I do not own Dirty Dancing.
Chapter Thirty Four
POV Johnny
Alibi?
Fantastic.
Fan freaking tastic.
Moe Pressman's wallet was stolen last night.
And they accused me.
Or rather, Vivian Pressman did. Must have been her way of revenge for me turning her down. Max came asking around for my alibi, and I didn't know what to tell him. Sure I had one. Just not a good one. If people knew my alibi, I would lose my job anyway, and worse still, Baby would be disgraced.
I suspected that Vivian knew about me and Baby, or at least knew I was sleeping with somebody that wasn't her. When I turned her down, she had probably gone to someone else. If that had been the case, it was very likely she had seen Baby leaving my cabin this morning, in which case her plan was perfect revenge. If Baby didn't care, which I knew wasn't the case, she wouldn't say anything about our whereabouts last night, and I would lose my job, and do jail time. Baby would have a guilty conscience. I silently prayed that was the case. She wouldn't have any real damage done to her.
On the other hand, if Baby really cared about me, she would reveal my alibi with no concern whatsoever for her own reputation. I would lose my job, and everyone would think Baby a whore.
Currently, I was packing my stuff. I knew either way I was going to be fired. My only chance was if Penny said that she was with me last night, and I would never ask her to do that. I felt horrible even thinking about it. There was a knock on the cabin door. I walked over and opened it.
It was Max, as I thought.
"What do you know about Baby Houseman?" He asked immediately. So she'd told them. Well, maybe I was going down. But dammit, I wasn't taking her down with me. Maybe I could still convince them of otherwise.
"That's nice, come in, why don't you?" I ask sarcastically, opening the door further. "You already think I took a wallet, what's the harm in invading my room as well?"
"Lose the attitude, Johnny," Max warned, giving me a stern look.
"Or what?" I snorted, "You'll have me fired?" I roll my eyes, looking back at my packing.
"How do you know Baby Houseman?" He repeated, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"I don't," I insist. "Never heard her name before in my life. Why?"
"A bird told me that she's your alibi for last night."
"I told you," I repeat to Max, steadying my voice. "I was alone here last night. And I don't know her. Why would I say that if I had an actual alibi?"
"Oh, come on, Johnny," Max sighed. He ran a palm over his face, looking very old, and very tired. "Give it up. I know you're trying to protect her. She was having breakfast with her family, and when Baby heard about you being accused she became rather distraught. In an effort to clear your name, she told me that she was with you all of last night. Now," Max paused, eyeing me carefully. "Is that true?"
Well, the was no way out of this now. The was no way for me to protect her, so I had to tell him. I sighed in defeat, "It is. That's not the kind of thing you lie about. Normally people lie about not having an affair. They don't tell people they had one when they didn't."
"In case you were curious, it was the Schumacher's. Baby said that she saw her with a few wallets, that she saw them at the Sheldrake, though I don't know what Baby would've been doing there. That was her last attempt to prove you innocent before she said that she was with you last night. We took the fingerprints from their water glasses. They were wanted in Florida and Arizona, and stole almost $500 this Summer."
"Good to know," I said coldly. I knew what was coming.
"I'm sorry, Johnny, but I have to fire you. I can't make exceptions among the staff. If you leave discreetly, you'll get your Summer bonus,"
"Oh, really. No exceptions. Tell that to the Waiters,"
"I give the Waiters their leeway because one of them is less likely to break a heart. I trust them to not go beyond kissing, and leave them high and dry. You just partly proved my theory, and plenty of staff members would prove it completely. With the others, we'd see more of what just happened with you and Baby. More lies, because Parents won't approve. More secrets. Most of the girls wouldn't stay with someone like you, Baby being the exception. And you can't tell me that some of the staff wouldn't be unfaithful, "
I sigh. He is right. But that doesn't change how I feel about her. "What if I'm in love with her?" I questioned. Max's eyebrows raised in shock, like he couldn't believe he was hearing me say that. For a while, I hadn't believed it either, but that shock had turned into regret that Baby wasn't the first person I told. I've never said it to anyone but Penny before, and Baby, if you counted when she was asleep. But it is true that I love Baby. "Not that that it makes much difference to you, or that you care, or anything, but what then?"
Max sighs, "Then I wish you two all the best of luck, because she seems to feel the same. I hope you two make it, Johnny, I do. But it's not going to be here,"