The Last Word

April 29 1:45 pm

Peck Memorial

Maxine saw his iron face. It appeared black with small slits for him to see through. His skin glowed and changed colors with the trees, the leaves, and the forest floor. He was nowhere to be found.

She tried to escape, but the path continued to wind and change. She saw fires, heard kids screaming, and watched hulking men raping young girls before a massive bronze altar afire with blue and red flames.

He found her, and his hands grabbed her neck. She tried to fight but couldn't move and couldn't see him enough to attack. All she knew was that she was going to die.

Wake up!

"Hey, hey, Maxie."

A voice jolted her out of the night terror and into sharp focus.

Maxine sat in her hospital bed, sweat soaking her pillow and sheets. Her heart pounded in her chest, causing her heart monitor to alarm.

She panted and gripped the plastic electronic handrails. She threw her blanket off, searching for the nurse's call button, struggling with the bedding.

"Gary?" she said. "What are you doing here? How long have you been here?" asked Max.

Gary Fesenden moved to the right side of the bed and sat next to Maxine's calves.

His attempt to comfort her by rubbing her legs felt more like a calculated move than a genuine act of concern.

"I've been here for thirty minutes or so. I was watching you sleep."

Although her bandages were gone, and she was on the mend, she didn't have her full voice. Despite the lingering pain in her throat, she could now engage in more extensive conversations.

His presence puzzled her, but she had no interest in entertaining him.

"You scared us, you know," he said. "Jeremy and me. We're really worried about you."

Maxine's face twitched as her cheeks lifted. And it didn't stem from the pain. On day six in critical care, he was now showing up. And if Jeremy was so concerned, where was he? Not that it mattered because she was done with him.

"Listen, Maxie," said Gary. "I'm sorry about the past few weeks. We know it isn't your fault that watch command assigned you to that asshole, but we think you should request a new FTO. He's just bad Karma."

Maxine was desperate to find the call button, knowing her heart rate had slowed and nobody was coming anytime soon.

The anger started to rise. Trembling, she felt the burn in her stomach and chest. She had reached the point where she no longer desired to talk to him, much less about Kelly. She hoped her silence would ward him off, but it didn't.

"You don't need him to get ahead."

He tried to catch Maxine's eyes, but she continued to look down at the bedding.

"Your father's name is enough. Kelly can't do anything for you but get you into trouble. I mean, look at you. And what he's done to you."

The more he spoke, the more her anger turned to rage. He had no consideration for her health, her near-death experience, and her general well-being.

"What makes you think I want to get ahead?" she snapped. "And what makes you think I'm using Kelly?"

Thank God. I found you.

Maxine hit the nurse's call button and hoped for an immediate response.

"Maxie, come on," said Gary. "There are a lot of rumors floating around. I've seen you flirt with him and the little touches you give each other. Plus, someone said they saw you making out with him in the back lot after watch."

Maxine gritted her teeth and closed her lips. She breathed from her nose with her eyes shut tight. She wanted to get out of bed and punch him in the throat. And as painful as it was, she knew he wasn't her friend and that he'd been using her.

It was a farce. All of it.

He just wanted to be saddled with someone with power who could accelerate his career to whatever he wanted out of this job.

"And Jeremy is heartbroken," he said. "I mean, he's seen the touches and flirting too. Can you blame him for stepping out on you?"

Maxine struggled to keep her wits. Between the pain and medicine, she felt her heart thrumming as anxiety overtook her.

She hit and held the call button, pleading for someone to answer.

"You're trying to tell me that his cheating is acceptable because?"

Maxine's eyes remained shut. And when he touched her knee, she shuddered, filled with loathing.

She recoiled, her body jerking back in surprise, as she pulled herself away from him. The air was tense, and a faint scent of anxiety lingered in the room. Her eyes fluttered open, revealing a glistening film of tears that blurred her vision.

"Maxie, your father didn't even look at him when he was here. And, honestly, you're raising a few eyebrows about what you and Kelly are doing off-duty. You're getting the reputation of being his badge bunny."

She rolled her head away from him, feeling her throat tighten and her breaths become shallow.

"Were you born this stupid, or did you take lessons?" she snapped. His countenance underwent an immediate change. He stood from the bed and took a step back. His face was blank, his mouth wide open, and his right hand clenched into a fist.

"What, are you waiting for dicks to fall out of the sky?"

He jammed both fists into his pockets, the fabric straining against the force of his anger. The sound of his knuckles meeting his white-washed jeans, a muffled thud punctuating the palpable intensity in the room.

With bulging eyes, he glared at Maxine. His mind swirled, trying to think of a response, but his shock silenced him.

"Can I help you?"

The nurse's voice came through the small plastic remote that contained the call button.

"Yes," said Maxine. "I have an unwanted visitor and need him removed."

"Right away."

Gary stepped to the door, stopped, and started again.

"Wow. You really became just like him and Keegan. If you want to be a slut then go right ahead. It's your new reputation, Maxie. I hope you're happy."

Two nurses rushed through the door and were quick to tell him to leave. But before he did, even though her voice was strained and hurting, she couldn't resist getting in the last word.

"Oh yeah, and Gary," snapped Maxine. "Kelly and I are a thing, and I love him to death. So you can tell your buddy to pound salt. Kelly's twice the man as either of you."