Maggie's Turn by Deanna Lynn Sletten Read Free Book Online Page B

barely knew, yet knew so well already.
    After a time, Bill offered Maggie his hand. She accepted, and slipped hers into his, and they followed the Presidential Trail, another new feature Maggie didn't remember being there before. The winding trail led them along a tree-lined path that gave them different views of the monument. Maggie stood on a stone wall at one point on the trail to get a great side view of the presidents. Some changes were for the better, she decided, as she finally stopped her picture taking and enjoyed the rest of the trail walk with Bill.
    He bought her lunch at the restaurant, and they sat at a table by the window that overlooked the monument.
    "So, what do you think of our monument now?" Bill asked her between bites of his burger.
    Maggie smiled at him and reached her napkin up to brush crumbs from his too-long mustache. "I guess some change is okay," she relented. "The trail is beautiful."
    "Change is inevitable," Bill said, matter-of-factly. "It's a part of life."
    "But not always a good part," Maggie added, her eyes distant.
    "Tell me, Calamity Jane, what changes are you running away from?" Bill asked, his tone soft and warm.
    Maggie looked across the table at him and sighed. "Honestly, Bill, I don't really know yet. I didn't even know I was running away until I found myself miles away from home and not wanting to turn around and go back. I've been ignoring things that have happened over the years, putting them on the backburner, so to speak, for so long that I think my mind just had one too many problems to deal with and snapped." She gave a small, nervous laugh. "The worst part is, now that I've done it, I can't seem to stop. I literally have no idea what I'm doing here instead of being home doing what's expected of me. Yet, now that I'm here, I know I can't go home until I figure out a few things."
    Bill smiled and reached across the table, taking Maggie's hand in his. "Well, Calamity, whatever the reasons, I'm glad you're here."
    Maggie returned his smile, feeling warmed by the fact that someone actually appreciated her company. She hadn't felt this way for a very long time.
    The ride back to Deadwood was just as pleasant as the ride that morning. Maggie felt alive on the back of Bill's bike with energy just spilling from her. She couldn't believe how one bike ride could revive her senses so much.
    They arrived back in town in the late afternoon, and Bill surprised her by driving up to Mount Moriah Cemetery. "The town has spruced up the cemetery recently so I thought you might like to see it," he explained as they stepped off the bike and put their helmets away. They walked over to the graves of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane and stood quietly for a moment, the only two people there. After a time, Maggie broke the stillness. "Doesn't it seem a little weird standing at your gravesite, Bill?" she asked, a smirk on her face.
    Bill grinned. "I die daily," he said. "Seems only fitting to visit the grave every now and then."
    Maggie shook her head and smiled. Their pretense of names should have worn thin by now, should have been downright annoying, but here, in this town that thrived on make-believe and tall tales, it only seemed fitting and right.
    As the day began to wane to evening, Bill pulled his bike up in front of Maggie's hotel and cut the engine. She swung her leg over and off the bike, handed Bill her helmet, and retrieved her camera from the saddlebag. Finally, standing there in her black leather, looking as if she dressed like this everyday, she smiled at Bill for the last time.
    "Thanks for the sightseeing tour, Bill. I had a great time."
    Bill tilted his head in acknowledgement, his helmet off and in his lap. "Pleasure's all mine, ma'am," he said, using his best Hickok accent. "Will I be seeing more of you in the next few days?" he asked, hopefully. But Maggie shook her head.
    "I'm leaving tomorrow."
    Bill nodded, his eyes showing disappointment. "Home, or farther west?"
    "West, I