Buzzkill (A Lesbian Story)

30: I Love Penguins

  "Turned before we got to the barrier. He was infected a while back and about killed me." Max casually said. "It was quite terrifying to see a person change like that."

  She was acting cool, but I could see right through her. The look in her eyes made me know that she was a bit shaken up about the man changing into one of those things. I'm glad she got away, however. I wouldn't want her to get bitten by one, or else I would have to go ballistic. Definitely do not want to think about that at the moment.

 "Here's your pack." Steve took Max's bag over his shoulder. He jerked his head towards her and she shuffled next to him as I saw their arms move. Both of his hands were empty, but Max was now the one hiding something behind her back. 

  I squinted at them. "What's going on?"

  "Nothing." Max said quickly, walking backwards to not let me see what she had in her heads. "Let's go see my mom. I'll see you later, Steve."

  Steve smiled and nodded before walking off as Max and I continued towards the hospital. She kept up the stupid walking backwards thing all the way there and every time I would try to catch up to look behind her back, she would speed up or turn so I couldn't see. I let a groan escape my lips and just followed her to the entrance of the hospital. We got into the LED lit lobby and she stopped, grinning at me. It was a devious grin like she had something to show me. Obviously she did, but I've never liked surprises. Not even from Max.

  "What is that look for?" I asked her. Finally, she stepped forward and put both of her arms in front of her. In her hands, was a medium sized penguin stuffed animal. My mouth opened slightly in surprise as my hands reached for the penguin. The fur was short and soft. It looked bran new. "You got this from the mall?"

  "Snatched it out of toy store, almost died from falling off the shelf, but I got it." Max nodded at me. Her smile was small and genuine. Not the smirk like before. "Remember the seventh grade fair?"

  Of course I did. We walked around the fair ground and Max would put her arm around my shoulders and hang off me like the goof she was. Steve, Max, and I walked those fair grounds for hours, riding rides and looking at the weird food stands. We went to the games and I saw giant penguin stuffed animals hanging from the stand. All I did was say that I would love to have one of those and Max immediately decided that she would win it for me. It took her four tries.

  A wide smile slid onto my lips and looked up at her. "Of course I do." I wrapped my arms around her neck and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Max."

  "Good to see you two are friendly again." A voice came from next to us. We pulled away and there was Max's mom standing in her doctor scrubs. She smiled and let her eyes go between the two of us. "Thor radioed me and said you were on your way with a bum shoulder. Follow me to a room, Maxine."

  I saw Max roll her eyes slightly at her name being thrown into the air. She's never liked her real name, but I'm sure that was why her mom used it. Grace and Max Lars were basically the same person; filled with sarcasm, jokes, and eye rolls. She was the mom that always made me feel like she would've fit right into a teenage friend group. One of the wild children back in the day.

  Grace took us into a room that smelled like rubbing alcohol. It was all white with a brown examination table that had white paper covering it. Max hopped up onto the table white Grace went to a set of brown cabinets. I sat down on a comfortable looking black chair and held my penguin close.

  "How's Dad?" Max asked, making Grace turn around and glance at me before looking at her daughter. Max waved a hand. "It's just Ash. C'mon Mom."

  Bringing out a kit, Grace walked towards Max. "First, take off your layers." When Max was just down to her bra, Grace started going to work on her shoulder. "Second, your father is still in the same condition. He has a fever and he passes out a lot. He isn't getting any worse, however."

  Max gritted her teeth, "Can I see him?"

  That made Grace sigh slightly, "Max, he's in the wing of the hospital that have the people who are sick. You must be a worker in the hospital to go there. I can't allow it. But I have an extra radio on me that I can let you take so I can keep you updated. Just turn to channel three."

  Max didn't look very happy about that answer, but she kept quiet. Her face was in a grimace as her  mom stitched her back up, definitely better at it than I did back at Wal-Mart. There was a hint of sadness and tension between both of them. It was like they both were assuming the worst with her dad. Sure, he was in good hands with Grace the other doctors, but if it was the disease that started this whole zombie fiasco...

  "You really need to stop hurting yourself." Grace told Max after wiping away the last of what was on her shoulder, "I'm getting tired of fixing you up."

  "Ashley is starting to take over that part." Max said, looking over at me with a slight smile, "She's not too shabby."

  Grace looked between us when I smiled back at her. It was a quick glance of back and forth as I could see wheels turning in her brain. She and Max had the same thinking face. An eyebrow quirked as a small smirk slipped onto her lips. Just like Max does.

  "So, you two are friends again." Grace said with a little hint behind her voice as she gathered her supplies to be cleaned.

  Max pulled on her hoodie before giving her mom a weird look, "Yes. And?"

  "I'm just glad to see you two together again." Grace took off her gloves and threw them away, "All friendly."

  The way she said friendly had a hint of something else. As if she knew something. Max was looking at her just like I was; confused as to what Grace meant. She was being that passive-aggressive mom that was hinting at something, but wouldn't actually say anything about it. It was almost like she was hinting there was more between Max and i. There was, but I didn't exactly know what to say to her. Max stayed quiet at the hinting as well, just continued to get dressed.

  After putting her jacket back on, she looked over at me with a small smile and a glint in her eye, "Yeah, I'm glad too."