Sylvia watched as Goofy walked out the house, his shoulders slumped. She closed the door quickly, trying to tune out the young adults who had begun to fight. She shook her head and grabbed her husband's hand.
"Why can't I get along with my son, Sylvia?" he asked, his eyes hooded. She was surprised when he fell to the floor, taking her with him. "I'm a bad father."
In other circumstances she would have yelled at him, but this wasn't the time. She picked up her glasses that had fallen a few inches away from her and sat up on her knees, patting Goofy's back. He was lying on his belly, his face facing the side of the house.
"Honey, it was not your fault." She said, "You did nothing wrong."
"You heard Jasmine, Sylvia. She was upset at Max for talking to Roxanne." Goofy said softly. "I shouldn't have invited her to dinner. Or said what I did. Now they're fighting and it's all my fault."
Sylvia sighed and looked up into the house where she could hear Jasmine's voice through the window. It was muffled but she could make out what she was probably saying. "Maybe you opened Max's eyes. Right now he's upset."
Goofy turned around to look at her. "What do you mean? Didn't you see how he yelled at me to leave?"
"Yes, after Jasmine turned on him at the dinner table." Sylvia said, planting a kiss on his forehead. "And I think, and correct me if you disagree, but I think Max might be leaning towards his ex-girlfriend right now."
Goofy sat up, his eyed wide. "Are you saying he doesn't like Jasmine anymore?"
Goofy's eyes began to water and Sylvia grabbed him in her arms, his face hidden in her bosom. "It's all my fault! Jasmine is going to hate me now."
"Goofy, that's not it. Let Max cool down, obviously she isn't in her right mind either. She jealous. Who wouldn't be? Roxanne is beautiful." She said. "Let's get moving, okay?"
She stood up and Goofy nodded, stumbling as he got up. He took another look at the house before following Sylvia back into the car.
They drove in silence, Sylvia's thoughts working aimlessly as she turned into the street they were staying. She honestly didn't like Jasmine, remembering her from when she used to work at the library. She was a year older than Max, and had dated Bradley Uppercrust the Third, but she dared not mention it to her new family. Max had seemed happy with Jasmine, and she thought that if her stepson was happy, then so be it. Who was she to get involved?
But that night she had seen something in Max that she hadn't before. He looked like a young love stricken boy. It was so strange to see him like that. He always seemed cool, calm and collective. At that moment, all that was gone. Max had reminded her of Goofy.
"Goofy, are you okay?" she asked, pulling the car up to the parking lot. Goofy was staring out of the window.
"Huh?" he sat up straighter, alarmed. "Sorry, I didn't hear you."
She parked the car and took the keys out. She placed it in her purse and turned to look at him. He gave her a small smile.
"I'm sorry Sylvia. I can't stop thinking about Maxie. I worry about him a lot." Goofy said, unbuckling his seat belt. "I wish I can help him, but we never seem to get along anymore."
"He is an adult now, and trust me. He'll understand everything you did for him when he becomes a father. I think he's stressed and not over you. He has all these things to worry about, his leg, the X-games, his girlfriend, school and not to mention Roxanne now. That's a lot for someone to take in."
"I guess you're right." Goofy said. "It still doesn't make me feel better."
"A nice bath should relax you, c'mon." she said.
Sylvia waited until Goofy was in the bath to run over to the phone. She locked the bedroom door and dialed Max's number. At the last ring, PJ picked up.
"Hello?"
"Hey, PJ, it's Sylvia." She said, looking over at the door. The room they were staying at was small, with one bedroom, one bathroom and the kitchen right next to the living room. She sat on the edge of the hard bed, twirling the phone cord between her fingers. "Is Max there?"
"Yes, let me get him." PJ responded and she heard him yell out his name in the background. A few moments later she heard his disgruntled voice over the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Max. Sorry to bother you. Is everything better?" she asked, hoping Goofy wasn't done with his bath. He was one of those people that were quick to shower. She heard Max sigh on the other end.
"Yeah, now that she's gone. Look Sylvia- I know I shouldn't have yelled at my dad the way I did, but I'm frustrated right now. He only made things worse."
"I'm calling because he's very upset, Max. I know I have no right to say this- but I was raised differently. I was taught to respect my parents, even if I got upset with them. Never once did I talk back to them the way you talk back to your father." She sad, hoping he wouldn't take what she had to say wrong.
"Okay. But I wasn't raised in that manner." Max said. "I didn't mean to offend him."
"I would like it if you would apologize to him, I don't like to see him down. He blames himself for the fight you and Jasmine go into-"
"Well it is! If he wouldn't have brought up Roxanne like that, Jasmine wouldn't have been upset." Max said forcefully.
"And it's his fault that you might have feelings for your ex again?" she said, knowing she had hit a point. She heard Max gasp and then silence. "That's not Goofy's fault. Even if Goofy had kept his mouth shut, she would have still fought with you. I could tell how you lit up when you saw her walk in that door. That had nothing to do with Goofy."
"Sylvia? Sylvia, you in there? The door seems to be locked." Goofy yelled. She looked up and saw the door handle rocking on her end. She bit her lip. He couldn't find her talking to Max.
"Uh, Yeah! Hold on!" she yelled back at him. She grasped the phone with both hands. "Look, Max. I got to go. Don't tell your dad I called you. But I insist you call him and speak to him. Bye."
She quickly hung up and kicked off her shoes. She grabbed the plain white shirt she had left hanging on her bed post and quickly threw it on, throwing the one she was previously wearing into the corner.
"Sylvia?"
"Coming!" she yelled, running over to the door. She unlocked it and Goofy stood there in his white bathrobe. "Sorry, honey. I was changing."
"It's okay. And I feel a little bit better, the bath helped." He said, walking past her. The phone rang at that moment and she watched as goofy went over and picked it up.
"Maxie?" he said and looked up at Sylvia and smiled. Sylvia smiled back, happy that Max had decided to call after all. She wasn't sure that he would, but now she felt better. She walked out of the room, giving him privacy.