Unstable (d) Writer's Challenge

Maggie: This is the story of a woman, Maggie McGee, who is a Police Dispatcher in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is an only child and has recently lost her parents in an automobile accident. She has to take care of her parent's estate, plan their funeral, and keep her sanity while grieving.

Eventually she meets and falls in love with a man who turns out to be abusive. He slowly takes away her friends. Finally, she plans her escape, one dark night; leaving most of her possessions behind and traveling by bus to be harder to track down.

She leaves instructions behind for her employer and the police dept. so that she will not be considered a missing person.

Her trip begins to the farthest city she can book which turns out to be Denver CO. During her stay there she meets an elderly man Harold; they become friends. She also acquires a laptop and a few other items she will need to look for a job. She loves Denver but years for a warmer climate so starts looking at jobs in the South Carolina area.

Harold: An elderly man Maggie meets in Denver while swimming. Harold is a traveling salesman but is growing tired of the job. He politely asks Maggie if she would like to have supper with him (he hates to eat alone). Tells her he is happily married and is not hitting on her. She agrees to have dinner with him, and they have a lovely evening talking. Harold tells her that he will soon be retiring from the road as he and his wife just purchased a quaint little country store with several cottages in Maine. He told her that his wife is lonely since the children have flown the nest and he knew she would love to meet her if she would ever consider coming out to Maine for a visit. They keep in touch through the years and John and Maggie take a postponed honeymoon out there.

David: This is the abusive boyfriend. He comes home late, as usual, and it isn't until the next morning he discovers Magie is missing. He roams the house, scratches his head, wondering where she is. He goes out in his truck looking in the area she generally jobs, stops by her work, then goes home and waits some more.

David has parents in the city and one sister Lisa. His older brother who he was closely knit with was killed in the war. When that happened, David took a downward spiral in to drugs and then heavy drinking. His anger turns him into a monster when he drinks. He and his prior girlfriend we kicked out of the parents' home one Xmas Eve when a fight ensued, and things were broken frightening the sister's children. The parents Harry and Margaret feel as if they lost both sons when the older brother was killed. David has steady job at a local auto mechanic shop, a trait he learned from his years working on cars with his older brother.

After Maggie left, David takes a hard look at his life. Has heart to heart talk with his mother and goes into professional help. Eventually he meets another nice woman and settles down, leaving behind his wild wasys.

Margaret: Margaret still tries to maintain some contact w/David but Harry, the father has wiped his hands clean of the boy. This causes some distention in the family.

. John, a well-built 5'8" man with dark hair and eyes and a killer smile was a medic in the war. He was injured and now bears a scar from cheek to chin. His leg was severely injured but after months of surgeries and physical therapy they were able to save the leg, but he was left with a drop foot and swaggering walk. His best friend Jesus pulled him from the truck and saved his life.

Maggie and John got on well in the 3 days they were together. She met his mother, Martha, who took her to the mall and helped her find the required black pants or capri's and white or black tennis shoes required by the job. She also had to get a couple of white shirts until the resort ones came in the mail. Martha and Maggie got along well, and Maggie took her to lunch in appreciation of the outing. Martha thought that there was a bit of an attraction between Maggie and John. She loved her youngest son and wished he would find someone, but he had his heart broken once and felt that no one would want him with the injuries he had. When he went into the service, he had a steady girl since they were Seniors. Betty was never a favorite of Martha's. She was beautiful in a made-up kind of way and her parents lived the high life. Betty was swept right into that world and easy-going John went along with it although it wasn't his cup of tea. John enlisted in the Army to get more mechanical training which was his passion. Betty wanted him to go to college and get an executive job but that wasn't going to happen so a little friction began to happen. To her credit, Betty stuck it out with John until he recovered from his injuries but then announced that she was engaged to some other fellow and that was that. John had a few dates that were set up by his buddies, but they only lasted the night and that was it. Martha was sorry that he led such a lonely social life. John's employees loved him to death, and he often went out with them to play pool or darts.

Because Maggie jogged, she soon met Phil, a resort golf trainer, on the trail which ran around the resort and through a small, wooded area. They became friends and generally stopped for coffee or a soda at the snack bar. Phil was a tall, slim, good-looking man with wavy light brown hair and blue eyes. He was attracted to Maggie and often asked her out but so far she had declined. She liked him for a friend but thought he was a little too yuppy for her taste. Sometimes the pair were joined by another employee, Shirley. .

John and Maggie spent more and more time together, not making their attraction known to each other but clearly enjoying each other's company. Martha sensed a change in her son, he was happy, smiling more, and talked constantly about Maggie this and Maggie that. One day Martha invited Maggie over for supper. During the meal, Martha asked Maggie if she was interested in going to Bingo at the church on Saturday nights. John was about to "nay" that thought when Maggie piped up and said, "I'd love to go." With that, John said "I'm going too." Amazed, Martha said, well, Maggie, you must have the power of persuasion, I've been asking John to go for a year, and he always says no."

Then, Maggie discovers she's pregnant. John senses something is off and after much prodding she finally tells him. He is taken aback but lets her know that he will stand beside her. She doesn't want him to think that she is going to take advantage of him. One thing leads to another, and she finally accepts that they do love each other, and they marry. Martha is now not sure if this was Maggie's intention all along.

Down the road Maggie thinks that it's unfair to keep the child from her grandparents but doesn't know how to go about telling them without involving David. John feels hurt as he has accepted responsibility for the child and wants to adopt him. Tension mounts over this situation.

Maggie gives in but broaches the subject again when the child reaches teenage years. By then, they have two other children of their own and John is still adamant to let things alone. He is close to the boy.

John
Age Dates Event
18 06/01/14 Graduated HS
18-20 2014-2016 Worked at Resort under George, an elderly main. Man
20-22 2016-2018 Joined Army to get more mechanical training
22 2018 Injured in combat
22-23 2018-2019 In Vet’s Hospital
23-23.5 2019 In Local Hospital
24-25 2020-2021 Worked at Resort under George, an elderly main. Man
26-27 2021-2022 George retired, now FT mgr. At resort


Maggie
Age Dates Event
18 06/01/15 Graduated HS
18 June-Dec 2015 Worked in Dad’s acctg firm as she had all through HS
19-19.5 Jan-June 2016 1.5 yr. Training as Police Dispatch
19.5-20 June-Dec 2016 On the job training
20-22 2017-2019 FT Dispatcher. Parents were killed
22 2019 Met and dated David
23-24 2020-2021 Lived w/David
25 2022 Left David, got job at resort
Marries John. Have 2 children of their own. John adopts David's daughter.
John is injured and dies
Maggie takes accounting classes
Maggie's daughter meets David
Maggie visits Maine with children
Maggie goes home and starts accounting business.


John has an accident at work and injures the same leg that was hurt in war. He develops septis and doesn't survive.

Maggie and John had two children of their own.

Maggie brings the truth to her teenage daughter and finally David and his family meet her. Then they travel to Maine to meet the man she had met so many years ago (Harold) and his wife and stay at their cottage. Then Maggie travels back home to Dayton and starts accounting business and rekindles her high school friendships. Martha visits often.