Through Her Window

It would be the greatest day of the year, by Maggie's perceptions. Tomorrow afternoon would have none other day as fantastic in comparison. On that day, she would become Mrs. Joe Haskell. Nothing could be more perfect.
Tonight she stayed at the great house in preparation for the events which she awaited with baited breath. In the morning she would arise happily and cheerfully to be presented in her lovely gown to the man of her dreams... Or so she had figured. Now she was having thoughts that were surely liable to ruin her happy day. Could she in actuality marry this man? Did she truly love him? Was there another who had her heart?... Maggie pushed those musings aside. Of course she loved Joe. Who else could there be?
She had brought out her white shimmering gown and held it against her before the long length mirror in the room. Maggie sighed gazing upon it's loveliness. She would wear the dress tomorrow and she would say 'I do'. And there was no one to intervene. Suddenly with that thought came a rustling by the window. Maggie backed away immediately at alert.
"Who's there?" she called.
An arm reached into the opened window as a slight breeze blew at the curtains. Who ever it was hanging out there was wearing a dark red leather coat which was made obvious upon its appearance. Maggie recognized the owner at once.
"Willie?" she said, astounded. She went over to help him in, "Willie! What in the world are you doing up here!"
Willie allowed Maggie to help him in as he struggled to enter the room fully. When he was inside he shut the window.
"What are you crazy? It's freezing outside. You wanna catch your death of cold?" he said.
Maggie shook her head but not in reference to his words.
"Willie!" she scolded. "I asked you a question. Now, I'd thank you to answer it. What are you doing in my room?"
For a few seconds Willie was at a loss for words. He ran a hand through his mussed sandy blond hair and approached her. This action was answered by her backing away. Willie shook his head.
"I don't know..." he looked deep into her brown eyes as if to pour out his very soul, then changed his mind. "I just... Never mind.. This is useless."
Maggie was truly curious now. There was not an iota of her being that was afraid of Willie. She knew that although he was an ex- felon he wasn't capable of such harsh acts in her presence. She trusted him implicitly. It's just that his presence had startled her and she wondered just why he was there. It was such an inoppurtune moment.
"What is it, Willie?" she asked, curiosity building inside her.
There was a long pause before he finally decided to tell. But even then he had to turn away.
"I've been thinkin'... about the wedding and all.." he began.
"What about it?" Maggie chimed in.
He sighed deeply then turned to her.
"I don't think you should marry Joe."
Her heart could have jumped up into her throat by that statement.
"What?" she asked incredulously.
Echoing his own words seemed to make him feel even more nervous. He clasped his hands and then started rubbing them together softly.
"I said... I don't think you should be marrying Joe."
Again there was silence until Maggie smiled and responded in a calm manner. It wasn't a smile of pure understanding but one of masking her innermost personal feelings.
"Willie." she said kindly, "Don't you think you're acting irrationally?"
"Of course I'm not, Maggie." he said in a desperate fashion, "I mean.. I sat down, I thought this through. I know what I'm talking about."
Maggie cut through his words, "Then would you mind sharing those thoughts with me? Why wouldn't you want me to marry Joe?"
But this was being naive on her part. She knew in fact why he wouldn't want her to marry... It was because he, himself, was in love with her. He had all but proclaimed it on his knees... Or standing, for that matter.
Again he approached her. But this time she did not back away.
"Maggie he's all wrong for you..." he told her.
On his face was a pain staking expression. One that spoke volumes of the words, 'How could I afford to lose you' and that was easily expressed to the shocked Maggie Evans.
He continued, "I mean, it's true you've been together for a few years... but you don't have that sort of connection, that bond that two should have when they make this kind of commitment." he waved his hands for emphasis.
Maggie was taken aback at his words. He had no right to come prancing in there to offer his words of wisdom. There wasn't a word he said at the moment worth listening to. Despite this, she indulged him,
"What are you talking about, Willie?" she asked quickly, "What are you trying to say?"
Willie had his hand raised to his heart. For a moment it looked as if he were at a loss for words. Luckily he mustered enough courage to say what he'd gone there to.
"Maggie, what I'm trying to say is," he proclaimed, "I love you..." he searched her expression for a key to her inner thoughts, "I love you, Maggie. I can't help myself. I'd never been in love before I met you." again he used his hands for emphasis as he walked around her, looking her over adoringly, "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Just to look at you I can't control my emotions... But that's not all..."
Maggie was breathing heavily and awaited his words with eagerness.
"Oh, there's more?" she tried to say in a flippant manner.
Willie ignored her tone.
"Yes," he said above a whisper, "There's more...You can't know how much I've loved you all these years. How when I look at you, the effect you have on me..." He changed his mind and strayed down a different road with his words, "Ever since the first day I saw you...at the Blue Whale.. You were beautiful. I was drawn to you. Only I didn't know how to handle myself back then. I acted like a jerk and I told you how sorry I was for that."
Maggie closed her eyes.
"Willie," she tried to stop him from continuing but failed.
"No, Maggie, no. Please, let me finish." he said, "I have to tell you this."
As words she never thought she'd hear spoken from his very lips were uttered she was incredulous. She watched him as he conveyed his deepest love for her, told her how very dear to him she was... Though it was as if he were holding back... As if in relating these thoughts to her he was purposely concealing other more deeper ones.
"Maggie," he continued, "I don't know why I never told you this... Maybe because I was scared."
Maggie laughed lightly.
"Well, scared of what, Willie?" she asked.
For a moment he stared at the ground avoiding eye contact. Then,
"I was scared of you."
At this declaration Maggie was again shocked.
"Scared of me?" she asked, "Why?"
"I was afraid you wouldn't take me seriously... when I told you how I felt." he eyed her for a brief moment then turned away, walking off in the other direction.
He took hold of the post of the bed and leaned against it thoughtfully.
Maggie's heart went out to him. It was beyond her control now. Just the sight of him wrenched at her heartstrings and tugged a particular part of her emotions she was unwilling to admit to. She slowly walked over to him. Though she knew the right thing to do was to speak to him if only to get him through his confusion, she was at a loss of what to say...
"Willie..." she started with sympathy laced in her voice, "I understand how you feel."
Willie did not face her. Those words had been unexpected to him and he thought them over.
"You do?" he asked.
"Oh, yes." she searched for the right words to say and finally found them, "To dream all your life of that one person who's right for you only to find them... And realize they're with someone else. It's heartbreaking."
The last words were said more to herself then to him. In connection with the situation, Maggie found that those very words touched her soul. Enough even if for a moment to believe that she could very well love Willie back. But she didn't. Did she?
"You're tellin' me." he said softly.
It was to his understanding that she was letting him down as gently as possible. Why did he have to go there? He knew how hung up she was on Joe Haskell. She could never think to love an ex-con Brooklynite such as himself. What did he have to offer her? He couldn't give her the world. All he could offer her was his deep and eternal love. He felt his heart sink just then.
Despite herself Maggie continued with her dazed explanation.
"It's impossible to find the one you should truly be with. You fantasize forever about what love will be like when your little." she smiled thinking on that, "Well, I did anyway. I remember when I was a little girl I used to dream of one day finding the man who would sweep me up like the Knights of yore and carry me off to a beautiful kingdom..." she laughed.
Willie smiled and only laughed slightly.
"But those were just fantasies. Something that came straight out of a fairy tale... There are no men who exist to come to your rescue every time your life needs saving. No man would worship every word a woman said. Unfortunately we're in the 1970's and chivalry is long since dead. Too bad. I would have loved to have had a man like that." she pondered those thoughts. Yes, she truly would enjoy a life lived with one such as that. But she was no princess and this wasn't a midievel kingdom. So there was no point in dallying on the subject...
But she remembered vividly having a dream where her life was in direct danger. It was like a fairy tale at that, and she was a princess kept in a castle with no hope of escape. Barnabas was her captor- He, who was the evil that would not release her. And she cried day after day, night after night, hoping that she would be rescued. She thought of Joe and how any moment he would come riding in on a beautiful white steed to rescue her in her time of need. But it wasn't Joe ultimately that saved her. It was Willie. Willie Loomis had come to her rescue in the dream and to this day she wondered why. Joe was nowhere in sight... But Willie had gone to her, fought her captor and carried her away. He proclaimed his everlasting love for her and they kissed long and passionately. With those thoughts Maggie smiled.
Willie turned around and saw the smile etched on her face as she was lost in thought. He wondered what she was thinking about. Joe, most likely... Maybe she was thinking about him... No chance of that happening soon or ever. He had run out of chances to tell her how he felt. Of all the nights to declare his love, he had to choose the night before her wedding. Realizing how stupid that had been, Willie started for the window. He would leave her in peace so that she could enjoy her heartfelt wedding. There would be no interferance on his part. He saw the look on her face. Her expression told it all. Who ever she thought of at the moment was one lucky guy.
He was about to leave when Maggie called to him.
"Willie."
He turned around.
A thousand things ran through her head. What could she tell him? She could tell him how she felt about him... That he was truly the man of her dreams. She could run to him and kiss him. Maybe they could elope right then and live happily ever after... just like the fairy tales. But of all the choices, there were only two words Maggie could muster up.
"Good night...."
They gazed into eachothers eyes for such a long moment. Then Willie moved over to the window and sighed deeply.
"Good night." was all he could say.
And with that he slipped out of her room and out of her life forever....

THE END