Finally

Part 47: Who Are You?

I knew I found trouble when I walked in on Max with a yellow envelope in his hand.

Years had removed the memory from my mind.

The memory of Georgia sitting in my office one night, spilling her guts out to me begrudgingly so.

She told me of the affairs she had been having.

I assumed it was occurring during the time I had been treating Max.

The main reason behind this thought was stemmed from the confession of my feelings for her husband and her open confession of his desire to take me in one of our offices.

Despite him never having told me of such a desire.

However, that night in my office was not the same as the brunch we shared weeks earlier.

That night in my office was just a few days before the accident- which would leave Luna motherless and Max a widower.

That night haunts me ever so slightly.

Maybe more now than it had before- for the main reason that I now fully recall it and what was mentioned to me in confidence.

"Hey- you're rather quiet. Everything alright?" Lauren asks as she rocks Vincent back and forth in the rocking chair.

"Yeah...yes. I, um...I just have something on my mind that is rather...surreptitious."

"I...I don't know that word off the top of my head."

"Private."

"Ah." Glinting at me, she attempts to seek out the information I am withholding- simply by gazing deep into my eyes; hoping her gaze will implore me to spill the beans to ensure she will stop her incessant staring.

"Again- it's private. I won't indulge you in your course of prying."

"I'm not prying! I'm simply...intrigued with great measure." Narrowing my gaze, I notice Luna has disappeared from her spot on the living room area rug- her toys left strewn all over the place like an explosion had occurred at some point.

"Where's Luna?" I ask."

"Um...I think...maybe upstairs? Can she climb stairs by herself?"

"The baby gates up." I state. She leans forward in the rocker and then winces slightly.

"It's actually not....I may have forgotten to put it back up when I came down from the nursery."

"Lauren! You're telling me you couldn't have stepped over it?"

"Not with a baby in my arms- no."

"Inept at best-you are sometimes. You know that? She could fall down the stairs and crack her head open."

"Well, then I guess you should go get her." Pointing out the obvious- she openly gestures towards the stares with an opened palm and I nearly chuck an orange at her from the island counter.

"Lazy arsehole." I mumble under my breath as I head upstairs.

Approaching the top of the stairs with ease- I find Luna in the doorway to my room- Max intensely staring her down as if she is an intruder.

"Darlings? Everything alright, up here- Love?" I ask cautiously as I walk in and pick up Luna.

"Did you know Georgia had an affair?" He blankly states- his blue eyes dullard and his mouth stuck in a flat line. He transfixes his eyes on mine after a few seconds of staring at the spot Luna was just in.

"Max- can we maybe not..."

"Just answer the question- please." It's not even a yell. It's a disappointed sigh. My chest heaves slightly and I come in- shutting the door and setting Luna down. Joining him on the floor- I face him with my own legs crossed and take both his hands in mine. Taking one more deep breath- I steady my aching heart and look deep in his hurting eyes.