Open Seat

Open Seat

Maggie sighed as she shifted her weight from her left leg to her right leg as she waited for her train to arrive. She decided to take a day trip to Hampton Court to visit the palace, she found the gardens very relaxing to stroll through and sit and read a good book. Seems silly to go so far just to read a book, but she loved it, it was the one place she could relax. She tried in other gardens and parks, but her mind would always wander, but not at Hampton Court Palace.

Maggie South is a wedding planner and had to attend at least once wedding every weekend for the past six months; it was her own business so she had to accept as many jobs as possible. She loved planning these events for all varieties of happy couples and it was something she was passionate about. She felt like a wedding superhero because when the bride would start to panic, Maggie was there to save the day. She liked people relying on her, and she felt that she couldn’t turn any bride in need away and that is why she was always so busy.

During the week she would go to cake tastings, dress fittings, and flower shops, but finally this one Tuesday she was free. She didn’t believe it at first, and had to quadruple check her schedule, but she was free and immediately made plans to go to her place of relaxation.

She sighed once more as her train arrived and she had to grasp the reality that this train would take her home and back to work. She no doubt had at least five voicemails from brides asking questions. Which she would answer…tomorrow.

She boarded the train behind a business man and started scanning the train for an empty seat. It was a busy time of day, right as the normal nine to five jobs let out, but she had never seen this train so packed. She walked down the aisle searching for any empty seat when she saw one on the other side of a young man who had claimed the aisle seat and was reading a book which she couldn’t see the title of. Thinking it sheer luck she managed to find an empty window seat, she immediately made her presence known to the man and he glanced up at her with crystal blue eyes.

“Is that seat taken?” she asked politely. He glanced at said empty seat before gazing at her once more.

“Not at all, here,” he said sitting up straighter and trying to tuck his extremely long legs in to give her room to pass. She scooted passed and plopped into the seat before removing her messenger bag and resting it in her lap.

“Thank you,” she said with a kind smile before rummaging through her bag and pulling her book out. She placed her messenger bag onto the floor as her book rested on her lap during this process before leaning back in the chair.

“I like your choice in literature,” said the man from beside her and she looked over at him and saw that he was now holding his book up, which was the same book that she had placed on her lap.

“And I like yours. Though please tell me this isn’t the first time you are reading The Hobbit,” she said settling back into her seat and grasping her copy in her hand.

“Of course not. It was a childhood favourite. I hadn’t read it in a while so I thought why not,” he said with a shrug.

“Same here. I felt ashamed that I could barely remember anything from it as I was watching the movie and had to remedy that, once I found the time.”

“Ah time, it always does seem to just slip away when you are older, but as child you can sit and read the day away. In school it was even encouraged.”

“Exactly,” she said smiling.

“I’m Tom,” he said holding his hand out.

“Maggie,” she said shaking his hand in greeting.

“So what part are you at?”

“The dwarves were just captured by the elves of Mirkwood and Bilbo is in hiding thanks to the ring.”

“You are almost done then. I’m just at the end of the goblin attack.”

“And you are a decent way in. I’m just surprised I was able to get so far today, but alas who knows when I’ll get another chance to read again.”

“Why, what do you do for a living?” he asked turning in his seat so he was facing her in order to carry on their conversation in a more comfortable position. He noted that she did the same as she spoke.

“Wedding planner,” she said.

“Oh wow, then I am surprised you even found time to read at all.”

“I know.”

“That sounds like a very stressful job, and possibly an unforgiving one.”

“It does have its rewards, when you see just how happy the couple is, how many people comment on the beautiful wedding. They never really compliment me personally but I feel overhearing it is better that way I know it is genuine.”

“Good point. How did you get into that line of business? Inspired from your own wedding?”

“Oh my word, no. I’m not married, or dating, or anything, I’m doomed to be single my whole life especially now with the job I have. It takes up all my time, including my reading time. No I got into it by a friend. She was getting married and kept asking for help on things so I kind of organized things and everyone kept saying I could do that. And when I couldn’t find a job with my creative writing degree after college, I decided to go for it. I was lucky that was the time period a lot of my friends were getting married so they helped me get my business out there.”

“You own your own business, now that is impressive. And so young too to be so successful.”

“I’m not that young, trust me, plus I’m sure you are just as, if not more, successful based off your wardrobe, clean look, and demeanor. What do you do for a living?”

“I’m an actor.”

Maggie paused and stared at his face. She had a feeling of familiarity from him, but just ignored it till now. An actor. An actor. Actor…Actor?

“I’m sorry, is it terrible that nothing is coming to me? I don’t see a lot of movies or plays, no matter how much I want to. I’ve seen a lot of trailer’s. Maybe it will come to me, can I have a hint?”

“Well I’ve been in a lot of roles.”

“Then a hint for the most well known role.”

“Okay a hint…Marvel.”

“Marvel, like the comic book company?” He nodded. “X-Men? There are so many mutants in those, were you in those films?”

“Nope, sorry.”

“Then Avengers Assemble. That was the other big Marvel movie that I sadly never got to see.”

“Yes I was in that.”

“Really? Wow, congratulations, heard that is the third highest grossing film ever.”

“It is. Do you think you can guess what character I was?”

“Well I know Robert Downey, Jr. is Ironman, and there was that one guy who is Captain America. Oh who else is an Avenger…..er…wasn’t…Thor? No I remember him looking different from you. Oh! Hulk he was in there! Do you play Hulk’s…non-smashing version?”

“Non-smashing version? I’ll have to tell Mark Ruffalo that, who was the actor that played Hulk and Bruce Banner.”

“Bruce Banner, that is right. Sorry. Who else? Well all superhero movies need a villain, were you the villain?”

“I was.”

“Really? That was just an educated guess.”

“And a very good one. Since you really have no clue, I played Loki.”

“Oh you were in that Thor movie too then, because both are Norse Gods.”

“Correct again.”

“But that still doesn’t help. I swear I’ve seen you in something before I just can’t place it. It is coming back to me, some thing I saw on television. You, but you had more curly hair and it was a period piece…and there was a train. And Judi Dench was in it, that was why I watched it.”

“You must be talking about Return to Cranford.”

“Yes! That is it! That was marvelous, I should watch that again. You were superb in it.” Tom just threw his head back and laughed quite literally out loud. Once he calmed down from his high he still had a rather large grin on his face.

“You are refreshing. Out of everything I’ve been in, all the movies that most people recognize me from and ask me about you, you can only recognize me from a two part television special. I love it.”

“Well, you are welcome then.”

“Thank you. That really just made my day.”

They continued to chat for the rest of the train ride till their stop in London came up and the both got off. Once outside on the street they turned to each other.

“I’m that way,” Maggie said pointing behind her.

“Ah, and I am the other way,” he said.

“Than I guess this is where we part.”

“Ah, parting is such sweet sorrow.”

“That is Shakespeare right?”

“…You have to be kidding me.”

“I am. Of course I know that is a Shakespeare line.”

“Good. Well, I had a very pleasant train ride with you,” he said holding his hand out.

“Same here. You really made time pass, even if I could have used that time to read.” She placed her hand in his and he leaned down and kissed the back of it before giving her hand back.

“Have a great rest of your day.”

“And you yours.”

“Good bye.”

“Bye.”

They both looked at each other before they turned and headed home, in the opposite direction of each other. Maggie’s mind was going, trying to process everything that had just happened, but something told her to look back. She did and managed to make eye contact with Tom one last time, he smiled at her before he turned around completely and continued to walk off. That one look cleared her mind and before she knew it was walking into her small flat and sitting on her sofa, placing her bag to the side.

“I need to watch Avengers Assemble.”

_._._._._._._

Maggie ran as fast as she could, carrying a large bag full of personalized napkins that were delivered to the wrong place, and a heavy binder in her arms full of every last wedding detail. She was running late for the first wedding of the day. That’s right she had two weddings that day and the first one started in two hours.

Magically she managed to catch her train and let out a huff as the doors shut behind her. Looking around she found a nearby seat and sat down, placing the binder and bag on her lap and she looked to see how many stops till hers when she caught a glance at who she was sitting next to. Yes, magic had to be at play today, there was no way out of all the times and all the trains and all the seats in the world that she would end up next to him.

“Did you ever get to finish The Hobbit?” she asked him and he turned his head and looked at her. For a moment she feared he didn’t remember her, it had been two months after all, but he immediately smiled.

“Maggie! Fancy seeing you here, and in the open seat next to me once more. I did finish it, did you?”

“Just yesterday, during a wedding reception, but don’t tell anyone I told you that.”

“I won’t.”

“I also watch Avengers Assemble and I must say, you are brilliant in it.”

“Thank you, I’m glad you finally watched it.”

“The whole thing was really good, maybe I’ll start seeing movies more often now,” she said shifting her bag.

“You should. And what is all this stuff, not moving are you?” he said taking notice of her large bag.

“I am late for a wedding and these are some last minute details that got messed up that I have to fix. What are you on the way to now?”

“Home, just came from an early breakfast meeting.”

“Sounds exhausting,” she said glancing at the time.

“Oh please, compared to you. Tell me how many weddings are you attending to this weekend, alone?”

“Including the one last night, four.”

“Four?! Four full weddings you organized this weekend?”

“I told you I was busy.”

“Wow, you must be one damn good wedding planner.”

“I guess so,” she said with a smile and a shrug. Before glancing at the stop they were approaching and adjusting her things in preparation to stand up and get off quickly.

“Your stop?”

“Yes, it was great to see you again, Tom. Maybe I’ll take the open seat next you again sometime in the future.”

“Maybe,” he said as the train came to stop and the doors opened, “here let me help you.” He grabbed her binder as she adjusted her bag and handed it to here before giving a short wave as she left with a small wave of her own. Tom sat back down and watched out the window as Maggie began to run off to wherever she needed to go.

Arriving at the location of both the wedding ceremony and the reception, Maggie ran to the dining room and got the wait staff to place the napkins as she went and checked over everything before rushing off to the bride’s room.

“There you are!” said the bride. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything is perfect,” said Maggie, “and your hair looks amazing,” The bride was sitting in a chair wearing a robe and getting her make up put on, her hair already pinned up.

“Is there a list of what is happening today?” asked one of Maggie’s assistants who had delivered some food to the bridal party.

“Yes, in the binder, front pocket,” said Maggie as she walked into the bathroom and changed into more formal, and not sweaty clothes. She placed her dirty clothes in the bag and exited and put her bag over by her binder.

“Who is Tom?” asked her assistant who was holding both an itinerary and a piece of paper.

“What?” asked Maggie looking at her and taking a glance at the small piece of paper.

“’So we don’t have to rely on open seats to talk. Tom.’ And there is a phone number,” said her assistant. There was a chorus of ‘oo’s around the room and Maggie grabbed the number and shoved it back into the binder.

“Just a friend I met a few months ago. We talk about books,” said Maggie.

“Books? No wonder you are single,” said her assistant.

“You know for someone who really knows romance like the back of her hand, you seem to not be very keen on having it for yourself,” said the Bride.

“I’m fine as I am. Now let’s get that dress on you, shall we?” she asked.

_._._._._._._

Throughout both weddings that day Maggie did her job but she was on autopilot with her mind focused on that little scrap of paper buried somewhere in the depths of her binder. Should she call him? Did she want to call him? Oh who was she kidding, of course she did.

Now at home after a long day, she completely disregarded the time and flipped through her binder looking for the number. It fell onto her counter and she picked it up and held it, staring at the numbers before grabbing her mobile and dialing.

It rang and her heart pounded like crazy. Why, though? She had talked to him before, and the ease of their conversation was surprising for two people who had only met twice.

Maggie nearly jumped when she heard his voice finally speak on the other line.

“Hello?” he asked.

“Hi, Tom, it’s Maggie,” she said.

“Ah, good you found my number I left you. I was worried it would fall out in your haste to get to work.”

“My assistant found it, then proceeded to tease me about it,” said Maggie. That smooth conversation coming back and all other fears, doubts, and worries slipped away.

“I’m sorry. I just knew you were in a rush and your hands were quite full, but I wanted to talk to you again. So how were the weddings?”

“Both were fine, nothing went wrong, and everyone surprisingly were kind of calm. But it is still tiring.”

“Or it might be the fact that it is one in the morning.”

“Really? I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize it was that late, I didn’t wake you did I?”

“No, I was just on my way to bed.”

“Oh well, I’ll let you get some sleep, I could use some too, another wedding tomorrow after all. Just wanted to make sure the number you gave me worked…I guess,” she said.

“Well it works just fine,” he said with a chuckle, “go get some sleep.”

“Night.”

“Good night.”

She hung up and put her phone on the counter. She stared at it for a while until her stomach grumbled and broke the silence. She sighed before walking into her kitchen and getting something to eat.

_._._._._

Maggie grabbed the bag of popcorn out the microwave and bounced the hot bag in her hands before opening it up and pouring the contents into a large bowl. She tossed the bag and made her way to the living room.

“Come on, there is an open seat right next to me,” said Tom patting the spot next to him on his sofa.

“What movie are you educating me with tonight?” she asked as she took the seat and placed the bowl of popcorn between them. Tom grabbed a few pieces and popped them in his mouth as she hit play on the remote.

“We’re starting at the beginning, so Iron Man,” he said.

“You’re going to make me into a geek aren’t you?”

“Absolutely,” he said with a smile she smiled back and grabbed a handful of popcorn and settled into the seat ready to watch the movie.

The two had kept in contact and became great friends. He decided to show her movies at his house every Wednesday night and she was someone he could always talk to, no matter what time of day it was. It was an odd friendship, but a great one that blossomed because of an open seat.

The end.