Chapter Twenty nine

Max woke to singing.

Bad singing.

Terrible singing.

He groaned and pulled the blanket over his head.

"Happy birthday to you..."

His eyes snapped open.

"No."

The singing continued.

"Happy birthday to you..."

Max sat upright just as his bedroom door opened.

Nate walked in first, carrying a large homemade cake with eighteen candles burning across the top.

Behind him came Sarah, smiling broadly, and Micah, who was singing loudly enough to be considered a public disturbance.

Max stared at them.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Nate grinned.

"Good morning, birthday boy."

"I hate all of you."

"No, you don't," Sarah said.

Micah continued singing.

"Happy birthday, dear Max..."

"Micah, stop!"

He didn't.

"Happy birthday to you!"

Nate leaned closer.

"Make a wish."

Max stared at the cake.

For a moment, he didn't know what to wish for.

Two years ago, his wish would have been simple.

To stop hurting.

To stop feeling angry.

To have his father back.

But now?

Things were different.

He had his family.

He had friends.

He had finally begun to understand himself.

He had survived tenth grade again.

He had grown into someone he actually liked.

And for the first time in years, the future didn't terrify him.

Max closed his eyes.

He made his wish.

Then blew out all eighteen candles.

Sarah immediately hugged him.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart."

"Thank you."

Micah pulled him into a hug next.

"Eighteen."

"I know."

"You're officially an adult."

"Unfortunately."

Nate laughed.

"Congratulations."

Max looked at him.

"Thanks."

Nate held out his hand.

Max frowned.

"What?"

"Come here."

Max stepped closer.

Nate pulled him into a brief hug.

"Happy birthday, Max."

Something warm settled in Max's chest.

"Thanks."

Nate stepped back.

"You've grown up."

Max smiled.

"Finally noticed?"

Nate laughed.

"Apparently."

----------------------

After breakfast, Sarah cleared the plates while Micah leaned against the kitchen counter.

"So," Sarah said, "what does the birthday boy want to do?"

"Anything?"

"Within reason."

"That's suspicious."

Micah folded his arms.

"Answer."

Max thought for a moment.

Then smiled.

"I want to hike."

Nate looked up.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"Where?"

Max looked toward the window.

"The old trail."

The room became quieter.

They all knew which trail he meant.

The mountain trail they'd visited countless times when Simon was alive.

The same trail they'd taken during Max's suspension.

The same place where Max had finally apologized to his mother and Micah.

The same place where some of the family's oldest memories lived.

Sarah smiled softly.

"I'd like that."

Micah nodded.

"Me too."

Nate smiled.

"Then we're hiking."

----------------------

They left shortly after ten.

The weather was perfect.

The sky was blue, the air cool, and the trees surrounding the trail were thick and green.

Max walked ahead for the first few minutes.

He seemed almost restless with excitement.

Nate watched him.

"You planning to race us?"

"Maybe."

"You'll lose."

"You said that last time."

"And I was right."

Max turned around while walking backward.

"You wish."

Nate laughed.

"Watch where you're going."

"I'm fine."

He immediately caught his foot on a root.

Nate reached out instinctively.

Max grabbed his arm.

For a second, they stood there laughing.

"I'm fine," Max repeated.

"Clearly."

Micah walked past them.

"Both of you are children."

Max called after him.

"You're jealous."

"Of what?"

"Everything."

Micah shook his head.

"Happy birthday."

----------------------

The trail climbed gradually.

The first section was easy.

They passed familiar landmarks.

The old wooden sign.

The crooked tree Simon used to joke about.

The flat rock where they used to sit and eat lunch.

Max remembered being ten.

His father had carried him on his shoulders during part of the climb.

Nate and Micah had raced ahead.

Simon had shouted at them to slow down.

The memory made Max smile.

"You remember this?"

Nate asked.

"Yeah."

"Your dad almost fell right here."

Max laughed.

"He blamed the rock."

"He blamed everything."

"He said the mountain was personally attacking him."

Nate laughed.

"That sounds like him."

They continued upward.

----------------------

Around midday, they stopped beside a stream.

Sarah unpacked sandwiches.

Micah produced drinks.

Max immediately stole one of Nate's.

"Hey."

"Birthday privilege."

"That's not a thing."

"It is now."

Nate shook his head.

"Fine."

They ate together beneath the trees.

For a while, nobody spoke about grief.

Nobody spoke about school.

Nobody spoke about work.

They simply sat together.

It felt strangely perfect.

Eventually Max leaned back against a tree.

"I wish Dad could've seen this."

Sarah looked at him.

"He would've been proud of you."

Max smiled faintly.

"You think?"

"I know."

Micah nodded.

"He would've been annoying about it."

Max laughed.

"Definitely."

Nate smiled.

"Very annoying."

Max looked around at them.

"Do you think he'd recognize me?"

Sarah's expression softened.

"He'd recognize your eyes."

Max looked down.

"I don't look like I did then."

"No," Sarah said. "You don't."

She touched his cheek.

"But you're still my baby."

"I'm eighteen."

"You're still my baby."

Max groaned.

Micah laughed.

"You're never escaping that."

----------------------

They continued climbing.

The higher they went, the quieter everything became.

Eventually they reached the overlook.

The entire valley stretched beneath them.

Max walked toward the edge.

He stopped.

For a long moment, he simply stared.

Nate came to stand beside him.

"Beautiful."

"Yeah."

Max smiled.

"I used to think the mountain looked huge."

"It still does."

"I guess I'm just bigger now."

Nate looked at him.

"Yeah."

Max turned.

Their eyes met.

Max smiled.

"You're still looking at me like you can't believe I'm eighteen."

Nate laughed.

"I'm trying to catch up."

"Maybe you're getting old."

"I'm twenty-something."

"Exactly."

Nate shook his head.

"Brat."

Max grinned.

"Doctor."

They laughed.

----------------------

They spent the afternoon at the summit.

They took pictures.

Micah attempted to take a group selfie and nearly dropped his phone.

Sarah insisted on taking another because "nobody was smiling properly."

Max laughed until his stomach hurt.

It was one of those days that felt suspended outside ordinary time.

No hospital.

No school.

No deadlines.

No grief pressing down on them.

Just family.

Just the mountain.

Just memories.

When the sun began to lower, they started the descent.

Everyone was exhausted.

Max's legs were aching.

Nate's shirt was damp with sweat.

Micah complained about his knees.

Sarah told him he was too young to complain about his knees.

"I'm a physiotherapist," Micah argued.

"Exactly," Nate said. "You should know better."

They laughed all the way down.

----------------------

By the time they returned home, everyone was exhausted.

Max showered and changed before joining the others downstairs.

Dinner was simple.

Nobody had the energy for anything elaborate.

Afterward, Sarah and Micah went into the kitchen to clean up.

Nate remained in the living room.

Max dropped onto the sofa beside him.

"Today was perfect."

Nate smiled.

"It was."

"I haven't had a birthday like this in years."

"Good."

Max glanced at him.

"You know..."

"What?"

"You look good when you're tired."

Nate frowned.

"What?"

Max smiled.

"I said you look tired."

"That's not what you said."

Max laughed.

"Maybe I misspoke."

Nate shook his head.

"You're weird."

"Maybe."

Max stood.

He paused beside the sofa.

"Goodnight, doctor."

Nate looked up.

"Goodnight, birthday boy."

Max smiled.

Then he walked upstairs.

Nate watched him go for a moment before turning back toward the television.

He didn't think anything of the comment.

He didn't notice the slight smile on Max's face.

Didn't notice the way Max had looked at him before leaving.

Didn't realize that the compliment had been deliberate.

To Nate, it was nothing.

Just Max being Max.

But upstairs, Max closed his bedroom door and leaned against it.

He smiled to himself.

Nate hadn't noticed.

Not even a little.

Max shook his head.

"He's hopeless."

And for the first time, the thought didn't frustrate him.

It amused him.