Max
Ice cream cones and Kate was a very bad idea. At the time, it seemed perfect, but now watching her pink tongue dart out and lap the melting sweetness is about to kill me. I crunch down the remaining part of my cone and focus on the road ahead of me. It’s an unusually warm evening, so we decided to go on a walk since neither of us are big television junkies.
It’s been two weeks since I first met Finn. A lot has happened, yet it feels as though time is creeping by. I tossed all the booze from my house because I don’t trust myself right now. I have no doubt I’m strong enough, but not right now and I refuse to become her. My mother. I’d never admit it to anyone else, but the counselor I’m required to see by the system has been helping peel away layers of shame and guilt.
“It’s gonna drip.” I lean down and lick the base of Kate’s cone and finger.
“Thanks.” She squeezes our intertwined hands. “Don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Smartass.” I can’t help but lean over and kiss her cheek.
“Things still going good at school?” I ask.
Kate’s reaffirmed things are fine, even though I can read her like a book every time she ducks the question. I have a lingering suspicion she’s not being fully honest. I can’t blame her for protecting what she loves. We are too deep into this thing for me not to march into the building and beat the shit out of her boss. And even I know that’s not good for anyone, so I remain patient, waiting on her to share more with me.
“Yes.” She swipes her tongue along the vanilla ice cream. “Gilly has been gone nearly two weeks at conferences and district meetings. Things are good.”
“Who?” I ask. A door slams. We both glance over to the gas station on the main drag we are strolling down. I’d believed Kate when she told me things were good at school because we’ve been dining out in town, going to the hardware and grocery store together. This makes me proud that she’s not letting her asshole principal have power over her.
“You dirty motherfucker,” a high-pitched voice squeals.
The noise catches our attention. It’s centered on a van parked in front of the only gas station in town. There’s a blur of action.
“Get back here,” a deep voice hollers out.
“It’s him. The asshole who ruined my life.”
The picture comes into perfect view. That’s when I see a figure from the past coming my way. It’s a shell, a skeleton, but it’s Ally. I recognize her eyes even though they’re sunken in. She can only weigh about eighty pounds and looks like death warmed over, judging by the dark lines under eyes and the twitch in her lip.
I push Kate behind me in a protective mode. All happy and carefree thoughts of an ice cream walk down the main road are long gone. Ally’s name has come up in all the interviews and hearings, but I’d yet to see her. She’s barely a ghost of the person I remember.
“You son of a bitch. You think you can just come in here on your white horse and take my boy away. You pathetic motherfucker.”
She’s right up in my face, and I keep a hand on Kate’s hip. She better not move.
“I can’t believe you!” Ally tries to jab a finger in my chest, but I sidestep her, taking Kate with my movement. Ally will have to get through me.
I remain stock still. There are so many fucking words I want to spit at her but know it’s a lost cause, just like my mother. I know if I let one word slip from my tongue, I’d choke this drugged-out bitch to death. She deserves no better. It’s not me, and I know that. However, the feelings and rage coursing through me tell a different story.
“You don’t have anything to say, hometown hero? I followed you to college, and you dumped me.”
I remain silent.
Ally takes a step back. “Oh, I see you finally found your All-American Princess and now you are back to save the day. You’ll never fucking get Finn.”
All of my patience has run thin. I’ve kept quiet about everything I can, and I’m not proud of the words that are about to flow from my mouth. But by God, they are the honest truth.
“You want money, Ally? Need to go get your next hit? I’ll give it to you since that has been your only priority. I got you.” I tug my wallet out with my free hand, freeing bills ranging from fifties to hundreds. Her eyes go wide. And that’s when I know I have her. It’s sick and twisted, and how someone has fallen down this rabbit hole so fast and far is beyond me. I was on the verge with a bottle of whiskey in my hand and I’ll never do it again. I free all the bills and hand them her way. “Is this what you want to get your next fix? Take it all. Doesn’t matter to me.”
It’s so sick and twisted, but I’m fed up with this game. I have two end goals in mind, and they are Finn and Kate. Ally and my past have no room in that picture-perfect family frame.
“Fuck you, Max!” Ally takes a slap at my face. I’m quick enough to dodge it. “I’m better than your once low-class status now hometown hero bullshit! Fuck you.”
And with that, Ally stomps back across the road to the rickety, rusty van. Some guy helps her in, and they are gone. It grips my heart tight, knowing once upon time that’s where Finn would have been.
I’ve learned his routine and the way he likes things. He’s a bit obsessive. He’s just so damn lovable, I go along with him. I’m pretty damn certain that boy has taught me more about algebra and theory than any college professor.
“Are you okay?” Kate’s hand comes around to my front. Her nails dig into my soft t-shirt, the same style I’ve worn since she suggested it.
“Your ice cream gone yet?” I ask.
“What?” I can sense the pitch of stress in her voice.
That was an ugly scene, one no one wants to ever experience. It took me back to the days when my stomach would grow tight and my fingers would tremble until the abuse was gone.
“I’ll finish your ice cream for ya,” I respond.
“Max.”
I turn around before Kate has the chance to say another word.
“Give that to me.” I snag the melting cone from her hand and take a big lick.
“This isn’t funny.” She holds both of her hands up, and they shake from her core. Her skin has morphed to a pale green. The fright dancing in her eyes scares me. “She’s dangerous, Max, and Finn’s mom. I’ve seen it time and time again where the court favors them no matter what they’ve done.”
This is my fault. I’ve shared just enough with Kate, but not everything, knowing her dickhead boss has her job on the chopping block.
“Babe.” I toss the cone into some shrubs and tug her to me, cradling her head to my chest and kissing the top of her head. “She will have no chance of ever having full custody of Finn after I’m done with her. At best, she’ll be granted supervised visits and again—that’s at best. I have no doubt she’ll ruin her own chances.”
Kate doesn’t respond, simply lets me hold her. The question that has been haunting me comes back to play in my mind. Why in the hell is Ally back here? Her family disowned her, so why would she move back so close to her hometown? I have no doubt there’s an ulterior motive, and that fact is bugging the hell out of me.
Kate lifts her head. “She can ruin all of this for you.”
“She can,” I agree, running my thumb along her jawline. “But I refuse to let her. Nothing is going to get in my way, and that’s a promise.”
“And you don’t break promises,” she whispers.
“That’s right.” I kiss her forehead. “Now let’s finish our walk.”
Hand in hand, we stride down the sidewalk until the sun begins to settle beyond the horizon. I remind Kate that I’ll be with Harriet, picking up Finn tomorrow. We have our second home visit where Harriet and an older gentleman, Frank, will be supervising, and if all goes well, the transition of Max moving in with me begins.