A few days had gone by since AJ had abruptly left her home. Punk had still been trying to contact her every day, but she was doing her damn well best to avoid all of his calls. Somewhere deep inside he knew she would be back in his arms again, he just didn't know when. He was trying to focus on what she wanted him to do all along. Talk and listen to his mother.
Tonight his mother was visiting him again and then in the morning, he was allowing her the chance to see Max.
Meanwhile in Chicago, AJ was taking one day at a time, trying to figure out when she was planning to go back to New York. Her mother kept telling her that she had to go back soon, so she could tell Punk about the baby. After all, it was his child.
"I think you should phone him, April. At least let him know you're safe." Sandra told her daughter who had became a couch potato these past few days, lazing around the couch feeling sorry for herself.
"I guess you're right. I can't stay here for much longer anyway. He deserves to know." AJ nodded, standing up off the couch and grabbing her phone, "Wish me luck." She said, heading away upstairs for her own privacy, taking a few deep breaths and dialling Punks number, not even hearing it ring out once before Punk picked up.
"April... April, are you ok?" He asked down the phone, picking it up as soon as he seen the caller ID.
"I'm ok, Phil." AJ nodded, sitting down on her bed.
"It's so good to hear your voice." Punk almost groaned, "I'm missing you so much, AJ. Please come home." He begged, not knowing what else he could say to her really.
"I'll come home, Phil. Don't worry." AJ reassured him, "I just needed a few days to myself. I think I'll stay with my mom for another week before I come back." AJ said as he understood, accepting her right to some space. At least she was assuring him she would be home soon.
"Good."Punk nodded, "I'm really sorry for yelling at you and putting you in a position you didn't want to be in." He apologised, "For what it's worth. I've spoke to my mom, she's actually... coming round again tonight and she's going to see Max tomorrow. It wasn't as hard as I thought." Punk told her through the phone as she smiled brightly.
She knew he would see sense eventually. Maybe her leaving for a few days done her and him the world of good. It finally opened his eyes to what he had to do.
"That is so good to hear." AJ smiled, "How is Max?" She asked.
"He's good. He's getting stronger everyday. He misses you a lot." Punk told her, her voice in his ear sounding like angels singing. He'd missed her voice so much, now he just wanted to see her, in front of him, so he could hug and kiss her.
"I miss him too." AJ smiled through the phone, not realising how much she really missed him until she heard his voice, "I'll be home soon, I promise." She said.
It showed a lot to her that Punk had stepped up and let his mother in, it showed his strength and courage, and that's what she needed in him, especially for what she was about to tell him when she got back to New York.
"Ok. I love you." Punk reminded her before she hung up.
"I love you too, Phil." AJ smiled, hanging up and placing her phone down on the bed beside her. She was terrified of what he may react like when she told him about her being pregnant, but seeing how strong he was with accepting his mother and his past back into his life, so he could move on once and for all, she knew he would be fine and the best supportive boyfriend a girl could ask for.
The next day...
After a night of casual conversation with his mother for the second time, Punk was waiting in the hospital with Max, awaiting their mothers arrival. Max, who was hiding his nerves, was questioning his brother on what his mother even looked like.
"Is she tall?" Max asked, lying in the hospital bed, his pillows propped up behind him so he could sit comfortably, watching Punk sit on the armchair beside his bed, downing a full can of pepsi from the vending machine outside.
"Not really. She's average height." Punk shrugged, never having really described his mother to anyone. He normally didn't talk about his mother at all.
Things were progressing, he could feel his anger with his mother dying down the more and more he listened to her. He should have listened to AJ all along. Maybe if he did she wouldn't have had to leave.
"What colour of hair?" Max asked.
"Blonde." Punk replied, throwing the empty can in the trash.
"Is she hot?" Max asked as Punk raised his eyebrows.
"Seriously?" Punk looked at him like he was an idiot.
"What? I'm just asking. What age is she?" Max asked curiously.
"Let me think..." Punk paused, counting on his fingers, "Fourty one or something." He shrugged after trying to work it out.
"So... what happens after this? I mean... she knows that you take care of me. What does she get out of this?" He asked.
"She just wants to make things right with us, I guess." Punk shrugged, "Just play nice, ok? She's trying. This has to be sorted out one way or the other." Punk said as Max just nodded, switching the TV channels and keeping his eyes glued to the TV until the room door creaked open, revealing what he could only assume was his mother.
It was a weird feeling, knowing that this woman was his mother. The woman who was meant to take care of him. He had a lot of hatred for the woman, she practically abonded him as a child, without Phil god knows what would have happened to him, but at least she was here, trying to pick up the fallen peices she had broken.
Punk didn't know what to do. Did he introduce them to each other, did he just stay silent throughout the full visit, he felt very awkward, but Max didn't look awkward, he was staring her completely out without even caring.
For Stacey, this was the most nerve racking thing she'd ever done. She could only remember Max as a small child, now he was a grown boy, with a life of his own. She knew it was too late to be any of her sons mom's, but she just wanted to apologise and show them how sorry she was, and hopefully in the end, she could have some form of relationship with both of them.
"H-How are you feeling?" Stacey asked Max, watching her son watch her closely.
"Ok." Max replied quietly. Not being able to take his eyes off his mother. It was surreal to think that this was his mother.
"Do you guys... want any drinks or snacks?" Punk stood up, "You can sit here." Punk told his mother with a small smile.
"I'm fine." Stacey nodded to Punk as she sat down on the armchair.
"Max?" Punk said, watching Max think hard.
"Get me a grapefruit soda. Please." Max said as Punk nodded, heading out of the room to leave Max with their mother, hoping all would go well and his little brother would play nice.
"Grapefruit soda's are my favourite." Stacey smiled, doing anything to strike up conversation.
"Lime is my favourite. But they don't have that flavour in the machines." Max explained, studying his mothers features as he spoke to her. The green eyes matched his and Phil's, her hair was of the blondest kind and down shoulder length. Despite him joking with Punk, she was a very pretty woman for being in her fourties. He cockily thought she was where he took his good looks from.
"I remember you always used to drink the Lime ones." Stacey nodded, "Phil always drank..."
"Raspberry." Max nodded, "I know." He smiled to her as she nodded.
"I know this must be weird for you." Stacey said, "It is for me too. But, I'm not here to take you away from your brother. I just... I just want you and Phil to know how sorry I am for the way I treated you both. I just want a chance to explain myself and maybe in the end... we could build some sort of relationship. I know I can't make up for the lost times. But I can tell you how sorry I am." Stacey said as Max listened to her.
"You don't have to worry. I've had a good life... despite the obvious." Max looked down at his side which reflected his own past nightmares, "Phil has taken good care of me. And April." Max nodded.
"I know. And I'm so relieved. But... I just don't want you to think I neglected you both because I chose to. I was going through a lot, and I know nothing can justify treating you both the way I did, but life was hard. I had alcohol problems, I never really got on with your father, I wasn't happy and I thought that... it was both of you who weren't making me happy, but you were both the only thing going in my life that could make me happy, and I pushed you both away." Stacey frowned as Max rested his head back against his pillows.
"I'm not going to hold it against you." Max shrugged, "It wasn't me you hurt. Physically anyway." Max looked at her, "I know what you done to my brother. I know what my father done." Max made himself clear.
"It haunts me every day, it does." Stacey nodded, "I regret it with every breath I take, but... like I said, I was going through a lot. I've changed, I've faced my demons and all I want is for my sons not to hate my guts." Stacey admitted.
"We can give you a chance." Max nodded, "Everyone deserves a chance." He smiled, watching his mother smile with deep gratefulness.
Later on...
Max had spoken to his mother for about an hour non stop. She mostly spoke about him as a little boy, and of course the obvious, about how sorry she was that she wasn't there for him. He, just like Punk, seen a lot of sincerity in his mothers eyes, he knew she was being brutally honest, and did sincerely want to be forgiven for his mistakes.
Punk had arrived back into the room shortly after making up some lame excuse that the hospital were out of grapefruit soda's, stating that he went out around town to four different supermarkets before purchasing the drink for his brother. Really, he wanted Max and his mother to have enough alone time to talk about things.
"I better let you get some rest, it's late and I've been here yapping in your ear for too long." Stacey said, standing up and getting her coat on as Max nodded.
"I can give you a ride to your hotel... if you like." Punk offered sweetly as his mother waved her hand back and forth.
"Oh, no. You stay here. I'll be fine. Maybe I'll... see you both tomorrow?" Stacey said, more in a question typed tone.
"Yeah." Max nodded before Punk got a chance.
"Good... and I'll see if I can bring you any Lime sodas." Stacey smiled, "Thanks for, letting me visit." Stacey smiled, so grateful that she even got the undeserved opportunity to speak to her boys, she was so overwhelmed and glad they were giving her this chance.
"We'll see you tomorrow." Punk nodded, watching his mother smile and exit out of the room, leaving just him and his brother exchanging looks.
"She was alright." Max nodded positively, "She has good intentions." He shrugged, not seeing why not him and his brother could give their mom a chance.
"She's really trying, huh?" Punk said, sitting down on the chair beside Max's bed. Their mother really did want to sort things out, and the idea of having a proper mother in his life for once, even if it was a bit late, seemed to get more and more inviting as the days went on.
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