Love Me Again

The aftermath

The early morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room as Max sat in his kitchen, staring at his phone. The message to Kelly had been sent, and now all he could do was wait. The stillness of the apartment felt oppressive, each tick of the clock echoing in the silence. Max's thoughts swirled, a tumultuous mix of regret, longing, and uncertainty.

Daniel stirred from his slumber, shuffling into the kitchen with a groggy yawn. He rubbed his eyes and gave Max a sleepy smile. "Morning, mate. Smells good."

Max managed a weak smile in return. "Morning. I made some coffee if you want."

Daniel poured himself a cup and took a seat at the table, studying Max with a concerned gaze. "You okay? You seem a bit... off."

Max hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "Just a lot on my mind," he said finally, his voice heavy with understatement.

Daniel nodded, sipping his coffee. "Well, I'm here if you want to talk about it."

Max appreciated the offer, but he wasn't ready to dive into the complexities of his emotions just yet. Instead, he focused on finishing breakfast, the mundane task providing a small measure of distraction. They ate in companionable silence, the clinking of cutlery against plates the only sound in the room.

As the morning wore on, Max found himself checking his phone repeatedly, hoping for a response from Kelly. The hours seemed to stretch endlessly, each moment weighed down by anticipation. He replayed the conversation with Charles in his mind, dissecting every word, every inflection, searching for meaning in the fragments of their past.

Finally, a notification broke the silence. Max's heart skipped a beat as he saw Kelly's name flash across the screen. With a deep breath, he opened the message.

"Hey Max, it's been a while. I'm surprised to hear from you. Is everything okay?"

Max felt a surge of relief. She hadn't shut him out; she was willing to listen. He quickly typed out a response, his fingers flying over the keyboard.

"Hey Kelly, yeah, it's been a long time. I just... I needed someone to talk to. Things have been really tough lately."

There was a pause before her next message came through. "I understand. Do you want to meet up and talk in person? I'm in Monaco for a few days."

Max hadn't expected that, but the idea of seeing Kelly face-to-face was suddenly very appealing. "Yeah, that would be great. How about we meet at the café near the harbor?"

"Sounds good. How about noon?"

"Perfect. See you then."

Max put his phone down, a mixture of apprehension and hope coursing through him. The thought of seeing Kelly brought a sense of comfort, but he knew that revisiting the past would also open old wounds. He glanced at the clock; he had a few hours before their meeting.

Daniel noticed the change in Max's demeanor and raised an eyebrow. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Everything alright?"

Max nodded slowly. "Yeah, I just... I reached out to someone I haven't talked to in a long time. We're meeting up later."

Daniel's expression softened. "Good. Sometimes it's easier to talk to someone who knows you well. Just remember, I'm here if you need me."

Max gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks, Dan. I appreciate it."

The hours passed in a blur as Max tried to keep himself busy, the anticipation of the meeting with Kelly gnawing at the edges of his thoughts. When the time finally came, he grabbed his jacket and headed out the door, his mind racing with a thousand possibilities.