels, but luckily for me, it didn't.
On the way to bed, he turned around and smiled at me, "Damn girl, you are fly. I half expected a pig-tailed, freckle-faced, overgrown Pollyanna. It's good to see you didn't turn out all funky." He should his head, "I can't get over it. Welcome to the east coast, Maggie May. Good night."
The next day he was already out the door when I got up. I went in and stripped Greg's bed. It was worn and lumpy, obviously, it had been a hand-me-down because it was as old as God. There were books everywhere, just lying around supporting bottles of whiskey, Tequila, bongs and various journals. I went shopping.
I found a road where there were several furniture stores in a row. I bought a couch with a fold out bed for the living room. It was a nice short taupe velveteen with Scotchguard and it was incredibly comfortable. I got Greg a recliner made out of brown leather. I bought two lamps, one a floor lamp for reading, the other a beautiful ginger jar with a gorgeous taupe and black marbling. I bought a 27 inch Sony Trinitron and a stand for it. I purchased six bookshelves made of maple wood and stained a reddish brown, two for Greg's room, two for mine and two for the living room. I bought two full beds, one for me and one for Greg. I bought a chest of drawers, a nightstand and a headboard to match mine. I picked up some drapes for my room and I went to a linen store and bought nice, high count sheets for my bed. I figured Greg could have the ones I just bought for the blow-up bed. Everything was going to be delivered in four days. I had a hard time convincing the store that my credit card was good. Not too many 18 year olds walk in and buy $5,000 worth of furniture and televisions.
I drove by the car lots and thought that I would buy a Honda Civic. They were reliable and got good gas mileage. I pulled into the lot and looked around. Of course a car salesman immediately approached me with a phony smile. I didn't feel comfortable haggling with him. I was too young and I knew nothing about making a big purchase. Maybe Greg can help me. I looked at the car, got brochures and noted the best price the guy gave me. I got back to the house around 6:00 p.m., and called Blythe and John to let them know I was well. We talked for awhile and when John got off the phone, Blythe asked me all kinds of questions about Greg. I told her that he was incredibly handsome, healthy and as cocky as ever.
She laughed, "At least he's met his match."
"What do you mean?"
"He won't be able to run rings around you. I've never seen a more mature 18-year-old in my life."
"I'd like to think I can stand up to him, but he is Greg."
"I know that, so you be careful. No more mooning over him. Give him a big kiss and a hug for me. Love you."
"Love you too. Bye."
I went in and started making beef stroganoff and pasta. I also made a salad. Around 8:30 that night, he pulled into the driveway. Walking in wearing surgical scrubs, he flopped on the couch, looking very tired. I came out and brought him a cold beer. Looking up at me, he grabbed the beer.
"Dinner is served, Master." I gave a little bow.
He picked himself up and went into the kitchen and sat down. I dished out the pasta and put the stroganoff on top. He grabbed the salad and put some on his plate. We ate in silence but we kept looking up at each other until he started grinning and then, with a full mouth, he said, "What?"
"How did it go today?"
And then the floodgates opened. He described every patient he saw, down to the color of their nails and tongues. He was on a high, he loved trying figuring out what was wrong with people during his rotation through the Infectious Disease department.
"Do you want some more?" I asked, holding up a ladle.
"Mmm..." he held out his plate for me to fill it up. "I recognize this, it's my mom's recipe."
"Yep."
"Cool, I have a repackaged mother. My mom, her attitude, her recipes, her nagging, but all in a hot 18-year-old body. Wow!" He was making faces and laughing at me.
I cleaned up and we watched a movie on television. Afterward, I went to bed and he stayed up to watch something else. When I woke up in the morning, I took a walk around the neighborhood before it got too hot. It was, I assumed, a typical east coast neighborhood with wood-framed and brick homes. None of the homes were made of stucco like in California. I vaguely remembered living in a brick house in Norfolk, Virginia when I was five. The homes here all had much larger yards than in California. It was a nice neighborhood. It surprised me that Greg had picked it, but then when he told me what he paid in rent, I realized it was cheap and that appealed to him. Greg had a funny way of looking at money. He scrimped on the everyday things so he could splurge on the best toys or the best time.
When I walked into the house, Greg was walking around the kitchen in his boxers, yawning, scratching his genitals and making coffee. If I hadn't been raised with a brother it might have disturbed me; as it was, it seemed normal. I made tea for myself.
"I need to buy a car, can you help me?"
"You need money? I thought you were loaded?"
"No, I meant I need for you to help me negotiate a good deal for a car. I want to get a Honda Civic or even a Toyota Corolla."
"Whimp. Those are girlie cars. Get a 250Z or a Corvette."
"In case you haven't noticed, I am a girl."
"God, with those breasts and the wiggle in those hips, how can I forget it? Yeah, we can swing by and buy you a car."
We spent the entire morning buying a car. I got a blue Honda Civic with a cassette deck and Fischer speakers. Greg's sarcasm and bluntness helped me get a great deal. I got to drive the car off the lot. Actually, Greg drove it and I drove the rental back to the airport to turn it in. Then we went down to Washington D.C. and walked the Georgetown area.
"Man, you are something," he chuckled.
"What do you mean?"
"Every guy who has walked by has been eyeing you up and down and you're blind to it all."
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Bull. You know what effect you're having. I just love watching men watch you. It's rather funny. One guy just barely missed a telephone pole."
"Oh be quiet. You're annoying me."
"Hey, if you weren't my little sister, I'd be walking into poles too."
"I'm not your sister."
"Yeah, tell my parents that."
We had dinner and then saw a movie, Platoon. Greg slumped down in the chair and gobbled down the popcorn. I manage to grab a few handfuls, but that was it. We talked about the movie and the war and what effect it had on our respective Dads. It was interesting to be able to talk about it to the son of another fighter pilot. It was great talking to him. We had adult discussions about lots of issues. Greg disagreed with almost all of my opinions, but I held firm against his tirade of personal insults. During our conversations, I was called an idiot, a moron, imbecile and piece of fluff. But I didn't let it bother me, it was just Greg.
We got home around 9:00 p.m. and Greg called someone. It must have been a woman because he asked her to stay in the hot tub, he'd be right over. He went to his room, got some clothes and on his way out he said, "Don't wait up, I'll see you tomorrow."
I yelled at him as he started down the porch stairs, "Don't forget the condoms...remember AIDS."
"Go to bed, Mom."
He came back to the house around noon. I had spent most of the morning cleaning the house up and straightening Greg's closet.
"Jesus, how am I suppose to find anything now? Leave my stuff alone." He seemed genuinely mad at me.
"Bite me."
He jerked his head back as if he hadn't quite heard me and then smiled. "You have a mouth on you!"
"Yeah, and you think with your dick."
He started laughing. "Can't argue with that."
The next morning he got up, grabbed some coffee and on his way out moaned, "Don't expect me home for a few days. I have a 36-hour rotation and I'll be at the hospital. If a woman calls, tell her to keep her motor running."
The furniture arrived a few hours after Greg left. I had them haul away the old couch and bed. When I looked around I realized that there was no art work and that we needed living room tables and rugs for the hardwood floors.
I made my bed and then went to make Greg's. If the last few days were any measure, this bed was going to get a workout. I looked around and found a framed photo of the Houses stuck in his bottom drawer. I took it out of his drawer and put it in my room. At the bottom of the top drawer was a photo of Greg and me thathad been taken at Thanksgiving when I was eleven. He looks like the big brother that Jeff never was to me. I took that photo too and bought a frame for it. I put it on his dresser and waited to see if he noticed it.
After I went on my second spending spree and bought tables, drapes and art work, I was happy with the way the house looked. It looked like a home. I wondered what Greg was going to say. I doubted he would give me any compliments, he wasn't a positive kind of guy.
When he pulled into the drive I had just finished eating a small plate of the spaghetti I made. He got out with a bag of dirty clothes and came in, took one look, stepped back outside, and then came back in.
"What the fu..."
"Shut up, there's spaghetti on the stove and garlic bread in the oven."
"What the hell did you do?"
"I bought some furniture I could live with. I'm going to leave most of it with you when I move into the dorm, so don't get your shorts in a bind."
"And you think I want all of this?"
"Not today, not tomorrow, but in four months you will. Do you want spaghetti or not?"
He was silent and started to walk down the hall to his bedroom. When he opened the door there was a string of expletives and some banging around. I got up, went into the kitchen and put some spaghetti on a plate, poured the sauce over it, topped it with an Italian sausage, put some Italian green beans on the side and cut off a piece of garlic bread. By the time he got back out to the kitchen he was still fuming, but the expletives had run their course.
"How was work?" I asked as he got a beer out of the refrigerator and sat down to eat. He gave me the silent treatment. "Look, don't make me get tough with you, I know where you're ticklish Greg House."
"Not anymore. I'm tough now."
"Yeah, and I'm gorgeous."
He rolled his eyes. His mouth was full of garlic bread. He continued to eat like there was no tomorrow. I sat down with a diet coke and watched him eat. "Any dengue fever?"
I sat down with a diet coke and watched him eat. "Any dengue fever?"
He gave a quick laugh. "I'm mad at you so shut up."
"But your furniture was crap, your bed was a lump."
"But I didn't have to worry about it, I didn't care if it got dirty or wrecked. I hate change."
"Oh God, Gregory House, grow up. You'll get used to it."
"For an 18-year-old you have a real attitude. It's not attractive. Did you inherit this from your Mom, was she a bitch?"
"Well, if you'll excuse me, my childhood wasn't exactly warm and cozy...I've had to toughen up myself. I'm a one man family. You have your parents to fall back on if something happens."
"My parents love you more than they do me. At least my Dad does."
"You, Gregory House, are an idiot. You wouldn't believe how often I hear your Dad bragging about his son the doctor. He loves you dearly, he just doesn't understand you. He doesn't understand how a guy with everything becomes so bitter and unhappy."
"Your cooking."
"What?"
"Your cooking makes me bitter and unhappy. Can you get me another plate." It was an order, not a request.
I got him his spaghetti and then went into the living room to finish watching, "Saturday Night Fever" on television. After he took his shower he came out and sat on the couch with me.
"I bought you something for your birthday." I told him.
"My birthday was two months ago. Maggie, you need to spend some of that money on yourself, buy yourself some new clothes, the ones you wear don't do you justice."
"Oh, and I suppose you'd like me to wear that low cut crap the girls you bring home wear?"
"That or you could just go naked and save the money."
I went into my room and brought out a box for him. He opened it and smiled. "Wow, a CD player. Thanks. And thanks for dinner, even if it did give me heartburn."
Compact disks had only been around a few years and the cost to purchase one was still on the high side, but I knew that Greg would appreciate the quality of music on the CDs, which was much better than cassettes. I gave him another package all wrapped in birthday paper. "You need some CDs to go with that." He opened them up and smiled when he saw each one. There were six CDs. One was Rod Stewart's, "Every Picture Tells a Story" album, Hendrix's "Are You Experienced." Frank Sinatra's Greatest Hits, Muddy Waters, Mick Jagger's new album and a collection of classical pieces.
He reached over and gave me a friendly peck on my cheek, "Thanks."
We hooked up the stereo, or I should say, I hooked up the stereo, and listened to each album. I made Greg put on headphones so he could hear just how clear the disks were.
"Oh man, I can hear the conductor's baton on the podium! Wow."
During the week I spent most of my time cleaning house, cooking, doing laundry and getting to know Washington D.C. I spent time in the Smithsonian, the mint, the FBI building and the Shakespeare Museum. I even took a tour of the White House. When I got home I always had something interesting to tell Greg. He would tell me about his patients. We got along very well and I think he was enjoying having me around. He did mention that he wanted to get in another boarder to help pay the lease. I didn't object, I would have enjoyed the company when Greg was on rotation. But he never quite got around to finding someone, I think he liked things the way they were. I was his own personal maid.
It was the end of the summer and I was going to start school on Tuesday. Greg came home and asked, "Do you want to go to a Labor Day picnic with some of the people I work with? I'm going to take a date, but it would be a good thing for you to come too, you'd meet some new people. It's going to be at one of the doctor's house, they'll have a pool, volley ball, drink and food."
"Doctors?" I was a little leery. I didn't think doctors would be interested in me.
"Yeah, mostly doctors... young doctors. This is the best time to get your clutches into one, he won't even think to ask for a pre-nup. By the time you get a divorce, he'll be rolling in money and you can get substantial alimony."
"You forget that money isn't one of my worries."
"That's true. Well come anyway, you'll enjoy yourself, it's Saturday."
"Okay, if you think I won't look too dorky."
"You'll look dorky, but come anyway."
I stuck my tongue out at him.
I went out to buy myself something new to wear to the picnic. I walked into Macy's and asked the woman to help me pick out something that, "...did me justice." The lady said that it wouldn't take much.
She picked out a pair of denim shorts and a ribbed tank top that showed more cleavage than I was used to showing. Then I bought a new bathing suit. I bought a one piece but it dipped down in the front so far that I wasn't sure my girls would stay put if I did swim. It also had a french cut, so it came up my sides pretty far and down in the back to just above my crack. I felt more naked in it than I did in any of the bikinis I owned. But the woman said it was the best suit I had tried on and it "worked" my figure.
"Honey, if they don't notice you in this, then they're blind or gay."
I took my packages home and when the big day came I put on my suit under my top and shorts. I packed some underwear, suntan lotion, a beach towel and a visor. I walked out to the living room to go and House whistled.
'"Now those shorts show your assets. That top isn't bad either. You've got a nice set of tits." He wiggled his eyebrows, "Let's go."
We picked up a very pretty brunette nurse, "Maggie, this is ...Terry?"
"Joanne. Hi, nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you."
He looked in the rear-view mirror and I just shook my head in frustration. He didn't even know her name...again.
We got to the house and it was huge and had a beautiful pool in the back. There was a volleyball court to the side. Greg got a beer for him and his date. I grabbed a diet coke. We walked over to a group of young guys and women.
"Maggie, this is...oh hell, you guys introduce yourselves. I'm going to play volleyball."
When Greg got over to the court I saw him talking to three guys and then looking over at Joanne and me. He told me later that they were asking him how a guy as miserable and cranky as he was scored two hot dates to a picnic.
"The gorgeous, intelligent blonde isn't my date, she's my roomie."
"Oh man." They got on their knees and started bowing, "We are not worthy, we are not worthy..."
"No, no, no... it isn't like that, she's kind of like my sister."
"Well, you know what they say, incest is a family affair." They all laughed as Greg shook his head and jumped into the game.
It was blazing hot and I wanted to go into the pool but no one was in it. I waited and then finally four guys jumped in to play "Marco Polo." I went to the other side of the pool where the diving board was and started to take my clothes off. I looked up and all the guys were watching me, even the volleyball game had stopped and they were staring. I felt like putting on my clothes again and running away. I gathered my courage and walked straight out to the edge of the diving board and landed a perfect dive. When I came up everyone was clapping. The game started up again and within minutes the pool was filled with guys, each one trying to talk to me. I was a little nervous about all the attention. I looked over at Greg and he looked back at me with his thumbs up.
One of the guys in the pooled yelled out, "Hey House, mind if I ask your roomie out?"
"You know, she's just 18."
"Good, she's not jail bait."
"If she'll go out with you, fine. But she's very picky."
I gave my telephone number to just about anyone who asked. I figured it was time I started dating and this was a great place to meet guys who could at least talk about something more than sports.
I got out of the water and grabbed a few chips and a drink. Greg was getting something to eat too, "I think you better put something on or cover up or we're going to have a lot of incredibly frustrated guys."
"You told me to get something that suited my figure better."
"Well, it certainly does that." As he stood there he kept looking me up and down, then he shook his head as if to get the image out of his mind. "Remind me to put a lock on your bedroom door." And then he walked away. I turned my attention to some of the guys lurking around me.
Of course that night I had to turn up the television to drown out the noise from Greg's bedroom. Joanne was a screamer. Greg popped out of the room after an hour, smiled at me, grabbed two beers and went back into his room. I went to bed and began to think about the day. All the compliments, all the flirting, and all the men went through my head, but the only comment that stuck was about the lock on my door. I realized at that moment that I envied Joanne.
Greg had forgotten to check the answering machine when we got home the night before. The next morning he took one look at it, "16 messages?" It was full. Every guy at the picnic must have called asking me out. Greg had the look of someone who just ate something distasteful. "Did you give write your phone number on the bathroom wall? For a good time call Greg House's roomie?" He sighed and looked at me with a frown, "I think you need protection. Are you on the pill?"
"None of your business. Which of those guys should I call back?"
"Charles Weston's a straight shooter and Nick Perna is a good guy too. The rest are losers and guys who just want to screw you."
"Are all of the doctors promiscuous?"
"Pretty much. It's hard to keep a relationship going when you're working 90 hours a week."
"So you, you just want a quick screw and no attachments?
"That about sums it up. I'm just a pig, rutting around."
I remembered Charles Weston being rather good looking and polite, so I called him back. We made a date to go out the next weekend. I spent Monday, Labor Day, trying to calm my nerves, I was excited about starting college the next day.