The Calm Before The Storm

Never Again

~Max~

"What?!" I say, tension immediately filling my body.

Chloe takes a sudden, sharp breath at this news, which of course catches my attention. I shoot Chloe a quick glance, seeing her face has gone completely pale. I turn back to my parents and try to say something but once again words fail me and a heavy silence fills the room for a moment.

"What did you think this was, A visit?" Mom says, rolling her eyes slightly.

I blink and shake my head slightly, finally finding my voice. "Y- yes! Of course, I thought this was a visit! What else would it?" I tell her, my voice cracking slightly.

"Your ticket home, you've been away for too long, Maxine," she continues, her words holding absolutely no emotion behind them.

"No. I don't have to go with you and you can't make me. I'm not leaving again," I say, panic beginning to set in.

"Nobody is forcing you to do anything you don't want to do, Max," Dad says, clearly not agreeing with what Mom is thinking, "We just miss and worry about you, is all. And we are just visiting despite what your mother says,".

"Unfortunately your father is still loopy from the plane ride, Maxine. You're going to come home with me," Mom retorts giving Dad the death glare.

"Vanessa please... let's not do this now," he says with a tired sigh, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose, "Let's at least hear Max's reasons for wanting to stay here with Chloe,".

I hear Chloe let out a relieved breath beside me, like she was holding her breath in anticipation. She turns to me with a scared timid smile, "Y- yeah, Max. L- let's hear your reasons".

I look up at her, seeing pure terror in her eyes. You're not going to lose me again, Chloe I think to myself, knowing what I have to do next.

"I guess... *gulp* I guess there's one reason..." I say, reaching out and grabbing Chloe's hand, placing it tenderly in my lap.

"I'm-".

I don't even get to finish my sentence, because the next thing I know, Mom cuts in, preventing me from saying anything more.

"No, there will be no excuses. I think it would be best if you were around family while you recover," she says.

"W- what about, Chloe, huh?" I say, "What if I'd rather be around her while I get better?".

"She's an adult, Maxine. I think she can handle your absence... she's done it before".

Fuck... talk about shots fired, I think, feeling a physical pain shoot through my chest.

Chloe actually whimpers, the small, vulnerable sound nearly shattering my heart.

"Well, I'm an adult too... and you can't make me leave! I promised Chloe I'd never abandon her again," I say, my voice straining when I raise it, "And I intend on keeping that promise".

"Well, that's just too bad. You're coming with me... end of story" Mom urges, losing her cool just as fast as I am.

I can feel how tense Chloe is from all this, her trembling hand is nearly crushing mine.

"I'm not leaving, Chloe," I reassure her as I intertwine our fingers into an unbreakable bond.

"Yes, you are, Maxine!" Mom snaps.

"V, the girl says she doesn't want to go so she doesn't have to," Dad says, annoyed by her stubbornness.

"No! I refuse to have my daughter live with this... this delinquent!".

Mom then charges up to Chloe and shoves her finger in her face. "You have never been a good influence on my Maxine. You would always drag her down and get her into trouble. You're just a broken girl, from a broken family. Why do you think I kept her from you for all those ye-" She pauses, catching herself mid-sentence.

Everybody goes dead quiet, my mother's words ringing in everyone's head.

"What did you say?" Chloe asks, pulling her hand away from me and standing up to face her, "You kept us away?".

I look up at my mom with an expression of pure shock and heartbreak. "Why? Why would you do that to me...or to us... or to anyone?" I say, my voice shaking slightly.

"I- I only wanted to do what I thought was best for you" My mother tries to explain, "I saw what she was doing to you, Maxine. I wanted to protect you".

"Protect me from what? Chloe is the nicest, sweetest, most gentle person I've ever met! You say you wanted what's best for me, but you don't know me at all!".

"Max, please, try to understand...".

"No!" I say, forcing myself to stand up next to Chloe. "William had just died, Mom, and you cut me off from my best friend when she needed me the most. How about all the letters I sent, huh? Chloe never responded to them because she never got them, did she!? You" I yell at the top of my lungs, which in my current state... isn't all that loud.

"Max... j-just calm down," Chloe says, seeing how flustered I am, but I ignore her.

"Did she!" I continue.

"Yes, ok! I never mailed them, like I said: I only wanted what's best for you. I don't see what the big deal is. She never made an effort to contact you either!".

I ball my fists and grit my teeth, "The big deal is that for years... years, I held it against myself for Chloe never responding to my letters. I always thought I had said or done something wrong... but no. It was you!" I yell through my tears. "You fucking kept me from the person who means the world to me, all because you didn't like her? Well, the joke's on you Mom, because guess what?! I love her!".