Cybil (2018) #projectsuper

Prologue: A Farewell

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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Four Years Ago...

That night had been a blur...

All told, if James McDougal could remember anything about the last night... The last act of that play called "Normal Life", it would be the final lines of his love interest before the curtain finally fell.

The stage was set. A picturesque night scene on the beach with his "leading lady" awaited him.

The woman didn't really look at him. "Are you finished packing?"

"Yes, honey," James said, on cue. "Yes I am."

The woman, one Marcia Grey, had been staring out at the waves crashing forth amongst the sand. Yet, the thought echoing across her mind. He's leaving again...

"Marcia." Apparently, James had forgotten a line, because he had no idea what to say next.

Marcia's fists clenched almost automatically at her name and she turned around. "Just... Go."

"Marcia... This'll be the last time. I promise."

Her sad expression gave way a mixture of anger and confusion. "And I'm supposed to believe that?"

This little play was going exactly as he'd imagined it. Horrendously. "Marcia, please--"

The woman gave an exasperated sigh. "Please, nothing!" Bitterness laced her tone and features that she didn't even want. "You give me the same story every time. You run off every few weeks to pay off that debt or whatever. I spend numerous nights alone when I get off work!"

"I'm sorry..."

Her tone became quiet. Soft. Almost inaudible. "Do you love me?"

To James, the answer should've been obvious. "Yes..."

"Yeah, well..."

James, probably for the first time in a while, literally stood by his future wife. "You remember that day?"

Marcia looked thoughtful. "You mean the day you first proposed?"

James chuckled despite the situation. "Yeah. I wasn't ready for the reception I got."

"The library had been packed that afternoon. I had just gotten finished with a shift and was about to welcome J.R. Maiben, of all people, to our little plot of land.

James continued. "But instead, he wound up watching me trip on one of the books a child had left on the floor as I fumbled out a proposal."

By now, Marcia was reveling in the happy memory, apparently forgetting why they were here. A flashback scene. A last-minute addition to the script, was it not?

"I knew I wasn't quite ready to make the change. You were flabbergasted to hear the news, but..."

"I never gave up hope..."

The sound of helicopter blades whirring interrupted the young couple's reminiscing.

Guess the show's over, James thought. Back to reality.

"I will come back," James declared over the noise. "And we're going to... We're going to fix this. We'll take a long vacation together and..."

Remembering tonight's events, the smile melted from Marcia's face. "Just come home safe. But I don't want to be left in the dark anymore. We will talk when you get home, and you are going to tell me everything."

James nodded nervously. "O-okay."

Before James could turn to walk away, Marcia enveloped him in a hug, tears pouring down her face.

"Please, come back. I don't want to end up like... Like my mother! Around so many men, but oh so alone..."

"You won't. I'll... I'll find a way to make you happy. I promise you that!"

One last dramatic scene before the end. And James, even then, couldn't have fathomed that this last look from the helicopter's window would be his last look at his high school sweetheart's beautiful face.