Home Is Where the Heart Is
1.
I paced back and forth in our condo as I waited for Max to come home. When the Penguins season ended Max's contract expired. Right now he is supposed to be discussing his options with his agent. I've tried everything to pass the time. I paid all the bills online. I cleaned practically the whole condo.I washed dishes and did laundry. I finally decided to take a deep breath and sit down and watch some t.v. Half an hour after I turned the television on the front door opened.
"Taylor?"
"In the living room." I said
He walked in and had a blank almost confused look on his face.
"Well?"
I stood up and walked over to him.
"I got a five year/ 9 million dollar deal." he said
"That's great. Being in Pittsburgh for five more years is wonderful."
"Tay, I didn't say who i signed with."
"Who did you sign with?" I asked getting a little worried.
He sighed.
"Philly." he whispered
"I'm sorry I didn't hear you right. It sounded like you said Philly."
"I did."
"Oh."
I walked away from him and out to the kitchen.
"Talk to me, Tay." he said following me out.
"I hope you have a good time there."
"Babe, I want you to go with me."
"I can't, Max. You know that. I have a job and school to think about. I'm so close to getting my master's. I need to be here to do that."
"What about after you get your master's? Will you come then? I'm willing to wait." he said
I looked away from him and looked out the window.
"Pittsburgh is my home. I've dreamed about living here since the summer before my senior year in high school. I love it here."
"I thought home was where the heart was. Isn't your heart with me?" he asked.
A tear slipped from my eye and slid down my cheek. Max gently wiped it away.
"Of course it's with you but there is also part of it that belongs to Pittsburgh."
"Taylor, you are the one person I need the most right now. Without you I'll be doing all of this for nothing. I need you to understand that I'm not turning my back on Pittsburgh. I love this city too but the Pens have no use for me anymore."
"This isn't easy, Max."
"It's not easy for me either but it would be a little bit better if I had your support."
"I need time. I'm so lost. I'm angry. I'm hurt. I'm confused, Maxime Talbot, I love you but I don't love this decision. I mean I can barely even look at you right now."
I walked out of the kitchen, down the hall, and locked myself in our bedroom.
"Taylor, please open the door." said Max through the white wooden door.
I ignored him and grabbed my suitcase. I decided to let the tears flow as I packed the bag. When I was done I unlocked the door and walked out. Max was sitting on the floor next to the door with his head in his hands. When he heard the door open he looked up. When he noticed the suitcase he stood up.
"What are you doing?" he asked
“I’m gonna go stay with Tanger for awhile. I need some time and space to think things through. To be honest I’m extremely pissed that you didn’t talk to me before you signed. I think some time apart will be good for us.”
“Are you breaking up with me?” he asked
“No! I just need some time.”
He sighed.
“Alright. I can deal with that. Just remember that in the long run I’m doing this for us and our future family.” he said
“I know.” I said walking out of the condo. I walked over to my car and put my suitcase in the backseat. I got in myself and started the car. As i was pulling out I noticed Max watching. He must have seen me looking because he mouthed the words I love you.
“Taylor!” yelled my bestfriend Kris Letang.
It had been two months since I left Max and our condo. Yes, I missed him but I couldn’t get used to the fact that he was a Flyer. It was now August and he would be leaving for Philly in a couple days.
“Yeah?” I asked walking over to him.
“You have a phone call.” he said handing me the phone.
“Thanks, Tanger.” I said taking the phone from him. “Hello?”
“Hey Tay.” said a very sad sounding voice.
“Max.”
“Please come home.”
I heard his voice crack. He sounded like he hadn’t slept in days.
“Maxxy, you sound terrible.” I said
“That’s because I miss you. I can’t sleep and when I do it’s because I cry myself to sleep. If I would have known that signing this contract could possibly cost me you I would have never signed it. Taylor Baby, I need you.” he said
A tear fell from my eye but this time there was no one there to catch it. I needed Max just as much as he needed me maybe even more.
“I need you too.” I choked out.
“Come home?” he asked
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I said “I need to start packing if we’re moving to Philly in a couple days.”
I couldn’t see him but I knew he was smiling. I was too. It was going to be hard to adjust but with Max by my side I knew we could make it. We could do anything as long as we had eachother.
"Taylor?"
"In the living room." I said
He walked in and had a blank almost confused look on his face.
"Well?"
I stood up and walked over to him.
"I got a five year/ 9 million dollar deal." he said
"That's great. Being in Pittsburgh for five more years is wonderful."
"Tay, I didn't say who i signed with."
"Who did you sign with?" I asked getting a little worried.
He sighed.
"Philly." he whispered
"I'm sorry I didn't hear you right. It sounded like you said Philly."
"I did."
"Oh."
I walked away from him and out to the kitchen.
"Talk to me, Tay." he said following me out.
"I hope you have a good time there."
"Babe, I want you to go with me."
"I can't, Max. You know that. I have a job and school to think about. I'm so close to getting my master's. I need to be here to do that."
"What about after you get your master's? Will you come then? I'm willing to wait." he said
I looked away from him and looked out the window.
"Pittsburgh is my home. I've dreamed about living here since the summer before my senior year in high school. I love it here."
"I thought home was where the heart was. Isn't your heart with me?" he asked.
A tear slipped from my eye and slid down my cheek. Max gently wiped it away.
"Of course it's with you but there is also part of it that belongs to Pittsburgh."
"Taylor, you are the one person I need the most right now. Without you I'll be doing all of this for nothing. I need you to understand that I'm not turning my back on Pittsburgh. I love this city too but the Pens have no use for me anymore."
"This isn't easy, Max."
"It's not easy for me either but it would be a little bit better if I had your support."
"I need time. I'm so lost. I'm angry. I'm hurt. I'm confused, Maxime Talbot, I love you but I don't love this decision. I mean I can barely even look at you right now."
I walked out of the kitchen, down the hall, and locked myself in our bedroom.
"Taylor, please open the door." said Max through the white wooden door.
I ignored him and grabbed my suitcase. I decided to let the tears flow as I packed the bag. When I was done I unlocked the door and walked out. Max was sitting on the floor next to the door with his head in his hands. When he heard the door open he looked up. When he noticed the suitcase he stood up.
"What are you doing?" he asked
“I’m gonna go stay with Tanger for awhile. I need some time and space to think things through. To be honest I’m extremely pissed that you didn’t talk to me before you signed. I think some time apart will be good for us.”
“Are you breaking up with me?” he asked
“No! I just need some time.”
He sighed.
“Alright. I can deal with that. Just remember that in the long run I’m doing this for us and our future family.” he said
“I know.” I said walking out of the condo. I walked over to my car and put my suitcase in the backseat. I got in myself and started the car. As i was pulling out I noticed Max watching. He must have seen me looking because he mouthed the words I love you.
“Taylor!” yelled my bestfriend Kris Letang.
It had been two months since I left Max and our condo. Yes, I missed him but I couldn’t get used to the fact that he was a Flyer. It was now August and he would be leaving for Philly in a couple days.
“Yeah?” I asked walking over to him.
“You have a phone call.” he said handing me the phone.
“Thanks, Tanger.” I said taking the phone from him. “Hello?”
“Hey Tay.” said a very sad sounding voice.
“Max.”
“Please come home.”
I heard his voice crack. He sounded like he hadn’t slept in days.
“Maxxy, you sound terrible.” I said
“That’s because I miss you. I can’t sleep and when I do it’s because I cry myself to sleep. If I would have known that signing this contract could possibly cost me you I would have never signed it. Taylor Baby, I need you.” he said
A tear fell from my eye but this time there was no one there to catch it. I needed Max just as much as he needed me maybe even more.
“I need you too.” I choked out.
“Come home?” he asked
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I said “I need to start packing if we’re moving to Philly in a couple days.”
I couldn’t see him but I knew he was smiling. I was too. It was going to be hard to adjust but with Max by my side I knew we could make it. We could do anything as long as we had eachother.