Girl Next Door

A Week Later

(A Week Later)

A day went by without a word from Zoey, then a week. Max wasn't sure if she was still mad or just embarrassed. Max went to see Maggie when he could, sometimes bringing food, but even when he was in the house Zoey wouldn't come out of her room.

"I'm sorry, Max," Maggie told him. "I honestly thought hearing it from you would help. I should never have put that one on you."

"Don't blame yourself," Max tried to ease her mind. She had enough to deal with without worrying about him too. "No one expected her to react like this."

Maggie accepted the casserole dish his mother had sent him over with, hugged Max and then walked him to the door. Despite their very different response to the news, Max could tell Maggie wasn't doing any better than her daughter.

Max wished he could do something to help. He wished he could be a shoulder for Zoey to cry on. He did offer to help Maggie any way he could think of, bringing over groceries or cleaning the house, but she always turned him down. She wanted to keep her routines which he couldn't blame her for.

The funeral was planned for the coming Saturday and despite Zoey's current attitude towards him Maggie wanted Max to attend which he was grateful for. He needed to be there.

Time passed very strangely as Saturday approached. Speeding up and slowing down quite differently than normal. Working on school work suddenly became an activity that sped up the hours while his favorite video games seemed to drag. The best moments though were when his mind went blank and he could be completely still, though those didn't last nearly long enough.

Saturday arrived and Max put on black pants with a black button up shirt before getting into the car with his parents. The funeral was being held at Mitch's favourite restaurant. Max assumed Maggie had had to organize all of this and wished again that she'd let him help. Though he supposed maybe Zoey had helped her or Andrew. Emily was still very much pregnant, though now about five days past her due date.

One by one people got up and made toasts or speeches. Andrew burst into tears as he talked about how he couldn't believe dad would never meet his grandson. Maggie talked about how they'd celebrated their last anniversary at home because they hadn't felt like going out and they figured that they would go back to the usual restaurant next year. Maggie said she wished she'd made the effort to go out then because she'd never get the chance ever again. Both of Max's parents spoke briefly about how big a part of their lives the neighbours across the street had been to them over the years. Finally it was Zoey's turn to speak.

"I don't want to be here," Zoey began calmly. "I wish more than anything that I'm dreaming, that I'll wake up and get to see my dad again. Listen to him laughing at his own bad jokes or give me the advice I didn't realize I needed. I'm not sure I know how to keep going without you dad." Zoey's words were cut short by her tears. "But I'll do my best to make you proud all the same."

She ran off the stage and into her mother's arms. Max just couldn't help himself. The speeches were over for now and people were moving around again. Max made his way over to Maggie and Zoey.

"Hey," Max said softly as he got closer.

Zoey looked up at her mother who gave her an encouraging smile though her tears and then suddenly to Max's great relief Zoey was hugging him.

"I'm sorry," she said through her sobs. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Max cooed softly. "I forgive you."

"I just-" she hiccuped. "I just needed to blame someone and-"

"You shot the messenger," Max finished for her. "I get it."

"I'm sorry," Zoey added again looking up at him now with her tear stained face.

"Forgiven," Max told her firmly, pulling her into the hug again. "Always and completely forgiven."

"Thank you," Zoey whispered, hugging him even tighter.

For the rest of the funeral, Max didn't leave Zoey's side. He hadn't realized how much her not speaking to him had weighted on his mind until he'd held her in his arms.

As people were leaving, hours later Emily started breathing harder and holding onto the walls. Andrew drove her to the hospital and the following day they received news of the newest member of their family.

Max was invited along with Maggie and Zoey to visit at the hospital once Emily had rested. They'd had a different name picked out before today, but both Emily and Andrew had decided the moment they'd held their son in their arms what his name had to be: Mitch.

Sometimes you have to get through the hard times for life to become the best it can be.

Sneak Peek Chapter 9

"Who's Autumn?" Max asked, trying not to groan.

"She's in my English class," Zoey explained. "You know one of the few classes we didn't manage to get together."

"Ah those," Max replied.

"So how about it?" Zoey asked. "I think you'd like her. She's really nice. I bet you'd have a lot in common."

Max's bitter thoughts couldn't help but reply 'unless she's also in love with you I doubt we have enough in common' though like before he didn't say them out loud.

"If it will make you happy," Max sighed. Why couldn't he just say no to this woman?

"Brilliant!" Zoey exclaimed. "I'll tell her later today, but you have to tell me how it goes once you've been out. Promise?"

"I promise," Max sighed.