Learning to Live: Jomax pt. 2
April 11
Maxie stood in line at PC international airport Gate 3 boarding her flight to Paris. This was it she was leaving Port Charles and her past behind. Johnny would never know, no one would. Robin had made arrangement with her old landlady, so she would have a place to stay. She would be working at Crimson's Paris offices and Jax assures her that Paris is great city. She would no longer be the other woman. She past the attendant her ticket and flashed her passport. Goodbye, Port Charles.
She was steps away from boarding the plane to Paris, when her phone rang. She almost didn't answer it but something told her that Robin would not call her 5am unless it was an emergency.
Robin spoke quickly but she only heard parts of what was being said.
"Mac's been shot. He was… the bullets lodged… he might not make it…" Maxie closed her phone, pushing past people, arguing with flight attendants as she tried to leave the airport. She caught a taxi and hoped to make to the hospital in time. Mac can't die he's all I have. He's the only father I've ever known.
4:36pm
Maxie had spent hours waiting outside the OR, two surgeries and still no hope. Nadine brought her some juice and sat with her. Patrick couldn't save him. After all the waiting, he died. Being a cop killed him. The crime in this city killed him. Daddy…
John heard about Commissioner Scorpio an hour after he heard that Maxie had left for France. He made his way to GH to see if Robin needed him and if she had any way of contacting Maxie. Maxie shouldn't be alone when she hears about her father.
"I'm here to see Commissioner Scorpio" John asked
Elizabeth looked up from her charts and after checking her records she informed him of the surgeries and how only family was allowed in the waiting area. He was about to call Robin when he saw her walking toward him.
"Robin?" she had tears trailing down her face.
"John, what are you doing here?"
"I heard about Mac and with Maxie being away I thought you may need a friend."
"He's dead and Maxie was just admitted"
"What? She's here? What happen?"
"The stress was just too much she… her heart."
Elizabeth came from around the desk to help with Robin.
Hours later
Maxie woke up and blinked from the blinding lights surrounding her bed. The dripping of the IV and the feeling of a hand in hers helped to block out the world but it didn't last long. The memory of her pregnancy and Johnny's marriage was quickly followed by the loss of Mac. Daddy! No, not again everyone I love dies or leaves. What am I going to do?
Someone squeezed her hand causing her to look at her hand wheeling her closer too reality. Johnny. He sat close to her bed his head resting against the mattress.
"John"
Looking up he smiled.
"Thank God you're awake." She nodded. "Maxie I am so sorry"
Shaking her head she could stop the sob that retched its way from her throat. Johnny held her while she cried. She couldn't stay. She was the plague. Everyone she was close to was left scarred. Johnny would be better off without her. She would have her baby and pray that she was a good mom.
For the purpose of this story Kristina Davis has been SORAS'ed she is now 16.
April 25
Maxie had every intention of booking any available flight to Paris and just taking off. Then she thought of Robin, Emma, Rubi, and all the other people that would miss her. Robin should not have to loose her after just loosing Mac. It will be hard to hide from Johnny while in the same small city but maybe it's possible. Then again Johnny was great with Rubi, he could be apart of the baby's life but what about Lulu? Maxie made her way to the Delta Airline desk and after giving ID, paying fees, and being searched she was taken to retrieve her luggage. If Dr. Lee was right then she would give birth around the 22nd November. That in itself was worth staying for. She needed to be home now more than ever.
Johnny was making plans. He was tired of living a lie. Lulu deserved better than to have a husband who spent majority of his waking hours thinking of another woman. After their make-out session gone wrong, he was surer than ever that he and Lulu were destroying each other. At Mac's funeral, they had mourned alongside the rest of Port Charles' citizens. Mac's death made him realize that he wouldn't live forever, his life of crime and Mac's life as a crime fighter were so similar; he had no desire to die in the line of duty but his career wasn't a choice.
He and Claudia didn't choose who they were. They didn't ask to have a psychopath for a father but they lived through it. The world heard the name Zacharra and quaked with fear. That power was their bread and butter- always have been- to change that was impossible. He now saw that marrying Lulu for the sake of their child, should have never happened. Their marriage started based on a lie. Now, was time to end it. They know longer had what one would consider a relationship he had to move on and so did she.
Lulu was priority one. She had to get to of this mausoleum and back into the real world. Logan was gone she may have come to terms with what she did but now she had to work on getting back her sense of self.
"Master Zacharra, Mr. Lansing to see you sir."
"You wanted to see me."
"Ric have a seat."
"I need you to get with Paolo (the accountant) and check real estate listings for a place in Queen's Pointe Suburbs."
"You are thinking about moving?"
"No but this place isn't doing Lulu any good. Which brings me to the next topic for discussion; I need you to draw up divorce papers and talk to Paolo about the division of assets and make sure that Lulu is taken care of."
"A divorce. What brought this on, if you don't mind my asking?"
"It's been a long time coming. And just so we're clear no one is to know about what we just discussed other than Paolo, we clear."
"Yeah but what about Rubi."
"Joint custody, Lulu is a great mother. I would never dream of taking her daughter from her."
Lulu was sitting on the park bench watching her daughter play. Over the last month she'd given it a lot of thought. Even Lainey seemed to think that she and Johnny were no longer a couple. Married, yes. A couple no. She loved Johnny but she was no longer in love with him. Time and time again she found herself trying to remember why she was married. Why she felt so alone? After years of being a shell of her former self, she was faced with the reality of not loving Johnny. She was sick and tired of feeling obligated. She wanted to live for her. She wanted to be a woman that her daughter would be proud of, but what would happen to her carefully crafted family. The strain was so great that she was afraid it would all crumble. How was she going to leave a man who had sacrificed himself just to save her?
"Mommy after we leave here can we go to Kelly's I want a strawberry shake?"
"Yeah that sounds great honey we can go whenever you're ready but you have to eat some real food too."
"Okay mommy I'm going to do the monkey bars again then we can go."
Mother and daughter entered into the diner and waved to Mike. For Lulu going to Kelly's for a meal was just one more step on the road to recovery. It was time for her to live.
"Hey Lulu, Rubi, what can I get for you?"
"A strawberry shake." Rubi promptly answered.
"Hi Kris, we'll have the Caesar salad and an order of chicken tenders and fries." Lulu replied passing Kristina the menu.
"And a strawberry shake" Kristina looked at Lulu for confirmation.
"Yeah, and a coke since tomorrow is her birthday."
Kristina went to place their order.
Maxie came breezing through the diner.
"Hey Mike. Kristina. Can I get a decaf latte?" Maxie ordered justifying that milk was healthy all the while hoping decaf would be okay.
"Maxie!!"
"Rubi, hi. Lulu how have you been?" Maxie hugged Rubi then sat at their table.
"I'm good" turning to Rubi "hey ruby go chat with Mike and see if he has any of those cookies you love so much."
"Ooh yay." She raced out of her chair toward the counter.
"You can only have one" Lulu yelled after her.
"What's this about?"
"You know that favor I asked?"
Maxie looked at Lulu totally clueless. Then it hit her.
"Oh. About Johnny?"
"Yeah"
"Well um I haven't seen him much not since…"
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to…"
"Don't worry about it I'm use to losing people. What were you going to say?"
Lulu looked at Maxie wondering if she was really okay.
"Um, don't worry about the affair. I think that I'm holding him back."
"What?"
"Johnny deserves to be happy and lately I'm not what makes him happy. I feel as though the only reason we're together is Rubi and it's not right to any of us. This rift between me and Johnny won't go away with sex. We're just not what each other needs right now."
"Huh?"
"I think what I'm saying is. Is that it is time for us to move on. I want to fall in love again. I need to find happiness. I've got to stop depending on him to take care of me. I'm sick and tired of being treated like glass…."
Lulu continued her rant but what she'd said was causing Maxie's heart to surge with hope. If Lulu was the one to break up with Johnny no one would have to worry about the strain that it would have on Lulu because it would have been her choice. Just as quickly as her hope arrived Maxie felt it drifting away, even if Johnny and Lulu get divorced Lulu would never forgive her. The betrayal …Why now? Why me?
"It's time for me to be get back to being me. I'm a Spencer. I'm strong and I can take care of myself."
"I think you should do what ever makes you happy Lulu. I'm sure Johnny would understand."
Kristina came with Rubi and Maxie's Latte and the drinks.
"Your order will be ready in a moment."
"I've got to go"
"Don't forget we're having a small get together for Rubi at the manor"
"Oh. Yeah. I'll be there." Maxie said goodbye to Rubi then headed for the door. Hopefully Rubi's party will go off without mishap.
Thanks for reading. Feel free to comment (complaint or praise)