Page 83 of For All It's Worth
There was a second when I thought about walking out but I was going to be the better person.
“You know he didn’t mean to snap,” Kristen said soothingly when she joined me behind the coffee counter. She went to place a hand on my back but withdrew it when I moved away. I didn’t need coddling.
“I know, but it still hurts.” I got to work on the orders that had begun backing up. Max and Kristen needed to train the others to work the machine better. I often got stuck doing it when I was on shift and the repetitive motions got boring. I needed my brain occupied.
Max stayed in the office for a couple of hours. I’d begun to wonder if he was just trying to avoid me.
“I’m sorry, Charlie,” he said quietly as I entered the office during my break.
“I don’t know what’s going on in your head, but you can’t speak to me like that and not expect a reaction.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Figure your shit out, Max.”
“I’m trying to apologize!”
“Then do it properly. Do it three hours ago when you said it.” My voice had raised to a shout and Max’s face was flushed with what could be anger or shame.
“I haven’t got time to baby your feelings, Charlie. Go home, it’s quiet out there. We’ll talk tomorrow when we both have calmed down.”
“But…”
“No, Charlie. We’re not doing this now. I need you to go home before you make this worse.”
“Me?”
“Go home!”
My heart sank to my feet. He was telling me to go. How badly had I fucked this up?
“Max…” I could hear the tears that were welling in my voice.
Max had turned away. He wouldn’t look at me. “No, Charlie. Just go home. We need some space.”
