Daddy's Home
Chapter Thirteen
Jeb Batchelder's P.O.V
I walked aimlessly around downtown New York looking for a reasonably priced news paper.
I always bought the news paper… Every morning.
I found one for $3.49... Eh, not very expensive, so I bought it.
I was oblivious to the front page until I saw something that caught my eye.
A picture of a little girl smiling up at a camera with a big Popsicle grin.
Then I realized… I was the one holding that camera.
The little girl on the front page was my daughter, Max.
I sat down on the curb of the street and started to read the article about Max.
Story of a Girl Named Max by Ray Rodgers
We all know that you don't always get what you want. But Maximum Alexandria Ride was one of those people who knew that very well.
This sixteen year old girl didn't have much luck throughout her life.
She was born the Fall of 1994 and had a semi-normal life for her first six years. Her father, a step-mother, and four siblings.
But her life changed forever when she was six years old. Her father left her.
Max's step-mother, Stephanie, began being abusive. This led to Max being afraid for her life.
That being said, her four younger siblings got taken into foster care because Stephanie was and unsuitable mother.
Thos left Max alone with Stephanie's abuse.
After ten years of taking this abuse, Max Ride finally took the last of Stephanie's abuse; A knife to her stomach.
Max's life was saved by one of her close friends. He asked not to mention his name, so we wont.
But if that boy hadn't shown up when he did, Max… Would be dead.
Max! I thought.
My little girl had gotten stabbed, and it was my fault.
I looked at the pictures of Max that framed around the article.
There was one of her and I. She was sucking her thumb as I picked her up.
There was another of her smiling up at the camera with a big Popsicle grin.
Another of when she was about twelve standing in her bathing suit with her arm around Susan Wagner. Susan was Max's best friend.
The last was one where Max's body was facing away from the camera. Her head was tilted look at the camera with a huge smile on her face.
I ran back to my apartment and got my car. I had to go find Max.
There was only one hospital in the town in New Jersey she lived in, so I guessed she'd be there.
"I'm coming, Max!" I screamed to myself.