Chapter 19

 Maggie woke up early. The sun was not up yet, so she made her way to the kitchen to make breakfast for her and the other adult resident of the house, Jack. Mary will not be coming today, and she was the one to prepare breakfast for them in the past days. Maggie and Jack never had breakfast together, except for her first morning here. She was avoiding him quite literally, but since she discovered he wasn't actually as 'bad' as she thought initially, she decided that she could afford to walk around the house more freely.

 She made a fresh pot of coffee and a plate filled with her favorite French toast, and she also cut some fruit she found in the fridge. She was just about to sit at the table and start eating when Jack entered. His hair was neatly combed, and he was dressed perfectly, not a single wrinkle on his smart suit. Well, he indeed was a sight to see, and Maggie just realized how much she started to enjoy it.

Jack woke up today earlier than usual. He intended to seek out Maggie before he leaves for his office, but she surprised him. Pleasantly. She was already in the kitchen with prepared breakfast on the table, and he didn't miss how she eyed him up and down when he came in. He wanted to smirk badly, but he managed to hold it.

"Good morning," he greeted her on his way to pour some coffee for himself.

"Good morning. I made breakfast since Mary won't be coming today. And she shouldn't be the one to make it, anyway. She's too old for cooking."

"Don't say that in front of her, you would seriously offend her," Jack said while sitting down at the table across from Maggie. He wanted to look at her as much as he could. "I will hire a cook in the next couple of days. I have something important to finish first."

Jack came down to the kitchen last night after Eric woke him up, and found the cake Maggie made in the fridge. It was one of the best sweets he had ever tried before, and partly it was because of the person who made it. And now, she prepared breakfast for him. He could seriously get used to this, Maggie cooking for him, Maggie being here. It felt just like he thought it would. It felt good, homey, satisfying on a whole new level. On the level he has never experienced before, the one he never knew or thought he needed.

Jack reached in his pocket and pulled out a set of car keys, and put them in front of Maggie.

"Here, take these. There is a car in the garage I rarely use. Drive it from now on." He said between two bites like it was nothing.

"I don't want to drive your car." Maggie sounded offended.

"Do you want a new one?" Jack was confused. He could buy her a new one but was doubtful she would accept it.

"What? No!" but before she could say anything else, Jack interrupted her.

"Maggie, be reasonable. Your mother is going to be transferred here tomorrow, and the hospital is on the other side of the city. It will take you hours to get there by public transport. And also, you don't have to spend your days locked in your room. You can go shopping or sightseeing or anything. I know for sure that you are always welcome to visit Emma, she would love to have you in her home."

'When you put it like that…' Maggie thought and reached for the keys. Losing a whole day on the way to the hospital and back would be torture. Since they were on friendly terms now, she decided to ask for some kind of help regarding finding a job.

"I would like to find some job…" she started to say, but Jack interrupted her angrily.

"No! Absolutely not," even the thought of sharing her attention with anything like a job was too much. Not until she is his! Later, when they become closer, when he doesn't have to worry about that anymore, he will find her the best job there is, but just not now. When he noticed Maggie's startled expression, he realized how inappropriate his reaction was. "I am sorry for scaring you like this. Give me some time, a few weeks, a month, and I will personally make sure to get you a job appropriate to your name and title."

"But I have to do something. I will go crazy with boredom."

"Please, Maggie, do this for me. Besides, in this 'scam' you are supposed to be the one who recently gave birth to a baby. Surely, you can't work yet." Thank god he remembered to play this card too. "You must have some hobby you had to put on hold when your mom got sick. Something you liked to do."

"But I have no money…" she protested, but it only caused Jack to laugh.

"You have a crazy rich husband! Of course, you have money. What's mine is yours." He said. "I gave you a credit card. Use it."

"N.."

"Maggie. I insist. You left your life to play the role of my wife. Go out, spend all you can, buy, I don't know... anything you like. A freaking lama pet if you like…" Maggie chuckled at this, and it made Jack's heart swell. He wanted to give her everything, everything that she could ever want and need. He wanted to make her happy, to make her smile. And he will get there, he just has to go slow with her, not to scare her away or overwhelm her. "I got you in my mess, please, let me do this for you. Don't hesitate to spend my money. Act like it is yours."

Maggie knew he was right, he did owe it to her in a way, but she still wasn't comfortable with it. But she nodded her head anyway.

Jack quickly finished his breakfast and gulped more coffee.

"I have to go to the office, but I'll be back early. I was thinking of picking up something for lunch… what would you like?"

Maggie was confused for a second but quickly recovered.

"Or I could make us something?" she offered, and the look on Jack's face was more than enough to tell that it was exactly what he hoped to hear.

"If it's not too much bother," And after she nodded, Jack said goodbye and left. He couldn't wait to come back home. He knew he will finish just the necessary today and rush to come back.

Maggie, on the other hand, was left wondering what just happened. Things between them changed drastically in just one day. It was strange and confusing. She still had no idea which Jack was the real one. The one that came to her with the proposal he never let her refuse, cynical and repulsing one, or this Jack. The one she got to know in the days she spent here, thoughtful and careful one, nice and polite, understanding and warm.

Deep inside, she hoped that things could stay the way they are now, having normal conversations and sharing meals, spending time together, and talking. He was pleasant company when he wasn't a jerk.

After she washed the dishes and changed her clothes, Maggie went to the garage, and indeed, there was a car there. It was black and pretty, she didn't know much about cars so that was all she could say about it.

Deciding to go grocery shopping, Maggie got into the car and used a GPRS to get to the nearest mall, the one that was nearer than the one she went to with Emma. She strolled around, went into a few shops, bought a few clothing items…

She was walking through the mall when she saw a shop that sells things for babies. The mere look at all the toys made her all soft, and she thought of poor Eric. Without further thinking, she went inside and picked a few plush bears and one adorable frog. She was on her way to the cashier when a person with a hoodie pulled over the head, slammed right into her left shoulder.

"Sorry," she heard a man's voice mumble before he stormed out of the store.

'Creep,' she thought and went to pay for the toys.

Before she went back home, she bought some ingredients for lunch she planned to make, and she also found a fabric parlor. It surprised her and made her happy to see it because it instantly gave her the idea to make herself a new dress. Maybe she could make one for Emma too. She bought every fabric that she liked in different colors. She also got a small sawing machine and some threads.

With everything securely placed in the trunk of the car, she returned home, and when she finished unpacking, it was already noon.

Maggie took the toys she bought for Eric and went to his nursery. Edit was there with him, but when she saw Maggie come in, she immediately got up.

"I'm so glad you came. Would you mind keeping an eye on him for a bit? I need to eat something, I am famished, and he is demanding attention."

"Of course, go ahead." Maggie nodded her head, and soon she was alone with the baby. She leaned above his crib, and their eyes met, and that was the moment that changed Maggie's decision to stay away from him. His little eyes shone with pure love and joy when he saw her, he reached with his little hands trying to grab her, to get himself closer to her. He giggled and smiled with his out of this world toothless smile, and Maggie was bought. Forever.

No one could resist this little, innocent soul who wanted nothing else but to be loved.