Page 117 of The Me I Left Behind

If that were true, then she knew exactly what it was. She wasn’t up for his bullshit any longer.

“Time to go, Max.”

“Wait. Dad,” Jason said. “If Carol doesn’t want to go, can I come? And can you go upstairs with me for a minute? I want to show you this new video game. I’m really good at it and—”

Abruptly, Max coiled back and backhanded Jason across the face. “Won’t you just shut the fuck up, you whiney screwup kid!”

Jason pitched to his right with the blow, then staggered into the back of the family room sofa.

“Getthe fuckout of my house now!” Maggie yelled.

“Jason!” Carol screamed and ran to him, pushing past Max.

Chloe started wailing, her tears wetting Maggie’s shirt. Her little arms clutched tighter around the hips.

“What’s going on?” Logan burst into the room. “Is everything okay? The front door was open and…” He looked around, a questioning expression on his face.

“No. It’s not,” Maggie warned. “Get help.” Her brain suddenly flashed back to the night in January, with Carol and Tyler.

“Logan!” Carol shouted. “Be careful. He’s my dad.”

“Who the fuck are you?” Max glared at him.

Logan stood his ground. “The guy who might take you down if you lay a hand on anyone in this room.”

Max laughed.

“I’m calling 9-1-1,” Carol said, then spoke into her phone. “Yes! We have an intruder at 358 Calvin Way. Please hurry!”

Twisting away from Logan, he glared at his daughter. “Now, why in the fuck did you go and do that?”

“Mr. Oliver. You need to leave.” Logan put a hand on his shoulder.

Max whirled back and swung.

Carol screamed.

Logan ducked.

Max stumbled when the force of his swing didn’t make contact. “You little fucker.”

“I hear sirens,” Jason said.

“Great,” Maggie said, taunting Max. “Now we can have an official witness to the madness and since you are in town, I can finally file those assault charges against you from January.”

Max gave her a look that could kill. “No need to rush things, darling. I’ll be back to finish what I started here.”

“I believe that’s a threat. Did you all hear that, kids?”

Max glared, then turned and headed for the front of the house.

“Thank God,” Maggie breathed. “Carol, come take Chloe.”

She peeled her youngest off her and handed her over to Carol, then raced into the entryway. Max jogged down the driveway. She slammed the door shut and locked it, before he reconsidered and returned.

The sirens grew louder. They’d be there soon.

She quickly texted Julia, asking how soon she could get a restraining order.