Nick was breathing hard and his heart was racing as he dragged his feet. He had forgotten how tiring it was to jog through the sand, the last time he'd done it was...he couldn't even remember. Once things started going down the drain with Lauren, Nick had put everything else in his life to the side and had focused on keeping her happy with whatever it took. This included his try at a third championship win and his money.
He couldn't believe that Max was beating him at the run. She was jogging right in front of him and he was enjoying the view.
"I gotta...take...a break!" Nick breathed.
Max turned around and continued to jog backwards. "No. We are supposed to make it to those stairs without stopping. You can do it."
"The fuck? You aren't even breaking a sweat or out of breath."
She smiled, "Turbo and I go for a run every morning. Then we go to the gym."
"Oh."
"I'll race you?" She spun around and sped up. Nick sped up too, determined to win. They both raced towards the stairs.
Just as they reached the stairs Nick grabbed onto her tank top and pulled her back and claimed his victory. He hopped around with his arms in the air shouting he was the winner. He was amazed at how good it felt to be pumped up with the adrenaline racing through his body after the run. Nick hadn't felt that good in a pretty long time.
"You are a damn cheater. I won!" Max exclaimed.
"Oh shit!" Nick stopped hopping around and bent over to throw up. He realized just how out of shape he really was.
"That's just gross! Nothing like a victory!" She teased.
Nick looked up and wiped his mouth with his hand. "Yeah, it's all your fault too."
"Someone has to get you back in shape. You really want to waste your life on booze and screwing anything you see with a skirt on?"
"What do you care?"
"It's not so much that I care about you. I just know that a lot of young people look up to you, as a fighter. You won two championships in a row...I watched whatever fights I could on TV with my uncle. That fight in June you had in Florida...I was there and you were amazing."
"That's the past!"
"You lost a fight on purpose last night. That's so low...but, this last fight in January is your chance to redeem yourself. So, here comes my plan. You need something to motivate you and that's going to be me." Max smiled. Nick looked at her confused, but didn't say anything. "You are going to train me. I have a fight worth fifty grand that I have to win February 2nd. I know you have it in you to train me and get yourself back in the game. What do you say?"
"Fuck no!" He started walking away.
She tugged at Turbo and followed Nick. "Oh come on! I know you are slightly tempted."
"I don't train anyone. Plus, that stupid fight is just another fight. I don't even know who I'm against yet."
"Fine, you want to be a loser go ahead. I on the other hand want and need to win that fight in February. My mom is going to get better and I need that money so that we can start a new life. We don't all have the luxury of throwing our lives away." Maxine turned around and jogged back to the house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Howie didn't know what to say this time. He'd been such a jerk the night before and now he wasn't sure what he could say to apologize. The awkward silence was killing him.
"How's it going with Nick?" He cleared his throat hoping his daughter would answer.
Maxine felt her cheeks burning with anger, but she needed the ride to see her mother. So, she had given into riding with Howie to the hospital before he went back home to Florida.
"As good as it can go with a stubborn ass man who drinks too much."
"I'm sorry about your mom. I'm sorry about my behavior at the party on Saturday and especially for having to leave you with Nick. I just...this is really hard for me too. I want you to know that I don't doubt your mom...I believe that you are my daughter."
Maxine turned to look at Howie. "Really?"
He shook his head and smiled. "Yes. AJ says you have my eyes."
"Nick says that too."
"Do me a favor, Max?" She nodded, "Don't look into Nick's eyes too often. He has this wicked way of charming the pants off women."
That comment made Maxine laugh out loud. She rolled her eyes and assured to Howie that, that wouldn't be happening to her. Although, she had to admit that if Nick didn't spend so much time trying to be a dickhead, he could definitely be charming.
Howie parked the car and they made way to the hospital. They walked side by side in silence towards Kristine's room. Maxine felt so sad as she peeked her head into the room and saw her mother on the bed.
"I'll be out here." Howie said settling against the wall.
Maxine just nodded and entered the room. She took a seat in the chair next to the bed and took her mother's hand in hers. "Hi mom, I miss you. My life is upside down right now. I need you to wake up for me."
She waited for a response. But her mother remained with her eyes closed. She was startled by the doctor walking into the room. He placed a hand on her shoulder and greeted her with a warm smile.
"Hello Maxine. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine, thanks. How is my mother?"
The older man let out a sigh and shook his head. "Your mother still hasn't responded. We are hoping to see a sign soon. We still have hope kiddo."
Howie greeted the doctor as he entered the room and walked over to the opposite side of the bed. He stared at the woman who looked like she was sleeping. A sigh escaped his chest as he was flooded by good memories of Kristine. He'd loved her so much and she had broken his heart by leaving. Now, it hurt even more to know that she had left to hide Maxine from him. He just didn't understand why. Why would she do such a thing?
"She's still beautiful." He muttered.
Maxine smiled. "Yes, she sure is."
"She's going to come around...I have faith." Howie tried to reassure Maxine who looked really sad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The day had come and gone. Maxine had done her first attempt at training with Nick. She'd been able to see her mother and hang out with Howie. He had promised to come back for the holidays. Now, she was curled up on the sofa watching television and eating cereal. She had the slightest clue where Nick had gone and was enjoying the peace and quiet in the house.
The quiet didn't last long. Turbo hopped off the couch and started barking at the door. There was a bit of commotion outside and Maxine stood on her tiptoes to check it out through the peephole. She rolled her eyes when she noticed Nick stumbling with his usual blonde, Bonnie. Angrily she opened the door and stood in the doorway with her hands on her hip.
"Hey roomie!" Nick wiggled his eyebrows as he tripped on the stairs and landed at Maxine's feet.
Maxine stared at Bonnie with her eyebrows raised high. "If you really liked him you wouldn't let him get like this. You're enabling him to continue being a loser. Go home!"
Bonnie didn't budge and glared at Maxine. "Who the hell do you think you are? You are nothing but a little girl who is infatuated with my fighter. He will never fuck with you."
Nick was barely making it back on his feet. "Leave the skank outside." He mumbled laughing as he stumbled into the house and crashed into the sofa.
Maxine smiled wide and slammed the door in Bonnie's face. She shook her head watching Nick attempt to crawl up the stairs. He was such a mess. A mess she felt compelled to clean up.
After struggling to get him upstairs she sat him on the bed. "Alright lie down and get some sleep. You will definitely feel like shit in the morning." She helped him with his shoes and then unbuttoned his dress shirt.
"Mad Max...that's what we should call you, because you're short tempered like your dad." His eye was getting better and it was open a slit as he looked up at Maxine. "I say you lay down with me."
She laughed and remembered what Howie had told her. It was definitely tempting to her, but she was determined not to get in his way. "Sounds tempting...but I think it's a bad idea. Go to sleep, Nick." She pushed him down on the bed and it was impossible for him to even try to get up.
He turned onto his stomach and hung halfway off the bed. "But...I'm lonely..." She heard him mumble and it made her come to a stop at the stairs. She turned to look at him and he was already fast asleep.
"Me too." She spoke softly and then headed off to bed.