The emotional high after scoring a job, eating cupcakes, and finally having a direction had taken a swift nose dive. "For fucks sake Robby, I'm not twelve. How is Stevie? Does he know when he ships off to boot camp yet?"
For a moment Max regretted snapping back, Robby always had their best interest in mind. He was just so tired of Robby and their mom always bombarding him, over, and over, and over, and over again for hours.
At least Max could snap at Robby, if he snapped at their mother… that just created a whole new set of problems.
"… I'm just worried Maxxie, you've been off grid for two weeks already. Are you coming back tomorrow for dinner?" Robby asked placatingly.
Max leaned back in the chair. "No, I don't have a ride, and I need to get my apartment set up. I'll invite you all for an apartment warming soon. What about Stevie?" He really didn't want to talk to Robby, have the information miscommunicated to everyone else, then have to explain repeatedly. "I'll call tomorrow, while you're with Ma and Stevie, then I'll give you all the tea okay?"
"Okay Max, yeah, Stevie is shipping out on the 3rd, off to Paris Island. The recruiter is super excited about his asfab scores, and his P T times. We plan to have a dinner on the second since he leaves at like, three in the morning." Robby added as both sides backed down.
Max was grateful for the lifeline, "Nyce, I'll have to see what my schedule is like but should be able to make it." They only chatted for another twenty minnuts, mostly about Stevie leaving, and mom's latest potted plant project. After repeated promises to call tomorrow, Robby finally let him escape the call.
As Max walked out, Dillon was still on the patio, phone checking out computer parts. Max knocked lightly on the glass to signal he was done, then went back to folding. Dillon kept up his usual chatter, lightening the soured mood, well, Max's soured mood.
Dillon let him take the remaining three cupcakes, this time they went to another thrift shop that only had clothes. Dillon helped him pick out four nyce shirts he could use for work, along with two pairs of comfortable slacks.
Max spent the night doing laundry, listening to podcasts that made him grateful to be alive. He decided to sleep early… he just wasn't motivated to do much else…
Max had weird dreams again, the frog had been obsessively counting doors. That was weird, yeah, but each door had just been floating in a forest as some of the other dolls would make quick appearances. Max must have been subconsciously thinking about that bell sound, or the dolls.
Max spent the day cleaning around the apartment, nothing major, just clothes, dishes, dusting some of the harder to reach places. This small, cozy apartment was starting to feel like home… home. Such an abstract concept, he'd rarely referred to his previous apartments as home. Now that he wasn't constantly telling himself that every little mole hill was actually an insurmountable mountain, he was able to relax. Enjoy his sad attempt at microwaved coffee because he once again had forgotten to snag a coffee maker.
Max laid out on his living room floor, coffee ground settling in his cup as he enjoyed sunlight warming the room.
His peaceful indulgence was jarringly interrupted as Robby's ringtone blared like a siren. Max closed his eyes as he accepted the call.
"Hey Scrub! We're all here!" Robby called out in an overly excited manner.
"Hey Honey! Is now a good time?" Their mother called cheerfully.
"Hey Loser, finally not hiding under a rock?" Stevie teased languidly.
Max could hear cutlery, as well as imagine Stevie sipping on his signature kraken and coke. "Hey all, hey Mom. Hope dinner went well." Max wasn't surprised his father wasn't on the call. Probably at another bar, anyway, one less thing to be worried about.
"Oh Honey it was great, our famous lemon chicken. So! You have a new apartment! Tell us all about it!" His mother asked.
"Scrub! Turn on your camera! Give us the grand tour!" Robby cut in.
Max kept his sigh internal as he sat up. He'd hoped Robby would take the hint since he only accepted the voice call, but… well Robby was as stubborn as the day was long. "Give me a sec, I'm still moving in so its pretty empty. Going to take a while since I don't have a new car yet." Max added as he turned his camera on, pointing it around the room for them to see the small space.
"Oh! It's so neat! I love that window! Oh turn back, are those floating shelves?" His mother crooned as Max continued to slowly turn.
"Dang, it's a nyce place! How much is the rent? Bruh… do you have dolls?" Stevie asked not bothering to hide the laughter in his voice.
Max rolled his eyes as he turned the image so they could see him, "They came with the apartment, I was told they were the only things I couldn't remove without the landlords permission."
"They're cursed," Stevie announced holding up his glass. "At least they don't look like Chucky, how big is the place?"
"A little over three hundred square feet," Max continued to show the apartment off, showing them his hanging laundry, the dryer, the new computer. The conversation lasted well over two hours. Thankfully, none of them pushed for more details or asked about Arianna. They chatted a little about Stevie shipping off soon, how he was starting orientation Monday.
Honestly, he wasn't a bad chat with his family. They all took turns talking, updating each other, well mostly updating Max since he'd basically gone off grid the last few weeks.
Max refused to give the address out, at least for now. At the almost three hour mark, they all agreed to have another conversation next week.
The next week really was a blur, everything was happening so fast. Orientation was a bit dull, lasting three days. Then he had Thursday off, finally snagging a coffee pot. Dillon had kept in touch with text mostly, as he was also starting his new job, getting used to having his own team.
Jake and Jack had swung by with a really nice mahogany entertainment center that had been donated to the thrift shop. They'd also checked the apartment out, making sure all the windows were still locked. Jake kept walking back to the shelf with the dolls, half glaring, half puzzled staring.
Friday he went back to the main hospital, signed his contract, was issued a binder, badge, fitted for a headset, given an evaluation test of his typing accuracy, speed, short hand, and familiarity with their programs. Max had never used "Epic" before, but they weren't disappointed. Several of the new hires had never used it before.
Lastly, Director Erika had come by to give him his schedule. He would be working Sunday through Thursday until he was "floor" ready. If he wasn't able to be released after six weeks, they would let him go. Max was both nervous and pumped. He would rock this.
Max was a little sad he'd bought such nice clothes… apparently, as long as he wasn't on front rotation, he could show up in causal, comfortable clothes. Each section would rotate bimonthly, so if patients came to the call center or walk in portion, only one section might be pulled to the front to assist. Max wouldn't be on front rotation for at least three months, still, he decided to dress semi professionally during his training. His slacks were comfortable… it would be a waste if he only wore them for his interview.
His dreams continued to feature the dolls, but were all harmless, at least he wasn't being chased by a hungry dog, or running from a stampede of horses.
His mother had been a little more persistent about coming to see his apartment, but she didn't drive. Since Max didn't have a car, he couldn't pick her up, not to mention Stevie was packing his belongings for long term storage so she was helping him out most days.
Robby waited for the other two to leave the call before asking how things were going. Max sighed, after nearly half an hour giving up.
"I'll shoot you the address next week, I'll have Saturday off so I'll be able to see Stevie off, then you can come see the place in person, okay?" This would give Max another week of peace. He just needed some space.
"Okay! Okay! Yeash, Max, you're just so secretive. You hardly spoke about work, we're just worried." Robby continued to say.
Max lay on his bed exhausted. If they said one more time they were worried, he would go insane. It came out almost every other sentence. "I'm fine Robby, seriously. I just need some space. I'm not social like you guys are. Is it too much to ask you guys to leave me alone to lick my wounds?" Max was really trying not to get frustrated. It was just a vicious cycle.
Max wanted time to process his feelings about Arianna, to find a new place, to start a new chapter. Yet his mom and Robby were constantly analyzing everything on the spot. Neither of them could sleep on their emotions. Heck, half the time, they would try and tell Max how he felt.
Honestly, he felt like a turtle trying to communicate with rabbits. They didn't understand his need to swim, and he didn't understand their need to sit on their haunches. Running from predators, dig burrows, eat carrots, all makes sense. He just wanted to swim alone, enjoy the open waters in solitude, but they would surround him, smother him with cuddles.
"Max, you just went off grid, didn't say anything to anyone. We didn't even know you'd moved, I didn't even know your car was totaled. You just took off. What if something happened to you? You weren't answering your phone, didn't log in to your socials, of course we're trying to respect your boundaries, but we need to know you're safe bruh." Robby said with a long sigh. "You always have a bed here with us, any of us. Dude, it's like… like you don't trust us."
Max didn't voice his frustration, he knew he could have stayed with them. But then the questions would never end. The walking on egg shells, the subtle prompts about how he was doing, how he felt, what about his jobs, his friends, how he was going to handle Arianna.
"Robby I do trust you, I just need space. I need to know after a long day, when I come home, I can just shower and relax. Not play host for hours. I'm sorry I didn't say anything before I went off grid, I just needed time to process that my car was wrecked, and that my fiancé was sucking her ex off when it happened okay? Not exactly a relaxing conversation." Max explained with forced patience.
"Max, then you don't trust us. Any of us would have taken you in, and let you be. Not worried sick you might be dead in some ditch." Robby shot back.
Max wanted to suffocate himself with a pillow, "Hey, I've got some chores to do, I'll text you later. Love you Robby."
"Max, you're just running away again, this is exactly why we get worried. You don't talk to us. I'm your big brother,"
"Love you Robby, text you when I have time, it's already after nine, if I want clean clothes I have to do them now." Max didn't wait for Robby to say anything as he hung up. Max rolled over, screaming into his pillow. After a deep breath, he screamed again.
Max rolled over, pillow clutched to his chest to stare at the ceiling. Dillon was coming over Saturday to sign over the apartment. Tomorrow, he was coming over tomorrow. Max glanced at his bank account… less than three hundred dollars. He'd get a partial paycheck next week, then would be able to tell how much he made after taxes. He also had to sign up for health insurance… ugh. Good thing his old job provided health insurance until the end of the month. This way he wouldn't lapse.
He was still waiting on news about his car, he'd have to call, again. Max sighed, things were falling into place, a job, place to liv, the bus route. There were things he still had to man up and get done though. Just… not today. Today he was going to watch a movie, eat popcorn, and just relax after that abysmal conversation.