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    Southwest
    Southwest
    Southwest
    Ebook54 pages55 minutes

    Southwest

    By Alex Wilson

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Maggie Reagan had an itch to travel. She needed some new input, some fresh air from her flat, sedentary marriage. What started as a leisurely tour of the Southwest of the UK became much more when she overheard a kitchen conversation at her B&B. She found adventure and layers of love that redefined her marriage and her life.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAlex Wilson
    Release dateSep 27, 2010
    ISBN9781465837240
    Southwest
    Author

    Alex Wilson

    At 72, Alex's wife said 'Why not try writing?' Within 4 months he had six novellas on Smashwords and now, a couple of years later, 18. Obviously there was stuff lurking in there waiting to be said. Alex's wife is also his muse and editor, and a good one. They live in St. Petersburg, FL where there is a surprising amount of writerly activity.

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      Book preview

      Southwest - Alex Wilson

      SOUTHWEST

      A novella by Alex Wilson

      Smashwords Edition

      Copyright 2010 Alex Wilson

      Discover other titles by Alex Wilson at www.wilsonwritings.com

      SOUTHWEST a novella by Alex Wilson

      Maggie Reagan was not abused, just taken for granted by Marcus, a complacent instructor of higher math at Vassar College nearby. After being The Good Wife and The Good Mother for 25 years, she had lost the mission of motherhood and was not sure she was more than a roommate for Marcus. She was to the point that puttering around the house and garden were not very fulfilling. She was restless. When she would bring it up with Marcus, he would listen tolerantly but not with any personal interest. The faculty community and college politics and bureaucracy seemed to occupy his attention span and provide him the security and predictability he most valued.

      They had met at NYU where she was studying pre-law liberal arts and he was doing his masters in mathematics. She had intended to go to law school but when she graduated, her new husband decided to go for his Ph.D so she put her plans on hold and went to work in a law firm and took courses at night for paralegal qualification. It is amazing they had the two boys. When she was not working, she was studying and he was in his protracted doctoral studies. But, after the twins came, she went right back to work as soon as possible to keep the cash flowing to support Marcus’s schooling. By agreement, when Marcus got a proper posting, Maggie reduced her hours and eventually did contract work, mostly from home, to allow her to bring up the boys. She was a woman who got things done. Always had.

      Poughkeepsie was not a cultural wasteland. The college had a good schedule of cultural events and, as the boys grew and required less of her supervision, she took classes, did yoga, swam and played tennis and helped grow a book club. Of course, New York was just a few commuter train stops away but they never went. At 48, she had few wrinkles and a lean body and a lot of energy. With her brunette hair tipped with blond streaks, she was easily mistaken for being in her late 30s.

      Although not particularly adventuresome, she was ready for some new scenery, some new people, a new environment if only for a vacation or season or something. When Marcus signed on to teach summer classes -- without any discussion -- she was determined to not just sit around as the summer went by. Her book club had read and discussed a number of British and Irish authors and one other club member, Lillian Maslow, had opined that the British stories never failed to feed a longing in her to muck about in Jolly Olde to see for herself.

      After inquiring whether Marcus would be interested in such a trip (she knew the answer), she called Lillian.

      ‘Lillian, hi, it’s Maggie Reagan.’

      ‘Good to hear from you, Maggie. This must be the first time we’ve talked outside of the club. What’s up?’

      ‘I’m having a bout of wanderlust. Wanna go to England with me?’

      ‘Wow. Are you serious?’

      ‘I am. And, I recall you mentioning on several occasions how you would ‘someday’ like to go to the land of British writers and hear them speak in the original.’

      ‘What does Marcus say?’

      This annoyed Maggie. Did it imply that she did not have the right to initiate her own programs? She let it pass. Lillian was just being polite.

      ‘Marcus is not one to travel anymore. Too tied up with summer school and affairs at the college. Listen, if I am off base on this, just consider it an off-the-wall idea.’

      ‘No, no. It just caught me off guard. Let me talk it over with Leonard. Can I get back with you tomorrow?’

      ‘Absolutely.’

      ‘How much of a trip did you have in mind? A week? A month?’

      ‘I’m not too far along on the planning myself but I may take the whole summer off. Marcus is teaching both summer sessions. That doesn’t mean that you have to take that much time. If you want to come for a couple of weeks or a month then come home, it wouldn’t bother me. Anyhow, give it some thought.’

      ‘I will. I’ll call you tomorrow. And, thanks for thinking of me. It’s a great idea. I’m excited.’

      Maggie hung up realizing that she had some thinking and

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