Subject: Remember Me My Love
Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2000 21:32:37 -0500
From: Julianka
The rain had been falling for over a week at Collinwood. The clouds, bloated, dark and low hanging, looked as if they had settled there to stay. The rain was not accompanied by the usual drama of the storms that besieged the occupants of Collinwood and the surrounding area. No lightening. No thunder. No gusting winds. Just a steady downpour. As if the heavens had witnessed the events of the previous week and were weeping in sympathy with Maggie's pain.
Maggie sat in the wide, softy padded window seat of the library at Collinwood, gazing absently at the rain washed glass. The children, Amy, Hallie and David were busily completing their assignments that Maggie had set for them. Her mind drifted back to that horrible night of a week ago. The night that Barnabas and Quentin had used her as bait to trap Nicholas. Dragging her, screaming and fighting against her will to the Old House. Finally Quentin flung her over his shoulder and carried her in. She would never forget Nicholas' face as she plead for him to save her. His frantic efforts to get to her, lead to his downfall. Maggie put her hands over her ears in an attempt to block out the memory of Nicholas' and her own screams as Nicholas' Dark Master's flames destroyed him sent him back to Hell yet again.
She had forgiven Quentin and Barnabas. Even Elizabeth and Professor Stokes for using her to trick Nicholas. She understood that Nicholas was a threat to the Collins family. She listened to thier apologies and patiently assured them that she wasn't angry with them and went to her room to rest. As one day followed the other, Maggie carried out her duties as usual. Finally telling everyone to please, please let everything return to normal. Their constant attentions and gestures of contrition were wearing on her nerves.
Maggie leaned her head against the cool glass of the window thinking of her date with Joe the evening before. Over drinks at the Blue Whale, Maggie had tried to explain her feelings to Joe. But before she finished the first sentence, Joe took her hand in his.
"Maggie I understand. Even before last week, things weren't the same between us. Maybe we missed our chance together long ago. I don't know." he said shaking his head sadly.
Maggie looked into Joe's eyes and felt the pain wash over her. "Why Joe? Why can't life be simple like before?" she cried.
"Maybe it wasn't ever simple. Maybe we were just to young and naive to know that." he smiled.
As he left her at the front doors of Colinwood, Joe kissed her goodby. And Maggie knew this chapter of her life was over.
She toyed with David's wooden puzzle box that sat near her on the window seat. A wooden puzzle box David's Aunt Elizabeth had brought home from her honeymoon in Venice. Maggie listlessly traced the carved flowers of the box. Noticing for the first time a small face hidden in a carved rose.
"Maggie." called David from the table.
Looking around at the three children Maggie answered. "Yes, David?"
"We have finished our work. May we watch television now?"
"Of course. Leave your papers on the table. I'll grade them later."
Maggie knew she could trust them to behave. They had been on their best behavior all week. After the children left the library Maggie examined the puzzle box more closely. Only one rose had a face carved into it's center. Without knowing why she pressed the little face and gasped as a thin drawer slid open from the bottom of the box. Inside the drawer was a thin blue silk covered book, a small golden ring with a rose in it's center and a dried pressed rose. The aroma of the rose wafted up to her. Filling her with a strange kind of nostaliga.
Picking up the little book she opened to the first page, reading the words inscribed therin.
"I am so happy today! Father told me at breakfest this morning we are to visit with his good friend, Count Guido Chiavelli and his family in Venice! I jumped to my feet, clapping my hands with excitment. I have never traveled beyond the small village that borders the edge of our country estate. Now I will be traveling ! First to London and then via ship to Venice!"
As if in a daze Maggie gently placed the dried rose between the pages of the small book. Next she put the little golden circle on the ring finger of her left hand. It fit perfectly and she knew in her heart that this ring was hers. Closing the drawer of the puzzle box, Maggie took the silk bounded volume and went to her room.
She lay down on her bed holding the book close to her breast. As her eyes closed, she faintly heard a whisper born on the patter of the rain against her bedroom window.
"The time has come Maggie. Time to remember where it all began. To remember our love."
Subject: Remember Me My Love
Chapter 2
Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2000
21:33:41 -0500
From: Julianka
"Remember......" soft as a sigh on a breeze came the whispered voice. "Remember me........."
Maggie lay hovering on the edge of sleep on her bed in the great house of Collinwood.
"Yes, my love." Maggie answered. "Remember..."
Maggie's conscious mind swirled. Spinning around and around down the path of time following the call of a voice. Longing forward to what? Of this she had no knowledge. But yearning onward toward a distant memory. Until finally, gently coming to rest. Awareness returned.
She could feel the bed solid once more beneath her body. Perhaps not quite solid, for she felt a slight rolling motion and knew a moment of nausea. She lay, eyes closed holding on to those few precious second of oblivion.
"Miss..Miss." an insistent voice called to her. "Miss. The ship will be docking soon. Your father will be waiting for you. And I must get your things together. You must wake up now."
"M..my father?" Maggie sat up. Putting a hand to her head, totally confused. Looking around at this strange room and at the unfamiliar young woman shaking her arm. "Where am I?"
"What are you saying Miss? You know where you are. Now..now. It's all this traveling to foreign paces. Tisk-tisk! It has been too much for you Miss Katherine. A body ought to stay where the Good Lord put them. That's what I say."
At the mention of her name from this time Maggie forgot about her self. Forgot about Collinwood and her life there. She arose from the bed and let....Mary? Yes that was this lady's name. And let Mary help her dress. It came to her now. She was traveling with her father to Venice to visit his good friend Count Guido Chiavellis and his family. Her name was Miss Katherine Ann Grayson, daughter and only child of Treymoor Patrick Grayson. Her mother had passed away when Katherine was four years old. So she was her father's darling. Pet though she was, she was unspoiled by this and a well mannered polite young lady.
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Standing at the rail of the ship a short time later with her father, Katherine was very excited. At last she would see the city of her dreams! Sunlight shimmered on the deep blue water of the bay. Katherine was fully prepared to enjoy herself. To see first hand all the places she had only read of before.
Her father's voice called her back to earth.
To be continued..........