Author's Note: Well I have gotten a lot of really positive responses from this story so far.
I want to say a special thanks to MelindaM…you and your Jaxie stories have inspired me. However, as I said before…this will have to be a very slow process to get from A to Z in this.
And Mallory…my Liason friend. There was only one way this story could happen in my mind. Elizabeth had to die. (Yes, tis sad…very, very sad.) But if not, I would have never been able to type the first word of this. Glad you came with me on this one as I will probably be shunned from the rest of my Liason friends LOL (Just kidding…I know some of you are reading but won't admit it with proof via review.) Mallory, I'm glad you are brave enough to speak up. Your encouragement has always inspired me with all of my stories.
Reviews are helpful and I thank Mary, musican, ayshen, theadventurer and of course Melinda and mallory for their replies to the prologue. And trust me, this will be slow but like I said…there is no way that I see those two getting together without a long road to get there.
Finally, the neighbors we will meet in this next chapter seem suspiciously like my Aunt and Uncle. Well….that's because they ARE my aunt and uncle. So if you know them, recognize the names or descriptions…please don't tell them I'm doing this ;-)
Chapter 1
"Promise me Jason." She said and Jason couldn't say no. He never could when she looked at him like that.
It was unfair what she was asking. Hadn't he done enough? Hadn't he lost enough? Why did the weight of the world, or at least the protection of every person in the town of Port Charles fall on him? His shoulders were burdened enough.
He looked over at the blue eyes staring at him. Then a set of huge soulful brown ones.
"I don't think it will work." He replied.
And he didn't. He could not see how it was possible for their plan to work. Every aspect of the plan was ridiculous to think they could pull it off. On paper it might look like the best way but reality told him it was the opposite.
"It will Jason. Trust me." Came the deep commanding voice.
Jason looked up at Mac Scorpio. He was asking him to take his only living daughter with him when he took Cameron and Jacob on the run. He had already worked out the details of a semi-witness protection situation with Agent Raynor and was days away from leaving when Mac and Robin came to him with their ridiculous plan.
Unfortunately, everyone else was on board with the idea as well. Spinelli, Raynor, Monica, Sam...hell even Felecia, Anna, Robert and Frisco Jones himself made appearances for this meeting. Carly and Lucky were on board with the idea too, which floored him to no end. Carly and Lucky were the most selfish people he knew. He could not believe that Carly was okay with him leaving, especially without her and Lucky was okay with him taking the boys. Although he suspected that Lucky was still only thinking of himself and how raising the two boys would inconvenience him.
Not that Jason would have let him raise his son without Elizabeth anyway.
The only one that agreed with him that this was a monumentally ludicrous idea was Maxie Jones herself.
He looked back down into the beautiful brown eyes that at one point in his life could tell him to go cut his leg off and he would do it without question. "Robin"
"Please Jason. Your own people told you she's in danger." She pleaded looking over at Cody who was sitting in the room along with Max and Bernie.
And it was true. It was all true. Sonny was in custody, along with Claudia, Anthony and Trevor. Oddly enough, it was Ric Lansing that took them all down. The whole time he had been working the other end for the feds and they were just covering their bases with using Spinelli to manipulate Jason. The Russians came in full force and when Sonny murdered Karpov, the feds had everything they needed against all of them. Anthony Zacharra had spilled the beans about Claudia's involvement in Michael's shooting and Jerry Jacks had quietly slipped out of town taking the Russians money, the drugs and his life still in tact, with him.
Many suspected his brother Jax helped him, but Carly insisted to the FBI and everyone who would listen that Jax would never do that.
Jason wasn't so sure.
Cody had been tracking the whereabouts of the rest of the Russians and they were definitely trying to move in. Since Sonny was incapacitated, Jason and his family were targeted immediately. Lucky and Jason tried to get Elizabeth, Sam and the boys out of town but what they didn't know is that the Russians followed the women and children to the cabin. They kidnapped Jake and while Jason was off rescuing Jake with Sam, Elizabeth was being attacked by the Russians while she protected Cameron.
When Lucky finally got to the cabin, Elizabeth was struggling to hold on to life. Cameron was nowhere to be found. It took Jason returning to the cabin to find that Elizabeth had put Cameron in a trap door in the floor that none of the police found. He rushed back to General Hospital just in time for Elizabeth to tell her boys good bye and ask Jason to raise them both, together. That's when they got Diane to quickly draw up the adoption papers on Cameron. They weren't even completely filled out when Elizabeth signed the forms.
His tears mixed with hers as she bled out on the gurney. Her injuries were too far gone to risk another round of surgery. She had already been on the operation table for eight hours the day before.
He thanked God their final moments were spent telling each other how much they loved each other and how much they affected each others life. If his final memory of Elizabeth had been her screaming at him to find her baby…Well, there was no way for Jason to even finish that thought. She was so angry with him. He just left her and Cameron there. He should have gone with his instincts and kicked Sam out and taken Elizabeth and Cameron with him.
Of course, he might not have found Jake if it weren't for Sam. But still…
And Sam, he found out in the end… once again was in it for herself. She was working every angle including him, Lucky, the Russians, Jerry Jacks and Ric. When the dust settled and she chose Lucky, he knew his decision was right. She deserved Lucky. But neither deserved to ever lay eyes on Elizabeth's boys again.
When he finally found Cam, he rushed to the hospital with the two boys in tow. Elizabeth was being prepped for surgery by Epiphany and Matt. Elizabeth kissed and hugged her babies. That's when she asked Jason to make the arrangements to raise both her boys for her. She didn't want Lucky to care for them with Sam and somehow she knew her death was inevitable.
He made a lot of promises that day but the one promise he knew he would never break was that he promised to love Elizabeth forever. For there was no doubt he could keep it.
More death trickled in as the massive onslaught of the Russians hit Port Charles.
Kate had been killed. This time however, the target was Maxie. Which is what had brought the WSB in to the case. Specifically Frisco Jones.
The Russians wanted her dead because once again, Maxie Jones stuck her nose where it didn't belong and knew too much. She had stood by and listened in on an impromptu meeting. She had enough information to put the Russians away but wasn't able to positively id any of them.
But they could id her. And Cody came in with proof that the hits were set. Jason Morgan, his two kids, which the sick bastards wanted to do in front of him before killing him and one Maxie Jones. All being hunted by the Russian mafia to bring them to their death. According to Cody, Maxie's death would prevent her from identifying them, Jason's death would allow them to smoothly move their operation in to Port Charles and the two little boy's death….well that was just to fuck with the already grieving mob boss.
"Why don't you guys use your WSB connections and take her somewhere safe?" Jason asked as he looked over to Anna Devane.
"Because she'll never stay. She'll never do what we tell her to." A squeaky little voice chimed in and all eyes turned to Felicia.
"Shut up!" Maxie protested. "Why are you even here? You never cared before. Where were you when Georgie and I needed you? When Georgie died or when I needed you in high school when I got mixed up with Kyle or college after that creep took naked photos of me or when Jesse died. Maybe if you..."
"Maxie, this isn't helping sweetheart." Mac stated as he wrapped his arm around his adopted daughter. "I don't want you to go either but this is the only way. Jason can take care of you. He'll be able to protect you. And you can help Jason with the boys."
"But I don't want to leave Spinelli. I can't live without him. Please don't make me Mac." she turned on the waterworks. Jason noticed this time they seemed legitimate.
She had been crying all day. Mostly just to try to get her way but it wasn't working. He rolled his eyes at most of it but when the final plan was laid out, he thought he might use his own tears if it meant he didn't have to spend his life taking care of Maxie Jones. There was no way the two of them would be able to live together. They were polar opposites from his faded blue jeans and standard black t-shirt to her one of a kind Chanel silk pantsuit.
"Fair Maximista?" Spinelli stepped up and placed his hand on her shoulder. She immediately turned and he wrapped her in his arms. "I cannot bear to be separated from you either. My life will cease to bring me joy if I cannot lay my eyes on you each day. And I shall never meet, in all the days I roam this vast Earth, someone who could hold my heart so tightly. But the fact remains, Stone Cold can keep you safe. And if my choice is to love you from afar or mourn you up close, I choose the separation. And your life to be lived."
"Spinelli, I can't leave you. You need me. You cannot survive without me or Jason to keep you out of trouble. Besides, I'm a horrible person when I'm not with you. You make me better. You make me care about things other than myself. You keep me from ruining myself."
Her tears were real. Jason could tell. And so could Spinelli as he wiped a stream away and rubbed the wetness between his fingers. "Oh dearest blonde one, the Jackal's Master will keep you from those same fates. For he is the one who unbinds us from the debauchery we both fall in to at every turn. Besides, I have been resigned to my fates. For my only choices are to hack for the Federal One or become incarcerated by him. But if I could, my choice would always to be with you Fair Maximista."
"And Maxie, Agent Raynor has agreed there will only be three persons that will act as your liasons. "Me, Felicia and Spinelli." Mac said as he rubbed her back and smoothed down her hair.
She turned around and looked at the former enforcer. His scowl was evident. She hated that look. Though she had always known and frequently commented on the fact that Jason Morgan was an incredible looking man. She hated the way he looked at her.
As if he wanted to choke her with her designer belt.
"He hates me." She whined.
"No Maximista, Stone Cold doesn't hate you per se...He simply loathes the trouble you and I seem to find together."
"And the wrath she generates for you Spinelli. Lest we not forget…" Winnifred added, peeking out from behind a rather large and intimidating Federal Agent that had stood guard near the door while the meeting took place.
"Shut up dweeb!" Maxie shouted at the girl, interrupting her rapid blathering. She blamed Winnie for the mess they were in. At least her and Spinelli's predicament.
Spinelli would have never been hacking into government and international computers had she not been filling him with her bullshit about how he was the Zen master of cyberspace. He would have been at the Penthouse with Jason and her so Jason would have never needed the alibi. And she would not have been wandering around on the docks because Spinelli had cancelled their plans to watch America's Top Model and eat Tai food on his couch so that she could make fun of the ridiculous models.
Unfortunately, that's where she ran into the Russian lady. The one Spinelli called The Evil Slavic Natasha, which she didn't really understand because her name was really Sasha. Or he called her the Bad Blonde One which Maxie didn't like either because he used to call her the Bad Blonde One. After overhearing her plot to plant the counterfeit drugs in one of the Zacharra warehouses and then call the feds when Sonny showed up, Maxie's PDA chirped letting her know she had another tweet from someone she was following and blew her cover wide open.
All because Agent Winnifred Leeds of the FBI was goo-goo'ing over HER Spinelli. All a scheme to trick him into being able to run a trace on his laptop and download the information the FBI needed to put Spinelli and Jason away for life. And the little twerp succeeded. She wanted to choke the life out of the little nerdy Pollyanna.
Clearing his throat, Agent Raynor spoke in low, controlling tones. He loved giving an air of supremacy in a room full of WSB agents, a DA, a City Police Commissioner and a mob presence the likes of which the east coast hadn't seen since the days of Charles "Lucky" Lucciano's crew. The FBI was unfolding quite a coo and he was the man who made it happen. There would be promotions, raises, bonuses, choice of assignments and many many commendations once the dust settled on this. And with the WSB coming in to take out what was left of the Russians, his headache was almost done.
Except this one little hitch of convincing Jason Morgan and Maxie Jones to go into hiding.
"Miss Jones, while I understand your reluctance to entrust your life to a known killer…" He paused for the dramatic and Jason rolled his eyes as well as many other persons in the room who actually knew Jason. "But the fact remains, the Russian Mafia is much larger than the mob you are used to here in Port Charles. Their arms reach across the world and to remain here would only infuriate them."
"But I don't…" Maxie started but Agent Raynor cut her off.
"They don't care that you cannot finger them. They only care that you were able to get incriminating information. It's an embarrassment. The mafia doesn't sit well with being embarrassed Miss Jones. Your leaving with Mr. Morgan will ensure your safety and settle their criminal egos. Once their ruffled feathers are settled, the FBI, with my leadership along with the help of the WSB will be able to dismantle their organization piece by piece. We cannot do that if we have to protect someone who could very easily disappear."
Anna, Robert and Frisco all rolled their eyes at Agent Raynor's illusion that the FBI was leading the case on the Russians OR that he was leading the investigation. But none of them spoke up because there was no point. Aside from the lesser titled agents with Raynor, everyone else in the room knew the real deal. Frisco himself had been working in Slovenia for the past five years and was moving up in the Russian Mob. He got word of the trouble in Port Charles only because his boss wanted him to come to check out the damage done to their organization by the Zacharra and the Corinthos Organizations.
Imagine his surprise to find his oldest daughter in the thick of it all.
"Well…If I were to agree to this…I refuse to let her be one of the people Jason and I meet up with on occasion. She never wanted to be part of my life before, why should I let her now." Maxie spit at her mother as she pointed her out to the crowd in the large conference room at the PCPD.
Frisco was brought in handcuffs as well as Jason, Spinelli, Max and Cody. Diane was creating the ruse in the precinct as if she was ringing necks to release her clients and Mac had left the interrogation room to announce very loudly that he needed a Russian Interpreter. Which gave way for Anna to enter. The rest of the rooms occupants had already been squired into the private room.
"Fine, who should it be then Maxie?" Agent Raynor asked, clasping his hands behind his back ready to say no to the silly girl's request.
"Let me see…" Maxie tapped her perfectly manicured index finger with the Cotton Candy pink polish on it to her chin as she looked around the room.
First her eyes settled on Robin but the sleeping infant in her arms told her that wasn't a good idea. Then she quickly scanned past Jason's mob Lieutenants and the FBI agents. She even jerked her head and scoffed rolling her eyes when they landed on Winnifred who looked actually hopeful that it would be her. She scanned Lucky, taking an appreciative scroll down his perfectly cut physique and immediately dismissed it because she knew Jason hated him. Plus he was dumb as a box of rocks. Sam was no better because she had proven how disloyal she was and again, Jason didn't particularly care for her. Especially after her behavior when Elizabeth died.
Who hits on a grieving man?
She twirled as she eyed every person in the room when finally her eyes landed on Jason. She could see the sheer panic in his eyes. That look alone made up her mind for her.
Had the woman not been dragged in by her daughter to attend the meeting, she would not have even been a blip on Maxie's radar but when Maxie announced that she wanted Bobbie Spencer to be the third liason, the room all gave a collective gasp.
"I'm afraid that's not possible Miss Jones. You'll need to choose an officer of the court or of one of the federal or international agents."
"Nope, Bobbie's my choice. What better ruse than a woman who's a nurse, who could easily be Cameron and Jake's grandmother and my mother. I mean technically, she is kind-of my mother since I have BJ's heart and she was my Aunt when she was married to Uncle Tony. She gets a vacation a couple of times a year on the government's dime and besides, she knows Jason really well. I remember how close they were when Michael was born and she and I get along really well. It's the perfect choice." She smoothed her hands down her fitted lavender suit jacket and tugged at the thick tan belt that matched her shoes and clutch. "Besides, who else out of this bunch, besides Carly, would keep me filled in on all the dirt that's happening back here in Port Charles. It's perfect."
"Maxie" Bobbie drawled as she stood and crossed the room. "I don't think the intention is to have some nurse play your mother and come visit to talk gossip. I think they want some form of agent to be able to handle any situations you and Jason may run in to. And while I adore Elizabeth's children and already feel like their Aunt since Lucky is my nephew, I don't think Monica…"
"NO, it's a good idea. I want Bobbie too. Besides, I don't want Monica to be associated with me any more than she is. Her's and the rest of the Quartermaine's safety is something I want a guarantee of Raynor or I don't do this. I have to know my family is safe back here. Her and Carly and the boys" Jason quickly interjected. He looked over at his mother who his estranged relationship had actually mended somewhat. Then he turned smiling at the woman who literally taught him how to hold a baby, feed a baby, change a baby and love a baby. A woman who he hit on when he first woke up in the hospital so many years ago but had some way or another always been a mother figure in his life ever since.
He missed the sadness on Carly, Monica, Robin and Sam's faces when his decision was agreed to.
"Then it's settled. You two will leave tonight and travel for the next year, changing identities and courses along the way. Then you'll settle somewhere for a few years as a happy family who's oldest child is starting school. You'll live as a happy family for a minimum of five years and then separate. By then the Russians will no longer be looking for any of you." Robert Scorpio announced in his charming Australian accent. "But remember Maxie, you can never go home. You can't call or write or email. Wherever you land, that's home for you."
"Yes darling, at least you'll be able to see Mac and Spinelli and Bobbie. We'll all keep in touch through them. You'll see, it'll be an adventure." Anna added with the British drawl Maxie had so many times tried to mimic. It always made Anna seem so glamorous.
After hugs for Maxie and Jason, the room emptied out except for the necessary people. Agent Raynor, Anna, Robert and Frisco all left to begin the ruse of Frisco and Jason escaping custody. Carly, Lucky, Alexis, Sam, Robin and Monica all went their separate ways and the room was left with Jason, Maxie, Mac, Spinelli and Bobbie.
"Well, I guess this is it." Mac started, tears welling in his blue eyes.
"The boys are already in the truck?" Jason asked looking out the one way glass to see Carly being consoled by of all people, Monica.
"Yes Stone Cold. Patrick and Nadine are saying goodbye to them now. Nadine packed all of their things that they'll need or want." Spinelli responded.
Jason nodded and looked around the room, suddenly feeling an overwhelming case of claustrophobia.
Agent Raynor walked back into the room, a smile from ear to ear on his face. "Here's your phone. The only numbers programmed in to it are Mac Scorpio, Agent Spinelli and me. It's a satellite phone so it will work anywhere in the world. And the FBI will track and record every call made from of to it so don't do anything stupid."
He handed the phone over to Jason who stood stone still, his usual stoic unreadable self. "And here's your first set of documents."
Jason looked through the papers and smiled at the fact that for their first leg of the trip, she would be Maxine Morganson and he would be Jason Jonas. The FBI weren't very original but then, they agreed that they would have to remain Maxie and Jason because of Cameron.
"Here are the keys to the SUV. It's equipped with all the latest equipment and there's a laptop for your interaction with Agent Spinelli." Raynor kept going, handing Jason a set of keys to the champagne colored Lincoln Navigator the FBI had provided.
"My gun?" Jason said holding his hand out to Mac who pulled it from his back where he had stowed it in his waistband.
Jason checked the gun's clip then clicked it into place. "Spinelli?"
Jason didn't need to finish. Damien knew exactly what Jason was asking and Spinelli had followed the instructions to the letter. He gave a quick, barely perceptible nod to his mentor and Jason did the same. Spinelli had scanned and loaded everything Jason would want on the laptop. Pictures of the boys with Elizabeth. Pictures of Carly and the boys. Everything from what Spinelli called Jason's Box-O-Pain as well as information on where Bernie had moved his offshore accounts and how to access them.
The FBI didn't need to know about all of that. He'd coast on their dime for now.
Seeing Raynor eyeing them suspiciously, Jason shrugged. "I knew you wouldn't give me ammunition so I had Spinelli pack my other three guns, my shotgun case and also plenty of ammunition for each to take out a small village." It wasn't exactly a lie but it wasn't necessarily the whole truth either.
With that Jason moved toward the door but Mac's voice stopped him.
"Jason?" He let go of his crying daughter and moved to the man who had one way or another been involved in his family for years. "I know that Maxie can be high strung. And she can get herself into some ridiculous situations but I want you to promise me…"
He turned and looked at his daughter, finally the tear letting loose and rushing down his tanned face. He turned back and watched as Jason's features softened to the emotion seen on Mac's face, "Promise me that you'll always look out for her. Care for her and protect her as if she was the most important person in the world because to some of us…she is."
Jason stuck out his hand and shook Mac's. "I promise."
And he turned and walked down the blocked off hallway to change into the disguise he would wear to drive away from Port Charles, his kids in tow and a crazy blonde at his side. In plain sight.
~%~%~%~%~%~
Jason had been driving all night. He appreciated the fact that Spinelli made sure there was always a Harley waiting for him when they were to stop for a few days. It was his only escape. His way to lose himself in his memories. To remember her laughter on the back of his bike. Her explaining the wind to him. How the stars were so close after a ride. Just remembering her.
He always felt better after a ride. He would stop somewhere, usually trying to find some sort of overlook or stone bridge or a dock somewhere. He would talk out loud to her spirit for hours. Telling her what the boys had been doing. New things Jake had learned.
He was so excited the day Jake finally called him Daddy. He and Maxie had been working on the twenty month old for weeks before he finally said it. It was hard with Cameron calling him Jason but for some reason, it was really important to Jason. He couldn't explain it to Maxie when she asked but he just wanted it. Now, almost a year later, the little boy talked up a storm.
He pulled up to the seaside motel and immediatly noticed the large moving van that was parked. That was their life. Everything they owned plus a lot of stuff they didn't own was packed into that moving van. It was the first part of the new life they would be starting the next day. The start of his new forever.
He sighed as he lifted his leg off the motorcycle. That would be gone tomorrow. Maybe he could find a fixer upper and be able to tinker with it in their new garage. At least in a few months he'd be able to ride a motorcycle again. Hopefully.
They had to make the appearance of a young couple. The house was to be under a thirty year mortgage. At least according to the neighbors and the county tax records. The boutique Maxie had wanted was to be purchased with her inheritance. The youngest grandchild of a stock market mogul. Her fifty thousand dollar inheritance spent entirely on the new high end fashion boutique.
Jason was to find a job, it didn't really matter doing what. He had requested to open a motorcycle shop but the feds shot his idea down saying it was too similar to when he tried to get out of the mob the last time.
Cameron would start school in the fall. Kindergarten in a public school. Largo had the best public school system in the Tampa area which was why Spinelli located them there. Their neighborhood was filled with retired middle class and young families. The homes were old but a renaissance renovation was sweeping through that area of the city. And important to everyone, a huge park with ponds, the city fire and police department and the beach were all very close.
And of course shopping. A mall was within five miles.
He opened the door to the room the boys were staying in and smiled. Ever since they started on this journey, the boys had acclimated themselves to whatever they were thrown in to. But the one common thread was the two stuffed animals. The Chuggin Charlie stuffed pillow that Cameron always had to sleep with and the small stuffed gorilla Jake wouldn't sleep without. A stuffed gorilla that had anonymously appeared in his hospital cradle. The one Jason had bought the day Elizabeth told him he could possibly be the father of her unborn baby that October over three years ago.
He stepped in to the room and silently closed the door. He removed his boots and stowed them under the small round table so no one would trip on them. He pulled his jacket from his shoulders and draped it over the back of a chair. He pulled his gun from his waistband and moved across the room to the gun box that was always put up high, away from the children. After locking the gun away, he brushed his teeth, put on a pair of pajama bottoms and a tank top. He pulled a pillow from the shelf and moved toward the bed.
He tucked the boys in and moved the book that had been being read. He leaned in and kissed the top of Cameron's brown curly head and then Jake's near white blond stick straight locks, just like Jason's when he was a baby according to Monica. Then he pulled the covers up over the sleeping woman.
Suddenly blue eyes met blue eyes and the woman's arms tightened over the two boys.
"I'm sorry I woke you." Jason whispered as he moved to sit down in the chair next to the king sized bed.
He pulled the pillow behind his head to rest against the wall and unfolded and draped the sheet he had found on the same shelf as the pillow over his legs. And he watched, like he had so many nights over the past year, while Maxie, Cameron and Jacob slept.
~%~%~%~%~%~
"I don't want that ugly thing in my house." Maxie yelled across the side yard where Jason, Mac, who was dressed as a mover and had actually driven the semi-truck up to the new one story house, and Spinelli were all carrying Jason's favorite old leather couch.
"Tough, I'm not getting rid of it." Jason threw over his shoulder as he carted it in through the side sliding glass doors.
A few minutes later, "And where do you think you are going to put that?"
"I was actually thinking about your room. There's your half of the garage that you can sleep in." Jason grunted as he carted his end of the pool table off the truck with Spinelli and Mac on the other side.
Twenty minutes later, "You don't need all of these clothes Maxie!"
"Oh yes I do and don't think I won't know if one of the racks goes missing Jason. Oh and I'll need your closet as well as the hall closet. Besides you don't really need it. You can just fold your five pair of jeans and ten black t-shirts and put them in your dresser."
"You're not using my closet Maxie!"
"Wanna bet?" she huffed and turned on her heel and walked back out to the driveway where she was bringing in the stuff they had in the travel carrier and back end of the SUV. She had already emptied the car.
Now they were in a Chevy Avalanche. It was half truck, half SUV and was loaded to the gills with everything off of the boat. Yet another thing awaiting them at the attorney's office that morning.
The paperwork for the house was set up in Jason's name only. The boutique for Maxie. The truck being something they would tell curious neighbors was something he purchased along with the large down payment for the house with part of the life insurance policy when Jason's wife died. The rest of the policy set up for the boys college funds.
Maxie's inheritance from their grandfather who died in the same car accident as her sister six months ago bought Maxie the boutique in the rich tourist area of Indian Rocks Beach which was just ten miles to the west and the little Toyota Solara convertible was her college graduation present last year from her parents.
The two collided in the doorway and Mac decided he'd better step in before they were nose to nose again. They had already fought three times that day. Once at the lawyer's office, once when they first got to the house and then again when Jason told her to go get them all some Gatorade and she wouldn't budge until he said Pretty Please.
And of course Jason was so stubborn by the time he finally figured out that she WAS going to win this argument, she had changed it to Pretty Please with a Cherry on Top and the former enforcer felt utterly absurd repeating such a saying. Especially since they were now the neighborhood attraction.
"Miss Webster?" Mac used her new name. Since she was now to be the aunt and not the wife they decided Webber was too dangerous to use so they changed Maxie and Cameron's papers to reflect the change. Jason and Jacob were still Jason Johnson and Jacob Martin Johnson respectively.
"Yes Da…Mac? You did say your name was Mac right?"
"Yes ma'am. Do you think maybe I could get something to eat ma'am? I haven't eaten all day and it's nearly three o'clock. My blood sugar is getting rather low." He said looking across the alleyway at the older couple sitting on their swing in their back yard.
"Wha…" she looked over to where the older couple, her new neighbors, were and then back at her father who gave her a little wink and a smile. "Oh, well…I haven't gone to the grocery store yet. I…I guess I could order a pizza."
She furrowed her brows in confusion, not sure what Mac really wanted her to do.
"Well I was thinking that maybe Jason and I could finish unloading the truck and you and your friend from college over there could go to the grocery store. I'll give you some money if you could just pick me up maybe some lunch meat and a loaf of bread. Maybe a bag of chips for me too. By the time you get back, we should be unloaded. Then I could eat up some before I hit the road."
"Oh…okay." She was unable to hide the sadness in her voice but then Jason walked by her carrying a load of her favorite dresses all bunched up in his arms as if wrinkles were the new IT look. "JASON!"
"Go to the dang store Maxie. Just get out of my face for five friggin minutes!" Jason growled back loud enough that the neighbors didn't need to try too hard to hear.
"I don't even know where the stupid grocery store is you Neanderthal!" she spat back.
Just then the older portly woman from across the alley started shouting "Yoo Hoo!" and waving her hand at them. The older man slowly got up from the swing and started following his wife.
Jason and Maxie both walked over to their chain link fence and Spinelli and Mac stopped unloading the last of the stuff on the truck to watch.
"Hi there. I'm Denny Watson and back there is my husband Dale. We're your new neighbors." She said as she huffed walking the fifty yards from her swing that hung from the huge oak tree that completely shaded their big back yard.
The woman could be no more than five foot tall and was round from head to toe. Her hair was salt and pepper gray and if Jason had to guess, he would have put her in her early sixties.
Her husband, a little older than his wife by maybe three or four years with darkly tanned and weathered skin from many, many years in the sun meandered up beside his wife and stuck his hand out to Jason. "Hi, I'm Dale. I see you bought the old Green place. I didn't think this place would ever sell after that guy came in and flipped it. It's been empty for nearly a year."
"Flipped it?" Maxie asked and Jason groaned.
"Flipped it means they buy the place and then renovate it then sell it at a profit."
"You mean the Greens never lived here?" Maxie asked looking over at the older woman.
"Oh no, the Greens lived here forever. It started out as Old Lady Green's place but then when she got sick and went to the nursing home, her grandson and his family moved in. Gosh Dale what, that had to be over twenty years ago. Their kids just both graduated college over the past couple of years and Bob and Penny decided they wanted to live in a condo so they didn't have to keep up the chores that come with owning the house." The lady who called herself Denny responded.
"Oh. Well the house is really pretty. I love the hardwood floors and the stainless steel appliances and fixtures throughout." Maxie said, not really sure if that sounded appropriate but it was the first thing Mac said when he walked in so she figured it was safe.
"Yeah, they put a new roof on the house and the garage as well. You might want to get up there and inspect the shingles though. None of them roofers could speak a word of English and I kept telling them that down here in hurricane country, they needed to use the thirty year shingles." The gray haired man said.
"Well thanks for the heads up. By the way, I'm Jason Johnson and this is Maxie Webster." Jason said as he wiped his sweating brow with the rag that was stuck in his back pocket.
Maxie and Jason both saw the look of disappointment cross over the two elders face and then he realized what they must be thinking. "She's my sister-in-law. My wife died in a car crash a little over six months ago and I decided to move me and the boys down here to get away from it all. Maxie lives with us to help me out with them."
"Oh" the woman said. "Your boys…they're what, five and two?"
"Yes, how did you guess?" Maxie was astonished.
"I'm a first grade teacher. Have been for thirty two years now." She announced.
"No, you were a first grade teacher. Now you are retired, just like your old man." Dale said wrapping an arm over his wife's shoulders and tugging on her then letting her go.
"And we have six grandchildren ranging in age from twenty-six to fourteen." She announced proudly. "As a matter of fact, my grandson Robert is single and just got back from Afghanistan…"
"Denny, don't try to fix the new neighbor up with our Grandson so fast. They haven't even moved in yet."
He turned to Jason and smirked. "Women."
Maxie and Denny rolled their eyes as Jason and Dale chuckled.
They all stood and stared at each other for a few minutes then all started feeling a little uncomfortable with the silence.
"Well, the real reason I came over…I wasn't eavesdropping or anything but I did hear you tell your husb…brother-in-law that you didn't know where the grocery store was. I was just telling Dale I needed to run to the store to pick up a few things. You are more than welcome to go with me if you want. And the kids. I'd love to meet them."
Maxie looked over at Jason who clearly was uneasy with the suggestion. "I…I don't know. Maybe I could follow you in my car so that I know how to drive there myself next time."
"Sure, that would be fine. Why don't you load up your kids and I'll just go and get my pocketbook and cell phone. I'll ride with you. No sense in taking two cars. Go green and all that crazy stuff my granddaughter tells me."
Again Maxie looked to Jason and he shrugged. "You don't have to take the boys. They are fine here with me." Jason added.
Maxie narrowed her eyes and huffed. He didn't' care if the old lady attacked her. He just cared about the boys safety. "No, the boys can come with me. That way I can let them pick out what cereal and cookies and stuff they want."
Hesitantly Jason agreed and he and Dale slung their arms over the fence watching as Maxie and Denny walked off to ready themselves to go.
"Your sister and you fight a lot." Dale said hesitantly.
"Yeah, she's a real pain in the ass. But she loves my boys and they love her and that's all that really matters right?"
"She seems a little high maintenance." The older man concluded.
"Tell me something I don't know. She has more clothes and shoes than I've ever owned in my life. And I swear some of her shoes cost as much as my first car." Jason said easily watching as Mac and Spinelli went back to unloading the truck. He noticed they were pulling Cameron's train bed out and smiled knowing they had just hit the back of the truck so they were almost done.
"I noticed you unloaded a pool table." Dale said.
"Yeah, one of my only vices. A cold beer and my pool table. I'm a home body so I got that to entertain me."
"Yep, bought one myself. I don't have it anymore but it was what brought me home after work for many years when the girls were growing up. You any good?"
"I can hold my own." Jason said smiling at his new neighbor.
"Hmmm, maybe you'll invite me over some time to play." Dale said and then turned when he heard his wife call out to him from their opened window. "Well, I better go see what she needs."
"Well it's good to meet you Mr. Watson. And once we get all moved in and unpacked, you'll be my first challenger on the table." Jason said and turned to walk over to the truck to help pull the last of the stuff from it so that Maxie could drive it to the store with the man's wife.
The couple seemed genuine and nice. And in no way seemed like anything more than they were. An old retired couple that lived next door. The wife was a bit nosey and the husband was laid back and put up with her antics because he loved her. Exactly what he hoped for.
But he'd have Spinelli run a check on them anyway. Just to be safe.