I’m so tired being here… suppressed by all my childish fears…

* * *

The pain was all I could remember. The raw desperation and distress that mirror his features and voice. The type of pain that words couldn’t describe. Something you’ll have to go through to understand the depths of that said pain.

Something or someone haunted him and I was the one who had brought these strong reactions out of him.

You promise me…you never broke promises, yet you did…you did…you said you never leave me, but you did…you promise me Maxine.

His broken silent words stuck in my head like a melody of the most sorrowful kind. Most importantly it was the last past that struck a nerve within me. He said a name, not any name, but a woman’s name…Maxine?

Questions manifested within me in wonder of who was this Maxine?

This mysterious woman who was the source of this man’s pain, a person that he had some how connected to myself.

My thoughts went back to the police station-more importantly to the sister of the man with the enchanting green eyes.

She was my height and very petite, she looked to be around my age, yet the stress of taking care of her brother seems to have matured her still she would be considered beautiful.

The expression on her face when she first laid eyes on me were that of the telltale sign of familiarity; never changing as we exchange information for my car repair. The look of wonder and unknown was stitched on her features.

I had brushed it off during the whole exchange, but now as I look back more questions begin to form more importantly those that surround on the mysterious Maxine.

…you promise me Maxine…

What did Maxine promise him?

***

Weeks had passed and the questions kept building and building. Taking over my thoughts consciously and unconsciously till there was no peace for me to attain. My curiosity growing at the mystery that surround by the man with the enchanting green eyes and the woman by the name of Maxine.

I had the information of the sister-her name- her name- Sara that was her name. I had her number…my curiosity could be satisfy if I simply called her and asked to drop by to ask her the questions that took over my ability to think.

What was so hard by calling?

I was afraid.

Afraid of what?

I didn’t know.

It was very childish of me, but I had this reserve of maybe I should stay away and mind my business. That I’ve might learn something very detrimental, for myself or possibly to them, for wanting to know such things.

There were so many excuses as to why I shouldn’t involve myself into, but I had already gotten involve in this situation, so it would only be right for me to know why.

I had picked up my phone and with all the nerve dialed Sara’s number.

***

The phone had answer on the second ring.

“Hello,”

“Hello, this is Zenobia Mitchell, by any chance is this Sara?”

“Oh yes-yes this is Sara,” I let out a quiet sigh.

“I want to say sorry again for my brothers behavior…he has never acted that way before…and I never thought that he would do such…I mean,”

“No need to explain and like I said at the police station no harm was done,” I said calming the woman on the other end.

“Thank you, I hope they didn’t give you any trouble about your car I made sure everything was taken care of.”

“Oh no, they didn’t give me trouble,”

“That’s good,”

It was silent between us. My body had become taut at what I was going to ask next.

“To be honest I didn’t call about my car repair…”

She was silent as if coaxing me to continue. I let out a long sigh.

“What I wanted to ask you…if you don’t mind me asking…who is Maxine?”

This time it was her turn to sigh, while I became silent waiting for her to either curse me out and hang up or tell me who the mysterious woman was.

I was hoping that she go on the later part than the first.

“I was expecting you to ask me; Maxine was the name of my brothers childhood best friend. Four years ago, Maxine was killed by in a hit and run accident. The driver was speeding down a one-way street and hit her. She died instantly and my brother never been the same since.”

I seat there silently, soaking in the story she told me, now I understood some of the pain that he felt, but there was still so many unanswered questions that weren’t answered yet.

“My god, I’m so sorry to hear such, I didn’t mean to intrude, but that night your brother called me by her name.”

“I can see why he did even I thought I was hallucinating when I first lay eyes on you,” she said softly.

“And that is?” not understanding her logic.

“Because Zenobia you look exactly like Maxine…you have that familiar spirit like hers; she was a very warm, loving, and free spirited person. And you have some of that essence, so I can see why Michail thought you were her.”

“Michail?”

“Sorry…that’s my brother name Michail,”

So I had a name that matched the enchanting green eyes.

“Sara, would it be a problem for me to visit your brother?”

“I don’t know-I mean…” I knew she was hesitating to allow a perfect stranger around her brother especially one that looked like his deceased friend. But there were so many questions that needed to be answer and even though Sara had touched the surface of it. Only her brother Michail could answer the ones beneath the surface.

“I just simply want to talk that’s all no questions or any sort and if he doesn’t wan to talk to me I’ll try again another time.”

The line became silent again.

My anticipation growing each second she remained quiet.

“Okay, how about Friday,”

“Okay Friday,”

“Friday…”