Realistic or Modern You were my Sign of Life

[decadent-rider]

Maggie frowned and just fiddled with her hands. “I… no.. no he uh… he came over to my place…. For a drink… and to talk.” She mumbled.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max took a shaky breath but gave a small nod "Oh....I uh...I see. Well I am here now, thank you for calling the ambulance." She said quickly

 

[decadent-rider]

Jeff was starting to come around an hour after that and just groaned a little, looking over and seeing max staring af him. “Shit.” He muttered, rubbing his face

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max looked up with red puffy eyes as she heard Jeff's voice. She took a shaky breath before speaking "You had a minor heart attack...they said most likely stress induced."

 

[decadent-rider]

He frowned and watched her. “That’s not… great… I’m alive though at least.” He smiled a little and reached for her hand frowning when she pulled it away. “Babe…”

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max frowned deeply as he reached for her hand shaking her head a bit. "Maggie from the feed store was here....she said you were at her house do she called the ambulance. Listen I'm not bringing this up fully right now. You need to rest and not stress any further." She muttered

 

[decadent-rider]

He frowned and just watched her for a while until he fell asleep again, his nurse popping in to do checks and frowning at the new woman in there. “Oh…. Where did his wife go?” She asked max.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max looked at the nurse and gave a heavy sigh "I am his wife....the woman before was just...just a friend." She murmured looking down at the ground trying to keep herself in check "How is he doing?"

 

[decadent-rider]

She frowned and shook her head. “I’m sorry miss, he uh, he’s doing okay but his lifestyle needs to change to help reduce stress.” She told her.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max gave a small nod and sighed heavily "Right...so job change and placed in a more relaxed setting?" She asked having this feeling of deja vu all over again. It was a reason they had moved in the first place. Jeff had been getting sick, having minor chest pains, the doctors had told them he needed a more relaxed environment, so they moved to the ranch hoping it could help them.

 

[decadent-rider]

She nodded. “Possibly. Diet change would help too…. Reduced hours… right now he just needs to rest.” She told her.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max gave a small nod and thanked her before she left them. She stayed there for the rest of the night and into the next morning. She woke up hearing talking and gave a small frown seeing Jeff awake and on the phone most likely with one of their hands to tell them to open up.

Eddie sat in a shitty motel in California smiling wide as he looked over his signed contract. He dialed his house phone hoping Carmen would answer and he could tell her the amazing news.

 

[decadent-rider]

He looked over at her and frowned some, “hey…. What are you still doing here?” He asked her frowning figuring she would have left him by now

Carmen was sleeping heavy after the previous day and definitely wasn’t getting woken up by the house phone just cuddling eddies pillow to her

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max frowned softly and gave a heavy sigh "I'm not going to leave you here alone..." she said softly before rubbing at her face "Nurse said you need to reduce stress in your life. So reducing hours and getting a better diet could help." She explained quietly

Eddie gave a heavy sigh when he just got a voicemail leaving a brief message saying he was okay and leaving his number.

 

[decadent-rider]

He frowned. “I can’t do this… max I’ve been seeing Maggie for the past few months…. It wasn’t sex. It wasn’t for a good time… I went to see her because I didn’t want to be at home with you.” He told her seriously not able to hold it in anymore.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max took in a shaky breath before nodding softly letting a few tears fall "I'll get my things then...I'm sorry for uh...for not being what you needed or need anymore." She said quietly before standing up and grabbing her purse "I'll speak with you later about divorce papers.."

 

[decadent-rider]

He just lay there chewing on his tongue and not able to look at her, feeling guilt and shame all packed in together.

 

[Forever6A7X]

-2 years-

Max sat at the hospital groaning softly as she started to come around. She'd taken a topple down a flight of stairs and knocked herself unconsious in the process. She had no idea where she was fully and most certainly didn't expect them to call her emergency contact. Things had been rough on her lately, the divorce was taking much longer than expected and she honestly was a mess. She missed Jeff more than anything, but shortly after she left she found out he had officially started to see Maggie and that the relationship was moving fast. She had been living on her own back in the city for the past two years and had immersed herself in only her work.

Pedro stood at the stables smirking softly as he saw Carmen bent over cleaning. He gave a wolf whistle and chuckled as she whipped her head around to see him there. He'd started working at the ranch shortly before Carmen went on maternity leave. He'd seen the add for an instructor and decided to take a leap of faith. He thanked his lucky stars every day that he had. He had fallen head over heels for Carmen and her child as well, treating them as if they were his own.

 

[decadent-rider]

Jeff walked back into the room from getting some coffee, taking a seat and finally looked over at her seeing her awake. “Hey… hey it’s good to see you awake again.” He told her smiling a little. He was a lot more back to himself these days so when the call came that she had been rushed to the hospital he’d left the farm in control of his manager who was running the place now alongside carmen and left to go back up to Chicago and see what was going on. Him and Maggie had done well for a long while but it never sat right with him the way they got together so when she started pushing for a ring he broke it off.

She groaned a little and shook her head. “You’re an ass. Is the trailer ready?” She asked him seeing as they were about to head out to California for a few competitions she had lined up now that she was back in the saddle and now that it was back to school all of pedros lesson kids were off the yard for a couple weeks so he was going with her as a groom, her son who was now just over a year old was staying with Wayne for the time, just glad he’d been such a good support system for her and she knew that for him it was like having Eddie as a baby all over again. As for him, she hadn’t heard a word from him since the first voicemail and although she missed him desperately, Pedro had been her saving Grace.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max frowned deeply seeing Jeff come into the room "Shit...I forgot to change my contact...I'm sorry they made you come down." She murmured trying to sit up but groaned as her started to spin "I need to go...I've got a shoot later today I need to set up for." She said frowning more when she realized the weight of her leg and how she couldn't move it. She looked down seeing her left leg in a full cast and went wide eyed "Fuck. I broke my leg?"

Pedro chuckled and made his way over towards her to help out "Already taken care of sugar." He said before giving her a quick peck on the lips "You ready for this trip? You think leavin him this long will be okay?" He asked still a bit concerned to leave the baby.

 

[decadent-rider]

He frowned and stopped her, finally just taking her face in his hands gently and making her look at him. “Max… stop… you’ve been out for about a week…. I’ve sorted out all your clients that you had booked…. Just rest alright?”

She frowned and sighed. “Thanks for reminding me and stressing me out again. Yes. Wayne is a great babysitter and Oscar is basically his grandkid anyway. It’s only a week. I’m sure he’ll be fine.” She muttered

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max frowned deeply as she stared at him feeling a few tears fall "A week? No....it was just a small fall down the stairs.." she whispered starong at him longer before taking a shaky breath "Why are you here Jeff?" She whispered

Pedro gave a small nod and pulled her into his arms giving her a loving kiss "I love you, and I didn't mean to stress you out. I love the little guy too, I just wanna make sure he is gonna be okay." He said softly to her before giving a small smile.

 

[decadent-rider]

She sighed and nodded. “Right let’s get the trailer loaded up and hit the road.” She told him quietly, pecking his cheek and getting both the horses she was gonna be competing on the lorry, just wanting to get there in one piece.

Jeff sighed a little and frowned “You gave yourself a real nasty brain bleed. You weren’t breathing for the first day and a half on your own.” He told her. “They called me cause I’m an emergency contact and despite what you think I still love you and I do care about you and I was worried sick so I came down here so you weren’t alone.” He told her

 

[Forever6A7X]

Pedro gave a nod and finished up getting the trailer sorted out. He gave a small smile before getting in the driver's seat and texting Jeff to let him know that they were headed out. He took Carmen's hand as she came in smiling "Ready beautiful?"

Max let more tears fall and finally pulled herself away from his hands. She took a deep breath and quickly wiped her eyes not wanting him to see her crying "Well I'm okay now...so you can go home to Maggie. I'll be fine being alone." she said not wanting to look at him. She had tried blaming him at first, but she soon turned that blame towards herself and she didn't want him hurt by her anymore.

 

[decadent-rider]

He frowned. “You live in an apartment on the third floor and the elevator is broken… sweetheart you ain’t getting rid of me… plus Maggies not in the picture.” He told her.

She nodded and leaned back yawning some while they headed out, ending up falling asleep in the first hour.