Second Chances?-Chapter 2
By MyNameIsCAL
---Max's POV---
I'm not so sure that Fang is one hundred percent ok. And even for a while, when I was angry at him, it was hard not to think that this was all a mistake. The divorce was going to be the one thing I would always regret. But Fang needed to learn that being absent had a price to pay, and back then I was foolish. It was the wrong decision and now I was stuck with someone else who would never amount to the man Fang was.
Roland was charming and had a way with words, but his temper flared easily. He was very much against about the idea of helping Fang. Before I had picked up Fang, Iggy and I had done our best to hide all of Roland's things. Right now, Roland should be at work. I told him to stay clear of my apartment. He reluctantly agreed, but I had this sinking feeling that he was going to come around and upset Fang.
My head was spinning in fifty different directions. I still had Mom to worry about too. The rest of the flock was gathering to spend some time with Mom before the Alzheimer's claimed her. Iggy was leaving early tomorrow. I still had to assess whether Fang would be ok with going. But I got the feeling that being away from here would be better for Fang.
"We'll leave for dinner in an hour," I told Fang.
"Is my stuff still in your room?" he asked, avoiding eye contact.
I nodded. "Yup, didn't move a thing."
He stood. "Can I go in your room?"
"I'm not going to deny you access to your things," I smiled jokingly, but he didn't smile back.
"Alright, thanks," he muttered, trudging off down the hall.
The one good thing was that Roland stayed in the guest bedroom when he was here. Fang didn't have a reason to go in there. Eventually I would have to tell him who Roland was. But he needed to come back to all of this slowly.
"I think we need to get him out of here as soon as possible," Iggy whispered. "Fly him off to Arizona so he won't have to deal with Roland until later."
I sighed. "Roland is the biggest pain in the ass."
Iggy frowned. I knew he wanted to remark how I had leading Roland on. Iggy knew that I pitied Fang, and that even maybe I still loved him. In fact, Iggy knew the most about my troubles. Often Iggy and Ella came to visit and Ella always slept at a decent time. From all our years of being on the run, Iggy and I were almost nocturnal. We spent hours talking about nothing, and sometimes, we would talk about important things.
"Where are we gonna go to dinner?" Iggy said instead.
"Fang is going to insist on going somewhere cheap. I'm going to tell him to choose where he really wants to go, and he'll give in," I answered. "And then he'll insist on paying, which I can't let him do because it'll make me feel guilty and honestly, I don't think he needs to be paying for anything right now. So by process of elimination, Fang is going that BBQ place. It's not cheap enough to be fast food, but not expensive enough to make it some kind of fancy restaurant."
Iggy gaped at me. "This is exactly why I don't understand you divorcing him."
He was right. None of this made sense. And my silence only emphasized my agreement.
Fang did exactly what I said he would. He didn't say much over dinner except for ordering his food. At least he ate a lot. I would worry more if he didn't eat. Now we were walking home. I had run into CVS to get Fang's prescription meds. He frowned at the bag, taking it from me.
"I don't even think they work," Fang said.
I didn't know what to say to him, and he knew that, so he continued forward. We followed him back to the apartment and up the stairs. I wondered what was going through his mind right now. But my thoughts were interrupted by Roland, who was standing outside the door, waiting for us. Waiting for me.
"Where have you been?" Roland asked, scowling.
I stepped in front of Fang. "Roland, get out of here."
He walked toward Fang, ignoring me. "Hello, Fang. I'm Roland and I'm Max's boyfriend."
Roland stuck out his hand and Fang shook it stiffly. This wasn't the way I wanted things to go. Fang looked hurt as he turned around, waiting for me to say something, but I was speechless. Damnit, Roland. How I hated him right now.
"Do you need help with anything?" Roland questioned me.
"Yes," I answered. "Please, leave."
He sighed. "Well, Max. If that's the way things are gonna be, then so be it."
I frowned.
"Call me, please," he said as he kissed me on the cheek. This was all a show for Roland. He wanted to get inside of Fang's head.
Iggy grabbed Roland by the arm before he could get past him. "You better not come back until Max tells you to."
"What, are you her personal bodyguard now? Hah, that's a joke," Roland snarled.
Iggy pushed him against the wall and raised a fist, but Fang grabbed Iggy by the arm and pulled him away. That was surprising. I thought Fang would have joined in. Iggy let go of Roland and we watched him scramble down the hall towards the elevator.
"Bastard," Iggy muttered as Fang let go of him.
"I have explaining to do, don't I?" I said to Fang.
He shrugged and opened the door.
Fang sat on his side of our bed and I sat on mine. He had just read Alex a bedtime story. He sat, patiently, waiting for me to explain myself and Roland's rudeness. The bed was his to sleep in. I would go sleep in the guest bedroom.
"Roland is someone I don't take seriously," I explained.
He raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"
I wasn't going to admit my feelings to Fang now. "Because he doesn't take me seriously sometimes. I just pity him."
Fang said nothing.
"I was going to tell you about him. But I thought you would want some time to adjust to all of this," I went on.
"Alright." Fang lay back against the pillows.
"So do you want to go to Arizona with Iggy tomorrow or do you want to stay here?" I heard myself ask him without even thinking.
He looked up at me. "Anywhere is better than here."
"Ok."
"Ok." He pulled the blankets over himself. "Good night."
"Night."
I closed the door behind me. Oh, Fang, I'm so sorry you had to find out this way.
