Chapter 7 – Wide Awake

Zoe woke up in a pitch black room. It must have been early because there was no movement outside, everyone was still sound asleep. She was wide awake and it seemed like she had been for ages. Time was moving slowly especially as she didn't need to be in work until the late afternoon; she was working the night and so was able to have the day off. She tried not to move around too much as she didn't want to wake Max who was still sleeping next to her. After a few minutes Zoe got up and went into the bathroom. She stood looking in the mirror for a few minutes before deciding to run a bath hoping it would help her sleep afterwards.

Zoe was lying in the hot bubbly water wandering what it was keeping her awake. She hadn't been sleeping much recently because she'd been taking on extra hours to keep herself busy. After speaking to Max yesterday she thought it would be easier tonight, but it seemed somewhat harder for Zoe to sleep. She knew she wanted him there so why was it so hard for her to accept it? Zoe slowly began to stop thinking about things and felt herself drift off in the bath.

A while later Zoe woke up still in the bath water which had turned cold. She didn't remember falling asleep but quickly got out of the bath and dried herself off. Luckily she had put her hair up out of the way so it hadn't got wet. She slipped on some underwear before putting the towel up to dry in the bathroom. Walking back in to the bedroom with Max's jumper wrapped around her she noticed he had moved into the middle of the bed still asleep. Zoe laughed to herself at the man who she found herself in complete awe with. He opened an eye as he leant up on his arm. "I wondered where you went, it's still early." Max watched Zoe standing against the door frame to the bathroom. "I couldn't sleep and didn't want to wake you up. You looked comfortable so I got out the way for a bit." Max moved back on the bed and sat up a little more "Come here." Zoe wandered over to the bed slowly still wrapped up in Max's jumper. She climbed into the bed next to him as he pulled the cover over them both. She lay down in front of Max who moved in and put his arm around Zoe.

"You're upset, what's wrong?" Zoe hated that Max knew all her moods and could always tell when something was up. "It's nothing, don't worry." Zoe tried to smile a little but when Max put his hand up to her face it faded knowing she couldn't hide behind it. "Anything that makes you feel like this is something, I'm here for you. Always, even if it's something you don't think I want to hear." Zoe rested her head on Max's chest, just staying there for a while. "There's something I need to tell you Max, before you choose that this is what you want." Zoe moved back from Max and sat up in the bed with her legs crossed. Max tried not to show how worried he was at what she was about to say next. He rested up on an arm looking at her, but she turned her back a little so she wasn't facing him. She knew what had been bothering her this morning and she wasn't sure if this was about to make it any better or not.

Zoe pulled the sleeves of her jumper down over her hands and looked down at them. Max noticed and sat up to face her realising she was really nervous about something. "Hey, you can tell me anything Zoe and it won't change how I feel about you-" "This might… Max a few years ago I found out that I can't…" She always found it hard to actually talk about but never this difficult. "I can't have children Max." As soon as she said it she could feel the silent tears that had fallen down her cheeks. Zoe realised how quiet it was in the room now she had said it and immediately thought that Max would be out of the door but as quick as the thought came into her head she felt his arm go around her waist. "And you thought that it would make me love you any less than I do? Zoe all I care about is you being happy… Are you?" She put a hand on Max's arm which was still around her waist "You know for once I am" Max moved to sit in front of Zoe and pulled her closer to him. "Then so am I. I'll always love you and would never leave you for something as small as this."

The next few hours passed in a hazy blur. Zoe remembered falling asleep in Max's arms again and not waking up until the light in the room was too much to sleep. Well for some people as Max was still fast asleep. Zoe rolled over to face away from Max and find her phone. It was almost 12 and it felt strange for Zoe to still be in bed at this time. It was then she realised Max should have been in work hours ago, or so she thought. "I've changed to start later on." Max's voice startled Zoe as she was sure he was asleep a moment ago. Zoe had sat up in the bed and Max had moved his arms onto Zoe's legs leaning up. "So what do you want to do with the rest of our day?" Max rested his head in his hands looking up at Zoe not quiet believing he was back here again with her. "If I'm honest, I don't want to do anything today… Just be here with you doing nothing." Max had a huge smile on his face as he felt the surface underneath his arms move and his face hit the bed. "That was real nice Zoe!" She was already standing up by the door with one of Max's old shirts on. "I was going to offer you a drink but you can make your own now" she said pulling a face from the doorway.

Zoe heard Max getting up from the bed after she walked out of the room. "Why do you do that?" Zoe turned around to see Max stood in a pair of trousers and not a lot else. "Do what?" Max started to walk towards her but stopped a short distance away. "Wear my clothes and then walk away before I even have the chance to ask where you got them." Zoe laughed at Max before walking down the stairs ignoring his question. "Hey!" Max began to walk after Zoe who was already in the kitchen making them a drink but stopped at the bottom watching her. Zoe turned around to see Max stood right behind her, he linked his arms behind her back and bent down to kiss her. "What was that for?" Zoe hugged Max's chest as he held his arms around her back "For being you…" Zoe shook her head and turned round to finish making them both coffee, Max still with his arms around Zoe his head now resting on her shoulder. "I was thinking, would it be okay if I leave before work to go home. I need to change so I don't get 21 questions the second I turn up." Zoe laughed at the thought before nodding "I'll take you." She handed Max a drink and went to sit on the sofa.

Another few hours passed and they were both spread out on the sofa talking. Zoe didn't think it was possible to spend so much time with someone and still have things to talk about. "I am always right, so why would this time be any different?" Zoe got up and took their cups out to the kitchen as Max tried to argue back. "Because you are… There is no way Rita and Dylan are seeing each other!" "Why not?" Zoe put the cups down and returned to the sofa but stood up rather than sitting back down with Max. "It's Dylan that's why. Sorry that wasn't nice, but I was always told to tell the truth-" "Oh yeah, what do you say about me behind my back then?" Max grinned knowing he could regret this choice "Well it depends. Sometimes that you moan so much about the porters I've actually started ignoring you at work..." Zoe threw him a horrible look as he carried on "Most the time though I'm speaking to the other guys about how good you are in bed, obviously without names." Zoe sarcastically grinned at Max before playing him at his own game "Well at least one of us is speaking about how good it is, I haven't had the chance to experience that yet." Zoe knew what Max was going to do before he did it so she turned and headed for the stairs. Max jumped the sofa and began running after her "You are so dead when I get you!"

Max ran upstairs after Zoe who had dashed into the bedroom and was standing on the other side of the bed. Max now came into the room and stood opposite Zoe. The shirt she had been wearing had fallen open to show part of her shoulder. Max looked at Zoe before moving towards the bed, "You know you're wrong this time because I'm amazing and you know it." Zoe laughed as she dodged a pillow thrown by Max. He stood on the bed as Zoe ran around the end back towards the door but was grabbed by Max at the last minute. He pushed her against the wall and just smiled at her. "Admit you were wrong…" Max held her arm against the wall and held the other against her side. "Prove me wrong" Zoe came back with a sly smile. Before either of them had a chance to say anything else Max picked Zoe up kissing her walking back towards the bed. This kind of day was exactly what Zoe had needed and she didn't plan on ending it anytime soon.