asked politely, “Do you want to give the crutches a try?”
“ Sure.” I took the crutches and made my way awkwardly up the steps. Seth followed a few feet behind me, to make sure I didn’t crash. As he stood a few feet inside my house, I could tell he wanted to help me, he wanted to reach out to me.
“ I’m going upstairs. I’ll be fine, Seth. Thanks for all your help. I really think it would be best if we don’t see each other for a while.”
“ Whatever you want, take your time. Give me a call when you want to see me again. I’ll be patient. Like I told you - I love you enough for both of us. When the realization hits you that you’ve made a huge mistake, call me. I promise not to hold any grudges.” Seth made an effort to kiss my mouth, but I turned my head again, so he kissed my cheek and gave my shoulders a gentle squeeze. Then his phrase that I have become so accustomed to was whispered one final time in my ear, “I miss you already.”
Had last night not happened, had I not been so completely convinced that I had found the one person in the world I was truly destined for, my exchange with Seth would have likely brought me to tears.
But last night did happen. I know Max and I were brought together by something so much more powerful than a simple accident. I felt terrible for hurting Seth. I knew this was something I should have done years ago; Seth deserved someone who could love him equally. It was selfish of me to keep leading him on. One day he would appreciate that I was finally honest with him.
That day was not today.
Chapter Eight
I found my mom in the kitchen having just unloaded the last of the flowers. “If you are feeling up to it, I think it would be a good idea to send thank-you notes for all the flowers.”
Appreciative of the distraction, “Sounds good.” I hobbled awkwardly to the bouquet from Melissa that had been by my bed in the hospital. I pulled the card that was in the card holder and panic hit me. Max’s card wasn’t there! Where was it? The memory of hearing his answering machine and me throwing his card away came into focus. I was furious with myself. What an idiot! How was I going to call him? Max didn’t have my number. I hid the dread I was suddenly feeling so my mom wouldn’t see. “I’m going to go up to my room to write the thank-you notes, okay?”
My mom turned around, “It’s okay with me. Can you navigate the steps?”
“ We’ll know in a minute. If you hear me falling, we’ll both know I can’t,” I replied with a smile, hoping my humor camouflaged my frustration. She chuckled back at me as I collected all the mini cards from the card holders in the flower arrangements.
“ I’ve put all the cards and letters that came in the mail in your room. There must be fifty in the pile. I’ll run out and buy some more thank-you cards.”
I made it up the steps without incident. I lay on my bed and reached for my phone and dialed information. The automated attendant transferred me to a real person and the directory assistance human cheerfully informed me of seventeen listings for Max Meyers in the Charleston area. Having no idea where Max lived, I asked, “Could you give me all seventeen numbers?”
The human stated, “I can give you five.” She rattled off the first five numbers of the seventeen. I dialed the first number and got an answering machine. I hung up without leaving a message, knowing that it wasn’t the same answering machine I had heard a couple days ago.
When I tried the second number, a lady picked up on the second ring. “Hi, this is Lauren, I’d like to speak with Max?” The lady answered, “This is Max.”
I know I sounded a little flustered when I asked, “I’m sorry, this is Max Meyer?”
She answered, “Yes, Maxine Meyer.”
“ I am so sorry, I have the wrong number. We both hung up, and I called the other three
“ Sure.” I took the crutches and made my way awkwardly up the steps. Seth followed a few feet behind me, to make sure I didn’t crash. As he stood a few feet inside my house, I could tell he wanted to help me, he wanted to reach out to me.
“ I’m going upstairs. I’ll be fine, Seth. Thanks for all your help. I really think it would be best if we don’t see each other for a while.”
“ Whatever you want, take your time. Give me a call when you want to see me again. I’ll be patient. Like I told you - I love you enough for both of us. When the realization hits you that you’ve made a huge mistake, call me. I promise not to hold any grudges.” Seth made an effort to kiss my mouth, but I turned my head again, so he kissed my cheek and gave my shoulders a gentle squeeze. Then his phrase that I have become so accustomed to was whispered one final time in my ear, “I miss you already.”
Had last night not happened, had I not been so completely convinced that I had found the one person in the world I was truly destined for, my exchange with Seth would have likely brought me to tears.
But last night did happen. I know Max and I were brought together by something so much more powerful than a simple accident. I felt terrible for hurting Seth. I knew this was something I should have done years ago; Seth deserved someone who could love him equally. It was selfish of me to keep leading him on. One day he would appreciate that I was finally honest with him.
That day was not today.
Chapter Eight
I found my mom in the kitchen having just unloaded the last of the flowers. “If you are feeling up to it, I think it would be a good idea to send thank-you notes for all the flowers.”
Appreciative of the distraction, “Sounds good.” I hobbled awkwardly to the bouquet from Melissa that had been by my bed in the hospital. I pulled the card that was in the card holder and panic hit me. Max’s card wasn’t there! Where was it? The memory of hearing his answering machine and me throwing his card away came into focus. I was furious with myself. What an idiot! How was I going to call him? Max didn’t have my number. I hid the dread I was suddenly feeling so my mom wouldn’t see. “I’m going to go up to my room to write the thank-you notes, okay?”
My mom turned around, “It’s okay with me. Can you navigate the steps?”
“ We’ll know in a minute. If you hear me falling, we’ll both know I can’t,” I replied with a smile, hoping my humor camouflaged my frustration. She chuckled back at me as I collected all the mini cards from the card holders in the flower arrangements.
“ I’ve put all the cards and letters that came in the mail in your room. There must be fifty in the pile. I’ll run out and buy some more thank-you cards.”
I made it up the steps without incident. I lay on my bed and reached for my phone and dialed information. The automated attendant transferred me to a real person and the directory assistance human cheerfully informed me of seventeen listings for Max Meyers in the Charleston area. Having no idea where Max lived, I asked, “Could you give me all seventeen numbers?”
The human stated, “I can give you five.” She rattled off the first five numbers of the seventeen. I dialed the first number and got an answering machine. I hung up without leaving a message, knowing that it wasn’t the same answering machine I had heard a couple days ago.
When I tried the second number, a lady picked up on the second ring. “Hi, this is Lauren, I’d like to speak with Max?” The lady answered, “This is Max.”
I know I sounded a little flustered when I asked, “I’m sorry, this is Max Meyer?”
She answered, “Yes, Maxine Meyer.”
“ I am so sorry, I have the wrong number. We both hung up, and I called the other three
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