He stood outside the shop watching the comings and goings of the patrons. This place, he wanted to enter to be seen and welcomed as he knew those strangers were. He also knew it wouldn?t be so, that the bond of family hung on a frayed cord with only a few strands left holding it together. He understood Pietro?s apprehension in seeing him, after all he had killed the man once. It was then that Wanda had said she hated him. He could still hear the words as they came from her lips, if possible they hurt more tonight than ever they had back on Earth.

Max lingered while the light of the sun passed overhead and began to dip beneath the horizon. Three moons shone in their path, a strange feeling for him. He could indeed feel their pull on the tides and sense their effect on the magnetic force lines that everything possessed. Even now his nervous system flowed with the energy. Finally he stopped waiting, or perhaps fearing would be a better way to put it and stepped across the road. He pushed through the door knowing that it was closing time, sensing that Pietro had gone, and quickly. He suspected that perhaps his sister had given him the warning of his approach. That or he had spotted Max loitering. He spoke up more arrogantly than he truly felt, after all, when in doubt exude confidence. ?What does it take to get a little service around here??

He looked to the back of the shop, knowing that Wanda would come to confront him. How to tell her that he needed more than this from their relationship was on his mind. Mixed feelings hit him when she appeared, pride in her accomplishments, worry over her mental state, and fear that she would strip him to the bone and not even shed a tear. He let them all slip away from him, it was better to move forward and start new, now if he could only convince her of the same thing.

The level look he cast Caelyn?s way held no threat, if it held anything but the slight shine from the shop lights, it was amusement. ?You must be her, though I must admit that none have given me your name yet.? He pointed to a bracelet in green stones and a second in blue ones. ?These two items intrigue me my dear. May I have a look at them please??

Eyes of the brightest blue flicked back to Caelyn a moment later they seemed to take a measure of her with little effort given. ?And in all truth, I came here to see you. I thought Pietro would never leave.? Max?s well manicured fingers spread on the glass jewel case and he leaned a little on his hand. ?Has he told you of the invitation to join us for dinner during the holiday? Or that you have been invited to attend as well?? He watched her as she extracted the pieces he had requested. ?I would go further and say that you would be welcome regardless of Pietro?s attendance.?

Max paid particular attention to her as he spoke, looking for any reactions to his words. He thought perhaps she had masked something but it was impossible to be completely certain of what that might be. ?Now tell me about these pieces please?I am looking to purchase for a couple different people, and saw these last time I was in.? The subject change was perhaps to put her at ease, or it might have been to see how easily she could shift gears.