Page 33 of On The Run

Max’s expression was tight. “Yeah, it’s fine. I was just going to ask you something, but it can wait.”

I tilted my head. “Are you sure?” I was wracking my brain trying to think what it could be, but nothing was coming to mind.

“Yeah. I’m sure. Come on. Let’s head back before Laura starts to give me crap for how long we were away.”

Max started walking without another word. After a second, I followed him.What was that all about?I shrugged and let it go. I was the last person to give someone crap for keeping things from me. When Max wanted to tell me, he would.

When we got back, everyone quieted, watching us, and heat crept up my face. Max just rolled his eyes and ignored his family. I met Pops’s eyes. He looked happy, but I could see how exhausted he was. We had to get going.

It took longer than I expected to finally leave. Everyone hugged us both goodbye, Max’s mother hugging us both twice. And then she insisted on piling us down with leftovers to take home. Then Gray woke up and wanted to say goodbye. Finally, though, we made our way out of the yard.

Pops could barely keep his eyes open by the time we got to the car, and he was shivering. Fuck, we stayed way too long. I cranked up the heat and grabbed the blanket from the back seat, throwing it over him. “Pops, why didn’t you tell me you were struggling? We could have left earlier.”

I was wallowing in guilt by the time I pulled out to the main road. This was what I got for letting Max distract me. I should have been paying better attention to Pops.

Pops noticed me self-destructing before him and squeezed my thigh. His grip was weak, only making me feel shittier. “A, that’s the happiest I think I’ve ever seen you. This cancer thing already consumes too much of our lives. I’m not going to let it take the little bit of happiness you allow yourself to have.”

For the second time today, I was blinking back tears, and it took all my concentration to focus on the road. “Pops—” I began, but he cut me off.

“No, A. Despite what you think, most days, I am a grown man capable of my own decisions. If I’d needed to leave, I would have. I didn’t. But you needed tonight, and I’m happy I was able to give it to you.”

I couldn’t seem to form a logical sentence, so I didn’t say anything for a long time. Neither did Pops. I knew he understood I needed some time to process everything.

Finally, right before we made it home, I could spit out some words. “I really like him,” I blurted.

Pops’s head rolled toward me. His eyes had been closed, but I could see them open when I glanced over. He smiled tiredly at me. “I know, A. He really likes you too.”

“I’m scared,” I admitted.

Pops looked sad, even if he was still smiling. “I know, A. I’m scared too.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I stayed quiet. I pulled up to the front of our house and helped Pops in. Once I got him to his bedroom, he collapsed in bed, exhausted. He could barely help me take off his clothes and get the covers on him, but I managed.

Once he was settled, I got up to leave, but he gently touched my cheek. “I love you, A.”

“I love you too, Pops.”

“I just want you to be happy.”

Fuck, I would not cry again. I wouldn’t.

“I know.”

“Max makes you happy, sweetheart.” I didn’t know if Pops had any other words of wisdom because he promptly passed out. I was left standing there with my thoughts swirling around in my brain and an itch right under my skin, the only sounds were my heavy breathing and Pops’s soft snores.

Even hours later, when I managed to drag myself out of his bedroom and into my own, his words were living rent free in the front of my mind.Max makes you happy, sweetheart. Well, if that was true, then why was I so fucking terrified?

Chapter15

Aiden

Aiden: Hi, I know this is sudden, but there’s this big event for kids at the library in about an hour. I’m sure you’re probably busy, and this is dumb, but if you’re around, you should bring Gray by. They’re gonna read some books, have a scavenger hunt, and there’s a bunch of snacks. No pressure though ??.

My hands shookas I quickly hit send and shoved my phone in my pocket before I could obsess over it. I hadn’t volunteered at the library in weeks, not since I got the news about Pops’s prognosis and begged Margie for full-time hours at the café. It still wasn’t enough, but it was better than nothing. I considered quitting school as well, but Pops convinced me to at least finish the semester, and since it was paid for already, it made sense.

But last night, the head librarian called me in a panic. They were hosting this big county-wide event for kids and I guessed a couple of the volunteers backed out last minute. I had a rare day off from the café and really missed volunteering, so I agreed to help them out. I then proceeded to spend the rest of the night convincing myself to invite Max and Gray to come.

I wrote that text at least a dozen times last night and ended up erasing it each time. I kept imagining Max watching the little three dots appearing and then disappearing on his screen, wondering what the hell I was doing. But that would have meant that he was staring at our text thread, which, of course, he wasn’t. So at least, hopefully, he couldn’t see how insane I was.

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