"Do you know what a one night stand is?"
Maxie – STOP TALKING! This is a child. Am I going to explain the birds and bees to her as well? Crap. I suck at good deeds.
She looks at me, then throws an empty Kleenex box towards me.
"Hey jerk!!! I thought Kristina was Sonny's kid….Well you are a Cassadine."
"I'm sorry. I just normally do not behave in such a manner, but I am having quite the stressful day."
Yep. Definitely not Sonny's kid.
"Would you like to tell me why you are going all Naomi Campbell on me?"
"Who?"
"Why are you throwing things? I have ice cream waiting on me. You are clearly okay.. so I will not ask anything else." Brat. Jerk. This is what I get when I try to help. I turn to go and the sobbing begins again.
This is getting old.
I turn to face the seriously lack of fashion sense and walk over to sit beside Molly.
I place my arm around her and she collapses onto my shoulder. She cries, and it hits me….
This is how Johnny must have felt.
I finally hear the sobbing subside and am shocked when she finally does speak.
"I thought you were making an innuendo about my mother and her torrid affair."
Shit. I go from one jabbering idiot with Spinelli Speak to a ten year old who I really need a dictionary to follow.
"Alexis is in trouble, right?"
She nods and I understand it all. The kids at school are having a field day with this kid's self esteem. The laughing, not to mention Kristina is on the run with her half brother who happens to be Molly's cousin. Wow. Sometimes fame really can be a double edged sword. And the proof just snotted all over Jason's Parka. Suddenly I realize I should be thankful the boots didn't match the dress.
"Hey you know Sam…she will find them. Alexis has Diane. Diane knows law as well as she knows shoes. Your family will be okay. I am sure of it.":
I really need her to stop crying. I may start throwing things myself.
Note to Future Maxie: you will not be a good mother. You may throw the baby out the window when they don't stop crying. Either that or they will have different nannies.
"I thought you worked at a Fashion Magazine."
"I do. What does that mean?"
"Those boots are not Yves St Laurent."
"No, they are Jason Morgan's. What is your excuse for the Converse? "
"Wanna trade?"
"You want Jason's boots? I know he is hot in that Hercules kind of way, but these boots are like his personality. seriously lacking."
"Shoes, lives. All of it."
"Ah…..people are never what they seem."
"Like you would know anything about my life."
"Molly, look…..people never know unless you tell them. And sometimes you tell more by actions than words."
Wow. Blank stare time. I wonder if all that time around Jason as a baby influenced this look.
"Okay here's the thing Molly. I suck at doing this whole Mother Theresa thing. Giving selflessly and Tiny Tim…I don't do well. So I can't help you unless I know what's wrong. I can tell you that I am guessing those kids are being mean to you because of one of them at one point and time wanted to be you. I can also tell you that they know they can intimidate. They laugh and you ran up the stairs. That instance proves to me they have the control in the situation. I can tell you that you don't own your personality. At all. There is a mature side and a side that wants to be a kid. I am guessing that is where the Converse come from. Maybe you get picked on because your Uncle is a Prince. Your mom owns an island in Greece. The Mob King's daughter is your sister. You can intimidate the hell out of anyone with the bloodline in your family. Hell, your father was the attorney for the Zacharra's and the brother of the most wanted Mobster of our time. Your mom is a D.A. Your sister is popular and pretty. So are you. You are smarter than I am. And I am the running image they want to be. Well not currently in this outfit, but normally I am quite enviable. And I could envy you. You have too much promise and power to mope. I am not saying turn into a 'stupid plastic girl' but you are having are in a crappy situation. Lean on it. Emphasize the strengths; people can only intimidate you as much as you let them."
"Really?"
Long sigh, she is a kid Maxie.
"Yes really. You owe me a sundae for this."
"If they know they have the power how am I supposed to regain my control?"
"Molly, you are a smart girl. I know Kristina is not here right now. I know Sam is not here. So I will give you a lesson in Self Esteem. Fake it."
"What?"
"Fake it until you don't have to. Fake it until you make it. Fake it until the Captain of the Cheerleading Squad looks at you and you can laugh at her. Fake it."
She sighs. I want to pull my hair out.
"Molly, look it,…..behind every Bully is a secret. There is always a reason they try to divert attention away from themselves. So the way you defeat them is emphasize the best. You clearly have more going for you than they do…"
"Yeah right Maxie. I have no friends. And yes, those boots look great right now. I wear a size 37 I don't want to go to school with them anymore"
"Molly. that is something to talk about with Alexis. But this is what you should do. Stop. Just stop. Your sister was on TV as an 'Everyday Hero.' She dated a Mobster, she's been shot. She's done some not so nice things. So what? She could have any man she wants. She could have any clothes delivered to her. She could have anyone beaten up or killed. Your mom is the DA. Your sister is popular. So what? Look at it this way…"
This better work…
"When I was little my cousin Robin used to date your cousin. Or maybe she tutored him. But the point is, he was good enough for Robin. Which says a lot. My Uncle Mac dated Katherine and she fell in love with Stefan, Nikolas' uncle. The thing is. You come from a family of Royalty. Your family is a little like it's own Mob. No one messes with the Cassadines. You guys have more money than we could dream of. You have class. You put Aristocrats to shame. So just remember that your cousin has a frikkin castle on his own little island. He has a Butler and horses. I have been to Wyndomere. It is creepy but it is so impressive. You are like a Mini-Princess. So while this whole murder trial is going on, maybe you should start looking at your family as a whole and know there were wayyyy worse things that they did…and being accused of a Hit and Run and Murder is like …standard. They can only wish to have so much drama….and money…and fame…and such gorgeous hair. "
Finally a smile.
"Thanks a lot."
"Here is my card. My cell number and email are the best ways to reach me. And…here. This is the sample of the new Twilight lipgloss. I am guessing you are a fan."
"I hate to admit that something so mundane is a guilty pleasure. How did you know?"
"The shoes. I am guessing your toe nails may be all black and gothic too."
"Mayybeee"
"Maybe. Well you come from a lineage of Kings and scary ass women…so just own it."
She stands up and reaches out her arms to help me up. I grab them and as she tries to pull me up I pull her down on the floor. We laugh. And then someone's really nice Gucci shoes are beside us.
I look up and see brown pants, a white Burberry and smooth skin. Nikolas is weird and whipped by his women, but wow he is nice to look at.
"Sorry Nikolas. I owe Maxie a sundae."
Nikolas smirks and his strong demeanor reminds me of someone else I know. Someone with gorgeous eyes and skin. He has nothing in common with Lucky. He could pass for Johnny's brother before you would associate him with Lucky.
"Actually, I look kind of rough,,,,and I really have to fit into sample sizes in order to go to Fashion Week with Kate…so if you don't mind, tell Mike I said thanks but I have to go."
He looks at me and grins. Finally Molly asks if I must go.
"I don't have to, but I need sleep and a shower. Not in that order, but you know."
Nikolas is laughing at me. Wow. Is it possible to have teeth that are that white?
"Remember what we talked about. Call me if you need me. Good Luck."
We all walk out to the stairs and I can feel Nikolas' eyes on my legs. For whatever reason, the chill against the wet skin, or his eyes staring at my bare leg…I feel goose bumps. We reach the end of the stairs, and as I try not to trip on boots that are too big I feel an arm reach around and steady me.
I turn around. My chest collides with his, and I find myself looking into those eyes. And we stop. We stare.
I don't know how long we were like that when I hear Rebecca wince and say "You just save everyone don't ya?"
Nikolas is still looking at me like he wants to…well I can't tell.
I smile and say "a Prince you are."
He smiles and before releasing me he whispers over my shoulder "She was my Tutor. Thank you."
He leans back and I look. I then brace my foot in the boot and walk away, waving to Molly as I leave.
I wonder if he remembered how terrible I was to beloved Elizabeth and Lucky, or is he thinks I am a huge slut. Or maybe he thinks Robin's little cousin did a good deed. Maybe he remembers that Georgie and Emily, our souls, died by the same hands. Whatever the reason was I knew one thing,,,,,
The air never felt so crisp.