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After all the events in Hawkins, the group soon discovered that Max’s mother had died in the earthquake. Max, who had woken up from the coma not so long ago, had nowhere to live, no money, and was too injured to live by herself. Lucas convinced his parents to let her live with them, and since then she had been living with the Sinclairs.
“Good morning,” Lucas said with a smile while leaning into Erica’s and Max’s bedroom doorway.
“Morning, stalker,” Max replied in a sleepy tone.
“Are you not wishing me a good morning too, nerd?” Erica asked while walking out the door.
“Morning, Erica,” he mumbled, annoyed.
“You forgot the good before the morning, nerd,” Erica corrected him.
“Good morning, Erica,” he said, even more annoyed.
“Better,” she exclaimed as she left the room.
Lucas walked toward Max, got her wheelchair, and put it next to her bed. He lifted her out of bed, bridal-style, and placed her in the wheelchair like he did every morning.
“Thanks,” Max said with a small smile.
He took her to the front of her clothes drawer, which was at her height while in the wheelchair. She grabbed jeans, a white-and-orange shirt, and a dark green jacket.
Lucas took her to the bathroom and helped her change like he had been doing since she woke up from the coma. She brushed her teeth and then her hair with a little help from Lucas. Even though she could brush her hair by herself, Lucas still liked to help her.
When she finished, he held her in one arm, grabbed the wheelchair with the other, and went downstairs.
“Good morning, kids,” Mrs. Sinclair said to Lucas and Max.
“Morning, Mom.”
“Good morning, Mrs. Sinclair.”
“I made you guys some breakfast,” she said, pointing to the table with pancakes.
“Thank you, Mrs. Sinclair.”
After they ate, Lucas took Max to his bedroom.
“I’m so sorry,” Max said to Lucas out of nowhere.
“Sorry for what?” Lucas asked, looking at her.
“For being a burden,” Max said.
“Max,” Lucas said seriously, looking at her. “You are not a burden. I love having you here, next to me.”
“Your whole family is so kind to me, and I can’t do anything in return because I’m stuck in this wheelchair for probably all my life—just being… weak,” she said, starting to cry.
Lucas held her hands tightly and looked into her eyes. “Don’t ever say that you’re weak again. You are so strong—probably the strongest person I have ever seen. You literally survived Vecna multiple times. You found a way to escape Henry’s memories and woke up from an 18-month coma when no one thought it was possible. My parents don’t know it, but me, Erica, and the whole group know that you helped a lot to save everyone. Without you, they would all be dead right now.”
She was crying even harder after hearing the words he was saying so softly to her.
“You won’t be stuck in that wheelchair forever—I’m sure of it. And even if you stay in it forever, you will still be the strongest person ever.”
“Do you really think that?” she sobbed.
“Yes, I’m sure of it,” he said as he wiped her tears and hugged her.
“I love you so much, Stalker.”
“I love you more, MadMax.”
He kissed her softly, and she kissed him back. When they pulled away, he realized she was still crying. Every time she cried, something inside him hurt so much. He just couldn’t take it—he couldn’t stand seeing her hurt.
Instead of saying anything, he kissed away her tears. All of them. Then he hugged her again.