"Hi Vicky!"
"Oh, hey AJ," said the nurse over the phone. "You wanna talk to Max again?"
"If ya please." She put him on hold and AJ waited patiently in his apartment in Orlando, Florida.
"Hi AJ!" greeted a happy voice.
"Wuzzup Max?"
"Nothing...I miss you and the guys though."
AJ sighed and nodded. "Yeah, it's been sooooooo-o-o lonely without seeing you. It's been two and half weeks, I can't believe it!"
Max laughed. "You're making it sound like we haven't seen each other in 2 decades instead of 2 weeks!"
AJ chuckled. "Hey, we'll be coming up tomorrow."
"What? To Atlanta? Here? Tomorrow? All of you?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!" AJ laughed hysterically. He heard Max shrieking and clapping her hands. He guessed he was on speaker phone.
"Oh, that's so awesome! I can't wait to see you!"
"Yeah, we're all SO psyched to see you," he joked sarcastically.
"HEY! That's mean, Alex!" He muffled a sorry. He heard her sighing. "You know, I've been strangely lonely. Sally comes to see me everyday, but I feel so....alone. I don't feel so confident anymore."
AJ frowned. "Remember, no matter how low you feel, don't forget the promise we made. You can NEVER forget it." There was a pause on both phones.
"Don't worry," Max's voice piped up. "I'll never let go."
"Good....oh!" AJ said. "Sally told me tomorrow's your 13th birthday!"
"You got that right!" she said happily. "Since you guys are coming, it'll be the BEST birthday present I'll ever get! I can't wait for tomorrow!"
"Tomorrow, tomorrow. I love you, tomorrow, it's only a day awayyyyy!" sang AJ with his raspy, but yet very romantic voice. Max giggled.
"Hey, can you guys get yourselves to be delivered in a huge box with pretty wrapping? I want you guys to be my real present," she joked.
"Psh! AJ McLean does NOT get delivered in a box," he replied as matter-of-factly as he could. They both laughed. For the next two hours, the two great friends talked about the next day and then got to their problems, crushes, the nasty hospital food, etc.
"Well, I guess I'd better jet," AJ said, exhaustingly. He laughed so hard during their conversation, he was pooped.
"Yeah, ok," replied Max, sounding a little dissapointed.
"See you tomorrow, k? And Happy early birthday from me, AJ Mclean, to you, Maxine Hightower," he said sincerely.
"Thanks, that means a lot to me. Catch ya tomorrow!"
"Love ya!"
"Ditto!"
"Mean it!"
"Hang up, you ninny!" Max laughed.
"After you, Madam!"
"Oh, alright. I'll REALLY see you tomorrow!"
"Bye!"
"Good-bye." They both hung up.