Rebuilding Reality

Chapter Eight

Maya's POV

"Good morning! What can I get for you today?" The familiar voice sends a shockwave through my body. This is impossible. He's supposed to be gone, taken from us in the chaos of our shattered world. But here he is, standing with a notepad and a pen, wearing the diner's apron. His hair is a bit longer, and he looks a lot happier, though I can see slight eye bags. But undeniably, this is our brother.

"M-Maxy?" My voice is barely a whisper, a mix of hope and disbelief.

He glances up, his professional smile faltering as our eyes meet. Mason's head shoots up and his eyes widen. For a moment, there is nothing but stunned silence as Maxy's gaze switches between me and Mason. His notepad slips from his fingers, fluttering to the floor.

"This cannot be happening. Honeybee? Mase?" Maxy's voice cracks, his usual composure shatters.

"Max? Max, where have you been!? We... we missed you." Mason's voice is steadier than mine, but I can hear the underlying tremor. Maxy quickly composes himself, though his eyes are brimming with unshed tears.

"It's a very long story, guys. We need to catch up and discuss things. Stay here, and I'll take my break with you in a bit. Don't move."

We nod, still in shock. Our reunion, something we had dreamed of but never truly believed would happen, is unfolding in the most unexpected of places. A random diner in the middle of who knows where.

"Okay, but, uh, we're hungry and we don't really have any money. We can't buy anything," Mason admits, his cheeks flushed.

Maxy waves his hand dismissively, a small smile playing on his lips. "Don't worry, Mase. This one's on the house. I'll bring you both cups of water, and then let me know what you want to eat from the menu."

With that, Maxy walks away, disappearing into the back of the diner. He's still in a daze, and almost walks into a wall. Mason and I exchange a look of bewildered joy before turning our attention to the menus in our hands. The array of choices is overwhelming. For years, our meals had been nothing more than the same bland flavors day after day. The thought of tasting something different, something crafted with care and flavor, is almost too much to comprehend.

I take a deep breath and let my fingers trace over the menu. The descriptions of sandwiches, soups, and pastries paint a picture of a world that seems so distant from the one we had survived. So... unreal. Mason's eyes are wide as he reads out the names of dishes we have never heard of.

"Can you believe this, Maya? Pancakes with maple syrup, ham and cheese croissants, cinnamon rolls..." His voice is filled with wonder, a childlike excitement that had been suppressed for far too long.

I bite back a smile, feeling a warmth in my chest that had nothing to do with the sun streaming through the window. "C-Can you ch-choose for me M-Masey? I d-don't know what to p-pick."

"We'll try the croissants!" Mason declares, his determination bringing a small smile to my lips.

Our conversation is light, filled with the simple joys of exploring the menu, but underneath it all was a current of anticipation. Maxy would be back soon, and with him, the answers to questions that had haunted our every step. Where has he been? How has he survived? And most importantly, what does this mean for us now?

Mason and I already have a lot to figure out, but now that our older brother is around, that throws a wrench in our non-existent plans. Max is important to us, we need to keep him in our lives now that we have him back.

"C-Can you b-be-believe this, Masey?" The disbelief in my voice is present.

"This seems surreal. I reunited with you, my other half, last night, and we found our older brother the next day." He responds, equally in disbelief.