Chapter One~394

Maxine: Mom, please. Please tell me what’s wrong with me. Tell me how much time I’ve lost. No one will tell me exactly how long I’ve been- I’ve-

Teresa: Oh Maxine. This is so difficult. 

Maxine upset: I’m not seventeen.

Teresa: No, my darling. You’re not seventeen.

Maxine fearful: How- how old am I? Who am I?

Teresa: You’re Max, you’re my sweet beautiful precious Max. It doesn’t matter what you can or can’t remember. You’re MY Maxine.

Maxine: I’m trying so hard to remember anything at all and I can’t. I just CAN’T. 

Teresa: What was the last thing you remember?

Maxine: The Wind Island Fair. I was there and I was a part of the kissing booth.  Ingrid won second prize in the bake-off! And Ava was so mad at Manny, she didn’t want to talk to him even though they were supposed to-

Maxine stops. Manny and Ava’s elopement was a secret. Her own pregnancy was a secret. But they were secrets for seventeen-year-old Max. Where they still secrets now?

Teresa gives her daughter a sad smile and answers as if she had read Maxine’s mind.

Teresa: Manny and Ava eloped. They’re still married. And Ingrid won second prize in the bakeoff- Reggie won first prize, I remember. They’re engaged now. They have their own bakery on the island.

Maxine: They’re engaged…she always loved him…

Teresa: Maxine, you’re 22. Almost 23. And my darling…so much has happened since you were 17…at the county fair…so much…

Chapter One~393

Teresa slowly opens the door to the hospital room, her slippery palms barely able to get a grip on the handle. The last time she’d seen her daughter…there had been such tremendous hate in Maxine’s eyes. She wasn’t sure what she was going to see in her daughter’s eyes now. It was a terrifying moment for her- as terrifying as when Maxine had run away with Cooper, as when Anais was kidnapped… 

She enters the room and the two take each other in.

Maxine spoke first, her blue eyes widening. Time had passed, this she knew. But seeing her mother drove it home. 

Her mother didn’t look the same at all. Her last memory of her mother had been of a woman flushed from working long hours at the estate, wearing comfortable but dowdy clothes because of the long hours on her feet, a chubby woman with tired eyes and a weary smile.

This slender, stylish woman wasn’t the same woman at all.

Maxine bewildered: Mom?

Teresa afraid: Maxine…

But there was nothing to fear. There was no hatred in her daughter’s eyes. Confusion, shock…but no hatred. None at all.

This was her daughter. The daughter she’d lost. For a moment, Teresa was too overcome to talk. She covers her hand with her mouth to keep from sobbing.

Maxine worried: Mom…please don’t cry. Please. I don’t think I can take it if you cry. I just want…

Teresa: Oh Maxine, menininha …

Maxine: Mom, I need a hug. I’m scared and I-

Teresa cuts her daughter off, pulls her daughter tight in her arms.

Teresa whispers: Oh Maxine. Maxine. All these years…without you…eu quase morro…

Chapter One~392

Cooper: What about me, Max?

Maxine: I know you’ve been here round the clock. Caring for me. We’ve always been good friends, Coop. But why? Why do you care so much? Why were you here before my mother? And where is here? I’m in a hospital- but this isn’t Wind Island. I see all these huge tall buildings when I look out the window. I’m in San Myshuno- the nurses and doctors all have badges that say San Myshuno. Why am I in San Myshuno? 

Cooper: You’re in San Myshuno because San Myshuno is where you live now. 

Maxine: When? Since when?

Cooper rubs his neck. The hospital had given Maxine her diagnosis, but it wasn’t up to them to fill in the blanks. And Cooper was beginning to see the enormity of all the blanks to be filled.

Cooper: You’ve lived here for several years. And- and so have I. We moved here a long time ago.

Maxine: A long time ago? How long ago? And what about-

Cooper had never felt so overwhelmed in his life, overwhelmed and at a loss as to how to explain. His next words felt cowardly to him but he didn’t know where to even begin.

Cooper sad: Your mother can better explain, Maxine. About these last few years…she can explain.

Chapter One~391

It would be Teresa to give the personal details of Maxine’s condition but Cooper was still her next of kin. He was the one responsible for all of her medical decisions-he was her partner even if Maxine didn’t know it. He enters Maxine’s room first, to advise her of her mother’s arrival.

Cooper: Hey, Max. Have the doctors been in to speak with you? To tell you more about- about your diagnosis?

Maxine: They said I’m suffering from memory loss. But they won’t tell me anything more. I feel like- like there’s this big secret everyone is hiding from me!

Cooper: It’s not a secret, Maxine. You have significant memory loss. 

Maxine confused: But I remember who I am, I remember you, I remember everyone! I know all of you seem to be much older than I am, but I want to know- I want to know how bad this is!

Cooper: Your mom is here. She just got here. If you want to see her, she’s here.

Maxine frustrated: Why wouldn’t I want to see her, Cooper? Do you see what I mean? That’s so confusing to me…why wouldn’t I want to see my own mother? And I want to know something else- something about you.

Chapter One~390

“Make her aware of what role you have in her life”.

Cooper Russo wasn’t sure how he could possibly explain to Maxine his role in her life when for years, his role had been nothing but a lie. They’d recklessly ran away together years before but nothing good had come of it. And now he wanted out- he wanted to make a life with Nialla Holmes while still playing a part in Anais’ life- but none of that would make sense to Maxine.

Nicky Holmes pressed his fingers together, his mind and heart racing. He knew exactly where Teresa Esparza was coming from in her desire to keep Maxine unaware- he’d always fantasized about a do-over with Maxine, a chance to repair all the damage he’d done. But not like this- never like this. He hadn’t spoken to Maxine since Luke had managed to reveal the truth from her. He was afraid of what she’d ask, what’d she want to know. He was afraid to tell her what his role was- that he was someone she both loved and hated.

It was decided it would be Teresa to tell Maxine of her condition. Maxine believed herself to be seventeen and her mother had been her primary caretaker. Getting the information from her mother would be easier on Maxine’s state of mind. Still, Teresa knew once Maxine recovered, there was a possibility her role would go back to what she’d been for several years- a mother Maxine no longer cared about.

There was a heaviness in the room as they all pondered their role in Maxine Esparza’s life.

Chapter One~265

Anais sings her grand finale: It is my fate! To be so great! For me to rise you’re gonna have to fall! It might just leave you curled up in a ball! And my request is really very small…I WANT IT ALL!

She ends her song with a triumphant smile, basks in all of the claps her audience was giving her. The guests were clapping very enthusiastically, relieved her show was finally over so they could all go home but in her three-year-old mind…they were clapping BRAVA for her!

Anais scans the crowd, drinking in the admiration, until she spots her father and… stupid Sophie! 

Stupid Sophie wasn’t clapping! Stupid Sophie was asleep! She was sleeping on her Daddy, who couldn’t clap either because he was holding stupid Sophie by the hand! Her father looked tired and sad- Anais was too young to identify his true emotion, guilt– but she knew he wasn’t happy at all.

HOW DARE SOPHIE FALL ASLEEP AND NOT CLAP FOR HER AMAZING SHOW!!! How dare her Daddy be sad instead of happy with her show and stop clapping too!

Anais balls her little fists, rage filling her tiny body. She was Anais Isabel Holmes, the most important little girl in the whole world! That’s what her Lola said! EVERYONE was supposed to love her and clap for her and be happy to know her! Everyone, including stupid Sophie! Her Lola and Lolo always said so!