The One: Maxon

Chapter 31

I asked the guard where to find her and found myself back at her door. My palms were embarrassingly sweaty. I'd rehearsed in the bathroom mirror a hundred times and thought I was ready, but now that I was in front of her room all I wanted to do was run. I finally knocked, shutting the door on any attempt to escape. She opened the door with a tired look and looked surprised to see me. It felt like weeks since I'd seen her even though it had only been a few days. 

"Hi," I said finally. 

"Hi." We just stared at each other in silence for a minute. My brain was trying to make my mouth move, but it was like I swallowed my own tongue. 

"Do...do you want to come in?" she asked. 

"Oh. Um, yeah. Yes, I do," I stuttered. She opened the door wider and turned to walk toward her bed. I grimaced at my awkwardness. 

"How are you feeling?" I asked her, softening. 

"Okay, I guess. It doesn't really feel like he's gone, especially now that I'm here. I feel like if I write him a letter, he'd still get it." I nodded sympathetically. 

"And your family? How are they doing?" 

"Mom's holding it together, barely. It's May and Gerad that I worry for. Kota couldn't have been a bigger asshole. It's like he didn't love him at all and I don't understand." 

"I'm glad I got to meet him. Your father, that is. He was a sweet man and I see bits of him in you."

"Really?" 

"Yes, really." We sat on the bed together, and I put down the envelope and package. "Your sense of humor, for one. Your tenacity for another. You know when he and I spoke during his visit, he grilled me. It was nerve-wracking but sort of funny at the same time. You and him would never just let me off the hook. You have his eyes, and his nose too. I can see your optimism beaming out sometimes, the same impression I got from him." She gazed away in thought, smiling to herself. 

"All I'm saying is it's okay to be sad about this, but you can be sure that the best of him is still around. In you." She leaned her head on my shoulder. 

"Thank you," she said quietly. She raised her head and looking down between us at the items I brought. "So what's all this about?" 

"Oh," I said as she caught me off guard. "These are for you. Late Christmas presents." I picked up the envelope and gulped. 

"I can't believe I'm actually giving these to you," I laughed to myself. She took the thick envelope and began to open it.

"Don't!" I pleaded. "You have to wait to look at them, until I'm not here. They're for you to keep, though. 

"Okay..." she said. I knew I was being strange and I was mentally kicking myself. I handed her the package. 

"This you can open now. Sorry for the bad wrapping, I've never tried to wrap something before." 

"No, it's fine," she lied. I could see the smirk on her face and the laugh she was trying to keep down. She tore off the wrapping and pulled the frame out. 

"Wow," she said. "It's beautiful. Did you take it yourself?" I looked at her confused for a moment. 

"Oh, no," I laughed. "The picture isn't the gift, the house is." 

"What?" She said with a straight look. 

"Well, I thought you'd want your family close by. It's short drive away and has plenty of room. Your sister and her small family would be comfortable there too, I think."

"Wha...what do you...what?" I took a breath.

"You told me to send everyone home and I did. I had to keep one other as is the rule, but...you said if I could prove...I loved you..." 

She stared at me, wide eyed and open mouthed. 

~~~~~

Teaser 2...