Disclaimer: you know...they don't belong to us...bla bla bla
A/N: Not much to say, except thanks to Alaidh as always and now enjoy meeting Logan's grandmother!
*************************************************************************************************************************************
Business partners.
________________
"Here we are." Logan sighed and killed the engine in front of a small, cozy looking house with a beautiful garden. He fidgeted nervously in his seat, but made no move to get out of the car. "I hope she's there. Maybe I should have called her....," he added hesitantly. " And maybe this is too risky anyway. I mean, let's face it, we're on the run and I'm about to drag my family into this and put them in danger..."
Max frowned. "Can they trace them?"
"No, I've pretty much erased them from my bio. There is no hint of any family in California."
"See, and you're very good at that. If you say they can't find us here, they can't," Max calmed him. "It's gonna be fine. Come on. Why are you nervous? You said she loves you."
"I said that?" he looked at her puzzled.
"You did. Now come on. You can't keep rambling on about cakes and then bail."
Max opened her door, but didn't get out. She wanted him to make a move, too.
Logan took a deep breath, then opened the door and transferred into his chair after assembling it, taking a lot longer than he usually would have needed. Max got out of the car as well and stretched her tired limbs for a moment, then she had a closer look at the small house. It looked really cozy and inviting, like it was tended with lots of love and care.
Logan was still sitting by the car fumbling with his keys, then adjusting his shirt and trying to straighten his hair with his hands. Max had turned her attention back to her companion, wondering why it took him so long to come around the car. Now she watched him with the slightest hint of amusement. He was so cute, all nervous and insecure.
"Come on, it's not going to get better by stalling," she teased him.
Although he couldn't wait to see his grandmother again, Logan felt incredibly uncomfortable. This would be the first time he would see her after the shooting. She had called him all the time and left messages for him, even wanted to put up with the long train ride to visit him, but Logan had refused to talk to her or see her. Just like he had turned down everybody else.
Max seemed to be able to read his thoughts as she came around the car and looked down at him.
"Logan, she's gonna understand it if she's anything like you described her. Get over yourself." With that she walked over to the house.
Logan finally gave up trying to straighten his hair and wheeled over the gravel path towards Max, who was waiting for him by the door, ready to ring the bell.
"Ready?"
Logan stopped in front of the small step in front of the house. It was not too high, but he wasn't sure if he could make it without tipping over because of his sore shoulder. He looked at Max.
"..Could you..?"
"Sure," she sprinted the few steps back down and without any trouble she had him at door level. "You want to ring the bell?" Max stepped aside and pointed at the door, as if she had to explain to him how it worked.
"Okay, let's go!" Logan forced a smile and pressed the doorbell.
For a while they didn' t hear a thing, and Logan was already about to turn around and look for a hotel to stay when they heard slow steps approach the door. Max took another step back, wanting to give Logan and his Grandma the time and space they would need. Seconds later the door opened and a small, friendly looking old lady smiled at them. It took a few moments for her to realize who was sitting in front of her since she hadn't seen Logan for so long.
"How can I...Oh my God, Logan!" she said in complete disbelief and embraced her grandson heartily. "It's been such a long time!"
Max watched them, smiling from ear to ear. It was good to see the chair didn't stand between them. When Logan almost thought he was going to suffocate, his grandmother stepped back to take a look at the young lady at his side.
"And who is this?" she asked, holding out her small, bony hand to Max.
"Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Max." Max took the other woman's hand, careful not to squeeze it too hard, but she was surprised by a solid handshake.
"I can't believe Logan never even told me he had such a beautiful girlfriend!"
Logan blushed at her words, but didn't object this time.
"Uhm," Max looked at Logan, casting him an angry look when she realized he wasn't going to say anything. However, Logan found that there were things that were more important right now for them to discuss than his relationship with Max.
Max turned back to the old lady and smiled gently. "Well, you know, it's kind of a surprise..." to me, she added to herself.
"I hope it's not bad timing..." Max said quickly, desperate to change the subject.
Logan was glad that Max did the talking for now. He felt embarrassed for not visiting his grandmother for so long and for not returning her calls lately, and he hoped that it wouldn't be an issue tonight. At the same time, he knew his grandmother wouldn't let this slide and had every right to chide him for it.
"Why don't you come in, you two," the old lady said. "By the way, I totally forgot to introduce myself. I'm Beth," she said, turning towards Max.
The elderly woman preceded them into the house and quickly shoved a chair aside so there was enough room for Logan to wheel through the hallway.
"I'm sorry I didn't clean up." To Max the house looked as tidy as humanly possible.
"Where are you heading anyway? What brings you to LA?" Beth asked, while Logan and Max followed her to the kitchen.
Logan positioned himself in front of the small kitchen table, opposite the bench in the corner. Everything looked exactly like it had when he had been here the last time. Suddenly all the tension fell from him and he relaxed, watching his grandmother, who was already busy preparing tea.
"Are you hungry? After such a long drive! Or,...what did you say, why are you here?"
Max snuggled onto the bench opposite Logan and shot him a questioning glance.
"Ahem, I am...working on a story, about prisons in America today. So I had to do some...research and of course Alcatraz was on my list.." He waited for her reaction nervously, but his grandmother didn't seem to care about this weird story. Max fought to suppress a giggle while Logan made up his explanation. But at least he hadn't said they were on their honeymoon or something.
"So you are still working as a journalist, Logan!?" Beth asked. "Good to hear that those -excuse me-idiots couldn't take that from you! I always knew you weren't made for the big money business with all the corruption and..." She put the teapot on the table and went to get some cups. "Anyway...it doesn't matter. It's good to see you. I have been worried about you lately."
She placed a plate with rich chocolate almond cake in front of Max and Logan, and then sat down herself. Max's eyes grew wide looking at the cake. Her stomach rumbled loud enough for everybody to hear.
Beth smiled. "Help yourself, dear."
"Thanks." She didn't have to be told twice. With a look towards Logan, as if apologizing for only helping herself, she grabbed a plate and got herself a piece of cake. She took her first bite and had to repress a groan. The cake was even better than Logan's culinary miracles. It was like a piece of heaven.
Logan and Beth's conversation completely faded into the background as Max dug into the delicious cake.
Beth poured the tea, then turned to Logan again. "I called you often, you know," she said sadly. "They said you had been shot. I tried to reach youin the hospital and then later at home."
Max, munching on cake but curious at the same time, stared at Logan.. It was not like Logan had talked to her about that time in his life.
Logan swallowed hard and thought of the right words to say. "I'm sorry, Grandma. I know you called. I just...couldn't talk to you then. I didn't talk to anybody, actually. I wouldn't have known what to say."
"But it's been a long time, Logan. You could have called when you were ready."
Beth reached out her hand and cupped Logan's cheek in such a loving gesture that Max forgot to swallow her cake. "And I wouldn't have expected you to say anything. I just wanted to hear your voice to know you were okay."
Logan's jaw tightened. He had not been okay at all. And she would have known, he thought to himself. Still, he smiled and took his grandmother's hand in his. "I'm fine now...I'm sorry I had you worried."
"Anyway," Beth patted Logan's hand and smiled encouragingly, sensing that this wasn't easy for him. "What counts is that you are here and well off and that you have a beautiful girlfriend by your side."
Max coughed and kicked Logan under the table, only to realize there was no use in doing so.
Instead she sent him an urgent look to clear things up. Logan cleared his throat. "Ahem, actually, Grandma[SM1], we're ...not like that.... I mean, Max and I, we're...business partners." He looked at Max to check her reaction. Max shrugged; it wouldn't have hurt to call them friends.
Beth looked from Logan to Max and back again. "Oh really? You two seemed so comfortable with each other. But I'm sure you would make a beautiful couple," she added with a grin.
Max blushed and concentrated on her cake again. "This tastes wonderful."
Logan changed the subject. "But now tell us, how are you?"
"Same old, same old. Can't complain. I'm still fit, can live on my own. What else can I ask for? Just a little lonely every now and then, since your grandpa's death. But your uncle still comes around oftenand I go to church every Sunday. I sing in the choir."
"Does Uncle Eric still live here in LA?" Logan asked. He couldn't remember the last time he had met him. Max looked from one to another, as they were both totally focused on each other she decided it couldn't hurt to have another piece of cake.
Beth nodded. "He still lives here. Only about a twenty-minute drive. Do you remember his wife Julie? ...Dear God! Have you ever met the twins?"
Max asked herself whether the two would even notice if she got up. It started to get a little boring actually. She totally understood that the two had to talk, but was she supposed to sit and listen or could she get up and stretch her legs? She had been sitting way too long.
Logan thought hard. No, he hadn't even met his uncle's wife. When he had last met his mom's younger brother he had just finished university. He counted back the years. Eric had to be almost ten years younger than his mother...
"We are so glad that the twins finally arrived. There was some problem with Julie conceiving, so they went to one of those clinics. And now they got two of them! Who would have thought?" Beth rambled on.
" After all, Julie was 36 when she had them!"
Max finished her second piece of cake and glanced at Logan. "Logan? I'm sorry, but would you mind if I go for a walk? I'm kinda stiff from sitting all day long."
Beth looked up at her. "Oh sorry, dear! We were talking and talking! Why don't you two go get some fresh air while I'm preparing dinner?" She looked at the half empty plate and smiled. "You must be hungry!"
Max blushed and nodded. "Yes, we didn't find the time to eat."
Logan grinned and released the brakes of his chair with a snapping sound. "See, I told you. No way of going to sleep hungry at Grandma's. Just go ahead, Max. Get some exercise. I'll help Grandma prepare dinner."
"Oh no, Logan." Beth objected. "I'm fine on my own. You two go out and enjoy your walk. Besides, you wouldn't let a young lady walk around all alone in the dark, would you?" She winked at Max.
Logan hesitated. He would have joined Max, but his shoulder was hurting from the long day and Max probably wanted to do some running and fence climbing or stuff like that. When Max noticed his hesitation, she quickly grabbed the back [SM2]of his chair and pushed Logan out of the kitchen.
"Hey!" he yelled out in surprise.
Max leaned down to whisper in his ear." You don't want to explain your sore shoulder to your grandma now, do you?! So let me just do this."
Logan rolled his eyes and let Max continue down the hallway. She picked up her coat from the wardrobe and looked at Logan. "You think you're warm enough?"
Logan frowned. He hadn't had the time to take his coat the other night. He wheeled over to his bag, which Max had left in the hallway and started to look for his new jacket. "This will do."
He flinched at the sharp pain in his shoulder when he tried to reach for the sleeve with his right arm. Max sensed Beth's presence in the doorway and quickly held the sleeve within reach for Logan to slip in without much of a hassle.
"Okay, let's go!" she said enthusiastically and manoeuvred the chair through the door and down the step onto the gravel path, leaving Logan no time to complain.[SM3]
Beth watched them with a content expression on her face. "Business partners. Sure!" she chuckled under her breath, then turned back to prepare dinner.
*********************************************************************************
TBC....watch out for the next chapter. You'll like it for sure! :)
A/N: Not much to say, except thanks to Alaidh as always and now enjoy meeting Logan's grandmother!
*************************************************************************************************************************************
Business partners.
________________
"Here we are." Logan sighed and killed the engine in front of a small, cozy looking house with a beautiful garden. He fidgeted nervously in his seat, but made no move to get out of the car. "I hope she's there. Maybe I should have called her....," he added hesitantly. " And maybe this is too risky anyway. I mean, let's face it, we're on the run and I'm about to drag my family into this and put them in danger..."
Max frowned. "Can they trace them?"
"No, I've pretty much erased them from my bio. There is no hint of any family in California."
"See, and you're very good at that. If you say they can't find us here, they can't," Max calmed him. "It's gonna be fine. Come on. Why are you nervous? You said she loves you."
"I said that?" he looked at her puzzled.
"You did. Now come on. You can't keep rambling on about cakes and then bail."
Max opened her door, but didn't get out. She wanted him to make a move, too.
Logan took a deep breath, then opened the door and transferred into his chair after assembling it, taking a lot longer than he usually would have needed. Max got out of the car as well and stretched her tired limbs for a moment, then she had a closer look at the small house. It looked really cozy and inviting, like it was tended with lots of love and care.
Logan was still sitting by the car fumbling with his keys, then adjusting his shirt and trying to straighten his hair with his hands. Max had turned her attention back to her companion, wondering why it took him so long to come around the car. Now she watched him with the slightest hint of amusement. He was so cute, all nervous and insecure.
"Come on, it's not going to get better by stalling," she teased him.
Although he couldn't wait to see his grandmother again, Logan felt incredibly uncomfortable. This would be the first time he would see her after the shooting. She had called him all the time and left messages for him, even wanted to put up with the long train ride to visit him, but Logan had refused to talk to her or see her. Just like he had turned down everybody else.
Max seemed to be able to read his thoughts as she came around the car and looked down at him.
"Logan, she's gonna understand it if she's anything like you described her. Get over yourself." With that she walked over to the house.
Logan finally gave up trying to straighten his hair and wheeled over the gravel path towards Max, who was waiting for him by the door, ready to ring the bell.
"Ready?"
Logan stopped in front of the small step in front of the house. It was not too high, but he wasn't sure if he could make it without tipping over because of his sore shoulder. He looked at Max.
"..Could you..?"
"Sure," she sprinted the few steps back down and without any trouble she had him at door level. "You want to ring the bell?" Max stepped aside and pointed at the door, as if she had to explain to him how it worked.
"Okay, let's go!" Logan forced a smile and pressed the doorbell.
For a while they didn' t hear a thing, and Logan was already about to turn around and look for a hotel to stay when they heard slow steps approach the door. Max took another step back, wanting to give Logan and his Grandma the time and space they would need. Seconds later the door opened and a small, friendly looking old lady smiled at them. It took a few moments for her to realize who was sitting in front of her since she hadn't seen Logan for so long.
"How can I...Oh my God, Logan!" she said in complete disbelief and embraced her grandson heartily. "It's been such a long time!"
Max watched them, smiling from ear to ear. It was good to see the chair didn't stand between them. When Logan almost thought he was going to suffocate, his grandmother stepped back to take a look at the young lady at his side.
"And who is this?" she asked, holding out her small, bony hand to Max.
"Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Max." Max took the other woman's hand, careful not to squeeze it too hard, but she was surprised by a solid handshake.
"I can't believe Logan never even told me he had such a beautiful girlfriend!"
Logan blushed at her words, but didn't object this time.
"Uhm," Max looked at Logan, casting him an angry look when she realized he wasn't going to say anything. However, Logan found that there were things that were more important right now for them to discuss than his relationship with Max.
Max turned back to the old lady and smiled gently. "Well, you know, it's kind of a surprise..." to me, she added to herself.
"I hope it's not bad timing..." Max said quickly, desperate to change the subject.
Logan was glad that Max did the talking for now. He felt embarrassed for not visiting his grandmother for so long and for not returning her calls lately, and he hoped that it wouldn't be an issue tonight. At the same time, he knew his grandmother wouldn't let this slide and had every right to chide him for it.
"Why don't you come in, you two," the old lady said. "By the way, I totally forgot to introduce myself. I'm Beth," she said, turning towards Max.
The elderly woman preceded them into the house and quickly shoved a chair aside so there was enough room for Logan to wheel through the hallway.
"I'm sorry I didn't clean up." To Max the house looked as tidy as humanly possible.
"Where are you heading anyway? What brings you to LA?" Beth asked, while Logan and Max followed her to the kitchen.
Logan positioned himself in front of the small kitchen table, opposite the bench in the corner. Everything looked exactly like it had when he had been here the last time. Suddenly all the tension fell from him and he relaxed, watching his grandmother, who was already busy preparing tea.
"Are you hungry? After such a long drive! Or,...what did you say, why are you here?"
Max snuggled onto the bench opposite Logan and shot him a questioning glance.
"Ahem, I am...working on a story, about prisons in America today. So I had to do some...research and of course Alcatraz was on my list.." He waited for her reaction nervously, but his grandmother didn't seem to care about this weird story. Max fought to suppress a giggle while Logan made up his explanation. But at least he hadn't said they were on their honeymoon or something.
"So you are still working as a journalist, Logan!?" Beth asked. "Good to hear that those -excuse me-idiots couldn't take that from you! I always knew you weren't made for the big money business with all the corruption and..." She put the teapot on the table and went to get some cups. "Anyway...it doesn't matter. It's good to see you. I have been worried about you lately."
She placed a plate with rich chocolate almond cake in front of Max and Logan, and then sat down herself. Max's eyes grew wide looking at the cake. Her stomach rumbled loud enough for everybody to hear.
Beth smiled. "Help yourself, dear."
"Thanks." She didn't have to be told twice. With a look towards Logan, as if apologizing for only helping herself, she grabbed a plate and got herself a piece of cake. She took her first bite and had to repress a groan. The cake was even better than Logan's culinary miracles. It was like a piece of heaven.
Logan and Beth's conversation completely faded into the background as Max dug into the delicious cake.
Beth poured the tea, then turned to Logan again. "I called you often, you know," she said sadly. "They said you had been shot. I tried to reach youin the hospital and then later at home."
Max, munching on cake but curious at the same time, stared at Logan.. It was not like Logan had talked to her about that time in his life.
Logan swallowed hard and thought of the right words to say. "I'm sorry, Grandma. I know you called. I just...couldn't talk to you then. I didn't talk to anybody, actually. I wouldn't have known what to say."
"But it's been a long time, Logan. You could have called when you were ready."
Beth reached out her hand and cupped Logan's cheek in such a loving gesture that Max forgot to swallow her cake. "And I wouldn't have expected you to say anything. I just wanted to hear your voice to know you were okay."
Logan's jaw tightened. He had not been okay at all. And she would have known, he thought to himself. Still, he smiled and took his grandmother's hand in his. "I'm fine now...I'm sorry I had you worried."
"Anyway," Beth patted Logan's hand and smiled encouragingly, sensing that this wasn't easy for him. "What counts is that you are here and well off and that you have a beautiful girlfriend by your side."
Max coughed and kicked Logan under the table, only to realize there was no use in doing so.
Instead she sent him an urgent look to clear things up. Logan cleared his throat. "Ahem, actually, Grandma[SM1], we're ...not like that.... I mean, Max and I, we're...business partners." He looked at Max to check her reaction. Max shrugged; it wouldn't have hurt to call them friends.
Beth looked from Logan to Max and back again. "Oh really? You two seemed so comfortable with each other. But I'm sure you would make a beautiful couple," she added with a grin.
Max blushed and concentrated on her cake again. "This tastes wonderful."
Logan changed the subject. "But now tell us, how are you?"
"Same old, same old. Can't complain. I'm still fit, can live on my own. What else can I ask for? Just a little lonely every now and then, since your grandpa's death. But your uncle still comes around oftenand I go to church every Sunday. I sing in the choir."
"Does Uncle Eric still live here in LA?" Logan asked. He couldn't remember the last time he had met him. Max looked from one to another, as they were both totally focused on each other she decided it couldn't hurt to have another piece of cake.
Beth nodded. "He still lives here. Only about a twenty-minute drive. Do you remember his wife Julie? ...Dear God! Have you ever met the twins?"
Max asked herself whether the two would even notice if she got up. It started to get a little boring actually. She totally understood that the two had to talk, but was she supposed to sit and listen or could she get up and stretch her legs? She had been sitting way too long.
Logan thought hard. No, he hadn't even met his uncle's wife. When he had last met his mom's younger brother he had just finished university. He counted back the years. Eric had to be almost ten years younger than his mother...
"We are so glad that the twins finally arrived. There was some problem with Julie conceiving, so they went to one of those clinics. And now they got two of them! Who would have thought?" Beth rambled on.
" After all, Julie was 36 when she had them!"
Max finished her second piece of cake and glanced at Logan. "Logan? I'm sorry, but would you mind if I go for a walk? I'm kinda stiff from sitting all day long."
Beth looked up at her. "Oh sorry, dear! We were talking and talking! Why don't you two go get some fresh air while I'm preparing dinner?" She looked at the half empty plate and smiled. "You must be hungry!"
Max blushed and nodded. "Yes, we didn't find the time to eat."
Logan grinned and released the brakes of his chair with a snapping sound. "See, I told you. No way of going to sleep hungry at Grandma's. Just go ahead, Max. Get some exercise. I'll help Grandma prepare dinner."
"Oh no, Logan." Beth objected. "I'm fine on my own. You two go out and enjoy your walk. Besides, you wouldn't let a young lady walk around all alone in the dark, would you?" She winked at Max.
Logan hesitated. He would have joined Max, but his shoulder was hurting from the long day and Max probably wanted to do some running and fence climbing or stuff like that. When Max noticed his hesitation, she quickly grabbed the back [SM2]of his chair and pushed Logan out of the kitchen.
"Hey!" he yelled out in surprise.
Max leaned down to whisper in his ear." You don't want to explain your sore shoulder to your grandma now, do you?! So let me just do this."
Logan rolled his eyes and let Max continue down the hallway. She picked up her coat from the wardrobe and looked at Logan. "You think you're warm enough?"
Logan frowned. He hadn't had the time to take his coat the other night. He wheeled over to his bag, which Max had left in the hallway and started to look for his new jacket. "This will do."
He flinched at the sharp pain in his shoulder when he tried to reach for the sleeve with his right arm. Max sensed Beth's presence in the doorway and quickly held the sleeve within reach for Logan to slip in without much of a hassle.
"Okay, let's go!" she said enthusiastically and manoeuvred the chair through the door and down the step onto the gravel path, leaving Logan no time to complain.[SM3]
Beth watched them with a content expression on her face. "Business partners. Sure!" she chuckled under her breath, then turned back to prepare dinner.
*********************************************************************************
TBC....watch out for the next chapter. You'll like it for sure! :)