I followed Max down the stairs. This was actually the first time I've been to Chloe's house. Sure hope it's not too awkward. And that Joyce doesn't mind Max and I spending the night. More so me than Max.
"Good morning, Joyce..." Max greeted. Joyce looked at us and her eyes widened. "Rachel! Uh... I—I mean, Max... Whew, you startled me. You fit those clothes well." She said. I shoved my hands in my pockets. This isn't awkward whatsoever. Not one bit.
"Thank God you're not a hellraiser like her or Chloe." Joyce looked at me. "Well, hello again, Daniel." She said. "Sup, Joyce. How are you?" I questioned. She smiled. "I'm doing just fine. Now tell me exactly what you two want to chow on."
"Daniel, you have to try Joyce's pancakes!" Max said to me. I shrugged. "Sure." I said. Joyce chuckled. "I thought you would have missed those. You ate more than William, and he loved them..."
Hmm. Joyce mentioned Chloe's dad back when we met at Two Whales. He must have been a lay back kinda guy.
"I remember. We would race each other to grab them from the stack." Max said with a kind smile on her face. "So this time you can help me with the ingredients." Joyce said. "Good luck with that, Max." I said and turned to the table.
"Ah. Ah. Ah. You too, Daniel." Joyce said.
I turned around and walked back to Max's side. "I need you to grab me the eggs and milk." Joyce said. "Done." I quickly said as I grabbed the eggs out of a bag. Max walked to the table and grabbed the milk.
"Thanks." Joyce said to us. "You can go sit at the table, Daniel. Max and I got it from here." Joyce told me. "Cool." I said and walked to the table.
Well, here I am. In the Price household. I just witnessed to girls kiss and it was hot. Now I'm sitting at their table self-talking again. It almost feels normal. But not entirely. I've never been to Chloe's house before. It's uhhh... chill.
Max sat down beside me. Joyce placed two plates down for us and gave us forks and knives.
Holy shit, these do look good.
"Thank you so much, Joyce. I don't think we're ever leaving this table." Max told her. "Good. You can clean." She told us. "Way to go, man." I said, hitting Max's arm. She hit me back and said, "Eat up Daniel." After a few bites of these pancakes, Joyce walked over to us with a photo album in her hands.
"Seeing you again... ahh, made me remember so much..." Joyce said as she sat down. "I know these photos don't measure up to your work, Max..."
"My favorite photographers probably take pictures similar to yours." Max told Joyce. "You make David happy, Joyce." I nearly choked on my pancakes just listening to what Max said. "Yeah... very happy." I hesitantly said. "He wants us all to be happy, Max. He's just not great at showing it." Joyce told her.
Joyce flipped through several pictures. There was a picture of Rachel and Chloe. Max smiled nervously.
"Uhh, I don't think I can rock this outfit like Rachel..." She said. "You have your own cool style." Joyce assured her. Joyce flipped through more pictures. "Wowser. I totally remember that day..." Max said. It was a picture of her and Chloe. They both look so happy.
So close.
"I'm glad... William took this picture with his instant camera." Joyce said. She frowned. "It was the last picture he ever took..." She said. Max and I looked at each other. "He had his car out right after this and—and..." Joyce closed her eyes and shook her head.
"I know, Joyce. I'm sorry..." Max said. I nodded along. "I didn't show you this to be morbid. In fact, I want you to have this..." Joyce said. Handing the picture of Max and Chloe over to the now much older Max.
"This is when my baby was so full of life and light. She was hopeful, positive..." Joyce frowned again. "Everything she's not today. And this was the last time I ever saw Chloe truly happy." Joyce told us.
"Did you guys have a bonding session about how fucked up I am?" Chloe's voice spoke.
"It's not always about you..." Max told her. "Chloe, please. It's too early to start picking a fight. Eat instead." Joyce told her. Chloe leaned close to Max's ear. "I'll keep the warden busy while you go peek in the garage." She said. "Now stop whispering or I'll know you're talking about me." Joyce told her. "Stop being so nosy, mother." Chloe told her. "Jeez, I can't do anything around here without everybody getting up in my shit..."
"No one can even joke with you, Chloe, you fly off the handle like that..." Joyce said.
"Excuse me, I have to use the bathroom." Max said.
"Sure, run off and pee when you should back me up." Chloe called out.
"Now who's being paranoid?" Joyce said as she stood up. "Just listen to yourself..." Joyce said to Chloe. "Nobody else does!" Chloe said back. Max turned on her heels when Joyce was out of sight and entered the garage.
Chloe sat down and nudged my arm. She said, "How'd I do, skater boy?"
"You definitely got Joyce to leave." I told her. "I'm such a badass." Chloe said.