Yvonne could feel the knots of tension forming in her shoulders. “Sure thing,” she answered in a tone far more confident than she actually felt.
“Are you and Maxwell…a thing?”
She swallowed, stuffing clothing haphazardly into the bag. Not only had Juliana asked her the very question she’d been dreading, but it was also an indication that Maxwell hadn’t already told his ex that they were involved. The question was, why? Had it not come up in their conversation? Or was he simply hiding it from her? “Yes, I guess you could say we are.”
“Cool.” Juliana paused. “Don’t be worried that I’ll ask for details. I know it’s not my business.”
That’s a relief. I’m certainly not about to go into all that with his ex-girlfriend. “Can I ask you something, too?”
“Fair enough.”
Closing the top drawer and opening the second one, which held the baby’s bottoms, Yvonne drew a deep breath. May as well be straight with her. “Are you interested in rekindling your relationship with Maxwell?” She turned around, wanting to see Juliana’s expression when she answered.
“Oh, honey, no.” Juliana chuckled for a moment, then sobered up. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to make light of this. But Max and I weren’t compatible then, and that remains the same now. I’m only going to be a part of his life as it pertains to Sasha. Trust me, it’s not going to go any further than that.”
Whew. Yvonne nodded, exhaled that pent-up breath she’d been holding, and turned back to the dresser to load the bag up with tiny pairs of pastel leggings and socks.
“There is something I think you should be aware of though. About Maxwell.”
“What’s that?”
“It may not be an issue for you if you don’t have any other children you look after.”
Yvonne shook her head. “No, I don’t have any other charges, I work for Maxwell full time. But I’m saving up to open my own child development center.”
“Oh.”
Yvonne frowned, hearing the change in Juliana’s tone. After tossing in two pairs of Sasha’s sneakers, she zipped the bag and turned around. The look she saw on Juliana’s face was…concerning. She was smiling, but it was the weird, strained sort of smile a person wore after they saw someone get stuck in a revolving door or walking up a down escalator. “Um, care to elaborate?”
“Well…” Juliana pursed her lips for a moment. “Maxwell likes the woman in his life to be all about him. He was never a fan of my military career. He missed my promotion ceremony when I made first sergeant, and at the time we broke up, he’d been hinting for months that he wanted me to get out of the service.”
Yvonne turned that over in her mind. “Military service is dangerous. Maybe he was just concerned for your safety?”
Juliana shrugged. “If he was, he never said so. He was always going on about how I never had time for him, never shared his interests. The night we broke up, he asked me straight out not to reenlist. When I refused, he walked.”
Yvonne stood silently, her grip tightening around the strap of the baby bag. Everything Juliana recounted directly reflected his attitude when she talked about her day care center. Is this who Maxwell is? Someone who can’t support another person’s dreams unless they conveniently fit into his plans?
Juliana stood then. “Listen. I could be totally off base here, and I’m not trying to get between you two. Like I said, Max and I are not getting back together, so I don’t have a dog in this fight. My main concern is that Sasha has a stable environment when she’s with her father.”
“I get it,” Yvonne said. And she did. But this conversation had left her with so many questions, and only Maxwell could give her the answers.
“Well, let’s go, baby.” Juliana bent and picked up Sasha, then shouldered the baby bag as Yvonne handed it off to her. “Say bye-bye.”
Sasha waved, opening and closing her fist with it facing the wrong way.
Yvonne laughed. “I’ll see you later, sweetheart.”
“Nice talking to you, Yvonne.” Juliana opened the door.
“Same here.”
As Juliana disappeared down the hall with the baby, Yvonne stood in the silence of the empty room.
What now?
Chapter 20
For the first few minutes after being banished downstairs in his own house, Maxwell didn’t know what to do with himself. My ex-girlfriend and my current girlfriend, alone in a room, talking? There isn’t a man alive who could be comfortable in this situation, at least not one I know. It was certainly not the way he’d planned on spending his Saturday.
When he got tired of wearing a trench in his hardwood floors, he went to his office. The small room, just beneath and to the left of the main staircase, was his little oasis. He’d kept the décor simple so as not to inhibit his creativity on those rare days he worked from home. The walls, painted a soft shade of gray, played host to a series of black-and-white photographs of his past projects: homes, stores, warehouses, and schools. White steel floating bookcases lined the opposing walls to the left and right, filled with a mixture of architecture books and mystery titles. His white fiberglass drafting table centered the space and could be adjusted to lie flat if he needed to use it as a desk. An ergonomically padded stool sat behind the table. There was no other furniture in the space, save for the window seat in the small window niche behind the drafting table.
Shut inside the room, he flopped down on the window seat cushion and pulled out his cell phone. I might as well make good use of my time in exile. He dialed, then held the phone to his ear.
“Hello?”
“Jeff, it’s Max. How are you, man?”
A deep sigh met that question. “I’m doing okay, considering.”
Maxwell chuckled. “Same here.”
“So I guess the raccoon’s out of the suitcase, huh?”
Maxwell laughed again. Nobody could bend a phrase like his old friend. “You’ve always had a weird sense of humor, Jeff. But yes, we all know about it now.”
“It’s a mess, isn’t it? After a whole thirty-four years on this earth, thinking my father died in a motorcycle accident.” Jeffrey scoffed. “I always looked up to Mr. D, you know? I thought he was just a kindhearted neighbor, looking out for a fatherless kid.”
Maxwell could hear the pain in Jeffrey’s voice, and it mirrored his own. Coming to grips with his father’s selfish actions was going to take time, and he knew he wouldn’t even entertain full forgiveness until his father had made things right with his mother. “I bet. I love my father, and that’s not going to change. But his actions were pretty heinous, and he’s gotta be accountable for what he did.”
“I’m with you there,” Jeffrey remarked. “He’d come around, bring me toys, take me to museums and all that jazz.” He sighed. “I just hate the way I grew up, feeling that loneliness of being an only child. All I wanted in the whole world was a brother. Mr. D and my mom, they took that away from me.”
Maxwell rubbed his temples. They took that away from both of us. “I’m truly sorry.”
“It’s not your apology to make, Max.”
“Trust me, I know. And I would never discount what you went through. But you’re not the only one who wanted a brother.”
“Really?” Jeffrey sounded surprised.
“Yes. When Dad wasn’t home, I was stuck in a house full of girls, you know? Now, I’m not above tea parties and dress-up. But what I really wanted was a brother. Somebody to run the streets with, somebody who didn’t mind getting dirty and getting a few bruises.”
“Same, man.” Jeffrey paused. “But you know something? If you think about it, we had that bond with each other. I came down to your place all the time to play, at least up until y’all moved away. All that was really missing was knowing the truth, that we were really blood brothers, not just playmates.”
Gazing out the window into
the hazy sunshine, Maxwell reflected on those memories. “You’re right, Jeff. Those Saturdays riding bikes, playing in the creek, catching frogs and bugs, they mattered. They enriched our lives. We did…the things brothers do. And we did them together.”
“And if I could choose anybody to be my brother, Max, it would have been you. I’m glad it’s you.”
“Same here, Jeff.” Maxwell’s chest tightened with emotion. A childhood longing of his had just been fulfilled, in the most unlikely and unconventional way. His mother’s pain was palpable, and his family had been shaken to the core. Still, he’d take this circumstance, this blessing that had bloomed in adversity. “I’m honored to call you my little brother.”
“Hey, I’m only eleven months younger than you.” Jeffrey feigned offense. “Plus, I’m a grown-ass man.”
Maxwell chuckled. “Doesn’t matter. Even if you were born a few minutes after me, and even when we’re both old and shriveled up, I’m still the oldest. Therefore, the ‘little’ descriptor stands.”
“It’s all good. I figure nothing’s really changed about our relationship. We’re still gonna hang out, still gonna look out for each other. The only real difference is, if one of us needs a kidney or something, the other one might be able to help out.”
Maxwell nodded. “True, true. Although since you’re the youngest, that makes you the most likely to have to part with an organ, dude.”
“Whatever, man. Hey, listen. I wanted to ask you a favor.”
“Look, if you’re already about to ask me for an organ, Jeff, you better pump your brakes.”
Jeffrey’s laughter filled his ear. “You’re such a clown, Max. You know that’s not what I’m about to ask you.”
“In that case, shoot.”
“Well, my wedding’s coming up in September, and…”
Maxwell smiled at his own reflection in the window. “That’s right. I haven’t seen you in a while, and I never got to meet your lady. What’s her name?”
“Her name is Kiley, and I definitely want you to meet her.” Jeffrey’s voice held a mixture of affection and excitement. “She’s the best thing to ever happen to me, and I can’t wait to call her my wife.”
“Well, if she’s that great, I need to meet her ASAP, Bro.”
“You will. I promise.” There was a pause before Jeffrey spoke again. “Listen, Max. Would you consider being a groomsman at our wedding? I’d really appreciate if you could be a part of my big day.”
Maxwell gripped one of the paisley pillows near him. “Jeff, for real? Are you serious?”
“Absolutely. Will you do it?”
Maxwell shook his head, his jaw hanging open for a second. “Wow. I’m just so flattered you’d ask me, but yes. I’ll definitely join the festivities, Jeff.”
“Great. I’ll be in touch with the details about fittings and all that. Kiley wants us in cream suits.”
“Cream?” Maxwell felt his lips stretch thin at the thought. There’s a reason I only wear dark suits. “A broad-shouldered guy like me in a light-colored suit? I only end up looking like one of two things: a dyed Easter egg or a half gallon of milk.”
“Oh yeah. I remember that suit you wore to your senior prom. That was definitely more on the Easter egg side.” Jeffrey snorted. “Man, how did your date convince you to wear a baby-pink tux?”
Maxwell blew out a breath, shaking his head at the memories. “Let’s just say she had a very convincing argument. Whew, boy. I must really love you to be agreeing to this, man.”
“It’s mutual, Max. I’m glad you called me.”
“Thanks for talking to me. I’m in a sticky situation, and talking to you bailed me out of a bad mood.”
Jeffrey’s tone changed. “Really? What’s happening?”
“Oh, nothing. Just my ex and my next, upstairs talking about me in my own house.”
“Max, why ain’t you in the room with them, trying to direct the verbal traffic?” Jeffrey cleared his throat. “The last thing you want in a situation like this is a catastrophic crash, if you know what I mean.”
Maxwell ran a hand over his head, feeling the stress of the moment rise again. “I know exactly what you mean, and I would have stayed, but they kicked me out.”
“Both of them?”
“No. It was Jules, my ex, who asked me to leave. Von just didn’t put up much protest.”
“Damn, Bro.” Jeffrey laughed. “I don’t mean to make light of your misfortune, but damn. I’m gonna pray for you.”
“Please do.” Maxwell shook his head, watching a bright red cardinal flit by the window. “I have no idea what they’re talking about, so I’ll take all the help I can get.”
“I’ll let you go, Bro. You better make sure they’re not plotting your demise.”
After Maxwell hung up the phone, he slid down from the window seat and crossed the room. Standing by the door, he cracked it a bit, listening. He didn’t hear voices anymore, but he did hear someone’s footfalls on the stairs. He smiled wryly. If one of them is leaving, maybe it’s safe to go out.
When he entered the foyer, he saw Juliana standing there with Sasha on her hip and the baby bag over her shoulder, peering into the living room. When he approached, she turned his way.
“Oh, there you are. We’re headed out.”
“Okay. Do you have everything you need for her?”
She nodded. “Sure. Yvonne packed plenty of clothes, and I have bottles, bibs, formula, baby food, all that stuff at my place.” She bounced the baby. “So you’re looking at eight days of kid-free tomfoolery, Max.”
“I’ve matured since you saw me last. I’ve come to enjoy and appreciate Sasha’s little baby shenanigans.” He stuck his hands in his pockets. No matter how much he’d miss his daughter, he refused to let Jules see him pouting. Instead, he walked over and kissed the baby’s soft cheek. “Be good for Mama, okay? I’ll see you in a few days.”
Sasha smiled at him, her big brown eyes twinkling. Then she turned her little hand up and touched his face. “Da-da.”
It was all he could do not to melt into a puddle of paternal goo right there in the foyer.
After Juliana and Sasha had gone, he stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking up toward the second floor. What’s Von doing up there? Is she ever coming down? When she’d showed up at the door, she said she forgot her cell phone. But when he was upstairs with them, before Juliana kicked him out, he’d seen her phone sticking out of her pocket. So what on earth is she still doing up there?
As if on cue, he heard a door open. She appeared at the top of the stairs then, but she looked right past him. Jogging down the steps, she turned slightly and edged by him into the kitchen without acknowledging him at all.
He stood in the foyer, watching as she grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. She walked out with it, looking as if she were going to pass him again without a word. This time, he lay down across the third step. “Von? What is going on?”
“Maxwell, can you move, please?”
Oh, boy. Here we go with this salty attitude again. “Why are you acting like this?”
“Like what?” She folded her arms over her chest, her lips pressed tightly together as if he were inconveniencing her.
“Like that. Closed off, having an attitude. Acting as if I’m not even in the house.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’d like to go by, please.”
“What did y’all talk about up there? Did Jules say something to you about me?”
“Move, Max, or I’m going over you.”
He started to sit up. “Von, look…”
She blew out a breath, swung her leg up and over his body, taking her from the ground level to the fourth step. The move treated him to a view of her shapely inner thighs, but he sensed he wouldn’t be enjoying them today. Without a backward glance, she jogged up to the landing and stalked away. Seconds later,
he heard her door slam.
Rubbing his open hand over his face, he groaned.
If it ain’t one thing, it’s another. Why do women have to make love so hard?
But could he really blame her? After all, he’d given in to her charms, let himself lean into the attraction sparking between them. He’d done it willingly, even though he knew he’d end up in a situation just like this. Frustrated, confused, and wondering how he got there.
Still, he couldn’t let it go. Guess I’m a glutton for punishment. Climbing to his feet, he trudged up the stairs.
* * *
With her gym bag open on the bed, Yvonne busied herself by tossing the contents from the dresser into it. After the conversation with Juliana and the events of the preceding week, it was clear that Maxwell lived in his own little world, and he couldn’t tolerate anyone coming along to change his neatly ordered life.
How could I have let myself be drawn in? It was so stupid of me.
Her jaw stiffened when she heard him knocking on her door. At first, she ignored him.
“Yvonne, please. Let’s talk about this.”
Hmph. I don’t wanna hear it. “Go away, Maxwell.” Done with the clothes in the drawer, she went to the closet and flung the doors open. Snatching sweaters and pants off the hangers, she tossed them into a pile on the bed.
“I’m not leaving, Yvonne. I’ll just sit outside the door until you open it, and you’ve gotta come out sometime.”
He was right, and that annoyed her to no end. With a sigh, she went to the door and opened it.
He climbed up from his seat on the floor outside and entered. “Thank you.”
Going back to the bed, she pulled a second bag from beneath it and tossed it down next to the pile of clothes from the closet. “Say what you have to say, Maxwell.”
“So formal?”
She shrugged. “It’s how you asked to be addressed when you hired me, isn’t it?”
His brow furrowed. “Yes…but things have changed since then.”
“Have they?” She gave him a pointed look before turning her attention back to packing.
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