by Jason Banks
“My god, this was a fantastic meal,” Brogan proclaimed. “Did you get enough to eat?”
Max dabbed a large cloth napkin against the corners of his cheeks. “Definitely coming back here,” he replied. “I’m plain stuffed.”
“You know...” Brogan stated, extending his right palm toward the table. “Lily is going to be seven years old next month.”
“It’s hard to believe so many years have passed already,” Max said.
Brogan shook his head in agreement. “For sure, it seems just like yesterday we were taking her home from the hospital.”
“What did you have in mind for this year?” Max questioned.
“I had a couple gift ideas earmarked on Amazon that I’d like to show you,” Brogan responded, retrieving his iPhone from the table.
Max nodded. “Sure, we have a few minutes to kill before we leave for the theater.”
“I was thinking that we could get her this new edition set of Troll dolls, since she loved the movie so much,” Brogan said, showing the product page to Max. “Then if you scroll down, Amazon lists the other thing I had in mind under the people who bought this also ordered section of the page.”
“Oh yes, she’d absolutely love this little plug in jeep with the Troll pictures on its sides,” Max agreed. “And the plastic seats are her favorite shade of purple.”
“So you’re on board with these two things to start off with?” Brogan asked, tapping on the shopping cart icon at the top of the screen. “You know me, I’ll still have to find a few more presents. She isn’t lacking anything in the spoiled category, that’s for sure.”
Max smiled. “Definitely. But it’s okay to provide her with a number of different toys, given that she can’t play with a lot of other things out these days because they’d be over stimulating and such.”
“By the power vested in me and my AMEX Gold card, I now declare this order submitted,” Brogan chuckled, jabbing his knuckles into Max’s ribs.
“Good ole twenty first century,” Max snorted. “In the age where you don’t have to leave the living room couch to buy groceries and virtually everything else in the world.”
Brogan’s phone lit up and vibrated in his hands, showing that someone from the hospital was calling him.
“Hang on babe, I’ve gotta get this,” Brogan stated, holding out his left index finger.
Max figured that something would prevent them from spending the rest of their night as planned. Brogan’s position as Chief of Cardiology waited for no man. He raised his arm to glance at the time. The light directly above their heads forced a glare to bounce directly off the glint of diamonds on his watch. Max knew that his husband had an important role in his patient’s lives, he just wanted more time to spend with him when he was home from photo shoots and fashion shows. But the sparkly things in his life were definitely thanks to marrying a man who was already born into wealth, whom just happened to think Max was a lion’s roar in the jungle.
Brogan ended his call, placing the phone into his side pocket. “You’re gonna kill me, but...”
“...but you’re needed at the hospital,” Max interrupted, looking disappointed.
“I’m sorry, love. We can try for this weekend and catch the original Broadway Cast before they leave Colorado,” Brogan suggested.
Max fixed his grip onto Brogan’s forearm. “It’s okay, I really do understand. But I have to fly out to Los Angeles on Saturday morning,” he said, reeling Brogan’s torso closer to him. “We will find another show when I get back.”
Brogan raised both arms and wrapped them around Max’s neck. “Of course we will. Even if I have to accidentally leave my phone on the desk at my office,” he whispered, inviting Max for a tender kiss. “I love you so much, Maxwell Florian Williams. Never forget that,” he added.
“Well you hurry down there,” Max said, reaching for his car keys and placed them in front of Brogan. “Here, take my car and I’ll just request an Uber to get home,” he insisted.
As Brogan raised up from the booth, he looked down towards Max and blew him a kiss. Maxwell watched the love of his life shuffle toward the front of the restaurant and disappear around the corner.
“I guess I’ll just pay the check and go back home then,” Max said to himself, still fairly disappointed about their night not panning out as he hoped it would.
***
On the Uber ride home, Max felt like he shortsighted his love for Brogan and probably seemed pretty careless for whatever patient needed his man more than he did that night. Of course, he appreciated having the life he did. Chiefly with a man who loved him and a daughter more than anything else in the world. After closing his Facebook app, Max typed out a text message to Brogan.
“Hi babe, I love you too. More than any word in the dictionary could ever describe. I am sorry if I acted disappointed tonight. I’m really not in the slightest. I appreciate you and your undying love so much. Thank you for sharing a splendid supper with me, your company is all I ever yearn for. I’m also gracious for our little Lily. You bringing her into this world is the second most important memory I’ll always hold close to my heart, next to that of marrying you. Being a co-parent to her for the past seven years has shown me a different aspect to this life and I now view society in a far different light, for having raised her with the unique and special qualities she has. Call me when you’re on the way home, I’ll stay up so I can give you more than just five minutes in the shower after all. LOL—I love you tiger.”
He hit the send button as a small tear slid down his right cheek. He glanced out the passenger window, noticing the upcoming turn into the Cherry Creek Country Club Estates subdivision.
“Madison Street is just ahead on the right-hand side there,” Max pointed out to the Uber driver named Jamal. “Yep, this is our driveway on the left. You can let me out here, you don’t have to come all the way through the gate.”
“Thank you, sir. Have a great night pal,” Jamal stated, waving Max on his way out of the backseat.
Once Max reached the top of their driveway, he realized that he didn’t have the remote to raise the garage door. He paced toward the spacious front porch and slid his house key into the door-knob. He closed the large door behind him as he heard Lily’s feet pattering across the granite tile throughout the entryway. Provided that it was just barely her time for a bath, he understood why she wasn’t in bed yet.
“Sweetheart, I’m home,” Max exclaimed.
Lily looked around the room for Brogan to appear from behind Max. “Maxie, where’s daddy?”
Max knelt down to Lily as she gave him a hug. “Daddy had a patient who needed him, so he has to work for a while tonight,” he said, patting her on the shoulder. “Uncle Maxie is here though, so I can give you a bath and read with you before falling asleep.”
“Okay,” Lily responded.
As he raised from his haunches, Max focused his attention on Anne who rounded the corner from the main living room.
“You’re home early,” Anne said.
“Yeah, Brogan had an emergency he was called in for at the hospital. I just took an Uber home,” Max replied. “I can take things from here, if you wanna get back home,” he said, reaching in his pocket.
Max thumbed through the bank notes in his wallet and counted $200. “Here is for all your troubles. Brogan and I really appreciated you sitting for Lily without advanced notice and we both wanted to thank you for coming all the way from Fort Collins just to get here,” he said, offering the money to Anne.
“Oh please,” she said, waving her hands out. “Just the normal rate is fine, it was no problem supervising this sweet lady bug.”
“Please, I insist. Order some Chinese take-out or something for yourself. Your kindness deserves it,” Max stated.
Anne accepted the cash. “Alright Mr. Williams, if you insist.”
She walked toward the coat tree to retrieve her purse. As she stuffed the money in, Anne turned back to tell Lily goodbye. “Goodbye sweet pea, that sure wa
s a fancy tea party you threw for me. Maybe I’ll see you again soon,” she said, winking toward Lily before she stepped outside onto the porch.
Max lifted Lily into the air and let out a fake sigh. “Pheeewie, I think it’s somebody’s bath time. Wouldn’t you say so?” he asked with a silly tone of voice.
“Okaayy, I will have a bath,” Lily giggled.
With Lily in grasp at his waist, Max shuffled into the main living area. They were greeted by the show Doc McStuffins as he placed Lily onto the couch.
“Five more minutes of television and then we have to go upstairs for your bath and bedtime,” Max instructed.
While walking into the kitchen, he slid off the sport coat and draped it over the back of a dining chair. He loosened his necktie, leaving it hanging around his neck. Max turned around toward the sizable kitchen island with his phone in hand. He leaned over the counter top and pulled up his text messages. The text he sent Brogan didn’t appear to be seen yet, since it did not indicate as such below. Max re-opened his Facebook app and updated his status.
Just got home from a delicious supper. If any of my Denver peeps like a rare steak, you need to try Guard and Grace downtown. It’s probably the best sirloin I’ve ever eaten. Also, their black truffle macaroni and cheese is just to die for.
He scrolled through his timeline and noticed a post from Brogan from earlier. He’d tagged Max in the message, which checked them in online, giving the restaurant a shout out.
This place is super. I’m taking my special guy out to dinner and a show tonight. I recommend anyone to come experience this eatery for themselves—you won’t be sorry.
Max placed his phone down on the counter top and returned to the living area.
“Okay you little munchkin, it’s time for your bath,” Max insisted, turning off the show with the television remote.
***
During the hour Max allowed Lily to decompress in a warm bath, he’d been able to switch into his flannel pajama bottoms and an INXS band t-shirt. That time allowed him to do some decompressing himself by lounging on top of their mattress with a book on his Kindle Fire. He swiped his reading glasses from the bedside table while opening to the last bookmarked page in “Denver’s Calling” by JJ Harper. Rick, one of Max’s cohorts in New York recommended the book because they both shared the love of reading Gay fiction in their spare time. This was a particular routine he enjoyed while fighting off the insomnia of sleeping in different hotels every other week without cuddling around Brogan’s warm torso. Whenever Max found himself lost in a sea of words, he found comfort in the exuberance which Gay romance offered.
He remained sprawled out across the bedspread through two enchanting chapters before noticing the time. He read faster until the next chapter break, then climbed down from the bed to get Lily out of the bathtub.
Max shuffled down the hallway towards Lily’s bathroom. “Lil, are you about ready for me to wash your hair?” He called out, rounding the corner of her bathroom door frame.
“Yeah okay,” she replied, completely immersed in a mountain of bubbles. “Happy Duck wants to say ‘hi’ to you,” she added, pointing a sunflower yellow rubber duck towards his face as Max lowered to his knees.
He wiped his face free of the suds she spilled in the process. “Why hello there, Happy Duck. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, good sir,” Max greeted, participating in Lily’s pretend universe of talking bath toys. “I’m Maxamillion, Duke of Bubbleton,” he added in a pronounced British sounding voice. “May I acquire your commendation to borrow Lily, Princess of Sudshire for rest of her bath time?”
Maxwell washed Lily’s hair with the removable shower head, allowing her blonde hair to soak up the water for lathering in shampoo. Brogan continued to use Johnson & Johnson brand tear-free shampoo as it seemed any other type would invariably sting her eyes. As he finished rinsing, Max reached around his waist to grab the violet bath towel from its pewter rod.
“Okay girlfriend, stand up and hold your arms out,” he said, wrapping the towel around her. “Now then, let’s dry that mop of yours, eh?”
The two of them finished preparing for her bedtime and Max chased Lily into her bedroom. The dim lighting allowed a smooth transition for her to relax while she would get drowsy and drift off to sleep. On top of her dresser were a line of lava lamps in various colors. They attributed toward the calming atmosphere that she preferred, provided that they were less stimulating. She climbed atop her twin size bed which was decorated as a turquoise dragonfly. Max tucked her underneath the sheets and laid against the headboard with her cuddling in his lap. He watched her gradually shut her eyes for longer intervals, to the point where she’d fallen completely asleep. As usual, they didn’t even reach the end of the book yet.
Max slowly and quietly removed himself from Lily’s bed, pulling the comforter up to her shoulders. He bent over and gave her a gentle kiss on her head, before sneaking out into the hallway. With Lily finally asleep, Max was left to decide between reading more and undoubtedly falling asleep before Brogan returned home, or going upstairs to the third floor—their twelve person theater room. He figured that he’d go up and see which movies Brogan recently bought from the iTunes store.
Before going up to enjoy a movie, he traveled down into the kitchen to retrieve his phone and a tall bottle of Voss water. He wondered how much longer Brogan would be to come home, since it’d been a solid couple of hours when he left the restaurant. Max pulled his water from the fridge and allowed the stainless-steel door to close by itself with a gentle push from his left foot. While walking past the kitchen island, he reached out and grasped the phone on his way to the stairwell in the foyer. As he made his way up the steps, he unlocked the screen of his phone to the surprise of four missed calls and a voicemail. The number was in the 303-area code, however Max didn’t recognize the number at first glance. Reaching the mid-section of the stairwell, he stopped and began to listen to the voicemail waiting. Before the lady could be heard completing her name and title, his phone screen lit up with another incoming call from that same number.
“Hello?” Max answered, raising the device to his ear.
A woman’s voice on the other end of the call began with who she was and from where she was calling from. It was a sincere tone that spoke softly.
“Is this Maxwell Williams?” she asked politely.
“Yes, I’m Maxwell,” he replied, curious as to why he’d be receiving this call at such a late hour. “You said you’re in the emergency department at Mt. Sinai Health? My husband is the Chief of Cardiology there.”
“Yes, sir. Well, that’s why I’m calling, you see...” the lady continued.
A feeling of doom and gloom sank deep into Max’s gut. He felt as if he were about to receive horrible news—and indeed he was.
“There was a terrible crash on East Colfax. Dr. Baxter was driving a dark BMW which received the impact of a vehicle traveling south on Fillmore...”
“Oh my God, oh no,” Maxwell spewed out.
She continued to speak. “It is with my absolute sympathies to tell you that medics were unable bring Dr. Baxter back to consciousness. He suffered blood loss with extensive injuries from the driver who did not stop at the light. The driver was under the influence of marijuana and alcohol.”
Shocked at the fresh news, Max couldn’t formulate another sentence. Not another thought would flash in his brain without imagining his lover, his one true thing, being struck by a drunk driver. As his grip loosened, the glass water bottle slipped from his hand. But Max couldn’t think fast enough to recover it from falling to the ground. A single tear ran down his face as the water bottle clanked against the granite steps, sliding out from under the railing. The loud clash of a heavy glass bottle meeting the hard surface below pierced his hearing. In this single moment of absolute dread, Max remained motionless while the ringing pains akin to tinnitus flushed the cavities of his eardrums. Bereft of any feelings but loss, he raised his other hand to his forehead as if he’d been s
uffering a massive headache. The fact of the matter was, this was only the beginning of a very long migraine about to ensue.
“Maxwell?” the lady asked.
He wiped his watering eyes and answered. “Yeah I’m here, sorry.”
“I am very sorry to have interrupted your night with such news, we currently have Dr. Baxter in a single trauma room in our emergency department if you could please find a way down here to sign a couple forms and say any words of goodbye in private.”
Max nodded his head in agreement. “Yes Miss, I will be there as soon as I can get our almost seven-year-old autistic daughter buckled into the other car. If you could have a nurse available for a few minutes to watch her, I’d appreciate it a lot. I have no idea how I’m going to break this news to her,” he said, long-winded, continually weeping into the phone.
“Of course, I’m the charge nurse here. Again, my name’s Kim Adams,” she assured him. “When you arrive, you can park in one of the two spots next to our ambulance bay.”
“I’ll see you soon. Thanks.” Max replied, ending the call.
So many questions flooded Maxwell’s heart. What was he going to do with Lily all by himself? How would he tell her that her daddy was no longer alive? How would he move on with life, in Brogan’s absence? How was he going to handle his feelings around their little girl, who didn’t know how to fully comprehend other’s emotions or body language?
He hurried into the master bedroom, trying to gain his composure in front of the large bathroom mirror. Cold water trickled from the faucet as Max splashed a few cusps into his face. The cooling sensation soothed him enough to pat dry his head with a burgundy hand towel. Max didn’t waste any more time than he needed in order to change his clothes and round up Lily. What reason would he use to explain why they needed to go out after her bedtime? He pondered for a short-term resolution while shimmying into a pair of Saint Laurent light-wash jeans.
“Oh shit, I’ve gotta let Mel know,” he gasped to himself. “I have so many people to tell,” he continued talking to himself. “It hurts so much,” Max cried out, having to wipe his eyes yet again. “Okay Max, get it together. You can’t keep crying around ‘Lil until she finds out,” he instructed himself, running through a mental checklist of what he needed to do and how.