CHAPTER FIVE
Reconnecting
Max feels sick to his stomach the moment he sees Jennifer. He’s glad Martin called and invited him to the movies when he did. Things haven’t improved at home, and Max’s resolve is weakening daily.
Martin is on his way to the concession stand when Max spots Jennifer three rows in front of them. Even when she isn’t with Martin, she has a way of spoiling everything.
Max still isn’t used to sharing his time with Martin, especially with Jennifer, but it’s better than having no spot in his life at all. Martin has proven to be his truest and closest friend. Most of his other friends abandoned him. None of them ever called to check up on him, but Max knows this is more his fault than anyone else’s. He wasn’t the nicest person when he was drunk, and, until his mother died, he was rarely sober. His friend Jamie hadn’t called since Max passed out on his lawn in a drunken stupor.
Max stares ahead at Jennifer for a moment. As far as he knows, she and Martin are still at odds with each other, which is fine with him. Why ruin an otherwise pleasant evening with an argument?
•••
Jennifer excuses herself from the aisle and heads toward the restroom. She quit playing chaperone for Tammie and Devon long enough to start enjoying the movie, and now she hates to leave.
“Too many slushies, Jen,” she scolds herself, rolling her eyes. The movie is only part of the reason why she doesn’t want to leave. She hates using public bathrooms.
Jennifer grabs the bathroom handle, and it’s wet. Gross. Jennifer makes a mental note to use a paper towel to grab the door on the way out.
Jennifer shoots out of the bathroom as soon as she dries her hands, anxious to get back to the movie. When she steps out her body collides with Martin’s. His popcorn flies in several different directions as Jennifer lands on the floor with a thud.
“Jen! Are you okay?” Martin helps her up, making sure that she isn’t seriously hurt.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Jennifer replies sheepishly, picking up the Goobers and other candy boxes that Martin dropped. “I’m here with Tammie and her boyfriend.”
Jennifer hands him his candy. They are both quiet for a long time before Martin speaks up. “You hung up on me yesterday, Jen.”
Jennifer crosses her arms defiantly. “And?”
“And we need to talk,” Martin sighs. “Look, we’ve been friends for a few months now, and I don’t want us to stop being friends over something stupid.”
After chewing on her lower lip for a while, Jennifer concedes. “Neither do I,” she confesses.
“So, can we just forget about that stupid argument?” Martin asks. “It doesn’t matter to me how other guys look at girls because I’m not like that. So, can we just put this behind us?”
“Okay,” she says quietly. She extends her hand, but Martin pulls her into an embrace.
“Thanks, Jen,” he squeezes her gently and pulls away.
Jennifer blushes but looks away so he can’t see. “So do you like the movie?” she asks with her head down.
“It’s alright,” he replies. “It got Max and me out of the house. Speaking of…” Martin looks back at the theater doors. “Shall we?”
“Yeah, although Tammie and Devon are probably glad I was out of their hair for a few minutes. I get to play chaperone today,” she says while rolling her eyes.
“I see.” Martin opens the door for her. “Well, I’ll catch you after the movie, ok? I can probably give you a ride home if you want.”
“That’d be great!” Jennifer smiles. She misses Martin’s company. “I’ll ask Tammie.”
•••
Max watches as Jennifer and then Martin return to her row. Martin walks with Jennifer to her seat, greeting Tammie and another teen. Judging by the way the two were locking lips earlier, Max assumes he’s Tammie’s boyfriend. Jennifer flashes a smile at Martin and Max rolls his eyes. Martin smiles back and slowly returns to their aisle.
Max mutters a curse under his breath and frowns. The two of them are obviously friends again. He can tell that Martin is smitten with Jennifer, but Max is unimpressed. Admittedly, he initiated the feud between them, but Jennifer’s lack of Christian charity hasn’t helped.
“What’d I miss?” Martin asks as he tosses a box of Goobers to Max.
“Just a bunch of bull—“ Max catches himself, “—loney.”
Martin laughs. “Nice save. Hey, do you want to stay over tonight? We’re going to church in the morning, and Kent says he wants to see you there.”
Max shrugs his shoulders, nonchalant. “He’s the boss.”
Martin laughs briefly and watches the screen for a moment. He turns to Max again. “Hey, if you need anything, let me know.” Max shifts in his chair and nods.
Martin hopes the deeper meaning gets through. He isn’t sure how else to express himself without making the both of them uncomfortable. Max knows Martin better than anyone else, and Martin wants to be there for him.
After the movie, Jennifer finds Martin and Max laughing at the concession stand. “Hey,” Jennifer smiles at Martin. “Tammie says she doesn’t mind me riding with you. Devon walked here, so they’re going to ride together. They are planning on going somewhere else this afternoon anyway.”
Martin looks in Tammie’s direction. Tammie smiles and waves before walking off with Devon. “Okay, then let’s go!” Martin exclaims.
Jennifer walks with them towards Martin’s car. She pauses briefly and looks back at Tammie. A part of her wants to go ahead and ride with Tammie and Devon, but Max interrupts her thoughts as he pushes past her to get in the front seat. She bites her tongue for Martin’s sake and gets into the backseat.
“Jen, you want to shoot some hoops with me and Max?”
Max scowls and looks at Martin, mouthing the word “no” emphatically.
“I wish I could, but my Dad’s visiting us this afternoon and I promised my mom I’d be there when he arrived.”
Max exhales loudly, communicating his relief. Jennifer ignores him and Martin chides him for being rude. Martin drops Jennifer off just as a yellow cab pulls into the driveway. Martin asks if he can stay and meet Mr. Smith, but Jennifer protests. For once, Max agrees with her.
“You’ll see him tomorrow,” Jennifer promises. “He’ll be coming to church with us.”
Jennifer walks over to her father’s cab as Martin pulls away. “Alo, Papa,” she greets.
Her father gets out of the cab and hugs her tight. “How is my girl?” he asks.
“I’m fine!” she laughs as he hugs her tighter.
Mr. Smith watches Martin’s car as he pulls away. “What’s this? A young man drops my daughter at home and can’t even come out and say hello? I tell you what! You young people are getting ruder every day.”
Jennifer does a mental “oops” and tries to console her father. “It’s not like that, Papa. Martin’s a nice boy. He just had to leave, and I told him you’d see him tomorrow.”
Her father doesn’t look convinced. “If a young man wants to take a girl out, he ought to meet her parents and be respectful. Isn’t that right, chica? When I was courting your mother, I never took her home without speaking to her father. Never! Not once!”
“Come on inside, Dad,” Jennifer beckons. Her father grabs his suitcases from the trunk, pays the cab driver, and walks inside with her. He is greeted warmly by Margaret Smith, but his other two children wear smiles so fake they look painted. Jennifer wonders if her father notices. If he does, he never lets on.
“Hola niños!” he greets them.
“Hola Papa,” Becky replies with very little enthusiasm. Shawn only waves shyly.
“Let’s grab some lunch, hey guys?” Mr. Smith offers.
“Mama already made lunch,” Becky replies quickly. “I’m full.”
“Me too,” Jennifer states apologetically. “I stuffed myself at the movie theater.”
“I’m still hungry!” Shawn smiles widely.
“Well then, we shouldn’t keep y
our stomach waiting!” Mr. Smith smiles. “Let’s get some pizza!” Shawn is elated.
Becky looks at her mother. “It’s three o’clock mom, and lunch was over an hour ago. Could I get some pizza too?” Margaret Smith smiles. The one thing Becky never refuses is pizza.
“Yes, go with your father! Have fun!” She looks to Jennifer. “You go with them. Take my car, and make sure they stay out of trouble!”
“Jen, can you drive?” her father asks as she grabs the keys.
“Dad, I’ve been driving for quite a while now,” she states.
Shawn pulls on his father’s shirt and beckons for him to come closer. Mr. Smith bends down so Shawn can speak to him.
“Don’t forget to buckle up!” he whispers, looking directly at Jennifer as he speaks.
Shawn giggles as Jennifer grabs him up and tickles him. “Are you trying to say I can’t drive, niño?” After several tickles, Shawn finally cries for mercy and they all drive downtown for pizza.
Don't Judge Me Page 5