A/N: I was going to go straight for the dirty dirty...but a great online friend of mine reminded me that I needed to have some closure for past loves. Never fear though...the dirty dirty is coming. And I am on a roll with writing this. It's not in this chapter but it's obvious at the end of this one that it will start the next one....Lucky 13 *wink wink...smut smut* And as soon as I post this, I'm going to write it....I'm in a smutty mood and my other story (Just a Matter of Time ~ Liason) is in no way in a position to have any kind of smut in the next chapter. SOOOOOO the next chapter could come as soon as later tonight...but don't hold me to that.
Chapter 12
"Maxie your place is beautiful. Georgie would be so proud that you named such a great boutique after her."
"Yeah, I really love it." She looked around the store at all the improvements she and Jason had made in the past month.
Once their fight, or rather her silent treatment, was over, they had talked about the changes she wanted to make to the boutique and then Jason worked any spare time he had making the improvements. It also afforded him to spend more time with Maxie which both of them enjoyed.
They put in a Latte and Espresso machine. They set up a little area near the window with comfortable couches and books and fashion magazines on half wall bookshelves. Above them were clay pots that one of Jason's co-workers wives made. They were original and interesting and Maxie decided to charge an arm and a leg and tout the woman as a local 'artist' that was going to be big one day. The rich women who shopped at her boutique ate the fabrication up and they were selling like hotcakes.
The office upstairs was almost finished. They were going to cut the store room in half and add on a small kids couture and increase the size of the mens couture area. The bulk of the store was still women's fashion but she wanted to increase her clientèle and children and men was the way to go. Sure, mostly women would shop there but they loved buying clothes for their kids and their husbands so having her boutique become the high end one stop shopping place made sense.
And more money.
"I wish Mac would have come." Maxie sighed.
"Well he wanted to go with Jason to see where he takes your car to be fixed. Honestly, I'm surprised Jason doesn't do it himself." Bobbie mentioned as she thumbed through a catalog of Donatella Versace's Spring pieces at the front counter.
"He doesn't touch my car other than to change the oil and wash it." she sighed and pressed her lips together then hesitantly looked up at Bobbie ready to confess. "I sort of...well I kind of told him I didn't want him touching my car."
"Why would you do that Maxie? You remember he used to own a garage. He's really good with cars and motorcycles and well...anything mechanical really."
"I was mad at him. I do stupid things when I'm mad. You of all people know that. You've watched me grow up."
"Yes that's true but...you have grown up Maxie. I could see it yesterday with the boys and dinner. You were really great."
"Your turkey was great Bobbie. And your pies and your sweet potato casserole and your macaroni and cheese and..."
"And your Dad's...err I mean Mac's stuffing."
"Yeah...the Scorpio Stuffing is the best. And he wrote down the recipe for me."
"Maxie can I ask you something?"
Maxie was watching the older woman who she used for alterations at her boutique measure the Mayor's wife's inseam. "Sure Bobbie, I mean Mom...you can ask me anything."
"You were really hard on yourself yesterday when you forgot to include Elizabeth in the blessing before Thanksgiving dinner. Why honey?"
Maxie looked over her shoulder at Bobbie and then fully turned around to face her. Bobbie was shocked to see the young woman's eyes gloss over and her lips start to tremble.
"Because I made a promise and I didn't' keep it."
Bobbie pulled at Maxie's hand and walked over to the couch facing the window and away from the customers. Maxie had decided the store would be open for a half a day today but closed the rest of the weekend since her Dad and Bobbie were in town. Besides, her store wasn't one to follow trend. Nothing was 'marked down' or on some crazy one day sale for the biggest shopping day of the year. Her customers shopped for co-workers and distant relatives on days like today and benefit from those chain store sales. Her store was for when they wanted to spoil themselves or their close family. But she did realize that some of her clients would be disappointed that she was closed. She made a sign and put it on the door that any customers could shop online in her virtual store and any purchases made on the online store would receive free alterations and a ten percent discount for the inconvenience.
"Maxie, what kind of promise did you make and to whom?"
"To Elizabeth."
"What?" Bobbie plopped down on the couch.
The shocked look on Bobbie's face in no way measured the shock that was sent through her body at the mention of the dead woman's name. She knew that Maxie and Elizabeth didn't like each other and she also knew that Elizabeth didn't know anything of Jason leaving town or especially Maxie going with him and the boys before she died. How could she have made a promise to Elizabeth?
"I...I...sometimes talk to her." she looked up at Bobbie and closed her eyes at her confession. Before Bobbie could reply Maxie took a deep breath and continued. "It started with me teaching the boys to say their prayers every night. They didn't understand religion too much and we were on the run so it wasn't like we could settle into a church congregation and Sunday school to teach them. So I told them about their Mommy being in Heaven with God and that they could just talk to her. It went on from there and I found myself talking to her as well."
She shifted uncomfortably on the couch and slipped her heel off and slid her tanned leg underneath her. She then spread the skirt over her knee and smoothed it. She bit her lip and slowly lifted her eyelids to face Bobbie's curious stare.
"Maxie, that sounds pretty wonderful if you ask me. I'm sure Jason appreciated you telling the boys to pray to God through their Mom."
"Jason doesn't know."
"Why not?"
"Bobbie, Jason had a really hard time getting over Elizabeth. No one knew this but since Jake's birth...well before that...she and Jason grew really really close and then apparently after the Black and White Ball they were dating exclusively up until her death. Except no one knew about it."
"They thought no one knew. Epiphany and I knew exactly what was going on. Jason Morgan hadn't spent so much time in General Hospital since he was in a coma for a month and waking up no longer Jason Quartermaine."
"Well, he had a hard time getting past her death. Honestly, he's probably not past it which scares the hell out of me. I mean how am I supposed to live up to the virtuous Elizabeth Webber. I mean she was a saint in life, at least according to everyone in Port Charles and now she's an angel in death. And I'm just me. Maxie the homewrecker."
"Well I think you are being way too hard on yourself. I think you've made mistakes in your life but everyone has Maxie. Even Elizabeth. And that still doesn't explain this promise you made."
"I promised Elizabeth...well Elizabeth's spirit that I would never let her boys forget her. Here it was their first traditional Thanksgiving and I forgot to mention her in our family blessing. It's probably why I ruined that beautiful new Dolce and Gabana white sweater right after it spilling gravy on it."
"Oh now you're stretching." Bobbie laughed.
"No seriously, anytime I've screwed up with the boys, Elizabeth gets me back somehow."
"Maxie what in the world are you talking about?" Bobbie inquired floored at the suggestion that Elizabeth's ghost was haunting Maxie.
"Okay well, I decided one morning that the kids could have chocolate cookies for breakfast instead of some fruit and cereal like Jason insists. I am walking out of the house ten minutes later and break a heel off my shoe. I had to change my entire outfit. Then..." she sat up straighter excited to finally be able to admit her ridiculous theories with someone who knew her AND Elizabeth. "the first few months I was with Jason and the boys, one of the boys peed or threw up on me every day."
"Couldn't that have been because Jake was not quite two years old and Cameron was four and you guys were traveling in a big Winnebago through the south American jungle? They probably had motion sickness." Bobbie reasoned.
"No, it was Elizabeth. I know it was." she looked at Bobbie's worried face and smirked. "You don't believe me. Listen, I don't think she's a ghost spooking me, I think it's just karma or something. She is watching over Jason and the boys and anytime I don't do right by them karma's fate steps in and punishes me for it. Like when I broke my arm. I had just admitted to myself how I was really feeling about Jason and had set out on the bike with Jake to get Jason's attention again. To pursue...well to see if we could fall in love or something."
"Yeah but Jake got hurt too. Elizabeth would have never hurt Jake...even as a ghost or karma or whatever."
"Oh but see that was a lesson for Jake as well. And I bet she did do it. She seemed like the type of mom that would tell them to do or not to do something and then just say 'I told you so' when they had to learn the hard way. We had been arguing with Jake for months about wearing his helmet and keeping the strap buckled and all. He took it off and I was headed toward Elizabeth's man, so she just had us learn a little lesson the hard way."
Bobbie listened and thought and listened some more as Maxie gave example after example. Finally she held her hand up and shook her head no, she could hear no more.
"Maxie, this is your subconscious. You feel guilty. You are getting the life that Elizabeth dreamed of. Life with Jason and Cam and Jake and away from all the danger where you can live your life free and happy. And you four are happy. You are projecting all of these instances into punishment from Elizabeth because you feel guilty for stealing her life but honey...you didn't steal her life. The Russian Mafia did. This is your life. And you deserve the happiness."
"But...I just want to know that Elizabeth is okay with this...everything. With me raising her boys and with me being with Jason. I doubt she ever would be so I try extra hard for her approval."
"Oh look, there's Mac and Jason and the boys. And the boys have a box in their hands with a big red bow on it."
Bobbie stood and faced the back of the store and when Maxie followed suit, she was surprised that Jason was standing right behind her, staring at her with an unreadable expression.
Oh shit, did Jason just overhear what I just said about Elizabeth. Maxie thought lifting her eyes to Jason's.
"Maxie, we have a surprise for you!!!" Jake ran with the box in his hand that he won the coin toss Mac did to see whether he or Cam would get to give the gift to her.
Pulling her eyes from Jason's she smiled. She could never stop a smile from dancing across her face when Jake or Cameron first came into the room she was in. Bobbie watched Jason as his smile lifted the corners of his mouth at seeing Maxie smile.
Boy he really had it bad.
"You do...well it's not my birthday and it's not Christmas..."
"Mac said that it's your birthday and Christmas...from him and Aunt...uh...Nana?" Cameron announced excitedly causing several patrons to smile at the little boy.
"Mom, I told you that would confuse him...you can't be his aunt just to feel younger." Maxie retorted and made an angry face at Bobbie then gave a quick wink.
Jason just shook his head and Jake mimicked his father because he didn't understand any of it either. And didn't care.
"Go ahead Maxie, open it." Mac said bringing up the rear of the group and smiling at his daughter.
Mac and Maxie had such wonderful talks over the past thirty six hours. She had really matured. He thanked Jason for it mostly. Even though Jason was a mobster, he knew Jason had so much good in him. So for him to leave the mob and the danger behind and take Maxie with him, he was relieved that Jason stuck it out and hadn't shipped the handful of a young woman back home to Mac with a note pined to her that said, 'I can't take her anymore. She's driving me and the boys nuts'
And Maxie was thriving. Even when she got the job at Couture, she was not as excited and filled with life long dreams as she was with the boutique. She had brought him here the day before, just the two of them so he could see what she had created. It was a private moment between father and daughter when she pulled up and he saw the sign, Georgie's Boutique. She had never told him what he named the store in their rare phone calls to each other.
The FBI frowned on their phone calls being anything more than rare and sporadic in case anyone was able to monitor the Commissioners phone.
"Okay...so this is really my birthday and Christmas present from you and...Mom?"
"Uh huh" he nodded his head and moved in close to her. They had to keep up their ruse but he wanted to be close to see the look on her face.
The box was square and the size of a double CD. She pulled at the box and picked at the edge of the paper with her fingernails finally freeing the corner. Then she tore at it. Lifting the box lid she gasped. Inside was a brand new set of keys to a new car. A Chevy. Mac's vehicle brand of choice.
Maxie got excited and leaped into Mac's arms first and then looked behind him. "Where is it?"
"Well, we have a loaner right now. We're test driving it but I figured we could go back to the dealership now and you could pick out the one you want. Color, interior, wheels and all. Or maybe you won't want the one I picked." Mac smiled as he set his little girl down on the ground after twirling her in his arms.
Many of the patrons were looking so Bobbie slid up to Mac and put her arm around his waist and he wrapped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her into his side while pulling Maxie in to the other side of him. Jason smiled at the scene. Maxie deserved to have this. A family.
And the boys needed grandparents. Even though the Watsons were great with the boys, Mac and Bobbie could really be their family too. To visit for birthdays and holidays. Maybe to meet on vacation in Hawaii or on a cruise or something. He wondered what they would think about that.
Jake pulled him from his thoughts as he tugged on his Dad's hand to follow the rest of them out back to the car. Mac had picked out the new 2011 Chevy Camaro Hardtop Convertible. Jason's only suggestion to him was that she loved the convertible feature of her Toyota. She loved to ride around town with the top down. The Florida Sunshine allowed for many days with the top down.
And the boys loved it too!!!
And admittedly, so did he.
When they were tinkering in the garage, Mac had noticed that the vehicle was in need of quite a bit of maintenance and suggested Maxie needed a new one. Jason said he'd buy her one but Mac insisted that he get to do it since he'd missed two birthdays and a Christmas with her. And was about to miss another one. Jason didn't care and knew it was Mac's way to make himself feel useful in his daughters life. Understandable and besides, Jason wasn't going to argue with Mac about anything over the weekend. He wanted the man to be in a pleasant mood when he told him of his and Maxie's new turn in their relationship.
"It's out back Maxie" Cameron excitedly pulled at Maxie's hand.
Everyone followed and again were treated to Maxie's high pitched shriek and again leaping into Mac's arms over the convertible parked at the back door's entrance.
"You like?" Mac asked again setting his daughter down.
"Oh I LIKE!!! Is this?...It IS!!! Jason...this is the car we were talking about...the new Camaro that Chevy is putting back onto the market. Oh my GOD I love this car! Did they have one in Metallic Aqua Marine Blue? That was the color right Jason? I wanted the Metallic Aqua Marine Blue right?"
"Yep" Jason nodded as he moseyed over beside her eying the car and shoving his hands in his jeans pockets so he didn't screw up and reach out for Maxie like his hands were begging his brain to do.
He didn't even get the chance for their nightly talk on the patio the night before because she and Mac stayed up into the wee hours of the morning talking all about Emma and Robin and Patrick and his new relationship with Bobbie.
It turned out that they really had been spending time together. Not dating per se but just really close friends. They could talk to each other about everything because each of them honestly knew most everything. Like what was going on with the trials and the new mob presence. Bobbie having Carly and the Corinthos family guards to hear it from and Mac being the police Commissioner. They also both knew where Jason and Maxie were and had that in common.
Mac didn't see a romance on the horizon but could definitely believe that they could be the best of friends and travel to visit Maxie, Jason and the boys more often together.
"Well let's go get it...cause this gunmetal grey looks good on the...the...what did you call it Jason? A workout car?"
"Muscle Car Maxie" Jason smiled.
She was really paying attention a few months ago when they were watching the television show about the new models of cars coming out that month. Jason had really liked the new Camaro and Maxie had said she would drive one. He hadn't thought about that conversation until today when Mac whispered at breakfast to Jason that he wanted to go look at new cars for Maxie. He knew that Mac was a Chevy man so he steered him directly toward the car Maxie would want.
Mac, of course, wanted to buy her a mini van or something bigger and safer but Jason knew Maxie would never go for that and convinced Mac that the safety features on the new Camaro were up to snuff.
"And they had one there but the interior was grey and not tan." Jason interjected.
When they had talked about their dream cars, Jason wanted the truck he had. He had bought it brand new off the showroom floor less than a year ago. And he had picked Maxie's car out as well. She loved the car but it was a four cylinder and she wanted something with more 'get up and go' as she put it.
"Well grey might be okay." she murmured looking up at Jason for approval.
Mac was completely oblivious but Bobbie was watching everything closely.
"Yeah, I think you'll like it. Besides it has that tech package and special twenty one inch tire and wheel upgrade. It has the special stereo and the video screen. The two front seats are fitted with the video screens in the head rests for the back seat passengers as well. Oh and it has that Bluetooth thing you liked."
"Ohhhh" she clapped excitedly bumping into Jason so he had to pull his hands from his pockets to steady her.
Their eyes met and they both felt the electricity shooting from his fingers onto the soft smooth skin of her upper arms. It took all of Jason's strength to keep from just giving in and pulling her to him. Mac be damned.
Maxie's eyes widened and she cleared her throat and stepped back. She stared down at her feet for a moment as if contemplating whether she needed a pedicure or not. And Jason was just as bad, closing his eyes and running his hand up and down his face. The distance they were forcing on each other was killing them both.
Bobbie decided to take pity on them. "Maxie, didn't you need to show Jason that...uh...that invoice that came in."
"Huh? Wha.." Maxie stammered looking at Bobbie in confusion.
Bobbie winked when she saw Mac turn to watch Cameron who was showing him how far he could jump. "You know, that invoice that you thought was priced wrong...you put it upstairs....remember?"
Jason picked up the hint and smiled at Bobbie. She was really supportive of them when he talked to her about it. And now she was helping them to alleviate the tension between them so they could get through two more days with Mac before Jason told him. Although the more time went on, the more Jason felt that two days was too much hell to suffer for his own safety. Mac was an officer of the law. He wouldn't actually kill him. And Jason knew how to take a punch. He'd healed from much worse.
"Let's go Maxie and then we can go get your new car." Jason grabbed her by the arm and practically dragged her into the back door.
Bobbie looked at the boys and then at Mac. "Mac, why don't you take Maxie and the boys to pick out her car and leave me and Jason here. I kind of want to talk to him about a few things."
"Not about anything we agreed yesterday not to tell them right?"
"No not about that." Bobbie eyed the boy to see that they weren't paying attention. And they weren't.
Five minutes later Maxie came running out the door refreshed and excited to go get her new car. Jason nodded his agreement when Bobbie told him of her suggestion for the two of them to stay behind to close up the shop and meet them back at the house later. She nudged him with her shoulder as he watched Maxie drive away in the loaner model. His face becoming sullen and a bit sad when the car was no longer in sight.
"You've got it bad Jason."
"It's that obvious huh?"
They walked back into the boutique and talked on the couches for a while as customers moseyed about. He had to stop to ring up a few customers then finally when the store was empty he locked the door behind the last customer and switched the sign in the door to 'Closed'.
"Jason, you need to let Maxie know it's okay. That you're over Elizabeth."
"What?"
"She's scared. She's comparing herself to a ghost that she thinks she'll never measure up to. In your eyes or the boys."
"She's fine. She knows I've moved on."
"No...no I don't think she does." she moved toward the back door where Jason set the alarm and then locked the door behind them, climbing into Bobbie and Mac's rental car. "She's so hard on herself for every mistake she makes with the boys. She thinks that Elizabeth wouldn't approve of her...for the boys or for you."
"Elizabeth probably wouldn't. But Maxie's different than she was when Elizabeth was alive."
"I know that and you know that...and even Elizabeth up in Heaven knows that but Maxie...she's not so sure."
"What do you suggest?"
"Talk to her. Don't hide anything. Tell her that you'll always love Elizabeth but that you..."
"That I love her too. And that she's here and that I want her." Jason sighed scrubbing his face. "I really do Bobbie. And I am past Elizabeth. I've made my peace with her."
"You have?"
"Yeah, about two months ago I finally...I don't know...I guess I...I prayed to her that it was okay. That it was okay to move on and to be happy with Maxie."
"And is it?"
"When Maxie and Jake got hurt...my heart sunk. I haven't felt that way since the day of Elizabeth's funeral. I swore to myself that if I walked into that hospital and Maxie and Jake were okay, I'd give up my old dreams of me and Elizabeth and the boys and start working really hard for the new dreams. The ones I had for me and Maxie and the boys. So when I walked into that hospital and everything was okay, I came home and put the pictures of Elizabeth away. I put up new pictures. Ones of me and Maxie and the boys. New memories that we've made here."
"So you're good?"
"I'm good." He patted her hand on the center console. "I'm really really good. Maxie did that for me."
"Then tell her that."
~%~%~%~%~
The past four days had been the longest of Jason's life. He was standing in the living room facing Mac with his and Bobbie's suitcases at the door. Bobbie knew he wanted to talk to Mac alone so Bobbie told Maxie she wanted Maxie to give her a ride in her new car before they left.
Maxie didn't want to leave. She knew the conversation that was about to take place between Mac and Jason and she was worried. She didn't want to leave them. Either of them. But Jason reassured her that it would be okay and that he preferred she take the boys and go so that he could talk to her father, man to man.
Jason stared at Mac who had just asked him why Bobbie cleared the house. Jason took a deep breath and motioned for Mac to have a seat.
"I think I'll stand for this." Mac replied watching Jason nervously wring his hands together.
"Uh...okay. Do you want a beer?" Jason asked because he sure could use one himself but Mac shook his head no.
"What's going on Jason? Is it Maxie?"
"Um...yes."
"What's she done now?" Mac sighed.
"She's fallen in love with me and I'm in love with her."
Oh fuck he said it. And he blurted it out. Nothing like the way he had rehearsed in the mirror. He had eased into the topic when he'd gone over it in his head.
"You WHAT?" Mac took a step forward and Jason stood his ground. He wasn't going to back down to Mac. If he had to take a beating from him, he would.
"I love your daughter. Nothing's happened so far. We've just...well...kind of dated a few times but...I wanted to tell you. To...sort of get your permission."
"Permission for what Jason?" He took another intimidating step forward but Jason stayed rooted in place.
"I don't know really...I guess permission to date her...to be in love with her...to..."
"Marry her?" Mac took the final step standing eye to eye with Jason. The former Enforcer never scared and intimidated him like he'd known Jason had done to so many other men.
"What?...No...NO...we...we..."
"What? Maxie's good enough to date, to raise your kids, to sleep with but not good enough to marry?"
"NO...I didn't say that." He did take a step back. Not out of fear but out of shock. "I...we...we...me and Maxie...we haven't...we haven't slept together...and we've never EVER discussed marriage."
He thought about what Mac said and quickly added "But yeah...eventually...if things work out...I guess that would be...only natural."
"And what does Maxie think? You said she loves you. She's told you that?"
"No but she has told...someone." Jason closed his eyes then opened them looking directly into Mac's. "This is all new to Maxie and I. We're getting along much better. We...we do things together...as a family. And...we're good for each other."
"Oh yeah? How so?" Mac was not going to make this easy on Jason.
"She...she's so vibrant and outgoing. That's good because I'm not."
"Because you're twice her age maybe?"
"I'm NOT twice her age Mac. She's twelve years younger than me. And she's matured...A LOT...and I think that's because of me and the boys. And the boys...they love her and she loves them."
"She does. She really does love your boys Jason...that much is obvious."
"She's happy here Mac. She's happy with me and the boys. But I know how much your opinion really matters to her. And me too."
"I don't know why...my opinion never mattered before. Unless it mattered so that she could do the exact opposite of what I thought was best. And you...I don't know what to think. Jason I've always known that deep down you are a good guy but...you were a cold blooded killer. I wanted better for my niece when Robin was dating you and I want better for my daughter now. I still have bullet holes in my wall in the living room from when that guy shot you. Do you remember that? Or when Maxie's boyfriend was killed in the line of fire, a good guy, a police officer, killed in the line of duty protecting the public park from your enemies."
Jason knew this would come up. "But Mac...I've gotten free of that life. I haven't been arrested in over two years. I haven't shot my gun in over six months and that was when my friend Billy and I went down to the firing range to test out his new hunting rifle he had bought. Aside from a dangerous bicycle ride, no one in this house has been put into danger in the past two years. Well, except that one jackass that Maxie dated but I stepped in and protected her."
"Yeah she told me about that. Thanks."
"No thanks needed. I care about your daughter Mac. All I'm asking for is a chance. She's willing to give it to me but if you hate it...if you don't give her your blessing...it will be...tainted. She'll always think she's still disappointing her father and Maxie...Maxie Webster...the Maxie that lives here with me and the boys...doesn't want to live her life like that anymore."
Suddenly the door opened and Maxie stepped into the house closing the door behind her.
"Where's Bobbie and the boys?" Jason asked, tension rolling off of him in waves.
"Um...they are in the alley talking with the Watsons. Vonnie is visiting and Glenn stopped by with the new grandbaby. Well Vonnie's grandson. Denny and Dale's First Great Grandson. You should see him Jason...he looks just like Glenn." she looked up at her Dad and could tell she had walked in at a particularly tense moment. "Is...is everything okay in here?"
"Jason here tells me that you two are an item."
Suddenly Jason was weary of Mac's words. He hoped Mac didn't tell Maxie that he said he loved her. He wanted to tell her that on his own first.
"Uh...well...yes?" Maxie nodded her head slowly watching Jason for any signs. He gave none....just stood there waiting. "The other shoe." she whispered.
Jason let out the breath he'd been holding, anger rising up in him. "No Maxie, not the other shoe."
He turned to Mac. "Look, we want this...we want to be together...we already ARE together in so many ways. We live together. We share our lives. We share the boys. We want to share each other. Your opinion...your decision won't change that. But if you refuse to accept this...us" He motioned between him and Maxie as he moved to stand next to her and face her father with her. "We'll still be together. But you'll leave Maxie partially broken...Sad. She's waiting for something bad to happen but it's not going to. I won't let it. So the only thing that can happen that is bad is you not being okay with this. You telling her she's wrong...we're wrong to be together."
"But" Mac started but Maxie interrupted.
"Mac...he makes me happy." she wrapped her arms around Jason's waist and Jason eyed Mac as he slowly put his arm around her and trailed his hand slowly up and down her arm.
"And that is what you're supposed to want the most for your children. It's what I want for Cameron and Jake. I want them to be happy. Happy and healthy."
"Can I say something?" Mac interjected. Both nodded in agreement before him. "I want my daughter happy. Maxie your happiness is all I've ever wanted. And here, in this life, I can see that you are clearly happy. But what happens when Jason gets tired of you or you get tired of him? Where will that leave you? Jason what will happen when Maxie plans one of her crazy schemes with her friend Hannah or on her own or Maxie what will happen when Jason goes into one of his funks and takes off on his motorcycle for days...weeks at a time."
"I won't do that Mac." Jason and Maxie both said at the same time.
Mac rolled his eyes, "Right and I'm Santa Claus"
"Mac is Santa?" Cameron asked from the garage door.
Maxie rushed over to Cameron who looked like Christmas had just been ruined. "No no no...Mac was using a metaphor."
"What's a metleform?" Cameron looked up to Jason who had moved over and stood behind Maxie.
"A met-a-phor is when you use a word to compare a meaning to something. Like when I say 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.' I'm not really going to eat a horse. I'm just really REALLY hungry." Jason replied.
"But he didn't say he was hungry, he said he was Santa Claus."
"Cameron" Mac started but Maxie stood, hefted the six year old into her arms and gave her father a wide eyed tight lipped glare to SHUT UP! "Mac was joking. Like when your Daddy jokes that I'm a Princess."
"But you ARE a Princess...or something. Remember your Grandma was a Princess in Mexico."
"Okay...wait...Cameron...Mac didn't mean what he said. He's not really Santa Claus. Santa Claus is at the North Pole making toys with the Elves to deliver on Christmas Eve. And I call Maxie a Princess because she acts like a Princess around here." he looked over at Mac then at Maxie, "Which is cool with us right buddy?"
"So he said he's Santa like how Maxie calls you a Beast and a Nanderfalls?" Cameron asked reaching over and climbing into Jason's arms.
Just then Jake ran in and rushed to Maxie and she picked him up. "Neanderthal...not Nanderfalls Cameron."
Jake cringed in a way that looked just like his father did. The boy was the spitting image of Jason and Mac was taken aback by how everyone in Port Charles never noticed when it was so obvious now.
"What did you do now Daddy?" Jake shook his head in disappointment.
"What? Nothing." Jason gave Jake the same look back.
"Maxie called you a Nanderfalls...you better apologize." Jake admonished even going to far as to point and wag his finger at his father.
"No she didn't...I was making a metleforms. It means to call someone a name when they aren't really."
"Oh so your making me a metleform when you call me stupid? Cause I'm smart. Maxie told me I am."
"You are very smart Jacob Martin." Maxie assured him.
"It's not metleforms...It's met-a-phors and when you call your brother stupid it's not a metaphor...it's just mean and gets you in trouble." Jason sighed exasperated at how the conversation had turned.
"But Maxie does call you a Nanderfalls Daddy. All the time. Even when you aren't here."
"But he's not. It's a metleform. Cause Miss Vonnie showed me what a Nanderfall looks like and he looks like those guys on TV for the Geico commercial. You know the ones Jason calls Cage man's."
"Cavemen" Maxie and Jason interjected at the same time.
Mac watched the interaction of the four and saw how instinctively they moved to each other until they were standing in their living room with Jason and Maxie shoulder to shoulder and the boys on the opposite hips. It was picture perfect.
"Okay" Mac's voice cracked as he said it. He cleared his throat and said it again, louder "Okay"
"Okay what Mr Mac?" Jake asked looking around Cameron's hand where Cameron was playing the 'I'm not touching you game'.
"Okay, I agree. You guys are all perfect for each other. But if you hurt Maxie in any way Jason..." Mac shook his own finger in Jason's face and Cameron and Jake laughed.
"Daddy's in trouble" Jake finished for Mac.
"Exactly, your Daddy's in trouble." Maxie smiled up at Jason and he smiled back.
"Jason would never hurt Maxie. He's our hero, right Maxie?"
"Cameron...I wish you would stop repeating everything I say to you."
"Well that's what you said..." he suddenly looked confused and then leaned over to Maxie and whispered in her ear but loud enough so that everyone heard, including Bobbie, Denny, Dale and Vonnie who were standing behind them all in the dining room around the pool table. "Or was that a metleform too?"
The room erupted in laughter and true to form Jake laughed the loudest because Maxie was laughing. Cameron looked around bewildered at what was so funny.
"Nope, Jason is Maxie's hero Cameron. You're right." Vonnie chimed in and moved toward the family. "Now you need to give your Grandma Bobbie and Mac a hug and a kiss goodbye. There's a pizza at Chuckie Cheese waiting on us. Then we're going to go by the church to drop off food for the needy and then we're going to go back to my house to play Donkey Kong."
"YAY!!!" Both kids yelled in unison and then squirmed to get down and rushed to hug Bobbie and Mac and then grabbed up their back packs that Jason had packed earlier.
Maxie looked at Jason surprised but then smiled when he shrugged and gave a crooked grin that told her he had this planned the whole time. She watched the boys hug Bobbie and Mac for a second time after putting on their packs and then felt a tear roll down her face when the realization hit her that her father was leaving. Bobbie, whom she had confided so much in over the past few days, was leaving. Her father had given his blessing for Jason and Maxie to explore their feelings for each other. The boys were leaving because Jason had planned some alone time for them after everyone left.
She was so happy she felt like her heart was going to explode but then she was so sad that her Dad was leaving that her exploding heart felt like it was dying.
She smiled when she felt Jason's strong arms come around her and felt his lips on her temple. "It's okay Princess. They'll be back. ALL of them."
He reassured her and Mac felt the nudge from Bobbie and he looked up to watch Maxie visibly find peace in Jason's arms. He looked back at Bobbie and smiled. Then rolled his eyes and faked like he was gagging. Bobbie laughed and poked him again. She knew their conversation to the airport would be quite interesting.
Finally all the goodbyes were said and everyone was gone. Jason walked into the house behind a doleful Maxie. She had been crying for the past fifteen minutes. The Watsons went inside after saying goodbye to Maxie's 'mother' and her 'friend' and Maxie stood there holding on to Mac like he was a lifeline for five minutes before Bobbie stepped in and hugged her telling Mac that they really needed to go before they missed their planes.
Mac shook Jason's hand and again threatened him to take care of her and not to hurt her. Jason again promised that he would do everything within his power to make Maxie happy. Then Maxie hugged on to Jason crying uncontrollably while they watched Mac and Bobbie drive away.
"Do you want to go have dinner somewhere?"
"No"
"Do you want me to make you something to eat? Some leftovers maybe? A turkey and cranberry sauce sandwich like you like?"
"No"
"Maxie"
"No...I'll be okay."
"Look Princess...I can't stand to see you so sad."
"Well you're going to see me mad the next time you call me Princess."
"Okay" he laughed. "Maybe you would like to grab a beer and a wine cooler and go sit on the back patio in our chair?"
"Our chair" she smiled through her tears and looked up at him. "Yeah...that sounds really good."
"You know what else sounds good?" he smiled as he walked to her.
"What?"
"This." he leaned down, brushing her bangs away from her face and then swiping his thumb at a tear rolling down her cheek. He cupped the side of her face and leaned down brushing his lips against hers. "Mmmmm"
He leaned further into her, turning his head at an angle and prying her lips open with his tongue. His tongue swept through her mouth tasting her and he moaned his pleasure again. Maxie melted into him and he leaned down and lifted her into his arms behind her knees and her back. He continued the soul searching kiss while he blindly walked through the house toward the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and nudged Maxie with his nose allowing them to take in large amounts of air while Maxie reached into the fridge for a wine cooler and a beer. He then went back to making love to her mouth as he pushed the door shut with his foot and walked to the sliding doors that led to the patio. He walked over to the lounge chair that they had laid in nearly every night for the past few weeks and settled her on his lap as he continued to kiss her.
She finally pulled away to catch her breath and stared into his brilliant blue eyes. Her breath caught at his words.
"I love you Maxie."