Crystal Ball

“Max! What’re you doing here?” I exclaimed. I had just tucked Janie in for the night when a knock sounded on my door. I was confused, wondering who would be at my door at nine o’clock on a Monday night. And even more confused when I ran through the list of people who knew where I lived in the first place.

I had cracked the door open, only to throw it open wider at the sight before me. I jumped into Max’s ready and waiting arms. He caught me easily, lifting my frame as I buried my face in the crook of his neck.

“Nice to see you too.” He laughed as he set me on my feet. “You going to invite me in or what?”

I stepped aside, letting him pass. As he glanced around my living room, I asked, “How’d you find my apartment?”

“You’re brother told me,” he answered absentmindedly as he continued to take in his surroundings. After a brief pause, he turned to me, an eyebrow raised. “I must say I was surprised he didn’t know about me. Apparently, you never told him that you’d made friends while you were gone.” He seemed saddened by the small truth but soon smiled, his carefree demeanor returning. “Where’s Peanut?”

“I just put her down for the night. Are you staying long?”

He shrugged. “We’ll see. Can I go see her?” he asked, pointing to the hallway at my back.

I nodded, leading him to the end of the hall, opening the last door on the right. He knelt by Janie’s bed, brushing her light brown locks from her face. I leaned against the doorframe watching the sweet moment as Max kissed my daughter’s forehead lightly, whispering so low that I couldn’t make out the words. Janie stirred, but didn’t wake.

In the hall, I left Janie’s door open a crack and followed Max back to the living room where we lounged on the couch. We talked about old times, what I had missed since I moved back home, and mine and Janie’s return to Maryland.

It was nearly midnight when I glanced at the clock. We had been talking for nearly three hours. I had missed our conversations. Max had truly become my best friend, someone I could never be tired of, someone I could confide in, someone I trusted.

When I mentioned the time, Max yawned. “I should probably go find a hotel,” he stated as he rose from the couch, stretching his back.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Max. I’m not going to make you pay to sleep at some crappy hotel. Stay here,” I urged.

“I don’t want to impose, Em.”

I waved a hand dismissively. “Nonsense. I’ll go get some extra blankets.”



“Momma. Momma, I’m hungry.” I awoke to Janie’s soft voice as she gently patted my shoulder.

I yawned as I rolled to my back and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. “Okay, baby.” I made my way sleepily to the kitchen, Janie by my side. When we passed the living room, Janie looked at the couch interestedly.

“Momma? Who’s on the couch?”

I looked at the piece of furniture; momentarily forgetting whom indeed was on the couch. I smiled at Janie. “Max stopped by to say hi. Why don’t you go wake him up?"

“Really?” she asked excitedly as she bounded towards the couch. I watched from the doorway to the kitchen as she jumped onto the ball of blankets that encased Max. A sound of discomfort sounded from within the fabric and Janie laughed. “Wake up! Wake up!”

Max chuckled as he moved the blanket from his face. “Peanut, is that you?” Janie nodded enthusiastically. “Well, it’s about time. I missed my Peanut.”

I smiled as I entered the kitchen, leaving my best friend and my daughter to catch up as I roamed the cupboards. “Pancakes or Waffles?” I called into the other room.

“Pancakes!” I heard from both parties simultaneously. I chuckled under my breath as I gathered the ingredients and turned on the stove as I mixed the batter.

Just as I was flipping the last batch onto a plate, a knock sounded from the apartment door. “I’ve got it,” Max called out. I wiped my hands on the dishtowel that hung from the oven before walking into the entryway.

“Who is it?”

“Uh, hi.” An awkward looking Jack stood in the doorway, his gaze fixated on Max who had Janie hanging from his neck. He slowly looked to me as stopped next to Max. “I was uh-coming to see if you and Janie wanted to go to the zoo with us today,” Jack explained his presence. “I didn’t know you’d have company.” He sent me a look that begged for me to tell him who the man in my apartment was.

“Morning Jack. This is my friend Max; he’s stopped in for a visit. We were just about to sit down for breakfast. Did you want to join?”

Jack nodded slowly, taking the small step into the room. Max let Janie down from his back and she followed me to the kitchen. Turning around, she called. “Uncle Jack, you coming?” Jack nodded, tearing his gaze from the male he did not know.

We sat around my new table, Janie kneeling in her seat as she dug into her syrup covered pancakes. I told Jack how Max and I had met between bites. He seemed apprehensive around Max, which threw me off. Jack was normally welcoming to everyone—he loved meeting new people.

Soon, the conversation turned back to Jack’s plans for the day. He, Alex and Vanessa, and Rian and Sarah were going to the zoo for the day. Janie was excited to tag along. When most of our plates were empty, I urged Janie to get dressed for the day as I cleared the table. “If you need help getting dressed, let me know,” I told her. She had always been an independent girl, learning to do things herself quickly.

She nodded as she skipped out of the kitchen, but stuck her head around the corner as she asked, “Daddy, are you going to the zoo, too?”

Max laughed. “Do you want me to?” Janie nodded, her eyes lighting up. “Then if it’s okay with your mom’s friends, I’ll go too.”

“Yay!” she exclaimed as she ran down the hall to her room.

After a short silence, Jack spoke into the now silent kitchen. “Uh, Emma. Is there something you want to tell me?”

I turned from the sink where I was rinsing the last of the plates. “What?”

“Why did Janie just call him Dad?” He looked sincerely confused, eyes wide as saucers.

Max stood from his seat, pushing the chair back into the table. He gestured to the doorway. “I’m gonna go get changed and check on Janie,” he explained.

I nodded. As soon as he had left the kitchen, Jack cocked and eyebrow. “Emma?” he urged.

I sighed as dried my hands and pulled the chair next to Jack’s. “It’s not what you’re thinking,” I stated. “We’ve tried to explain to Janie that Max isn’t really her dad, but she doesn’t quite understand.” Jack didn’t seem to understand either, so I continued.

“It’s just that he was always around. She’s known him her whole life. One day she started calling him Dad. We didn’t say anything at first, but eventually we tried to correct her, we still do, but she doesn’t get it.”

“So, he’s not her father?” Jack asked quietly, as if he were afraid Max would overhear.

I shook my head with a smile on my face. “I told you Jack, I was pregnant when I left here. I didn’t meet Max until a few months later.”

He nodded his head as if he understood, but I wasn’t positive that he did.