CHAPTER FORTY FIVE
" SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS "
SUN BLARED IN THROUGH THE WINDOW. For a moment, Dylan forgot the events of the day before, until the sleep wore off and she remembered she was in Steve's bed, not her own.
She quietly sat up, trying not to wake Steve, who was still sleeping beside her. Dylan leaned over and reached for the phone on the bedside table.
Steve stirred, then woke. "What are you doing?"
The phone continued to ring. "I'm trying to call Max. I gotta know she's okay."
The phone rang with no sign of anyone picking up the other line. Dylan sighed and hung up.
Steve sat behind her, rubbing her shoulders. Dylan hadn't realized how tense she'd been until she relaxed into his touch. It seemed all weirdness and animosity between them had to wait, a silent agreement had been made that there were more important things to be dealt with.
"When can go over there later. We can bring her some ice cream, maybe some flowers...?"
"No flowers, she'd hate that," Dylan laughed, "but ice cream is a good idea. And some magazines, maybe a new tape."
"Let's get ready then!" Steve jumped to his feet. "And we'll go."
"Alright. But first I gotta go home. I haven't been there in days."
Steve pulled into her driveway and they walked to her front door. The door swung open before they were even off the lawn and her mom ran outside, pulling her into a tight embrace.
"Oh! I was worried sick!" Her mom exclaimed, muffled by Dylan's T-shirt clad shoulder. "I heard what happened at the mall! I thought I saw you on the news... I thought something could have happened... Your dad thought maybe you stayed at Nancy's again but—"
"You did see me on the news, Mom." Dylan squeezed her mom closer. "I was there. I lucked out. I should've called, I'm sorry, it was just all so overwhelming—"
"Hush! Don't apologize!" Her mom cut her off. She let go of Dylan and stepped back, giving Dylan a once-over. "You look well. A few bruises, a few scratches... but thank God you're okay! I heard a boy died, and the Sheriff—"
Her dad appeared from behind her mom, grabbing Dylan just as tight, and then placing a kiss on her forehead. "You had us worried, sweetie."
"Dylan was at the mall!" Her mom said to her dad. "I knew that was her on the news! You must tell us what happened!"
Dylan nodded. "For sure, and I will, I promise. But I really only came home to let you know I was safe. That boy that died... he was my friend. Steve and I were going to put together a care package and bring it to her."
"Oh." Her mom held a hand to her chest. "Billy. I should've known, you were going with him for awhile, right? I'm sorry to hear that."
Her mom finally acknowledged Steve a step behind Dylan, the shock of everything seeming to wear off slightly. Her mom took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Steve! I'm so glad you were both together. That makes me feel a little better. But, oh, your poor face!"
Dylan's mom reached up to brush a hand across Steve's swollen eye lightly then gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Looks like you took quite the beating, son." Her dad commented, shaking his head. "Terrible what happened."
Her dad turned back to her. "You go run the errands you need. Then come back home. We'll have something nice for supper and you can tell us everything."
Dylan roamed Melvald's flipping through magazines and cassettes trying to find something she thought might interest Max. She didn't know her all that well but she knew the girl was in her 'boy crazy' phase which meant she probably her in George Michael or Rob Lowe phase. Really, any attractive male would work for most thirteen year old girls. Steve trailed behind her, unusually quiet.
Dylan shoved a few magazines under her shoulder and picked up a Wham! cassette. When she turned around, Steve was in the flower section.
Dylan felt a smile grow. She came up beside him and rolled her eyes. "I thought I said no to the flowers?"
Steve shrugged. "I refuse to believe that someone could dislike receiving flowers as a gift."
"Get them then," said Dylan, amused by his protest.
Steve plucked the bouquet of orange lilies he had been staring at off the stand. "What happened to 'she doesn't like flowers'?"
"Nobody's going to be disappointed by a bouquet of flowers from you."
"And why's that?"
Dylan laughed. "Because you're hot. Simple as that."
Steve stood a little taller and sauntered to the cash with their items. The guy served them and then they were quickly back in the car.
They rolled up the Hargrove residence and Steve pulled up to the curb and turned off the car. "Never thought I'd be coming here willingly."
Dylan grabbed their gift basket. "Just come on, don't be so dramatic."
They walked up to the front door, Steve holding his bouquet of lilies to his chest, and Dylan holding back tears. She knocked on the door and Max's mom greeted her from the other side of the screen.
"Sorry for you loss," Dylan managed to croak out. "Is Max home?"
Max's mom nodded and yelled for Max. The preteen took her time coming to the door but swung open the screen when upon see it was them. Max ambushed Dylan with a hug, so abrupt Dylan almost dropped her gift, but she managed to prop it under her shoulder and wrap her other arm around Max.
Max stepped away. "Sorry. I was hoping you'd come by."
"Don't apologize!" Dylan handed Max her gift. "Steve and I got a few things for you. I know it won't change anything but I wanted you to know I was thinking of you."
Max flicked through the contents of the basket, and she didn't smile, but she did look somewhat pleased with what was inside.
Steve cleared his throat. "And I got you these. Somebody told me you didn't like flowers... but these were just too pretty to leave on the shelf."
Max's cheeks flushed and she grabbed the flowers, hiding her face in them. "Thanks. They're very pretty."
Dylan chuckled to herself. He still had it, something she never doubted.
It only took Max moments to somber again. Dylan took a good look at her. She looked so tired, her eyes bloodshot, and her face drained of any colour. Dylan knew what she was going though all too well. It was unfortunate that Max could now relate to Dylan's worst moments.
"Dylan, will you stay for the funeral?" Max asked, fleetingly hopeful.
"Well, I gotta get back to school—"
"Please." She said, her frown reappearing. "Everyone I know hates Billy. And I know you didn't really like him, hell, I didn't either, but you didn't hate him. You're the only person I know who won't judge me."
"Okay," Dylan agreed without thinking. She didn't want to see the young girl start to cry. "I'll stay. I'll go."
Max stepped off the porch and wrapped her arms around Dylan once again, nuzzling her wet face into Dylan's shirt. "Thank you. Thank you!"
Max's mother returned. "Max. Lunch is on the table."
Max nodded. "I guess I gotta go... but you promise you'll come?"
"Yes, I promise." Dylan smiled reassuringly.
Max disappeared into her house and Dylan and Steve walked back to his car. "How are you gonna swing that? With school?"
Dylan sighed. "I don't know. I didn't want to upset her."
"Well, I'll go with you when you figure it out."
"You don't have to do that, I know you hated—"
Steve reached out, squeezed her hand with his, and then let it fall back to his side. "I want to go. For you."
Steve walked around the car to the driver's side and Dylan hesitated and watched him. He didn't notice her stare and he was completely unaware of how much she was in love with him. Her heart ached, missing him. He was right there in front of her but it wasn't the same. She wished it could be the same.
"You getting in or what?" Steve was leaned over the front seats, rolling down the passenger window.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry."
He laughed at her. "Where were you just then?"
Dylan sat next to him and he drove off. "I don't know. You know what a space cadet I can be sometimes."
Steve laughed again. He placed his free hand on her knee as he drove, Dylan didn't even think he noticed, it was instinct, a reflex. She laid her hand on top his and looked out the window, pretending her heart wasn't in her throat.