Saving Maggy Grace

Four

"My birthday is real soon, David." Maggy said to me one night. I was sitting on one end of the couch trying to finish some work. Rose was sitting on the opposite side watching Maggy as she drew pictures in coloring book. She was sprawled out on the wooden floor. Her crayons were spewed out around her and her sleepy cat was by resting by her foot.

I looked up from my paper work. "That it is, Ms. Maggy." I said.

She kicked her feet in the air and hummed a tune that she had made up by herself as she colored in a picture of a little pony.

"Do you think that my momma will come visit me on my birthday this year?"

My eyes shot over to Rose, who was already looking at me and giving me "the look". (The Look: her eyes wide open, eyebrows furrowed, and her mouth usually agape. It was usually given to me when she was confused, shocked, angry, or a mixture of the three. In this case; all of the aforementioned.)

"Uh, what - what do you mean, Maggy Grace?" I sputtered.

"Daddy said that when I was little my momma ran away. He said that she thought that I was a bad little girl so she didn't want to have to deal with me anymore. But I remember my momma a little bit and even if I made her really angry she was never mad at me on my birthday so I thought that maybe she might visit. She never has before, but maybe she will now that I live with you. She's always liked you, David."

I looked to Rose.

"Don't tell her." She mouthed to me, "Just go with it."

"You say she's always liked me?" I asked Maggy.

"Oh, yeah. She always talked about how good your daddy did for the town and she always said that you were gonna do the same and she always said that you were oh so handsome. Her and Daddy fought about that all the time."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. So I figured that now that I live with you my momma will really want to visit me. Do you think she will, David?"

I looked to Rose again and she nodded.

"I think that should save a seat for her at the dinner table." I said.

Maggy smiled, "Me too."

That night, after Maggy had been bathed, tucked into bed, and given just one more cookie, I stood in the living room, looking out the window that overlooked the town.

"I'm heading out." Rose said as she picked up her coat from the arm of the couch.

"Wait," I turned from the window, "I wanted to talk to you."

"What about?"

"What am I supposed to do? About Maggy thinking that her mom is still alive, I mean. What am I supposed to tell her when her mother doesn't show up for dinner on her birthday?"

"I'll tell you what you're gonna do; you're gonna give me a couple days. I'll think of something."

I sighed, "And until then?"

"Just go with it."

"You mean keep lying to her."

"You're protecting her. Let her think that her mom is still out there somewhere. It will give her some comfort and God knows that that's just what she needs."

"And what about when she's older?"

"Well, you'll just have to cross that bridge when you come to it. Goodnight, David."

I looked down at the floor and then back at her. "Goodnight, Rose."

She turned away and walked out of the house. I watched her as she walked down the hill to her car and kept watching until I couldn't see her car anymore.