The next night Spinelli and Maxie went to Mac's for dinner.
Robin greeted them from the couch. "Hey you guys."
Maxie leaned over and kissed her cheek.
"I love your outfit."
Maxie grinned. "It's one of the ones I got yesterday." She struck a pose.
"We also picked this up for your wee one." Spinelli handed her the stuffed elephant.
"Thanks, you guys."
Maxie sat on the couch next to Robin, narrowly missing a note pad. "What's this?" She picked it up.
"Oh," Robin looked excited, "since I'm on maternity leave, I wanted to stay busy. So I'm planning a 'Nurse's Ball'."
"Really? When?"
"March. Carly and Jax are donating the location, the ballroom at the Metro Court, Kate Howard is going to donate what we need for sets and costumes, and Nikolas and the Quartermaines are going to match donations. I still need a host, but I've started setting up acts." She uncapped a pen. "So, what can I put you two down for?"
"The Jackal does not…"
"We'll do something." Maxie interrupted. "Like an acting scene or something."
"Maximista, why don't you and Uncle Mac do something?"
"Do what?" Mac walked in from the kitchen.
"A musical number of some sort at the Nurse's Ball." Spinelli explained.
"Oh, we're going to." Mac handed him an orange soda. "I always do something with my girls."
"And Spinelli and I are going to do a scene, too. Aren't we, Spin?" She kicked him.
"Ouch! The Jackal supposes."
"Good. So are you guys going to Nikolas' Christmas party on Friday?"
Robin and Mac shared a sideways look. "Yeah. We'll be there."
Maxie noticed the look. "What's going on?"
"Nothing." Mac told her. "I think Patrick and Anna have dinner ready."
--
Maxie led Spinelli into Wyndemere which was decorated for Christmas.
"Isn't it beautiful, Spinelli?"
"You're beautiful."
"You don't always have to compliment me." She blushed.
"The Jackal tells the truth." He kissed her hand. "Should we enter?"
They walked into the gorgeously decorated ballroom. Couples were dancing around the room. Maxie noticed two rooms off to the side. One was full of children meeting with Santa Claus. The other she didn't get a good look at before Spinelli pulled her onto the floor.
They danced until she begged off for a drink. She noticed Nadine looking anxiously for someone and then join her and Spinelli.
"I'm glad I found you two,"
"Why?" Maxie was confused.
"Robin needs you in the room over there." She pointed to the room that Maxie hadn't gotten a look at.
"Is she okay?" Maxie hurried in that direction.
"Yeah, she just wanted me to get you."
Maxie rushed into the room, noticing it was decorated in pink and blue. She saw Mac, Lulu, Johnny, Leyla, Nikolas, Jason, and others.
"Surprise!" They shouted.
"What?!"
Robin laughed from a chair behind her. "It's your baby shower, Maxie!"
"For me? Really?"
"Yes, really." Mac pulled her to a couch.
Jason joined Spinelli. "You surprised?"
"You knew, Stone Cold?"
"Of course I did. Why do you think I sent you to New York?"
"Thank you, Stone Cold."
Nadine clapped to get everyone's attention. "We're going to let Maxie open her gifts."
Maxie grinned in excitement.
She opened up blankets from Lulu ('I've been working on them in therapy.'), designer baby clothes from Kate and Sonny, a stroller from Carly and Jax, a bassinet from Anna. Most of the men gave toys and books, the women gave clothes in gender neutral colors. Jason gave them a savings bond worth 50,000 ('For the kid's education.'). Finally, Mac and Nikolas brought out a beautiful crib. Maxie gasped and stood to run her hand along it.
"Dad, it's gorgeous. Spinelli, come look." She pulled him over.
Mac grinned at his daughter's happiness, and then turned to hide his tears. Instead, his eyes opened wide in shock as he recognized a woman in the doorway.
"Felicia?" He whispered, making his way to the door.
"Mac," she sounded relieved, "there you are. I've been looking for you everywhere."
"What…why are you here?"
"Robin called me about her baby. I wanted to be here." She looked at the room. "Oh, is this her baby shower?"
"No, hers was weeks ago."
"Then whose…" She looked around and saw Maxie and Spinelli hugging by the crib. "Oh, there's Maxie. How is she…?" She trailed off as Maxie turned to profile and she saw the baby bump. "Maxie? Maxie!"
Maxie heard her name and turned. "Mom?" She hurried over to Felicia and Mac.
"Mom, what are you doing here?"
"Robin called me. Are you pregnant?"
"Robin!"
Robin walked up with Patrick. "I called her about me. I didn't know you hadn't told her."
"You're pregnant?" Felicia was stunned.
"Duh mom, isn't it obvious?"
"Maxie." Mac admonished her. "You promised you'd tell your mother."
"I said I'd tell her before the baby's born. I thought I'd call her from the delivery room."
"Maxie." Mac sighed.
"How was I supposed to know she'd just show up? At my baby shower, no less."
"Who is the father?" Felicia asked, still in shock.
"Damien Spinelli." Mac told her.
"And you! You don't tell me about this?"
Mac raised his hands in defense. "It's Maxie's responsibility to tell you."
"Who is Damien Spinelli?"
"My little brother." Robin told her.
Spinelli noticed the arguing group and left Jason to check on Maxie.
"Maximista? Uncle Mac? Is everything okay over here?"
"Spinelli!" Maxie took his arm. "I don't know if you remember my mother."
Spinelli smiled and reached out a hand. "Greetings, mother of my Fair One."
Felicia gave him and odd look. "What has been going on?"
"Like you care, mom."
"Maxie! How can you think I wouldn't care?"
"Wow, I wonder."
"How did this even happen?"
"Felicia, you had two kids," Mack interjected, "do you really have to ask?"
"Very funny, Mac. Aren't you supposed to be keeping an eye on her?"
"Oh." Maxie got angry. "Don't even think about blaming Mac."
"Maximista, perhaps we should take this discussion somewhere quieter."
Maxie looked around at everyone in the room staring at them. "Let's continue this on the terrace."
Maxie, Spinelli, Mac, Felicia and Robin filed outside. As soon as the door shut behind them:
"Mac has been a better parent than you ever were!"
"Maximista, please calm down."
"Yeah Maxie," Robin added, "remember, a stress-free pregnancy."
"Right, right." Maxie took some deep breaths.
"Now will someone tell me how this happened?" Felicia repeated.
Mac sighed. "Damien and Maxie became friends after Georgie died. One thing led to another and now we're going to be grandparents."
"Impressive summation, Uncle Mac." Spinelli told him.
"Thank you Damien."
Felicia shook her head in dismay. "Maxie, have you even thought this through? You're awfully young to be having a baby."
"Of course I thought this through. Spinelli and I both have good jobs and Dad's been setting up a nursery. Face it mom, you're going to be a grandmother." Maxie grabbed Spinelli's hand and dragged him to the door. "Don't worry. I don't expect you to be involved." The door slammed behind her.
"Mac, what happened?" Felicia was indignant.
"She grew up. It was bound to happen eventually."
"But…"
"No, Felicia. I've had it. I did my best, but you had to know that your disappearing act was going to have some effect."
"My what?"
Mac gave her a piercing look.
"Okay, but…"
"But nothing. Look Felicia, I stayed here because I wanted to raise my girls. And they are mine, not Frisco's. I have done everything in my power to give them a home, a place they can always come back to. But they, not just your girls, Robin too, grew up hearing about their parents' epic love stories and that is quite a thing to live up to. I have tried to teach them that love means being there, but that's hard to do when the people who should love them most aren't there." He took a deep breath. "You have never been there for Maxie before, Felicia. I don't think you should try to start now."
Robin came up and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Uncle Mac."
He kissed her head and went inside.
Felicia looked at Robin. "I guess it's your turn."
"I'm not mad at you, Felicia."
"No?"
Robin shook her head.
"Then tell me about Damien?"
"He's great. My dad's his dad too, you know. He's really smart."
"What does he do?"
"He's Jason's tech support."
"He's with the mob?" Felicia wondered if she'd every stop being shocked.
"Kind of. Jason tries to keep him out of the dangerous stuff. Spinelli is a licensed P.I. too. Oh, and only Mac calls him Damien. Everyone else calls him Spinelli."
"Do you think she'll forgive me?" Felicia asked.
"Maxie can really hold a grudge, but if you make things better with Uncle Mac, you'll probably be okay."
"Thanks Robin."
--
Mac found Spinelli and Maxie checking out the stroller from Carly and Jax. Carly was explaining how to use the car seat part.
"Maxie," Mac said softly, "can I talk to you a minute?"
"Sure. Spin, I'll be right back." She kissed his cheek as he listened intently to Carly.
"What is it, Dad?"
"I would like you to be nicer to your mother."
Maxie crossed her arms petulantly. "Why should I?"
"Because she's your mother."
"When it's convenient."
"Maxie," Mac sighed, "I have never been happy with how Felicia treated you girls."
"Really? You never…"
"I didn't want to turn you against her." Mac put his hands on her shoulders. "Look, Maxie, you got dealt a pretty bad hand growing up, but you have a family and if your mom wants to fix things, let her. If only for the sake of my grandkid."
"I'll try." Maxie hugged him. "It may have been a bad hand, Dad, but I did get an Ace."