From Georgia to Montana

Chapter 20

Standing there at my front door wasn't the pizza man nor was it my father, which was who I thought he was at first but instead of my fathers brown eyes his are green.

"Max?" Lennon's voice says from behind me. She brushes past me and jumps into Max's now muscular arms.

"Hey lil sis. You have grown." Max says to Lennon but looks at me. Max has the same red-brown hair that I do only darker and the same hard jawline as our father. Last time I saw him he still had his baby fat but now he has lost weight and gained muscle, making him look his 22 years old.

"How's the band?" I ask, surprised at the harshness in my own voice.

"I am no longer in the band. I quit and got a job as a farm hand in Tennessee, where I met Julie. She is part of the reason I am here. I saw how she was with her younger siblings and it made me regret leaving you guys. I heard about dad and he told me where you were. So I came here." Max says.

"Did dad tell you why he is in jail." I ask, ice lacing my words, my arms crossed in front of my chest.

"No I just wanted to know where you were. All I know is that it had something to do with you and that he was drunk. Emmy I am so sorry that I left you to take care of everything by yourself. I... I can't apologize enough, but I am sorry."

"Would you like to come in Max. I'm sure Maisy and Peter would like to see you." Lennon asks.

"If that's okay with you."

"Yeah." I say moving out of the doorway and leading the way to the living room where the kids are still sitting.

"Hey Peter. Maisy. Wow you guys have grown so much. Bug your hair has gotten so long. And Peter your starting to fill out." Max says. It takes Peter a minute to remember Max but Maisy remembers immediately.

"Max!" Maisy screeches, launching herself at him with Peter only a moment behind her.

"Alright. Let's let Max breath. Why don't we go make him a couple sandwiches while Emerald and him catch up." Lennon says, ushering them into the kitchen.

Max rubs his hands on his jeans them turns to me. "Happy birthday Emmy. I'm sorry I left you. I can only imagine how hard it had to be after Dad went to jail."

"After he went to jail. Don't you mean after Mom died. Cause that sure as hell was harder than things are now." I say, trying to keep from yelling at him so the kids don't hear.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean our father was a good for nothing, rotten drunk who yelled at us and...." My voice raises but I can't finish before my voice cracks and the tears are flowing. "We needed you. I needed you! How could you leave us with him!?"

"Emmy I am so sorry I had no idea. If I had known... I am so sorry." Max says pulling me into his arms and I don't resist I just fall into my brothers arms like I had so many times when I was younger. Max had always been the one to pick me up when I fell and got hurt and after Mom died there wasn't anything I wanted more than my older brothers embrace.

"I missed you so much after Mom died." Max pulls me in for a hug.

"I know. I was stupid I felt like I was the only one affected by her death and now I realize how much all of you guys were hurt, especially you and Lennon, and Isaac as well. But I am here now and I want to make it up to you guys if you will let me."

"Okay. Are you going to stay here?" I ask, pulling away and drying my tears right before Lennon, Maisy, and Peter come in.

"If that's okay with you guys.?"

"Yay Max is staying!" Maisy shouts.

"Are you really staying?" Peter's small voice asks. I nod my head at Max to let him know that he can.

"Yeah little man. I'm staying for now at least." Max says ruffling Peters hair.

"You wanna finish watching Tangled with us?" Maisy asks.

"Sure."

"Yay!" Maisy says before dragging him to the couch and sitting right next to him on one side and Peter sits next to him on the other and Lennon and I lay on the floor.

We all laugh and Maisy sings along as best as she can. By the time the movie is over Maisy and Peter are both asleep. Max picks them up and I led him to each of there rooms where he puts them to bed.

"Thank you Max. For coming back and helping put the kids to bed. I really appreciate it." I tell him after we get back into the living room.

"No problem sissy." Max says pulling me in for a hug.

"Hey, tomorrow I'm gonna meet up with some of my friends from school. Would you like to come with me. We usually get coffee or muffins or whatever. My friends don't know about dad though. They only know about Mom dying and they don't even know all the details of that. So if you come can you not mention that stuff."

"Yeah I would love to join you. And of course I will keep the secret. Oh and I was wondering something as well."

"What's that?"

"Would you like to come to Julie and my's wedding?"

"What. No way! Your getting married. Of course I will come. When is it?"

"We aren't sure yet. I wanted to find you before we picked a date."

"I'm proud of you Max. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Emmy."