a puzzle of love | javery

<< what next? >>

(averys pov)

what next, I hadn't the slightest clue whether the old man made this puzzle or what was at the end of it. what next? What were we supposed to do, I sat down next to Jameson on the fur couch. Xan walked in with a plate of cheese and crackers. "that cheese looks moldy" I pointed out, "impossible, Alisa had them imported from France" he said in a fake accent, "your kidding" I said, "yeah, I am" he replied.

I got up and started looking for Max, I found her in the guest bedroom that she and Xander would share, "hey" I said, she looked up from her phone, "oh hi" she went back to scrolling on her phone, "what's wrong?" I said sitting next to her, "nothing" she tried to assure me, I knew something was wrong, "I'll call your mom" I said jokingly, and a look of pure sadness hit her. I had only ever seen that look once, on me, when my mom died. 

I hugged her as silent tears rolled down her cheeks. Xander walked in and a look of worry flew over his face, he sat down on the other side of max as her body crumpled onto his. after a while, I got up to find Jameson and tell him what happened. I found him in the kitchen, he was boiling hot water, he looked up "tea, for max" he said, Xander must have texted him. 

we both walked upstairs once the tea was finished, "here, I'm sorry" Jameson said as he handed max the cup, he had a hard time showing emotions, we all sat there patiently, after 20 or so minutes max had finished her tea and her tears were gone. "let's get to work" she said firmly, none of us argued, if this was how she was coping then we would let her. we all headed downstairs and got to work.

we searched every room in the cottage but couldn't find anything. "come here!" max shouted across the cottage, I ran into the room she was in (the study) with Xander trailing behind me and Jameson already there. I walked over to them and looked at what Max was staring at. "what is it?' i asked, "looks like a door" Jameson said, "one for a mouse" Xander said.

I bent down and tried to pry it open with a pocket knife, "there's a mini knob," max said pointing out the obvious. "shit" I said, I was so tired that I couldn't see the knob, Jameson rested his hand on my shoulder as I twisted the knob, inside was a mini envelope, I stood up and took out a small paper, "too small to read" I said.