Maggie

"Who? Who just bombed Pearl Harbor?" Maggie asked in alarm, a tight sickening feeling growing deep in the pit of her stomach.

"The Japanese," she heard Jack say from behind her as he came into the house. "Lucy and I heard it on the radio on our way back. It's still happening!" he added with an anger to his voice Maggie had never heard before. "We're at war!"

"Oh God NO!" Maggie screamed. "William!"

#

Frantically, desperately over the course of the next several days Maggie, especially Jack did everything they could to find out more regarding the obvious disaster at Pearl Harbor. But even with Jack's supposed contacts in the military, they learned little more than what they either heard on the radio or read in the newspapers about it.

Nearly a week had gone by without a single word about William. And though it was to be expected that there were still a lot of missing as well as dead to be sorted through, Maggie had heard of reports of men reporting back to their duty stations, very much alive and happily accounted for. Maggie could only sit, wait and hope that William, her William would be amongst those.

"Jack? Maggie? May's getting worse!" Lucy announced. "I think you two should take her to the hospital as soon as possible!"

Jack and Maggie had already arrived at the same conclusion a short time earlier. Fearing the worst, hoping for the best, but it was a false hope. They both knew what May had, Tuberculosis, and in an advanced stage.

"We're leaving immediately," Jack stated.

"I'll stay here and keep an eye on things," Lucy offered.

"Thank you Lucy," Maggie told her. "Help me pack a few of her things to take with us."

Driving like a maniac all the way there, they got May in to see a doctor. Waiting nervously out in the hallway while she was examined, the doctor came out to speak to them a short time later.

"I'm sorry," he began. "About all we can do for her now is make her as comfortable as possible, she's under quarantine now." Handing them both masks to wear, "You may see her, but please...don't stay very long. She needs her sleep, and we've given her something to help her relax so she may not be very lucid."

Dawning their masks, they went into May's room. Maggie choked back her emotions upon entering and finding that an oxygen tent had been erected over the upper half of May's frail looking form.

"May?" Maggie whispered quietly as she approach the bed. "May?" she whispered again.

"I'm not dead. Yet!" May answered obviously having difficulty breathing. "Come closer so I can see you both," she told them. Looking at her through the distortion of the tent was difficult enough, but Maggie found it easier to be able to stand there and talk to her without May's being able to clearly see the tears that were streaming down her face. Even then, it wasn't about herself that she was worried.

"Any news about William?" May asked.

"No. Nothing," Jack responded seeing that Maggie was unable to speak without breaking down entirely.

"Jack?"

"Yes May."

"You really were a good fuck you know that?"

Now it was Jack's turn as he found it difficult to speak. "So were you May. So were you," he said already speaking to her in the past tense.

May was laboring, finding it difficult to speak. "May, don't talk..." Maggie began to say.

"Have to," May barely managed. "Promise me, Jack? Promise me you'll take care of Maggie ok?"

"I will," He said simply, looking over towards Maggie.

"Maggie? And you promise me...promise you'll always keep a piece of me in your heart, in your spirit. Remember me," Maggie couldn't speak, just standing nodding her head, hoping that May could see her doing so.

"Good. Now Maggie, I need to speak with Jack alone for a few minutes ok?"

"Ok May," Maggie finally managed, turning and leaving the room. When she reached the hallway, she finally did break down, sobbing quietly, though uncontrollably. A short time later Jack came out into the hallway.

"You'd best go say good-bye," he told her. "I'm not sure how much longer she has."

Maggie stayed by her side all night eventually falling asleep. It was the touch of Jack's hand upon her shoulder that awoke her. When he did, she knew.

"She's gone," Jack said sadly.

#

After Jack had made all the necessary arrangements, they began the long drive home again.

"Home," Maggie thought to herself. Shortly after getting in the car, starting back, Jack had informed her that it had been May's wish that Maggie inherit everything. Maggie hadn't known, but May had had her will changed to reflect that very fact. May wasn't exactly filthy rich, but she owned the boarding house outright, including the car as well as several pieces of very expensive jewelry. In addition, she had a small nest egg of nearly twenty thousand dollars in the bank, all of which May had left to her.

"I still can't believe it," Maggie said after Jack had told her everything. "Why would she do that? She didn't owe me anything!"

Maggie was tired, sad beyond her ability to comprehend. May was dead, William was still missing, and she kept thinking she should wake up from this horrible, terrible nightmare. But as she learned upon their arrival home, the nightmare was just beginning.

Jack pulled into the drive. When he did, Lucy came out meeting them on the porch. Maggie had fallen asleep and it took him a moment longer to shake her awake. "We're here," he told her, looking up as Lucy approached holding a yellow telegram in her hand. "Oh no," he allowed to slip as he saw Lucy approaching. "God no!" Looking up at that very moment, Maggie saw Lucy, saw what she held, bolting from the car.

"Lucy? Is it....is it?"

"I don't know Maggie. It was addressed to you. I didn't open it, couldn't open it even if it hadn't been." Shaking fearfully, she handed the telegram to her looking towards Jack for direction. Unfortunately, he was frozen in place just as fearful as she was. Maggie tore at the telegram and began to read.

"We're sorry to inform you...Private first class PFC, William Benjamin Roberts was killed in action on Sunday December 7th 1941..."

Maggie never finished reading the telegram. Jack barely made it to her side catching her just before she toppled over, fainting from the shock, the exhaustion of first May's death, and now the dreaded long awaited news of William's whereabouts.

Jack had carried Maggie upstairs to May's room. Her room now, and then went back downstairs with Lucy telling her the equally horrible news regarding May's passing. The entire afternoon was spent in the shedding of many tears and reflection of the horrible insanity and unfairness of it all.

"How did they know to send the telegram here?" Lucy had asked. Curious about that himself, Jack had made a few calls only to discover that William had listed Maggie as his next of kin even though she hadn't been. "What else did you find out?" Lucy asked, knowing by the look in Jack's eyes that he had considerably more information to share with her than he had previously.

"Well, it appears that William had a friend that was stationed aboard the U.S.S. Arizona. He'd gone over just that morning to see him and was aboard ship when the attack came. From the few remaining survivors and people who began making a list of everyone who'd been on board and were still missing, they came across William's name as one of the men who never made it out. The ship blew up sinking almost immediately, taking nearly everyone who was on board down with her when she did."

"Oh my God Jack. You can't tell Maggie that. You just can't!" Lucy told him.

"I have no intention of it Lucy. Bad enough hearing that he is dead as opposed to hearing how it was he did die."

It was a considerable amount of time later when Maggie was composed enough to come back down stairs. Joining Lucy as well as Jack in the parlor, they sat talking about both William as well as May, discussing their uncertain futures.

"I need to tell you something else Maggie," Jack began. "I need to head back to San Diego. Permanently it seems. With the war and all, we've got some new government contracts and I need to be there to oversee everything." Maggie and Lucy sat listening to the news. It just seemed to be getting worse and worse.

"I want you to come with me Maggie," Jack told her. I made a promise to May to look after you."

"But what about this place Jack?" May left it to me, I can't just walk out and leave it! She wouldn't want me to do that and you know it, or she'd never have left it to me."

"What about Lucy?" he asked.

"What about Lucy?"

"Let her run the place, you know she can, she's been doing it over the past few days anyway and she's good at it. You know she is!" Maggie turned to look at her.

"Lucy? Is that something you'd enjoy doing? Even want to do?" Maggie asked her.

Lucy sat there for a few moments thinking about it. "Why not? I'd be basically working for myself wouldn't I?" she asked. "Better than working for somebody else if you know what I mean. So sure, why not? What've I got to lose anyway?"

"So, you'll come with me to San Diego then?" Jack asked her. Maggie nodded her head yes. Thinking to herself that there was really no reason for her to stay here now. With May gone, and now William, all she really had was Jack, and Lucy. But she couldn't see herself remaining here, not after everything that had happened. There would be too many painful memories for her to remain.

"Would you do me a favor Maggie?" Lucy asked her.

"Sure kiddo what?" Even saying that simple phrase she was reminded of May as she'd spoken the word "kiddo" often. Maybe a part of May would be with her, inside of her as she'd promised.

"My little sister still lives with my father and stepmother in San Diego. Would you mind looking her up, telling her I'm ok...and doing well?"

"Well sure Lucy, but why haven't you called her yourself?"

"Because my father disowned me a long time ago," she said. "I haven't seen or spoken to any of my family in years. But at least my sister and I were still on good terms when I left. So, would you mind?"

"No, of course not. What about your mother, your real mother I mean?" Maggie asked.

"My real mother died years ago," Lucy told her.

"Oh. I'm sorry Lucy. What's your sisters name anyway?" Maggie asked.

"Gladys" Lucy told her.

"Ok, give me her address and phone number if you have it. After we get there, I'll look her up. But I'm going to do you one better than that too. I'm going to give her the number here. Perhaps she'll find a way of contacting you without your father being aware of it."

"Maybe," Lucy said. "Thanks Maggie. I really appreciate it!"

Lucy retired to bed shortly after that, exhausted with a lot on her mind, and so many things to think about. Maggie was tired too, but had no desire to go upstairs to May's room, her room or her old room either for that matter.

"Jack? Would you let me sleep with you tonight?" she asked him. "I don't want to sleep alone, and I don't feel comfortable sleeping in May's bed either."

"Sure Maggie. Anything you want honey. Anything at all."

A short time later they slipped into bed together. "Jack, would you do something else for me tonight too?"

"Sure honey. What?"

"Make love to me?"

"Maggie...I'm not sure that's a very good idea," he told her honestly.

"I need to feel loved Jack," she told him.

"You are loved Maggie. You don't need sex to feel that way. Shouldn't anyway," he added.

"I know. But I want to. I want to feel it physically besides emotionally. As horrible as this may sound to you Jack, and you can still tell me no afterwards if you'd like. But I'd really appreciate it if you'd do it. I want to pretend just this once, just this one time tonight that you're William. And maybe, you can pretend that I'm May," she told him. "One last time...for each of us. Please?"

As much as he felt like they might both regret it afterwards, he agreed. "Ok Maggie. Just this once. But if we ever do it again, it will be you, and I agreed?"

"Agreed!" Maggie said slipping out of bed, removing her nightdress as she did. "Oh. And is it ok if we turn out the lights? Just this once?" she asked him again. Jack nodded his head in agreement, then adding.

"Just this once."

In the darkness Maggie somehow did find herself able to imagine that Jack was William. In her minds eye, she saw him just exactly as she had that last evening they had spent together. Even their obvious differences didn't register as Maggie slipped down between Jack's legs, taking his turgid member in her hands as she lovingly began stroking it, kissing it...remembering. Even when Jack moaned, it was William's moans that she heard. When Jack finally pushed her over, kissing and sucking her hard erect nipples, it was William's mouth...his lips that did so, bringing to her an unearthly passion of mind body and soul. Feeling Jack's cock finally enter her, splitting her pussy as he drove into her with a fiery heartfelt need of his own, it wasn't Jack's prick fucking into her. It wasn't even his seed that poured deeply into her womb when he came. It was Williams...Lips.

#

They spent Christmas together in a home that Jack's company had provided for them until he could find another placed he preferred living in. And although it was certainly nice, spacious, certainly more extravagant than anything she had ever stayed in before, Maggie felt alone, homesick. Without much of anything to do to occupy her time, she slept or read every book she could get her hands on. As Lucy had asked, she'd made two attempts already to try reaching Lucy's sister Gladys, but to no avail. The first time she had called, she'd heard a man answer, hanging up almost immediately afterwards. A day later she had tried again, and though this time when a woman answered, she was fairly certain it had been Lucy's stepmother. She had asked her if Gladys was there. Told "no, that she wasn't," Maggie had left a message for her to call. Saying simply that she needed to speak with her about a private matter, that and nothing more. After hanging up, she seriously doubted that Lucy's stepmother would even give her sister the message. Maggie decided that she might perhaps drive over to where she lived, park the car nearby and hopefully run into her somehow, long enough to give her Lucy's message. "At least," she thought. "It will give me something to do!"

Maggie and Jack made love nearly every night after that. "Fucked" actually as she thought about it. With Jack, it was never really tender, always fast, furious sometimes almost brutal. But she never complained. Even when she failed to reach orgasm with him, she would contentedly lay by his side long into the night listening to his gentle breathing before getting up out of bed to go into the bathroom and masturbate, reaching orgasm, enjoying her climax always thinking about and wishing it was William she was with.

As for Lucy, Maggie called her every few days keeping in touch, seeing how things were going as well as ensuring she had everything she needed financially. Jack had helped her to set up an account where she could easily transfer funds whenever Lucy needed them for anything, but as she'd already managed to ensure, Lucy was making more than enough to meet her needs to get by on and have a little extra to tuck away at the end of each month. She'd just gotten off the phone with her, reminding herself as she did that she still hadn't as yet gotten a hold of Lucy's sister, even promising to do so again as soon as possible when Jack arrived home.

"Maggie? We need to talk. There's something I want to ask you," he'd told her. Nervously she followed him into their formal living room.

"What's up Jack?" she asked, fearful of where this was heading as he'd been hinting at it ever since Christmas now. She'd already made up her mind about it. Knew what she would say to him, and decide what to do further about her life, and his if what she told him didn't sit with him right. The way she figured it, there was no other choice to it, no other way that she could spend the rest of her life with him as his wife unless he agreed to her terms.

"You probably already know what I'm about to ask you," he told her removing a small box from his jacket pocket. Opening it, he allowed her to look at the enormous diamond sitting inside.

"I want you to marry me," he said. "I love you Maggie, and I promised May I would always look out for you. What better way for me to keep that promise than to make you my wife?" he asked her. "So Maggie. Will you? Marry me?"

Maggie looked directly into his eyes. "Yes I will Jack, but only if you agree to a few simple conditions," she said surprising him with her sudden boldness. "May would have liked that," she thought. "Acting boldly, not taking any shit from anyone," she mused silently to herself.

"Ok," he said slowly. "Such as?"

"First, let me assure you that I will always be there for you sexually, anytime day or night. I'll never tell you no, and I'll never turn you away," she began. Jack grinned thinking that Maggie was about to tell him of her undying love for him as well.

"Second, if I ever do ask you for a divorce, you must agree to give me one immediately. I'll never ask you for more than what it mine already, and I'll never lie, cheat or steal from you for as long as we are married. But if the day ever does come that I want a divorce, then I expect you to give me one. Without a fight, without any delays. And...I want everything in writing filed with an attorney." Maggie took a deep breath before continuing, "If you can agree to that Jack, then yes. I will marry you. If not, then it's better that I leave you now and we both go our own ways."

Somewhat stunned by Maggie's almost rude boldness, he sat back on his heels momentarily still holding the box open as he thought about it. Looking at her again with different eyes, as well as more than a little anger sitting behind his own, he countered her conditions with one of his.

"I'll agree to everything you've said Maggie, on one more condition of my own. Sexually speaking, If I chose, to include anyone else in our relationship for fun or games, I'll expect you to go along, whether you're physically included or not. That means sharing you with other men, or women if I so chose to do so. Never having you say no, never hearing you complain to me about it or demanding it be any other way between us. If you will agree to that, then we have a deal, and I'll see to it that it's written up any way that you'd like before we're actually married."

Now it was Maggie's turn to consider his terms. But she did so much more quickly than he had. "Agreed," Maggie said holding out her hand to him. Rather than slipping the ring on her finger however, he handed her the box instead.

"Put it on yourself," he told her. "Then come over here and suck me off after you've done so."

Maggie knew it was a test of wills, certainly determination. And she was determined to live up to her end of the bargain, even if they weren't really married yet. Even more importantly however, Maggie wasn't about to do anything with Jack, leaving him feeling less than satisfied, even loved. Even if it wasn't a love born of her heart, she would love him; love him in every conceivable way but with her heart. That she had already given away, and would never allow herself to give away again. But she also knew that Jack would never truly know the difference. So it was, Maggie approached him almost submissively. If he'd expected her to go about "sucking him off" as he'd basically demanded for her to do. He was in for a big surprise as she intended on giving him the best fucking blowjob of his entire life.

Jack had expected her to go about it less than enthusiastically, even bracing himself for exactly that.

"You'd better suck it...and suck it good," he'd warned her almost threateningly. And, as he'd asked. She did. Within moments after she had begun, when Maggie had quite lovingly teased his erection with the tip of her tongue in ways that Jack had never felt before, Maggie sensed the tension ease in his expectations of her. And as she felt while doing it, knowing that he was enjoying it every bit as much as she knew he would.