they be going to their parents?”
“Of course, that’s exactly what I encourage them to do, but sometimes they need an outside perspective, or maybe their parents are the problem. And, let’s face it, not all parents are around these days. A lot of teens have to make too many difficult decisions on their own, and they don’t always make the best ones.”
“And you really think I can help them?” she asked doubtfully.
“I think you have a huge heart and a good head on your shoulders. Of course you can help. And if you’re at a loss, send them to me.”
She nodded. “You’re definitely the better bet.”
“Not always,” he said, that sad, distant expression back in his eyes.
“Caleb?”
“What?” he asked, avoiding her gaze, a sure sign that she was treading back into territory he didn’t want to explore.
“There is something you’re keeping from me. I can see it in your eyes. It’s something that’s really weighing on you.”
“My problem, not yours,” he insisted.
“I could have said the same thing when you pushed your way into my life,” she reminded him.
He chuckled. “You did. Several times, as a matter of fact.”
“And remember what you did?” she asked. “You kept right on pushing.” She smiled at him cheerfully. “Consider this payback time.”
Caleb looked a little shaken by her response. Good, she thought. Maybe he’d open up sooner if he figured out that there was no way around it.
Caleb had known Amanda wasn’t going to let him get away with avoiding her questions forever. Her showing up at the church had proved just how well he understood her. He thought, though, he’d done a halfway-decent job of distracting her this time. He wasgoing to have to get a whole lot better if he was to keep the situation with Max from her.
He had dropped in on Max several times since the night Max had mixed up the days and then brought him Coke instead of coffee. He still wasn’t absolutely certain both things hadn’t been innocent mistakes, but he was worried just the same.
So far, on most of his visits nothing had seemed amiss. In fact, Big Max seemed so perfectly normal that Caleb was beginning to think he’d made too much of the earlier incidents. There could be a dozen different reasons for the old man to be having an off night. None of them had to be dire.
Still, he kept going back.
Tonight he’d barely set foot in the door when Big Max pointed him toward a chair.
“Sit,” he ordered. “Would you mind telling me what the hell you think you’re up to?”
Caleb flinched. He thought he’d done a better job of dreaming up excuses to stop by. Apparently Big Max wasn’t buying any of them. Still, he hedged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure you do. You’ve been sniffing around out here like a dog on a scent. If you’ve got a genuine reason for being underfoot every time I turn around, it’s time you told me.”
Caleb debated how straightforward to be, especially in light of there having been no new incidents when Max seemed especially confused. He opted for being candid.
“You worried me a couple of weeks ago,” he admitted. “You seemed a little confused.”
Max regarded him blankly. “Confused how?”
“Not knowing what day of the week it was. Bringing me a soda when you left the room to get me coffee.”
The air seemed to go out of Max. “I knew I’d gotten that wrong,” he said, looking shaken. “But you didn’t say anything, so I thought maybe it was okay.”
“Then you’ve noticed things, too,” Caleb said gently. “Have there been any other incidents of forgetfulness?”
“Nothing I couldn’t explain away,” Max said defensively. “You’re making a mountain out of a molehill.”
Caleb didn’t intend to let him off the hook that easily. “Have you seen a doctor, Max?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Same reason most people don’t go, I imagine. I don’t want to know the truth. If I’ve got that
“Of course, that’s exactly what I encourage them to do, but sometimes they need an outside perspective, or maybe their parents are the problem. And, let’s face it, not all parents are around these days. A lot of teens have to make too many difficult decisions on their own, and they don’t always make the best ones.”
“And you really think I can help them?” she asked doubtfully.
“I think you have a huge heart and a good head on your shoulders. Of course you can help. And if you’re at a loss, send them to me.”
She nodded. “You’re definitely the better bet.”
“Not always,” he said, that sad, distant expression back in his eyes.
“Caleb?”
“What?” he asked, avoiding her gaze, a sure sign that she was treading back into territory he didn’t want to explore.
“There is something you’re keeping from me. I can see it in your eyes. It’s something that’s really weighing on you.”
“My problem, not yours,” he insisted.
“I could have said the same thing when you pushed your way into my life,” she reminded him.
He chuckled. “You did. Several times, as a matter of fact.”
“And remember what you did?” she asked. “You kept right on pushing.” She smiled at him cheerfully. “Consider this payback time.”
Caleb looked a little shaken by her response. Good, she thought. Maybe he’d open up sooner if he figured out that there was no way around it.
Caleb had known Amanda wasn’t going to let him get away with avoiding her questions forever. Her showing up at the church had proved just how well he understood her. He thought, though, he’d done a halfway-decent job of distracting her this time. He wasgoing to have to get a whole lot better if he was to keep the situation with Max from her.
He had dropped in on Max several times since the night Max had mixed up the days and then brought him Coke instead of coffee. He still wasn’t absolutely certain both things hadn’t been innocent mistakes, but he was worried just the same.
So far, on most of his visits nothing had seemed amiss. In fact, Big Max seemed so perfectly normal that Caleb was beginning to think he’d made too much of the earlier incidents. There could be a dozen different reasons for the old man to be having an off night. None of them had to be dire.
Still, he kept going back.
Tonight he’d barely set foot in the door when Big Max pointed him toward a chair.
“Sit,” he ordered. “Would you mind telling me what the hell you think you’re up to?”
Caleb flinched. He thought he’d done a better job of dreaming up excuses to stop by. Apparently Big Max wasn’t buying any of them. Still, he hedged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure you do. You’ve been sniffing around out here like a dog on a scent. If you’ve got a genuine reason for being underfoot every time I turn around, it’s time you told me.”
Caleb debated how straightforward to be, especially in light of there having been no new incidents when Max seemed especially confused. He opted for being candid.
“You worried me a couple of weeks ago,” he admitted. “You seemed a little confused.”
Max regarded him blankly. “Confused how?”
“Not knowing what day of the week it was. Bringing me a soda when you left the room to get me coffee.”
The air seemed to go out of Max. “I knew I’d gotten that wrong,” he said, looking shaken. “But you didn’t say anything, so I thought maybe it was okay.”
“Then you’ve noticed things, too,” Caleb said gently. “Have there been any other incidents of forgetfulness?”
“Nothing I couldn’t explain away,” Max said defensively. “You’re making a mountain out of a molehill.”
Caleb didn’t intend to let him off the hook that easily. “Have you seen a doctor, Max?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Same reason most people don’t go, I imagine. I don’t want to know the truth. If I’ve got that
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