Numb (Alliance Trilogy)

Mood Lifter

~Chapter Five~

Damn it all to hell! Thought Jenny. She could not fight the tears that spilled down her cheeks as she forced the sob into a knot in the center of her throat.

Why had Max stopped by?

"I can't afford it Max," she croaked through her knotted throat.

"Then where is everyone?" he asked, still dumbfounded.

"No one sticks around, okay! Everyone I ever knew...why am I telling you this?" she snapped.

"Alright, just calm down. I'm going to go to the grocery store and bring you some food." He said.

"Max I'll repay you I swear."

"Jenny you don't have to, I want to do this. I just can't believe that someone could have the heart to abandon someone so sweet."

"You don't know me Max."

"Then what did you do that was so bad that made everyone leave you?"

"I've asked myself that question so many times." She whispered more to herself.

Max reached the top of the stairs, and without warning scooped Jenny up into his arms and held her up against his chest. A small yelp escaped her lips as she clutched on to his shoulders feeling suddenly surprised.

"Come on, you're coming with me." He said.

She stared at his fathom dark brown eyes for a long moment feeling her tears dry as she slowly unclenched her fisted hands that held a bunch of his shirt and looked away.

"I'm not properly dressed, and don't you think your wife might get unhappy to find that you were aiding me."

"Izzy is not my wife yet and FYI she left for Rohde Island a week ago, I think her grandfather passed away." he replied.

"You think?"

"She hasn't answered any of my calls so I don't know for sure." He shrugged.

"But if I had someone like y...a boyfriend I would look to him for comfort after a love one has passed." She muttered.

"Izzy is more complicated than that."

"If you say so. Now will you please be so kind as to put me down." She replied.

******

Max shook his head and chuckled as he descended the stairs with Jenny in his arms. It was no surprise, that she weight so lightly. Gently he placed her down unto her chair and a light breath escaped her as he slowly pulled his arms from under her.

"Thank you." She whispered just barely.

He nodded pleased to be of some help to her and went around taking the handles to the wheel chair. "What are you doing?" she gasped.

"I'm pushing your chair."

"Please, I can do this; I don't need you to..."

"Jenny will you please stop complaining and let me help?" Her face twisted in pain and she gripped the wheels determined to do it on her own.

"Max, I really need to do this on my own, soon you'll have to go back."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning you will forget about the poor withering crippled girl in a wheel chair." She snapped.

"Why are you so angry all the time?"

"Family gene." She growled out through gritted teeth.

For some reason he wanted to reassure her that he would never turn his back on her no matter what. Letting go of the handles Max circled her and leaned forward placing his hands over her arms ever so gently. "I'm not going to walk away Jenny, no one deserves to be left like this and forgotten. I will never forgive myself if I left here and walked out on you. I'm not as arrogant as you take me to be." He whispered.