Max felt like there was a raging tsunami inside him. He and Roxanne were in the Spoonerville General waiting room. While Roxanne slowly flipped through a magazine without looking at the pictures, Max sat with his head in his hands. They heard footsteps and stood up when Goofy approached them.
Goofy sighed and smiled his goofy smile. "She made it. They were able to fix her."
Max and Roxanne both sighed in relief. "Dad, I'm so glad to hear that."
"Me, too." Roxanne said. Goofy and Max shared a hug. "Is she awake?"
"No. She's still in recovery." Goofy replied. He sighed. "I just don't understand why she stabbed herself. Is she really that unhappy?"
Max and Roxanne shared a look. Max felt a lot of guilt building up inside him. He closed his eyes, then opened them to look at his father in the eye. "She's not. Sylvia met Bradley at the store earlier. He brainwashed her to stab herself to convince me to break up with Roxanne."
Goofy closed his eyes, sighed, sat down and buried his face in his hands. 'Bradley again? Why doesn't he just kill all of us slowly and painfully?' he thought angrily. He had half a mind to tell Max to break up with Roxanne so they wouldn't have to deal with him. But, he'd never do that.
Max sighed and sat next to Goofy. "Dad...I understand if you want me to break up with Roxanne. I know Sylvia wouldn't be here if it weren't for me."
Goofy shook his head. "It's not your fault, Maxie."
Max bowed his head. He still felt responsible. "Are you gonna tell her?"
Goofy looked surprised at his sons' question. "Of course I am. She's my wife. I can't not tell her!"
"Okay. I'm sorry." Max waved his hands. "Is she gonna press charges?"
"Probably."
"He will deny it." Roxanne spoke up. "If Sylvia doesn't remember anything, he'll play on that. We have no proof other than your word, Max."
The Goofs sunk in their seats. "So there's nothing we can do?"
Roxanne shifted a little. "Well..."
A nurse walked up to them. "Mr. Goof? The doctor said to tell you that your wife is awake now."
"Can we see her?" Asked Goofy.
"Of course." The nurse replied. "Follow me, please."
"Dad, why don't you go ahead?" Max said. "We'll stop by in a few minutes."
"Okay." Goofy smiled and followed the nurse.
The youthful couple watched Goofy until they couldn't see him anymore. Max faced his fiance, smiling. His face fell when he noticed she wasn't smiling.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
Roxanne sighed. "All of this was to get you to break up with me. Bradley had this planned."
"I know. So, we'll strike up a retaliation plan..."
"You think that will stop him?" Roxanne asked.
"Well, what else could we do?" Max shrugged.
"We could give him what he wants." Roxanne suggested.
Max's mouth went dry. "You mean...break up?"
"Max, Sylvia's in the hospital." Roxanne relented. "She's here because Bradley wants us to break up. If we continue our relationship, he could come after our dads next."
"No...look, we can figure this out." Max said, panicking. "We-we can-"
"Max, think about our safety!" Roxanne exclaimed. "If something happens because we didn't break up-"
Max raised a hand to silence Roxanne. "I'm sorry, I seemed to have misheard you. Did you say 'break' up or 'give' up? Because to me, they have similar meanings."
Roxanne stared at Max in shock. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying, do you really want to give Bradley the satisfaction of him knowing he broke us up?" Max asked. "I did not give up when I found out Bradley cheated in the X-Games, or when he detonated a rocket on my skateboard, I am not giving up now."
Roxanne sighed and bowed. He had a point. Breaking up would mean that Bradley wins. But still...what if something worse happens? She brightened up as she thought of another idea.
"We could pretend to break up." She said. "That way everyone will be safe, and Bradley won't bother us anymore."
Max thought about that. "That could work."
XX
Goofy walked into Sylvia's room. Sylvia just woke up and smiled at her husband. "Hey."
"Hiya." Goofy leaned down to kiss her. "You scared me."
"Sorry." Sylvia said sadly. "What happened?"
"Well, what was the last thing you remember?" Asked Goofy.
"Um..." Sylvia closed her eyes to think. "Well...I went shopping...then I came home, then made dinner for all of us...then the phone rang for Max...and the next thing I know, I'm on the kitchen floor with a knife in my stomach."
Goofy bowed his head. He was hoping she'd remember seeing Bradley. "Sylvia, did you run into Bradley Uppercrust III while you were shopping?"
Sylvia shook her head "Not that I can remember. Why?"
"Because...Bradley ran into you at the store and brainwashed you to stab yourself to get Max to break up with Roxanne." Goofy replied. He nervously waited for her reaction.
"Oh...did they?" Sylvia asked.
"I'm not sure." Goofy answered. "I don't think they should. I want them to be happy."
"I think they should." Both Goofy and Sylvia were surprised. "Why did I say that?" Suddenly, Sylvia looked off as if listening to a thought bubble. Goofy had seen that expression before. Before Goofy could say something, Sylvia continued. "I think that it would be best if Max ended it with Roxanne. For our safety, anyway."
Goofy blinked in shock. Was she...
Just then, a nurse came in. "Excuse me, visiting hours are now over, unless you would like to put in a request to stay the night."
Goofy looked at Sylvia, who smiled. "Go on. I'll see you in the morning. Please tell Max what I said."
"Oh...okay. Sleep tight."
XX
"She said what?"
On the way back to Goofy's house, Goofy told Max and Roxanne what happened.
"But...she would never..." Roxanne shook her head.
"Unless she was brainwashed to." Goofy put in. The youthful couple stared at him.
Max took that in. His dad was right. She might have been...maybe...if he and Roxanne did break up, the brainwash spell would be broken.
Max sighed. "Well...you can tell her we did break up."
Goofy looked back at Max. "But, Max, you two are so happy together!"
"I know, but...your safety comes first." Max replied.
Goofy sighed. "I'm sorry, Max."
"Yeah...me, too." Max just stared out the window. 'Sorry for lying to you, and putting you in this position...'
Aaaah...sorry, but I couldn't think of anything else to write!