Thorns - 10.

*Bare Hands: Delta Goodrem*

Saturday morning - 10:33 a.m. - November 18th.

The morning was starting off slow. Oz and I sluggishly stepped into the kitchen. The floor was cold on my bare feet. Oz stretched his long body outward; letting his hind legs drag along the floor behind him. The night was a long one. I tossed and turned for most of it. I still wasn't used to not having Asia next to me at night. My withdrawals had already begun. The inner fire inside me was going to have a hard time without its counterpart. The flames needed her touch, and my body filled with a dull ache because of it.

I was also becoming frustrated with the fact that Sam hadn't at least called to talk, but as I reached toward the ceiling and popped the bones in my back, I decided I couldn't really blame her. She had given herself to me and I left her standing there, crying and alone. I tried to not think about that right now. When I pulled open the refrigerator door it dawned on me that there was no food inside.

"Road trip," I called to Oz. He sat up with a yawn. His tail wagged as his eyes lit up at the idea of going for a ride.

The morning breeze was crisp and clean. I let my hand surf the current of air as I drove along the empty road. Oz stretched his tiny torso as far as possible on the other side of the truck. His back paws barely touching the seat as his nose sniffed the breeze furiously. His long furry ears flapped behind him. That brought a much-needed smile to my lips.

Minutes later, the truck rolled to a stop at the local supermarket. As I began to open my door, Oz seemed to catch a scent that made his hair stand on end. He sniffed so hard I thought he might hyperventilate.

"What is it little man? What do you smell?"

"Woof." He hopped up against my body. When I reached for him, he barked again and jumped through my arms and out the truck door. He hit the ground running like a dog possessed.

"Ozzie!" I called. He ignored my surprised tone and kept up his pursuit. I quickly shut the door and ran after him. He rounded the corner of the market and sprinted for the adjacent park. It was full of trees and thick wet grass that had just been mowed. He pushed his little legs past one bench and then another and another. As he whipped behind another tree I thought for certain I would lose him for good. I pushed my legs harder and rounded the tree as quick as I could. When I did I found him nowhere in sight.

"Great," I huffed. My hands filled with steam as my temper flared. I turned around in mid pout and found the wind knocked from me. My eyes didn't seem to want to focus on what was right before me. I meanawho was right in front of me. Foolishly I tried with all my might to focus on the sight and, my stomach knotted instantly. Oz had caught the scent of someone familiar doing something completely unfamiliar.

Sam stood before me with her arms around Kai and they were kissing lightly. Nothing too passionate, but enough to clear up why Kai seemed so angry with me before. As he leaned down and softly pushed against her small frame he seemed to be extra careful to not get too close. The knot in my stomach doubled in size as I watched his hand slide down the arch of her little back. The mysterious anger Kai showed me on the phone began to make sense. Hard, painful sense.

"Woof," Oz announced before gently leaping up onto Sam's leg. She was startled at first and then confused at his presence. Her arms wrapped themselves around the large bag she was wearing around her neck and across her chest. She slowly knelt down to him with a whisper. I wish I could have understood what she had said, but I was lost in a deafening spin of anger as my eyes met with my long lost best friend.

"Maxa" Kai gritted through his teeth. He stepped forward as I lost a step backwards, trying not to fall over from my shock. He looked exactly like I remembered. Tall, lanky and a head full of light brown dreadlocks. They were only half as long as I remembered.

"Sam?" I asked, choking on my anger. She rose quickly back to her feet, carefully caressing the bag across her chest. At that moment, my eyes blurred from the heat radiating off my cheeks as I realized that she was not holding a bag at all. Strapped snugly and safely along her torso was a little baby girl. She was wrapped in a pink little cap and her eyes flickered at me. They were big and alive with wonder and just as beautifully green as her mothers. I felt my legs give a little as her face disappeared behind Sam's protective shoulders.

"Sam?" I asked again, slowly. Her eyes turned from happiness to anger and distrust. That surprised me a little, and before I could say another word Kai stepped in front of both of them. He was mad at the sight of me and held his arm behind him as if to protect the girls from my presence.

"The prodigal son returns!" Kai cursed in a growl. It barely broke my concentration off of Sam and the baby, but it did.

"What?" I said upset. Oz ran behind my legs, unsure of what to do. A small whimper escaped him as Kai took a step closer and I tensed my body, ready for the unexpected. I couldn't believe this was actually happening. I couldn't focus my thoughts. I could barely speak.

"Finally come home to tend to your uncle huh?" he spit. Sam's eyes peeked up at me from the back of Kai's shoulders. They were still as green as emeralds and reflected pure confidence.

"Sam can we talk?" I asked, ignoring Kai and his anger.

"Or are you here for Madison?" He shoved me hard, and if I hadn't been completely numbed by his last statement, I might have shoved him back. Their child had my true name. The name I grew up with hating. I wanted to scream, but instead I swallowed my tongue and found Sam's hurt eyes again. She tried to look away from me but couldn't. That made my chest tighten more. Kai only grew angrier as he watched Sam and I connect again.

"Samapleasea" I begged over Kai's shoulder. That was enough for him.

"Leave!" he ordered with another shove. This time though I felt the fire in me take over. Best friend or notaI was at my breaking point. My hands began to shake at my frustration. Just in time though, Sam reached out with one hand and slowly grabbed Kai's flexing arm. She pulled it back down to his side and she slowly stepped up next to him. She still shielded her baby from my prying eyes as best she could. Her big green eyes found my confused stare.

"Pleasea" I begged, and just as I thought I had made a connection with her she nodded no and turned away from me. I felt the air leave me as Kai reluctantly followed her lead. He scooped up their picnic blanket and loose things, but never eased his protective glare. I wanted to run.

"Please." I stuttered one last time but I could hardly hear the word as I spoke it. For a fleeting moment Sam's eyes found mine again, this time without her guard. In that quiet second she was the Sam I had left behind. The Sam I loved. The Sam I had broken with my leaving. She was beautiful. My Sam. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew the babies little cap from her head and revealed her dark brown hair. It was mildly thick and full of wild curls that danced in the fresh breeze. She looked like my little sisters twin. Only with Sam's amazing eyes.

"Miaa" I gasped to myself. Sam heard me though and tears began to stream from her eyes. It was no coincidence that her baby girl looked like my long past sister. She was mine. Sam had given birth to our child while I was gone. No one had told me anything. Before I could understand another thought, they were gone, and I was on the ground dizzy. Oz licked my face nervously as I lay there imploding. As the world kept spinning. I gave up.

"I want to get offa"

I lay motionless for what felt like hours before I could gather my thoughts enough to leave. Oz and I made our way to the truck and drove directly to the hospital. Surely uncle Frank would have some answers for me, but when we arrived there I found my uncle neither talkative nor awake. One of his nurses informed me that he had been through a batch of tests first thing in the morning, and that he would probably be down for the rest of the day and night. The good news was that if he felt up to it when he awoke the next day, he would be allowed to go home with me.

I shrugged off the news in a fog as I made my way back to the parking lot. I was an emotional zombie by now anyway. As I walked through the halls of the hospital, I noticed something very interesting. Everyone on my uncle's particular floor seemed to be catering to him and him only. I found that weird. Maybe I was just reading into things too much. My mind was bubble gum at the moment. It's not everyday that you find out you are a father.

On the drive back home I tried to call Sam on my cell phone but she didn't answer. By the look on her face this morning, I didn't think she would be accepting my calls anytime soon. Back at home, I found myself pacing the house over and over again. Why hadn't anyone told me about little Madison? First the news of my uncles sickness, now this. Had I really cut myself off from the world that badly? I looked out the window hoping to see those familiar thunderclouds, but found shinning blue skies.

"Grrrawoof!" Oz announced from the floor, waking me from my daydream. I looked down at him and he danced in place.

"You would have told meawouldn't you?" I smiled. He barked and jumped up on me. When he did, it knocked me off balance and I fumbled against the small table that held our phone. Next to it was a rack with folded bills and loose papers. They all fell to the ground, making my temper flare for no reason.

"Damn it," I cursed under my breath. I gathered up most of the papers and Oz did his part too. He picked up one piece in his mouth and nudged it into my hands. I noticed it was a medical bill. A rather large medical bill. As I quickly shuffled through the handful of papers, I quickly realized they were almost all medical statements and bills. They all had the same startling thing in common too.

"What the?" I asked the quiet house. At the bottom of every page was one name. A name I knew too wellaAsia Michaels.

"Asia," I gasped. Every bill dated back to around the time just before I found her in Mexico. My mind raced back to the time she had so boldly stateda "I TAKE CARE OF THE ONES I LOVEa"

Later that evening I lay in bed with my thoughts racing. I thought about Frank's medical staff and how they all seemed to be there for him and only him. It all made sense now. For Asia and the ones she loved, money was no object. I reached over and picked up my phone and quickly dialed her number. The line was no longer in service.

She was gone. Again.

Poison Apples - 11.

*The Reason: Hoobastank*

Saturday night - 10:31 p.m.

I should have just gone to bed. Locked the door, closed my bedroom curtains, slipped my earbuds in, and fell asleep. But I didn't. I couldn't. All I could do was see Madi's big wonderful eyes. They were burned into me. I would regret that.

A knock at the front door startled me as I lay in my room strumming my guitar with Oz asleep next to me. It was late and I shouldn't have answered it but I did. As I opened the door Sam barreled into me, pushing me out of her way. She shoved me so hard it hurt.

"You promised Max! You promised me!" she scolded. As her hurt eyes turned to meet mine, her familiar strawberry scented shampoo hit me full force.

"Sama" I tried to speak. Her 5-foot frame stomped toward me as if she were 7 feet tall. She hit me across the face.

"I waited for you!" she shouted. "Alone!"

"I'm sorry Sam!"

"No you're not!" she accused. She reached out and slapped me again. It hurt something awful, but I swallowed that pain and concentrated on the main thing running through my brainaMadison.

"Is she mine?"

"How dare you ask me that!" She looked as if she might hit me again.

"Is she mine?" I asked a little louder. My hand found her cool smooth cheek. She looked as if she wanted to pull away but she leaned into my warm touch instead. My hand warmed over.

"Yes."

My body began to burn uncontrollably as my legs started to whither under the weight of her answer. I sat down on the living room couch with her angry shadow floating above me. After a few awkward moments of silence I found my second wind.

"She's so beautiful Sam," I said breathless. "She's the most amazing thing I have ever seen." I finished. She huffed angrily and sat down next to me. Her face eased slightly as she did.

"You think so?" she asked nervously. I nodded my head yes and found my eyes getting lost in hers again.

"She's you," I said.

"Don't Max. Don't say that," she warned.

"Sorry." I wasn't sorry. Not at all. She took another moment to calm herself.

"I'm sorry. This is just so hard. I don't know what to say," her voice cracked as she fought back her tears. My hand found hers.

"Lets start from the beginning," I whispered. Her eyes surrounded me.

"Can we start with some simple facts?" I asked. She looked away and back at me worried.

"You knowaher birthdaya" I tried to smile, but I could feel the guilt overpowering me again.

"And why am I just now meeting her?" I asked with a tone. I had no right to be upset about it, I'm the one who had left, but I could no longer help it. I felt betrayed by the ones who loved me most. She watched me closely, especially when my voice grew with anger to my last question.

"Madison Lee Valentine was born May 13th at 12:01 in the morning," Sam spoke softly. She had given her my real first name, Madison. How I despised that name as a kid.

"Madi Leeawhy wasn't I told?" I whispered to her. Sam continued calmly.

"You lost your chance to judge MY decisions on MY daughter when you left and never came back!" She found her anger again. My heart filled with anger too but I pushed it back. She was right after all.

"Our daughter," I corrected her statement. I shouldn't have said it but it was too late now. Sam was hurt by my words. She rose to her feet and walked toward the front door. I chased after her and caught her by her hand. She turned around and found my worried face.

"Why Max? No calls, no letters, no email. Where were you?" she was direct and sounded so sweet. I stepped closer to her to answer but she fought me.

"No. Never mind! I don't want to know," she cried.

"Yes, you do," I said confidently. She always brought that out in me, and right now was no different.

"Maybe?"

"I went to find my sister."

"Huh?" She didn't understand.

"You were so right Sam. I needed closure with Mia's death." I leaned my body next to hers as I spoke. Her breath built to a nervous level.

"And now I have thatamostly," I said sadly. I quickly brushed my falling bangs from my eyes.

"That took you over a year?" she asked, upset.

"No, about eight monthsagive or take," I let a smile peek through but she only grew more upset. I knew she would hate what I was about to say next.

"I spent the rest of that timea" I paused not sure how to put it.

"With her," she said like ice.

"Yes."

"Goodnight Max." She pulled away from my touch.

"Samaplease don't go," I begged.

"I should not have come here tonight. Kai doesn't even know I am here." She wanted to cry. My best friend Kai was now her best friend and more. He was now the most important boy in her life. That hurt.

"No, you probably shouldn't have," I agreed and slid her hair behind her ear, softly inhaling her sweet smell. I smiled with a whisper.

"But still you camea" She stared at me hard and long at my words.

"And I didn't lie. I did come back. Without her." I wanted to kiss her. She looked livid and said nothing.

"Sorry so late." I teased. She did not enjoy the stupid joke.

"Not funny!" she warned.

"Sorry."

"Max, you should have been here! For your uncle. For Kaia" she paused.

"For you," I added quietly.

"No! For your daughter! You should have been here for Madison!" She was shouting now. I lost my temper.

"Oh that's right, you don't need me now!" I snapped back. "You've moved on!"

"Don't go there Max!"

"Why? The truth hurt too much?" I threw in her face. My arrogance was back too.