Max grinned, "That would be awesome, any, uh, requirements?" Max asked trying to hide his excitement, and desperation. He really needed a job ASAP. He needed a new car, to pay off his two credit cards, his phone was already six years old, he needed stuff for the apartment, food… everything cost money.
Dillon talked about his time at the call center, he spilled all the tea! When they broke for lunch they ordered pizza delivery. Max had never even heard of salad pizza before, but he was not disappointed.
To Max's surprise… Jake and Jack sat on either side of him, constantly filling his cup with juice or offering him another slice of pizza. They were also ruffling his hair so much he was sure it must be a rats nest by now.
They'd gotten all of the shelves put together, now they were mostly unboxing, washing, and organizing. Dillon was also making a list of things he wanted now that he had more than triple the space of his last apartment. Sadly, the counter space was pretty minimal, so he was considering buying two more of the rolling countertops. He was just waiting for the next holiday sale.
Max could feel them hoping he'd open up about what had scared him. As they sat on the couch Max hugged his legs to his chest. "Uh, it's silly, really." Max admitted, staring at the wall where Dillon had debating placing a TV, if he bought one.
Dillon didn't rush him, signaling to the others to just be patient.
"Uh, my phone, I was uh, ugh, it sounds crazy, I know, but, I was taking bath, and my phone fell. I didn't, uh, think much, but went to wash up, and uh, it was, it was back in the cup." Max explained gripping his pants. Jesus, he sounded like a loony.
Dillon furrowed his brows, "In a cup?" why would anyone put his phone in a cup?
Max flushed, "Uh, I left my speakers behind, so, I was uh, using a cup, to listen to a pod cast. I fell asleep in the tub, but, when I looked the cup was still on the counter, but, but the phone was in the sink. Then, I took a shower to wash off, and, I probably just don't remember moving it, but, after the shower, it was, it was back in the cup." Max had been speaking so fast he could barely understand what he'd said, let alone the others.
Jack furrowed his brows, "What else?" Jack wasn't asking like he was dismissing the phone incident, but that he clearly knew other things had happened.
Max was glad they didn't blow him off, "Uh, I, I had washed some clothes, but didn't have a mat, so I used, uh, two dirty shirts, and turned the fan on, but, I woke up and, and the shirts were gone, and the fan was off. Then I went shopping, someone ate one of my bananas, and, this morning, six potatoes were gone." He rushed out, everyone gazes were becoming more and more concerned.
Jake turned to Dillon, "Does anyone else have a key?"
Dillon shook his head, "Only me, Max, and the landlord, but he's in Europe. Max, did you lock the inside bolt?"
Max nodded, "Yeah, I checked it twice, and the windows, even the one in the bathroom…" His heart was starting to race, it was shady complex, if, if someone knew Dillon had left… they probably didn't see Max as a threat…
Jack held Max's shoulder, "We can check, if someone was in there, we'll find them."
"May, maybe I was sleep walking, I was listening to true crime pod casts, and, and I went to bed a bit hungry after running around all day. I, could have just remembered wrong." Max tried to explain more to himself than to the others. This just sounded crazy… why steal six potatoes?
Dillon squatted down in front of Max, "Are you okay with us coming over? To look around? Actually, Max." Dillon waited for Max to look him in the eyes, "Do you want to go back at all? Don't think about us, are you okay going back?"
Max bit his lip, Jake and Jack looked murderous, which was reassuring, but… he'd been thinking about calling it quits… leaving the apartment… In a perfect world, he could find another motel… "Um, I'm.., not sure." He finally admitted. If the apartment wasn't being broken into… he doubted he could find anything cheaper… and surely nothing nearly as nice…
"Max, don't think about the logistics. Listen to your gut. If you don't want to go back, you can stay here tonight. You can stay until you find another place." Dillon promised solemnly.
Max blinked back the teers threatening to fall. For fucks sake, he'd gone three years without crying, but since finding out Arianna had cheated on him, he felt like he was always on the verge of bursting like a dam. He took a deep breath, taking his time to mull over his answer. He wanted the apartment to be good, he wanted it all just to be a misunderstanding.
"I, I want to, to at least look around, it's been, a crazy few weeks. I really may have just… remembered wrong." Max tried to sound convincing.
"Max, I don't believe you remembered wrong, I don't believe you're scaring yourself. When we figure out who, and what is stealing from you, moving your things around without your permission, they owe you an apology. It doesn't matter what their circumstances are or were. Don't dismiss these very real, very legitimate concerns." Dillon said kindly, but firmly.
Max's nose scrunched, then before he could blink it back, his first teer fell. Then they wouldn't stop. He kept wiping at his face, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I, sob I, I, hick, thought I was, sob going crazy. What, what if someone was watching me? I, I didn't hear them, I didn't hear them in my room, sob, I, I was there, sleeping, sob, and, and they moved my clothes." Max curled in on himself. He'd been naked that first night. Someone had walked within two feet of him, taken his shirts, turned off the fan, while he'd been sleeping naked.
Dillon patted Max's leg while Jake and Jack leaned into his huddled form. Dillon couldn't stop the anger from showing, but he wasn't angry at Max.
Max spent the next twenty minuts crying like a child. Between sobs he continued to babble about things moving, being watched, how he had counted out the potatoes after getting home. He just couldn't stop the flood gates after they'd opened. He'd even started complaining about Arianna starting her affair two years ago, but still accepted his proposal.
As Max started to calm down he hid his face, surely there was a hole big enough for him to hide in. He'd just broken down in front of three almost strangers… they must think he belonged in the loony bin. A grown man, bawling on a strangers couch… of freaking potatoes. Ten pounds had only cost two dollars.
Max jolted when someone started pulling on his hand. As he blearily looked up, Jack was handing him a chilled bottle of water. They all looked… so concerned.
"Sniff, sniff, uh, thanks," Max murmured accepting the opened water bottle to take a few sips. Max couldn't stop fidgeting under their concentrated stares. For the love of all things holy… he was overreacting.
"Max, mate, how about I stay with you tonight? I've got a bat I can leave with you too." Dillon offered after he'd looked around. "I've got a trifold cot, we can also stop by any stores you'd like so you don't have to carry everything back."
The undeserved kindness almost made Max start crying again, had to fight to keep the sob from escaping as he just nodded. If, if someone else saw… then he wasn't crazy.
"We'll check the place out, if someone was in your apartment, we'll find them." Jack added gruffly, his muscles were already straining from the urge to punch someone. Repeatedly. Jake just nodded as he rolled his shoulders.
Dillon felt like a child being escorted home by his teachers. Dillon kept his voice soft, soothing, Max briefly thought he should feel offended that they were treating him like a child, but honestly he just felt… safe. Like someone was really listening to him. Instead of a department store, Jake had them visit a thrift shop.
Max stood stunned… anything he could fit in a regular plastic bag only cost five dollars… there were a few items that had stand alone prices like cell phones or laptops, or large items like couches… Max tried to keep his hands from shaking as Jake and Jack just started throwing things in a cart.
A metal bat, jeans, shirts, drying rack, clothes pins, pots, pans, a toaster. Jake literally picked up a six foot shelf and just walked it out to his truck. Max had to swallow several times, the lady behind the register just called out the price, completely unconcerned they might just make off with everything.
Dillon bumped Max's shoulder with a grin, "She's like their third aunt or something, bring her a caramel macchiato iced, and she'll add you to one of her groups where she takes pictures of really nice donated stuff before its up for sale. Of course, you have to be able to pick it up before opening the next day, but we can make it work. But I didn't tell you that." Dillon added with a conspiratorial wink.
Max nodded as he kept trying to keep from teering up again. He seriously needed to man up, he couldn't keep crying like a baby, crying didn't solve anything damnit.
Jack found a nice coffee table he also walked out to the truck. "Thanks Auntie."
"Uh huh, come over here sweetie," The older tanned women waved him over. Her eyes were also a striking blue, Max could see the family resemblance now that he really looked at her. Her loose bun, glasses, and simple dress made her look like a the lady who'd always bring over a casserole or soup if you were sick.
"Its nice to see Jake and Jack making friends, they scare everyone away. Come sit with me while they load up the truck. Thank heavens! So much stuff in the back just waiting for room. Here, some sweet tea, oh, and biscuits. You can take some when you leave. What's your name sweetie?" She asked bustling around as she pulled max onto a stool behind the glass counter.
Max accepted the cup of iced tea as she offered him a flaky biscuit out of a basket. "I'm uh, Max Ma'am." Max mumbled taking a sip as he flushed.
"Oh Max! That's an adorable name, you can just call me Auntie or Auntie Mellie like the boys do, new to town? Oh heavens, you all look famished, don't tell me you haven't eaten yet sweetie!" Auntie Mellie asked as she passed over a butter knife.
Max accepted the knife as he looked over the half dozen different jams she'd also tucked into the basket. "Uh, we, we ate. Uh, just, you know, a long day."
"Oh sweetie, if you ever need anything you can pop in anytime. Auntie always has something sweet." Mellie added with a playful wink, "Sweets make long days a little better. Oh, you are just adorable, have you come by the lake yet?"
Dillon pretended to look aghast, "Hey! Auntie! You didn't even offer me a biscuit until after I'd started going to the lake parties!"
Mellie shooed him away, "Oh bah, look at you. Blue eyes just like all the boys, but Maxxie here is just adorable. Give Auntie a smile."
Max didn't fight the smile as he blushed.
"Oh look at those eyes! Oh, my sister has a daughter! You two would lovely babies, how old are you sweetie!" Mellie asked pinching his cheek as she found her phone to pull up her niece's picture. "She's playful, but she keeps the boys in line! You have any problems with Jake or Jack and she'll set em straight. Her name's Roxanna, but she goes by Rusty."
Max sat stunned as the phone was almost thrust into his face. Rusty was in overalls posing for the picture. She had a hat with giant animal ears, a victory sign as she smiled. She wasn't as tan as Jake or Jack, but her blue eyes were like the ocean.
Dillon put his hands on his hips, "Hey! You've never offered to introduce me to any of your nieces, it's cause I have blond hair isn't it?" Dillon asked in mock indignation.
Mellie rolled her eyes as she shooed him away again, "Oh be off with you Lynn, is it too much to ask for one green eyed baby! Oh just look at you Maxxie, like spring grass." Mellie continued to fuss as the others loaded up the truck, and Dillon's trunk.
Everything had only cost sixty dollars, but Mellie had insisted that if Max would meet her niece, she'd take only half.
"Deal! We'll bring him to the gym after he settles in more! No take backs, also! We demand a dozen biscuits, and two jars of jam." Dillon announced slapping the glass counter.
"No jam until after they meet, but you can take the rest of the biscuits, don't you be scaring off my green-eyed sweetie now Lynn, I'll bite you!" Mellie laughed handing over the entire basket. Dillon snatched it up, then raised his head high like he'd one a victorious battle.
"I'll do my best! Just have the jam ready Auntie, come along Max, now that I've sold you for a good price its time you also count the spoils." Dillon laughed shoving the basket into the dazed Max's arms, then pushing him out the door as he waved. "Thanks Auntie! You're the best!"
"Uh, thank you! Auntie!" Max added as he was pushed out the door and stuffed into the car. It had all been a whirl… he hadn't even seen most of what he'd bought… thirty dollars… a full truck load, table, shelf… if only he'd waited a day… no. He should be grateful they showed him this place at all. Max made a note to save this place as a favorite in his maps. Thrifty Wolves, he also added a note to bring Auntie Mellie a coffee when he found a good coffee place.
Dillon decided to stop by another grocery store since the Market had already closed. Dillon filled half the cart with food. Dillon had already grabbed cereal, box of sixty eggs, orange juice, gallon of milk, two packs of pork chops, twenty-five-pound bag of rice, cans of soup, nuts, dried fruits, even seaweed strips.
Max was mentally tallying up how much this would all cost, but was grateful he wouldn't have to carry it the almost four miles home on foot. When it was time to pay, Dillon used his own card.
"I'm paying it forward, Max, I should have done this the first night, I just forgot until you said something." Dillon explained with a nostalgic look. Then he chuckled as he patted Max on the shoulder, "Let's boogie, Jake and Jack are waiting at the apartment already."
Max tensed, right, the apartment… the hopefully haunted apartment. Because… if someone was breaking in… Max felt goosebumps rise all over his body.
"Max, we're here with you. I promise, when you find out who's been messing around, you will get that apology." Dillon swore solemnly as he started the car.
Max was holding the basket to his chest, if… if someone was breaking into the apartment… should they call the police? Or, was it because of the area that they didn't bother? Max was silent as they pulled up. Jake and Jack looked ready for war, both holding bats.
Max dropped the keys into Jake's outstretched hand. Everyone who'd been in the second story hallway had retreated as soon as they saw Jake and Jack. Max also realized they were wearing gloves again.