Finally

Part 56: Is There Anything Left?

"What...what was that?" Luna asks as she tries to get Georgia to stop crying.

"Too much stimulation..." Marcus comments and Vincent is about to go to the door, when I stop him.

"Please...let me get him. It's all too much for him and...and I'm sorry. I know you all are very excited to be with him again and see him- but he hasn't been around people in ten years. The conditions he was in were horrid and he's just...he's just a little broken right now...but I will fix him. I always have and I always will. So please...sneak out the back and leave us for the day."

Sadly nodding, all my children and extensions of them understand. They exit at the back of the house and I leave out the front door.

I expected him to be halfway down the block, but instead, he's hunkered by the front wheel of the passenger side of my car.

"Helen- this man seems unwell."

"Yes, Mrs. Harris- my Max has come home finally. He's just a bit overwhelmed. Please carry on." I say to the old woman and her husband. They live two house down and are one of those neighbors who have to get into everything in the neighborhood. Crouching down in front of Max, I don't touch him, but try to meet his face. Ears blocked and eyes squeezed tight, all I can do is sigh and sit on the ground next to him. "It's a lovely day out. Why don't we sit in the back garden and relax?"

Nothing.

Silence.

"Huh...the kids left- so we have the house to ourselves." I say and he is still trembling horribly. "I have a nice king sized bed upstairs...it's been waiting for another occupant to put a duvet in the left side."

His breathing is short and shallow.

He's beyond panicked.

He is broken.

I promised I'd fix him for the kids...but I don't know how.

He seems so far gone.

His outburst was honestly horrifying.

"We don't need to talk any more...we can stay silent—for however long you need." Nothing rouses him. "At least come inside. I'll leave you be in there...but not out here. Too many old ladies interested in my sexy man."

Joking doesn't even move him an inch.

"Come on." I say and stand up. Putting my hands out, I try to coax him, but he is immovable. "Fine. I'll be inside when you're ready. I won't force you to want to be with me."

Heading for the front stoop, I stop for a moment and look at him as I open the front door.

He doesn't even look up.

Doesn't even check to see if I'm really leaving.

He just stays there.

Stiff in place, yet trembling all over.

Such a contradiction.

....

"How's he doing?" Lauren asks over the phone as I stand in my front window and stare at my husband still in the same spot on the pavement next to the car.

"He's gone...mentally...emotionally. Physically he hasn't left my driveway or his ball of a position. Hasn't even looked up to see if it's day light or night time. Lauren...I'm worried he's never going to come back to me."

"Get a dolly and pick his ass up and get him inside."

"No- I mean...I'm afraid he's never going to recover from that horrible place. He's not my Max. He's beyond different."