"Possession" Part 2 - Surprise
Scene 6, 2021, Kendra's
Kendra jumped up when she saw Max walk in the door. "Logan called for you again, Max," she said, "When are you going to call him back? Or at least talk to the poor guy?"
Max shrugged. She headed into her room. Kendra followed. Max was stuffing her things into a backpack.
"What is going on here? First you avoid him, then you live with him and everything is dandy, then you're avoiding him again," Kendra said, "When are you going to figure out what you want? It's obvious that you-"
"Kendra," Max interrupted, turning to face her.
"Yeah?"
"Cindy and I already had this conversation."
"Oh, so then you'll call him back?"
"Nope," Max shouldered her bag, "I'm going back there."
Scene 7, 2021, Logan's
Logan was staring at his computer screen. He was supposed to be hacking an Eyes Only, but he didn't know what to say. Bling came in and found him there.
"Would you like anything before I leave?"
"No." He kept staring straight ahead.
"You're sure? Tea? Water?"
Logan turned to look at him. "No. Thank. You. Bling."
"Ok, fine. Do you want to talk about it?"
"What is there to talk about?" Logan responded.
"You know what I mean," Bling intoned, "Why have you been so . . ."
"Pathetic? Was that the word you were looking for?" Logan snapped.
"No, I was going to say grumpy," Bling informed him, "But if you don't want to talk . . ."
"It's her fault."
"Her fault?"
"Yeah. I can't figure out what she wants. Worst of all, I can't think straight when she is here, and when she isn't all I can think about is her."
Bling smiled. "She's female, and you, my friend are in love." The doorbell rang. "I'll get it," Bling told him.
Bling went to the door and opened it. He smiled when he saw who it was. "Logan, I'm out, but I'm leaving you in very capable hands," he called. He took his bag and left.
Max's face appeared by the door, then her whole body, "Hello."
"I was wondering when you were going to talk to me. You've been ignoring my pages," he said to her.
"Sorry." She shrugged her shoulders.
"You left something here," he told her.
"Oh, what?"
"Something warm, fuzzy, and black like your mood lately," he said picking Sibelius up from beside his chair, "What's going on in that genetically enhanced brain of yours?"
"I was thinking," she replied, "Thanks for taking care of her for me," she said, taking the cat from him.
"No problem. Thinking about what?"
"That I wasn't ready for this, that it wasn't fair to you to mix you up in this crazy, freak show life of mine."
"That's not your decision to make. It's my choice," he told her.
"I know, and Cindy was kind enough to point out to me that there is no such thing as too soon. " She smiled.
"Remind me to thank her," Logan grinned.
"You want dinner?"
"Not hungry."
"Oh."
"Unless you're cooking," she smiled, "Remember, all I can do is boil water."
"Right." He pushed a way from the desk. Max's eyes opened wide when she saw he was in his wheelchair again.
"What happened?" her voice was full of concern.
"Oh, I, uh, underwent some experimental surgery last year. With the therapy, I was able to walk, but sometimes I still get locked up. When I do, Bling comes and I'm back to rolling around."
"I see. Just how experimental was this surgery?"
"Highly. I was the second person that successfully recovered from the surgery."
"How many didn't recover?" She didn't want to think about what would have happened if he had been in that group.
"The same amount as those who recovered," he said, "The odds were 50/50."
"Then it's a good thing you did it while I was in New York. Or else I would've kicked your ass for taking such a big risk." She leaned over and kissed him.
Scene 8, 2021, Crash, meanwhile
After talking to Max, Cindy retuned to the table where the other riders from Jam Pony were seated. Sketchy was relaying the tale of Normal's erratic behavior to Drew, another rider who had just come by.
"So, he's wiggin' out and then the very next minute he was ecstatic. I'm telling you, man, Normal's off his training wheels," Sketchy said, "I think it's a girl. Maybe that Louis/Louise chick."
"Sketchy, don't you remember that gender-twisting candypuff decided s/he was a lesbian?" Cindy recapped.
"There may be something to what my pale brother is saying," Herbal spoke up, "Today, I was on my bike, with the sun shining down upon me. I decided to take a break in the park to watch the clouds for a few moments, when who should appear but the man in question. He met a blonde lady at a restaurant across the street. They was having lunch."
"Normal went out for lunch?" Mila, another bike messenger, snorted.
"Yeah, I had to cover for him," Drew shuddered.
"I feel the pain man! I covered for him once and it was awful!" Sketchy exclaimed.
"We must investigate," Herbal declared, "Who is with me?"
"Count me in," Sketchy answered.
"Me too," Drew said.
"Original Cindy's in," she smiled, "but don't count on Max."
"Max? Didn't I see her down by the bar?" Herbal asked.
"Yeah, but she's busy. Occupado," Cindy winked.
"Ohhh, I see, her main squeeze," Herbal nodded.
"Yup, Homegirl's playing house."
Scene 9, 2021, Logan's, the next morning
Logan carefully surveyed the chessboard. Max was close to checkmate, but he wasn't about to give up. He'd have to make his move very carefully. He saw an opening and took it.
"Check," he said, immensely proud of himself.
Max turned her attention back from the window. "Oh." She perused the board, and her hand lingered over several pieces before settling on one. She started to pick it up.
"Nope," Logan said.
"What?" Max looked at him.
"It's checkmate, Max. I win," he told her. She looked, and sure enough, it was. Logan was worried about her. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked carefully.
"I'm fine," she assured him. But then she put a hand to her stomach. "Actually, I think I'm gonna be sick . . ." She ran for the bathroom.
Logan wheeled himself over to the closed door. "Max?" his voice was concerned, "Are you ok?"
He was answered by the sound of the toilet flushing. The door opened to reveal a slightly flustered Max. "It's all good," she stated, nodding her head once and returning to the chessboard.
Logan followed her. "You're sure you're okay?"
"Yeah," she flipped her hair over her shoulder, "Must've been something I ate."
"Funny, no one's ever had that reaction to my cooking before." He regarded her carefully, "You look a little flushed."
"I'm fine," Max told him. Logan just shook his head.
Scene 10, 2021, Kendra's, later that day
"Kendraaaa!" Max called, letting herself into the apartment, "Where are you?"
"I'm coming," Kendra emerged from the bedroom, pulling a sweater over her head.
"Mr. Multiples?" Max queried, tilting her head and putting that all knowing tone in her voice.
"Last night," Kendra smiled, "And no, I will not tell you his name."
Max grinned. It was an old joke between them. "Look, I need some help. I need you to put me in touch with someone who can hook me up with a hard to find item."
"Can't you ask Logan?"
"No," Max explained, "It's a secret."
"Oooooh," Kendra smiled wickedly, "Like as in present? The kind that's wrapped up in black lace? You can't tell me that you don't have that kind of a relationship now."
"You could call it a present, but not the kind you're thinking of," Max smiled a secret smile.
"Well then what do you need?"
"EPT."
Scene 6, 2021, Kendra's
Kendra jumped up when she saw Max walk in the door. "Logan called for you again, Max," she said, "When are you going to call him back? Or at least talk to the poor guy?"
Max shrugged. She headed into her room. Kendra followed. Max was stuffing her things into a backpack.
"What is going on here? First you avoid him, then you live with him and everything is dandy, then you're avoiding him again," Kendra said, "When are you going to figure out what you want? It's obvious that you-"
"Kendra," Max interrupted, turning to face her.
"Yeah?"
"Cindy and I already had this conversation."
"Oh, so then you'll call him back?"
"Nope," Max shouldered her bag, "I'm going back there."
Scene 7, 2021, Logan's
Logan was staring at his computer screen. He was supposed to be hacking an Eyes Only, but he didn't know what to say. Bling came in and found him there.
"Would you like anything before I leave?"
"No." He kept staring straight ahead.
"You're sure? Tea? Water?"
Logan turned to look at him. "No. Thank. You. Bling."
"Ok, fine. Do you want to talk about it?"
"What is there to talk about?" Logan responded.
"You know what I mean," Bling intoned, "Why have you been so . . ."
"Pathetic? Was that the word you were looking for?" Logan snapped.
"No, I was going to say grumpy," Bling informed him, "But if you don't want to talk . . ."
"It's her fault."
"Her fault?"
"Yeah. I can't figure out what she wants. Worst of all, I can't think straight when she is here, and when she isn't all I can think about is her."
Bling smiled. "She's female, and you, my friend are in love." The doorbell rang. "I'll get it," Bling told him.
Bling went to the door and opened it. He smiled when he saw who it was. "Logan, I'm out, but I'm leaving you in very capable hands," he called. He took his bag and left.
Max's face appeared by the door, then her whole body, "Hello."
"I was wondering when you were going to talk to me. You've been ignoring my pages," he said to her.
"Sorry." She shrugged her shoulders.
"You left something here," he told her.
"Oh, what?"
"Something warm, fuzzy, and black like your mood lately," he said picking Sibelius up from beside his chair, "What's going on in that genetically enhanced brain of yours?"
"I was thinking," she replied, "Thanks for taking care of her for me," she said, taking the cat from him.
"No problem. Thinking about what?"
"That I wasn't ready for this, that it wasn't fair to you to mix you up in this crazy, freak show life of mine."
"That's not your decision to make. It's my choice," he told her.
"I know, and Cindy was kind enough to point out to me that there is no such thing as too soon. " She smiled.
"Remind me to thank her," Logan grinned.
"You want dinner?"
"Not hungry."
"Oh."
"Unless you're cooking," she smiled, "Remember, all I can do is boil water."
"Right." He pushed a way from the desk. Max's eyes opened wide when she saw he was in his wheelchair again.
"What happened?" her voice was full of concern.
"Oh, I, uh, underwent some experimental surgery last year. With the therapy, I was able to walk, but sometimes I still get locked up. When I do, Bling comes and I'm back to rolling around."
"I see. Just how experimental was this surgery?"
"Highly. I was the second person that successfully recovered from the surgery."
"How many didn't recover?" She didn't want to think about what would have happened if he had been in that group.
"The same amount as those who recovered," he said, "The odds were 50/50."
"Then it's a good thing you did it while I was in New York. Or else I would've kicked your ass for taking such a big risk." She leaned over and kissed him.
Scene 8, 2021, Crash, meanwhile
After talking to Max, Cindy retuned to the table where the other riders from Jam Pony were seated. Sketchy was relaying the tale of Normal's erratic behavior to Drew, another rider who had just come by.
"So, he's wiggin' out and then the very next minute he was ecstatic. I'm telling you, man, Normal's off his training wheels," Sketchy said, "I think it's a girl. Maybe that Louis/Louise chick."
"Sketchy, don't you remember that gender-twisting candypuff decided s/he was a lesbian?" Cindy recapped.
"There may be something to what my pale brother is saying," Herbal spoke up, "Today, I was on my bike, with the sun shining down upon me. I decided to take a break in the park to watch the clouds for a few moments, when who should appear but the man in question. He met a blonde lady at a restaurant across the street. They was having lunch."
"Normal went out for lunch?" Mila, another bike messenger, snorted.
"Yeah, I had to cover for him," Drew shuddered.
"I feel the pain man! I covered for him once and it was awful!" Sketchy exclaimed.
"We must investigate," Herbal declared, "Who is with me?"
"Count me in," Sketchy answered.
"Me too," Drew said.
"Original Cindy's in," she smiled, "but don't count on Max."
"Max? Didn't I see her down by the bar?" Herbal asked.
"Yeah, but she's busy. Occupado," Cindy winked.
"Ohhh, I see, her main squeeze," Herbal nodded.
"Yup, Homegirl's playing house."
Scene 9, 2021, Logan's, the next morning
Logan carefully surveyed the chessboard. Max was close to checkmate, but he wasn't about to give up. He'd have to make his move very carefully. He saw an opening and took it.
"Check," he said, immensely proud of himself.
Max turned her attention back from the window. "Oh." She perused the board, and her hand lingered over several pieces before settling on one. She started to pick it up.
"Nope," Logan said.
"What?" Max looked at him.
"It's checkmate, Max. I win," he told her. She looked, and sure enough, it was. Logan was worried about her. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked carefully.
"I'm fine," she assured him. But then she put a hand to her stomach. "Actually, I think I'm gonna be sick . . ." She ran for the bathroom.
Logan wheeled himself over to the closed door. "Max?" his voice was concerned, "Are you ok?"
He was answered by the sound of the toilet flushing. The door opened to reveal a slightly flustered Max. "It's all good," she stated, nodding her head once and returning to the chessboard.
Logan followed her. "You're sure you're okay?"
"Yeah," she flipped her hair over her shoulder, "Must've been something I ate."
"Funny, no one's ever had that reaction to my cooking before." He regarded her carefully, "You look a little flushed."
"I'm fine," Max told him. Logan just shook his head.
Scene 10, 2021, Kendra's, later that day
"Kendraaaa!" Max called, letting herself into the apartment, "Where are you?"
"I'm coming," Kendra emerged from the bedroom, pulling a sweater over her head.
"Mr. Multiples?" Max queried, tilting her head and putting that all knowing tone in her voice.
"Last night," Kendra smiled, "And no, I will not tell you his name."
Max grinned. It was an old joke between them. "Look, I need some help. I need you to put me in touch with someone who can hook me up with a hard to find item."
"Can't you ask Logan?"
"No," Max explained, "It's a secret."
"Oooooh," Kendra smiled wickedly, "Like as in present? The kind that's wrapped up in black lace? You can't tell me that you don't have that kind of a relationship now."
"You could call it a present, but not the kind you're thinking of," Max smiled a secret smile.
"Well then what do you need?"
"EPT."