"I used to think that females didn't eat junk food, but clearly I was wrong." A voice sounded behind Maxine as she paid for her blueberry frozen yogurt. Looking around for the person that spoke up, Maxine saw one of her colleagues, Michael Travers, and his daughter Zoe.
"Oh, be quiet you." Maxine said, as she walked over to the father daughter pair that was sitting a few tables to the left of her. "It's not junk actually, Mike. I ordered frozen yogurt." Maxine said.
"Fine, you're always right and I'm always wrong." Mike laughed.
"I did not say that!" Maxine scoffed. "I was wrong when I wrote on your face with a permanent marker." Maxine said. A stifled giggle was heard from Zoe as she quietly ate her chocolate ice cream.
"You can sit down, auntie Maxine, we don't bite." Zoe said, smiling a 100 watt smile at her as Maxine sat down.
"That's not true, Zoey, we may bite." Michael said, Maxine laughing quietly.
"Your own kid just blew your cover, MSAB." Maxine said. "OH! Before I forget, happy birthday Mike." Maxine said. Mike looked surprised as Maxine smiled.
"I thought you forgot." Mike said, as Zoe pulled out her stuffed pony from her pink and blue plaid backpack. "Sweetheart, we don't want to get Anitka dirty. Could you put her away?" Travers asked, and Zoe sighed, replacing the brown pony in her backpack. "Thank you, pet." Mike beamed, brushing Zoe's waist length blonde hair back.
"I couldn't forget my friend's birthday. I would've called you, but then usually I want to rip your head off after I talk to you, so I didn't do that. I got a card, but it's in your lab locker." Maxine mused, before opening her mini container of the blueberry frozen yogurt.
"Thank you." Travers smiled. "I'll try not to forget your birthday then." He said, and Maxine smiled.
"So how are your ballet lessons going, Zoe?" Maxine asked.
"Great! I'm having a dance recital on Saturday!" Zoe grinned. "I'm playing a fairy! And I have a wand with sparkles!" Zoe's eyes lit up as she told Maxine about her wand. Maxine and Mike exchanged smirks as they listened to Zoe.
"But, Zoey, you've spent the last five minutes telling Maxine about your wand." Mike said, his green eyes gleaming with pride as his bubbly seven year old babbled on about her position in the play. "Maybe Maxine wants to hear about your outfit, and maybe about what you'll be playing." Mike egged Zoe to tell Maxine more.
"Well, I'm a flower fairy!" Zoe exclaimed. "And I have a big pink skirt that has sparkles and is all puffy and a pretty shirt with sparkles and flowers!" Zoe said. "Oh! And I have a hat that looks like a flower! My friends will be playing the flowers!"
"Well that's really interesting, Zoey." Maxine said. "What do you have to do as the flower fairy?" Maxine asked.
"When Mrs. Swanson plays the right music, I need to come on stage and cast a spell on all the flowers so that they come alive during the spring!" Zoe blurted. "Daddy, didn't the flyer say that you could bring friends to the recital?" Zoe asked, looking up at her father. Mike sighed.
"Yes. But did you ask Maxine if she wants to come to the recital? We can't force her, you know." Travers said. "We can't tie her up, and put her in the back of our car so that she'll come to your recital." Mike said.
"Auntie Maxine, would you like to come and see me at the recital?" Zoe asked quietly.
"Sure. Just tell your dad to remind when it is." Maxine said. "And also tell him to not get on my nerves." Maxine gave Michael a warning look.
"Maxine, don't you think that's a little rough?" He asked, looking at his friend. The DNA tech stared at him blankly.
"No. It's perfectly normal, after you posted the video of me and a freaking mouse in my lab on Youtube!" Maxine snapped.
"Daddy, please be nice to auntie Maxine. I want her to come." Zoe said, sticking her bottom lip out a little bit, looking at Mike with sad eyes. Michael groaned, while Maxine let out a little amused huff.
"Aw, now how can you refuse that adorable face?" Maxine asked, a nearly evil smirk on her face. "Don't get on my nerves for the next 4 days and I'll come to the recital." Maxine said getting up. "Well I should get going, I still need to do some errands. See you tomorrow, MSAB." Maxine giggled, picking up purse and jacket.
"Oh, Maxine, one last thing." Mike said, and Maxine halted her movements.
"What?" Maxine asked, staring at Michael.
"My neighbor is having a barbeque party, you wanna come?" Mike asked. Maxine's eyes narrowed as she stared at her friend. "As friends. Not a date." Mike said.
"I'll think about it." Maxine said wearily, staring at Travers.
"Why does auntie Maxine call you MSAV, daddy?" Zoe asked when Maxine had left.
"It's MSAB and you should ask auntie Maxine about that." Travers said.