Glad that you Called (Blood Music, First Aid Kit)
"YOU FUCKIN' SHITTIN' ME!!!"
"I-"
"MAX CAULFIELD CALLS ME OUT OF THE BLUE AFTER FIVE YEARS HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO HANDLE THAT SHIT HUH?"
Chloe sounded like she was about to cry. She stopped screaming and breathed hard, sniffing. Max heard someone say a few words in the backgroung, followed by fabric noise. Not knowing what to say, she stayed silent. Finally after a few seconds, realizing that Chloe was going to stay mute, she carefully articulated:
"I've been awful. And you have every right to be mad at me."
Another sniffle.
"Please Chloe, say something..."
"You sure as hell have been awful to me. And Mom"
"I know"
"She was hurting too. A lot. Because of... Dad of course, but not only. Losing almost overnight both him and you, it was... She cared about you so much, as if you were her daughter. You were part of the family, you know that?"
"I do"
"Max, stop with those half assed answers. You treated us like shit and I hope you're ashamed of yourself"
"Bloody hell, I know that! And of course I'm ashamed, how couldn't I be?"
Another silence. Then Chloe started talking again:
"Why now out of all time?"
Her tone was more calm than before. Her breathing was still a bit chopped but apart from that, she seemed to be more of less back on speaking terms; she still sounded exasperated though. It surprised Max. She was expecting her old friend to stay mad at her for at least a little while longer, and that was if she eventually stopped being mad at all. Out of all the scenarios that went through her head before calling, she never imagined that she would calm down that fast.
"I got accepted into Blackwell", she carefully said. "I moved in a few days ago and I wanted to see you, but I didn't know you left Arcadia Bay..."
"..."
"So I tried contacting you, but since I only had your old number, I recieved no answer. I was worried something had happened, so..."
"Five years is a long time. I could've been dead and buried for ages and you would't have known about it"
"Y... Yeah, the though crossed my mind. So, I went to your house..."
"You saw Mom? How is she?"
"... and I- What? But she told me you called her one week ago..?"
"Gosh Max, it's not the same thing. When I have her on the phone she sounds cheerful and all but I know that it's hard on her. Hell, I yell at you but I left my Mom the same way you left us"
"No you did not. At least you stayed in contact. Which I didn't"
Pause. Then a sigh.
"Yeah, I guess. How is she, Max?"
"Well... She was really happy to see me, but... How to put this... She felt... empty? I- I mean, not empty herself, but... She looked sad on the inside. It felt like seeing me was the first good thing that had happened to her in ages"
She heard Chloe chuckle sadly. Then:
"It's cool that she got to see you" She paused. "Thanks"
Max couldn't believe what she just heard. Talking to Chloe again felt weird to begin with, but hearing her 'thank' her?!? What the hell?
"Chloe Price, don't you dare thank me now, you hear me? I don't deserve it"
"Ugh, you're such a pain in the ass"
"I- what?"
"Dammit Max, I want to stay mad at you so fucking much but I can't! Even though you'd hella deserve it! And now I'm pissed at myself for that, uuugh!"
Max stayed stunned for a few seconds, before exploding in laughter. On the other side, Chloe seemed irritated.
"And that's how you're gonna react? I confide and-" All of a sudden, her voice felt more distant. "What, you're going at it too?"
Another woman's voice could faintly be heard behind Chloe's. She was laughing.
"But you're so funny when you're about to pout!"
"Yeah right, laugh at me all you want, both of you" said Chloe, her voice clear again. Even though she was trying to sound angry, she couldn't repress a snicker.
Max managed to calm down a bit. She was still breathing hard and her eyes were tearing, both of laughter and relief.
"It feels good talking to you again Chloe"
"Yeah, yeah"
Max was astonished to see how much Chloe had changed since she last heard from her five years earlier. She was a totally different person but, at the same time, Max would've recognized her right away.
They had been on the phone for around an hour, making up for all those past years, when an idea crossed Chloe's mind.
"Wait a sec, you have no idea what I look like right now, do you? Has Mom showed you the pictures I sent her?"
"Nope, I didn't stay long. She wanted me to call you as soon as possible, so I told her that I would drop by the Two Whales soon, and then we'll have more time to ca..."
"Want me to send them to you?"
"...tch up- Oh, of course, I'd love to!"
"Wait, Imma take one right now while I'm at it" Her voice fainted slightly as she, Max guessed, pulled the phone away from her ear. "Rachel! Photoshoot time!"
"Coming!" said the other voice, almost too far away to be heard. Max distinguished the sound of footsteps. A car door opened, then closed.
"Say 'cheese'!"
"Don't worry, I'm used to it", answered Rachel's voice in a soft tone.
"There you go. And... sent."
Max felt her phone vibrate next to her ear. She looked at it, opened the picture, and saw two young women seated in a truck, smiling at the camera. She instantly identified Chloe, in front of the steering wheel, who was holding the phone with her left hand while making a V sign with the other. She wore her hair shorter than she used to five years earlier, but they still had that same strawberry blond tone recognizable among a thousand others. She had tattoos all over her right arm.
Right next to her was Rachel, staring at Max with an intense gaze, a mysterious smile at the corner of her lips. Her hair was slightly lighter than Chloe's, and she wore them a bit shorter, in a pixie cut. A feather-shaped blue earring hanged under her left ear.
The truck seemed to be parked on the side of a road, next to the sea. The sun was setting in the background, giving the scene an amber feel – The golden hour.
The picture was magnificent.
"Earth to Max, you there?"
"..."
"Maaax?"
"What? Oh, sorry" She put the phone back to her ear. "Damn, you changed so much Chloe, you look so much more... mature"
"Mature, me..? I'm not so sure about that" she said with a laugh.
"Yeah, maybe not mature but... Grown up"
"That I sure did"
"And your friend Rachel is so pretty too..." Max said in awe before biting the inside of her cheek. She had forgotten that said Rachel could hear her.
"I bet she is!" Chloe exclaimed, her voice brighter than ever, while Rachel's laugh could be heard in the background
"Wait a sec, I'll send you a pic too" said Max, trying to change the subject so as to hide her embarrassment. "Selfies are my forte"
Max had just sent the photo, but Chloe was staying silent.
"Er, Chloe? You still there?"
"Max"
"Yes?"
"Did you just took a selfie with an instant camera and then took a picture of the photo with your phone..?"
"Uh, Yes I... did..? I love the way pictures look when taken with an instant camera and my phone can't replicate that, so I thought that the best way to send you a pic was by doing s-" she was cut by Chloe's burst of laughter
"This is SO like you Max!"
It truly felt good to be talking to Chloe again.