Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost

Maggie is anxious to move into her new log cabin in the country. She long ago tired of the hustle and bustle of the city, the hordes of people rushing to who knows where with empty yet determined looks in their eyes. In a few hours, she will be there, in her paradise. Thank goodness her grandmother left her an inheritance that most people would envy. With this inheritance money, she bought a log cabin far away from the grit and grime, the gray, and the concrete of the city. Away from the exhaust smells, the blaring horns, and angry people.

As Maggie drives down the highway, she thinks back to what led her to this point in her life. She remembers the painful breakup with Tom, her husband of three years. They had not known each other long before they got married, unfortunately. The whirlwind romance swept her off her feet and before she knew it, she was walking down the aisle and saying, “I do.” Tom had said those two words also, but it became abundantly clear not even six months into the marriage that he did not take those vows seriously. At least he did not take them seriously for himself. She was supposed to follow the vows perfectly while he stayed out late with “the boys” and came home reeking of perfume. Maggie tried to work on her marriage, even suggesting marriage counseling, to no avail. Tom turned out to not be the man she needed him to be.

As Maggie continues to drive, taking in the beautiful scenery, the large poplar trees swaying in the wind, the dandelions, the crabgrass, and the foxtail, she is grateful the marriage is over and done. The fresh air almost makes her dizzy, so different from the thick, smoky city air. She is grateful that the inheritance she received came after her divorce from Tom. He did not deserve to share in any of the proceeds. He had made her life a living hell and she deserves to be able to escape and live a peaceful life away from him and all the reminders of him.

Maggie takes the final turn to her cabin. The driveway is long and winding, with a thick forest on either side. The roomy and well-maintained log cabin appears before her. The milled cabin is a welcome site to Maggie’s eyes. She first saw it online. It represents everything that she has been looking forward to ever since she realized that her marriage could not be saved, and she needed to escape. The nearest house is just under a mile away, which offers the peace and privacy she craves.

Unloading her red Ford Bronco was easy. She had donated most of her things and only brought along what she absolutely needed. Unload the unnecessary and declutter – this included not only her cheating, lying husband, the friends that she felt had not been true friends, and any items that reminded her of Tom. There had been many of those items. She donated them all to Goodwill. With the inheritance, she could afford to start fresh and buy new things that were hers and hers alone with no awful memories attached to them.

Two months later Maggie, fully settled into her new life, spends her days gardening, taking long walks, reading romance novels, and enjoying her solitude. Though she does have a cell phone, she only turns it on once per week to check on her mother. Her mother lives in an assisted living facility and has done so for the past few years. Maggie is grateful for the care her mother receives at the facility and it is something that she no longer needs to worry about.

One day Maggie is in her garden when she receives a call on her cell phone. As she checks the caller-id, she sees it is from the assisted living home where her mother is living. She worries that something has happened to her mother. It is highly unusual for them to call, and she knows she is current on her payments to the facility.

“Hello”, she says. At first there is silence on the other end. Then, she hears a voice that fills her with dread.

“Maggie, it’s me.” She knows who “me” is. There is no need to ask. She will always recognize the sound of her ex-husband’s voice.

“What are you doing?” she says. “Where is mother and what are you doing there?”

“I’m not going to beat around the bush here. I know you got a significant inheritance from your aunt. Half of that money should be mine and I want it.”

Maggie could not believe what she was hearing. How dare he think any of this money was his. She had received the money after their bitter divorce and there was no reason why she should have to share any of it with him. She said as much to Tom.

“If you don’t give me that money, I will kill your mother and come after you.”

Maggie cannot believe what she is hearing. Here she had thought she had found her paradise and now, it seemed that paradise was in jeopardy because she knew that Tom would not be satisfied with taking half of the money she has left. He will not be happy until he has drained her and bled her dry of all the happiness she has found. She slams the phone down hard, then redials the assisted living facility. A nurse answers.

“This is Maggie Jones. I’m calling to see if my mother is okay.”

The nurse informs Maggie that her mother is fine and there is no need for concern. Maggie attempts to explain to the nurse that her ex-husband may be in the building and may try to hurt her mother. The nurse continues to appear nonchalant and insists that Maggie’s mother is fine. Maggie hangs up the phone.

She decides that she must get to her mother, to protect her and ensure her safety. She must make the nursing home staff realize that this is a serious matter, and her mother must be protected. She gathers up her purse and cell phone.

She opens the door to her cabin, and there stands Tom. Maggie then realizes that indeed her paradise is lost.