The Silent Waters

My Maggie May…

“Don’t let go,” I whispered into her hair. “Please don’t let go.”

She held on tighter.

That night we lay on her bed, listening to music on her iPhone, each with one of the earbuds, and it was amazing how natural it felt being there in that room beside her. They said time changed people, and it was true. We weren’t the same two people we used to be, but somehow we evolved as one. Even with hundreds of miles between us.

But what I loved most about that night was how some things never seemed to change.

I loved that my favorite moments stayed the same.

Tilting my head in her direction, I asked her a question. “Why didn’t you send the books back to me?”

She pushed herself up, narrowed her eyes, and seemed somewhat confused. When she reached over for her board, I waited somewhat patiently for her reply.

Sasha.

“What about her?” I asked.

The letter you sent, telling me about her the first time, I knew I should stop replying.

“Because it hurt you?”

Maggie shook her head. Because it could’ve hurt her, seeing letters coming from another girl.

And there she was again: the most thoughtful woman in the world.

“We broke up,” I said.

Maggie gave me a questioning stare, and I rubbed my hairy chin.

“Well, she kind of broke up with me, I guess. She said she hated being the third choice in my life.”

Third?

“Music…and well…” I gave her a sad grin, and she gave me the same kind back. Music and you. “It’s not fair, you know, because every time I tried to move on your love kept pulling me back.”

She moved over to me, and her lips locked with mine. When we began to kiss we hadn’t any plans to stop. It was easily the best thing I’d done in the past ten years—coming home to her love.

That night we slept in each other’s arms, and whenever I woke, I pulled her closer. The idea of losing her again was too much for me. Before I headed back on tour, I needed her to know I’d be coming home to her. I needed her to know we’d make it work, no matter what. I needed her to know she was and always would be my biggest dream.

When I woke up, Brooks was gone, but my board was placed beside me and read: Went to sit with Mrs. Boone. I’ll be back later tonight. I love you.

My hands went to wipe the words clear, and all the words erased except the last three.

I didn’t mind at all.

“So, rumor has it Mrs. Boone woke up about thirty minutes ago,” Calvin said as he walked into my bedroom.

My eyes widened and I leaped up from my bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

“The doctors said she’s doing okay. They are going to run some tests to see if it is her memory slipping, Alzheimer’s or dementia or something. I don’t know all the details, but for now, she’s okay. She’s awake, Maggie.”

Seriously?

“Yup. Brooks sent a group text to everyone. I’m guessing you haven’t checked your phone, or I would’ve heard you silently celebrating.” He winked.

I rolled my eyes and threw a pillow at him, which he caught and threw back, making me tumble over. Within seconds, he jumped onto my bed, bouncing up and down. The amount of comfort that raced through me was incomparable to any feeling I’d ever felt. Knowing she was okay, knowing she’d breathe in the air of another day—that alone was so beautiful.

“So, we’re flying back over to the UK early Monday morning. Our management gave us a pretty big slap on the hand for missing two shows,” Calvin said. “It turns out that it’s kind of frowned upon to just fly home during a tour and take care of your grandma…well, that’s what they were told at least, that Mrs. Boone was our grandma…which is more or less true. Management is pretty pissy about it, ya know, time is money, but oh well. We’ll start back up in Birmingham next week.”

Oh gosh…I’m so sorry. This is my fault.

Calvin rolled his eyes. “It’s no one’s fault. Life happens. You might as well happen along with it. It’s been a crazy few years, so the break is really needed. Plus…I have a secret.”

I arched an eyebrow, wondering what it could be.

He grinned. “I haven’t told anyone. I figured I’d tell you first because you are the ultimate best at keeping secrets due to that whole”—he took his fingers to his lips and made a zipper noise—“mute thing.”

I smirked.

He smiled back, reached into his back pocket, and pulled out a small box. My hands flew over my mouth. He was going to finally ask Stacey to marry him.

He opened the box and I gasped, tears filling my eyes. Calvin shoved me. “Come on, sis. Don’t cry.”

I ripped the box out of his hand and studied the beautiful diamond ring, overtaken by its beauty.

“Do you think she’ll like it?”

I rolled my eyes dramatically, making him chuckle. She’ll love it.

“I’m going to show Mom and Dad too, before I head over to the hotel to meet Stacey. I’ve never been so damn nervous in my life, ya know? I feel like my heart is going to explode out of my chest.”

He took the ring back from me and stared at it, almost as if he were nervous there was a chance Stacey would say no to the proposal. There wasn’t. I’d never seen two people who were more meant to be than Calvin and Stacey. Even when Calvin had caught his break years ago, it hadn’t rocked their relationship; it may have even made it stronger. Heck, they’d been wearing promise bands on their ring fingers with their initials engraved on the inside since their eighth grade graduation.

Stacey and my brother were meant to have the happily-ever-after life. They were destined for it.

I squeezed his knee, and he broke his stare from the ring, turning to me. I smiled. He smiled back, though he still had a hint of fear in his eyes.

“Thanks, Maggie. I’m going to go show Mom and Dad.” He hopped off my bed and left the room. A second later, he popped his head back into my doorframe. “And, Maggie? I love you. I doubt I say that enough as a brother, but I don’t know. With everything that happened to Mrs. Boone, I’ve just been thinking. Life is unexpected, so you might as well tell the people you love how you feel, ya know?”

My brother, the sensitive musician.

I held up the board that said I love you and added too.