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Around lunchtime, Angie knocked on the door. Max’s mother answered and called Max down. He walked down the stairs slowly and went up to Angie. His mom left them alone. “Ready?” she asked. Max shook his head. “I’m not feeling well anymore. Maybe some other time.” Angie raised an eyebrow and shook her head. “You’re just trying to get out of hanging out with me. That’s okay…” she played with her small, silver bracelet on her left hand and started to walk off. The truth was, as Max thought about her with someone else, he started to really get sick.
Max closed the door behind her and sighed. “Are you alright, sweetie?” his mom asked, getting up from the couch and walking up to him. Max nodded his head and started to walk to his room again. “I’m fine, Mom.”
After a week went by of nothing but television and hanging out inside, his dad came home. His mom and dad didn’t speak to each other, but they spoke to Max a lot. First, his dad pulled him on the couch while his mom was still in her room. “Look, Bud, I’m sure this is hard for you since you’re fifteen now, but there are just times when you find you may not care about who you’re with…” Max’s dad was never good with comforting people; if anything, it made Max feel worse, but he didn’t care that much. In three year, Max would be gone. “So, I am going to an alcoholic’s anonymous thing so I can get better.” His dad said. Max rolled his eyes. He knew he wouldn’t do it. “I love you, son. I don’t want to lose you.” Max smiled solemnly and hugged his father. He could have sworn he heard his dad crying as they held in a long embrace. Max didn’t want to, but his father wouldn’t let him go.
Then, It was his mom’s turn. Max walked into his parent’s bedroom and sat by his mother. “Disregard what your father has said. You know he isn’t good at explaining things.” Max nodded. His mother sighed and looked Max in the eyes. “I love you, but the fights I’ve been getting in with your father have become worse and worse. He’s used alcohol to help him ‘calm down’, but it only makes everything much worse.” Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued to talk. “We’re getting a divorce to protect you. I am going to try to get full custody. I’ll do my best, Max, but I can’t make any promises.” After talking with his mom, he went upstairs to his room, sat on the bed and thought. ‘Why don’t I get a say in this? What if I want Dad instead of Mom?’
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