Family Getaway

Chapter 7: Orientation



Max had left the room to look around the hotel about half an hour after the 'incident'. When she left, White was lounging on the couch and Ray was still jumping on the bed. Ugh, bed. Just that one word made her skin want to crawl. Max now had to think of what she had been avoiding ever since the fight with White. They were actually going to have to share a bed. Together. She also had to think about a VERY embarrassing slip. Max had definitely not meant how it sounded...

"Do me first," she said before realizing that White was still on top of her, "I did NOT mean that how it sounded!"

"Sure you didn't."

Oh God, she had wanted to crawl under a rock and die after that. Of all the people she could have said that to, it had to be White. Her nemesis, her arch-enemy. He wanted to kill her for fuck's sake!

Fuck. Do me. No.

Max shuddered and shook her head hard to get the mental image out of her mind. What the hell was wrong with her? First off, back in Seattle she had thought that White looked kind of cute smiling and then the whole bed thing but it was true she had not meant for that statement to come out the way it did. Just because...no, she was NOT going there!

Max found a bench and sat down, putting her face between her hands, she sighed.. This entire trip was a disaster, a mistake...the only way to keep Ray. Max sighed. How on earth were they going to get through this? How the hell was she supposed to fake a relationship with White? Oh well, they had a week. They weren't expected to be perfect, they just had to improve. Which is exactly what they were going to do, they could still throw insults and bad mouth each other because they had the Couples Therapy sessions to attend. The week was going to be hell but Familiar and Transgenic would pull it off or die trying. Max was running her fingers through her hair when she felt a tug on her jacket. When she to her right, she saw a little blonde girl.

"Hi," she said.

"Uh hi," said Max trying to remember her, "You're Rosalyn right?"

"Yuhuh, you remembered!"

"Of course I did, uh, did you need something?"

Rosalyn nodded and held her doll tighter, "I was lookin' around an' I got lost, an' I didn't know anyone, an' then I saw you an' I came over."

"Come on then," said Max standing up and offering the girl her hand. She led her through the lobby and to the receptionist desk.

"Hi, could I get someone paged?"

"Yes you may, can I get the name please?"

"What's your last name?" asked Max.

"Levinson," said Rosalyn.

Max turned back to the receptionist, "Can you page Katrina Levinson down here?"

When the receptionist finished placing the page for Katrina she looked at Max for a minute then smiled.

"Hey aren't you the one that has the 'take charge' little boy?" she asked, "The one that walked right up here and then waved you and your husband to the elevator?"

"That was him," said Max trying to stop a smile.

"He's such a cutie, completely adorable. What's his name?"

"Ray."

"Such a sweetheart."

"He is, when he isn't manipulating his father and me."

"Ah one of those types, that reminds me of my nephew, Peter, he can get his parents into any situation by just making the saddest puppy dog face you've ever saw."

After making some more comparative notes between Ray and Peter with Beth, the receptionist, Max headed over to the circular couch the middle of the lobby where Rosalyn had seated herself. The designers had done a pretty good job, the couch was also a fountain. the sofa was rounded all along the fountain's edge, so you could turn and watch the dazzling streams of water shoot down from the top of the spout.

"Did you know if you look diff'rnt ways you can see rainbows in the water?"

"Reflections of the light spectrum, it's pretty."

"Why doesn't your son look like you?" asked Rosalyn looking up at Max.

'Because he isn't really mine,' thought Max, "Ray takes a lot after his father, they look a lot alike. It all has to do with genetics," she said.

"Oh. But why?"

"As I said it's all genetics and dominant genes, I don't think I can break it down-"

"ROSALYN DAVIDA LEVINSON!"

Rosalyn and Max turned to see Katrina running towards them, "My heavens we were so worried Rosie!" She reached her daughter and gave her a huge hug, "One minute you were there and the next you weren't. Oh Maxine! It's good to see you. Thank you so much for finding my daughter, it's great to see you again!"

Katrina had Rosalyn in one arm and pulled Max in for a hug with the other.

"Ueh, no problem," croaked Max, Katrina had quite a grip for an Ordinary.

"I knew I'd see you again here, but I didn't think it'd be so soon," said Katrina smiling once more, "Wow would you look at this place? Have you looked around at all yet? It's amazing. Oh! You have to see the back gardens, and the pool! It's amazing what the designer's did. Trees and foliage all around, it's almost like a tropical paradise! I don't think I've ever been in a hotel with so much class. It's amazing isn't it?"

"I've just seen my room and the lobby so far," said Max.

"Well Rosie and I could show you around the place, I know it front to back. Come on we'll give you the grand tour of all the places they'll let us into. Did you know that there are TWO pools here? The dining hall next to the kitchens over looks one of them, but the main one, of course, is much bigger and enclosed. Come on now we'll show you around, that is if you don't want to head back to your husband and son. Such a little darling, and I know if it were me, I wouldn't want to be away from that man for long," laughed Katrina, "Not that I don't love me Eugene, I do, he's the center of my world along with my Rosie. So how long have you two been married?"

Katrina linked her arm with Max's and began leading her around the lobby and into the lounge.

"Married?" faltered Max. Dammit how old was Ray?

"Of course dear, Eugene and I have been married fifteen years now, can you believe it?"

"That's a long time and uh, Ames and I…nine years, we've been married for nine years."

"And your little one's about Rosie's age around eight right?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Well I can see the two of you wasted no time in starting a family. How long did you know each other before hand? Oh and what was your wedding like? Large ceremony, did you elope? Oh and how did you get engaged?"

Max's mind sagged under the weight of Katrina's questions. Wedding, engagement, these were things she hadn't thought about and now she was being forced to make something up. Max and White should have made a background up on the trip to the hotel. But no, silence and Ray's singing had prevailed. Stupid, stupid, stupid. You never go into uncharted territory without a basic cover story or something! Especially if you're working with someone. Dammit. The years she spent away from Manticore, not to mention looking after Ray, had made her soft. It seemed like all of her training was going out the window. Oh well maybe she'd still have time to sort out the details with White. Katrina was talking again, so hopefully Max wouldn't have to answer her questions.

"Isn't it lovely? I just love the design!" Katrina had led Max and Rosalyn through the lounge and into the side way to the restaurant. The theme was all jungle-ish; there were trees and plants set up all around. Moving further in, Max had to agree with Katrina, the design was quite nice. The restaurant was set up on the left with wooden tables and chairs, and to the right was a railing that separated the pool. There were openings in certain parts of the railing that led down a couple steps and over to the pools. There was a large main one, a kiddie pool, and a hot tub, all surrounded by more plants and greenery. The lights weren't heavy but almost dim and set a relaxing atmosphere.

"It is nice," agreed Max.



After that Katrina sheparded them around the rest of the hotel. Max now knew where everything was. They went through the conference rooms, the dining hall that the Retreat Members would be eating in together. They wandered the halls and the actual pool. Located in the eastern half of the hotel. There was the usual swimming pool and hot tub, and also a water slide. Max made a mental note to inform Ray, this was something that he'd most likely enjoy. Katrina also showed Max outside the hotel at the back. There were concrete paths winding into an eccentric forest design, further in there was a grass clearing next to a cottage.

"I hear that's where they're keeping the 'Discovery Therapist' locked up," said Katrina, "She's supposedly a new age hippie, calls herself 'Starshine Moonchild' ."

"Starshine?" said Max, "Do you know who all the therapist are?"

"Oh no, the only other one I know is Christina and she'll be working with the kids. I overheard some of the hotel staff talking about Ms. Moonchild," said Katrina, "Some people think I have a eavesdropping problem, but I honestly just over hear people, My mother always told me that I had very good ears."

After the outside garden, Max had seen every inch of the hotel. There was about an hour until dinner so Max excused herself from Katrina and Rosalyn ("Our room's 119, don't be a stranger!") to find her way back to her room. Max had to create a timeline and happening's lost with White. The made up details of their marriage etc. Hopefully these Retreat people wouldn't look for an actual marriage certificate, or Ray's birth certificate. If that happened it would be bad. Logan could…Logan. Max slowed down as her mind wandered for the first time since Seattle to the cyber journalist. He could fake the documents no problem, but they were currently on non-speaking terms. Max's rueful expression turned bitter when she remembered what exactly their semi-fight had been about. What the hell was his problem anyway? What was so bad about wanting to keep the little Familiar? What was he? Jealous?

Max stopped walking completely. Jealousy? Where had that come from? This is insane, this trip is insane and now Max was going insane. Logan jealous of who? White? As if. Ray for taking up most of her time? Well he was her-well okay not BIOLOGICALLY- but...Ray was her's, Logan could suck it up, she wasn't going to put Ray in foster care and she wasn't going to let White take him. And there was a whole new problem to this situation. What was going to happen once they got back to Seattle? Max wasn't going to let him take Ray and he wasn't going to let her take him either. This was not good.

"Hey mom!" Max's head shot up as she saw Ray running towards her. Mom? Had he called her mom? Looking at White's depressed form she knew it was true. The little Familiar slammed into her slight form and hugged her around the waist.

"I just thought I should try that out, I'd be a little weird if I called you 'Max' now wouldn't it?" Ray smiled and waited for his father to catch up to them. He grabbed both their hands and led them to the elevator.

"Oh and I think you two should get your stories straight, cuz people are going to ask about you," said Ray.

Max was shocked, though she knew she shouldn't be. There were getting to be fewer and fewer things that Ray could shock her with. Both she and White knew who the mastermind of this little operation really was.

"I was thinking the same thing," said Max before turning to White, "I got cornered by Katrina so we've been married for nine years."

"Nine years? How are we supposed to make up nine years of God-know-what?"

"Well she specifically asked for: What our wedding was like, how you proposed, how long we knew each other before hand, and Ray's eight so...you know..." said Max looking away from White. But the 'you know' wasn't the only reason she looked away from. Compared to how she and White usually met, his simple jeans and black t-shirt showed off a lot more of his physique and well, it was a lot nicer than Logan. Hell, he was fitter than Alec. Now all Max had to do was ignore a certain part of her mind that was going to very bad places. Places no transgenic should ever go to. Stupid Familiar, he probably co-conspired with Ray, but as she looked back over at them White was glaring at Ray as the boy tried o muffle his laughs, and was failing miserably.

"Okay so *snort* how'd you *giggle* get married?" asked Ray. Max and White looked at each other.

"In a minute," said Max, "you proposed to me so...how'd you do it honey?"

"Well 'dear'," said White, "I uh...proposed to you..."

"In the bath tub," said Ray before Max and White shoved their hands over his mouth.

"Ray, what the hell?"

"You have a dirty mind you know that kid?"

"I bvus iying oo elp."

Max and White then noticed that their hands were on one another's and immediately uncovered Ray's mouth.

"See you can't do that," said Ray.

"Do what?"

"What you just did, if you avoid contact or flinch away then no one's ever going to believe that we're one big happy family and then you'll lose me."

"I seem to remember you setting all of this up," said White.

"It's so you two can learn to get along."

"And what if we don't want to?" asked Max.

"Tough cookies lady."

Max's mouth dropped as the elevator door opened. Ray pulled his 'parents' out into the lobby and to the Conference Rooms (after asking if anyone knew where it was).

"So what's your cover story?" Ray asked.

"Married nine years, we eloped?"

"We eloped."

"Were we running?"

"I had a jealous boyfriend," said Max thinking spitefully of Logan. How dare he try and send Ray to England!

"Who moved to Canada."

"When did you get pregnant with me?" asked Ray

"Uh...two months after the wedding."

"My birthday's February 16th so you were married in March and we all settled down in Seattle."

"Where did we elope to?" asked Max.

"Vegas?" suggested White.

"Good enough," said Max, "you proposed again how?"

"We were seeing each other behind your boyfriend's back, and I suggested we run?"

Ray tugged on Max's shirt, "How old are you anyway?"

"Twenty-four."

"That would have made you sixteen when I was born."

"Well now besides murder let's add statutory rape to all the things I've done," said White.

Max pfft-ed at him and thought, "Think I could pass for twenty-eight?"

"You could pass for forty," said White, Max shot hm a glare.

"How long did you know each other before hand?"

"If they ask how long we'll just say 'a while'," said Max.

"Good enough."

"When did you know..."

"Enough with the questions kid," said Max.

"I'm just trying to prepare you seeing as how you two didn't do it on the way here."

Max and White glared at him before making their faces neutral when they walked into the Conference Hall. There were tables set up in a circle, here they would have the orientation and then dinner together.

"Maxine!"

Max turned to see Katrina waving them over.

"Please no," said White looking anxiously over at Max. She just smirked at him and led them over to Katrina.

"I knew you'd be coming down sometime so we saved you seats."

"Thanks," said Max.

"It was no problem, why hello there!" said Katrina waving at White and Ray as they sat down beside Max. White nodded to her as Ray returned the wave. Soon after Christina stood up and started the Orientation rolling.

"Well Good evening to all of our guests, the manager here want to welcome you all to the Delta and encourage you to make yourselves and home. The rest of us are very glad that you all chose to participate in our Family Getaway where bringing families back together is what we live for. Our main focus here is on communication. Without communication relationships fail, all of you are hear because you have problems talking to each other, am I wrong?"

No one said anything.

"So during the course of this week, you will but into groups either couples or families and will go through a series of different sessions with our councellors. We want you all to be able to talk to each other and work out your problems positively. I'm Christina and I'll be working with the children in their sessions together, you'll all receive a timetable when you leave here and classes will start tomorrow. If you have any questions please see my self or one of the other councellors, which you will meet tomorrow, they unfortunately couldn't be here this evening."

"A hem?"

Christina blanched a little and looked to her right, a blonde woman with beads sewn into her hair, and a small set of glasses perched on her nose looked up at the red head.

"Oh yes," said Christina, "This is our 'Discovery Therapist' Sharon M..."

"A hem."

Christina sighed and lifted her eyebrows slightly, "I mean 'Starshine Moonchild'."

"Why helloooo everyone, I'm so happy to see you all," she said smiling.

"What is she stoned?" said White quietly. The corner of Max's mouth twitched up. White had pretty much summed it up. Ms. Moonchild seemed pretty damn euphoric. Her dreamy speech had consisted mainly of love and flowers or something...no one was paying attention. and they actually had to spend time with this woman.

"Seems kinda kooky doesn't she?" whispered Katrina.

"I'll say."

After Starshine was done talking Chirstina got back up looking quite ruffled and annoyed.

"So anyway, I'll now be going around the room with my clipboard to see if I have everyone's names right and so you sort of know who everyone is..."

Max and White tuned it all out, they could care less about the other people here, all they wanted was to get this done and go back to Seattle with Ray.

Let the games begin....



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A/N: Blah! It's done, there are you happy now?!?!?!?!? Just joking, I'm glad you guys like "Family Getaway" enough to scream for more. Cute wave Astra! Sorry for not updating sooner but I do have other things going on. I'm not glued to my word processor (though I'd like to be) and these chapters are long. The longer the chapter, the longer it takes to write.