Arg, yeah, so this was supposed to be my last chapter, but I got a bit carried away with the old lady's advice. So unless the same thing happens again there should only eight chapters. I hope you enjoy it!
Major-Baby
Margaret pulled into the parking lot of a small diner in upstate Vermont. It was nearing seven o'clock and she still wasn't certain where she was headed. She shivered as she climbed out of her car. As she headed inside she looked around for a clothing store, she really needed a change of clothes.
"Where's a payphone?" Margaret asked a waitress, who was busy juggling five plates. The woman nodded towards the back of the room and Margaret hurried around the crowded tables.
She dropped in a few coins and pulled out the crumpled sheet of paper with the hotel's number on it. Margaret pulled Hawkeye's coat more tightly around her, she had forgotten to give it back earlier. She blushed slightly at the stares she was receiving as a result of her wrinkled evening gown and tangled hair.
"Hello this is…"
"Is this Samuel Matthews?" Margaret interrupted.
"Oh," the boy sighed deeply. "Hello Miss Houlihan."
"Well," she began impatiently. "What did he say?" Margaret closed her eyes, silently praying that Jeremy didn't act irrationally.
"It's been a nightmare ever since he got that note Ma'm." Margaret groaned, she should have known better.
"Mr. Welling wants to make sure that I get fired, I don't know what I'm going to do if I lose this job." He whined. "He's making a big deal about it, insisting that it's some kidnapping plot and I'm a part of it." The boy was obviously miserable and Margaret felt a large pang of guilt for involving him.
"I'll call him and settle everything." Margaret said quietly.
"I sure would appreciate it Ma'm." He responded gratefully. "Oh, Miss Houlihan, some guy called for you. I didn't catch his name but he seemed pretty worried about you."
Margaret smiled, she knew who had called. "Thank you Samuel; and don't worry, I'll settle everything with Mr. Welling."
The boy said thank you once again and Margaret hung up the phone and then began to dial an all-too-familiar number.
A man answered the phone harshly and Margaret sighed. "Hello Jeremy." She said quietly.
"Good God, Margaret, baby, are you alright?"
Margaret rolled her eyes. "Did Samuel give you my note?"
There was silence on the other end of the line and for a moment, Margaret wondered if he had hung up.
"So you did write it?" Margaret replied that she had and Jeremy cursed loudly.
"What did I do wrong Margaret? I could have given you all you ever wanted!" Margaret smiled sadly and shook her head
"No Jeremy, you couldn't have. A friend helped me realize that you couldn't give me what I want the most." She paused and took a shaky breath. "I need someone who loves me, Jeremy. Someone who really cares about me and is willing to…"
"Baby, I do care about you." He interrupted.
"No Jeremy," Margaret replied harshly. "Now I trust that you will stop this nonsense about the boy who gave you the note?"
Jeremy mumbled another curse and Margaret hung up the phone.
She sighed heavily and sunk into an empty booth. She was exhausted; all she wanted to do was take a hot shower and crawl into a warm bed and cry herself to sleep. A waitress slipped a cup of coffee in front of her and Margaret shook her head.
"No thank you, I don't have any money with me." She said in embarrassment. The elderly woman slipped into the seat across from her.
"That's alright, dear. You look like you could use it." She leaned back against in the booth and closed her eyes for a moment. "Do you mind if I join you?" she asked as she straightened herself up. "I have a fifteen minute break."
Margaret smiled and shook her head. The woman licked her lips nervously and smiled. "You know, dear, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation."
Margaret stiffened considerably, her mouth open slightly as she tried to decide what to say.
"Please don't be mad with me, darling," the woman begged. "It's just that I've been in the same situation before and I thought I would be able to give you a bit of comfort."
Margaret sighed; she didn't feel like talking about what she was going through, it was hard enough to keep herself from crying without talking about it.
"Listen, in my younger years I was so consumed about looking perfect, acting prim and proper and marring well. I came from a poor family and all I wanted was to get out of our small town, marry a millionaire and live in a mansion somewhere in upper state New York."
Margaret smiled slightly, as a girl she had often daydreamed about that very thing.
The woman's smile faded and she leaned back. "I almost got my wish." She said quietly.
"What happened?" Margaret asked, before blushing at her over eagerness.
"Thank god I had a few good and faithful friends who made me realize how miserable I would be if I went through with my marriage."
Margaret nodded and wearily rubbed at her eyes. "I guess you do know what I'm going through."
"Sweetheart, just know that you'll never regret it. Some days you may begin to feel a bit lonely, but the joys that you'll experience by just being yourself will far outweigh those hard times."
Margaret looked around the diner and chuckled cynically. "Well, this certainly is no mansion."
The woman laughed and shook her head. "No dearie, it isn't. But I ended up marrying one of those friends who had helped me through those tough times." She sighed and smiled sadly. "Robert passed away a few years back, but we had fifty-three wonderful years together."
Margaret slipped her hand across the table and squeezed the woman's hand. "Thank you," she whispered.
The woman nodded and stood up. "I have to get back to work, but just remember that in the end, you'll never regret doing this. You just need friends around you right now, honey; people who really and truly care for you."
Margaret nodded and began to make her way outside. Once she was inside her car she closed her eyes tightly. She couldn't get the woman's words out of her ears. You need friends right now. Those few simple words had triggered so many emotions. Margaret wanted to burst into tears, but she refused herself that comfort. Friends… What had Hawkeye said? If you ever need a friend…or more…
Margaret opened her eyes and took a shaky breath as she started her car. She knew exactly where she was going, but what to do once she got there was another story entirely.