Princess & the Player

thirty-three: letting go

Maggie's POV:

Jill and Grandma left for the Marriott soon after the kids left. Then a doctor and some techs and nurses came and they removed my catheter and my second port. I wasn't going to need that transfusion, it was decided. The nurse helped me get wiped down and use the bathroom and get a fresh gown on. She got a second one on me to use as a robe. 

My bruises were fading to a greenish-yellow. But everything still hurt. 

After I was settled back in my bed, Marco grabbed some stuff and ducked into the bathroom for a shower. My room had two beds but the other one was empty. JJ was sitting on it fiddling with the TV remote.

After the shower started, JJ muted the TV and turned to me. 

"Maggie," he exhaled.

"Yeah?"

"This guy..."

"What is it... with you?"

"I thought you were smarter than this. You always were, before."

"I pick him."

"He's using you," JJ said plainly. "You are beautiful, Maggie. You're sweet and you're able to do almost anything. This guy is a user. And I'm sorry to say it, but you've been used all your life. Stop. Just stop. Wait for someone who is worthy of you."

"Are you seriously having this conversation?" Marco stepped back out of the bathroom in a pair of board shorts, rubbing his head with a towel. 

Scottie ignored him. "It's a bad time to be trying to date. Get strong, get healthy, let me help. We'll get the kids together, it will be good - in time."

"I'm standing right here, dude."

"You know, Emily is probably still on shift. 3rd floor."

"So you know her schedule. Makes things convenient for you, huh?"

"There's another Oasis regular in oncology, woman named Elia. She raves about your chocolate martinis."

"I'll get her the recipe. The trick is a splash of Bailey's."

"I think she was more about the bartender than the flavor," he lifted his eyebrows.

Marco flushed and I thought he was about to punch Scottie. I tapped the remote control against the side of my bed, making a clanging noise. They both looked. "Seriously?" I wheezed.

Scottie shook his head in frustration while Marco pulled on his favorite old Charlie Parker t-shirt that said Bird on it. 

"You're leaving next spring, right? Probably New York City for your license? Then...what? AIA-San Fransisco? The LSA in London? You're a hotshot, right?"

"You forgot the D-Lab at MIT."

"So tell me your plan, here?"

"Land a job with one of the big 20 after graduation," he dropped in the chair next to me. "Work 2000 hours a year. I want to get licensed in 2, skip the 3rd intern year. Then a masters, probably in sustainability but maybe mechanical engineering. Project Manager by 30, then principal or start my own firm."

"I meant with Maggie," Scottie rolled his eyes.

I swallowed. My throat was beginning to feel better, especially now that I could sip ice water. 

"Jesus, not that I owe you a damn thing - I don't - but Maggie and I have discuss this relationship so much that it practically has its own Wikipedia page."

"You know this whole thing happened too fast."

 "Step off, Scottie."

Scottie glanced at me and I slowly nodded. With a growl of frustration, he left for the night.