Maxs POV
Work today was slow. I was on my 2nd day of early starts then I was rostered for 4 days of day shift.
Cassie had spent the day yesterday with her Dad and seeing Zach and Rachel. I hoped to catch up with her for a meal tonight, although she was seeing Trace for lunch.
Work was only feeling slow because there was a place I'd really rather be, and she had long hair and,
"Ouch!" I startled grabbing the back of my head with one hand and the clipboard with the other. I pulled the clipboard hard and when I heard the laughing I knew exactly who was behind me, knocking me about.
I growled, "What do you want Ryan? Did you sort that last call out? "
"Chill out," he said not loosing his good natured edge. "All good, the restraining order had been breached. When I caught up with the looser I checked and he had a couple of outstanding warrants for arrest so. ...Score!" Ryan took a run at a nearby wall preparing a basketball lay-up and jumped sucessfully scoring a dummy shot.
I shook my head but glad for the distraction. "I hope you processed him and didn't leave it for Steve."
I knew my friend all too well. He grinned, " I'm hurt," he said hitting a closed fist to his chest and closing his eyes in mock pain. Then dropping all dramatics he sat in the chair opposite me and said, "No, all done. What's with the staring off into space? Not like you to be wasting time, is there a certain pair of....ahhh legs on your mind? ah?" He shook his head chuckling.
Ryan leaned forward screwing up his nose as he grabbed an apple off my desk he bit into he said, "This all the food you've got? " It was my turn to laugh, "Its good for ya. Don't feel you have to have it. "
I continued to shake my head as he left the room and I got back to what I had been doing. Just then Ryan stuck his head back in, "Oh that's right, knew there was a reason I had come in. Mike, big boss man wants to see you. " I glared at him, and quickly went to stand up but before I could get far Mike walked through the door.
Hiking his thumb out the door towards the corridor so that Ryan would take off, Mike pulled my door shut and took the seat opposite me.
I thought back and couldn't remember Mike ever having come into my office like this, so I tossed my pen down and leant back, curious to see what was up.
"You would think by now that I would know not to get Ryan to play message boy. He would forget his own child in a burning building. "
Mile chuckled at his own joke, but I honestly found it a bit gruesome and wasn't sure that Ryan was quite that hopeless, considering Mike had agreed to him stepping into acting Sergeant while I was away, I hoped not.
"What can I do for you?"
"Well I hope you have everything in order. I just got word that your trip has been moved up."
He clearly looked annoyed. When I had put my name forward over 18 months ago to go out to the Solomon Islands Mike and I had been told that we could expect replacement personel at the station, but this wasn't always possible depending what officers were qvailable or who was on annual leave.
"The team leader currently in the Solomons has just had a family emergency. As of today you are off duty for your regulation 4 days stand down and you fly out Friday. Technically you will cover the rest of his rotation with the Peace Keepers which is 2 months, then your own as team leader. Whether that is 3 or 6 months you will have to sort out with the powers that be. I am hoping they dont leave us short for that long. "
I couldn't respond. I was stunned. Now not only did I have to tell Cassie immediately but we would have no time to decide what it would mean for us, or to adjust. I leant forward and hunched over my desk a little. Suddenly I wasn't feeling that great.
Mike stood and clapped my shoulder soundly a couple of times. "A bit to take in I know. You've had the training and you will do well if you just keep your head and don't try to be a hero. Things are still very volatile. Be good to see you back in one piece. " Mike slapped a folder on my desk.
"All the information is in there. If you need to know more all the contacts are listed for Wellington and Honiara. I know this is happening quicker than expected, but bring Ryan up to date with your case load before you take off. Having him as acting Sergeant around here is going to be interesting."
Mike left the room shaking his head.
I was still in shock. I had to get out, to adjust my head. My mind was still so full of the bombshell that had been dropped on me I couldn't think about what Friday would bring or the job I needed to do out there. All I could think was Cassie. Missing her, telling her. Just being at work had been hard enough, let alone leaving the country!
I heard a voice call after me as I got to the main doors of the building. They automatically opened and I didn't miss a beat as I continued to stride along the footpath. Dodging members of the public. I got down to the corner and swung around striding back again.
My body needed to move. I just didn't know where I was going. I felt like my system was a coiled spring. I lifted my eyes and sure enough Ryan was standing there looking after me concerned.
I strode up to him. Turning my head away, knowing he didn't really have any answers for what my life had become in the past few weeks. We stood there for a few minutes.
"Mike told me. I know I should be excited because I get my shot at being sergeant and all, but I'm worried about you. You be ok?"
We stood on the footpath outside the station the world was going on around us, "What am I going to do? " I groaned.
"I take it from that, you haven't told her yet." He paused as if thinking it through. "Well here's the plan. You get yourself in there," he pointed towards the station, "You get changed, and you run. Keep running until you can't move. Then call me. I'll pick you up. By then we'll have a plan. "
I looked up Ryan was grinning at me. For a solid second started to have mushy thoughts about my best friend, even considered hugging him. But restraining myself I returned his grin with relief and punched him hard in the shoulder, "You're on."
Cassies POV
I had loved my day yesterday. I saw Zach and Rachel and finally when the conversation came around to me I told them that Max and I are seeing each other. Zach was excited and just like a 'girl'- friend demanded all the details. We laughed as I gave them a highlights only version.
I missed Max but was confident that we would make things work around his shift work and find our way through. I felt I knew him so well, and trusted him. He said he would see me as much as he could through this busy week of work but as sergeant his hours were sometimes a little less certain, depending on the work that came in.
Now I was sitting at a cafe with Trace, and having a lovely time. She had picked me up from home on her way into town and we were waiting for Lara. Although it was the holidays, work for Dave, as the Principal meant that he was often needing to check in at school, particularly with contractors on site extending the hall.
Trace and Dave had been trying for children for sometime and although they often made light of it, Dave winking saying trying for children with Trace wasn't such a bad pastime.
But just 5 days ago Trace had miscarried again. She was telling me about it and a fresh wave of tears came. I reached across the table. "It is ok to cry. Don't worry about it. Grief for a life taken too soon."
As those words came out of my mouth my mind turned to Mum again, realising that the grief of these two different events was similiar in how it impacted our hearts.
Trace was looking around the the busy cafe, that was in the middle of a garden centre of a hardware store store, slightly embarrassed. "How is Dave about it?" I asked concerned.
"Oh, he has thrown himself into work again to fill the void of talking excitedly about having a little one with us this time next year. I wonder if it is harder for Dave being around children all the time at school. We have joked around saying no more sleep ins, and all those dirty nappies!" she laughed without humour. "All those things seem oh so appealing sitting here now. " I wrinkled my nose a little.
As she sniffled one last time, "Ok, so maybe not the dirty nappies!" We both laughed together. With the humour, understanding and support passed between us.
Suddenly over the noise of the cafe came a loud voice, "You are in so much trouble! " Oh no, I knew that voice.
Turning I could see Lara barreling towards us. She looked stunning in an off shoulder bright red tunic top showing her long legs in tight jeans and heels. As she got closer I could see a big smile plastered across her face. She swooped in and hugged me. "It is so exciting! " Still squeezing me tight she said, "Hi Trace," over my shoulder. Finally she let me go and sank into the chair that I had got ready for her.
"First things first. Have you ordered my chai late? I am hanging out for my sweet cinnamon hit." I smiled and nodded asking,
"So what have I done now? "
Just at that point the waitress arrived with our order and took our table number away. We each had a hot drink, Lara had her chai latte, and there were gorgeous oozing toasted cheese sandwiches sat in the middle of the table.
"So," I said looking up at Lara, "You were saying? " I didn't remind her that she didn't just say it to me but the whole cafe, there didn't seem much point. Lara was pretty much impossible to embarrass.
Lara launches into story telling mode, turning to Trace, "I get a text, Saturday morning. Probably a group text to Zach as well if I know Cass." I laughed, she was so right. I had sent it out to both of them.
Now Lara was reaching into her bag, I knew what she was going to do, "Seriously, you're going to read the text? "
"What better way to make my point?" she started scrolling through her phone. "Ah, no, not that
aahh Yes here it is..." looking up to make her point she cleared her throat and read,
'Max and I are going out. ' Are. You. Serious!? You have this hot hunk of a guy. You have bumped into on and off for 2 weeks. You hang out for the first week of the holidays so much that I keep getting the flick, and you tell me that news in a text? You couldn't have called? Visited?"
By now Trace and I had moved through stunned expressions then smiling now full out laughing. "Oh, you think its funny. Well while I dance my butt off Zumba-ing to stay in shape for Mr Right to put in an appearance, and then I strutt it out at the weekend hoping Mr Right might pull himself away from the rugby on TV to find me. ...but you!? You might have found your Mr Right! And you text, text! me?"
She flopped back in her chair, clearly having run out of steam. Sitting up and starting to drink and nibble on a cheese roll. She calmly said, "Right, details, None of that sanitised crap. I want it all. Does the world stop when he is around? Does he make you weak at the knees, and..." she paused for effect, "have you had a sleep over?"
I gasped, about to protest, but Lara held up her hand and closed her eyes briefly, "Don't tell me you don't kiss and tell. Trace and I are sitting here, ready for juicie juicie details."
While Lara stopped her out pouring briefly my mind turned to Max. What could I say without giving too much away? exposing Max?
Lara interrupted my thinking , " Just in case you are considering down playing it. I warn you I can see that just thinking about him is starting to turn you on, so take pity on a woman who wants to live a little vicariously through you, please."
She had me at the appeal, but the please thrown in at the end for good measure broke my resolve. So I told them about our week together. My uncertainty about the strength of the feelings I had for him and the gift he had given me.
"Wow," Trace stared at it, then said, "Do you have any idea what that would have cost him? "
"He didn't get it from a store. He knows the lady that designs under the label 'kahuwai'." I flipped the catch over and showed then the label.
"No way. You hadn't even agreed to go out with him and he orders, not buys, but orders a piece of commissioned jewellery made especially for you. Romance is not dead. You have him hook line and sinker girl-friend. He is shamelessly yours. Don't let this stud get away!"
She sighed and leant back just as my phone started ringing. I frowned, it was unusual for anyone to call, most people just text a quick message through.
Caller ID showed Max. He was straight to the point asking where I was and then was gone.
I announced to the girls who it was and we passed the next 10-15 minutes quietly talking about other things. It was easy to forget that Trace was married to our boss as we laughed away happily.
I had so enjoyed my time telling them about Max. It had got me a little worked up and hot at times, particularly as Lara had pressed me for details on how I felt when he touched me, where he touched me, how he felt.
Right at that moment there he was. Striding towards me a tired smile on his face. My stomach did a flip and I lost track of the conversation. I still find it hard to believe that Max was searching me out and felt my heart swell as several people noticed his imposing height and figure then looked to see he was making his way to me.
He had on a pair of light blue jeans, and a bright blue hoodie. His blue eyes sparkled as he walked around the last table between is and I rose to meet him smiling. My world had somehow been turned around over the past month. It was no longer a question of him fitting into my life but my life seemed so complete with him, it was everything else that needed to fit around what we were becoming. I felt a little badly that I hadn't had as much time with Lara as I normally would in the school holidays but she was understanding and excited about me being with Max it added to the thrill of it for me, she was such a great friend.
He reached me and gave me a hug before pulling a chair up close to me and slinging an arm around my shoulders. He had clearly just had a shower, as his short tussled hair was slightly damp, and he smelled of fresh soap and mens cologne. I was a little puzzled because he wasn't in uniform and he had told me he would be working til 5, but I wasn't complaining.
The conversation continued with Lara calling it how she saw it. 'Hot property' was her latest name for Max or something like that and left us all laughing before Max asked if he could steal me away. Trace was fine with it, although she seemed a little flat still from our earlier conversation. So when she asked us to join her and Dave for tea I was quick to agree, looking to Max to see if he was ok with it. He nodded, although he seemed uncomfortable as we stood and I started to gather my things. Lara stood and hugged me tightly, begging off joining us for tea because of other plans.
I was still too distracted with Max uncharacteristically quiet, to take her to task for bailing on me. What was up with Max anyway? Should I feel more worried than I did? But going against my first instinct I decided to stay in the moment holding his hand and enjoy the wander out of the garden department and through the hardware part of the store to his vehicle out front.
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What do you think please vote. comment.
How will Max cope with telling Cassie?
What will Cassies reaction be? How will Cassie cope with the thought of Max going away for so long?
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thanks For reading. ...! !! :-):-)
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