Just A Smile

Chapter 9 : Reunion

When Max talked to Boris about her desire to hang out with Jane, the man was enchanted. He was so enthusiast that she wondered if she didn't ask him to travel all around the world with her! At least, she didn't struggle to convince him. She had never been so impatient to be the end of the day. After her last session, she went to Jane's room and saw the brunette sitting on her wheelchair, already ready to go.

- "I'm happy to see that this...walk? makes you as happy as me," Max stated.

- "Um, yeah, it's gonna be cool," Jane answered with a small smile.

- "Of course, it will. You're ready?"

- "I think I am."

- "Alright, let's go!"

Max pushed Jane and got out of the center. On their way, Jane told Max what she did in her sessions. Today, she managed to do three steps, and she was very proud of herself. Max was proud of her too, she was making lots of progress and she was glad that Jane was able to see it too.

They arrived in the park and kept walking on the path between the trees until they arrived near the place with all the chess players. Max proposed Jane to play a party, which she accepted. The two girls had a heated fight, Max was struggling to be one step ahead. She wasn't a good loser, she was boiling inside her, she wanted to win, but Jane had always been a big chess player, she didn't really have a chance.

- "Checkmate," Jane said with a proud smile.

- "Yeah, whatever!" Max grumbled.

- "Don't be mad, you played well, it was a nice party."

- "Yeah, well, I wish I could have kicked your ass!"

- "You already did five years ago! I needed to take my revenge."

- "You wanna play the decider?"

- "Not now, maybe another day. You're not ready to lose two times at a stretch," Jane joked with a serious tone.

- "Oh, so it's like that now! I'll train and I'll kick your ass next time! You'll see!"

Jane had an amused sigh which made smile the redhead in front of her. The two friends continued their walk in the park before arriving near a bakery that Max already knew. It wasn't a trap, she asked Jane if she agreed to see Troy, and she did. The two girls entered which surprised the man behind the counter who literally froze.

- "Um, hey," Jane said.

- "Hey," he answered.

- "Don't be shy, she won't kill you," Max intervened, amused by their reactions.

The man nodded and walked on the other side of the counter. He stopped in front of her and clumsily held out his hand to her. Jane frowned but took it. They shook their hands before smiling to each other.

- "I'm happy to see you," Troy said with a relieved tone.

- "Yeah, me too."

- "I'm sorry for...you know...I, I tried to come back but..."

- "It's okay. I was an asshole."

- "Oh, uh, no, no, don't say that, you were not feeling good, and I should have been a better friend."

- "I should have too."

- "You seem to have a lot of things to say to each other, I'll come back later, okay?" Max told.

- "Yeah, thank you," Jane answered.

Troy pushed Jane to the table a bit farther while Max left the bakery with a satisfied smile. As she wasn't living far, she decided to go to her apartment to put her work stuff in her bedroom, to be light with Jane after. She hoped that Jane and Troy would be as close to each other as before now, he would be a good support for her, and he could visit her when Max couldn't, like that, Jane would be less alone. She was sitting on her couch when she received a call from an unknown number. Curious, she picked it up:

- "Hello?"

- "Maxine?"

The redhead's heart stopped. There was only two persons calling her Maxine: Neil and her mother. She hadn't talked to her for years now. Why was she calling her now!? She was fine in her life, why ruining everything!?

- "Maxine? Is that you?"

- "Um, well, it's still Max!" the redhead answered, dazed.

- "For me, you'll always be Maxine."

Max rolled her eyes.

- "Why are you calling me?"

- "I was wondering how you were, and Neil and I will be in town in a few weeks, we thought it would be great to visit you."

Max closed her fist around her phone to not burst of anger. She clearly didn't want to see them again, they never cared about her, never respected her or even loved her! And now she was supposed to invite them for dinner!? What the hell!? Fucking no!

- "Well, good luck to find me, the town is big."

Max hung up before having an answer. She couldn't believe it, there was no reason for them to want to visit her like that! Anyway, they wouldn't find her, and she had better to do than being mad at them. She took a deep breathing and calmed down. Jane and Troy had talked enough now, they wouldn't be mad to see her this early. And Jane was supposed to be back at the center before 9, plus Max wanted to continue her walk with Jane.

Now that she was feeling better, Max stood and left her apartment to go back to the bakery. When she entered, Jane and Troy were still talking and laughing together. Jane was laughing. Wow. Max hadn't heard her laughing since she arrived at the center. This sound was so beautiful, Max could have listened to it for hours. But Troy waving at her cut her in her thoughts.

- "Um, hey, I didn't want to interrupt you, you seemed to have so much fun!"

- "Oh yeah, we are having lots of fun. It was a good idea to take her here," the man smiled.

- "Now, maybe you could visit me sometime, when you're free?" Jane said.

- "I will, I promise."

The two friends smiled to each other before saying goodbye. As Jane was hungry, Max bought her and herself a taco for each one. The redhead pushed Jane through the park to find a nice place with a good view. She took her to the same place they went when she was with Mary. Max sat on a bench while Jane was next to it, in direction of the landscape they could see between the trees.

- "You like this place, don't you?" Jane said, taking a bite of her taco.

- "You don't?"

- "I do, but I discovered it thanks to you!"

- "Yeah, well, it's peaceful and quiet, there are not too many people. I like staying here to empty my mind."

- "I understand, if I could, I would come here too."

Max smiled to her and gave a small caress on her cheek which became pink. Jane looked down and smiled, making fly the butterflies inside Max's belly.

- "I don't know what kind of moment it was, but I spent a really good time with you," Jane said.

- "What do you mean "what kind of moment"?"

- "I know what I meant."

- "Okay. Well, I spent a really good time with you too. We could do that more often, if you want?"

- "I would love to."

Max took Jane's hand and intertwined her fingers with hers. What did Jane mean by "what kind of moment"? Maybe she thought it was a date? Max loved this idea. She didn't want to stress her with this, but maybe broaching the subject could be a good thing.