The Greatest Challenge of Max Goof

Another Busy Day For All Three

Once again, it was a very busy day for all three friends. Max had another busy day volunteering at the office with printing off and laminating the posters for the upcoming baking competition which the head of fundraising events chose three out of Jimmy's designs. Jimmy was over the moon after Max showed him each of the samples when he came to pick him up. He was picking him up from the children activity center because Roxanne was still volunteering at the children's hospital. He had to wait for only thirty minutes for Jimmy to finish his activity sessions with his friends. Watching him reminded Max of when he was his age and how he used to have fun like that before going to elementary school which was when his life started to get tough, but he was glad he didn't let the toughest of life get the better of him and become a bully and instead rose above it like all the best people do.

It was about two o'clock when Max and Jimmy arrived at the children's hospital and Roxanne had just stopped for her lunch break. They sat down on a bench outside the hospital.

"Well, how was your first four hours?" Max asked.

"Oh, it was great, Max," Roxanne replied. She explained that she was taken to the kitchen to wash up and take out the garbage for the first two hours. Then for the next two, the chef said they needed her to help cook and serve the food to the kid patients. The dish of the day was vegetable pie and rice. The chef told her that the kids would always grumble about the food they would get, but today they enjoyed it. They even wanted more. The chef thought that it must be Roxanne's input that made the meal delicious. All she knew was that the hospital had never seen a kind of reaction from the patients since it was built and she had been the head chef since it was built.

"So, you're a hit already!" Max cheered happily. "Congratulations, Roxanne."

"Thanks, Max," she said. "So, yeah, it was very busy, but I enjoyed it and it made me feel a lot good about myself than I felt for a long while. So, what have you boys been up to?"

Max told her what he had achieved at the office today and showed Roxanne the three samples he took from the office. She thought they were wonderful and proud of what Jimmy and Max had achieved to make them. Then Jimmy explained that he enjoyed his day at the children's activity center and how much he learnt and how much he played with the other kids.

"Before I forget, the activity center is closed on Thursdays, Fridays and the weekend," Max told Roxanne. "But I'm volunteer at the orphanage tomorrow. Jimmy can come with me and I'll watch him while I volunteer. He can play with the other orphans."

Roxanne had to think about what was best for Jimmy. She wasn't sure about Max's suggestion, but she did trust him and it would be better than leaving Jimmy on his own in the apartment.

Then Max's mobile phone rang. He answered. "Hello? Oh, hey, Miss Wallis. Yeah? I see. Okay. No problem. See you shortly." He turned his phone off.

"Who was that, Max?" Roxanne asked.

"That was Miss Wallis, the person in charge of the orphanage. Some of the staff members can't come in either because they are ill or on vacation, so they need me to go there and help them with the orphans this afternoon. I can take Jimmy with me this afternoon as a test. I promise I'll keep my eyes on him all the time."

"Okay," Roxanne said. "I trust you, Max. Jimmy, be good for Max."

"Yes, Auntie Roxanne," Jimmy said.

"Come on, Jimmy," Max said. "And once again, well done for today's work, Roxanne. Keep up the good work." He waved to her as he and Jimmy walked away.

"Thanks, Max," Roxanne said, waving back. "And good luck this afternoon, both of you." She headed back into the hospital.

When they got back to Max's apartment, they had veggie sausages, vegetables and fries for dinner. Roxanne explained for the last two and a half hours of her shift she continued to wash up and tidy up. The head nurse said she was amazing and especially for the first day of volunteering. And the kid patients all complimented her and told her stuff like, 'That was the best meal I've ever had in my life' or 'I really enjoyed it' and a young boy told her, "I've been in this hospital for five years. I can tell you that you've really made a real difference to this place today.' She also said that the chef would like to see what other dishes she could provide.

"See? I knew you'd be great," Max said. "And today has been complete proof."

Roxanne chuckled. "Thanks, Max. How was the orphanage today?"

Max and Jimmy explained what they did at the orphanage this afternoon. Max introduced Jimmy to the other orphans and he was shy at first, but that didn't stop him from learning about gardening and helping the other orphans to do it. And he did one thing no other orphan ever did: befriend a girl called Eleanor. She was a female duckling around Jimmy's age and she was shy and wheelchair-bound; she had always been in a wheelchair since she was born and will live like that all her life. Max never knew why the other orphans didn't want to spend much time with Eleanor, but he did say Jimmy was very good with her and had never seen her smile like that since the day she was brought to the orphanage. Roxanne was very pleased with what Jimmy accomplished today and this week.

After having some ice cream and washing up and drying, they again decided to get an early night. After making sure Jimmy was nice and tucked in, Max and Roxanne headed to his bedroom.

Max waited outside so Roxanne could dress into her nightie. "Would you like to be on your own tonight?" he asked through the door.

"Come in and find the answer out for yourself," she replied back through the door.

He opened it and found her in his bed. She was covered up with half of the bed sheet. The other half was on top of her and the other half of the bed was empty and bare. Max just chuckled and started to strip down to his white vest and dark red underwear boxer shorts. He got into bed, turned his lamplight off and they wrapped each other into their arms. Then he received a kiss on his lips.

"I really can't thank you enough for all you've done since Saturday, Max," she said.

"Oh, you've done most of it yourself, Roxanne," Max said, kissing her back.

"No, I couldn't have achieved any of these accomplishments without you."

"Well, I think we can agree that it was a team effort and we both helped each other."

"Really? How have I helped you?" Roxanne asked.

"Well, you cleaned my apartment up and you just being with me again has made me happier than I've been since you had to move to Dallas." Then he heard some sniffling.

"Did I say something to upset you? I'm sorry."

"No, no," Roxanne sobbed. "I'm just happy that you feel the same way I do. I haven't been this happy since I left you in Spoonerville."

They continued to hug and kiss each other and enjoy each other's company all night.