I Did Not Abandon You "MaxNat"

Episode 5

Nat narrates:

I don't know what was going through Max's mind at that moment, but he needed to get the pain out of leaving him or he would die. I go to bed, I didn't even have dinner, it's just, I had forgotten how soft and comfortable they are, since for years I slept on the floor.

The next morning, there was a cell phone on the table next to the bed, it had a note in Max's handwriting, which read: "I know you don't want to talk to me, but I thought you wanted to talk to someone else, here you'll find Max's contacts." your friends Jimmy and Tommy."

Very excited I wrote to both of them, telling them that I was in town in case they wanted to come visit me. Then I leave the room, I thought he wasn't home anymore, but I found him in the kitchen, I didn't know what he was doing and when he saw me, he looked down at him.

- Good morning, I hope you have been able to communicate with your friends.

- Yes, I contacted them, thank you; what are you doing there?

- Well, I was just eating.

- You have a dining room over there... Why don't you use it?

- It's just... It's too big just for me.

- I see, do you have anything for breakfast? I am very hungry.

- Of course, look, you can cook whatever you want, there is everything in the kitchen; but if not, I bought you this plate of food.

- I'll eat what you bought.

Then he hands me the plate, the truth is that he is right, the table is too big; Besides, I haven't sat in a chair in a long time. I opted instead to sit on the floor, but I think that surprised Max too much, because he came over to me, picked me up and hugged me.

- Don't eat on the floor, please don't!

I feel his tears falling on my right ear, sliding down my neck and his heart pounding against his ribs. It's such a warm, caring, sincere hug and it's like a force compels me to return it, so I wrap my arms around his waist, feeling safe.

- Do you want to share the table with me Nat?

- Yes, I want to share with you!

He grabs my hand, leads me to the table; then he goes back for our plates of food and sits next to me. He touches my face, which makes my skin feel like it's melting for a moment, when I look at him, he's smiling at me, and it's like these six years of pain didn't exist.

- Why did you lie to me Max?

- Lie? What are you talking about?

- You said you were eating; but your food is intact.

- Just... I wanted to have breakfast with you and I waited for you.

I couldn't smile, I forgot how to do it, for so long away from a person with whom to share a pleasant moment. So, I grabbed my breakfast, eating slowly so as not to cause pain or discomfort in my stomach, when I got up to go to the room, he took my hand.

- May I show you something please?

He nods, he gets up, kisses my forehead and makes me feel special again, then he leads me into the last room down the hall. I was surprised, all my things were there, the bed I used when we lived with him, the last notebooks I used and even the books my dad gave me.

- I... I was hoping that one day they would bring you back to me.

- You packed my stuff!

- They became my treasure.

I start to cry like a madman, everything is there, treasured as if it were made of glass; even the books. But, what really took my breath away, were six gifts stacked in a corner of the room, so I had the urge to ask.

- Why are those gifts there?

- They are... From each of your birthdays, saved for you to open.

They were covered in dust, they looked like they had been there a long time, Max said he didn't want to ruin the wrapper so he didn't clean them. Everything was perfectly preserved, as if I had never been separated from it and that feeling fascinated me.

- I have to go to the office, but if you want I can come and have lunch with you...

- You'll have to bring food, because I don't know how to cook.

- It's okay; When I get back I'll tell you something.

- Another surprise for me?

- Not really; but I have to talk to the employees first.

He walks over to me, grabs my neck and places a soft kiss on my forehead before leaving for the office, I felt like his wife. Hearing him leave, my curiosity got the better of me, so I jumped on the presents, cleaned them up a bit and started ripping the wrappers.

The first had a remote control car, with a note that said: "I miss you, I would like to teach you how to use it in the park". The second had a baseball glove and ball, also with a note: "You're already 13 and I'd like to see you play a sport, find out what you're passionate about."

The third had a soccer locker room: "I want to hug you and tell you that everything will be fine, where are you Nat?" The room had a beautiful ring that said: "You are not a child anymore" and the note said: "Will you still like to read? I miss you a lot!"

- I still love you Max, I still love you my love.

I can't even stop crying, I can barely read what the notes he wrote on each of my gifts say. But I am frustrated, because my love for him is buried under six years of pain and suffering; I don't feel free to love him like before.

It is as if my mother had made a spell that makes me have him by my side and at the same time thousands of kilometers away. I keep crying uncontrollably, the fifth had a replica of a book by my father: "Reading that book, I noticed that it was missing a few pages, I would like to see the expression on your face when you see it."

The last gift, the box was empty, I was shocked for a moment, because I couldn't even find the note. I start rummaging through all the presents, hoping I'd accidentally dropped the note; however, Max came back and saw me in that situation.

- Why did you mess everything up? - He asks me in dismay.

- Why is my 17th birthday gift empty? Didn't you write him a note either?

- Because it is my heart that I want to give you.

- What are you saying Max?

- I... I know the reason why your mom took you away from me.

- Are you very sure you know?

- Nat, your diary wasn't completely destroyed. All these years, I despaired, wishing to have you in my arms and to be able to hear it from your mouth; Instead, you told me...

- I hate you...

- Also, that you would never forgive me... So I won't apologize for this.

He grabs me by the waist to bring our bodies together and steal my first kiss...