Accident Prone

Tonight, they were supposed to celebrate a big milestone in their lives, but instead, a seed of doubt was planted into Liz's heart.

"How long will that take, Max? How many meetings will you have with her? How many lunches? How many coffee breaks? How many of those will be with just the two of you? How many times will you stay late in the office discussing her latest marketing plan for the Alpha group? Can you guarantee that she will not sway your heart? Or how about the rest of your body which froze when you saw her? I know that you don't have answers to those questions and that it's not fair of me to ask you that but… this is what is on my mind and I need to think if I can live with that."

Max looked at Liz with desperation obvious in his face. "Liz, I can't prove to you that I am faithful if you push me away."

"Max… I don't think that I can survive the heartbreak if I get any deeper. I want to believe that you mean it, how you will be faithful, and that I am the only woman in your heart. But there will always be a knot in my chest because of the question if you are deceiving me or yourself. Her presence is impacting you more than you wish to admit. How do you expect me to be confident that you are mine only if you are not sure about it yourself?"

"Is this it? Is this how we end? Because of a doubt? Because of the possibility that I might make a mistake sometimes in the future? That is not fair, Liz."

"Life is not fair, Max. I am not breaking up with you. I am only asking you for some space. I need to think. Please, don't come to my apartment tonight."

All the strength left Max's body and his legs refused to move as he helplessly watched Liz walk into the elevator.

The elevator door closed, and she didn't look at him.

The Elizabeth Max knows was gone and he was looking at a stranger… and the pain was so unbearable that he was sure his heart broke into a million pieces.

…

Max entered his future office, grabbed a bottle of Johnnie Walker, and slumped on the sofa. He didn't bother with a glass; he drank from the bottle.

"Where is Liz?" Mia asked.

Max frowned from the sharp sting in his throat caused by the alcohol.

"She went to her place and told me not to come." Max saw that Mia reached for her phone. "Don't bother calling. She said that she wants to be alone."

Max put his lips on the bottle and started drinking again.

"Max… don't." Quentin said as he reached for the bottle. "Drinking will not solve anything."

Mia, Brianna, Quentin, and Hunter watched Max as his eyes turned red and then he took another swing from the bottle.

None of them knew what to do in this situation. Both Max and Liz are hurting, and they all feel their pain, yet they don't know how to fix it.

Quentin finished his drink and stated the obvious. "Well, this party is over… Max, where will you sleep? Do you want to crash at my place?"

Max rejected. "I have a bed here."

"You will not go to your apartment?" Hunter asked.

"No. It's too close to Liz. If I go, I will bother her, and she said that she needs space…"

Mia and Brianna stepped out first, to give space to Hunter and Quentin to talk to Max.

"You should not be alone." Quentin warned Max.

"I am not. I have Johnnie to give me company." Max lifted the bottle to show his company for the night.

Hunter does not like the idea that Max will drink again. In the last six months, Max was fine, and Hunter can't allow him to revert to the old Max again. "Max…"

"What, Hunter? Do you have a solution? Do you have a time machine that can fix my miserable life? I was always a fool. All those awards and trophies were not able to prevent me from making a mistake after a mistake. And just when I reached to see the top, the ground under me gave in. I am right where I started, but now I know about Liz and I know what I've lost. My old mistakes kept coming at me one after another and it reached the point where Liz can't take it anymore. You can stay and drink with me or leave. I will not be fine in either case…"

"Are you giving up on Liz?" Quentin asked in disbelief.

"She does not want to talk to me, Q. Talking to her is like I'm talking to the wall. She is looking at me like I am a stranger. Should I tie her up and force her to be with me? I did my best for her, but my best is not good enough… If taking my heart out and giving it to her would help, I would do it… I would do anything for her to look at me how she used to, but I don't know how…"

…

In the hallway…

Max told Mia not to call Liz, but Mia had to check on her.

"Liz, how are you doing sweetie?" Mia called when Liz picked up.

"Don't worry, Mia. I will not do anything stupid. I just need some space to think things through. I am not in a party mood and I didn't want to stick around and spoil it for everyone."

"Well, it's too late for that." Brianna said. Her ear was right next to Mia's so she can hear Liz as well.

"What do you mean?"

"Max is miserable. He got a bottle of whiskey and is trying to drown his sorrows." Brianna said.

After a few seconds of silence, Mia asked: "Liz? Aren't you going to talk to him? Aren't you going to give him a chance to fix this?" 

Liz exhaled a shaky breath and Mia and Brianna knew that Liz is crying. "There is nothing he can say to make it better. Some things can't be fixed. I need to go now…"

The call ended and Mia and Brianna exchanged concerned gazes.

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