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Chapter Five: The First Day Back

Max woke up the next morning, oddly refreshed. She heard motion outside and decided instead of laying around all day she should probably get up. However, the problem with sleeping so soundly is that she often woke up forgetting about the baby and was always rudely awakened when getting out of the bed was an actual physical challenge. �Gone are the days fighting the reds, hey little one.� Max rubbed her stomach and stretched her back. �Let�s go see what your pops is doing?�

Logan was sitting at the table drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. �Anything good?� Max asks as she pulls up a chair and smiles at him.

�Good morning.� Logan quickly looked up and said, then proceeded to go back to his reading.

�Morning. So what you reading?� She knew that there was going to be tension between the two, but somehow in her sleep she imagined that this morning would be easier, that he would have slept off some of his anger. That wasn�t happening though, so far their conversation was incredibly stilted and she had a feeling that it was going to get better.

�The usual media fluff. Hungry?� He didn�t even look at her when he asked.

�Not really.�

�You need to eat something. Would you like a fritatta?�

�Logan you don�t have to cook for me.� Max was really not comfortable with the whole vibe that he was giving of.

�You need to eat and I like to cook. So let me cook you something for breakfast. A fritatta will be good for you, protein and vegetables.� Logan went to the refrigerator and picked out several ingredients. He then poured her a glass of orange juice. Max started to get up to get the glass. �Sit.� Logan ordered her. �Sam says that you need to stay off of your feet. So let me serve you, okay?�

�Okay.� Max sat back down, even though she didn�t like to be ordered around. �So how are you?�

�Fine and you. Any contractions?� Logan asked.

�None this morning.� �Of course,� she thought, �let�s not ask how I am doing, let�s make sure that the baby is fine. Typical, always concerned about everyone else.�

�That�s good.� Logan was whipping up his little creation. Max got up, she never was very good at following orders.

�That smells really good.� She walks over and stands close to him, her stomach barely touching his side as she leans over and stares at the creation on the stove. �So this is what a fritatta looks like?�

�Yeah.� Logan shifted a little, obviously uncomfortable with Max�s closeness.

�I missed your culinary creations.� Max was trying to talk to him, trying to get him open up or at least be a little more normal. She knew from personal experience that he always eased up a little when she was close to him. But every time she moved closer, he moved away or fidgeted. Logan wasn�t going to let her get off easily.

�Here go sit down.� He pointed back to the table.

�Yes sir.� Max gave him a mock salute, smiling and then went back to the table. She watched as Logan flipped the frittata onto a plate and then brought it over to her.

�Enjoy.� He sat it down and then returned back to his seat and opened up his paper and continued reading.

�So how goes the world?� She wanted him to answer at least one of her questions. But he didn�t say anything. �This is really good.� Taking another bite as she said that. The moments of silence as she chewed were starting to wear on her. She could take the silent treatment from mostly anyone, just not Logan Cale. �You know I always thought that you missed your calling and should have become a professional chef.� She laughed, but he still wasn�t biting. �Maybe pre-pulse you could have opened a restaurant and served your gourmet cuisine. You know call it something like �Cale�s House of Grub� or something. Where did you learn to cook like this? I mean is it instinct or did you take a class?� Max was rambling, hoping at least he would tell her to shut up. �So is this how it�s going to be, are you going to be that immature and not talk to me?�

�What do you want me to say?� He didn�t look up when he asked this.

�I don�t know, say anything. Say that you missed me, ask me why? Yell at me, just say something. Silence from you is like nails on a chalkboard� Max voice raised slightly. Logan looked up at that.

�I am not allowed to yell at you.� He simply stated and then got up and walked into his office, shutting the door behind him.

Max just stared at the closed door. He was going to make her pay, she thought. Not by yelling but by silence. �Why am I here? I was safer in Canada in some foreign hospital where they were poking me full of needles,� she thought. Max looked up out of her thoughts when she heard the sound of the door closing. Maybe Cindy or Kendra had called out of work.

�Morning Max.� Bling said cheerfully as he walked into the kitchen.

�Morning Bling.� Max smiled. At least somebody was happy to see me.

�We didn�t do this properly yesterday. Welcome home.� He said as he came around her and gave her a bear hug and a kiss on the cheek.

�What was that for?� Max smiled, she was getting girlie, she hated when she got girlie.

�That was because I missed you and am glad that you are back. Maybe things can get back to normal around here.�

�At least somebody missed me, that�s good to know.� The bitterness seeped through the optimism of her words.

�Aghh. So was that what you were thinking about when I came in?� Bling smiled. �Don�t let his stubbornness get the best of you. Besides don�t let him fool you, he missed you too.� Bling yelled the last part so that Logan could hear it. Max laughed. �So how are you and the little one feeling today?�

�Good. She�s being rather calm this morning.�

��She� now does that mean that we know it�s a she?�

�I think it is. The doctor in Vancouver kept saying it was anyhow. Besides don�t you think it sounds better calling it a
�she� rather than an �it?��

�I think a name sounds better.�

�Don�t have one yet.�

�Don�t have one? You are due in how many days and you haven�t
picked out a name?�

�Bling has anyone told you that sometimes you act like a girl?�

�My sisters do all the time.�

�You have sisters. I didn�t know that.�

�Yeah I have six sisters, who each have approcimately 3.5 children.�

�That�s a lot of kids.�

�Yeah, well let�s just say that Christmas time is always a strain on the wallet. But come Christmas morning, the look on all of their faces makes it worth the strain. So back to you, I went to my oldest sister�s house and brought you back some stuff that might be useful.� Bling went to get the bag that he had brought and handed it over to her. Max eagerly looked through it. �This is just some spur of the moment stuff that I thought you might like to have now.�

�Thanks.� Max pulled out some of the stuff. There was a book about what to expect when your expecting, than some naming books.

�Hence the name question.� She said as she pulled them out. He had also brought some blankets, some cloth diapers with pens and a couple of outfits. �Thank you. That was really sweet of you. I actually hadn�t gotten anything yet.�

�Really?� Bling was surprised at that. Just then Logan came out.

�Morning. I brought Max some stuff from my sister�s.�

�Which one?� Logan asked as he went to refill his coffee.

�Carrie.�

�That was nice of you.�

�He got me a name book.� Max smiled up at Logan and for the first time he smiled back. Max wondered if he was doing it for show. �Should we think about names?� Max very carefully used the plural.

�You might want to start doing that.� And Logan very quickly changed it back to singular.

�Let see, well the doctor�s seem to think that it�s a girl. So I want something strong, yet pretty. How about Kennedy?�

�That would go with your superiority complex.� Logan teased, Max pouted.

�How about Zo�? It�s the Greek expression for �life.� I like that. Or how about Mackenzie, it means �fire born?�� Or how about Emma? Or Alexis? Or Rebecca? What do you think?�

�You might want to meet her first before you choose.� Bling answered.

�Emma is nice, though. Hey, Logan what was your mother�s name?� Max asked, again trying to draw him in.

�My mother?� Logan asked curiously.

�Yeah, what was your mother�s name?�

�Lindsay.�

�Lindsay Cale, I like that. What was her maiden name?�

�Hoffman. She went by Lindsay Hoffman Cale. You know Max, Bling is right you really should wait until after she is born to think of names.� Logan was a little uncomfortable with her line of questioning. He couldn�t decided whether she was completely clueless or just plain cruel.

�Okay, but I can at least keep thinking, right?�

�Whatever you want. I need to run out for a little while, do you need me to pick you up anything while I�m out.� Logan said as he got up from the table. Just then the doorbell rang. Logan went to answer it. �Hey.� He said as he let Original Cindy in.

�How�s my boo doing this morning?� She said as she walked in.

�What do you think of Miya?� Max asked.

�Bling got her a name book.� Logan whispered to Cindy. �So I am heading out, you sure you don�t want anything?� He asked one last time.

�Logan, I�m not staying. I�m just here to drop off something for Max.� Cindy said before Logan left.

�That should be fine. Bling you�re staying, right?�

�I don�t need a baby-sitter.� Max mumbled.

�We�ll be fine.� Bling smiled as he said this. It was very obvious that Max was not exactly happy about the way Logan was treating her.

�Bye all.� Logan said one last time before he actually left finally. Bling walked into another room, letting Cindy and Max have some time alone.

�So what did you bring me?� Max asked not really paying much attention to LOgan leaving.

�Kendra got you some clothes together.� Cindy replied and set the bag down so that Max could look. �She thinks that some of these may fit.�

�Good. Did she happen to put pants in there?�

�I believe that she put a pair of overalls. So how are you doing?� Cindy asked slightly laughing as Max searched through the bag.

�Fine and dandy.� Max began pulling out some shirts. �Couldn�t you have given me some clothes?� She whined.

�We thought hers might be a little more comfortable. So how are you and Logan doing?�

�Oh, you mean besides the fact that he hardly can speak to me?�

�That good, huh.�

�Yep.� Max pulled out the pair of overalls and a purple sparkly shirt. �So what do you think?�

�Sexy. Max, about Logan just give him some time, okay. He�ll get back to normal soon enough.�

�I don�t think so. Logan has a tendency to hold grudges.�

�But not with you. With you he melts fairly easily.�

�Yeah, right.�

�No seriously. When Marie called and he heard your name you could tell he was concerned. And when we needed to borrow his car, he had absolutely no objections. And even when we brought you here, he never stomped his feet. He is pretty willing to give you any help that he can.�

�It�s just the silent treatment that he gives to make me pay for leaving.�

�What were you expecting?�

�I don�t know.� Max mumbled.

�The truth is you were never expecting to face the situation at all, were you?�

�Maybe...�

�Do you think that maybe he is more mad that you ran than anything else? Because you don�t like to face tough emotional situations and your gut always tells you to leave. Maybe he was mad because he thought that you were beyond that with him. That he thought that you trusted him and counted on him.�

�I never promised him that I wasn�t going to run again.�

�Didn�t you?� Cindy asked.

�Of all people, he was the one who knew how precarious my situation was. How I may need to run at the drop of a hat? So why was this so hard for him to understand?� Max was mad but she was more angry because she knew that Cindy was right. Logan wasn�t necessarily mad that she had run, but mad that she left without seeing him.

�Two reasons: You two were in a relationship and you were carrying his child. Wouldn�t you be mad if he had left you without saying goodbye?�

�Different thing entirely. Besides he didn�t know about the baby.�

�You think he didn�t. Maybe not consciously, but I bet you somewhere in his testosterone instincts he knew that you two had created a child.�

�Doesn�t show it.�

�Your expecting a little too much out of him, right now. Give him time.�

�Do you really think that he will come around?�

�Yeah, I do. He missed you a lot. No matters what he might say now. Man�s just got a lot of issues and questions running through his mind, that he needs to think about. But don�t you worry, he�ll be there for you when you need him.� Cindy then looked at your watch. �I got to be going or else Normal is going to have another fit. I will be by after work okay. You keep your chin up and relax a bit.� Cindy got up and gave Max a hug before leaving. Max laughed, she had noticed ever since she started to showing that apparently she was much more huggable because people kept hugging her.

Max then took the clothes and went into the bathroom to take a shower and change. The clothes barely fit, you could see a little of skin from her belly due to the shirt and the overalls were pulled fairly tightly around the same area. But besides all that, they felt good and she felt normal. She puller her hair up into a a funky pony tail bun thing. Lately, she couldn�t stand to have her hair on her neck. The baby had resumed her daily swim while she was in the shower. When she was done, she came out and poked around the apartment. Bling and her talked awhile, but he was careful not to mention Logan to much in the conversation. She then picked up a book from Logan�s collection and laid on the couch. She feel asleep after a little while.

�Hey Max.� Bling whispered as he nudged her awake.

�Yeah.� Max replied sleepily.

�I have to get going. I have an appointment that I am running
later for.�

�Is Logan back?�

�No but he called a little while ago saying that he was almost done. Do you think you�ll be all right alone for a little while?�

�Sure, what time is it?�

�6:23.�

�That late.� Bling just smiled at her. She had been sleeping for
over five hours. �Go, I�ll be fine. Besides Original Cindy should be coming by soon.�

�Okay. I will be back tomorrow or sooner if you need anything.�

�Thanks Bling. And thanks again for the baby stuff, it was sweet of you.�

�Anything for you.�

�Sweet.� Max smiled. She liked that Bling seemed to be giving her the extra attention that Logan wasn�t.

�See you tomorrow.�

�Bye.� Max said as Bling left. She proceeded to get up and go into the kitchen for a glass of milk. A few minutes after Bling left the doorbell rang. Max, assuming that it was Cindy went to answer it.

She opened the door and was a little taken back that the person standing in front of her wasn�t Cindy, but some other woman. The woman had long light blond hair and was tall and thin. She was dressed nicely, looking like she was expecting to go out or something. The two stared at each for a moment, both taken back by the other. Obviously, this woman was not expecting a pregnant woman to answer the door. Max finally broke the silence, �Can I help you?�

�Is Logan home?� She asked with a slight Southern accent, looking around obviously expecting him to pop out of a corner.

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Chapter 6