Author: Catherder
Disclaimer: Dark Angel is owned by Charles Eglee, James Cameron, and Fox. I claim no rights to these characters, alas, although I like to play with them.
Summary : Logan and Max spend Easter with Uncle Jonas and Aunt Margo. Max gets to see Uncle Jonas in the giant bunny outfit
Rated: PG
Spoilers/Timeframe: Between Haven and I and I am a Camera
A/N: Great thanks to Kasman for reviewing. Reviews are appreciated.
Uncle Jonas and the Bunny Suit
Max's pager beeped. She checked the readout on it to see who was calling. Logan. She went over to the old pay phone on the wall, smacked it with her fist, and dialed his number.
"Hey," he responded on the first ring.
"Me hittin' you back. What's up?"
"Remember after Bennett & Marianne's wedding, I told you to keep Easter free?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, the Cale family annual Easter dinner from hell is Sunday. I'd appreciate it if you'd go with me."
"Free food and all I have to do is put up with your Uncle Jonas and Aunt Margo? I seem to recall that they put on quite a spread. I think I can handle that," Max replied.
"And don't forget the giant bunny suit."
"Does he really dress up in a giant bunny suit? I thought you were just pulling my leg."
"Me? Pull your leg?" Logan laughed. "No, it's true, Max. When Bennett and his brothers and I were kids, Uncle Jonas would get plastered, dress up in a bunny suit, and conduct an Easter egg hunt on the grounds of the mansion. It became a family tradition for him to wear the damn thing. So, he still gets plastered and puts it on. Bennett's brothers have kids and Uncle Jonas still runs the Easter egg hunt." Logan chuckled, just thinking about it.
"Sounds like the Addams Family to me," Max said.
"You have no idea. So, you'll go? It will be good to have Uncle Jonas see me with the same woman twice in a row –"
"Well, you dirty old man!" Max teased.
" – Show him that there's some stability in my life. Maybe he won't consider me the black sheep of the family quite so much."
"Why does he consider you the black sheep of the family anyway? You've always seemed more than respectable to me."
"Because I wanted to be a journalist rather than become involved with the family businesses. Uncle Jonas equates journalism with muckraking and thinks it's a dirty business. We had huge fights when I was at Yale because he wanted me to study business and I wanted to study journalism," Logan admitted.
"Looks like you won."
"Yeah, and he's never forgiven me. So, Max, will you save me from my family and go with me?"
"Sure. It'll be fun to tease Uncle Jonas again. And I kinda like Bennett and Marianne."
"Yeah, they're good folks. Great. I'll pick you up at one. Wear something dressy. See you then. And thanks."
"No problemo. Til Sunday." Max hung up the phone, smiling. Logan had sounded almost relieved, poor thing.
*****
On Easter Sunday, promptly at 1 PM, there was a knock at Max's door. She ran to answer it, putting the finishing touches on her makeup.
"Hey," she said, standing aside to allow Logan to enter. "You clean up nice." Logan looked almost elegant in a white collarless shirt and linen slacks He looked like he had even run a comb through his unruly hair.
"So do you," he replied, eyeing her peach-colored dress and high-heeled sandals with approval.
"So, Uncle Jonas would approve?"
"Ah, I wouldn't go so far as to say that, but I certainly approve." He smiled that dazzling smile.
"Thanks."
"Shall we?"
Max nodded, grabbing her purse and a sweater. Logan wheeled out the door, down the hall, and into the freight elevator, with Max at his side. He couldn't get the smile off his face.
*****
A thirty-minute drive took them to the outskirts of Seattle, past the squalor and the checkpoints, and the surly sector police. It was a warm day in late March and the surrounding suburbs seemed ready to burst into flower. There was a hint of green to the grass and the trees were beginning to look fuzzy with new leaves.
The farther from the city they got, the larger the houses got and the farther apart they became. At last, they pulled into the driveway of a huge brick, pseudo-Georgian mansion with an expanse of lawn that seemed large enough for a golf course.
As Logan pulled the wheelchair from the back of the car and settled into it, Max surveyed the place. It was impressive.
"Are you sure your uncle's expecting you?" she asked.
"Yeah, why?" Logan replied, puzzled.
Max pointed to the front steps. "No ramp," she stated simply.
"Ah, typical Jonas. He either forgot, or doesn't want to admit that I'm in the chair."
"Well, how shall we handle this? I mean, I can haul you up the steps, but that would be a dead giveaway that I'm not an ordinary girl."
"Tell you what. Ring the bell and get Bennett out here to help you. That should cover it."
" 'K." Max tripped prettily up the steps and rang the bell. Luckily, Bennett himself answered. He smiled down at Max.
"Hey, Bennett, remember me? From your wedding?"
"Max, right? You came with Logan." Bennett shook her hand. "Nice to see you. Speaking of Logan, where is the reprobate anyway?"
"Well, um, that's the problem." Max stepped aside. "Logan is down there and he needs to be up here." Bennett saw Logan at the bottom of the steps.
"My dad's an idiot."
"No argument there," Logan said. Bennett came down the steps and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Now, what's the best way to get you up to the porch?"
"Considering there are no handles on my chair, I'm not sure there is a best way." Logan turned the chair to face away from the steps.
"Maybe it would be easier if I carried you up and Max brought the chair up. It's only three steps," Bennett suggested.
"I don't think so," Logan said firmly. "No one is going to carry me anywhere."
"OK then, Plan B." Bennett laughed.
Max and Bennett each gripped a wheel and the bottom of the seat and managed to accomplish the task with a minimum of effort or giggling. Once on the porch, Logan turned the chair to face the door.
"Well, that was fun. I need a drink." He popped a small wheelie over the doorjamb and entered the foyer, followed by Max and Bennett. Max looked around, wide-eyed, while Logan and Bennett made their way across the room.
"Coming, Max?" Logan stopped and called her.
"Yep. Just wondering if I need to lay down a trail of breadcrumbs so I can find my way back to the door."
Bennett laughed. "It's not that big. Besides with four boys in the house, we wanted plenty of space so we didn't get in one another's hair."
They headed into the spacious living room, where they found Jonas, Margo, Marianne, Bennett's brothers Jonas Junior and James, their wives, and children. Bennett introduced Max to those family members she hadn't met, then headed over to the well-stocked bar.
"Max, Logan, what'll it be?"
"Got any beer?" Max asked.
"Sure, domestic or imported?"
"Imported, of course." Bennett poured her a beer and handed her a heavy pilsner glass.
"Logan? As if I didn't know."
"Single malt," Logan replied as he found the glass in his hand.
"You're so predictable, Logan," Bennett said.
"So I've been told."
They went back to join the cozy family gathering. Jonas, highball in hand, was already half in the bag and feeling gregarious.
"Uncle Jonas, you remember Max Guevera?" Logan said, knowing that he probably didn't.
"Ah, Logan, may I commend your taste in women. At least you have that talent." Max turned to see Logan cringe slightly but visibly.
"Logan has many talents, Jonas," Max replied, smiling sweetly.
"No doubt. But he always did have an eye for a pretty woman. Must run in the family." Jonas patted Margo's hand and she smiled a reptilian smile. She was fluffed and buffed, in an ivory silk suit that set off her tan and strand of pearls.
"How lovely to see you again," she said to Max, air-kissing her on the cheek. "Logan, you look well. How are you doing?"
"Just fine, Aunt Margo. Want to see me pop a wheelie?" Logan asked wickedly. Max giggled and slapped him on the shoulder.
"Bad boy! No more Scotch for you!" she whispered. Logan grinned at her. He turned the chair and wheeled away from his aunt and uncle. Max followed him.
"We should give our regards and condolences to Marianne. This is her first official Cale family Easter dinner," Logan said, rolling over to where she and Bennett were standing.
"Logan, nice to see you again," Marianne said, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "And Max, so glad to see you could make it." Max decided that Marianne was indeed good people, sweet and sincere. How she could stand being in the same room with Margo was a question Max would have to ask her later.
"Thanks. Glad I could too. So," Max turned to Logan, who was making small talk with Bennett, "when do I get to see your uncle in the giant bunny outfit?"
Logan blushed. Bennett laughed. "You told her about that?"
"Had to get her here somehow. It seemed like the best way at the time. Jonas didn't exactly make a great impression at your wedding," Logan explained.
"Yeah, he got pretty toasted. I think he was relieved to finally get me married off, "Bennett said, squeezing Marianne's hand.
"Let's see, he insulted Logan several times, which I gather is par for the course, accused me of – what was the term? – oh yes, 'shacking up' with him. What else?" Max said.
"That was enough. I explained to Max that Jonas considered me the black sheep of the family. It all took off from there."
"Yeah, well, Dad never could accept the fact that you didn't tow the line and follow him into the business. What a contest of wills that was!" Bennett exclaimed.
"Clash of the Titans?" Max asked.
"Oh definitely. It was amusing to watch – as long as you kept out of the way. The two of them, equally stubborn, butting heads."
"I can imagine. I know how stubborn Logan can be," Max said, putting her hand on Logan's shoulder. He reached up and took her hand in his.
"Hey, I got what I wanted. I went off to San Francisco to work for a newspaper and Bennett here became the fair-haired boy who actually enjoyed business school."
"Well, I for one, am glad he did. Otherwise, we wouldn't have met," Marianne chimed in.
"That's true. Now Dad has all three of his sons working for him, so he's happy. And Marianne gets to help Aunt Margo run the charitable foundation."
"And I get to muckrake to my heart's content," Logan added.
"Except that nobody anticipated you getting yourself shot," Bennett replied solemnly.
"Shit happens," Logan stated. "I pissed off the wrong bad guys. But I was lucky I guess. They tried to kill me twice and didn't succeed either time. And they're not around any more, but I'm still here."
"Well, you paid a high price, Logan. Getting your spine severed is more than enough reason to quit digging up the dirt on the bad guys."
"Maybe, but still not enough reason to make me get involved in Cale Industries. Now, how about another drink?" Logan wheeled toward the bar, followed by Bennett.
Max and Marianne found a couple of places on the couch and sat down. Marianne sipped her white wine. "Logan's a great guy," she said.
"Yeah, I guess so. I never really thought about it," Max replied, looking over at Logan and Bennett at the bar, laughing together like two schoolboys.
"Did you know him before he was – injured?"
"Barely. We'd just met a couple of days before it happened," Max answered truthfully.
"But you stuck by him. That's what counts. I'll bet he appreciated your support."
"Sometimes he did and sometimes he didn't. You know guys – they like to suffer in silence. It's a big macho thing. Logan's into the stoic, never-let-them-see-that-you're-in-pain mindset. Sometimes I just want to smack him."
Marianne laughed, a sweet, tinkling sound. "I know what you mean. But he seems to be coping pretty well, don't you think?"
Except the days when he doesn't, Max thought, remembering their aborted "vacation" in Cape Haven, and Logan's self-pitying attitude that got on her nerves so badly.
"He tries. Some days life gets the better of him and then you don't want to be around him. He turns into a self-pitying pain in the ass. But most of the time he's OK. I credit his physical therapist with keeping him on track. Bling would beat the crap out of Logan if he ever tried to cop an attitude. I really think the guy saved his life." Max recalled the time maybe she saved his life after Dr. Vertes was killed. She shook the thought away. This was supposed to be a happy occasion.
Bennett and Logan made their way back to join Marianne and Max. Bennett sat down on the couch next to his wife and Logan pulled up alongside it. He locked his brakes and settled back with his drink.
"So, ya think Jonas is plastered enough to do the bunny suit routine?" he asked Bennett.
"Any minute now I'm expecting the announcement. It looks like JJ and James' kids are starting to get restless," his cousin replied, indicating the three children squirming in their seats on the other side of the spacious room. "Other various and sundry nieces, nephews, and cousins are dispersed throughout the house. Some are in the media room watching movies to keep them from underfoot."
"How many kids are here?"
"About a dozen."
"So, what's this all about?" Max asked, never having been on an Easter egg hunt, or even knowing what it was.
"You've never been on an Easter egg hunt?" Bennett was incredulous.
"Um, no. My – family wasn't into stuff like that, you know, celebrating holidays." Max looked embarrassed.
"Oh." Bennett looked at Max like she had three heads. "Here's how it works. Dad plays the Easter bunny. He makes sure all the colored Easter eggs, ah, hard-boiled, thank goodness, get hidden around the grounds. Then the children are given little baskets and turned loose to search for the eggs. Whoever finds the most wins a prize. Dad's been doing this for – what? 30 years? For some reason, he really enjoys it."
"Oh, OK. I guess whatever floats your boat," Max said. "So, you two used to do this when you were kids?"
"Every year," Logan replied. "And Jonas took it as a personal affront if you didn't participate. I used to think of excuses to stay at boarding school so I wouldn't have to do it."
"Why? It sounds like fun – if you're a kid."
"It got too competitive – especially between Bennett's brothers."
"Yeah, Logan and I were the youngest, so they used to steal our eggs and beat on us if we wouldn't give them up."
"Nice guys. A little more than sibling rivalry, I guess?" Max speculated.
"A bit. Jonas raised us all to be highly competitive," Logan explained.
"But Logan and I liked each other too much to compete against each other. Dad didn't like that. He was trying to make us all corporate pit bulls and he just couldn't understand."
Max was beginning to get an idea of why Jonas Cale grated on Logan's nerves so much and why he considered Logan the family failure. It sounded to her like Logan had an overdeveloped sense of fair play that Jonas couldn't get his head around.
"So we tweaked him as much as we dared to get away with," Logan continued. "We would team up on the Easter egg hunts. That drove him nuts." They both laughed at the memory.
"I love my father, but sometimes he really needs a reality check."
"Or the ramrod pulled out of his ass," Logan concluded.
"And when Marianne and I announced our engagement, Dad assumed that one of my brothers would be best man. Truth is, I don't like my brothers very much – we've never been close. For one thing, they're both a lot older than me. So, who better than my cousin and best friend, Logan?"
"Not to mention the fact that a best man in a wheelchair would drive Jonas to apoplexy." Logan grinned wickedly.
"Well, the thought did cross my mind. Not that it mattered, of course."
"Of course," Logan replied with a wink.
"You two are so bad!" Marianne said.
*****
At three o'clock, Jonas Cale put down his highball and clapped his hands. There was silence throughout the room as he made his announcement.
"Children, the Easter Bunny has been spotted nearby. There is a report that he's been hiding colored eggs for you." He looked at his watch. "In fifteen minutes, you should all gather outside at the big oak tree in the back yard for the Easter egg hunt!"
As the children, accompanied by Bennett's brothers, left the living room to find the meeting place, and other relatives ran to get their kids from the media room, Jonas and Margo slipped away to ready Jonas' alter ego.
"Where's the best place to watch this?" Max asked Bennett.
"—And be safe from being trampled by rug rats all over the place? I'd say the back deck. That way, we can see nearly everything that's going on and not be underfoot."
"Besides, the back of this place is even less accessible than the front," Logan mentioned. "The lot slopes, so while the front of the house has only three steps up to the porch, the back has a whole flight down to the yard. Being hauled up and down those stairs is definitely not my idea of a good time."
"Nor mine," Max agreed. "Shall we adjourn to the deck to watch the festivities?"
Bennett led the way through the first floor of the mansion. Max noted that the huge, formal dining room was being set for the impending meal, which would be served after the Easter egg hunt. The whole room gleamed, from the crystal chandelier down to the silverware and fine china. Uncle Jonas may have been a drunken idiot, she thought, but he sure knew how to live.
The hardwood floors in the hallway were covered with jewel-like oriental carpets that her high heels sank into. She realized that Logan was carefully steering his chair down the uncarpeted parts of the hall. He must have known how hard it would have been to navigate the wheelchair over the soft rugs.
At last they came to the "den," which opened out onto the deck. As sparsely furnished as Logan's apartment was, Jonas' lair was just the opposite. The room was full of overstuffed, heavily upholstered furniture and dark carpeting and drapes. It felt oppressive to Max after the Spartan décor she was used to. Although she knew that some of the simplicity of Logan's apartment was due to issues of accessibility and ease of movement, Max had been there several times before he had been injured and she knew it had been simply furnished even then. Some freestanding sculpture and artwork on pedestals had been put into storage and furniture had been rearranged, but otherwise, not much else had been done. Logan never had been into opulence or an ostentatious display of wealth.
Bennett slid open the glass doors and they went out onto the deck where they found comfortable rattan chairs with plump pillow to sit on. Logan deftly transferred from the wheelchair to one of them and sank into the cushions.
"Want an ottoman for your feet?" Max suggested.
"Sure, why not?"
Max casually lifted Logan's feet and slid the ottoman under them. Neither she nor Logan felt the least bit self-conscious with Bennett and Marianne. "You look comfortable," she said.
"Mmmm," was all Logan said. He shut his eyes in contentment. "A glorious day, a comfortable chair that does not have wheels on it, a tumbler of fine, aged single malt, and a beautiful woman. Who could ask for more?"
"Doesn't take much to make you happy, does it?" Max teased.
"Not today, in any case."
The four of them sat in contentment, savoring the weather and the company, until a commotion down in the yard turned their attention there. They saw a bunch of small children jumping up and down, squealing with delight, and pointing. As their eyes followed the pointing fingers, they saw Jonas Cale come into view.
He was dressed in a baggy white bunny outfit, complete with long whiskers, a pink nose, and a bow around his neck. He had huge fuzzy white feet and mitten-like paws. Atop his head, perched precariously between the floppy pink-lined ears, was a straw hat. He carried about a dozen Easter baskets, complete with green Easter grass.
Max had never seen anything like it in her life. She started to laugh and couldn't stop. She laughed until she hiccoughed. Logan smiled at her indulgently, happy that she was happy. Then she got up from the chair and went to the railing to get a better view. Soon she was hanging over the railing, giggling like a little girl. Logan's smile turned wistful when he realized that Max had never really been a little girl. She'd never had fun like the children were having right now, or even been allowed to have a childhood. He was glad he'd brought her here today. Although he considered the gathering a painful family duty, obviously Max did not.
Jonas made some little speech and passed out the baskets to the children, then sent them off to find the colored eggs. Chaos reigned for the next half hour while they tore up the yard searching for their quarry. Their parents called out to them, giving them hints where to find the eggs. They squabbled with each other when two or more homed in on the same egg.
Bennett turned to Marianne and said, "When we have kids, are you gonna want them to do this?"
"I don't know. We'll see when the time comes. But in any case, I'm not going to let them fight over silly Easter eggs."
"Oh no!" Logan teased. "She's going to bring up a whole new generation of Cale black sheep!"
"Well, one of these days, Logan, you're going to have to give up the title. Or at least share it, you know," Bennett replied.
"What, you want to deprive me of the only thing that distinguishes me from everyone else in this family? I'm proud to be the black sheep."
A sudden whoop from Max caused Logan to stop talking and crane his neck to see what was so funny. He bit his lip to keep from bursting out laughing when he saw Jonas skipping around the yard, powder puff tail bouncing up and down and ears wiggling wildly. Many of the children skipped after him. Everyone looked like they were having the time of their lives. By now, Max was leaning over the rail, nearly doubled in half, giggling weakly, tears running down her face.
Logan couldn't reach her from the rattan chair he was sitting in, so he straightened up and reluctantly transferred back to the wheelchair. He unlocked the brakes and rolled over to her. Putting his arm around her, he whispered, "Doesn't take much to make you happy either, does it?"
"I'm sorry, but he was such a stuffed shirt at the wedding…." she managed to get out.
"He wasn't drunk enough to loosen up," Logan explained. "He was trying to stay on his feet, so he was just loaded enough to be patronizing." Logan looked over the yard. "Oh, looks like things are winding down. Dinner should be served soon. Prepare yourself."
"Prepare myself? Why? Isn't the food going to be any good?" Max had gotten herself under control with difficulty.
"Oh, the food will be terrific, as usual. But I'll bet that you get the place of honor next to Uncle Jonas."
"Is that so bad?"
"Just watch out for his hands," Logan warned. "They tend to, ah, roam, shall we say."
"Well, I have you to protect me, don't I?"
"Right. Of course." Logan grinned and turned the chair around. "We should head back inside."
Bennett and Marianne had risen from their seats and were waiting for Logan and Max. "So, now Max knows Dad's deep, dark secret," Bennett said.
"One of then, anyway," Logan muttered. "Yeah, I guess so. Heading inside?"
"I guess so. We should find our seats before the mad rush."
"Good idea. I don't look forward to maneuvering the chair into the dining room with that many toes to roll over."
"Oh, come on! Could be fun. How many cousins have stepped on your toes over the years? This could be a great opportunity to get back at my brothers – and at least you'd have an excuse."
"Maybe after dinner when I've had a few more snorts." Logan laughed. Leave it to Bennett to come up with the funny side of just about any situation.
Max and Marianne tarried behind the men, giggling over Jonas making a fool of himself. They headed off for the powder room to freshen up before dinner.
"You know, when Logan told me about this, I didn't believe him," Max admitted. "Now I wish I'd brought a camera and taken pictures. Nobody else would believe it."
"Yes, well, it's an odd family you and I are involved with. I love Bennett dearly, but his brothers leave me cold and well, I just don't know about his folks. Jonas is a drunk who patronizes me, and Margo, well, I haven't figured her out yet. She tries to be nice, but I don't think she knows how."
"You have to admit that she's well preserved, though."
"She pays a lot of money to look like that too. And I hate the way she pities Logan. I heard her at the wedding and I just wanted to smack her. She thinks he needs some one to take care of him."
"Ooh, good thing he didn't hear her. He'd have popped a wheelie upside her head or something. Logan would be the first one to say that he doesn't need anyone for anything – whether it's true or not. Hell, he doesn't even have handicapped tags on his car. But he sure doesn't need some one to take care of him – he's proven that to me and to himself."
"Well, you should have heard the fuss she put up when Bennett said he'd asked Logan to be his best man."
"Really?"
"Jonas was ticked because Bennett hadn't asked his brothers. Margo was ticked because she thought a best man in a wheelchair would be a 'downer' as she put it. Undignified somehow. What a snob."
"Whoa!" Max said. "Does Logan know about this?"
"Good Lord, no! Bennett would never tell him. It would hurt him too much. But Bennett put his foot down and that was that. He said it was our wedding and we would have anyone in the wedding party that we damn well wanted. And we'd pay for it ourselves if need be."
"No wonder Jonas gave Logan such a hard time at the wedding."
"And when I met Logan, he was so sweet and charming that I knew Bennett had made the right decision."
"Sweet and charming. Hmm. I'd have never accused Logan of being sweet and charming!" Max declared.
"Oh, he was! My parents absolutely adored him!" Marianne gushed. "If they hadn't liked Bennett so much, they would have said I was marrying the wrong Cale."
Max felt a twinge of – something. Jealousy? She hastily reapplied her lipstick and hurried back to Logan's side.
He was sliding into a place at the table when she got there. Bennett had removed a dining room chair so Logan could fit his wheelchair in the space provided.
"Hey," he said, locking the brakes.
"Hey yourself. Am I sitting next to Uncle Jonas?"
"Yep. Lucky you."
"Well, I could snap his neck if he gets out of line, but that wouldn't be very girly, would it?"
"No, I guess not," Logan admitted.
"Well, you've been known to pack heat. You may have to defend my honor," Max joked, sitting down next to him.
"Of course. Be glad to. Any excuse to put Jonas in his place."
Jonas and Margo appeared, followed by JJ and James, their wives and children and others, like monarchs with their retinue. Thankfully, Jonas had changed out of the giant bunny outfit and back into his beautifully tailored suit. Majestically, he waved his hand over the table and bade everyone to find their seats. He looked down at Max and Logan as if to indicate that they had committed a faux pas in seating themselves before he gave permission. They both smiled up at him sweetly.
*****
Dinner wasn't quite the ordeal that Logan had promised. The food was excellent, as Max thought it would be, and she was impressed with the service. She'd never encountered servants before; there had been caterers at the wedding. She knew the Cales were wealthy, but she'd never seen such an ostentatious display of it as during dinner. Jonas served only the finest wine; the rack of lamb was so tender she didn't even have to cut it. The fresh vegetables were barely steamed, and the baby potatoes were exquisite. Max was in ecstasy over the food; she knew where Logan got his love of good cooking.
She was so happy over the meal that she was almost willing to forgive Jonas' wandering hand, which frequently found her knee. She would take it and place it back on his own knee. But a few minutes later, it would be back on hers. It would have been fun if it had been Logan's hand instead of his uncle's, she thought. Instinctively, she slipped her left hand under the table and ran it down Logan's thigh. She knew he couldn't feel it, but he'd seen her do it and looked startled.
"What are you doing?" Logan whispered.
"Just passin' it on, 'k?" Max smiled at him. "You could pass it back to me..."
Logan blushed. Then he slid a sideways look at her. Marianne, sitting next to him, looked puzzled at his expression, but a wink from Max made her sit back in her chair with a smile.
Margo presided over dessert, which was something sinfully rich and chocolatey. She seemed to be aware of Jonas's under-the-table indiscretion, but chose to ignore it. Or maybe she was indulging in the same at the other end of the table. In any case, she smiled at all the Cale relatives gathered around the table and directed the servers to proceed.
"Hmm. This is great," Max said after a few spoonfuls. "But does your Aunt Margo always look like a praying mantis about to bite a head off?"
"Always," Logan replied.
Marianne leaned forward and said in a low voice, "I think it's all the plastic surgery. She can't smile naturally any more."
Max and Logan both giggled at the thought.
"Hey," said Bennett. "Did Mom ever mention to you that her locket went missing at the wedding?"
"No," Logan replied truthfully. "Did it?"
"Yeah. She must have lost it somewhere, I guess. We went back to look for it, but by then the place had been cleaned up and the trash had been taken away. Never did find it."
"Too bad." Logan was noncommittal, staring at his dessert dish.
"Yeah, she was really fond of it."
"Well, she can just buy another one, can't she?" Max chimed in, an innocent look on her face.
"I suppose so. Just thought I'd mention it."
Max and Logan exchanged knowing glances, then smiled.
*****
After dinner, those with small children left. Jonas Cale was the cigars and port in the billiard room type. There being no actual billiard room in the mansion, he invited the men into the den for after-dinner drinks. Margo herded the ladies into the living room for coffee. Max reluctantly joined them. She would have much preferred the men's discussions to the women's, but at least she had Marianne's company as a co-conspirator.
Logan on the other hand, was at the mercy of Jonas. A non-smoker, he positioned himself as close to the door as possible to avoid the cigar fumes. He sipped his port, listening to Jonas and sons expounding on business matters and the Cale Trust. He figured that sooner or later, they'd get to him. With Jonas, it was sooner of course.
"So, Logan, any chance you'll be joining us in the business? Now that you seem to be involved with that young woman, you should think about having Margo introduce her to the wives of my business partners and others in the community."
"Ah, Uncle Jonas, I don't think Max is interested in such things."
"Nonsense. She's obviously interested in the finer things in life. I remember the gown she wore to the wedding. It wasn't cheap."
No, Logan thought, it sure wasn't. But it was worth every penny.
"And she enjoyed the wine and the food today. No matter how successful your little articles are, and no matter how well the Trust does, you still can't afford to keep her in the manner in which she should be kept." Jonas chuckled.
"I do not 'keep' Max!" Logan said indignantly. "I do not pay for her apartment. I do not pay for her clothes. I do not even sleep with her." He drew in his breath and closed his eyes, realizing what he had just said.
Jonas looked at him with pity in his eyes. "That's too bad, Logan. You should." He turned away and muttered, "if you can."
However, Logan had heard the remark. Angrily, he set down the glass of port, unlocked his brakes, and wheeled out of the den. He headed down the hall and into the living room, where he found Max looking bored listening to Margo prate about her charity work. He furiously rolled over to her.
"Come on. We're outta here," he hissed.
"What --?"
"Never mind. Just get your things." He headed out of the room, pushing the wheels harder than Max had ever seen him do.
She quickly said her good-byes to Margo and Marianne, picked up her purse and sweater, and left the room.
Logan was out in the hall near the front door, doing his version of pacing back and forth. When he saw Max, he opened the front door and rolled onto the porch. Looking down at the three steps from the porch to the driveway, he said, "Help me down, Max."
Max manhandled Logan and the chair down the front steps. He wheeled over to the car, opened the door, and transferred into it, all without saying a word. Max wrestled the chair into the back of the car, then got into the front seat.
"Are you OK to drive?"
In reply, Logan turned the ignition key and put the Aztek in gear.
"Damn Jonas," was all he said.
They drove the rest of the way back to Seattle in silence.
THE END