Our New Normal

Part 3: Drinking Distance

Entering his apartment, Max and Helen look at each other briefly as if their routine is all disturbed by the presence and place they are in.

"Would you like something to change into?" Max asks and at first Helen doesn't understand and then it hits her.

Corona.

"If you wouldn't mind."

"Do you want to shower as well?" He asks and she nods. Smiling kindly, he leads her across the apartment to his bathroom and washes his hands before going to grab her some clothes. Stripping down, she wraps a towel around her, opens the door and Max takes them from her to put them in the laundry to be cleaned. Before closing the door to shower, she rests her head against it and admires him as he walks away.

He gets her.

Or maybe he does the same thing and would feel uncomfortable if she didn't wash up before settling in for the night.

When you work in a hospital, it's important to stay clean and sanitized and she's more than appreciative that he feels the same way.

Turning on the shower, she lets the steam rise as she puts her hair up into a massive twisted bun before stepping into the shower.

The warm water against her bare body feels inviting and calming. She loves nothing more than to come home from a long day at work and just wash away the germs and bullshit of the day.

***

Max has tossed the clothes in the washer, washed in his second bathroom that he finally found the time to finish and now waits at the counter for Helen to be done.

If he was any kind of man other than a nice one, he would go in that bathroom and take that woman.

He's been stuck on her for a long while and though a part of him is ready for her, another part isn't.

He knows how he feels for Helen.

He dreams about her every night for fuck's sake.

Yet for some reason, he's unable to act on his feelings.

Unable to say what he feels and what he wants.

Why?

He does not know.

"Your shower is lovely. Really enjoyed the waterfall shower head." She smirks as she come out in his plaid pajama pants that are far too long and his black t-shirt that conveniently hides the fact that she isn't wearing a bra at the moment.

"Just put that in in July. It is pretty relaxing."

"Yes. Quite." He hands her a beer and is surprised she's staying as close as she is. Typically she tries to keep her distance and yet she isn't at the moment. Maybe it's because they both showered.

Or maybe there's another reason.

"Thank you...it's quiet." She says as she looks around.

"Huh...no Luna...usually I have Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on or Nursery Rhymes...with her gone— I sometimes find myself turning them on to pretend she's still here." He confesses and she nods sadly.

"I find myself missing her in the hallways or when we leave." Helen says quietly- not really wanting him to hear, but he does.

He loves that she cares about Luna.

He isn't blind to her feelings for his daughter.

She uses possessive words often.

My.