I duck my head down, and look at Max, who’s smiling. “I’m so sorry,” I say, though my apology really doesn’t have merit. He knows it, and I know it.
“Go, and tell me what she thinks. I may need to up the ante,” Max says, as loud as Shayne said her words.
“Oh God, there’s two of them,” I say looking to Liam.
“Hey, I’m married to one, and if I agree she’ll hold out on me. So I’m not saying anything.” Liam stands. “Come on Max, let me tell you a few secrets about our chicken butt.”
“Oh crap,” I sigh.
Shayne takes some things, and I gather up the rest and we go into the kitchen. “Girl, he’s fine,” Shayne says as she scrapes the bowls into the trash.
“He’s really nice.”
“That stutter of his is pretty bad. At first I had to concentrate on what he was saying just to try and comprehend him, but the more he talked, the easier it got for me to understand.”
“Huh, really.” I stop what I’m doing and look at Shayne. “Isn’t that interesting? I don’t hear his stutter anymore. To me, he speaks like us.”
“Really? Because he is hard to understand. Virtually every word he stutters on. I wonder why he’s never had speech therapy to correct it. I wonder why he stutters.” She’s not asking me, she’s just talking out loud. Of course I know, but it’s not my place to say anything.
“You like him? You think he’s good people?”
“I do. And I think you should certainly let him be your friend and if, over time, anything happens, I think he’s a good guy. Tell him not be a stranger around here, let’s see how he is when he gets comfortable with us.”
I hug Shayne. She means the world to me. “Thank you,” I whisper. “Just, thank you.”
She makes the coffees and takes them out to the family room, where Liam and Max are laughing at something. “What’s so funny?” Shayne asks, as she hands Liam his coffee and sits on his lap.
“Nothing that concerns you ladies,” Liam retorts. Shayne lifts her eyebrows and tilts her head. “Okay, Max was telling me a guy went into the ER because he had been bitten by his pet ferret on his…” He points to his penis.
“What the hell was the ferret doing near… that?” Shayne asks, and scrunches her nose in disgust.
“The ferret sleeps in the bed with him, and the guy sleeps nude.”
“I doubt that ferret would be sleeping in the bed anymore,” I mumble. And everyone ‘ewws’ at just the thought.
After everyone has their coffee, Max stands and tells us he needs to get home because he has an early shift at the hospital. Both Shayne and Liam say goodnight to him, and give him an open invitation to come back whenever he wants. They both leave, allowing Max and myself a few moments together before he goes home.
“Thank you, Lily. I enjoyed your family’s company.”
“They’ve seen me at my worst, and they’re really protective of me.”
“I understand why.” Max moves toward the front door. “But I like them, and I hope it’s okay with you if I come to dinner again.”
“Only if you let me pay.”
“Like that’s ever going to happen.” He rolls his eyes. “Before I leave, may I ask what you’re doing on Christmas day?”
“Um, Shayne and Liam invited me to go to Liam’s mom’s place, but I think I’ll just stay here. I’ve never really been into Christmas.”
“But the house is so nicely decorated, I’m surprised you’re not into the Christmas cheer.” He looks around at the green and reds, which are everywhere.
I shake my head, and look down at my knitted hands. “I’ve never really had a reason. And I’m not ready to do a big family thing. I’ll just stay here, and veg out.”
“I see. Then I insist on joining you in the ‘vegging out’ process. How does ten in the morning sound? I’ll bring some movies, and you can cook?”
The way he says it, he’s not giving me an option to say no. I like the thought of not being alone, but I also don’t want to drag him away from whatever his plans were. “I can’t ask you to drop your plans.”
“I was going to ask you to spend the day with me regardless.”
“You were?”
“Of course.”
Smiling, I answer, “Ten is perfect.”
“Great. I’ll see you on the twenty-fifth at ten in the morning.” He leans down, and gently kisses my cheek. “Goodnight, Lily.”
“Bye,” I say as I open the door and let him out. I watch as he goes to his car, gets in and leaves.