What We Deserve

Part 14: Time Spent

"You're just going to lay here forever...are you?" He asks and my eyes open up and turn to find him lying beside me.

"You know I know the truth...right?" I ask and he shrugs.

"Makes you feel less lonely though."

"Very true...do you think he'd have ever told us how he feels?" I ask and the fake Max just stares up at the nothingness for what very well could be forever before grabbing my hand and speaking softly.

"I think we already knew...he told us many times..."

"It just...it's not as satisfying as I thought it would be...ya know?"

"A coma?"

"Haha no..." We laugh and I feel my insides turning for no reason other than outside pressures. "Showing him...how much I love him. I always just figured after his cancer...after he finally gets over Georgia...that...that it would happen. He'd walk me home one night, maybe Luna's there asleep or maybe by some chance he has a babysitter. We'd walk home and get to my door. He would be nervous, but try to come off confident. I'd stand there on my stoop, waiting for him to say something and he does."

We pop into my dream and 'Max' looks down at me.

"Helen...I know...umm...I know I'm not always the best at telling you..." He fiddles with his hands and I realize he doesn't have his wedding band on any more.

He's ready.

"I've been thinking about it for a long while now and...huh...I'm sorry...I'm just..."

"Max...just relax..." I coax him into calming down and he smiles just enough to tell me he's trying.

"I love you...I've...I think..." He stammers, trying to find the right words to tell me. "I've known for a long while now that I love you and I just haven't...I didn't know the right way to tell you."

Leaning into him, I hold onto his opened jacket, and close the gap between us.

"I've been waiting so long for you to say it."

Then we kiss and it's magical.

....

"Really? You think him stammering like an idiot is romantic? That's the way you wanted it to happen?" He judges me and I shove him slightly in his spot.

"Okay...you go on then. Show me romance. Show me how Max would tell us. Go on." I gesture and he clears his throat.

....

Standing in my office, I've had a long day. Too many things asked of me.

Some loss.

But it's been a worse day for Max.

It's Christmas.

The first Christmas without Georgia...

....

"I'm going to stop you there." I state and 'Max' glares at me.

"What?! You said show you..."

"Christmas? The first Christmas without Georgia is when he tells us? Ridiculous."

"You didn't even let me try."

"Because it's bullocks."

Rolling his eyes, he restarts the scene.

.......

Sitting in my chair, going over paperwork of the Day, Max enters with Luna in his arms in a super cute Christmas dress.

"Oh!!!! My cute little munchkin!! You are so adorable!!"

"Look familiar?" Max says and I smile widely as I take Luna from him.