Coffee

Part Eleven: It begins

***2 Weeks Later***

Today's the day.....

Well, not in the best way, but it begins.

Chemo and Radiation.

Today I have to fit Max for his radiation mask- a task that should be simple....if I was working with literally anyone else. Max moves every second of his life. Even in his sleep, his leg works as a pendulum in he's laying on his back- slowly swaying left and right over and over again.

The last two weeks had been chaos. We barely had any time to hang out- all except for our appointments, which most of the time lead to me in fact tracking him down even when I told him several times I wouldn't. He's had his run ins with me in the hallways or in different exam rooms with patients, but our outside life- the life we've been wanting to focus on has been delayed significantly. He's also been checking up on Georgia- even though she explicitly told him not too. I can't blame him though, he's worried about her and their child. She had been on bed rest for a while and he was therefore sleeping on her couch to make sure she did just that.

I will say, even though they're marriage is over, Max will always love Georgia and will always be there for her. She got the department, he got the mindset to still care. Then again, that's Max- all he does is care about everyone and very little time caring about himself.

Going to his office this morning, I find his door open and him laying on his floor, one knee bent doing it's normal back and forth away and the other straight. His eyes are closed and his hands under his head.

"Mcchmmm...." I clear my throat and stand above him, his eyes open and a smile comes to his face as he takes his right and places it on my left calf. His thumb plays with my panty hose. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to stretch my back out."

"Rough night?" I ask and he just closes his eyes, his hand still on my calf

"Georgia's couch sucks. It's no Teal Monster." That's what he loves to call my couch ever since he slept on it. It is a very cushy coach and was the bane of Mohammad's life for a good year. He hated suede and he hated teal- but sucked it up for me.

"Yes, well- I don't think that floor is going to stretch your back out." He frowns and closes his eyes. Crouching down on my heels, I comb my fingers through his brown hair and just look into his eyes. His hand is forced off my calf and now finds it's way to my bum. "That...is not going to help your back either."

"I know...but I like it." He says tiredly and I just tap his forehead gently with my clipboard.

"You know what will straighten your back out?"

"Is this the $500 question, Alex?" Ugh, Jeopardy jokes.

"Yes." I muse.

"What is...the radiation table?"

"Ding ding ding! We have a winner." He grumbles and closes his eyes tightly and shakes his head.

"I don't want to..." He grumbles and I touch his stubbled cheek gently.

"I know. But you have too. We start this week and you need to be ready. Alright. Today is just the fitting for your mask and then we're done. I promise."

"You promise a lot of things." He groans like a child and I raise my eyebrows.

"And I've upheld all of them. Now come on." I help him up and he struggles slightly, but once he's on his feet, he looks down at me and smiles sweetly.

"You're lucky you're beautiful..." He mumbles and starts out of the room.

"And you're lucky, I'm not kicking your arse for being late." I follow him out of the room and we make our way to radiology. We have yet to do anything public yet. Hell, we barely talk about personal stuff at work anyway. It's always his cancer, the hospital, or some other kind of medical drama. Today in his office with him touching me is the most intimate, personal thing we've done since he crashed on my couch that one night. We haven't kissed since then or held each other- anything. I don't know if that's a lack of trying or simply just no time to do anything. "Did you eat today?"