10.
Max was nervous and it didn’t seem to matter how many times he paced his small hospital room. It didn’t help.
“You’re going to wear a hole in the floor if you don’t stop soon.” Michael informed him from the door where he had been watching him for the past ten minutes.
“I know but I can’t sit still. I’m nervous. What if she doesn’t like me? Or doesn’t want me to be her father?”
Michael resisted the urge to laugh. “Max you’re the one who has lost their memory, not Addison,” he reminded him.
Max didn’t react.
“Max she already likes you and accepts you as her father.”
When Michael’s words registered with Max a smile broke out on his face.
“Feel better?” Michael asked.
“Yeah thanks,” Max said sitting on the bed and relaxing slightly.
“Good because they’re coming down the hallway.”
Max jumped to his feet again and was just running a hand through his hair when Liz and Addison appeared at the door.
Max recognised her immediately from the photos Liz had already shown him but nothing had prepared him for her beautiful face which was looking up at him shyly. Her hand was tucked into her mothers and she was wearing a beautiful pink dress with her dark hair in braids.
“Hi.” Liz greeted.
“Hi.” Max smiled, lifting his eyes to hers for a brief second before returning them to Addison.
“Hi baby,” Max whispered.
“Hi Daddy,” she replied quietly. “Are you feeling better?” she asked worriedly. Although her mother had assured her that he was going to be alright Addison was still unsure. She had never been to hospital before but she had heard her Aunty Maria talking and she knew that her daddy had been very sick.
“Yeah, much better sweetie.”
Addison pulled her hand free from her mother then and made quick steps towards Max. Max caught her in his arms easily and hugged her against his body.
Liz was finding it hard not to cry. She had never seen Max like this with Addison before and she knew she would never forget this moment because this is the way she had always thought it would be.
“Why don’t we sit down and you can tell me everything I’ve missed since I’ve been in here,” Max suggested then.
Liz made a move to take a seat in the corner but Max halted her movement quickly. “Come and sit with us Liz?”
“Yeah come and sit with us Mummy,” Addison added eagerly making it impossible for Liz to refuse.
“Are you sure?” Liz asked Max.
“Positive.” he grinned.
Michael couldn’t hide his grin as he left the room. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen either Liz or Max as happy as they were in that moment and he hoped that it would last longer that the short hospital visit.
***
Tess watched as Phillip Evans fumed at her news.
“I’m sorry Phillip,” she told him dutifully.
“I’ve had enough of that good for nothing piece of shit,” he spat. “I don’t care what he remembers or not. I’m not going to tolerate this shit any more. It's about time he was reminded of who’s in charge around here.”
Tess resisted the urge to shrink into her seat. She certainly didn’t want to be Max when Phillip got his hands on him; Tess had seen the results of last time.
“Whatever you think is best,” Tess nodded. “Let me know what you want me to do.”
“Go over there and fuck him that would be a good start. Remind him what a good set of tits and pussy you have,” Phillip leered.
Tess crossed her arms over her chest self consciously as Phillip stepped towards her. He trailed a hand down her arm before he roughly shoved her arms out of the way so he could grab her breast.
“I doubt any man could resist these,” he said as he pinched her nipples.
Tess knew what was coming and although the prospect disgusted her the consequences of refusing worried her more so she allowed him to shove a hand up her skirt. She dutifully spread her legs for him as his fingers creped under her panties. One thing she knew was that if Phillip decided to fuck her it would be quick, it never took him long to get off.
“You just need to whip him with your cunt,” he whispered as began kissing her neck.
“Yes you’re right, he always did like sex with me,” she agreed.
“Like father like son,” Phillip murmured as he began unbuttoning his slacks.
Tess looked away when he released his cock. He pulled her to her feet and she barely had time to slip off her panties before he had pushed her face down on the desk, pulled up her skirt and entered her.
“Uh yes, oh fuck yes.” he grunted as he thrust in and out of her.
Tess closed her eyes tightly and pretended that it was one of the hot Italian men she had enjoyed overseas instead of her father’s best friend and true to form a few minutes later Phillip came and pulled out of her.
Phillip quickly buttoned up his pants when he was finished. He wasn’t at all worried about satisfying Tess that wasn’t what it was about. He watched as she picked up her panties and slipped them back on before smoothing out her skirt.
“Don’t let me down Tess,” he told her.
“Phillip I’m not sure that Max is going to be very receptive to sex with me. He’ too wrapped up in Liz,” she told him. Tess knew that there was no way that Max was going to let her close enough to even attempt to seduce him.
Phillip scowled. “Leave her to me, she’ll be out of the picture soon enough.”
Tess shivered at the look in his eyes and for the first time since she had found out about Liz Parker Tess felt sorry for her and even a little bit scared.
“I’ll keep you updated,” she said before she quickly fled his office.
***
“Thank you for bringing her.” Max smiled gently at Liz.
Addison had fallen asleep on his bed ten minutes earlier and now all Max could do was just stare in amazement at the miracle he and Liz’s love had created. He couldn’t imagine how he could have walked away from her.
“You’re her father Max,” Liz replied. “She wanted to see you,” she added. She was still feeling incredibly uncomfortable around Max since their session with his psychiatrist and she wasn’t sure how she was supposed to react now.
“She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” Max’s awe filled voice broke her thoughts.
Liz nodded in agreement. “She certainly is.”
“How could I walk away from that Liz?” Max asked then. “How could I not see her beautiful little face every day?” he asked his voice cracking with emotion as he thought about everything he had missed, and all the memories he would never get back because they had never been made
“I wish I knew Max. Maybe it would make things easier to understand. The truth is I never really knew what happened,” she replied honestly. Liz realised that was what Max needed right now. To be told the truth.
“I’m trying to remember,” he told her, “but then sometimes I don’t want to because then I'll remember all the horrible things I did to you and I can’t pretend that I don’t understand all the hurt I see in your eyes every time I talk to you.”
Liz closed her eyes. “You did hurt me but maybe we can move past that now and try to be friends for Addison's sake. I’m hoping that you might want to be a bigger part of her life now?” Liz asked hopefully.
Max nodded eagerly, “Yes, but not just Addison’s Liz. Yours too.”
“Max...”
“One day Liz I’m going to make it up to you, somehow, someway I’m going to prove to you that I love you and that I want to be with you and Addison,” he told her.
“It's not that easy,” Liz told him doing her best to keep her voice at a whisper so that they didn’t wake up Addison. Liz didn’t want her hearing this conversation.
“Because you remember,” Max whispered.
“Yes.” Liz agreed.
***
A few hours later Max was sitting in his bed thinking over his conversation with Liz and remembering his afternoon with his family. He might not remember the past 2 years but he was determined to create new and better memories for all of them now. He was smiling when Isabel breezed into the room. As usual she looked perfect.
“Hi.” she greeted.
“Hi Iz,” Max smiled.
“How are you feeling?” she asked.
“Great,” he grinned. “I thought you were going to New York today?” he asked.
“I’m on my way to the airport now,” she replied. “Are you sure you’re ok with me going on this trip?” she wondered.
“Of course.” Max smiled.
The truth was he could use a break from her over protectiveness. He knew that if Isabel found out that he was being discharged the next day that there was no way she would leave for New York and that would ruin Max’s plans. He planned to be staying with Liz and Addison by this time the next night.
“You’ll only be gone a week. What can happen in that time?” he teased.
“You promise you’ll call if you need anything?” she checked.
“Promise,” he agreed.
He watched as Isabel picked up her bag then preparing to leave when he remembered his visit from Tess. “Isabel, have you spoken to Tess?” he asked.
“Yes,” she nodded. She didn’t comment on the colourful things that Tess had said about Max.
“Did you organise for her to get her stuff out of my house?” he asked hopefully.
“I went over and packed everything up this morning. It's being sent over to her father’s,” she replied.
“Thank you,” Max smiled gratefully.
“You’re welcome but Max are you sure you know what you’re doing?” she asked.
“Of course, why?”
“It's just that dad....”
“Yeah I know, he won’t be happy but that’s too bad. When you get back Isabel we need to talk about him.” he said then.
“What about?” Isabel asked.
“I think it’s time we took back our lives and I have a bit of an idea I want to run past you,” he shrugged. He didn’t want to give too much away until he knew he had her support on the matter otherwise he risked her going to his father and blowing everything before Michael could finish things off.
“Ok then,” she agreed.
She kissed his cheek then, “Take care ok?”
“I will,” he smiled.
“Isabel!” he said before she left the room. “I love you,” he told her when she had looked back at him.
Isabel was startled at first but then she broke out into a beautiful smile, one Max wasn’t sure he had seen for a very long time. “I love you too,” she told him.
Once Max was sure she was gone he picked up the phone beside him and called Liz. “Time to put plan A into action,” he grinned into the receiver.