Preventing more damage was a good start, but the task force was already taking steps to further close in and stop the coven.
We hadn’t gone far from the rehab center, visiting the café with the macaroni Max liked for lunch. Wide eyed, he took in every detail from the smell of fresh baking bread to all the items on the menu, his eyes crossing at all the choices.
Despite the potential sensory overload, Max looked excited when we found a small table in the back after placing our order. Because he was here, out in the world. No matter what obstacles appeared, he conquered them and kept going. I prayed this wouldn’t be the one obstacle to knock him down and keep him down.
"Max, I have something to tell you."
Busy viewing our surroundings, his eyes finally focused back on me. His eyes narrowed, instantly suspicious. "Why not just tell me the news instead of telling me you have something to tell me?"
"Because it’s not easy."
"Oh, is it bad?” Before I could answer, he kept going. “Am I sick? Physically or mentally sick? Oh god, am I Loony Larry after all? Am I dying?"
"What? I’m not your doctor. You would know news like that before me."
"You’re my emotional support fox,” he reasoned. “Maybe they told you first so you could break the news to me."
"They aren’t allowed to do that. Any such arrangement would need to be set up by you first."
"Cool, let’s pause this lesson until you tell me the bad news." His fingers drummed on the table as he waited anxiously.
"Sorry, I, this is difficult…” To avoid giving him a heart attack, I had to risk my own coronary and spit it out.
“Max, I like you."
"Seriously?” He scoffed. “Stop softening the blow and just tell me."
"No, that was it."
"Nuh-uh,” he argued. “I already know that. I like you too. That’swhyyou’re my emotional support fox."
"Max, I’m attracted to you.” My heart seized in my chest at saying the words even if my voice sounded stiff. “I like you romantically."
"Oh.” He slumped back in the booth, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth as he thought. “What? Is that, is that why we’re here? We’re on a date?"
"No!” I hissed. “Jesus."
"Hey, I know some things!” he insisted. “You like me. That means going on dates."
"I’daskyou on a date, not just take you on it."
He looked around. "Are we here so you can ask me on a date?”
"No, we’re here to talk.” I took a drink of my ice water to give myself a second. I wished for something stronger. “You need to know this might compromise my ability to work with you. It’s not something you should have to deal with right now. Typically I’d be taken off the case, but the Director thought removing me without even consulting you might not be the best move in this situation."
"Then he sounds like he isn’t a total freaking moron.” Max’s attitude couldn’t hide his hurt as he crossed his arms. “Youwanted to just go away without talking to me?"
"It’s not what I want, but I’d hate to set you back."
Max grabbed the packets of sugar from the end of the table. He tore the packets furiously and dumped them in his drink. Since he’d gotten a soda, there really wasn’t a reason to add more sugar. I bit the inside of my cheek to stay silent about that while giving him time to sort through his thoughts.
"I’d hate doing any of this without you,” he said finally. “I’m not sure I’veeverhad anybody care about me as much as you do. That’s what matters to me. Whether it’s wrong or right, I need somebody in the world who cares about me. I can’t lose that. I can’t lose you."
"Then you won’t," I replied quietly.
Max insisting I stay wasn’t really surprising. That had probably been why I defaulted to protocol. Not giving into to whatever Max wished seemed impossible, so I needed official orders to assist me in case I was at risk of doing the wrong thing. But the director told us to figure this out ourselves. We did that. Hopefully it was the right call.
While I planned to tell him to take some time and think about everything before making a decision, his mind already seemed made up. Not every decision came easy to him, or maybeexpressinghis decisions sometimes gave him trouble, but when he did know what he wanted there was no changing his mind.
