Chapter Fifteen
Ethan met Max at the restaurant at seven thirty sharp, and they had an enjoyable dinner, Max eating a wonderful stuffed ziti, sitting across from each other at a tiny candle lit table. Ethan talked about his childhood in England, and what it was like to move to the US to go to college, then staying after the pulse.
Max talked about her afternoon with Cindy, and how she was glad to be back on a semi comfortable basis with at least one of her friends.
When they had finished dinner, Max and Ethan stepped outside to walk down the street together, talking steadily, Ethan with his arm on Max's arm, leading her along the street.
They suddenly found themselves at the waterfront. "Do you want to go for a walk along the beach?" Ethan asked. Max didn't answer; she was staring blankly ahead at the edge of the water.
***
"No Trespassing! Can't you read?" Max shouted playfully. When the man turned to look at her, he smiled and called back.
"Take of your shoes and come here."
"I left you a little present back at your place. A fresh chicken."
"Oh wow. I see a pullet chez Cale in your future with a bottle of Pre-Pulse Nuits-Saint George, say around…8:00?"
"I was hoping you'd say that." Max said as she reached Logan's side. They both stared over the water as a wave splashed at their feet.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" He paused. "And it's funny. For the first time in a long time, I feel like anything, and everything is possible." He stepped into the murky water, the edges of his pants rolled up to keep them dry.
"Aren't you cold?" Max asked in disbelief.
"Freezing. But it feels great. Come on." Logan said, waving her over. Max shook her head, but he grabbed the end of his cane and pulled her over, making her lose her balance and fall into his arms.
They were millimeters apart. Their lips a breath away from each other. They both started to move forward-
"THIS IS A RESTRICTED AREA. REPEAT: THIS IS A RESTRICTE AREA!"
Max automatically dodged her head behind Logan's neck to hide her face from the camera. "I hate those things." She muttered.
"Yeah, we better go." Their faces brushed closer to each other again, just one move forward and their lips would have met. When they finally pulled apart, Max didn't know whether she should be disappointed or relieved that the hover-drone had flown over at that moment. But whatever she was supposed to be feeling, relief wasn't the churning need grinding in her stomach.
***
"Max?" Ethan repeated, waving his hand in front of her face. "Max?"
"Huh? What?" Max asked jumping back to reality.
"I asked if you wanted to go for a walk on the beach?"
Max paused a moment. "No trespassing. Can't you read?" She said softly, low enough that Ethan didn't hear her.
"Are you all right? You look pale."
"I'm fine. Look, I have to go." Max said as she stepped away suddenly and started to walk away. "I'll…uh…call you." She said as she quickened her pace, her heels clicking rapidly as she practically ran away from Ethan.
Ethan stared after her bewildered, wondering what had just happened.
Ethan met Max at the restaurant at seven thirty sharp, and they had an enjoyable dinner, Max eating a wonderful stuffed ziti, sitting across from each other at a tiny candle lit table. Ethan talked about his childhood in England, and what it was like to move to the US to go to college, then staying after the pulse.
Max talked about her afternoon with Cindy, and how she was glad to be back on a semi comfortable basis with at least one of her friends.
When they had finished dinner, Max and Ethan stepped outside to walk down the street together, talking steadily, Ethan with his arm on Max's arm, leading her along the street.
They suddenly found themselves at the waterfront. "Do you want to go for a walk along the beach?" Ethan asked. Max didn't answer; she was staring blankly ahead at the edge of the water.
***
"No Trespassing! Can't you read?" Max shouted playfully. When the man turned to look at her, he smiled and called back.
"Take of your shoes and come here."
"I left you a little present back at your place. A fresh chicken."
"Oh wow. I see a pullet chez Cale in your future with a bottle of Pre-Pulse Nuits-Saint George, say around…8:00?"
"I was hoping you'd say that." Max said as she reached Logan's side. They both stared over the water as a wave splashed at their feet.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" He paused. "And it's funny. For the first time in a long time, I feel like anything, and everything is possible." He stepped into the murky water, the edges of his pants rolled up to keep them dry.
"Aren't you cold?" Max asked in disbelief.
"Freezing. But it feels great. Come on." Logan said, waving her over. Max shook her head, but he grabbed the end of his cane and pulled her over, making her lose her balance and fall into his arms.
They were millimeters apart. Their lips a breath away from each other. They both started to move forward-
"THIS IS A RESTRICTED AREA. REPEAT: THIS IS A RESTRICTE AREA!"
Max automatically dodged her head behind Logan's neck to hide her face from the camera. "I hate those things." She muttered.
"Yeah, we better go." Their faces brushed closer to each other again, just one move forward and their lips would have met. When they finally pulled apart, Max didn't know whether she should be disappointed or relieved that the hover-drone had flown over at that moment. But whatever she was supposed to be feeling, relief wasn't the churning need grinding in her stomach.
***
"Max?" Ethan repeated, waving his hand in front of her face. "Max?"
"Huh? What?" Max asked jumping back to reality.
"I asked if you wanted to go for a walk on the beach?"
Max paused a moment. "No trespassing. Can't you read?" She said softly, low enough that Ethan didn't hear her.
"Are you all right? You look pale."
"I'm fine. Look, I have to go." Max said as she stepped away suddenly and started to walk away. "I'll…uh…call you." She said as she quickened her pace, her heels clicking rapidly as she practically ran away from Ethan.
Ethan stared after her bewildered, wondering what had just happened.