Significance (Completed)

Significance - Chapter Nineteen

"Maggie. Rebecca," her father stated after Beck ran to turn down the music. He was clearly amused and trying to hide it. "I'm glad to see you two hanging out again."

"Hey, Mister T," I said as I went to hug him. They were the sweetest people. And their name was Thompson so I called them Mr. and Mrs. T. He loved it because of the joke. They always let me crash here, especially right after my mom left, and even though Beck was spoiled rotten, they were still really good to her and everyone else. "Long time, no see."

"Yeah." He hugged me tightly and then released me to snag a piece of pizza. "They feed us like birds at those things. So, Maggie, what've you been up to? Haven't seen you around much lately. We thought Rebecca had chased you off for good."

"Yeah," Mrs. T chimed as she too lifted a piece of pizza from the box. "We missed you."

"No, she couldn't chase me off. I haven't been doing much, just working mostly."

"And going out with a totally hot new guy," Beck blurted.

There was no point in trying to stop her. Her parents were as bad as she was.

"Really?" he asked in a fake girly accent. "Do tell."

Mrs. T and I laughed, but Beck did not.

"Daddy, eww." But she was over it quickly and threw her arm over my shoulder. "So, yes. Our little Maggie bagged herself a college boy."

"Really?" His brow furrowed in concern. As cool as they wanted to seem, they were still parents. "Now, Maggie, I'd be careful with this boy. Once guys leave high school, everything changes. I remember college, when I met the wife and I wasn't exactly noble-"

"Honey, no. Not appropriate," Mrs. T insisted.

"I'm careful. Don't worry," I assured them. "He's really nice and has already met my dad."

"And how is your father?" he asked sincerely.

"Much better."

"Ok, good. Well, we'll let you girls get back to it." He went to Beck to kiss her forehead and then they made their way out, but stopped at the door. "Make sure you come back, Maggie. We miss you around here, definitely not loud enough."

I smiled.

"Ok."

"Ok, so." Beck went right back to scheming. "Stay with me tonight. You can wear something of mine."

"Can't, have to work tomorrow."

"You don't go in until later. Stay."

"I can't." I thought hard for an excuse, but Caleb saved me.

Tell her your dad is really strict lately, which isn't a lie. I can also feel your fever, that you don't feel too good. You ok?

Yeah. Just tired. I'll take some Tylenol for the fever. I'm ok.

"Dad's kind of gotten over his funk. He's really been on my case lately."

"Really? Well, that's good, I guess. Ok, well it's ok. I'll see you tomorrow night anyway right?"

"Maybe."

"Come," she commanded.

I stayed for a couple more hours. We watched a 'wanna-be' scary movie in her mini-theater in her basement about a girl who is stalked because she answered a phone call or something. It was strange but Beck was appropriately girly and screamed and gasped at all the right moments. I just wanted to laugh but Beck loved these girly scary-but-not-scary movies. It was no Poltergeist.