Chapter Seven
Lovesick
Tammie puts her book down and stares out the window. She watches as a nest of baby birds cry for their mother to feed them. How can she feed so many mouths? How can Tammie feed just one mouth? Her baby will be dependent on her for care, and she has no way to give it to him or her. What is she going to do?
“Everyone, please put your books down and take out your pencils,” Ms. Lovett, her English teacher, interrupts her thoughts. They are about to have a pop quiz on the first chapter of the book everyone is reading. Right at this moment she can’t recall the name of the book.
A knock at the door stops her from worrying too much. The door opens to reveal Mr. Wick, the school counselor, and a student behind him.
“Apologies for the interruption, Ms. Lovett, but you have a new student.” Mr. Wick pushes the student forward. Ms. Lovett smiles and directs him to a seat behind Tammie. Tammie smiles at him, and he smiles back.
“Tammie,” Ms. Lovett instructs. “Please take our new student to study hall and go over what we’re doing in class. You know, bring him up to speed. You’ll be exempt from today’s pop quiz.”
Tammie smiles and nods, relieved that she won’t have to take the quiz.
She and the new student walk out of the classroom towards the study hall.
“It’s good to see a familiar face,” the new kid smiles at her.
“It’s good to see you, Max,” Tammie replies. “I didn’t know you were going to start attending Wellis.”
“Neither did I until last week,” Max shakes his head. “The principal booted me out on a technicality, but Martin and I are working on a way to get around it.”
“Well for however long you’re here, welcome,” Tammie hands him her book.
“We’re reading the Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck.”
“Oh, how far along is the class?” Max asks.
Tammie shrugs. “Don’t worry, we just started on Chapter one, and some of the kids in class still don’t have a book. The library ran out of copies. The AP English class was cancelled since they didn’t have enough students to participate, and everyone was crammed into the regular English class.”
Tammie stops in front of the study hall door and turns the knob, instructing Max to go inside. He obeys. They sit down at one of the round tables.
“Can’t they just order more books?” Max raises his eyebrows.
Tammie shakes her head. “They don’t have enough money to buy twenty more copies, and besides, a lot of new books they get are stolen. The students have to buy the book or borrow it from the public library. A lot of the students come from low income families who can’t afford to buy a school book, or don’t think they should have to, so Ms. Lovett is giving everyone enough time to get the book however they can. She even bought a few copies of her own to lend to students.”
Max nods his head. “Wow, so I guess if I try to find the book at the public library?”
“You won’t find it,” Tammie shrugs. “All available copies are gone.”
“So, why didn’t anyone sign up for the AP English class?” Max asks.
Tammie shrugs again. “Some say the work load is too heavy. A lot of them get discouraged because even if they graduate, they can’t afford college, and some of the girls who were in the honors program last year got pregnant and dropped out.” Tammie goes quiet, hoping Max will move on.
“That’s too bad,” Max shrugs. “What’s your next class, Tammie?”
Tammie is glad to change the subject. “I have Pre-Calculus, then Gym, then Anatomy. You?”
“Um…” Max pulls out his schedule for her to look at it.
Tammie smiles at his schedule. ‘You have Chemistry with Mr. Tate. That won’t be too bad. You have Gym with me, and then you go to the Allied Health and Vocational building for… nursing?”
Max nods. “Yeah, I thought I’d give it a try. Since I’ve been working at the children’s hospital I’ve taken an interest.”
Tammie smiles. “Okay, well I can show you where the building is if you’d like?”
“I would love nothing more,” Max croons and moves his face intimately close to Tammie’s, whispering in her ear. “Just promise you won’t try to violate me.”
“What?” Tammie raises her eyebrows in shock and breaks into laughter, unable to contain herself. Max nods and does a macho presentation of himself, dusting his shoulders and running his hand through his hair as Tammie continues to laugh.
“You are a nut!” Tammie pushes his face away. The door to study hall opens and Devon walks in. Max sees him first and gives him a polite nod. Tammie turns, locking her eyes on Devon’s face. Devon stares briefly, first at Tammie, then at Max, before finding the table furthest away.
Tammie breaks her stare and glances nervously at her watch. “I guess it’s time for us to part ways. First period is over.”
Max raises his eyebrows. “How do you know? I didn’t even hear the bell ring.”
“The bell’s broken,” Tammie explains, chancing another look at Devon. “Practically everything in this school is broken.”
Max laughs, “So if I don’t have a watch?”
“Just watch the other students,” Tammie smirks. “There’s a five minute break between classes. Don’t worry, you’ll catch on quick.”
Max sneaks an opportunity to touch Tammie and pulls her into a hug. “Oh Tammie,” he exclaims, imitating Scarlet O’Hara. “What would I do without you?”
Tammie immediately shoots a look at Devon to see if he is watching. He is. Tammie takes advantage of the moment and returns Max’s hug with affection. Max smiles and releases her, satisfied with the exchange.
Devon bristles, obviously agitated, as he watches Tammie and Max leave study hall. He picks up his book and begins viciously turning the pages.
Tammie’s heart returns to a normal rate the moment Devon is out of sight. Max is asking her where the Allied Health Building is when she stops him.
“Max, you know that guy who walked in?” Tammie grabs his arm anxiously.
“Not personally, but yes I know of whom you speak,” Max takes on a British persona. “Pray tell, what is the matter, my dear?”
Tammie sighs and glances at the door, hoping Devon will burst through it at any moment and reclaim her. “That’s my boyfriend. Well, my ex-boyfriend.”
“Oh,” is Max’s only reply.
“I don’t think he liked us hugging,” Tammie puts her hands in her back pockets. “Max, I know this may sound odd, but could you do me a favor?”
“Certainly!” Max continues with his accent and places her hands in his. “Spit it out, my dearest Tammie.”
Tammie smiles at his cheesy imitation. “Whenever we’re together and you see him, could you hug me again?”
Max smiles devilishly. “I’ll be your man-slave if that’s what you want.”
Tammie punches his arm softly. “That won’t be necessary, I just need a hug.”
Max feigns disappointment and resumes his normal voice. “Oh, okay, if that’s all you want. Of course, I could do more,” Max smiles at her and grabs her by her hands again. “Much, much more.” Max puckers his lips, closes his eyes, and advances toward Tammie, who watches him in amusement.
“What are you doing?” Tammie asks with raised eyebrows.
Max stands up straight and opens his eyes, smiling as he speaks. “Smelling my upper lip, of course,” Max waves a shy hand at her.
“With your eyes closed?” Tammie smiles.
Max rolls his eyes and sighs. “Everyone knows when you shut down one of your five senses, the others become stronger.”
Tammie plays along. “Ah, so by closing your eyes, you made your sense of smell stronger!”
Max snaps his fingers. “Exactly! You’re brilliant!” He grabs her hand and swings it in a child-like fashion. “Now, show me to my class!”
“Okay,” Tammie guides him to the Vocational Building. “Max?” she speaks his name as they reach the entrance
.
“Yes?” Max answers.
“Aren’t you even going to ask me why I want you to hug me when you see Devon?”
Max scoffs. “I get to hug a pretty girl when her ex walks by. Who cares about the ‘why’ of it?”
Tammie smiles despite the uneasiness she is feeling. “I’d better get to class,” she states. “I’ll meet you here after and take you to the gym okay?”
“It’s a date.”
•••
“I acted like a complete dork!” Max exclaims as he paces in Martin’s living room.
“Isn’t that how you act all the time?” Martin jokes as he leans back on the couch.
“Ha ha,” Max replies dryly. “This is serious, Martin. I can’t act like a goofball around a girl that I like if I expect to get any play. She won’t take me seriously!”
“But you are a goofball, Max,” Martin laughs. “That’s who you are. You’re a funny guy, not this serious guy you’ve been trying to become since…” Martin reroutes the conversation. “Max, as long as I’ve known you you’ve been a joker, a prankster, a comedian. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Yeah, except that no one ever takes me seriously!” Max throws up his arms in frustration. “I’ve been holding myself back for a long time now, and today I was changing my accent, and imitating movie characters, and doing things so… juvenile.”
“But that’s you, Max!” Martin laughs, unsympathetic. “Me, I’m no good at jokes.”
Max snaps his fingers. “That’s it!”
“What’s it?” Martin asks.
“Martin, teach me to be more like you,” Max entreats his friend with clasped hands. “You’re moody and quiet and girls think you’re mysterious. They love you!”
Martin swells. “Well.”
“Yeah, teach me how to ignore girls when they ask me to read between the lines, never laugh at any of their jokes, and be as serious as a manic-depressive English teacher reading Edgar Allen Poe.”
“Hey!” Martin protests.
But Max isn’t finished. “By the time you’re done with me, I’ll be a no-nonsense, impenetrable wall of masculine composure. Too cool to speak to the little people, I’ll be a white version of your dad!”
“I beg your pardon?”
Martin snickers as his father’s injured tone resonates behind Max.
Max starts from the sudden interruption and turns to face Martin’s father. He smiles weakly at Mr. West before hiding behind the couch where Martin is seated.
“Hey Mr. West, Martin’s dad who is so not an impenetrable wall too cool to speak to the little people, but rather a lover of mercy and justice and truth who looks on me as one of his own sons that he would never kill, because he’s so good humored and never holds grudges.”
“Busted,” Martin instigates.
“Max, stop hiding and get over here,” Mr. West commands.
Max removes himself from his hiding spot and walks slowly to Mr. West, pushing his index fingers together and keeping his head low.
“Oh, knock it off,” Mr. West protests Max’s childish gestures. Max immediately straightens, puts his hands to his sides and smirks.
“Yes, sir. Um, may I call you Father?” Max speaks sweetly.
Mr. West raises his finger and wags it at Max, squinting his eyes as he speaks. “You…”
Max smiles sweetly in response. Mr. West sighs, rolls his eyes and grabs his briefcase from the table. “You two please behave,” he throws the request to them on his way out.
Max exhales as soon as the front door closes. “Whew!”
“You are so lucky you’re not his real son,” Martin teases.
“But I am!” Max protests. “You, on the other hand,” he points to Martin, “are adopted.”
Martin scoffs. “I’m the adopted one?” Max nods and Martin laughs. “The albino kid is my father’s real son, and I’m the adopted black one. Sure, whatever.”
“Mhm, now back to Tammie,” Max switches subjects.
Martin sits up from his lazy position on the couch. “Max, do you really like Tammie?” Max only nods, not trusting himself to do more. Martin sighs.
“My advice to you, since you can’t be swayed, is to really get to know her and find out what’s going on with her. Do that before you start,” Martin put up his hands in air-quotes, “’making your move,’ okay?”
Max eyes Martin suspiciously. “What do you know that you’re not telling me?”
“Trust me, if I could tell you, you’d know,” Martin assures him. “All I can tell you is that you should get to know her and be her friend, because friends are what she really needs right now.”
“Thanks for the advice, Martin,” Max sighs. “But you’ve got to give me more than that.”
Martin shakes his head. “I’m staying out of it, Max.”
Max rolls his eyes. “You’re already in it, man! Besides, I’m supposed to be your best friend! If you can’t trust me, then who can you trust?”
“It’s not about trust, Max,” Martin explains. “I’d be betraying a confidence if I told you.”
Max pauses for a moment before speaking. “I may be overstepping, but if Tammie didn’t tell you, that means someone else did. So, it’s okay that Tammie’s confidence was betrayed but not Jennifer’s?”
“I didn’t say it was Jen,” Martin protests.
“Oh, come off it, man!” Max imitates Sherlock Holmes. “It’s elementary, my friend! Who else besides Jennifer can get you to listen to a conversation long enough to know that it’s private?”
“I don’t think Tammie wants people to know,” Martin hems.
“I’m not people,” Max defends himself. “And I can keep a secret.”
“Right,” Martin scoffs.
“Okay, forget about the past,” Max waves his hand in dismissal. “From here on out, I am a trustworthy, close-lipped, secret keeping, padlocked, airtight safe, okay? Now tell me what you know.”
Martin looks uncertain, but Max knows he is breaking down.
“You can tell me, Martin,” Max insists. “Besides, who else am I gonna tell? You’re the only friend I have.”
“I don’t even know if it’s really true,” Martin shakes his head. “I mean, I’m pretty sure, but I have second-hand knowledge of it.”
Max rolls his eyes. “It’s not that hard, Martin. Don’t make me guess.” Martin gives him a defeated look, and Max lets out an exasperated sigh.
“Fine, you’re gonna make me guess because you don’t want to betray your precious Jen. Okay, I get it. Whatever.”
“Aw, Max,” Martin begins.
“No, no,” Max dismisses him. “Don’t try to spare my feelings now. You just dissed your bro for a-”
“Max,” Martin sighs. “It’s not that, it’s about integrity. I can’t go around spreading rumors and telling things spoken to me in confidence. I mean, what does it say about my integrity if I-”
“What if I guess?” Max interrupts. “Then, technically you wouldn’t be spreading anything, I would simply be figuring it out by deductive reasoning.”
Martin shakes his head. “Max, you can’t just-”
“She’s pregnant, right?” Max interrupts again. “That’s gotta be it!” Max smiles at Martin, waiting for a response. Martin’s shock betrays him and is soon replaced by an expression Max knows well.
Max stops smiling and stares at Martin. “I was only kidding, Martin. I mean, I was thinking of the worst possible thing that she could hide and I…” Max stops talking and looks at his feet, then back at Martin. “Seriously?” he asks.
Martin shrugs and nods.
“Wow,” Max sighs. “Is it from her boyfriend?”
Martin looks at his friend, puzzled. “As far as I know, but why would you ask?”
“No reason, no reason,” Max replies quietly. “Wow,” he repeats. “Are you sure?”
Martin nods again.
“Wow,” Max states a third time.
“Yeah,” Martin agrees.
> “I wasn’t expecting that,” Max admits. “I thought, you know, at worst Tammie might be clingy or OCD about eating on time. She doesn’t seem like the type to be…”
“She isn’t,” Martin states. “She made a mistake, that’s all. A big one, but nothing life-ending. Life altering, sure, but her life isn’t over. She needs friends to help her see that. I didn’t think so at first, but you could be one of those friends, Max. It’s no coincidence that you’re in her path. You have an opportunity here that Jennifer and I don’t have. Tammie has let you in, as a friend. Don’t take that lightly. You’re entering her life at a crucial moment, and God may be using you to help her.”
“I doubt that, Martin,” Max scoffs. “I’m not really qualified to help anyone.”
“That’s not true,” Martin protests. “Every time you go to the children’s hospital and play with those kids, you’re helping them. Every time you sacrifice your time without obligation you’re helping someone. And every day you decide to go on with your life despite what you’ve been through, you’re helping someone. You may not always see it, but it’s true.”
Max shakes his head. “Nah, Martin. I mean, I see what you’re saying, but what about every time I fail, and every time I’m selfish, and every time I don’t move on but stay in the same place? Aren’t I hurting someone during those times? And trust me, if that’s the case, I hurt more people than I help.”
“Max,” Martin begins.
Max raises his hand to stop him from speaking. “There’s no need to tell me something that isn’t true to make me feel better, Martin. I know what I am, I know what I’ve done, and I’m living with it the best I can. For now, let’s just leave it at that okay?”
“Okay,” Martin concedes. “For now, I’ll let it go.”
“Thank you,” Max sighs. “I’ve got some stuff to think about, so I’m gonna head back to O.K’s. Thanks for the company and the advice, Martin.”
“You’re welcome,” Martin smiles. “Don’t drive Mr. Kent too crazy, and tell him I said hi.”
“Drive him crazy? Me?” Max points at himself and feigns surprise. “How could I possibly drive him crazy? Did I tell you he gave me his car?”
“He did? Wasn’t your license revoked?” Martin asks.
Max rolls his eyes. “Suspended for three months, wise guy, and I guess he didn’t give me the car so much as he’s letting me use it.”
“Hmm,” Martin smiles and nods. “What kind of car is it?”
“The kind that runs,” Max shrugs. “I drove it once so far, but only to the store.”
“You aren’t driving it everywhere?” Martin laughs. “That’s definitely an improvement, Max. You used to take joy rides like I take jump shots.”
Max shrugs. “Where am I gonna go that won’t get me in trouble? School and here. That’s it. And when I’m here you can take me home. That way, we preserve gas money for me and you get to help me out!”
“Yup,” Martin agrees.
They enjoy a few minutes more of joking around before Max repeats his need to return to Mr. Kent’s house.