Pieces of Perfect (20 page)

“I love you, Adam.  Please believe me.”  

And as his face softened, I knew that I had lost myself.   He pulled me to him, enveloping me in those strong arms that I craved so much.  And as he whispered, “I love you, too, Lily,” my eyes filled with tears.  

Twenty-Seven
 

             
I hibernated for the rest of the weekend.  Adam called a couple of times, and I tried to sound as upbeat and positive as I could muster.  But sadness was the prevailing emotion.  I wasn’t sure how I had gotten to this place.  I was a total disaster.

              As my alarm sounded Monday morning, I contemplated calling out sick.  But, as I lay there debating it, I decided that nothing accompanied misery better than a classroom full of seventh graders.  So I took a shower, got dressed, and headed out the door.  I’d have to do without coffee today, because I didn’t have time to brew any, and I sure as shit wasn’t stopping at the coffee house.  

              Once my school day got underway, I was happy I had come in.  My students forced my focus off of my problems and into them learning how properly conduct research.  I had never been so thankful for needy kids in my life.  
 

             
As the end of the day approached, my sadness returned.  The last bell rang and the students filtered excitedly out of my room, leaving me alone to become reabsorbed in my own problems.  I stood up, needing to get out of this room.  I scooped some papers off my desk and headed out to make copies.

              I exited my room and turned right, when I saw Max.  I couldn’t stop myself from rolling my eyes and turning the other way, hoping that just once, he would take the goddamn hint.  He didn’t.
 

             
“Hey, Lily!  Wait.  Where are you going?”

              I kept walking.  I didn’t want to talk to Max.  I didn’t want to talk to anybody.  I quickened my pace, but it didn’t matter.  I didn’t make it five steps before a strong hand gently gripped my bicep.
 

             
“Lily, wait.  What’s wrong?”

              I didn’t turn around.  I couldn’t.  My emotions were on shaky ground as it was.  “Nothing, Max.  Just let me go.”

              “No way.  Not until you tell me what’s wrong?  Did I do something?”

              His ignorance fueled another emotion that had been simmering since Friday.  Anger.  “You bet your ass you did something, you asshole!”  I didn’t care who heard me in that moment.  My anger had turned to rage, and I turned to face its target.  “Where the hell do you get off calling me ‘doll’ in front of the entire rink?  Have you lost your friggin mind?  Do you have any idea how much damage that could’ve done?”  

              Max stood there, dumbstruck.  “I-I’m sorry, Lily.  I didn’t even realize I called you 'doll.'  It’s just habit.  Did you get in trouble or something?”

             
Or something
.  As I glared at Max, I felt my anger fading.  He looked genuinely concerned and contrite.  His goal hadn’t been to hurt me.  I had overreacted.

              “It’s fine, Max.  No worries.  I’ll see you later.”  I again turned away from him, needing distance.  I would only bring him down.
 

             
“Wait, no way.”  He took two long, gliding steps and positioned himself in front of me, preventing me from walking any further.  “There’s something else wrong, isn’t there?  What is it?”
 

             
“I don’t want to talk about it.  Please, Max.  I’m just having a bad day.”  I kept my eyes cast down, frightened of what he would see if he were to look into them.  He was one person I knew would be able to find the truth there. Max took a step forward and put his arm around me, pulling me sideways so that I stood beside him.  

              “I know just what you need.”  Just as I was about to say no, that was exactly what I didn’t need, he added, “Let’s get a drink.”  I sighed.  A drink may be exactly what I did need.  Or maybe two drinks.  Or five.  
 

             
“Okay,” I said quietly.  “You want me to meet you at Flanagan’s?”  
 

             
“Nah, I know of a better place.  It’s only about ten minutes from here.  I’ll drive and then bring you back to pick up your car later.”

              I pulled away slightly.  “You aren’t taking me to your house, are you?” I asked, a wry smile forming on my lips.  
 

             
“Ha, there’s my girl.  No, I’m not taking you to my house.  Unless, of course, that’s where you want to go.  In that case, no objections here.”  Max was smiling mischievously.  
 

             
“Why would I want to go back there?  So you can call me names again?”  My voice was light and sarcastic, but Max’s face clouded at my comment.  “Oh, relax, you big baby.  I’m just joking around,” I added, hoping to erase the unease my comment had created.  
 

             
“Good one,” he said dryly.  But a smile quickly crept to his lips.  “Meet you at my car in ten minutes.”  He released me and walked down the hall, never looking back.  
He was such a cocky prick,
I thought, smiling.  I went back into my classroom and started collecting my things.  I knew that this was probably a bad idea.  I should distance myself from Max, not spend more time alone with him.  But I couldn’t help it.  In times like this, what a girl really needs, is a good
friend.  
 

*
              *              *
 

             
Max drove toward a part of town I hadn’t really ever been to.  It was largely residential and affluent, so I never had any reason to visit before.  Just as I was beginning to think that this was a really weird place for a bar, he pulled into a driveway that led to a large white house with dark red shutters.  I looked quizzically at Max.
 

             
“I just have to pick something up.  It’ll only take a second.  Come on.”  He motioned for me to follow him but I resisted.  I didn’t feel like being forced into an awkward social situation, especially when he just had to pick something up quickly.
 
Max walked around to my door and opened it.  “Come on,” he urged.
 

             
“Why can’t I stay here?  You’re just going to be a minute, aren’t you?”
 

             
“You really want to be that weird girl who sits in someone’s driveway acting all antisocial and shit?  Just come in.”  I blew out a deep breath, making my annoyance clear.  I had a strong urge to stomp my feet up the stone walkway, but I was thankfully able to resist the temptation.  

              When we reached the door, Max surprised me by turning the knob and just walking in.  Whoever lived here, he must know them well.  As Max stepped inside, he yelled to the inhabitants, but it took me a moment to register what he had said.

“Mom?  Dad?  I’m home.  I brought someone with me.”  
Did he just say Mom and Dad?  
I closed my eyes, trying to wish it all away.  I reeled back and punched Max between the shoulder blades as hard as I could.

              “You fucking asshole! Is this your parents’ house?”  I whispered through gritted teeth.  Max opened his mouth to reply when I heard a soft, smooth voice float toward us.
 

             
“Oh, Max, I’m glad you’re here.  Dad is burning the chicken on the grill again.  Who did you bring with you?”  As she turned the corner, a beautiful older woman with short brown hair and smooth, flawless skin stopped suddenly but quickly regained her composure and resumed walking again.  She examined me with kind eyes, and I thought I saw her smile broaden.

              “Hi, Mom,” Max said as he leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek.  “This is my friend, Lily.  She’s an English teacher at Swift.”
 

             
“A teacher, God bless you,” she said, offering a soft chuckle.
 

             
“My mom used to be a teacher,” Max added.

              “Yes, I did, a long time ago.  I taught history, though.  It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lily.  Please, please, come in.”

              Jesus Christ, this is really happening isn’t it?
 “Thank you, Mrs. Samson.  It’s a pleasure to meet you as well.  Your home is lovely.”  And it was.  I had only made it halfway into the foyer and I could tell that the house was beautiful.  Dark hardwood floors spanned the hallway and seemed to continue into the adjoining rooms.  The walls were painted teal, which complimented the floor beautifully.  

              “Thank you, I love this house.  We’ve lived here almost thirty years and it took me 25 of those years to get Max’s father to fix it up the way I wanted it.  Slow as molasses, that man. And please, call me Marjory.”  
 

             
I nodded and followed her and Max into the house.  We walked past a formal dining room which could have easily seated twenty people. The teal walls continued into here, but the crown molding gave the room a wealthy feel.  As did the hutch filled with fine china that probably cost more than I would make in a year.
 

             
Past the dining room was the kitchen, which was gigantic.  It had all stainless steel appliances, two stoves, marble countertops, and white cupboards.  I tried to take it all in as we continued to walk around the white kitchen table and through French doors that led outside.  I stepped out onto stone pavers that formed a beautiful back patio. The Samsons lived on at least two acres of land. And in the middle of their perfectly manicured lawn was an in-ground pool that instantly made me jealous of them.  I continued to follow them to the patio table that was beautifully set with floral print plates and linen napkins.  Beyond us, was a man hovering over a grill.  

              “We thought we’d take advantage of the nice weather and eat outside.  I’ll just set another place,” Marjory said kindly.  

              “Please don’t go to any trouble,” I said, apologetically.  
 

             
“No, no, it’s no trouble at all.  We’re happy to have you.”  She smiled quickly at Max before heading back the way we had just come.  
 

             
I took advantage of this brief moment alone to quietly give Max the bitching out he deserved.  “Max, what the hell were you thinking?  You fucking knew we were coming here.  Why didn’t you tell me?”
 

             
“First of all, there is no cursing in the Samson home.”  
God I wanted to hit him.
 “Second, if I had told you, you wouldn’t have come.”  Max said it simply, as if his reasons should have been obvious.

              “You’re damn right I wouldn’t have come.  What should that have told you?”  

              “You were visibly upset.  I didn’t want to just leave you like that, but I knew that I was having dinner with my parents. So, I told a little white lie so that you’d join me.  It’s no big deal.  Come meet my dad.”  As Max spoke, he began to walk away from me, preventing any further argument.  

              The man at the grill, clearly Max’s dad, had yet to register that he had guests, since he was clearly absorbed in whatever he was cooking.  Max strode over to him and put his hand on the back of his dad’s neck, digging in with his thumb and index finger.  His dad turned, surprised and then engulfed Max in a warm hug.
 

             
“How ya doin’, buddy?” Max’s dad asked.  As he released his son, Max motioned to me, effectively redirecting his father’s attention.
 

“Dad, this is Lily.
 We work together at Swift.”  

              Max’s dad turned in my direction and extended his hand.  He looked a lot like Max.  Tall, thin, and well built, with the same piercing blue eyes as his son and short silver hair.  “Nice to meet you, Lily.  I’m glad you could join us.”  

              “Thank you so much for having me, Mr. Samson. I’m sorry to intrude.”  
 

             
“Call me Bill.  And you’re no intrusion at all, we love company.  Especially company Max brings home.”  
 

Bill winked at his son as Max replied, “Subtle, Dad.”
 Max turned to me and explained, “I don’t bring people over very often.”  

“Ever,” his dad corrected.  “He doesn’t bring people over ever.”
 

             
“Thanks for clarifying, Dad,” Max interjected sarcastically.  

              Bill turned back to the grill, muttering something about just telling the truth.  I giggled at their exchange.  It was refreshing to watch, and I began to feel my emotions brighten.