Final Exam

Maggie wove her way through the crowded restaurant; her eyes darting back and forth across the room. Stale beer and grease filled the air clinging to the fog of cigarette smoke. She finally spotted her step mother Annabelle sitting at a table in the back. She took a deep breath and released it with a huff. Halfway to the table the bartender met her with a rum and coke. It was her usual when she came in to unwind after work. Her hand shook as she took the drink. Sitting down across from Annabelle, she tried to relax by taking another deep breath and releasing it slowly, “You wanted to talk to me about something, Mother.”

“Yes, I do,” Annabelle replied. “I want to talk to you about Andrew.”

“What about him?” Maggie could feel her barely contained rage flowing out at Annabelle in waves. She wished again that she had been able to convince her step mom to come out to the ranch where she could have yelled and paced instead of having to appear calm and not make a scene.

“I wanted to ask you if you would consider asking the judge to be lenient with his sentence. Ask him to give Andrew life instead of a death sentence.”

Maggie drained her drink and clenched her teeth together to keep from yelling, “Have you lost your ever loving mind? Why would I ask for that? He killed my sister. He is a monster! I want the judge to throw the book at him.”

Maggie watched as Annabelle’s clear grey eyes filled with tears, “You don’t mean that Mags, I know you don’t.”

“Yes Annabelle, I do. Megan wasn’t just my twin; she was my best friend and he took her from me.”

“He took her from Ian and Michael as well. She will never get to watch Michael grow to be a man or to have the life she imagined for him. She and Ian will never get to celebrate the milestones that mark a life built by a couple.”

“I lost her and miss her as well Maggie. Please don’t pile on more grief and sorrow by letting them take your brother.”

“He stopped being my brother when he killed Megan. I will never forgive him for that.”

“You speak of him taking Meg from you but you say nothing about Charlie.”

“Andrew did me a favor by killing my husband and if he had stopped with Charlie I would ask for leniency.”

Maggie watched heartbroken as tears slid down Annabelle’s face. She loved her step mother, would do just anything for her but she couldn’t this; she couldn’t let Andrew get off with a slap on the wrist this time.

“Maggie, I’m begging you to please remember Andrew before the drugs. He was the brother that you and Megan idolized growing up.”

Maggie felt the tears brimming in her own eyes, “I’m sorry Mom.”

She pushed away from the table and strode out the back door.