Page 50 of Out Of Time

“I found him, yeah.”

“And what didhesay?”

“That he’d been waiting for me to call him. That he’s watched my hockey career, and he knew…” Max bit back his emotions, he wouldn't cry, not now. “He said he knew I would find him when I started to see the signs.”

“How? Why? What signs, Max? You never gave me any details. I don’t even know what any of this fucking means. Make it make sense, Max.”

“Remi, he’s completely blind. He has—”

“What? What does he have?”

“He has an eye disease. It’s called—'' Max had not spoken it out loud, not yet, not since his father had put a name to it, making it real.

“What's it called, Max? Maybe I can help you.”

“It’s called retinitis pigmentosa, my father has it, and from what the doctor saw, and lots of research, I’m certain I have it too. And the only thing you can do to help me at this point is to let me back into your life. I know I’ve fucked up, more than once. But please, let me look at you long enough to memorize the details of your face, because I won't be able to see them one day, and I never want to forget.”

She fell into his arms, and he welcomed her. He let his own stiff body relax into the weight of her.

“I don’t know what to say, Max,” she said, her voice no more than a faint whisper.

“Just say yes one more time.”

She looked up at him, her eyes bloodshot, tears streaming down her face. “I did that once before, Max, and you pulled away.”

“I won’t this time. I promise.”

“What am I saying yes to, Max? Tell me this time. I need more.”

“To everything.”

“What does that even look like?”

“I don’t know. I can hardly see my feet, you can't expect me to see the future,” he said, offering her a small, half smile.

Remi let out a soft chuckle amongst her small sobs. “Not a vision joke already?” she said, swatting his shoulders.

“If I don’t laugh about it, I’m afraid it might kill me.”

“Then I say yes. Fuck it. Yes, to everything. Part two. But don’t make me regret it this time.”

“I won’t. I want to be with you, Remi. I want to take care of you for as long as I can. I want to spend what time I have left with my vision seeing how beautiful life can be with you.”

“And hockey?” she asked, her voice breaking as she said it.

“Remi,” he pleaded.

“Pass?” she asked.

“No. Not a pass. No more passes, I promised,” he affirmed, bringing his hand to her leg, running it up her thigh. “Not a pass, just an, I’ll get back to you on that.”

“Okay, I can handle that,” she agreed.

“Remi,” he said, a hint of a smile on his face. “I need you to stop crying rightmeow, and I need you to show me to your room while I still have the courage to do what comes next.”

Remi wiped away her tears with a small smile before standing.

“And what comes next, Max Miller?” she asked, as he stood before her, his body massive next to hers, engulfing her space.

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