MaximilianEvery time my phone rings, it can only be one of two people: Ada or that fucking lunatic. At least, that’s how it’s been in the last few days. But this time, it’s Rebecca who’s calling me. So much has happened since I last spoke to her that I forgot all about our interaction. “Max,” she says. “I have news.”“If it’s about Damson, forget it,” I say right away. “We’re already negotiating and I don’t want you getting involved and ruining everything.”Her response is a sputter. “What? What are you talking about? You’re talking to him? How? When did this happen?”“Very recently,” I reply, my tone clipped. “Max, you can’t buy into his story! That man is evil and he’s out to get both of you! I take it you didn’t call the police?”“Rebecca, we’re taking care of this the way we see fit. Thank you for your help but I never asked for it. I don’t want it.”“Max, I told you about the investigator, didn’t I? Well, now we have some information and he might have found the area that Dam
MaximilianI nod. “That’s him.”“You’re sure?”“One hundred percent,” I grit out. “I would never forget his face. Not ever.”I’m exhilarated that we’ve managed to catch him. I know that this isn’t much—we still don’t know where he lives—but this is more progress than has been made in years. The investigator says, “I’ll be watching him closely after this to ensure that we find his residence as quickly as possible but the shop’s clerk didn’t have a fixed time. He comes and goes whenever he has to shop and it’s usually at random times. I’ve also mentioned this to Miss Loxley here, but they’ve never seen the girl. Not once in all these years.”“What could that mean?”The man shrugs. “Just that he keeps her well. I don’t know enough to draw any conclusions—this is just me guessing at things.”“We understand that,” Rebecca cuts in. My eyes are drawn to the screen again. Years of hatred bubble inside of me and nearly spill over. I have to keep it all in for when the time is right. “It’ll
Ada “Today is the day,” Damson says as soon as I answer the call. This sends goosebumps spreading all across my skin and I suck in a breath through my teeth. “What? What do you mean?”“I can’t tell you more but do you trust me.”I tuck a lock of hair behind my ear and fight my parched throat. I move away from the window in the living room and turn to sit on the couch instead. I don’t think my legs can keep supporting me. “Yes, I trust you.”“Then that’s all I can say to you. I don’t want to ruin the surprise. We’ll talk soon, alright?”After the call, I walk around my apartment restlessly. I’m chewing my nails. I’m pacing the floor of the living room. It’s a mess, waiting for Damson to call me again. The strange part about all this is that Max didn’t call me the way he usually does. What does that mean? That he doesn’t receive a call?I think briefly of calling him before deciding that it just isn’t worth it. What if Damson wants me to see my daughter today or something similar? May
Ada But Damson never calls me, and in the end, my hopes are crushed and I have this despair deep inside of me because I don’t know what to do. Why didn’t he call?I didn’t do anything wrong. I followed his stupid instructions. I did what I was supposed to! Yet, he left me hanging, which makes me wonder exactly what his plan is. I thought I had the whole thing figured out. Apparently, I was wrong. I’m so demotivated that when my phone rings and I see that it’s Max, I cry before getting any word out. On the other end of the line, his despair is evident, and even though I hear all his questions, I can’t bring myself to answer any of them. “Ada? Ada, please, tell me what happened. Please. Don’t leave me like this. Is it Damson? What did he do? What did he say?”“I can’t take this anymore,” I sob. “I can’t. He told me he’d send me the address. Told me I’d get to…to see Victoria today.”Max is silent as I try to get my emotions in check. Sniffling and feeling considerably calmer, I say
AdaWhen Max arrives, I have to admit that I feel nervous. Really nervous. Like I know what will happen before I do. Our eyes lock the minute I open the door, and a heated moment passes. I don’t know why it happened or even how. I just know that I feel this heat low in my belly at the sight of him and it didn’t happen when we saw each other the first time. This is a bad idea. I know it. Yet, I open the door wider for him, inviting him into my apartment. Max walks in uncertainly, looking around and clearing his throat. He’s clearly uncomfortable and perhaps senses the same thing that I do. I close the door and take a deep breath. “How are you feeling?” I whirl around to face him and notice that his eyes are already on me. Licking my lips, I say, “I’ve had better days.”His eyes soften with concern and for some reason, I’m transported back to the old days—the days when we used to be together all the time. He looked at me in this exact same way. “Did he try to call you again?”I
MaximilianThe sounds of her sobs make me desperate.I don’t know what I’ve done wrong. “Ada,” I whisper her name softly while caressing her face. She sobs even louder, turning her head to the side like the sound of my voice offends her. I wait for her to speak. It’s the only thing that I can do. “I’m sorry, Max,” she says once she’s calmed down enough. Her eyes are back on mine and they’re red. “I don’t mean to make you feel bad. I just…it hit me all of a sudden. How much things changed.”“Don’t I know it,” I murmur, doing my best to keep things between us light though it’s almost impossible to ignore how hard I am right now, and how she’s the only woman I’ve wanted for so long. “I feel like such a failure,” she admits. “It’s not easy, coming to terms with a separation. I loved you, Max. There are times when I think that I always will.”I meet her gaze, hope surging inside of me. “So will I. I’ll always love you no matter what happens between us.”“I’m scared,” she admits. “I’m t
Ada Max and I lie down next to each other afterward, breathing hard. This was the best sex I've ever had in my entire life. I didn't know I needed this until now. I'm exhilarated for a few minutes right after I climax before it all comes down hard and I feel even more depressed. As if sending the swift change in mood, Max wraps an arm around me and pulls me close. I let him because the only time I ever felt great in these last seven years was in his arms just now and I'm eager to have more of that feeling even if it won't last long and will only lead to more complicated situations. Compared to what I had before—which was nothing—this was everything. I turn my head to look at him just as he turns his as well. Our eyes lock and I lose myself in the depths of his eyes. There’s so much I want to say to him but wouldn’t know where to begin. I don’t even know if what I have to say is the right thing. Max runs his fingers down the length of my arm and I shudder, desire pooling in my
Maximilian Except, I’m not so sure if Damson was actually lying and that’s the part that bothers me most. Because I don’t know if the detective Rebecca hired actually went after him to find out where he lived. He was with us some hours ago, though, so maybe not? I’m still not sure. It seems unlikely because how would he know where Damson was? Either way, I’ll have to ask Rebecca and make sure it wasn’t him, and I feel shitty about the whole thing. Because the same thing happened the last time and it was what tore us apart. I’m actually glad I didn’t tell her about the new progress we’ve been making or she’d leap to conclusions and whatever we’re working on here wouldn’t work anymore. It’s not only that—I’m scared, too. What if this investigator ends up making things worse for us? I have a million questions at this point and no answers to them. I try not to feel angry as I think about the whole thing because I was pretty hopeful when I saw Damson’s face on the screen of the comp
Ada Seven Years Later The sound of the water in the bathroom running makes me open my eyes suddenly.My vision is blurry at first but I blink a few times and sure enough, see Max standing in the bathroom, getting ready for work. It’s still dark out—he always leaves for work way too early. And because it’s Saturday, this makes even less sense. Normally, I don’t wake up, but for some reason, I did today. Rising from bed, I approach him carefully, making sure to announce my presence so he doesn’t get scared. He’s shaving his face and looks surprised when he sees me. “Morning, babe. What’s wrong? Did I wake you?”“No,” I mumble before taking the razor from him. I like doing his beard whenever I can. “I just figured I’d get up since I woke up.”“Hm,” is all he says. I finish shaving him, and then we both get washed for breakfast. Usually, he makes it, but this time, I decide to prepare it. We head downstairs together, and I ask him what he wants to eat. “Eggs? Bacon? Whatever you wan
MaximilianTheo managed to get out of trouble due to his close association to the government of Argentina. I don’t know what it is he does—I have a feeling it’s an important job but something off the record. He somehow managed to get the blame off his shoulders completely and got away unscathed even with police involvement. I won’t ask too many questions because that directly benefited us. Now, we can live happily, and it’s fucking sad that Theo isn’t experiencing this relief that we are right now. Though he knew about Grayson’s illness, he wasn’t expecting him to die so soon. Neither of us were. It’s honestly a terrible end to this fucked up story, and in all truth, it’s so unfair to me to celebrate when someone so close to us died. He wanted to be cremated and his ashes spread in Argentina. Theo honored this wish. I didn’t see him shed a tear once but the massive change in him is clear for everyone to see. They’ve been together for years—many years—and Grayson was his lifelong c
AdaStaring at his face makes me freeze a little bit—not enough to make me not know how to react because deep down, I expected this and even counted on it—but it’s still a shock. I haven’t seen him in years, too. The last time was at the hospital when he bumped into me. I know now that was on purpose. I didn’t recognize him then but we’d still been close. “Come with me and you won’t have to get hurt,” he claims in that unnatural voice of his. I realize that his hand is right over what I’m assuming is a gun in his pocket. “Why are you doing this?” I ask, stalling for time. We’re away from the entrance of the police station. I could scream but he’d either shoot me and get away, or get away. Either way, the police wouldn’t be able to catch him on time. I have to be smart about all this. “Aren’t you satisfied?” I continue. “You always took her from me for so long. She won’t even look at my face and refuses to call me her mother. Why don’t you just let me be happy?”“If you even think
Ada I can hardly believe that I’m walking into the prison and that in a few minutes, I’m going to be face to face with my mother. I haven’t seen her in seven years—we haven’t exchanged a single word since then. Now, we’ll have a chance to talk. Half an hour, I think. Am I ready? I’m not sure. Max stays outside. This is also part of the plan. The point is that he needs to seem distracted or on the phone so that when I step out, Damson will think that he’ll have the perfect opportunity to approach me, or maybe even capture me. And that’s where Theo and Grayson come in. But for now, I’m safe inside the station, and I’m going to be talking to my mother now. I wouldn’t be here unless it was completely necessary. I’m not looking forward to talking to her at all. An officer waves me over, gives me all the rules and instructions along with warnings, and then I’m put in a room with her. We’ll be sitting right across from each other. The door is opened for me and I step inside the gra
Ada In the morning, I can hardly believe that I’m leaving this cabin. It’s all happening so quickly and honestly, it’s so surreal. I don’t have time to say goodbye to Abby because she’s asleep but I do say bye to Rebecca and Samantha. Then, when we’re alone, I tell Rebecca what happened last night and she seems so happy that she’s practically bursting at the seams. “That’s so amazing, Ada!” she exclaims. “Oh my God. I wish I was there to see it.”Words can’t describe how it felt to hold her. I imagine mothers of newborns feel the same way when they finally hold them in their arms. That new feeling—this certainty that you would do anything for that child. That’s what I felt yesterday. Seven years after her birth. “There’ll be a lot more to come,” Rebecca assures me. “Soon there will be a time when we’ll forget all about this difficult beginning, you’ll see.”I exhale and clasp my hands together. “I hope so.”But it’s time for me to go. I sit in the backseat of the car and just h
Ada “No,” Max says. “That’s a crazy plan, Ada. Are you kidding me? Do you really think that I’m going to let you put yourself in danger like this?”I sigh, exasperated. “You told me yourself that he’s toying with you and I agree. He’s watching you and isn’t an idiot—as soon as he has the chance, he’ll kill you, and then what will we have accomplished? No, Max. This is what we’re going to do.”“But Ada—”“No buts,” I claim. “This is decided.”It’s easy for me to tell why Max doesn’t like my plan—in fact, it makes all the sense in the world, to be honest. I’ll be making myself a target so that we can better follow Damson’s moves. Everything else didn’t work. Waiting for him at both apartments was a pointless plan for so many days and in the end, he managed to plant a bomb in their car. I can’t stand by and let that happen—we have to do something to stop him while we’re all still alive. What if one of them died? How would we keep fighting, then?“I don’t want you to get ahead of yours
MaximilianI run a hand down my face in frustration. Gone again. The detective stares back at us, his expression of exhaustion mirroring ours for a second before he changes it and looks optimistic again. "Our guys are working on finding him and I'm sure we will very soon. You have nothing to worry about."Theo frowns and inches forward. "I don't think that's true, detective. You said that before and my niece was never found. I don't understand why there aren't more people after this guy. He's crazy and a danger to society. A lot of people could've been hurt today!" "I assure you that we're doing all we can," he claims, but even that is something he says to everyone, I'm sure. I've heard him a million times. I look over at Theo and he stares at me at the same time. The look written all over our faces is the same—we're wasting time here and if we don't get out of here soon, we'll waste even more time. Theo extends his hand to the detective. "Thank you for your time."We head out,
Maximilian When I woke up earlier today, I thought that it would be the same day as all the others. I was wrong. Because Damson chose to make an appearance in the most unexpected of ways and because our guard was down—courtesy of spending fruitless days looking for him—he managed to succeed. A stroke of luck saved us, because we should’ve all been dead by now. But I should start at the beginning. Grayson and Theo are taking turns watching Ada’s apartment. They slip in and out, which would make it difficult for him to watch them and know when they’re in and when they’re not. He can’t be watching us 24/7, or so we thought. It seems Damson is more sneaky than I have him credit for initially. I usually buy us breakfast. It’s hard to shop all the time and anyway, nobody has the patience to cook anything. So, I get fresh bread, butter sometimes, and cheese along with all other sorts of pastry that we can eat. I’ve learned that Grayson decided not to do chemo, which means that his da
Ada Abby has surprised us once more, and we’re beyond happy. Especially Rebecca and me, who are here all the time, waiting for every moment when we’ll be a perfect family and we’ll embrace each other as we should. But deep down, I’m no longer able to celebrate as much as I want to because I’m so afraid of what Damson has in store for us. I’m sure it’s all paranoia because he hasn’t given any sign of life—for all we know, he’s hanging by the neck in a motel room somewhere now that he knows he’s lost and that we’re after him along with the police. But I doubt that. The new Damson has proven to be someone very evil with plans and backup plans and the whole lot of it. He doesn’t have any empathy, and he’s just cruel and mean. I know that our happiness is bothering him. Just the thought of him makes him want to reveal himself so he can take one of us out. Lately, I’ve been trying to feel what he feels. As twins, one would expect us to have that kind of connection. But no. I’m just