After the teens left Max's house, Julianne Hunter took a deep breath by the closed door before going to her son's room to help him to the bathroom.
The results of his earlier fight had left him with some difficulties in walking normally. She took him to the toilet and quickly went to the kitchen and microwaved some food for him and lay it on his table before getting back to the bathroom and helping her son back to his bed.
Max remained silent while all this took place, and once put on his bed, he turned his head to the window and frowned.
Max: Thanks, mom.
Julianne: No problem, sweetie.
Neither side said any words to the other.
Suddenly, Max started.
Max: What happened last night? Did you save us?
Julianne hesitated before answering.
Julianne: No. You... you went into an overload.
Max was slightly shocked to hear that but accepted it immediately afterwards.
Max: Figures...
Max, in actuality, couldn't remember a thing from last night. He weakly lifted his right arm and tried to slam it onto the wall.
Julianne: Hey, hey... easy, easy....
Max recoiled his arm and slid back into the bed.
Max: (sighs) I'm fine. It's fine.
Julianne saw her son's eyes. They were in terrible pain.
It wasn't the overload that bothered him. She knew this well.
Max: Was everybody else ok?
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Julianne: Yes, Max. Right as rain.
Max: That's great.
She forced a smile and an enthusiastic voice.
Julianne: Your friends were pretty interesting too!
Max: Yeah.
Julianne: And they also had powers.
Max: Yeah.
Julianne: That Rose girl was really nice, too.
Max: Oh, that's cool.
No words were said between the two after that for a while.
Then Julianne slowly started.
Julianne: I got you some lunch. Well, it's breakfast, really... but...y'know.
It was bacon with a side of fries as well as chicken. Max had long since noticed it, but he had not verbally registered it.
Max: Yeah, thanks, mom. It smells great.
Julianne: You're welcome.
His head was still turned, and Julianne could only gaze upon her son.
Many words needed to be said. but they all failed to escape the mouths of the mother and son that day.
Julianne: You should be completely fine by tomorrow morning.
Max: Ok. That's great.
Max's answer was flat and uncaring.
Still, no words were said after that.
Both held their tongues.
Julianne knew what she wanted to say, but her heart couldn't take it.
What she was about to say went against every natural instinct in her heart as a mother.
She forced herself not to hyperventilate or to take deep breaths. She knew she had to keep this image and her composure.
Her fists were clenched, and she bit her lip.
She was almost glad her son wasn't looking at her.
She got up and made a beeline for the door as slowly and elegantly as she could under her situation.
As she opened the door to leave, she finally said it.
Julianne: Make sure you're ready for school tomorrow, alright?
She closed the door before her son could get up and look at her in absolute shock.
Max: Huh...
Julianne, with roughly clenched fists and as silently as she could, made a mad dash for her bedroom and closed the door as gently as she could.
Julianne: (thinking: Everything has to be precise.)
She closed the door and gently walked to her bed. All this, to ensure she could walk into her bed without alerting Max to the fact that she was deeply upset.
A world-renowned actress and an incredible scientist. Even with all those accomplishments, she couldn't even tell her son something along the lines of, "Be more careful." To even insinuate that he should put himself in danger.
She held her pillow in a twisted emotional state of sorrow and anger, crying and sobbing as silently as she could.
All that power, all that money, and yet, she did not have the courage to say it all. She didn't have the courage to see her son in mortal danger. How could she tell her son to put himself back in that school and to spend time with those kids?
She looked at the picture of her husband as she sobbed, hoping to the depth of her heart that her decision was the right one.
Meanwhile, a very confused Max remained in his bed, perturbed by his mother's behaviour.
He took a bite of the bacon and munched it. Her response was the last thing he'd expected.
Max would continue to try to rationalise this.