Coming Home by Jake Heraty

Coming Home by Jake Heraty



Max Tanner got up from his seat and shuffled his way down the walkway. He walked down heading towards the restroom. As he approached the door he saw the word in bold red ink, OCCUPIED. He sighed under his breath and returned to his seat. Max still had another hour left in his flight. But it didn’t matter, because right after the person that is currently in the restroom leaves, there would be a line of people waiting. He looked out the window into the night sky that fell upon the nighttime hours. Although Max was inside, he could almost feel the cold chilly air the night had brought.

Then voice filled the speakers, “All right folks we should be at Shanesfeild Airport in Hilbert Falls, Alabama in an hour and a half. Hold tight!”

The pilot’s voice crackled and then left the speakers. Silence once again fell amongst the plane. Max pulled the letter he had received three week prior.



It read:

                                                                                                                  May 12th, 2006

Dear Max,

It’s been a long time. How are you doing? Hope your well. I heard you moved once again, Mom said you got a corporate job in San Diego, nice. Hey the reason for my letter is that I’m getting married, and I would really like it if you were there. And I would also like you to be my best man. So the wedding is June 6th, call me to confirm if you’re coming.

We really miss you around here. Hopefully see you later.

You’re Brother,

James Tanner



Max shook his head, “Lost cause.”



The plane touched down in Hilbert Falls one hour and forty five minutes later, fifteen minutes late. Max was one of the first ones off the plane. He needed to do three things:

He needed to get his bags at the baggage claims.

He needed to rent a car.

And just in case, he booked a hotel room.

He waited until he rented his car to call home. He flipped out his phone and dialed his family’s phone number. He pressed the phone to his ear. Three rings then someone answered.

“Hello?” the voice said.

“Hi yes is this the Tanner household?”

“Yes. Can I ask who is calling?”

“Um sure, this is Max.”

Silence on the line for awhile then, “Max?”

“Yeah it’s me.”

“Oh I’m sorry it’s just been so long since I have seen my own brother, that it seems his own voice has escaped me…”

Max chuckled, “Amy how’ve you been?”

“Well, I’m fine.” Amy stated.

“And how’s Sam, the kids?”

“They’re fine. Sam lost his job a year ago…” her voice trailed off.  It was then that Max felt for his sister. It was then he felt like a jerk, that he had missed the good times and the bad. He remembered that he missed Amy and Sam’s wedding. He had missed his own sister’s wedding. He missed weddings, funerals, kids growing up, and graduations being celebrated. He missed his family.

“How old are the kids?” Max mumbled.

“Oh, uh, Mattie is eleven and Josh just turned ten in April.”

“Been so long…” Max’s voice seemed to be distant.

“So what’s happening with you? Where you’ve been?” Amy asked.

It took Max a second to remember that he was in the middle of an Alamo car rental parking lot.

“Ok, don’t tell James but I am in Hilbert Falls,” answered Max.

“You’re here?!” exclaimed Amy

“Yeah, for James and Amanda’s wedding.” Max smiled at his idea.

“Cool, so are you at the airport?”

“No I am at the car rental place.”

“Oh no, no, NO, I’m coming right now to pick you up!”

Before Max could impose, Amy hung up. She was on her way to pick Max up. So he went inside and canceled his order and waited outside. As Max waited he started to think of all the things he missed, the birthdays, the parties, the Christmases. Yeah, all of the Christmases. Just once he could have picked up the phone and re-connected with his family. But for years he had been on his lonesome, living alone, working alone, and just being alone. Just Max, him and he.

After awhile a car pulled up and Max instantly knew that it was Amy. It was a blue AMC Eagle four door sedan and from the looks of it kids had inhabited the inside of the vehicle.

Amy rolled down the window, “Max Tanner?”

Max smiled, “Yes.”

“Well Mr. Tanner your chariot awaits.”

The little sedan sped down the highway in the pitch black night. Inside the car it was silent. Too silent for Max apparently, because he began to talk.

“So how are mom and dad?” Max said looking out at the busy highway.

Amy didn’t look at Max for fear she might lose her concentration on the road, “They’re fine. They are retired and happy.”

Max nodded, he was glad they were happy. He looked out the windshield and watched as the cars whizzed by. They seemed like they knew this place, liked they knew where they were going. They belonged. Where did Max belong in his family? Everyone in his family knew where they were going, but where was he going? Where was he now?

The sedan veered over to the right crossing two lanes and pulled off the next approaching exit. They hit several traffic jams but it seemed that Amy had a knack of where exactly to go to pass the jams. Then about an hour later they turned around a corner, to the street. And a few seconds later they pulled up next to the house. Instant nostalgia kicked into Max. He was finally home…

The house looked a lot like he remembered. It was painted white with blue shutters around the top window to the right. But in the dark it looked gloomy like how Max was feeling at that moment. Up at the second story to the left was a window with blinds covering it. That was Max’s room. Amy started to grab a few of Max’s bags out the back of the sedan.

“Oh Amy, let me help you with that.” Max said as he reached towards one of the bags.

“Nah, its fine I got them.” Amy said as she shook her head.

“Ok.”

As they gathered the bags on the corner Max looked at Amy.

“What’s wrong?” Amy asked. She seemed concerned.

Max sighed, “It’s just- it’s been so long and I-I… Was this a mistake? Coming here?”

Amy didn’t say anything. Max stood outside realizing that he was going to face his family whom he hasn’t talked to in years. He nerves were about to shatter.

Amy faced Max. Max however kept his view at his old childhood home.

“C’mon Max, let’s go inside…”



As they entered the house, Max felt awkward. Inside the house was loud with laughter. There was only one room with lights on, the kitchen. As Max walked down the hallway the laughter and voices grew louder until finally he was inside the kitchen.

“And he just looked at me with th…” Max’s brother stopped talking and looked at him, “Max?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” Max said softly.

“Wha- What in God’s name are you doing here?”

“I came as a surprise.” Max said.

“Huh, some surprise all right. Yo, James isn’t this the brother you were talking about? The one that left you and your family like trash in a dump.” said some man with thick beard playing poker at the table. His words stung Max as he said them.

“Well, I’m here now.” Max said firmly.

James shook his head, “YOU CANCELED! You said you weren’t coming! You know I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO AMY!”

Amy gasped as she walked into the kitchen.

“Amy?” Max asked looking at Amy in the doorway.

“YES AMY! SHE SAID IT WAS NO USE! I didn’t have an email address and I had to go to mom for you address! I gave you a second chance! LOST CAUSE, ISN’T THAT WHAT WE ALWAYS SAID AS KIDS, LOST CAUSE?”

Max smiled at the memories, “Yeah.”

James got up and looked Max right in the eye, “Well Max, you’re a lost cause.”

Max stepped back a few feet, unsure what exactly what to say.

James continued, “I am not putting up with you. Nor will I feel pity upon you and your cause. You had the chance, numerous times. I’m done! Get out.”

“James please… I just… please let me explain…” Max started out but James yelled, “GET OUT!”



Amy not sure of what to do tried to calm James down. But Max had heard enough. He walked out the door and slammed it behind him. Max wasn’t accepted at home with his family. He caused that, Max knew it. He just couldn’t walk in and have be it perfect happy family. Something’s gotta give. Max flipped out his phone and called a cab to take him to his hotel.

When Max arrived at the hotel he called home. Amy picked up the phone.

“Hey.”

“Hi.”

“How are you?”

“Me? Yeah I’m fine; you know it’s totally normal to surprise your brother for his wedding. Show up to his door hoping to reconnect with him after almost twelve years of no communication, and to have him scream at you for being a jerk and throwing you out of his house. Oh yeah Amy the odds are totally in my favor.”

“Look Max, James calmed down I don’t know where you are exactly, but why don’t you come back?”

“No Amy, I heard everything I needed to hear. I think I am going to leave in the morning.”

“Max please stay.”

“Look Amy I have to go, I’ll call you tomorrow morning if I’m not gone by then.”

“Ok, can you think about staying though?”

“Yeah I will.” Max hung up the phone and laid on the hotel bed.

As Max tried to get some sleep the tension that the day had brought kept him lying in bed awake.

Memories surrounded him. The day James and Max promised to be each other’s best man at each other’s wedding. The fights, and the numerous apologies that followed. But the fight they had tonight, well Max didn’t know how a simple apology would mend a wound like this.

The sun brightened the sky on the morning of the wedding day in Hilbert Falls. James was downstairs, reading the paper and sipping on his third cup of coffee. Angered by the night before, James didn’t get much sleep. As he finished his third cup, he got up from the table. There in the doorway stood his sister Amy.

“Where’s Max?” James mumbled as he fidgeted with the coffee machine.

“He's gone."  Amy said as she walked over to help James.

“Gone where? Where could he possibly go?” asked James looking at Amy questionably.

Amy shrugged a bit and then squinted at the machine, ‘Home, I guess.”

James stood back and crossed his arms over his chest, “Wait, back in California?”

Amy looked at him and sighed, “Gosh James how should I know. Here…”

Amy slid James a piece of paper. On it was the number 1(718) 658-9865. Max’s cell phone number.

“Call him, make up.”



Max Tanner got up from his seat in Terminal 2A. In his hand was a one way trip to San Diego, California. He sighed as he looked at the ticket.

“Lost cause…”

James pressed the phone to his ear. Instantly, voice mail came on the phone.

“Hi sorry I can’t get to the phone right now, leave a message and I’ll call you back. Max Tanner.”

James hung up, and slammed his fist down on the counter.

Amy looked at James, “Didn’t answer?”

James nodded; he picked up the keys off the counter. “Let’s go…”

The car sped down the highway. James was determined; he was going to get his best man from boarding that plane.

“Amy, find out when the next flight to San Diego is departing.” James said as he hit the freeway.

“Already on it.” Amy called the airline but no departing times came up.

“Um, there’s nothing on departures.” Amy commented.

James said nothing; he kept to the road, focused. They were going to get Max…

Max waited in Terminal 2A for almost an hour until, “Boarding for first class begins now!”

Max was in coach, but got in line anyhow.

James entered the airport parking lot. He parked the car and ran into the airport.

“Boarding for coach begins now!”

James pushed his legs as hard as they could go until he reached the ticket counter for American Airlines.

“Look I need you to get me through the terminal area. I really need to get in there.”

The lady looked at James with a fake smile, “I cannot sir, you must purchase a ticket.”

“Uh, fine ok” James pulled out his wallet from his pocket. He flipped out his credit cards.

The women started typing on her computer, “What flight?”

“First flight to San Diego.”

“Um, sorry sir, that flight has left.”

“What!”

“The flight departed. Can I book you to the next flight, maybe?”

“What? NO! Turn it around. Bring it back!”

“Sorry sir I can’t sir, I don’t have the authority to do that. Sorry sir.”

James turned and walked away from the counter. Amy sat at the benches by the door.

“So?”

“He’s gone. The plane left.”

Max looked out the window. He failed to reconnect with his family. It was done, James was right Max was a lost cause.

The plane soared above the clouds into the endless ocean of blue sky. Max left without saying a word, and it would probably be that way forever. When James screamed, ‘GET OUT’ he didn’t just mean his house, he meant his life. And Max did what he was told, he left.

James got out of the car and slammed the door. He was so disappointed. He walked into the house and trudged up the stairs. He walked down the hallway and entered his and his fiancée’s room. As he walked into the room James noticed that his fiancée Amanda was still asleep. James lay down on the bed lying opposite of her on the bed. Amanda with her eyes still closed said, “Did you get Max?”

“No, he’s gone. Left for California.”

Amanda sat up and looked at James, “So what you’re going to do, just give up?”

“He’s gone it’s too late.”

“Let me ask you something, do you want Max to be your best man?”

James thought about that and then said, “Yeah I do.”

“Then what are we doing here? Let’s go, c’mon!”

“It’s no use the wedding is today.”

“Who cares? We’ll get married in California.”

James grinned, “All right. Let’s go…”

During the day there was a lot of commotion. Wedding dresses, cakes, food, and laughter. Then at twelve o’clock the ceremony began, music played and the crowd hushed down. As the music played, the bride and the groom never showed up. There was just music and a confused audience. James’ mother turned to the crowd with the same confusion everyone had at that moment.

“Must be pre-wedding jitters, let me go and get them.”

James’ mother went up and down the stairs in search for them, but they weren’t there. As she walked by the wedding cake, James’ mother came across a note.



Dear Family,

We are after Max. Amanda and I are going to California. Thanks to everyone for attending but this wedding would be a lost cause without my best man, Max not being there. I’m sorry but we have to do this.

Sincerely,

James Tanner and Amanda Simpleton



James’ mother ran out to the back yard, everyone turned around to look at her, “They’re gone!”

The audience gasped and started to murmur amongst themselves.

“They went to California!”

A plane arrived in San Diego from Hilbert Falls, Alabama the most interesting thing was that two passengers on the plane were wearing a tuxedo and a wedding dress.

Max entered his apartment and tossed his keys on his sideboard near his desk. He walked into the kitchen and pressed play on the message machine.

The electronic voice filled the room, “You have two missed calls, and one message. First message:”

“Hey uh, this is James, look man just come back, we could work this out! I tried your cell, but it was off, so I’m trying you here. Ok, fine bye then.”

The electronic voice came back into the speakers, “You have no more messages.”

Max slammed his fist on the counter, “No use now, James, because I am FREAKING HOME IN CALIFORNIA!”

James got into the front seat of the taxi. To the cab driver’s bewilderment he drove his two passengers to an apartment complex in Ocean Beach, San Diego.

Once he pulled up in front of the building he looked at the man in the front seat.

“Ten dollars, eighteen cents.” The driver grunted.

“Oh, yeah, here,” James handed the driver the money, “Thank you, sir.”

“Uh-huh.” The driver mumbled.

The car sped off down the road several seconds later. James watched it drive down the street and turned the corner off in the distance, he spun around and said , “All right, let’s do this…”

Amanda walked over to the call box, but after a few attempts it seemed to be broken.

“Ok, great, just perfect!” James’ shout echoed and the sound bounced off to wall to wall.

Max heard someone shout and shook his head, “God, kids these days!”

Max walked downstairs and opened the door to the street. There standing by the door was bride and a groom all dressed up for their big day, Max was shocked.

“What are you doing here, the wedding?”

“It already started, we know. We left a letter explaining what is going on.” James said. He was sitting on the curb about ten to fifteen feet away from Max, James kicked some dirt that was in front of him, not looking at Max.

Max was dumbfounded. He looked at Amanda,”Why? Why come here?”

Amanda sighed, “Look Max we need you…”

“No, you don’t.”

James stood up and faced Max and pointed his finger at him, “Max we need to talk.”

Max scoffed, “Yeah we need to talk! How crazy are you? Go back to Alabama, get married, live your life, be happy.”

“Max! Look seriously man, listen! I’m sorry, but you have to agree that I was right to be mad; you were gone all these years! I practically gave up on you. When I sent you that invitation I expected you to say no, I expected you to not even respond to it! I was surprised when you called even though that call was to say you weren’t coming! I was cruel and rude, I should have been opened minded, and for that I am sorry. But we are here, and I want to know, will you be my best man?”

Max crossed his arms over his chest, “No…”

Max went inside and walked upstairs. James turned to Amanda and sighed.

“Call a cab, will you?”

“Sure. Okay.”

About two minutes later, the cab came around to pick up Amanda and James. Just as they were entering the cab, Max’s voice shouted at the cab, “Wait! Hold on!”

In Max’s hands were two suitcases and he had on a suit. He looked like he was ready to go to a wedding.

“What in God’s name are you doing?”

“I am not going to be your best man here in California.  Come on, let’s go home!”



The End