Beyond Eighteen(38)

“Alright then, let’s go,” he said as he held out his hand and opened the bathroom door.

Luckily the coast was clear. No Nancy waiting by the front door or Calvin hovering in the hall waiting to talk to Max, just the extra sound of Camille and Dan in the great room. For a moment I thought, maybe I should have waited upstairs for him. But then Max pulled me down the hall into the great room and I knew…this is right where I belong, with his family.





Chapter Sixteen


~ Max ~





I wasn’t too much help to my mom as she struggled with the death of the most important person in her life. She had reached the breaking point of holding it together today as we all grieved our father. Burying Dad today landed heavy and square on her heart. I get it. There was nothing I could say to make it okay, so I just listened as she rambled endlessly about all the things he would do around the house and how he had expectations for each one of us kids.

“You should know, Maxi, your father was very proud of you. Very proud,” she stated as she dabbed her eyes with the kitchen towel hanging from the handle on the refrigerator. I stood across from her, leaning against the sink.

“I know, Mom,” I said carefully as I turned and began to rinse a couple of plates with the remainders of mixed berry pie. I wasn’t about to remind her of the major guilt trips dad would lay on me when I came home on holiday breaks from school. Today and for the rest of her life I’ll let her believe my dad was proud that I wanted to be a teacher instead of running the family business. Now I just wonder if this is the best time to tell her about my father’s last turn of the knife in my back? Probably not.

“He loved you kids so much,” she cried as she came over to me and rubbed my back. Her tiny, warm hands pressed softly against my back.

“I’m glad Dad had a chance to meet Wilson,” I said trying to change the images of me being CEO of GP that wanted to take over my head.

“Me too. You know your father absolutely adored her…Maxi, we never really talked much about my reaction when I found out about Wilson…being…so much younger than you. It was selfish of me…to worry about our family’s reputation instead of your feelings.”

“No, Ma, it’s over. Let’s keep that in the past where it belongs,” I said as I choked on my words. I kept rinsing dishes.

She tapped her fist a couple of times in a dull rhythm just below my shoulder blade. “Well, Maxi, I don’t want you to feel like I don’t love Wilson, because I do. She makes you happy and that makes me happy.”

I stopped rinsing and snatched a small towel off the counter as I turned around to her. “Thanks, Ma, that means a lot to me, with Wilson not having family now,” I murmured as I focused down at the towel I twirled between my fingers. I didn’t expect to feel my mom’s delicate hands catch either side of my face and push my head up to look at her.

“Wilson most certainly has a family! She has us. We are her family now,” her voice broke into a serious tone. Her emerald eyes swelled with tears, mirroring the same expression that must have been broadcasting across my face. She leaned in and stretched up and gave me a kiss. It was like I was a kid again. I wrapped my arms around her petite frame and gave her the same type of hug that I would whenever I needed my mom to make my life better.

“Thanks, Mom,” I mumbled as I locked my chin across her shoulder.

“You’re welcome, sweets. And don’t think I didn’t notice the marks on your neck and your knuckles. You want to talk about it?” she asked.

I knew she noticed, but part of me wanted to believe in the theory of “if she doesn’t ask, don’t volunteer the information.”

“Nothin’ for you to worry about, Ma; everything’s fine,” I replied.

“Well, if you want to talk—”

“I know,” I interrupted.

“Okay, fine. So, where is that little lady of yours?” she asked as we broke from our embrace and she brushed her hand across the spot where her face had been buried in my chest.

“She’s with Camille and Dan. She insisted that I take a moment alone with you, to make sure you were okay,” I answered her honestly.

“Oh, phooey. Go get her from that room. Poor girl, she should be with you,” she hissed as she pushed me out of the kitchen. I turned back just in time to see her drag her fingers across her forehead and drop her gaze to the floor.

“Go on, I’m fine, go on now,” she responded when she saw me falter, waving her hand high in the air.

“Love you,” I said in a low rumble as I pushed through the black shiny door.