Crazy Beginnings and Happy Endings
sixty-six
I just walked in the door after class, when my phone started ringing. "Hello love," I said into the phone.
"Hey, how are you?" Max asked.
"A little bit tired, but I'm well," I replied. "How about you?"
"I'm great," Max said, but something about his voice was off. "When are you finished school?"
"Today?" I asked.
"No, like completely finished where you have a degree," he clarified.
"December, like a week before Christmas," I told him. "Why?"
"Just wondering when I would see you again," Max said. "I miss you."
"I miss you too," I said. "You will see me before Christmas. You have games in New York a few times, don't you?"
"Yes, we do," he agreed. "It just won't be a long enough visit."
"Oh," I looked down at the ground.
"Brylyn, if you are looking at the floor, stop," Max said.
"How did you know?" I asked. I was shocked.
"I notice things like that," Max said, his voice smiled. "You look at the ground when you are nervous or feel awkward or embarrassed."
"Hmm," I thought about it. "That is true."
"I know," Max chuckled. "So I told he guys when your birthday is. I hope that is ok."
"It is now," I said. "It's not like I can say no."
"Sorry," Max said.
"It's fine, Max," I smiled.
"Anyway, we were talking and we thought maybe we would come to New York," Max told me. "It would be Staalsy, Tanger, Flower, Vero, Sid, Geno and me. TK and his girlfriend might come too."
"You guys don't have to," I argued.
"Well, it's Geno's birthday the next day, so we figured why not kill to birds with one stone," Max said. "You know, like have a double birthday or whatever."
"I guess that could work," I shrugged, although he couldn't see me. "But I have a four hour class the night of my birthday."
"That's fine," Max assured me. "We will come get you after class."
"Don't you have practice or something?" I asked.
"No," Max informed. "Sid told Coach that we had something important to take care of for a few days."
"Sid lied?" I was shocked.
"No," Max laughed. "It was the truth. Your birthday is important and we have to take care of it."
"Hey, how are you?" Max asked.
"A little bit tired, but I'm well," I replied. "How about you?"
"I'm great," Max said, but something about his voice was off. "When are you finished school?"
"Today?" I asked.
"No, like completely finished where you have a degree," he clarified.
"December, like a week before Christmas," I told him. "Why?"
"Just wondering when I would see you again," Max said. "I miss you."
"I miss you too," I said. "You will see me before Christmas. You have games in New York a few times, don't you?"
"Yes, we do," he agreed. "It just won't be a long enough visit."
"Oh," I looked down at the ground.
"Brylyn, if you are looking at the floor, stop," Max said.
"How did you know?" I asked. I was shocked.
"I notice things like that," Max said, his voice smiled. "You look at the ground when you are nervous or feel awkward or embarrassed."
"Hmm," I thought about it. "That is true."
"I know," Max chuckled. "So I told he guys when your birthday is. I hope that is ok."
"It is now," I said. "It's not like I can say no."
"Sorry," Max said.
"It's fine, Max," I smiled.
"Anyway, we were talking and we thought maybe we would come to New York," Max told me. "It would be Staalsy, Tanger, Flower, Vero, Sid, Geno and me. TK and his girlfriend might come too."
"You guys don't have to," I argued.
"Well, it's Geno's birthday the next day, so we figured why not kill to birds with one stone," Max said. "You know, like have a double birthday or whatever."
"I guess that could work," I shrugged, although he couldn't see me. "But I have a four hour class the night of my birthday."
"That's fine," Max assured me. "We will come get you after class."
"Don't you have practice or something?" I asked.
"No," Max informed. "Sid told Coach that we had something important to take care of for a few days."
"Sid lied?" I was shocked.
"No," Max laughed. "It was the truth. Your birthday is important and we have to take care of it."