Chapter 10: The blonde one
Author's Note:
For all you Spixie fans, this a great chapter and the next one is even better. I'll be done with the next chapter shortly. Please don't forget to review, I especially love it if you guys review each chapter because each chapter has different plot points so if you totally aren't liking one thing I can totally change it to something more popular. Anyway don't forget to review!
Maxie walked into Kellys to see Spinelli and Milo running around the place with pencils in their ears, plates in their hands and notepads on their last sheets, "Ah great blonde one…" Spinelli smiled obviously forgetting about the argument earlier.
Maxie walked into Kellys to see Spinelli and Milo running around the place with pencils in their ears, plates in their hands and notepads on their last sheets, "Ah great blonde one…" Spinelli smiled obviously forgetting about the argument earlier.
"Wow," she looked around the place that was full of customers.
"Spinelli watch out!" Milo shouted as they were just about to collide.
"Yikes!" He jumped, "Sorry dude…"
Before Spinelli could get much else out he heard a customer shouting, "I need more ice tea!" And another shouting, "Hey I didn't order this!" And another, "Where's that burger!"
"Well nice of you to show up," Milo looked down at his watch, "Seeing as its seven o'clock…"
Spinelli looked at Milo annoyed by his comment that was pointing out that she was an hour and a half late, "What the protector of the night is trying to say is…We need your help."
"Well that's what I'm here for!" She smiled at them as if they were a little clueless to her presence.
"I haven't decided if that's a good thing," Milo looked at Spinelli.
Maxie looked at him not at all amused until Spinelli tried to calm her down, "Maximista…"
She backed off of Milo knowing the best way to annoy him would be able to prove him wrong, which meant she was gonna have to get down and dirty, "Bring it on."
"Oh it's already been brought!" Milo snapped his fingers before catching Spinelli's glance and wondered what came over him.
Milo looked away from the two realizing he just made himself look like an idiot while Spinelli glanced back over to Maxie, "Blonde one…"
"Get me an apron Spinelli, this is gonna be a showdown…" She followed him to the counter.
"But Maximista didn't you get your nails done?" He looked down at her beautiful hands knowing that Maxie wouldn't dare risk her nails getting chipped.
"Spinelli! Who cares about nails! I've got to prove myself to Mr. Goodfella over there that I can do it better than him!" She caught Milo's smile that insisted she couldn't do it.
"He wants a fight, he's gonna get one, get me a plate Spinelli…" She looked at him she put an apron on.
"Blonde one, are you sure?" He looked at her, but quickly realized she was serious, "Okay this is goes to table 7 that's right over…"
Taking the plate and receipt in her hand she looked at him, "Spinelli I've been hanging out in this place my entire life, I think I should know by now where table seven is."
He looked at her immediately regretting that he doubted her, "My apologies. Looks like the wounded blonde one is no more."
She looked at him with her game face on while evilly smiling, "the Bad blonde one is back."
He looked at her a little concerned at the fact that she was calling herself 'bad' for he didn't consider her bad anymore now that he knew her, "I would say Persistent, not bad."
"Okay," she smiled, "Persistent Blonde one it is." She walked past him and Milo, "You're on."
Milo watched as she politely said hi to the customer giving them their food, "Spin…" Milo leaned into Spinelli who joined him, "I'm in trouble aren't I?" He realized Maxie had taken his challenge to heart.
"Yup," Spinelli playfully hit his shoulder before walking to the table where a customer needed their cup refilled.
"Oh dear," Milo was slightly worried for a part of him was as intimidated by Maxie just like Spinelli used to be.
"Sir!" An old woman called for him and he walked back over to her, "Okay so you ordered…" Milo looked over the receipt, but started scratching his head, "I'm sorry…"
"I ordered a slice of apple pie," the woman looked at him annoyed.
"Right ma'am I'm so sorry, I've never done this before," Milo smiled, but she rolled her eyes thinking 'no shit.'
An hour later the place hadn't lightened up with customers, it was as if the entire town heard of Mike's tragedy and wanted to send their condolences in the form of giving him business.
Spinelli ran behind the counter in a panic as he grabbed the next couple of plates, "The senior sir is gonna kill us, we already broke three dishes and…" Spinelli started to close his eyes as another person shouted of a complaint.
"And we've still received tips with the poor service we've given, I think we're doing pretty well for ourselves," she looked at him to stop complaining for it could be worse.
Spinelli perked up, "Hey those grammar lessons are working…"
"Whatever, so I said 'well' instead of 'good," she rolled her eyes, "I think we need to focus."
"Right," he jumped back into panic mode, "We can't do this, look every table is packed."
"Spinelli!" She raised her voice while putting her hands on his shoulders to get his attention.
"Breathe," she couldn't let him panic any longer for if he freaked then so would she.
"We can do this," she removed her hands from his shoulders to see him close his eyes and putting his hands together chanting so yoga phrase.
She looked away from him rolling her eyes once again at his silliness, "Milo!" She shouted for it looked like although they had made this into a competition they still were no where near in control of the environment and they had at least two if not two hours before they closed.
"Milo!" She shouted again motioning him to come over once he looked at her.
He nodded like leaving wasn't an option for he had to deal with a bunch of old ladies getting ready to hit him with their purses thinking that he had some how done the math wrong on their bill and was scamming them.
She became more impatient with him, "Beautiful blond one what are you doing?" Spinelli looked at her not sure of what she was up to, but whatever it was she quickly put her explanation on hold as she became distracted by what he had just said.
"Beautiful Blonde one? You've never said that before," she looked at him very much touched by his words, it was if he was inventing a whole number of names for her tonight, first persistent and now beautiful.
"I'll be right back…" Milo looked at the women and could see their annoyed faces, "I promise…" He quickly sped off to the counter, "Maxie make this quick I have three old women over their getting ready to kill me."
Maxie slightly hesitated for a second thinking of the irony of his statement, he's a hit-man/body guard and they want to kill him, she slightly laughed, "Okay new plan."
"Look we need to divide the work based on our super fantastic qualities," she smiled and Milo looked at her wondering what exactly her super fantastic quality was that could pertain to waitressing.
"Spinelli you're gonna handle the orders and the paychecks, Milo you take the plates that he hands off to you…"
"And what are you gonna do?" Milo looked at her wondering if she was gonna to slack off for the rest of the night like she had done the past hour.
"Sit back and file your nails?" He teased for she had barely broken a sweat like they had and because she was avoiding messing up her nails she was barely grabbing onto the plates which was why there were three broken plates, all broken by her for her.
"Well I'm gonna make sure people are happy, I'll refill their drinks…"
"Take their plates to the kitchen without breaking them…" Milo hinted.
"We'll see," she looked at them not to push her.
Suddenly an obnoxious guy walked to the counter, "Hey can you two stop flirting with the bimbo here and take our orders? We've been waiting for half an hour."
"What did you call me?" Maxie put her hands on her hips, "A bimbo?"
"Listen here bud!" Maxie walked from around the counter, "If you don't like how we're doing things here then leave because I'm sure that Mike who runs this place and who is currently taking time off to take care of his grandson who's in a coma, wouldn't want your money, so go ahead and leave and that goes for the rest of you!"
She smiled completely proud of herself not at all caring that two tables of customers were now empty, "And don't come back!" She shouted as they hurried out.
"As for the rest of you, please just hang tight and be patient," she tried to be more polite.
Milo was just about to say something to Spinelli when his phone rang and it was Max, "Hey…is that Diane I here in the background?" Milo looked at Spinelli and the two laughed.
Suddenly Milo heard a loud noise "Is everything okay?"
Max was exasperarted, "No I'm calling you cause I have nothing else to do," Max nodded at how annoyingly stupid he perceived his brother to be, "Of course nothing is okay!"
Milo pulled the phone away from his hear, "Max slow down."
"Look we need your help, Jason isn't answering his phone, Kate isn't next door and Sonny is having a complete break down right now, but…" Max ducked as a glass came his way.
"Max?" Milo looked at Spinelli with a concerned face.
"Get here as soon as you can," Max hung up before touching his head that had a small cut.
"Oh Max darling!" Diane ran to him, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, you need to get out of here, things about to get ugly…" Max started to get up hoping that Milo wouldn't take long and that Jason would get here soon.
Hanging up the phone Milo started taking off his apron, "I've got to go Sonny is having one of his episodes."
Spinelli looked at Milo not to leave them, "Please…"
"I'm sorry man," Milo frowned in apology, "Now those two tables over there are waiting their bills, you can cut down on customers if you get them out, good luck."
"Well guys I think we did it…" Maxie came to them in all smiles until she saw that Milo was leaving which meant she was gonna have to get dirty.
"Where do you think your going?" Maxie was beginning to have a panic attack of her own.
"Duty calls, good luck guys…" Milo grinned.
"No you don't understand," she began panicking, "I just had my nails done I can't be picking up plates and…"
"Yeah we've noticed you can't pick up any plates," he glanced at the three broken plates resting on the back counter.
"Right and if you leave that means there's only Spinelli to do that and he has to be the one to sort out all the orders and the bills because I can't calculate percent," she looked at them beginning to have a panic attack like Spinelli was having a just a few minutes ago.
Milo set his apron on the counter, "Maxie, if Georgie could do it than so can you," Milo winked having all the confidence in her that she could do this.
"Great now what are we going to do?" She looked at Spinelli for a master plan after Milo left the place.
"Blonde one, please don't panic," Spinelli now had the reverse role, he had to keep her from panicking.
"Spinelli," she raised her voice, "I didn't think I'd actually be working…" Just the thought that she might have to clear tables or bring disgusting dirty dishes to the sink in the back was a nightmare.
"Just calm down, you handle the counter and I'll do the rest," Spinelli didn't want to see her throw a tantrum over hair and makeup at least not now anyway.
He grabbed Milo's receipts out of the apron and walked passed Maxie to the tables that still needed their checks. Clearing three tables only about half the restaurant was full of customers which brought a smile to his face for it looked like the crowd entering the restaurant at this time of night would be people interested in a little dessert.
Maxie looked down at her watch after what appeared to be half an hours worth of work and looked up standing behind the counter hearing more orders, "Ma'am?" A table's customers shouted lifting up their glasses.
"Lady here's the order for table…two…" A cook from the back handed her a plate and the receipt.
"Um," Maxie stood their in a complete shock as if the work she had down for over an hour and half now was finally hitting her.
Spinelli looked at her in the distance as she cracked under pressure, "Here's your bill…I'll be right back."
"Maxie, listen…" He could see she wanted to panic because the place just kept getting busier.
"Breathe," he looked at her before taking the plate from her hand, "Breathe…" He motioned.
He didn't want to do this, he didn't want to run the entire place by himself, but with only an hour and a half left he figured that soon the restaurant would be fairly empty soon. Clinging onto that hope he decided it would probably be best, even though he could appreciate her help, if she just sat at one of the remaining tables.
"Okay forget this…" He looked at the receipt and quickly took it to the table.
"I'm so sorry for the wait," he politely smiled, "We are very short staff tonight."
The customer understood, nodding, "It's okay; tell Mike we hope his grandson gets better."
"I will, let me know if you need something," he smiled and then walked to the table where the lady needed her glass refilled, "Lemonade?" He grabbed the glass and refilled it.
After delivering the glass back to the customer he walked back to the counter and looked at Maxie, "See that table over there, go over there and work on your paper, when I get some time I'll help you."
"Order up!" A cook shouted.
"I've got it!" He grabbed the dish from the cook.
"But Spinelli," she turned to him grabbing the hand that he had just put the plate in which led him to dropping the plate because he had yet to get a good grip on it.
"Oh I'm so sorry," she bent down with him.
"Don't," he unintentionally said in a cold tone.
She looked at him a little hurt by his frustrated comment, "I'm sorry it was…"
"I know an accident, I'm sorry I didn't mean to snap at you," he folded his hand into his face closing his eyes for a second, "Please Maxie just take a break…"
She looked at him feeling like she was almost a burden on him in possibly the same way Lulu was, "Okay…"
He watched as she got up from her knees, "Maxie I'm sorry…"
"No it's fine…" She grabbed her work stuff and headed to the table in the middle of Kelly's.
"Great," he looked back down at the broken plate, "Just great Spinelli…you just hurt the girl of your dreams…"
A cook from the back came with a broom, "Here…"
"Thanks, we'll need another burger…I'm sorry what's your name again?" He knew the guy looked familiar.
"Danny," he smiled.
"Oh that's right," Spinelli matched the face now; this was the guy who they originally thought was the text message killer.
"Yeah, I've been gone for a bit, but I'm back now." He grabbed the small trash can.
Spinelli nodded trying not to look at him with suspicion for Sam still had no idea who attacked her on the street when she got hit by a car, "I've got it."
"Alright," he nodded until they heard a customer at the counter wanting service.
"I've got this," Danny offered.
Spinelli smiled getting up from the ground, "How many I help you?"
For half an hour Maxie watched on an off as Spinelli rushed around pouring cups, delivering deserts and main course meals as well as clear tables and it was getting to the point where she realized she had really let him down tonight, more so then she wanted to for she had planned the night to be fun and so far it had been anything but that.
"Here's your change," Spinelli presented a couple with ten dollars.
"Keep the change, tell Mike we're sorry," they apologized and Spinelli nodded extremely surprised for he had messed up their order earlier and couldn't believe that were so kind as to ignore it.
"need help clearing that?" Maxie asked standing right behind.
"I got it," he picked up the glasses, but could see out of the corner of her eye she took it as another way of him pushing her like earlier, "Misunderstood Blonde one come back…"
She turned to him wondering what it was he was gonna say, "Yeah?"
"I'm not angry at you still for earlier," he tried to smile.
"Your nor?" She looked at him confused.
"How could I be angry at the Blonde one who gave it her all? Plus it wasn't even your fault," he insisted even though it was.
"Oh," she smiled as he pilled up plates from multiple tables along with balancing a few glasses on top of the plates.
"Please don't…" He heard the crash as he walked behind the counter where he was only a few feet away from the back, "Fall."
Maxie looked at him in the distance putting all the plates on the counter while bending down to sweep up the glass until she heard the pitter patter of a kid running in, "Cameron don't run!"
"Great," Maxie said under her breath glancing away from the door and back at Spinelli who flinched when he putting broken pieces of the plate into the trash.
"Spinelli…" She said in concern quickly getting up from the table when Elizabeth walked passed the table getting in her way.
Elizabeth looked over the counter, "Spinelli?"
"Oh hi Elizabeth," he sprung up from the ground having just finished sweeping up the glass.
Elizabeth was a little surprised that he managed to call her by her name, "Is everything okay?"
"Um yeah," he pretended he didn't just cut himself.
She put Jake's carrier on the counter, "Spinelli," she saw his hand.
Just as Elizabeth was about to take his hand and look at it, Maxie did it sooner, "Spinelli! You cut yourself."
"I'm okay," he took his hand away from her.
"Spinelli let me take a look at that, Mike has a first aid kit around here." Elizabeth looked at her like it wouldn't be a problem.
"No it's okay," he hesitantly moved his other hand to the glass.
"Spinelli don't do that," Elizabeth looked at him insisting it would hurt.
"What's a little pain," he grinned pulling out the small piece glass thinking it wouldn't hurt as much as it actually did, "See all better."
Elizabeth looked at him knowing it must have hurt, "Spinelli…"
He looked at her trying not to show any kind of emotion, "No I'm fine…"
"Well if you're fine then why is your face getting red?" Maxie looked at him like he was being stupid.
He looked at them realizing he wasn't helping anyone, "Ow…."
"Oh Spinelli come here…" Elizabeth grabbed his hand bringing it to the sink.
"God that hurt," he slightly whimpered.
"Well I told you it would, why didn't you just let me help you?" She carefully rinsed it over some hot water.
"Cause…Ah…" He looked at her like the hot water made it worse.
"Cause you wanted to be just as stubborn as Jason?" She laughed as she grabbed the first aid kit that was under the sink.
"No I'm not stubborn," he looked at her, "Stone Cold is most definitely, but me…" He was about to make a joke when Maxie walked over.
"Elizabeth don't you think you need to be watching your kids before the other brat gets kidnapped."
"Maxie," Spinelli looked at her wondering how she could have just said that.
"I'm just saying," she took his hand and the band-aid from Elizabeth's hand.
"Maxie what the," Spinelli looked at her almost embarrassed by her rash behavior.
"Spinelli, Elizabeth has enough on her hands and I don't want her hands on you," she smiled at Elizabeth to get lost.
"Okay…" Elizabeth slightly laughed at the awkward moment Maxie had created, "Spinelli if you keep that clean you should be okay."
He nodded as she walked away apologizing with his eyes, "Maxie why did you do…"
"Shh…" She put her fingers on his lips, "That woman…" She slowly nodded while rinsing his hand.
"Has done nothing to you," he looked away from her disappointed by her behavior.
She didn't like the look on his face, "I'm sorry Spinelli…It's just that she was touching your hand and…" She didn't know how to explain what she felt.
"And you were jealous…" He smiled at her before realizing that he just said that out loud.
"No I wasn't! Don't flatter yourself," she put the band-aid on his hand as fast as she could before playfully hitting his chest and walking away.
"Ow…" He looked at her as she sat down before feeling something poking at him.
"Man that woman wants you bad…" The old man laughed removing his cane from hitting Spinelli's leg, "They weren't as feisty in my day, but she…she's a force to be reckoned with."
Spinelli laughed, "Yeah she is, but…"
"But you love her anyway? That's great young man," the old man tried to get up.
"Let me help you," Spinelli helped the old man up.
"Thank you so much," he smiled at Spinelli while removing his wallet and handing him a tip, "Buy her something pretty." He gave Spinelli a few one hundred dollar bills.
"I can't take this," Spinelli looked at him feeling undeserving.
"Sure you can," he put it in a pocket of Spinelli's apron.
"Well thank you," Spinelli was completely shocked by his generosity, "Who are you?"
"Just a face in the crowd my boy, you better get back to work…" He slowly walked towards the exit where he passed Maxie's table, "And don't let this one get away…"
Maxie looked up from her article to see an old man pointing at her, but because of where he was standing she couldn't see Spinelli.
"You got yourself a good man right there," the old man pointed to Spinelli.
"Oh I do?" She played with her pen in her hand.
"Yes you do, guys like us come once in a lifetime," he winked and as he walked away Maxie glanced up at Spinelli to see his face was bright red.
"Order up!" He heard the cook shout and Spinelli quickly looked away from Maxie, "Coming!"
The old man watched as the boy and the girl shared an awkward moment. For weeks now he had been watching the odd boy in the corner of the diner enter the place with that girl as well as another blonde one and listened in on there conversations.
Just as he was about to say something he heard someone approaching the doors, "Oh hello…"
She stopped in her tracks looking around the area only to hear the man speak to her with annoyance, "Don't worry I'm sober and I'm not here to tell everyone who you are."
"Howard," she looked at him wondering what he was doing here.
"I'm surprised you recognize me," he remembered the last time he saw her.
She smiled, "Well I do keep in touch with her from time to time."
He was a little taken back by her comment, "So you know your son is here then?" He looked back in the diner.
She followed his gaze to see what he meant, "Are you sure she…" But as her eyes locked on the person her father was staring at, her voice began to quiet down.
He looked at her as she stopped talking, "So you don't know that he's been living here for the past two years?"
"That's him?" She pointed on the glass window, just to be sure, bur even if he said yes she wasn't about to believe him, at least she would try to take it with a grain of salt.
"Yup, I just talked to him…" He instantly saw her scared expression.
"Don't worry he has no idea who I am or who you are or who his father is, I didn't tell him anything, but he turned out pretty well I think." He continued to watch as his daughter realized who her long lost son was.
"Kate," he wanted her to look at him, "There's something I want to tell you." He walked away from her to a table nearby.
"Honey you got plenty of time to meet your son, I on the other hand…" He looked at her wanting her to join him, but she continued staring at him.
"Kate I've got liver disease," he frowned.
"What?" She looked away from the window.
"Looks like my alcoholism finally caught up to me, I'm dying," he looked at her knowing she probably didn't care and he was right she didn't.
"Well I'm not surprised, you drank vodka everyday," she stood at the table now.
"I deserve that," he nodded before motioning, "Please sit down."
"I know I was a bad father, a bad husband and I wasn't there when you needed me," he tried to picture what it must have been like for her to have to give up her son in order to get out of Bensonherst.
"Howard what do you want? Money for treatment?" She started to get out her checkbook.
"No, there's nothing that can be done," he touched her hand knowing that some part of her wished it wasn't the truth.
"I came here because I wanted to make things right with you," he looked at her knowing that his apologies probably wouldn't mean anything.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry for not being the man I should've been, but darling we all make mistakes and when your mother told me that you were pregnant with that boy's kid, the one with all the friends…" He remembered Skully threatening him to leave town after the boy had ratted on him that he saw him strike her mother.
"I thought it would be better if I stayed away and I was right," he smiled, "Look at you, you've become an accomplished woman…All of which wouldn't have happened if I didn't leave."
"So you're sorry, why did you really come out here?" She lost interest in being here now that she knew her son was residing here, she was gonna have long chat with her mother when she got home tonight.
"I came here to see you mostly, but…I also came to see what my grandson looks like, to see how he's grown up..." He sincerely looked at her wanting only one thing from her, "Connie, I know you don't owe me anything, but will you…will you do something for me and meet your son."
"Why should I even believe you? Why should I believe a single thing out of your mouth?" She began remembering all the lies he told so why should she even believe that Damian Spinelli is her son.
He removed a few photos from inside his jacket, "Your mother gave me these to hold onto. Here's a picture of you holding him, here's one of when he was three years old…You can already see that whacky hair he has." He took another photo out laughing, "She told me he's a genius on the computer…even in sixth grade you could tell he was made to run that thing you people call cyber space."
He saw her smile as she continued to rummage through the photos, "You can keep these." He pushed them towards her, "I just needed them to find him you need them to get to know him."
"No it's best I…" She tried to give them back, but he nodded.
"Kate, don't make the same mistake I did. Look, look at him in there…" He glanced at the doors where he could see Spinelli talking to customers, "He's happy…He doesn't seem the type that would hate you for your decision or would purposely tell your secret to the world."
"Your right, he seems happy, happy not knowing who his parents are," she started to get up.
"Kate, he needs closure, he needs to know that you did it out of love," he looked at her seeing the weak part of her heart being exposed.
"I have to go," she got up from the table only to be challenged by him who also got up with her, "Connie that boy has wanted to know his entire life who his parents were and they've been here all along."
The man pointed at the diner before looking back at her slightly raising his voice, "He's not looking for a relationship that boat shipped and sailed a long time ago. All he's looking for is an answer to a question he's had his entire life," he started to walk away believing he made a good point until he remembered something else his ex-wife told him from his little visit with her over three months ago.
"How would you feel…never mind…Because you know what's like not to grow up without a father, well trying growing up with no parents…You know what that does to someone?" He looked at her knowing there must be something left in his daughter that was telling her to do what's right.
"He's grown up his entire life thinking that no one loved him that no one cared about him that he was a burden, you have the power to change that," he strongly wished she would take his advice.
He stood at the front entrance looking in the window again so he'd have one last memory of the only grandchild he had, "In there is your son."
Spinelli looked up from one of the tables he had just given a bill to and saw the old man looking at him, "Excuse me…" He thought maybe the old man regretted giving his money away to him.
Watching his grandson walk towards the doors the old man looked back at Kate, "With all my love darling," he smiled with a slight frown knowing he'd never see his daughter again.
"Sir?" Spinelli curiously asked minutes later as he opened the door, "Did you decide you want your money back?" He looked around, but the area was empty.
Hiding behind a wall, Kate held onto the photos trying to be as silent as mouse hoping that her phone wouldn't ring or that he wouldn't wander over to her.
"Hmm…" Spinelli realized no one was out here until he saw something left on one of the tables.
Walking towards the table he saw a photo of a woman in a hospital bed holding a baby. He picked it up not at all recognizing the woman or the baby and just as he was about to throw it away, he saw what looked like writing on the back.
Connie with Damien right after birth
He quickly looked up more intrigued then ever to find who this photo belonged to. Was it the old man?
"Spaghetti?" Cameron pushed on the door.
"Cameron Webber!" Elizabeth picked him up, "I'm sorry…" She playfully looked at him only to see that something had left him distraught.
"Are you okay?" She stood there wondering why his face was suddenly so pale, "Spinelli maybe your cut is worse than I thought…"
"It's not the cut," he walked towards her, "It's nothing." He slid the photo into his back pocket before smiling at Cameron, "Hey cam…I think there's a chocolate chip cookie with your name on it…"
Cameron clapped with excitement, "Yay!"
"That's what I like to hear!" He smiled walking back into Kelly's with Elizabeth.
"I'll be right with you guys," he walked away from them to finish with the tables he had just given bills to.
"Sorry for the wait," he apologized to the customers again.
After taking care of their bills the place was less than half empty which was extremely nice for most of the customers now had simple requests, "So Maternal one or well um Elizabeth…which do you prefer?"
"Um either one…" She looked at him knowing something was off.
"So what can I get you all?" He smiled.
"Just a slice of apple pie and a cookie for Cam, it's a little late…." She looked at her watch which read nine pm.
"Okay and what about Stone-I mean little Jake?" He caught himself realizing he needed to be more careful, "Sorry..." He leaned in, "Won't happen again…"
She nodded, "Jake is just gonna sleep…"
Spinelli looked at her weird before laughing, "Okay…"
Just as he was about to walk away he remembered something, "Oh and Elizabeth, I'm sorry about the blonde one earlier, she was completely out of line," he apologize, but she looked at him wondering why he was apologizing for her.
"Maxie is responsible for her own actions," Elizabeth told him, "But thank you."
"No problem," he winked before looking down at Cam, "So would you like to pick out your cookie?"
Cameron's eyes grew wide quickly looking back at Elizabeth, "Go ahead…But only one Cam."
Spinelli lifted Cameron out of the chair, "Are you the cookie monster?"
"Oh don't start him on that Spinelli…He will go…" But it was too late.
"Cookies!" Cameron shouted.
"You like the cookie monster Cam?" Spinelli teased him, "You know what the cookie monster says don't you?"
"C is for cookie, it's good enough for me; oh cookie cookie cookie starts with C!" Spinelli shouted as they made their way to the counter.
"Oh Spinelli…" Elizabeth laughed looking at Jake, "Yes your brother is very silly, isn't he?"
Maxie looked up as Spinelli shoved a cookie in his mouth like the cookie monster does, "Such a kid…"
Cameron bit into his huge chocolate chip cookie, "Spaghetti…"
"Yeah?" Spinelli smiled.
Cameron pointed at Maxie and just as Spinelli looked to where he was pointing to he saw Maxie quickly look back down, "Oh we've got an audience."
Cameron nodded, "Giv her a cookie…"
Spinelli looked at him wondering what he was suggesting, "Have you been reading that book if you give a mouse a cookie…"
Cameron laughed, "If u giv her a cookie…" He paused motioning Spinelli to move in closer.
"Aw ha?" Spinelli leaned in.
Putting his hands up to hide as if he was whispering, "she kiss u."
"You think?" Spinelli played along, "Really?"
He nodded, "Yup."
"Well then let's try it kid," Spinelli took a small plate and placed a cookie on.
Maxie pretended to be busy in her work as she could sense someone was walking towards her, "Uh hum…Compliments of the waiter…" Spinelli slid the plate on the table.
"Not the chef this time?" She remembered back to this morning and Spinelli's little charade.
"I'm afraid not, but I've heard the cookies are so good…" He looked at Cam, "That they sometimes make the person that eats one…kiss them." Spinelli raised his eyebrows almost hinting to Maxie to play along.
"Really? Is that so…" She saw Cameron nod his head really fast.
Elizabeth looked up at the next table over to see Cameron was up to something, "Cam…"
Cameron looked at Maxie, "Yup it works."
Maxie picked up the cookie, "Well I guess we just have to see." She popped the small cookie in her mouth.
Cameron looked at Spinelli with a huge smile of excitement.
"I don't know Cam…" Spinelli looked at him pretending to give up.
"Look," Cameron's eyes wandered to the woman standing in front of them now.
She slowly raised her hand to his cheek wanting to give Cameron a g-rated experience so she leaned into Spinelli's tender cheek from yesterday's fight and kissed him. As she moved away he looked at her eyes only to hear Cameron complain.
"No kiss, like…" He demonstrated with his hands pressing them together as if they were lips.
Spinelli glanced away from Cameron to Maxie to see if she was gonna do it, surely they didn't have to, they didn't have to impress a toddler, but as they stared at each other wondering what to do Maxie decided for them.
Elizabeth had watched for the past few minutes as Cameron actively chatted with them, but she realized the full severity of the situation when Maxie kissed Spinelli's cheek and then looked as if she was about to kiss his lips. Leaving a tip she grabbed her purse and got up from the table.
"Okay Cam," Elizabeth took Cameron from Spinelli's arms, "I don't know what tricks you're playing on these two, but…"
"Aw mom…" Cameron whined.
"Cam don't mom me," she looked over at Spinelli and Maxie, "I'm really sorry."
"It's okay," Maxie said to her, but was stilling smiling at Spinelli slowly getting lost in his eyes.
Now Elizabeth knew there was something definitely wrong because Maxie took every change she could to tell her she was horrible mother so when she responded with 'its okay' Elizabeth realized what she had already guessed earlier that Maxie and Spinelli had something going on.
"Thanks for everything Spinelli," Elizabeth was glanced at him but he too was in a trance of some sort.
"No problem," he smiled, but wasn't looking at her.
"Okay well I'll see you later," Elizabeth looked away grabbing Jake's carrier and leaving the two alone, well as alone as they could be.
"Um sir?" A table in the corner wanted Spinelli's attention for they needed their bill.
"Just a minute," Spinelli looked at them and then back at Maxie, "Um I'll be with you soon."
Maxie smiled, "I'm gonna finish writing."
"Yeah you do that and then I'll take care of these last customers and we'll close early…" He looked at his watch that read 9:15. Twenty minutes later the place was empty, there were no more customers.
"We're done," he folded the sign that said 'closed'.
"You're done," she corrected him; "You did most of the work tonight." She looked at him as if the work he did was just remarkable.
"Well you did good too," he put his hand in his pocket to lock the doors from outside.
"You mean I did well," she corrected him again and he smiled, "See you're learning so much from me you can even correct my own grammar." He walked back inside.
"Yeah well we'll see how great my grammar skills are once you've read this," she watched he walked towards her table.
"I'm sure it'll be great," he winked as he walked to the counter.
Maxie laughed, "Yeah right."
He took his tips out of the apron along with Milo's tips and Maxie's and started counting up how much money they made, "Wow we gave them the worst service in history and yet we still made great money."
"How much did you make?" She once again insisted he should get the most, even Milo for she didn't do much.
"We made 1500 dollars," he smiled up at her walking towards her, "here's 250."
"I can't take this Spinelli, you worked so hard tonight, this place thrived because of you."
"I know, but look take this and go buy a pair of shoes…" He placed it on the table before take five hundred and putting it in his pocket, 250 for him, 250 for Milo.
"So you've got 750 left, which goes to…" She wondered who else he was including.
"The chefs," he looked in the back where Danny emerged from the kitchen.
"Um Spinelli…" He hoped he wasn't interrupting something.
Spinelli looked away, "Yeah?"
"Oh sorry man, but we're all gonna take off," he pointed to the back, "There's just a few dishes left to be washed and whatever's in here."
"Okay thanks I'll take care of it," Spinelli smiled, "And Danny thanks for helping out tonight."
"No problem," he smiled.
"Oh," Spinelli walked towards him you and the other guy get 200 each," he handed there tips over, "The rest if for Mike…"
"Thanks, well you two have a good night," he waved sneaking out the back entrance with the other chefs.
"Guess that means we're alone," she slightly smiled.
"Yeah," he smiled back not really sure what she was planning.
"So let me finish clearing the rest of these tables and then I can see what you've done," he suggested and she nodded like it was a good idea.
"Okay," Spinelli smiled walking to the tables where he put the chairs up and then took their dishes to the back.
As he started running water in the sink he scrapped off the leftovers into a trash trying to rush with accuracy for he suddenly had a feeling like tonight would be the night, tonight would be the night they share their first kiss, a real kiss.
He put the dishes in the sink one by one adding soap to the dish water, "Yup…" He smiled almost completely forgetting about the photo he found earlier.
Turning off the water he grabbed the sponge and started washing each dish thinking of how he would approach the rest of the night. The more he thought about it the more he realized that he was completely unprepared for the night which suddenly changed his hopes for the outcome of late evening.
Glancing up at her from time to time he could see her busily writing something and then it dawned on him that tonight shouldn't have romantic intentions for he had absolutely no advice not even from Stone Cold on how to pursue the blonde chick that was way out of his league.
Maxie was writing her ideas as fast as he could when suddenly the pencil lead broke, "Damn." She quickly rummaged through her purse knowing she had something in there to write with and when she saw she cheered, "Yes…" It was small victory that turned bitter when she went to grab it; under the clip of the pen was some familiar wrapping paper.
Slowly taking the pen from the purse she couldn't believe as she removed the paper from the clip that she had forgotten about this. She remembered in those days just after he died and just after she opened his gift that this pretty red paper covered in pink hearts was something she held onto for hours. Staring down at the clue he had written she flashed back to seeing him hanging in his room. How come now…she asked, how come now she was crying? She hadn't cried like this for months and she wondered why? She wondered why she had no longer needed to hold onto the paper or how she could even manage being in the same place here sister spent every waking hour in. There's no way she would have been able to do it, no way she'd ever be able to do it on her own or with Mac's help or Robin's, so…she continued to ask herself, how could I be sitting here writing an article for Kate Howard with all the tragedy in my life lately? Then the answer came to her instantly, Spinelli of course. Spinelli had been the reason she had her life together.
Aw that was cute, but the next chapter is gonna leave you completly wishing I wrote for GH. Like I said I'll have an update soon hopefully, it's basically done, but I have to add one more scene to it. Don't forget to review and tell me what your thinking! Thanks, also if any of you are good at creating webpages or fanbase pages let me know, cause I'd like to start a fanbase and webpage for this story featuring Spinelli, Maxie, Johnny and Lulu. I'll also be working on a trailer too. You guys are great!