Hurt

Part Two

"Maxine, I'm not sure I can do this anymore."

Those eight words tore Max's world apart. She laughed nervously. "Sorry. What?" She hated the fact she stuttered, but couldn't do anything about it. The words Ash said were repeated. She couldn't do anything but stand there. Soon she began to stumble backward, dizzy all of a sudden. Ash quickly grabbed a seat for Max.

They understood that those words would hurt Max. They couldn't keep it to them self any longer. "I'm sorry Max. I just don't want something happening where one of us gets hurt just because of a loss of interest. It's nothing against you, so please don't think that. You're worth everything. There's just... not that spark... You know...?" They watched Maxine as they waited for an answer. If Ash could change it and bring the spark back they would. They felt like they had tried everything. Nothing would seem to help. Their love had just disappeared.

Tears began to fill Max's eyes and she had trouble holding them back. "Ash... You can't... We can make this work... We just will have to try a little more..." A tear escaped and began to roll down her cheek. She wasn't aware of how Ash felt; she was unable to make herself understand. The spark was still there for her. She felt the electricity still, close to ten years of marriage and she still got excited to wake up next to her partner every morning. Kisses were still magical to her. Every day she would tell herself she was the luckiest girl in the world. "I love you, Ash..." She couldn't keep her tears from falling now. The tears would roll down her cheeks and onto her shirt.

"I'm sorry Maxine. This is just how it is sometimes." They stared at Max before avoiding her gaze. "I'm going to go. I think if I leave you might be better off anyway." Before they could walk away Max grabbed their wrist. She begged them to stay. There was no way she'd be fine alone, they both had known it. "Please, Maxine. Just let me go. You holding on is just going to make it harder for you." Max didn't let go, but realized what was said had been true. She would have to let go or it would be hard. Letting go, she slumped over and pulled her legs to her chest. Ash left without another word being spoken. It was just Maxine and her thoughts.

~

Weeks would pass before Ash even came back with divorce papers. They weren't ready to face Max again. What would she be like at this point? Had she moved on or was she still thinking about Ash's perfect face? Ash took a deep breath before they got the courage to knock.

Inside the small home they once shared Max was sleeping on Ash's side of the bed. Max swore that even after all the time it still smelled of them. She did try to move on, forget them even, but there was always something that reminded her. The apartment had been dead quiet since Ash left, so the knock gave her a feeling of excitement. Bolting upright she ran to the door. By now she knew where the worst of the mess was in the house and could avoid it easily. Once she had opened the door she regretted not taking better care of herself or her lonely home.

It was easy to see Ash's surprise when the door was opened. Maxine bit her lip to hold back tears that were certain to spill. "H-hi," she would say with a raspy voice. Ash couldn't help looking at Max. She wore a pair of obviously dirty shorts with a t-shirt that matched them. Her hair color had dulled and her hair appeared greasy. The apartment was next to be seen. A disaster is what Ash could see. It upset them to see everything they had in a mess.

"What happened here," Ash asked her. Maxine looked back realizing how big of a mess there was. She was honest with Ash. She hadn't any motivation to clean up. She knew she needed to, but couldn't get herself to do it. Ash sighed and invited themselves in. "Please go wash up. I'll clean up a bit. Once you get back out here we'll talk." Max looked down and nodded before walking away.

Ash would sigh once more before setting the papers down and getting to work. This talk would be rough, they just knew it.

~

Seeing the divorce papers was what brought Max over the edge. She would bawl as Ash explained what they papers all said.

"Ash," she said when she was able to catch her breath. "I can't do this. I can't sign these papers. I still want you. I still need you. I have nothing without you." Exaggeration: she knew it was one too. She watched as Ash stood up, sighing in the process. "Don't leave again... Please..." Not thinking about it, she grabbed their hand and pull them towards her. "Please," she repeated one last time.

Ash said her name and lifted her face to see theirs with their free hand. "I beg of you, just let go. It's not worth this torture. You're hurting yourself by not letting go. Now let me leave." The hold had loosened and they began to walk away. They looked back before stepping out the door. "Take care. I'll see you in about a week to go over the divorce situation with a lawyer. Find someone better."

That was it. Max was left alone once again. Her sadness slowly would slowly turn into anger. Anything reminding her of Ash was destroyed, leaving her in a home with destroyed memories on the floor. She fell to the floor in the middle of the living room, sobbing yet again. The wedding ring Ash gave her remained on her finger. Only minutes had passed before she realized this and threw it across the room.

The only thing she still had not touched was the landline in the corner of the room. Not once had it rang since they had got it together. There was no reason Max would destroy it. No, it would instead destroy her.

The last way Ash would try to reach Maxine and not get a reponse.