On The Narrow Way

Part 3

"I just don't think I can take it anymore." Maggie sighed, running her hands through her hair.

Her friend, Emelia, watched Maggie quietly, her gaze darting to the door of the tiny café. "Uh..." She fidgeted with the silverware beside her plate and half-finished muffin. "Well..." Her hands moved to crumbling the remaining muffin onto the plate. "I don't know, Maggie. Pick up a hobby or something to distract yourself? I don't understand why you can't just get over it. The doctors give you medicine and help. You're taking the meds, right?"

Maggie wasn't, but she nodded anyway. She never gets it, Maggie thought. "Sure..." She couldn't quite meet her friend's eyes. "Of course. Why wouldn't I, Em?"

Emelia raised a brow. "Because you've tried to stop taking them before. Look, maybe you should go see a friend of mine. She specializes in this kind of thing..." She lowered her voice, sifting through her purse for a card.

Maggie took the offered card and examined it. There was a crystal ball in the background and woman's warm, smiling face beside the contact information. Maggie raised a brow, scrunching her nose at Emelia.

"She uses meditation to help." She picked up her purse and stood. "And before you object, it's not somehow against your religion to meditate. Doesn't your Bible use that word somewhere anyway?"

Maggie had to admit that it did, but she wasn't sure it meant what her friend thought it did. "I don't know..." She set the card down on the table. "I think I'm good with what I have..." Maggie tried a weak smile.

"Then stop whining." Emelia stood. "Look, I have to go..." She rifled through her purse and pulled out her cell. "I'll text you tomorrow. Think about the meditation idea. This lady is one of the best. She can connect you to the spiritual realm like you wouldn't believe. So let me know if you change your mind."

Maggie's heart sunk as she watched her friend leave. I wish she would stop trying to fix me... Maggie ran a hand through her hair. Am I the problem? Maybe I'm not good enough for her anymore.

"Um... Excuse me. It's Maggie, right?"

Maggie started, looking up quickly. One of the guys from her American Government class was standing next to the table, waiting for a response. "Uh... Yeah, I'm Maggie... You're in my American Government class, right?"

There was a long, awkward pause. He stared vacantly out the window, eyes glassy for a few moments as he appeared to ponder her question. "Uh, yeah... I'm Seth."

Maggie already knew. He was the mousy kid who always sat in the back. Seth participated when they did activities together as a class, but he generally didn't take the spotlight. He did his work well, occasionally offered good suggestions, and stayed out of the way. She also knew that was one of the things she liked best about him. His shy behavior was endearing.

Mostly though, Maggie remembered him as the religious boy who was kind to everyone around him. That came up in his words and actions in class all over. He didn't need to specifically state that he was a Christian. It was just obvious. Uncomfortably obvious sometimes. Seth was always talking about Jesus and sharing his beliefs with anyone who would listen. Granted, not many people did, but that didn't deter him. Maggie figured it was socially acceptable to have beliefs like he did so long as you didn't bring it up in any kind of a public setting outside of religious events. Everyone knew that. Everyone except Seth, anyway. But sometimes Maggie thought she'd like that kind of faith. One that was obviously genuine and practical.

"Err... Can I sit down?" Seth waved to the other side of the booth.

She'd been thinking about his past behavior for too long. "Oh, sure! Sorry..." She toyed with the hem of the tablecloth. "I didn't mean to space out on you..."