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Title-A Night At Miranda Place
It had only taken them a few minutes to get to Miranda apartment by the cab that Gordo had flagged down outside of Starbucks. Miranda being Miranda started right in on Gordo protesting this. She wasted no time at going on and on about how there was no reason why they couldn't just take the subway to her home. She took it every day to and from work and it was just fine thank you very much. Miranda had gone even further to say that this cab ride to her apartment in The Lower Eastside was nothing more than an extravagant waste of Gordo money. Gordo had to finally smile at her and tell her to be quiet because he could afford it, so she just needed to sit back and enjoy the ride.
After getting out and paying the cab driver, Gordo followed Miranda up the stairs of a five story walkup. It wasn't the best apartment building or the best neighborhood that Gordo had ever seen, but still it also wasn't the worst he had ever seen either.
"Well, Gordo here we are." Miranda said in a somewhat embarrassed voice as she unlocked the door to let them in.
As soon as Gordo walked in he began to look around surveying the place. As far as Gordo could tell the furniture in the place was nothing more than a hodgepodge of different styles. Or as Grandma Gordon use to say, Miranda place looked like it was decorated in the Early Garage Sale style of decorating.
"I know it's not much Gordo" Miranda started to say but stopped and looked down at her feet.
Gordo could tell that Miranda was embarrassed over this so he decided to let her off the hook "Miranda there is nothing to be embarrassed about." Gordo said taking her hand into his and waited to she looked up at him "And besides what did I tell you over and over all those years ago back in school? Who cares what other people think. I don't care what your apartment looks like I'm just happy that your back. That's what's most important right now."
"Gees Gordo you trying to make me all weepy right now?" Miranda said trying to put up the tough front she was known for. Although Gordo words were causing that exact effect on her.
"Yeah you know me to well Sanchez" said Gordo smiling as he started taking off his coat "I'm just an old softy."
As she took Gordo coat and hung it up next to hers on the rack Miranda found that she could only laughed at Gordo comment. She knew for a fact that it was more true than his embarrassed male pride would let him admit to.
Gordo was just about to ask who it was he was here to meet when a very loud oath was let out from the back area of the apartment in what Gordo thought was the kitchen area.
"WELL SHIT IT ALL TO HELL!"
"And that lovely breath of fresh air would be Maxine." Miranda said to Gordo trying very hard not to start laughing at the expression on Gordo face.
"Room mate?" asked Gordo craning his head in an attempt to see the body that went with the loud vulgar mouth.
"Sort of" Miranda said with a big smile on her face "It's kind of hard to describe Maxine to someone. You just have to meet her." Miranda took a few steps closer to the kitchen area "Maxine I'm home!"
"I knew that! I heard you when you came in. Making more racket than one of those decadent rock concerts this town has all the time!" the elderly woman said as she came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on the apron she had around her waist "I've told you before little missy I may be old and slowed down a mite, but I ain't gone deaf yet!"
"Sorry Maxine" laughed Miranda as she went over to kiss Maxine on her wrinkled cheek. Miranda started watching and getting a kick at how Gordo was starting to squirm a little as Maxine was giving him a very carefully going over.
"Who's this?" Maxine asked nodding her head in Gordo direction as her over protective nature started kicking in.
"Maxine I like you to meet an old friend of mine from back home." said Miranda as she grabbed Gordo and moved him closer to Maxine "Maxine this is Gordo,Gordo this is Maxine.Maxine is my across the hall neighbor."
"Pleased to meet you maam." Gordo said holding his hand out to the woman hoping to make a good first impression with Miranda friend.
Gordo flinched a little as the old woman took his hand, squeezed it harder than some men he knew had and proceeded to shake his arm off at the shoulder.
"Pleased to meet you too son." said Maxine still shaking Gordo hand but than giving him a funny look "And what the hell kind of name is Gordo anyway? Sounds like one of those names from Norway or something!"
Since he was still being handshaked to death Gordo couldn't answer the question but he did hear Miranda start laughing next to him.
"It's just his childhood nickname Maxine." Miranda said as she came over and draped one of her arms over Gordo shoulder and used the other to ruffle his hair a little. Miranda found that she didn't like Gordo new slick hairdo, she wanted to see that old hairstyle of his. The one she and Lizzie had lovingly called his poofball hair "We've called him that basically his whole life and it's stuck to him now."
"Well, Miranda you know I don't like nicknames. They're just to unclassy." said Maxine still giving Gordo the evil eye "What's the name your mother gave you, young man?"
"David ma'am!" Gordo blurted out.
"A nice and proud Christian name." said Maxine nodding her head "Why don't you like to go by it?"
"Uhhh....well..." stammered Gordo completely intimidated by the old woman.
"Everyone calls him Gordo,Maxine so leave the poor boy alone." said Miranda smiling even bigger now "And what are you doing in my kitchen anyway making all that racket?"
"What does it look like I'm in there doing? Putting on a concert at Carnage Hall?" asked Maxine as she held up her food stained apron for Miranda to see "I knew you'd be at work most of the day so I've been rustling up some dinner for you."
"Maxine you didn't have to do that! I could have started dinner when I got home!" Miranda sighed at the old woman but loved her even more for the way she always looked out after her and Amanda.
"Well, someone needed to start supper soon and you wasn't here," Maxine said shrugging her shoulders "So I decided to get off my butt and get to it."
"Well, thank you" said Miranda as she gave the woman another kiss on the cheek.
"I guess he's going to be eating with us too?" asked Maxine nodding her head toward Gordo.
"Yes, he is." Miranda said placing her arm around Gordo waist before he could offer an objection to the invite.
"Well in that case I better go put some more spaghetti on the stove." said Maxine who than turned to look at Gordo "You do like spaghetti don't you young man?"
"Yes, ma'am! Love it!" Gordo said quickly. Even if he didn't he would still eat this woman cooking and than complement her when he was done.
"Well, good" said Maxine nodding and than turned and headed back into the kitchen to get back to her cooking.
"She hates me."
Miranda turned to look at Gordo with a shocked look after hearing him say that "What in the world makes you think that?"
"Did you see the way she was looking at me? I thought she was going to bite my head off at any second!"
"Don't worry Gordo she's like that to everybody." said Miranda laughing "Trust me Maxine may be a tough old bird but she's fair. And besides contrary to what you think I know she likes you."
"How in the hell did you come up with that?" Gordo asked Miranda in surprise.
"She invited you to eat with us." said Miranda smiling "She doesn't do that for just anybody."
"She doesn't?"
"In fact I think your the first person I've EVER seen her invite to one of our get together."
Gordo thought about that for a second and was about to ask Miranda a question but he was soon interrupted by a dark haired, pink pajama wearing blur that suddenly came running out of the apartment hallway at full blast yelling it's head off.
"MOMMY!!" the blur, who was dragging a yellow blanket behind it, yelled as she practically leaped into Miranda outstretched arms.
MOMMY?!, the word repeated over and over in Gordo shocked head. What the hell is going on here?!
"Gees I'm guessing that someone is feeling a lot better now?" Miranda said laughing and than kissed the little girl on the cheek.
"Yeah I threw up three times!" the little girl said proudly "It was way cool!"
Rolling her eyes a little but at that but still with the smile on her face Miranda turned to face Gordo. "Gordo I'd like to introduce you to someone," Miranda said smiling at the little girl in her arms and than back at Gordo "Gordo this is Amanda Sanchez. Amanda is my daughter."
Gordo didn't have to hear it from Miranda to know that this was her daughter. He had known who's child this was the second he saw her in Miranda arms. All anyone had to do was take one look at her little angelic face and tell that this child was Mirandas. Christ the child looked so much like Miranda the thought that she might have been a clone passed through Gordo mind. The girl had the same long mane of black hair just like her mother. Same facial structure as her mother but the thing that got Gordo the most was how she also had those dark who cares daredevil eyes that he remembered Miranda having all those years ago when they were growing up.
"Amanda sweetie." Miranda said looking at her "This is an old friend of mine his name is Gordo."
But before Gordo could say anything to her the little girl turned to look at Miranda.
"Mommy what's a Gordo?" Amanda asked looking at Gordo curiously than back up at her mother.
But before the embarrassed Miranda could say anything Gordo jumped to it.
"What's a Gordo?!" Gordo asked Amanda with his hand over his heart in a shocked fashion and with a surprised sounding voice, that got both Miranda and Amanda to start giggling "Well Amanda my sweetie pie let me tell you what a Gordo is. A Gordo is a cool and smart cat who knows about all the cool things in this world. And I'm not just any old Gordo ."
"Your not?" Amanda asked with a small smile as she jumped out of Miranda arms and went over to stand in front of Gordo.
"That's right" said Gordo as he knelt down on one knee close to the adorable little girl. "Not only am I a Gordo but I'm YOUR Uncle Gordo. Don't tell me you've never had an Uncle Gordo before?!"
Miranda watched with amusement and happiness at how her daughter shook her head no at Gordo question and was listening to him as if he was the only person in the world.
"Well, your an extremely lucky girl because an Uncle Gordo is good for one thing and one thing only." said Gordo really getting into this "An Uncle Gordo is here to spoil rotten all girls named Amanda."
"My name is Amanda!" the little girl said jumping up and down in excitement "Are you going to spoil me rotten Uncle Gordo?!"
Miranda felt her eyes fill up with tears when she heard Amanda call Gordo, Uncle Gordo.
"You better believe I am!" said Gordo as he swept the tiny child up in his arms "So just what is the one thing you want most in this world my little Amanda?"
"Oh Lord you shouldn't have asked her that." said Miranda smiling.
"Why? What is it she's going to want?" Gordo asked turning to look at Miranda but was stopped when Amanda let out a loud yell.
"I want a double scoop chocolate flavored ice cream cone,covered in rainbow sprinkles!"
"Ice cream?" asked Gordo with a puzzled look on his face "You want ice cream in the middle of winter?"
"She can eat chocolate ice cream anytime of the year." Miranda laughed while Amanda nodded her head in agreement.
"Well, than little missy," said Gordo looking at Amanda in his arms "after we eat dinner what do you say we all bundle up and go get us some chocolate ice-cream?"
"GOODY!" yelled Amanda clapping her hands in excitement.
"Well, why don't I go see if Maxine needs any help in the kitchen and that why I can let you two talk and get to know one another better"said Miranda as she started heading for the kitchen.
"Come on Uncle Gordo!" said Amanda as she jumped out of Gordo arms and took him by the hand leading him down the hall "You can come to the tea party I'm having!"
Miranda could only laugh when Gordo looked her way and quietly mouthed 'tea party' right before Amanda dragged him into her room.
TBC