Changes
Chapter 11
"Foo?"
"Lot's of food." I told him, pulling the shirt over his head. "You'll be full when we leave."
Holding his arms out for me to pick him up, Tyler frowned. "Foo at home?"
"No, we have to go to Dr. Martinez." I picked him up, smiling a little when he wrapped his little arms around my neck and laid his head on my shoulder. I hadn't been there that long but…This just felt right.
"Hn." Tyler huffed. "No 'ike it dere."
"Welcome to my world." I muttered, walking out of his bedroom and into the living room. Fang and Tabitha weren't in there yet which meant he was still getting her ready. What to do…
"Max?"
"Yeah Tyler?"
"Tigger?"
I sighed, grabbing the remote and turning it to the channel his favorite forest living, tiger thingy, was on.
"Do you like me living here Tyler?" I asked him since it was a commercial..
"Yes! Love Max." He smiled up at me, giggling.
"You…love me?" I asked, remembering him saying that last night too.
"Yeah." He yawned.
"Tyler…who gave you Bear?"
Tyler groaned. "Mommy."
"Wh-"
"Hey Max." Fang walked into the living room, Tabitha in his arms. "You can go take a shower now, I'll watch both of them."
"Uh…okay." I sat Tyler down.
"Hi Max!" Tabitha yelled as I walked out of the living room.
"Hi Tabitha." I smiled at her while my mind whirled. Mommy? I thought Fang said his mom left him right after they were born? I shook my head.
"Hi." My mom kissed both of them on the head. Tabitha giggled while Tyler made a gagging noise. Angel walked up to us, her younger brother behind her.
"Hi Tyler."
"Max!" He cried, reaching up for me. Rolling my eyes, I picked him up. "Home?"
"No yet." I muttered. Tabitha ran past everyone that was in the living room.
"Nub!" She yelled, looking for her idol. Tyler clung to me, the teddy bear he loved hanging for him right arm.
"Foo?"
"Later sweetie." I told him, walking out of the living room and into the kitchen. Ella was sitting there talking to Nudge, Tabitha taking her place in her hero's lap. Gasman and Iggy were cooking, talking softly. They all looked at me when I walked into the room. I resisted the urge to sigh, headed to the backdoor.
"Wait, Max." Ella said suddenly. "I wanted to talk to you."
I looked down at Tyler who had fallen asleep in my arms. "Fine."
"Not in here…I'll go outside with you." She stood up and followed me out the backdoor. We sat down on the porch step.
"So…what did you want?"
Ella looked at Tyler for a moment. Seeing that he was sleeping, she began. "Do you…still have feelings for M-"
"Ew, God no." I shook my head. "Trust me, he was, like, five boyfriends ago. We're through."
"Yeah but Mathew doesn't seem to think so."
"What do you mean?"
"He…well when we first got together, he was always talking about this girl that he loved and broke his heart. How he was afraid that he couldn't love me as much as her because no one could ever match her." Ella looked at me. "If only I knew he was talking about you…"
"Yeah if only…" I sighed. "Ella, if he really said all that, you shouldn't be with him anyways."
"But-"
"You deserve someone that will love you more than anything, not one that's absorbed with the past."
"Max, I think I love him."
"If you only think it, then you don't."
Ella was silent for a moment. "I don't want to break up with him. He's just so…so…"
"Sweet?" I offered. "Innocent?"
"Yeah, both of those." She sighed. "I don't want to hurt him."
I looked out at the backyard. "I don't know what to tell you then. I don't have that problem."
She laughed a little. "I guess you don't."
It was quiet for a minute before I spoke. "Why don't you hate me?"
"Huh?"
"All the others, save Fang, wish I would just go away again. Why don't you?"
Ella shrugged. "I guess it's because I didn't have you here all my life. The others did. When you left, I felt bad but figured you'd leave eventually, just not by yourself. The others though, felt betrayed when you left them. They thought that you loved them."
"I did." I sighed, looking at the sky.
"Then tell them that." Ella stood up. "As much as you try to act like it Max, you're not a heartless bitch."
I almost said something to that but I couldn't find anything that would help anything. I decided it was better to just let her go back inside. After about ten minutes, Tyler yawned, opening his eyes.
"Hi Max."
I kissed his head. "Hi Tyler."
He put Bear's mouth to his ear before looking at me. "Bear say hi."
I kissed Bear's filthy head. "Hi Bear."
He giggled before stretching. "Foo now?"
I sighed, standing. "I don't know. Let's find out."
I walked back into the kitchen and saw that all the women were now in there, plus Iggy, who was cooking. Ella and Nudge were still at the table, Tabitha still sitting in Nudge's lap. They were joined by Nudge's mother, Ebony, and Angel and Gazzy's mom, who's name I didn't know and had no desire to know. Angel and my mom were helping Iggy cook.
"Hi Ty!" Tabitha yelled.
Tyler made that gagging noise again. "Hate Tabby."
"Tyler." I sighed, shifting him to the other hip.
"Foo now?" Tyler asked, looking at Dr. Martinez.
"Soon, baby." She told him. She cut a small piece of ham and gave it to him when Tabitha wasn't watching. "Here."
"Ha Tabby!" He yelled, completely defeating the purpose of hiding it.
"Hey!" Tabitha glared at him.
"It's okay, Tabby." Nudge smiled down at her. "He'll just get fat while me and you will stay super skinny."
Tabitha smiled. "Yeah, Ty."
Sticking his tongue out at Nudge and his twin, Tyler said, "Hate Tabby."
"You should really stop saying that." I commented, walking over to the table and sitting down at an empty chair, letting Tyler sit in my lap.
"Where Daddy?" Tyler asked.
"All the boys are in the living room." Angel's mother said, shaking her head. "Watching football. Ugh."
"At least it means they won't be complaining about the food not being ready every five minutes." Dr. Martinez commented.
"Yeah but, Mathew wouldn't stop talking about what an awesome game that was going to be on." Ella tipped in.
I gave her a funny look. "Mathew hates football."
"What?" Not only did my half-sister look at me but the others did too.
"It's the reason his dad and him fight. He's more into art than sports."
"Maybe he's changed since you've dated him because he's always talking about the Blackskins."
Nudge rolled her eyes. "It's the Redskins, El. He was probably just trying to look more…masculine."
Tyler, bored with the conversation and out of ham, yawned loudly. "Home, Max?"
"No, Tyler." He was starting to annoy me. "You want to go in the other room with the guys?"
"Max go?"
I like sports but didn't really want to be in there with Mathew so… "No."
He huffed, crossing his arms. "Bear mad."
"Then he'll get over it."
"Bear hate Max."
I looked down at him. "Really?"
"Yes!"
"Gee, that sucks. Guess Bear will just have to go in the other room, since he hates me so much and all, he probably can't stand being in here with me."
"No." Tyler looked up at me. "Bear love Max."
"Shocking."
"Love Max." Tyler smiled at me.
"Love Max more!" Tabitha glared at her brother.
"No! Max hate Tabby!"
"Tyler, don't say things like that."
"Ty mean, Nub."
"Yeah, I don't think Fang let's you yell like that Tyler." Nudge commented. "Why don't you go sit with him?"
"No leave Max!"
I sighed, standing up, Tyler in my arms. "You're a spoiled brat, you know that?"
He just smiled at me. "Love Max."
"She baby's him." I heard one of them say as I left the table. "He should say that he hates things."
"Fang lets him do that. He just ignores Tyler." I knew that voice as Nudge's.
I shook my head. I hate gossip. They could have at least waited until I was in the living room! I went in there as saw Gasman, his dad, and younger brother on one couch, Fang in the loveseat, and Mathew in the chair. I sat down next to Fang, laying my head on his shoulder.
"I am so ready to leave." I whispered in his ear.
"Shh." Fang kissed my head. "Just ignore whatever's bothering you."
Tyler laid out across Fang and my laps, head in mine, feet in Fang's. "Daddy?"
"Yeah?"
"We watch bass-ball?"
"Nope, buddy. Football."
Tyler yawned, smiling at me. I smiled back. After about five minutes, a commercial came on. Gasman's dad started talking to his youngest son, making Gazzy seem left out. He just sat there though, staring at the television. Mathew kept looking at me but I just cuddled against Fang and closed my eyes.
"Daddy?" I heard Tyler ask.
"What buddy?"
"Max sleepy."
I felt Fang wrap his arm around my shoulders. "I know."
I smiled a little before falling asleep.
"So is she just back for now on?" Nudge asked. "I mean, I don't have a problem with Max but-"
"Speak for yourself." Angel cut Nudge off. "She should just disappear again."
"Be nice." Angel's mother, Cecilia, told her.
"Whatever."
"Are you going to stay with Mathew?" Nudge asked Ella.
"I don't know. I guess…Max says that I shouldn't."
"Of course she said that." Angel said.
"She broke up with him." Ella glared at Angel. Out of all of the flock, Angel annoyed her the most. "If she wanted him back, she could get him."
"Mathew is a very nice boy." Ella's mother said. "I don't think that he would leave you for Max."
"Max wid Daddy!" Tabitha spoke up.
Nudge looked down at her. "I thought you were asleep?"
"Nope. Me wanna go fly, Nub."
"Maybe we will after we eat." Nudge smoothed the girl's hair down. "Did Max comb your hair today?"
"Daddy did." Tabitha told Nudge.
"Oh…I'll fix it later." Nudge smiled at her.
Tabitha hugged one of her favorite people ever, second only to her daddy. "Piggy tails?"
"Yep."
"Max?"
I opened my eyes. "Hmm?"
"I have to go to the bathroom."
"What?"
"Well, you're sort of on my shoulder and I didn't just want to get up and let you fall."
I sighed, sitting up. Tyler jumped down. "Daddy, me go potty too!"
"Come on." Fang took his hand, headed down the hall. I yawned, standing up too. I walked into the kitchen, where the women were still all talking. Iggy was finalizing food.
"Hey Max." Mathew followed me in there.
"Hi." I grabbed a soda, trying to ignore the eyes that were follow me, mainly Ella's.
"Max." Tabitha jumped out of Nudge's lap and ran over to me. "Me go flyin' after we eat."
"Really?" I looked at her hair. I had been so worried about having to come over here, I hadn't noticed it. "I thought Fang was going to put your hair up?"
"Nudge give me piggy tails later."
I smiled at her. "That's cool."
"Yeah." Tabitha reached up for my hands and held them.
I picked her up and carried her over to the table. I sat down, Tabitha in my lap. Angel huffed, looking at me. Apparently she didn't want me to be in here. I chose to ignore her though. I'm not going to be mad about a, what, ten year old girl, being mad at me.
"Max!" Tyler ran in the room. "Where you go?"
"Right here, Tyler." I sighed. Why is he so obsessed with me? I'm not that great…though I am kind of hot...and my voice is awesome sounding…I'm smart…oh, if I go to a party, I can drink more than most the guys and not black out! I am pretty awesome…but I don't think that Tyler would find any of those things all that great.
"Max!" He reached out for me.
"I've got Tabitha right now, Tyler. Go back in there with Fang."
"No! Tabby go!"
"Here Tyler." Ella, who was next to me, picked him up and sat him in her lap.
Tyler still glared at Tabitha. "Max."
"Quit whining." I told him.
Tabitha giggled. "Yeah Ty. You big baby."
"No!"
"Stop, Tabby." I kissed her head. "Let's not provoke him."
She smiled, leaning against me. I swear she does things to just annoy him.
"So Max," Angel started. "Where were you staying?"
"Different places."
"What was your favorite?"
"Probably when I was in New York."
"Then why don't you go back there."
"Angel." Dr. Martinez and her own mother said at the same time.
"Because, I'm with Fang now."
"Oh, I didn't realize he was into bitches."
"Angel!" Her mom grabbed her arm.
I sighed. "It's fine. Say what you want. A ten year old isn't going to hurt me."
"Of course I won't. Whore's don't have any self-awareness."
"Stop it Angel." Nudge said, her eyes locked on mine. For some reason, she almost looked upset, like she was on my side for once.
"Why should I?"
"Come here." Her mom grabbed her arm, dragging her out of the kitchen. I sat Tabitha down on the ground before walking out the back door. I needed a beer.
When I came back, Fang was sitting on the back porch step. He stood as I touched down on the ground, pulling my wings in.
"Where'd you go?" He asked.
"Just to get a drink."
"But we have soda's insi- Oh. You're not…drunk are you?"
"No."
"How did you get it? Aren't you twenty?"
I smiled. "Sweet, innocent Fang."
He sighed. "How much did you drink?"
"A beer."
Fang walked up to me and hugged me. "I'm sorry Angel yelled at you."
"Yeah well." I gently pushed him away from me. I don't like when he hugs me. He thinks hat it makes me feel better but it doesn't. "I'm not going to let a little girl hurt me."
Fang smiled at me. "By the way, I don't think that you're a whore and I'm not into bitches."
"Please Fang." I walked past him. "I am the master bitch. All the other bitches beg to be like me. As for whore, no but slut, maybe."
Fang rolled his eyes, following. "Such a dirty mouth."
"You know it."
"And to think I let my kids around you."
"You're such a bad dad." I opened the backdoor. "Oh, I just rhymed!"
"Sure you're not drunk?" Fang closed the door behind us and I noticed that we were messing with each other just like we used to.
"Not completely, no. I could be buzzed."
"Have to turn you into the cops then."
We ignored the others as we walked through the kitchen. "Why's that?"
"FUI."
"Are you sure you don't mean IFU."
"Max." He sighed, walking into the living room. "I am sure that it's FUI."
"And that means?"
"Flying while under the influence."
"So created."
"I know." We sat down on the loveseat again. Gasman's dad and brother were no longer in the room, only Gasman and Mathew.
"I'm sorry." Gazzy mumbled but I heard him.
Looking over at him, I asked, "For?"
"Angel."
I smiled at him. "Don't apologize. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion."
"Even when they're wrong?"
"Yeah, even then." I looked back at the TV. "How old are you now? Thirteen?"
"Yeah, almost fourteen."
"Cool."
"Time to eat!" Iggy yelled from the kitchen. We all stood and Gasman went to the front door. He opened it.
"Dan, it's time to eat." He said to his father.
"Yeah, okay." He and his youngest son walked in. Fang took my hand as we walked into the kitchen. I rolled my eyes, pulling it from his grasp. If I don't like hugging, I sure as hell don't like holding hands. Fang gave me a look but just stood there. Mathew went to stand next to Ella and Gasman stood next to Iggy, his dad and brother next to Angel and her mother. Apparently, we were going to have to pray. Gag.
After my mom prayed, we got to eat. Everyone basically went to eat where they were before except that Iggy went into the living room too. I sat down at the table, Tyler in my lap. We were sharing a plate so that I could pretend to eat a lot but it would just be Tyler. He grabbed a piece of ham off the plate and ate it happily.
"Daddy!" Tabitha called to Fang as he headed to the living room.
He stopped. "What Tabby?"
"Eat 'ere."
"I'm watching the game, Tabby."
She moaned but let Fang go. Angel's mother looked at me. "Angel wants to say something to you Max."
"Hasn't she said enough?" Ella muttered but after a look from our mom, she shut up.
Angel glared at her mom before turning her sight on me. "Sorry."
"For?" Her mother prompted.
"For calling you names."
I looked around. Apparently I was supposed to respond. "It's okay. Everyone has an opinion."
Ebony shook her head and started to eat. Nudge handed Tabitha, who was in her rightful spot of her lap, some turkey. Tyler grabbed my fork and stabbed my mashed potatoes.
"You use a fork now?" I asked, shocked. I couldn't help but think of the whole spaghetti incident.
"I eat 'ike big boy for Max." He told me.
"Thank you." I smiled at him.
After dinner, everyone went back to what they were doing before. Apparently we had to stay for that! Then there was dessert and finally, after a long, horrible day, we were able to go home. We starting to leave, which meant that Nudge and Tabitha were starting their tearful goodbye.
"I love you Tabitha!" Nudge hugged her.
"Love Nub!" Tabitha hugged her too. "Miss Nub."
"I'll miss you more."
"No miss you more!"
"No. I'll miss you ten times more."
"No, me miss Nub more."
I tuned them out. I felt a hand on my shoulder…Mathew. I turned to face him. "What?"
"Is it really over between us?" He asked. We were in the corner of the living room and nobody was looking at us.
"Yes, very."
Then he kissed me. It was one of those seconds that you knew didn't last long but felt like an eternity…and not for a good reason either. I herd Ella gasp a sI pushed him away.
"What the fuck, Matt?"
"Max come on." He looked at me with pleading eyes. Then Fang tried to punch him. Shit. I grabbed Fang's arm, having anticipating that.
"Mathew!" Ella was over there quickly.
Tyler was at my feet as soon as it happened. I picked him up with one arm, holding onto Fang with the other. I tugged on him a little.
"Fang." I pulled on him again but he just jerked out of my grasp. He went over to Tabitha, who had finally stopped crying, and picked her up.
"Bye Nub!" She yelled as her dad stalked out of the house. He looked pissed. Fuck, Mathew, if I didn't have two things to live for now, I would go kick his ass…did I just say I had two things to live for? Okay…forget that. We put the twins in their car seats before getting in.
"Fang-" I tried when he started the car.
"Shut up Max."
"I didn't-"
"I said to shut the fuck up!"
"No yell!" Tabitha scolded.
"No be mean to Max." Tyler growled.
Fang sighed. "Sorry, guys."
It was silent in the car after that. When we got to the house, Fang got Tabitha out and I got my little admirer. Fang went into the house as I followed. Tyler looked at me.
"Daddy hurt Max?"
I smiled at him. "No. I'm fine."
"Mat-too hurt Max?"
"Nope. He just made me mad." When we got into the house, Fang and Tabitha weren't in the living room. I carried him down the hall and into the bathroom, where Fang was already starting to get Tabitha undressed for her bath.
"Come here Ty." Fang reached out for him. "Max, go get their night clothes."
"Fang, about before-"
"I said what to do so, go do it!"
"Hey!" Tyler yelled.
Fang ignored him and continued to undress them. I sighed, going to get their clothes. Once their bath was done. Fang took Tabitha to put to bed and I took Tyler. He snuggled under his blanket, Bear with him.
"Night night Max."
"Goodnight sweetie."
Fang walked in. "Night buddy."
"Hate Daddy, mean to Max."
Fang ignored him. "I love you. Go to sleep."
He walked out. I kissed Tyler's head again before going to Tabitha's room. She smiled at me.
"Night…Tabby."
She giggled. "Max say Tabby!"
I went over and kissed her head. "Goodnight."
"Night night…Pretty."
"Huh?"
"Max nickname Pretty."
"No." I kissed her head again. "We'll work out nicknames later."
She just giggled as I left. I went into Fang, I mean, our bedroom, ready to go to sleep after this horrible day. Fang, however, had other plans.
"You." He grabbed me from behind.
I sighed. "Fang, cut it out. I've had a hard-"
"You kissed him."
"No. He kissed me. There's a difference."
"I don't see one." He held me to him tightly. "You are mine now."
"Fang-"
"You act like I'm a wimp, like you can just push me around but you can't Max. You've never seen me angry before."
"Yeah I have."
"No, you've seen me pissed off." Fang pushed me down on the bed. Either one of two things were about to happen. We were either about to have great sex or Fang was going to try and hit me. How fun. "I'm going to tear you apart…bitch."
I sat up on my elbows. "Bring it on."
I looked up at Fang. "I like you better angry."
"All the time?"
"No. Just during sex."
Fang kissed my head. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"Being an ass to you."
"In the car?"
"Well yeah, that but I meant when we were…"
"Having sex?"
"Yeah."
I rolled my eyes. "You're such an-"
I stopped myself causing Fang to look down at me. "Are you going to finish?"
"No. I'll save it for later and call you that to make you made, probably right before sex."
Fang rolled his eyes. "Whatever Max."
"You know that I don't have any interest in him, don't you?"
"Yeah." Fang kissed me gently, his lips barely touching mine.
"I have to take Tyler somewhere tomorrow."
"Oh yeah. Have fun." I could tell he was being sarcastic, after all I was not only Master Bitch but also Queen Sarcasm.
"Hey, he's not that bad. He's always telling me that he loves me."
Fang looked down at me. "He really likes you for some reason."
"I know! I don't get it."
"Maybe you're just meant to be a mommy."
That made me remember what Tyler had said earlier. I almost said something but stopped myself. This was a great moment, why ruin it?
"Isn't it weird that your son ahs told me he loves me and you haven't?" I smiled, remembering Tyler and Tabitha fighting over me before.
"Element of surprise, Maxie."
"Fang." I warned.
"Sorry. Element of surprise, Maximum."
I rolled my eyes, cuddling closer to him. "All I know is, that if Tyler has a wife before you tell me, I'll give you a surprise."
"Please, like Tyler's ever getting a girl."
"He's very sweet, actually."
"Yeah, to you." Fang ran his hand up and down my arm. "He hates the rest of us."
"I don't mind being the only one he says he loves. I makes me feel…special."
"Whatever." Fang yawned. "Night Maximum."
"I prefer Max, Fang."
"And that's exactly why I'm not calling you that…Maximum."
"God I hate you!"
"I hate you too." He kissed me again before closing his eyes. "Night."
"Night."
