What He Left Behind [edition 1]

What He Left Behind - Nine

Chapter Nine

He Really Changed

          Before Suri had a chance to see or notice what was happening, Max pulled back and looked down at the ground. His body language gave off an ashamed look, as well as his facial expression. He opened his mouth to talk, but closed it again. Then he sighed and looked me straight in the eyes before speaking. 

          "I'm sorry..." He said, and turned back to the stove. "I shouldn't have done that, Kat. Just... Can we forget that even happened?" 

          "No..." I said after awhile. 

          Groaning, he turned to me and sighed. Shaking his head, his eyes closed and I grew confused. "Why not, Kat? It doesn't even matter..." 

          "Because I don't want to forget..." I said and he looked at me, his eyes clouded with disbelief. I went back to what I was doing and he turned back to the stove, again. "Max... We can just talk about this after Suri goes to bed, alright?" 

          "Hmm..." He mumbled and I took it as a yes. 

          Before long, we were back to ourselves - just joking around and throwing food at each other or tasting it and suggesting improvements. Max had spaghetti sauce in his hair and I had a few noodles. We just ignored it and finished cooking, setting the table before calling Suri over. 

          "Ladybug, you hungry?" Max said as he walked into the living room. Her face lit up almost immediately before she screamed what sounded like "yes" and ran over to the table. Hopping up on her chair, Max took a place next to her and I sat across from him. 

          "This is really good, Mommy..." She said and I laughed pointing at Max. 

          "Max did the spaghetti sauce. See? It's all in his hair." I laughed as Suri looked up and giggled. "Mommy only made the noodles... I didn't do anything different with them, either. Just like they always are..." 

          Then, the oven beeped and Max jumped up to get the garlic bread. Getting each of us a piece, Suri's face lit up even more. Garlic bread was one of her favorites - especially when Max made it. He put some kind of cheese or something between two thin pieces and put a seasoning inside it. I won't lie - it's amazing. 

          When we all finished eating, Suri and Max went for a walk - leaving me alone to clean up. I didn't midn it... Besides, Max didn't know where to put all the dishes after they were washed, despite the fact that he practically lives here. 

          Sighing, I stood and wasn't the pans and cookie sheet before drying them off and putting them away. Then, I did the rest of the dishes and wiped off the stove and table. After everything was cleaned off, my phone rang and I looked at it. 

          Unknown number. Again? I thought to myself.

          "Hello?" I said into it as I hit "accept". 

          "You're home alone." Jared's voice rang through from the other line. "That isn't smart - someone could break in and hurt you, Katrina. You're smarter than that, aren't you?" 

          "Look, I don't know what kind of psycho you turned into when you were away in England, but I'm not asking anymore - I'm telling. Stay out of my life and leave us alone." I said into the phone before hanging up. 

          All was silent and I felt like someone was watching me as I stood in the hallway. Slowly and deliberately, I turned around and my eyes nearly popped out of my skull. There he was - standing in the middle of the hall just a few feet from me.