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She has been the perfect role ood s Her advice to Max about letting Ceecee be independent has really paid off, too She gets herself ready for school, enerally happier It was hard for Max to let go He was so used to doing everything for Ceecee Part of it being he liked being needed by her

I think he worried he would be left out of Ceecee’s life if he didn’t have to do anything for her

Tina disappears down the hall and we all resu

Half hour passes and Tina hasn’t returned

Sherlock Holmes time

I creep down the hall and find Max eavesdropping on Tina and Ceecee He looks like he wants to laugh I tap his shoulder He turns and holds a finger to hisabout makeup is that less islike a clown!"

Ceecee doesn’t speak for a long moment then responds with, "But I like clowns"

Tina’s voice sounds wistful as she says, "Yeah, me too" Then she excitedly offers, "Ooh! Next tio!" I can practically hear her bouncing up and down

That’s oofball

Ceecee whisper replies, "You’re the coolest"

Tina responds matter-of-factly, "Nuh uh You’re the coolest Ice cold, baby"

Ceecee sounds full of ahen she asks, "Really?"

Tina replies, "Uh, yeah!" She makes it sound like Duh! "You think I come here to see your uncle or your daddy? Nope I coel"

Neither of the for a while then Ceecee whispers, "Love you, Tina"

Tina responds with a choked, "Love you more, baby"

I turn sideways to look at Max He looks to be in pain His eyes are bright and he ss hard

He turns and creeps back down the hall without a word

Well, damn

Ceecee is finally asleep and I tiptoe down the hall back to the others

I see the games have stopped and everyone has taken their usual places on the sofas watching yet another Will Ferrell movie

Everyone except Max, that is

I look over to Nik and shoot hi look He nods his head toward the patio

I step out to the patio to find Max with both hands on the rail, head slumped down between his shoulders I touch his ar you?"

He replies a short and firhtly tousle his hair I say, "Okay, honey But I’m here with open ears if you need ‘em"

I’ot no idea, babe"

I walk back over to him, touch his arm and tell him, "So help me understand"

Max ss hard and says quietly, "You got no idea what it’s like to love someone so much, with all ya freakin’ heart, but she looks exactly like someone you hate It feels like a cruel reminder every time I look at her I see the face of the person who put her in that fuckin’ chair"

Sadness eats away at what’s left of my heart

Wow This is the most Max has ever spoken to me about Ceecee and her accident Nik has since told me the story just so I’d have all the facts and not be conorant about Ceecee’s mom

I feel honored that Max would let me in

What Max doesn’t know is that I know a bit about how he feels Mia looked just like Jace and every day was a reiggle and I’d also be re fat stupid head to leave that behind

Wrapping my arms around his waist, I squeeze and resttiive him some time alone

As I reach the door I look back to ain

Saturday night coet to the club

We need drinks and laughter, stat

We are over people trying to bring us down and Mimi told me that if I had any more problems with anyone this week to flip ele and blush

We’re all dressed in our usual attire and head to The White Rabbit or, Wonderland as we like to call it

Anticipation drives us crazy As soon as we exit the cab we bound up to B-Rock whooping and ju around like loons He chuckles, holds his cheek out to accept our kisses and lets us in

It’s bangin’ tonight!

We make our way up the stairs to the VIP area and Asian Alice is there to greet us with a smile and escort us to our booth

Trick and Max are already seated, talking and laughing together As soon as they notice us approach they both stand to hug and greet us

I ask where Nik is and Max shrugs and tells ency

Ho over there and ency a little more fun

I smirk internally and decide I’ll do just that

But first, I need a drink

I wonder how the fuck I’ in et to the club

This was not the eency I had in mind when I was called to h dress It’s a miracle it covers her pussy and I suddenly wonder what I ever saw in her

She was easy

Oh, yeah That’s it

I sit in e of the desk

I ask, "What can I do for you, Sissy? You know, it’s funny, but I thought you were banned from the club"

She throws me a sour look and replies, "Don’t be mean, Nik" She smiles what I used to think was a sexy smile and says, "I just wanted to see how you were"

This is a fuckin’ eof busy, I need to get back so please escort yourself out"

I h She scoots closer to

Lightning quick, she slips off the desk and into my lap, lowers her face to mine and kisses me

Not a nice kiss either

It’s sloppy and her tongue prods at my lips Revulsion washes over me Her hands remove my shirt tails out of my slacks I stand She falls to the floor on her knees

I’

I spit, "I had one fuckin’ rule, Sissy Don’t ever kiss o to special people Not people I used to fuck"