Little Maxie

Chapter 38

They entered the apartment together, Max still trying to hold his shirt down, and instead of managing to hide the diaper, he just put more attention to it.

"Here, let's get your shorts on," Brad said, holding the pants out for Max to step in. The little hurried to get it on, almost tripping over the waistband in his hurry to get it on. A moment later, and Brad pulled it up, and smiled at Maxie, who looked a bit nervous.

"Hey Maxie," Lewis said, stepping forward and catching Max's attention.

"Hiya," Maxie said shyly, taking a step closer to Brad who had stood op again, and he easily let the little step close to him, wondering if he should hug him or not.

"I got something for you," Lewis said, holding the bag out towards Maxie, who looked at it curiously.

"For me?" Max asked, looking at the bag hesitantly and not making a move to take it.

"Yes, it's a present," Lewis said with a smile, and Max looked at him, then at the bag, before looking at Brad. It was clear that the little was waiting for the caregivers reaction before he would do anything.

"Do you want to see what's in there, Maxie?" Brad asked, keeping his voice casual and soft, even though he felt bad that the little hadn't been already reaching out for the gift.

"Can I?" Maxie asked, tilting his head a little while he asked the question.

"Of course," Brad said, stepping a little closer to Lewis and ushering Max along.

Max hesitantly put a step closer to Lewis, who opened the bag so he could look in.

"I got you some new paci's," Lewis said with a big smile, which quickly disappeared when he saw Max frown. It was a reaction he hadn't expected. To be honest, he had expected happy surprise, a thank you and the little debating which paci he was going to take. Not this lackluster frown.

"You don't like them?" Brad asked, equally confused about the lack of enthusiasm.

"Don't need them," Maxie said with a frown, "always break. Lewis should give them to Lando,"

"Lando?" Lewis asked in surprise, and Maxie nodded.

"Maxie broke Lando's," the little said.

"No, you didn't," Brad said, his voice stern, "your father did, Max, not you,"

"But...," Max started to say, but Brad interrupted him.

"Don't feel guilty about that. He shouldn't have broken them, no matter what you think you might have done," Brad said, "breaking other people's stuff on purpose is bad,"

Maxie looked at Brad wide-eyed, and realizing that the man was speaking the truth. If he purposely broke something, everyone would be mad at him as well. He put his thumb against his lip and nervously bit the nail.

"I...uhm...still need to give back to Lando," Maxie said, feeling nervous about accepting them. Accepting the paci's was one step away from admitting to the caregivers that he wanted them, and he didn't know why that felt as if he was doing something wrong, but it did.

"Well, I got you like six," Lewis said, looking in the bag, "you can give one to Lando if you feel like it,"

"I can?" Max asked, surprised at the easy way the other driver told him he could give the present away.

"Yeah, sure. They'll be yours. Just give the one you like least," Lewis said, "do you want to look at them,"

"Yes," Max answered, and Lewis smiled, putting the bag on the coffee table and putting the paci's on the table one by one. Max quickly settled on his knees in front of the table, staring at them, exclaiming a little when he saw the different designs.