Maggiehadthesamethought.
Shereplied:[Notime,andpleasekeepyourpromise–makesureshedoesn’trunofftomygrandmother’shouse.]
Afterawhile,Franklinfinallyresponded:[Okay.]
Afterthat,hedidn’tcontactheragain.
Onthethirdafternoonoftheholiday,whileMaggieandherfamilywerepreparingtogoraftingatascenicarea,Jessicasentheraphoto.
Inthephoto,itwasJulia.
JessicawascurrentlyinGcountryandhadbeenbusywithfashionshows.
Maggielookedatthephotoandreplied:[Isshewatchingyourshow?]
Jessica:[Yes!Suchbadluck!]
Thenshesentanothermessage:[She’salone,though.Ididn’tseeFranklinanywhere.]
Maggierepliedwithasimple“Hmm.”Shewasn’tparticrlyconcernedaboutthismatterandasked:[Whenareyoingbacktothecountry?]
Jessica:[Notsureyet.]
Afterafewmoreexchanges,Jessicahadtoattendtosomethingelse,sotheirconversationended.
Morethantenminuteter,Jessicasentheravideo.
Maggiehesitatedforamomentbeforeeptingthecall.Assoonassheconnected,thefiguresofJuliaandFranklinappearedbeforehereyes.
Jessicasnortedandwhisperedtoher,“Theyjustarrived.Theshowisovernow,andhe’sheretopickher
ItwasclearthatJuliaknewpeoplethere,andshewaschattinganimatedlywiththem,while Franklinstoodpatientlytotheside,watchingherinteractwithothers.
Johnnyhadsaidthatwhenhetraveled,hewouldtakeJuliawithhim,andhewasright.
SeeingonlythetwoofthemwithoutIsabeinthepicture,Maggiefurrowedherbrows.
Justasshewasthinkingaboutthis,thecamerashook.MaggiethoughtsomethingmighthavehappenedtoJessica.
?Butwhenshelookedmoreclosely,sherealizedthatFranklinhadjusthappenedtolookdirectlyatthecamera.
Clearly,hemusthavenoticedJessica.
Jessica,startledbythegaze,hadn’treactedintimebeforeFranklincasuallyshiftedhisattentionelsewhere.
MaggieandJessicahadbeenclosefriends formanyyears,andFranklinknewthat.Butinthisforeigncountry,Franklindidn’tevenbother togreether.
Butthenagain,hewasalwaysthisindifferenttowardsherfamily,soitwasn’tsurprisingthatheignoredJessica.
AfterFranklinncedather,Jessicaseemedhesitanttopointthecameraathimanymore.
Maggie,however,hadnointerestinthedynamicsbetweenFranklinandJulia.Herthoughts wereonIsabe.ShequicklysaidtoJessica,“Ineedtomakeacall.I’llhangupnow.Whenyou’rebackinthecountry,I’lltreatyoutoa
Jessicaimmediatelyresponded,“Sure,takecareofwhat youneedtodo.”
Afterhangingupthevideo,MaggietriedcallingIsabe.
Butthecallwouldn’tgothrough.
Shethoughtforamomentandthendecidedtosendheravideocallinstead.Thistime,thecallconnected.
Isabewasclearlyhappytoseethecall.Sheimmediatelypickedup,“Mom!”
Maggiecouldseethatshewasinacar.
Sheasked,“Whereareyou?”
“I’moverseasnow!”Isabesaid,excited.“Ijusttookahelicoptertowatchthewildebeestmigration!Therewerethousandsofwildebeests,andtheyjustkeptgoingonandon.Watchingthemupclosefromthehelicopterwasso
amazing!”
Maggiepaused.
May…thewildebeestmigration…
“You’reinGrumetti?”sheasked.
“Yeah!I-”
ButFranklinandJuliawerecurrentlyinGcountry.
MaggieknewthateversinceFranklinstartedtakingIsabewithhim,she’dalwayshadbodyguardsfollowingheraround,ensuringthatshecouldgowherevershewantedwhenhewasbusy.
Butshewasstillsoyoung.Franklin wenttoGcountrywithJulia,andheletIsabetravelthisfarwithjustabodyguard?Whatifsomethingwentwrong?
Maggietightened hergriponthephone,tryingtosuppressheremotions.Sheasked,“Didyougowithyourdad?”
“No,”Isaberepliedcheerfully,“Dadsaidhehadworkanddidn’thavetimetewithme,soheletmefindsomeactivitiesIliked.I’vewantedtoseethewildebeestmigrationonTVforalongtime.WhenItoldDadaboutit,hearrangedforsomeobringmehere.”
Franklindidn’thavetimetogowithher,buthehadtimeforJulia?
BeforeMaggiecouldspeak,Isabeexcitedlyadded,“Mom,ifyou’dcalledearlier,Icouldhaveshownyouthewildebeestsfromthehelicopter!”
MaggiecouldtellthatIsabewasreallyenjoyingherselfandwas verypleasedwiththearrangement.
Foramoment,Maggiedidn’tknowwhat tosay.
Butat thatmoment,Isabecontinued,“Mom,doyouhavetimetomorrow?Iwanttocallyouthen!”
Maggiesnappedbacktoreality.Aftertwosecondsofsilence,shereplied,“I’llhavetimetomorrow.”
“Yay!”
AfterhearingthatIsabewasonherwaybacktothehotel,Maggiefeltrelieved.Theychattedalittlemore beforeendingthevideocall.
Atthispoint,thetimeforhertomeetwithXavierandtheothersfortheraftingtriphad arrived,soMaggieputaway
herphone.
Shehadoriginallybeen lookingforwardtothetrip,butnow,shewasn’tinthemoodforit.
However,shedidn’twanttospoil the funforXavierandtheothers,soshejoinedthemandleftthehotel.
Atthedestination,whileMaggiewasinline,someonesuddenlytappedherontheshoulder.
Sheturnedaround.
ItwasGlen.
Glenhadaskedheraboutherholidaynsandfoundoutthatshewasgoingtobeherewithherfamily,sohespecificallycameover.
Whenheaskedherthatday,heseemedespeciallyinterestedintheraftingSeeinghimnow,Maggiewasn’tsurprised.Sheasked,“Whendidyouarrive?”
“Thismorning.”
SincejoiningCole,Glenhadbeentryingtofindanopportunitytoaskherout.Buthenevermanagedto
Inthepast,everytimetheymet,itwaseitherinthpanyoratabanquet.
Atwork,Maggiedressedformally,butnow,shewasoutwithnomakeup,wearingacasualsleevelesstopfortablepants,andflip–flops.
Thesunlightwasperfectthatday,castingaglowonherfaceandarms,makingherskinappearevenmoreradiantComparedtoherformallookinthe office,shelookedmuchsofter,sweeter,andevenmorestunning,
Peoplearound,bothmenand women,couldn’thelpbutnceinherdirection.
Glen’sgazepracticallylingered onher,unabletolookaway.
Glenwasalsoveryhandsome.
HewasafewyearsyoungerthanMaggie,dressedcasuallyinaT–shirt,shorts,andsandals,exudingaclean,freshvibelikeacollegestudent.
Maggie’saunt,Helen,noticedGlenandcouldn’tresistasking,“Maggie,who’s thishandsomeguy?”
Maggiereplied,“AcolleaguefromCole.”
Helensmiled,noticingGlen’s gazetowardMaggie.Shefeltitwasmorethanjustcasual,butshedidn’tmentionitAfterall,Maggiewasstillmarried,andstartinganyromanticentanglementsatthistimemightnotbeagoodidea.
ButseeingthatMaggiedidn’tseeminterested,Helendidn’tpresstheissuefurther.
Theconversationendedjustasitwastheirturntogo.
MaggiewavedatGlenandwasabouttoleavewhenhesaid,“Ifyouhave timter,maybewecanhangoutfora
Maggienodded,“Sure.”
Aftersheleft,Glen’sfriendsapproachedhim.Oneofthemsaid,“Ihavetoadmit,thisMissMilleristrulygorgeous.Shelooksevenmoretemptingthantheothernightatthebanquet.”
Glen’sfacedarkened.“Shutup.”
Hisfriendunderstoodwhatwasgoingonand,withacheekygrin,madeazippingmotionacrosshislips.
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