Over the next week, Ron and Juliet arrived at the apartment every evening shortly after dark. They sneaked in warm blankets, pajamas, and pillows for Seth, Maggie, and Juju. They brought groceries to fill the two small cabinets in the broken-down kitchen. The girls were grateful for the help and the extra comforts as Seth slipped further away.
Unknown to Maggie, at the time the paternity test was performed, the Freys also had paid for AIDS testing. Their doctor, who went over the results with them by phone, said that Seth’s CD4+ cell count of less than two hundred meant that his condition was incurable. The disease had won. In addition, their doctor confirmed that Seth had developed tuberculosis. The Freys were confused until the doctor explained that it was common for AIDS patients in Seth’s stage to catch “opportunist infections.”
“Seth’s immune system was wrecked, which opened him up to different types of illnesses or cancer,” the doctor explained.
The Freys had decided not to share the new information with Maggie and Juju unless it was necessary. The two young girls, especially Maggie, were drowning in grief. They could see the hard-set lines around Maggie’s eyes and the tightness of her jaw every time she watched Seth without him knowing.
Maggie would gently slide under the covers with Seth and hold him closely. She would read books to him, and when he was awake, Maggie would tell him stories about her customers at Doubles, exaggerating most of them to make the boy laugh.
“Aggie,” Seth managed one night, “you’re the best friend I’ve ever had. I know that I’m going to die soon, and I already miss you. When I’m gone, you’ll take care of Joey, right? She ain’t got no one who loves her ’cept for us.”
“We don’t need to talk about this,” Maggie responded.
“But I wanna talk about it. Sometimes when I’m awake, all I can do is worry that Joey will be left all alone. I figure if you and Joey are together, then you can be happy with each other. Like we’ve been happy together,” Seth insisted.
Maggie drew in a long breath. She had believed that by not talking about Seth’s fate, it would somehow never become real. Looking into Seth’s sunken eyes surrounded by white, ghostlike skin, Maggie could no longer avoid the conversation. She was overwhelmed with dread, knowing that if she didn’t talk about death, it would come, and she would forever regret not giving Seth the last thing he needed.
Maggie stroked Seth’s hair. “I promise I’ll take care of Joey. I promise I will miss you for the rest of my life. I promise to always be the best and do the best I can for other people.” A moan caught in her throat, and Seth put his weak hand over hers.
“It’s OK to cry, Aggie. I’m sad, too. But after I’m gone, I gotta know that everything will be all right,” he said in a weak voice.
“Everything will be fine,” Maggie said, gulping.
“Fine how? Tell me, Aggie,” Seth pressed.
“It’s like I said. I’ll take care of Joey and anyone else who needs me,” Maggie confirmed.
“But what ’bout you? I want you to be OK, too,” Seth said with the wisdom of a ninety-year-old.
“Ah, you know me. I can take care of myself,” Maggie said bravely.
“But if you can take care of yourself, then hows come you still let Rock tell you what to do?” Seth asked.
Maggie thought about it for a moment. Seth was right. She was twenty years old and had failed to break free from the assholes who controlled her life, her every move. In her pursuit of saving Seth and Joey, Maggie had forgotten to fight for her own life.
“You’re right, sweetie. I haven’t done enough to free myself of that jerk,” Maggie stated.
“Then what will you do?” Seth asked, wanting his Aggie to be happy.
“I don’t know for sure. But I promise that I’ll do everything I can to get away from all of it, including Rock,” Maggie said with conviction.
“OK, but I’m scared to leave you alone. I’m scared for you, Aggie,” Seth said.
“Look at you. You’re the one who’s sick, and you’re worrying about me. You don’t have to worry. I’m going to be fine, and I’ll find a way. If I know you’re worrying, it’s going to make me worry,” Maggie told him.
Seth laughed. “You’re always worried, Aggie.”
Seth lay back on the pile of pillows. He watched Maggie as she readjusted and started to read him another book. As she read, his thoughts wandered to when he was a little boy in his darkest hours living at the mercy of his captors. Maggie would hold him close after they’d hurt him and hum sweet songs. He would get lost in the vibration of her sound and feel as though nothing bad would ever happen to him again. Even though he couldn’t comprehend death in its truest form, he knew he’d go away forever. Even that thought wasn’t as frightening as being with John William or clients or even Thelma. Seth always found his peace in Maggie’s arms, as he did now, and he came to the realization that he’d been given so much more than he ever knew.
Maggie left the words on the page and gazed into his warm, blue eyes.
“What is it?” she asked.
“It’s nothin’. Except that I’m really lucky,” Seth whispered.
Maggie was startled. Seth had lived such a tragic life. He had suffered so much pain and sorrow. She wondered if perhaps his mind was failing. How could Seth ever think he was lucky? Look what was happening to him…to her wonderful, sweet boy.
Seth could see that she was perplexed. “Aggie, we were really sad once. But we always had each other, right? You always loved me, right? That’s why I’m lucky. ’Cause I never felt like I was alone.”
“You’re right, Seth. We’ve always had each other, and we always will,” she confirmed.
Maggie felt ungrateful listening to Seth. He was right. They’d been lucky to have each other all of these years. With all of the horrors and torment, it was by sheer luck that John William had put them in the back of the van together, where they formed a bond that could never be broken.
Maggie began to hum as she softly rubbed his arms and shoulders.
“Just hold me, Aggie,” the boy sputtered.
Maggie and Seth snuggled on the mattress and, for the next two hours, they didn’t speak. They just held onto each other, feeling a love so pure that they knew they had received the greatest gift: love through the purest of all evil.