Previously on Love Conflicted…

Read Part 1 HERE

Maggie walks into her apartment, closes the door and breathes a sigh of relief.

Leaning against her front door, she reaches into her purse and pulls out a bag.

Taking out a box; a pregnancy test box.

Maggie sighs walking into the bathroom.

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Maggie stands in her bathroom facing her mirror, even she doesn’t know how to feel, even she can’t read her own expression.

And now she waits. Looking at her phone, the timer she set counts down;

2:58, 2:57, 2:56…

In 3 minutes…

In just about 3 minutes her life is either going to be catastrophically complicated OR it’ll go back to some sort of normalcy.

“Who am I kidding, my life is already complicated,” Maggie thinks.

She glances at her phone again.

1:58, 1:57, 1:56…

“Deep breaths, just take deep breaths,” Maggie thinks and she breathes in and out, slowly trying to calm her obvious nerves.

Before she knows it Maggie notices her timer ticking rapidly down…

10, 9, 8, 7…

“It’s like the most bizarre New Year’s countdown you’ll ever see,” Maggie thinks.

“Great make jokes,” she scolds herself internally.

Her phone timer goes off. It’s time. Her fate awaits.

Maggie stills.

She picks up the pregnancy test and looks at her reflection in the mirror.

“I feel like I should be crying. Like I should be sad or…something.” She thinks.

Maggie: Stop overanalyzing and just look at the damn thing. (she says out loud)

She goes to look at it and then stops.

Maggie: On second thought, I don’t wanna know…not tonight.

She throws her test in the trash.

Maggie gets ready for bed and sits on her bed reading a book with a cup of tea nearby.

Before she knows it, it’s morning and the sun is peeking through her curtains.

Maggie wakes up slowly, stretching her arms out above her head. She feels good. It’s a new day.

And then it hits her. The fate of her and Ricky’s relationship hangs in the balance. And the unanswered question or rather the key to her dilemma is sitting in her bathroom trashcan as we speak.

“If it’s positive all the more reason to try to make it work. OR all the more reason to stay far far away from Ricky and his dangerous life.” She thinks.

Maggie gets up and walks into her kitchen, she looks in her refrigerator and takes out some eggs, as she begins to make herself an omelet.

Maggie’s mind begins to wander, and she feels as though she’s in a fog.

How long can she put this off?

How long can her sanity take not knowing?

Maggie sits at her table finishing her breakfast.

It feels like she’s just going through the motions.

She walks toward her bathroom, with the intent to take a shower.

She gets to the door, and stops.

“Maybe I’ll go for a walk, first.” She thinks.

“You’re stalling…” She thinks again.

“No, I just need some fresh air, and while I’m out I can pick up some fresh fruit and there’s some things I need to mail, and-”

“Stallingggg!!!” She thinks again.

Maggie: Shut up. (she says out loud)

Silencing the inner fight between her heart and her head, Maggie grabs a sweater, some shoes, her keys and phone, and rushes out of her apartment.

She finds herself in a nearby park, standing near a trickling fountain. It’s early morning. It’s pretty desolate. Her eyes gloss over as she becomes absorbed in the clearness of the water. Pure. Crystal. Untouched. Then she notices the sound of the water cascading. Its peaceful. Beautiful. Simple. And she lets herself stand there. In stillness. In awe. In the unknown. Maggie is content for a minute.

Until her phone starts to ring.

She sighs pulling it from her pocket.

“Back to reality.” She thinks.

She looks at it…

Ricky calling, is displayed across the screen.

Maggie sighs and hits decline.

Displaying her background screen; a sweet picture of her and Ricky; He’s holding her close and kissing her cheek while she smiles brightly.

Maggie stares at it for a bit.

Just then she hears a familiar voice behind her.

Ricky: Declining my call, yet again? I thought we were past that.

Maggie jumps and turns around.

Ricky smiles lovingly at her.

Maggie: And I thought we were past you stalking me. (she sits on the side of the fountain)

Ricky: (laughs) Oh wow. Ouch. (he joins her)

Maggie: I need time, Ricky. What happened to me calling you when I was ready?

Ricky: I don’t know. (he shrugs, matter of factly) I miss you.

Maggie softens and looks away.

Ricky: Are you ever going to be ready? Or are you just going to leave me hanging? Waiting for you to decide if you wanna be with me?

Maggie: I-

Ricky: (gets up kneeling in front of her, taking her hands) Maggie, you have me. I am at your feet, at your beck and call, hanging on your every word, wrapped around your little finger, and any other cliché phrase that shows how whipped a guy in love can be.

Maggie: You… are not whipped.

Ricky: Try me. I’ll do whatever you want. I love you.

Maggie: Ricky I just, I haven’t decided yet.

Ricky: Wow. (he let’s go of her hands, distancing himself) It’s that difficult. What does your heart tell you? What do you want?

Maggie: I don’t know.

Ricky: (standing up) Yes you do.

The truth is Maggie deep down knew exactly what she wanted, she was just to afraid to admit it to herself never the less admit it to Ricky.

Ricky: You know I can understand you needing time if I wasn’t willing to give up my job, but I am, I am more than willing to change my entire life, the only life I’ve ever known, just so I can be with you. But if you can’t even entertain the idea that you might actually be happy with me. Then I don’t know what else I can do. You need to meet me half way here Maggie. I can’t do this myself.

Maggie: I don’t know what else to say. I don’t know ok? You come into my life out of nowhere and you make me fall for you and then you go and drop this bomb on me. I don’t know what you want from me?

Ricky: I want you.

Maggie: You say that now, but what happens when you get bored? When you realize settling down isn’t what you want?

Ricky: I have always been a one woman kind of guy Maggie. I would never hurt you.

Maggie: That’s not what I’m worried about. I know you love me, and I know how loyal you are. I’m talking about the job. You live off of the rush you get when you have to do something dangerous. You can tell me you hate what you do, but you can’t look me in the eye and say you hate how powerful you feel. And something tells me the Wall Street stock market sales department won’t fill that need.

Ricky: Maybe not. But you will. Maggie, when I’m with you, nothing else matters. I don’t need car chases, or shoot outs to get a rush. My heart flies out of my chest just being in the same room as you, or just by hearing your voice. I am in this. I am so in this. (he takes her hands in his again and pulls her up to stand with him)

Maggie looks at him, at a loss for words.

Maggie: I don’t know what to say…

Ricky: Say you’ll be with me.

Maggie: You could end up hating me, resenting me…I don’t want that.

Ricky: Maggie I have never loved what I have to do in my job. I never wanted to be the guy that crossed that line. It started off with just wanting to right other people’s wrongs. Just trying to give them the fate they deserved. And justice for the ones they hurt. But the lines between who is truly good and bad has blurred. And at this point I don’t know which way is up. I had no idea what this job would turn into. How calculating they can be, and how it can consume your life. But I do know that being around you I know the goodness people can have in them, I feel the good. Before you I didn’t know love even existed. I didn’t have anyone to share my life with. I was lost and alone and I needed direction. The only pro to my job was running into you my chance. You are my sign, my direction.  I have a chance to get out. And I wanna take it. I wanna take it and I want us to start over. We can be happy, you know we can.

Maggie: So you’re saying you want like… a real future. You and me. Like wedding rings and-

Ricky: Marriage, kids, a house… hell yea.

Maggie: Ricky… before we go any further here, there’s something I need to tell you-

Ricky’s phone begins to ring.

He winces, seeing who it is, and knowing it’s not making his case any better.

Maggie: Take it.

Ricky: No, it can wait. Please continue.

Maggie: No, it’s fine. Take it.

Ricky: I’ll just be a minute.

Ricky takes the call walking off to the side.

Maggie watches him.

Ricky: Yea? … What? No… No I told you not to make a mess out of this… Who saw you? …What?… I’m on my way. Hide out until you hear from me.

Maggie is hearing his conversation.

She sees the anger etched on his face.

“How can someone who is so sweet and delicate with her turn into someone so cold and hurtful. How can he go from telling her how much he loves her and wants to start a life with her, to someone ordering another’s life to be ended?” She ponders.

Ricky hangs up and turns to Maggie.

Ricky: I’m sorry. But-

Maggie: Hey- duty calls.

Ricky: Maggie-

Maggie: No it’s ok look I get it. I haven’t given you the green light yet, so why would you get out a moment too soon.

Ricky: That’s not how it is. I just-

Maggie: Just go.

Ricky: No. You need to hear me out.

Maggie: Business is business, I get it. You can’t tell me anything anyway, so what’s the point.

Ricky rolls his eyes and grabs her hand pulling her behind some trees. He shuts off his cell phone.

Maggie: What are you doing?

Ricky: Hiding from ear shot. (he scans the area)

Ricky and Maggie are pinned against a tree, hidden from sight. Stuck in close quarters.

Maggie fidgets. Too close for Maggie’s sake or sanity.

Maggie: And the phone?

Ricky: Just in case they turn on my tracking or my spyware. They can check in anytime. (still scanning the area)

Maggie: What? (Ricky and Maggie share a moment, they lock eyes)

(shaking it off) You never told me that! Ricky! We’ve been together so many times, they definitely know who I am.

Ricky: Every time we were together, I’ve been careful.

Maggie: But we’ve done things Ricky, personal things. You’re telling me they could have phoned in at any point. They could have seen things, heard things. Wha-

Ricky: They haven’t. Trust me. I would never put you in that kind of danger. Or exploit you in any kind of way.

Maggie: But they know who I am. You can’t tell me they don’t.

Ricky: They know you’re off limits.

Maggie: Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my GOD! Ricky!

Maggie starts freaking out and hyperventilating.

Ricky: Stop it! (grabs her shoulders, trying to calm her) Stop freaking out. I swear to you. You are safe with me. (takes her hands in his)

Maggie: How can you say that? How? How can you even think that? Do they know where I live?

Ricky looks at her.

Maggie: You’ve spent the night hundreds of times of course they do! Oh my god!

Ricky: Relax, it’s not you they are concerned with. It’s me. Look the timing of my exit has to be perfect. If I screw it up, they will not let me walk away without a fight. I need to make sure that everything is in order before I give my final notice. If I don’t secure a replacement, the right replacement, they will take that as an insult. Vouching for my own replacement is me giving them my assurance that I will not disclose any information to outsiders. If my exit isn’t planned perfectly my higher ups will disown me, and that in CIA terms means I’m dead.

Maggie: CIA? I thought you were just in the mob?

Ricky: No. That’s just my cover. I had to have a cover job in place so that I won’t be suspected, because otherwise I’m useless and can be used as collateral damage, should they need to spring clean.

Maggie: Spring clean?

Ricky: Knock out the old guys and bring in the newly trained young ones.

Maggie: And by knockout you mean kill?

Ricky: Pretty much.

Maggie: Thank you! By all means make my case for me! This is dangerous either way. All of it. For both of us. And anyone else… involved. (she catches herself and looks away quickly)

Ricky: (noticing) Do you want me alive or not?

Maggie: Of course I do.

Ricky: Then cut me a break here, Maggie. I am skating on thin ice just by telling you this.

Maggie: Oh my god. Is Ricky even your real name? Oh my god, I’m sleeping with a man I don’t even know!

Ricky: That’s not true. You know me. I haven’t lied to you about how I feel about you. And I haven’t lied to you about my name either. My name is Ricky. They call me by an alias name.

Maggie: Oh great. My boyfriend has an alias. Just what every girl dreams of hearing.

Ricky grabs her by the face and kisses her.

Maggie: Why’d you do that? (she says in a daze, her head all foggy)

Ricky: Because I’m your boyfriend. (he smiles)

Maggie: That just came out. I-

Ricky: Nope can’t take it back. I won’t let you. (he smirks at her and Maggie’s heart melts) Let my driver take you home, I’ll come see you later.

He kisses her on the cheek.

Maggie: Ricky…

Ricky turns back toward her.

Maggie: Be safe.

Ricky: You know I will. We have a future to plan. (he winks and walks away.)

Maggie looks after him, even more confused than before.

Ricky’s driver: Excuse me miss? Where to?

Maggie smiles faintly getting into the car.

To be continued…

-<3-

What’s next for Ricky and Maggie?

 

 

Do they have what it takes?

* I do not take credit of any images used in my edits or otherwise, or any gifs used. *