Searching for Mr. Darcy

Scene Ninety-One

Two nights before Maisie was set to leave, Talia arranged dinner and game night with their friends.  George brought his famous spinach and artichoke dip again, Aubrey and Kent brought their entire game collection so they could have a massive tournament, and River and Phoenix made a massive, 3-tiered going away cake.  They promised the s'mores layer would change everyone's lives.

Clay and Terence came with decidedly less exciting contributions - papers for her to sign.

"What did you decide to do?" Talia asked, seeing Maisie poised to add her John Hancock.

"They agreed to eighteen months salary and lawyer fees, along wit ha letter of recommendation.  I agreed to never sue, but refused to sign an NDA."

"What's that mean?"

"Non-disclosure agreement.  They wanted me to sign away the ability to ever mention why I was fired or what happened that led up to it or immediately after, and I said if a condition of settling was signing that, that I would not settle and would see them in court.  We're guessing there's some more skeletons in the closet and I didn't want to handcuff myself from helping someone else if it comes to that."

Talia shook her head, "I can't believe they agreed to that."

"I had the best lawyers backing me up."  Maisie hip-checked Clay, who put a hand on his chest.

"Who me?" he asked sweetly.

Three quick knocks at the door broke up the laughter.  "I'll get it," Maisie said.  She handed the signed papers back to Clay and went to the door.  Dash followed, clearly hoping to manage an escape in the commotion of visitors.  Maisie picked him up and hastily answered the door.

"Hey," Marcus said, holding out a bottle of wine.

Maisie nearly dropped the cat and got a nasty gash along her arm in trying to hold onto him.  "Ouch!" she motioned for Marcus to come in and closed the door behind him so she could set the cat down.  "Hey," she breathed.

"That doesn't look good," he said, indicating her arm.

"Just a scratch."  She took a step towards him, amazed he was there, so incredibly happy to see him, not at all sure what to say or how to act.

"Let's at least get it cleaned up," he said.

A narrow line of red droplets had emerged, so she nodded and pointed down the hall.  "Bathroom's this way.  I have bandaids and antibacterial gel."

He followed her into the tiny room and she sat on the closed toilet lid while he opened the first aid kit.  "Thank you for coming," she said, as he gently began to wipe the blood from the cut with a damp washcloth.  "Who invited you?"

"Clay called.  He thought it would be good for me to get out and have some fun."

"I'm not sure game night can be considered 'getting out.'"

He grinned and finished his doctoring of her arm by applying a large bandaid.  "I think it counts, especially since I haven't left my mother's house since... besides, game night is always fun.  I brought my favorite game - Exploding Kittens."

"That's one we haven't played yet."  Maisie stood and bumped into him heading for the door.  "Sorry!"

"After you," he said.

"Thank you."

"I think Clay also wanted us to have some closure or something," Marcus added quietly as they moved toward the crowded living room.

She stopped and turned to him.  "I think we got that."  She put a hand on his arm, "How are you doing?  How's your mom and brother?"

He forced a smile.  "We're okay.  I mean, not great, but we're getting through."

She wanted to tell him it took time and that eventually he'd feel normal again, but people told her that when her dad died, and it wasn't helpful.  It was trie, but she didn't believe it at the time and no amount of well-meaning could make her.  Instead, she hugged him.  "I'm glad Clay invited you and that I got to see you before I leave."

They joined the others and Maisie introduced him to everyone as her old friend from high school.