Maxie stared at herself in the bathroom mirror one more time before deciding it was time to face the music. She figured it could have been worse, but she didn't know how. Nothing immediately sprung to mind. The forest green velvet top hung nicely to her subtle curves and the halter neckline was made entirely of white faux fir. She wore simple black heels on her feet and her hair was pulled back in a bun to hide it beneath the velvet green and white hat. The costume included a pair of green and white tights and a black and gold belt that fastened in the front. It could be worse, she told herself. She could have had to wear pixie boots like Robin when she had volunteered back in high school.
She really wanted to smear on some red lipstick and pull her hair down, but it wouldn't be worth it. The chairman of the committee she was a part of had thought it would be funny to see her in a costume even if she hadn't said so directly. Ric, scratch that Dr. Lansing, hadn't been to the last couple of meetings so chances were good that he wouldn't see her like this. Not that she cared. It wasn't like she missed him or anything. He was just the only one she recognized in the group.
Okay, so he was kind of cute, but that was where the attraction ended. He had made it a point to stop talking to her after their run-in at the Outback so she had no choice but to assume he was sick of her. It was just as well. She didn't have time for some messy relationship with any man; she didn't even have time for a fling. She had tried it both ways—committed and convenient—and both left her burning pictures and chopping off the ends of her hair to such extremes that she would have to go to a salon wearing a hat. She didn't even know why he kept coming up in her mind; it wasn't like they had anything in common. He had been forced into this volunteer thing just like her. It wasn't like he was sticking around because he wanted to be near her.
There was a big difference between indifference and coy. For his efforts, he had been rewarded with a cold shoulder. He had implied some sort of fling which made her some worthwhile challenge and, while a part of her was completely intrigued by the idea, she had been the example of how not to handle men too many times to make another stupid mistake. She was tired of being referred to as the troubled daughter when Robin and Georgie were constantly praised as perfect in Mac's eyes.
Stepping out of the bathroom, abandoning her refuge for a floor of rowdy children and some idiot playing Santa Claus, she adjusted the collar of her top again. She couldn't stop fidgeting with it. It wasn't like it was too revealing. It barely showed any skin at all and the outfit ran from her shoulder to the back of her knees. This was entirely appropriate so why couldn't she relax? Alan Quartermaine smiled and waved her over to which she responded with a forced smile of her own and a spine-tingling sensation to run away.
"Well, well, well looks my beautiful helper has finally arrived." Ric couldn't help but smile as he took in her outfit. He stroked the snow white beard that was part of his costume. For the first time, he was happy he had been roped into wearing this getup as penance for missing the last two committee meetings. If he had known Maxie Jones was going to play elf beside of him, he would have volunteered gladly.
She had been consistent since their last meeting at the Outback. He'd received nothing more than a cold shoulder, or the obligatory response if he asked her a question in committee, where it would have been rude to outright ignore him. It wasn't like him to continue to put this much effort into someone who was clearly trying to signal back off to him, but there was something about her. Maybe it was the gleam in her eyes, the pout in her lips. Maybe it was the way he somehow realized she was only trying to signal him back. He wasn't too sure what it was exactly, but this more exciting than anything else offered to him at the moment.
"I think I might forgive you for being late." He winked at her, tugging on the end of the hat she wore.
Maxie slapped his hand away on instinct. His voice was muffled so she couldn't determine who he was or if she was supposed to know him. All she did know was that he had no right to touch her without her permission. "Sorry Santa. You're too old for my tastes."
"I thought no one outgrew Santa?" It was all he could do to keep from laughing.
"Well, I wasn't your average kid." Maxie told him. "And I have work to do."
"What a surprise! So do I!" Ric bowed and extended his arm, pointing toward the chair he would spend the better part of this party sitting in.
"That's okay. I don't need an escort." Maxie assured him, trying to be polite in case he turned out to be the mayor or something.
"But I insist Blondie. A woman as beautiful as you should always have an escort." He winked at her, his eyes twinkling under the false hair of his costume.
Maxie's face scrunched up at the nickname. It couldn't be. "What makes you think I don't?"
"Because if you did, he would never let you wander around alone in that costume. It might give some people ideas."
"You should be ashamed of yourself." Maxie berated him. "You're here for the children, not to flirt with me." Now she knew it was him. That didn't mean she had to let on that she knew.
"But there you're wrong." He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "Whenever you're around, I'll be there to flirt with you. Now go be a good elf and introduce me." He pushed her forward, using no more than a slight pressure on the small of her back.
"Jerk." But she was smiling when she said it. Stopping a few feet from the children, she clapped her hands together with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. "I have a special guest to introduce to you! He's here all the way from the North Pole!" Maxie added, smacking her hands against her knees. The room exploded with excitement and her speech was cut short. She turned her head to gesture him forward, but he was already behind her, and the result was a colliding of heads. "Santa Claus." She managed, rubbing her forehead and glaring at him.
"Ho! Ho! Ho!" Ric winking at her as he paused long enough to sneak a pinch to her side, making her jump. "Merry Christmas! And don't forget to say hello to my good friend Blondie here!"
"Hi Blondie!" The children mimicked and she gave them her best smile. He was going to pay for that.
"They're like a bunch of vultures." Robin commented, startling Elizabeth out of her silent reverie. It was like a high school dance in that she and Liz were on one side and the mass of Spencers claimed the opposite wall.
"Completely. I'm trying to stay out of the kill zone for as long as possible." She smiled.
"How are you feeling? You never did tell me what happened after the dinner." Robin nudged Elizabeth's arm with her shoulder.
"Better. As for what happened? We talked. Be quiet, I don't want to hear your jokes on that right now. We figured a few things out. We've told Cameron and now we are planning on dropping the bomb on both families tomorrow."
Robin kept her face passive as long as she could. Three seconds was a record for her. "Ooh, this is better than a Friday cliffhanger." She whispered harshly.
Elizabeth scoffed. "Like those are any good. Ohhh will the hit man be able to kill again? Like I care."
"You're awfully hormonal." Robin leaned in close so that no one would overhear them.
"It's nerves. Laura was ready to marry us off before we even went on one date. She'll be impossible after this."
"The trick is to look them in the eye." Robin replied teasingly, patting Elizabeth's left shoulder. "It'll all work out."
"Speaking of that, how'd it go with Patrick? Did you spill your real news to him?"
Robin didn't say anything for a long time. "No." She shook her head.
"What?" Elizabeth spun around, shielding her friend from the view of the rest of the party. "You didn't tell him? Why not?"
"He kind of beat me to it." Robin forced a quick smile and then glanced down at her hands.
"Ok that means explanation."
"You wouldn't believe me anyway." Robin insisted. They had agreed she would give him an answer by the end of the party.
"Oh try me."
"Well...okay...it's like this. Um, well. Okay so I went to his studio to wait for him and, when he finally gets there, he tells me he's looked for me all night. We talk about our fake baby and get into some discussion about our own securities on the subject."
"Ok I'm with you so far."
"That's it. That's all. Nothing more to report."
Elizabeth cocked her eyebrow at her friend. "Is there something you aren't telling me here?"
"No. No, of course not."
"Because I'm getting this feeling you are holding back on me?"
"Now why would I do that?" Robin couldn't meet her eyes. She just couldn't.
"Because you are evil?"
"I am not." Robin whined.
Elizabeth held up her hand. "If you are holding back on something that would put Laura's attention on you over me, then yes you are evil."
"If I had something like that, why would I tell you? You would just blackmail me with it later." Robin pointed out, and then clamped her hand over her mouth.
Elizabeth snapped her fingers. "You are holding back!"
"No I'm not." Robin lied, squeezing her eyes shut.
"Liar, liar pants on fire. See if I name my child after you."
Robin looked pained. "I haven't made a decision about it yet."
"I'm assuming this 'it' is life changing and involves Patrick?"
"Well..." Robin watched her friend through half-closed eyelids.
"Does it involve a ring?"
Robin had just taken a drink of her cherry punch so Elizabeth's question caused her to spew it across the floor in front of them. Choking, she reached for a few paper towels off the table and quickly bent down to clean up the mess.
"I'm going with that's a no." Elizabeth bent down to help clean up the mess.
Dropping the soaked towels into a nearby trashcan, they checked to make sure no one had noticed before slinking back to their corner and discussing the issue further. "He asked me to move in with him." Robin said it so fast some of the words blended together.
Elizabeth shook her head. She had to have heard that wrong. "Are you kidding me?"
Robin took another drink to try and alleviate her sore throat. With the plastic cup to her mouth, she slowly shook her head.
"Wow." Elizabeth stepped back and looked over toward the rest of the Spencer family, spotting Patrick easily enough. She let out a low whistle. "I'm guessing that's why you didn't fill him in on the whole moving idea you had?"
"Pretty much." Robin nodded. "And get this. He not only wants us to move in with him, he scouted for an apartment and told me he'll sign the lease if I can see myself living there."
"Ok are we positive we didn't end up at the evil twin table the other night?"
"No." Robin smiled. "I have until the end of the party to give him an answer."
"Do you have any clue what it's going to be?"
Something was going on, Lulu decided. She just wasn't sure exactly what it was just yet. First there was Aunt Bobbie and Cruz's complete no-show at the hospital Christmas party, a town taboo. Unless you or a child were deathly ill, you came to the Children's Ward on Christmas Eve. It was that simple. Lulu was almost convinced it was a law, but her mother just laughed at her when she brought up that theory.
And then there was Patrick. Oh her cousin was putting on one hell of a show. She had to give him credit for that, but she had noticed the constant looks he kept shooting Robin. He had this look on his face she had never seen connected with Patrick. It was almost nervous. Patrick wasn't nervous. But then again if he was nervous, Lulu was willing to bet he would do something about that before the night was over. If there was one thing she could count on with her cousin it was he did not do nervous well.
But what was really catching her attention was her brother. Now he was acting odd. He was almost frantic in keeping Cameron near him and not by mom and dad. Granted he had been that way after Cameron's accident but in the past few months Lucky had actually gotten better about that. He had even allowed someone other than Patrick and Robin to baby sit Cameron not that long ago. But this was different. It was almost as if he didn't want Cameron near the family for too long. Which was ridiculous.
And if Patrick was nervous, Lucky was radiating them. If Lulu looked closely enough, she would swear she could see sweat forming. Of course some of that could be the presence of Elizabeth's family. The last parents she could remember Lucky meeting had been Tony and Lisa, which had proven over time to be a disaster of Biblical proportions. She would assume that Elizabeth's presence would calm Lucky down, but perversely it seemed Elizabeth was feeding Lucky's nerves. As often as Lucky was looking nervously at her family, Elizabeth was looking nervously at the Spencers. If she was a betting woman, Lulu would wager on an announcement coming before the holiday was over.
"Aunt Lulu!" Cameron tore away from the crowd surrounding Santa Claus. Lulu managed a sympathetic smile in Maxie Jones's direction. The two girls may not be friends but no one should endure the elf costume. Leaning down to pick up her nephew as he attached himself to her leg, she grinned as she noticed the candy-caned covered face.
"Hey Cams! Did you have a good visit with Santa?"
"Uh-huh. Did you ask Santa for anything Aunt Lulu?"
"No buddy. Right now it's the kids' time with Santa." Lulu laughed. Not to mention Maxie would never let her hear the end of it if she did stand in the line.
"But how will Santa know what to bring you?"
"I text him." Lulu explained in her best serious aunt voice.
Cameron didn't look completely convinced but then again he had only recently come around to the idea of Santa in the first place. Understanding the entire concept of presents had gone a long way into convincing the little boy Santa wasn't a bad man for breaking into his house every year. "Ok." he said uncertainly.
"So Cams have you been good this year? Think you'll get everything you want?"
Cameron nodded excitedly. "Uh-huh. I'm even getting a special present next year too."
A special present next year? What on Earth was he talking about? Lulu tried to catch her mother's eye but she was too busy laughing at a joke Patrick had just told. "What special present?"
"The baby." Cameron said matter-of-factly.
It was a good thing they were already in the hospital because she was about to drop Cameron and break his other arm. Lulu wobbled unsteadily and felt her mouth drop open. That wasn't exactly the announcement she had thought might be coming. She tried to think of a logical question but only one thing came to mind.
"Mom!"
Laura steeled herself away from Patrick and Luke at the sound of her daughter shrieking. Nine or nineteen, Lulu reacted the same to big news. Taking a few hurried steps toward her youngest child, she reached out and took Lulu's small hands in hers. "Is everything alright?"
"Tell Grandma about the special present you are getting next year Cam." Lulu prompted.
"I told you Aunt Lulu. The baby." Cameron repeated with a roll of his eyes. Would grown ups learn to listen to him?
Laura ran her hands through Cameron's brown curls and gave him a soft smile. He was always coming up with these little white lies to try and fit in with his older cousins. "What are you talking about sweetie?"
"The baby. Daddy and Elizabeth said the baby would come next year. Like an extra present."
"What baby?" Laura insisted as the overhead lights began to dim around her head.
"The new baby." Cameron repeated. How many times did he have to say the same thing? "My new brother or sister."
Laura smiled. She laughed. And then she fainted.
"Mom? Mom? Dad! Patrick! Lucky!" Lulu called out. "Get over here!"
All three men scrambled over while Robin and Elizabeth watched on curiously. Alan was right in the middle of his annual Christmas story and even he had stopped mid-sentence.
"What did you do to her Lu?" Lucky asked.
"Oh this one is squarely on you big brother." Lulu retorted hotly adjusting Cameron on her hip.
"What did I do? I was over there talking to Elizabeth's family." Lucky defended himself, noticing for the first time the quietness and every eye at the party looking over at his family. Steven was actually looking at him with something other than contempt, which was a first.
"Somebody tell me what's going on." Luke demanded, brushing Laura's hair out of her face. "Or, God help me, I'll drag you both home and ground you."
"I told Grandma about the baby Daddy." Cameron bounced up and down in Lulu's arms.
"Baby?" Luke managed finally.
"The what?" Steven's voice bellowed. The crash of a cup hitting the ground in the corner and a gasp was the only indication that Elizabeth had heard what Cameron had just announced to the entire town.
Steven strode over toward his sister, with his father and mother close behind. Audrey stood near the Spencers in shock. "Elizabeth?" Steven begged. "Please tell me Cameron got that wrong."
Elizabeth met Lucky's eyes from across the room. This was the last time she tried to plan anything. She felt Robin place her hand on her shoulder and squeeze it in support. Taking a deep breath she looked her brother in the eye, trying her best to ignore the shocked expressions of her parents. "He didn't. I'm pregnant."
Until this exact second, it had been possible for the rest of the partygoers to pretend not to be watching the drama unfold. It was impossible now. Every eye swung back and forth between Laura's still frame and the quartet in the corner, holding their breaths, waiting for the explosion to come. Jeff and Steven Webber turned and spotted Lucky still huddled near his mother. Elaine Webber put her hand to her head and covered her mouth with her other hand. "Elizabeth, you have to be mistaken."
"I'm not. I'm pregnant." Elizabeth moved to stand in front of her brother and father. "Please don't make this bad."
"And you call me the Drama Queen." Lulu muttered under her breath. "Crave the spotlight much dear brother?"
Lucky ignored his sister, making his way through the still staring crowd. "Obviously we didn't plan this," he started resting his hands on Elizabeth's shoulders.
"Oh that's a big comfort." Steven sneered.
"But we're happy about this." Lucky continued trying to ignore the glares Steven and Jeff were throwing his way.
"You'll forgive me Mr. Spencer if I don't find that very comforting." Jeff Webber said coolly. He tapped his fingers underneath his chin. His eyes focused on his youngest child. "Elizabeth have you considered all your options?"
Patrick looked from one family to the other, recognizing the mixture of shock, horror, and anger set deep into their expressions. The irony of it all just wasn't fair. Lucky loved Elizabeth and the feeling was obviously mutual, so why did everyone always have the same reaction to an unplanned pregnancy? Opening his mouth to comment, Robin beat him to the punch. "Didn't Elizabeth just ask you not to make this bad?" She sneered, her eyes jumping from Elizabeth's father and then to her mother and brother.
"Robin stay out of this." Steven dismissed her with a wave of his hand. "This doesn't concern you."
"Don't talk to my friend that way." Elizabeth sputtered. "She's been there for me every step of the way on this."
"Elizabeth, this is your decision, not hers." Elaine Webber pointed out, missing Robin's irate expression. "This is about being an adult and making the right choice."
"This is the right choice for me." Elizabeth retorted hotly.
Steven moved closer toward Lucky. "And after you have this child then what? You give up custody and disappear from his life and your child's?"
"What would you know about it?" Robin narrowed her eyes at him, hands moving to her hips. Patrick recognized the move and had to smile at Steven's obliviousness to it.
"It's a logical conclusion." Steven pointed out. "It's not every day you meet a guy with sole custody of his three-year-old."
"Ever consider why that might be? Does Lucky look like the kind of guy who would take a child from his only mother? I'm going to take pity on you, since you've never been lucky enough, excuse the pun, to have this guy watch your back. Maybe you need to get your story straight before you start making accusations." Patrick threw in, about ready to push Steven into the growing crowd.
"Cameron has nothing to do with this." Lucky declared in a low voice. "Elizabeth knows all about that and she understands."
"Am I to assume then that you intend to stay involved with my daughter?" Jeff asked his voice low.
"Not that you have any say in this, but yes." Elizabeth threw back to her father.
"Then when is the wedding?" Jeff asked slowly.
Patrick closed his eyes. He already knew his cousin's stance on marriage. Yes, he adored Elizabeth. They must have had some kind of discussion about this before telling Cameron, not realizing that he would blurt it out because not a one of them had a lick of common sense, but he would fall over now if his cousin agreed to this arrangement this fast!
Elizabeth and Lucky shared a guilty look. Biting her lip Elizabeth glanced between Lucky and her father. "There isn't going to be one."
Robin moved closer to Elizabeth as if the lasers in her family members' eyes were going to harm the nervous brunette. She would offer as much comfort as she could, but the battle was going to be Elizabeth's and Lucky's to fight.
"What?" Steven and Lulu asked at the same time.
"Did I hear someone mention a wedding?" Laura mumbled, turning her face into Luke's arm as she started to come to. Patrick and Lucky helped Luke get Laura to her feet.
"Keep on planning darling." Luke whispered. "Sounds like history is repeating."
"Here, drink this." Robin shoved a fresh cup of red punch into Laura's hand. "There's enough sugar to keep you standing at least."
"Look we talked about it. We did. But it's not right for us." Elizabeth waved her arms. "We're not getting married."
"You mean it's not right for him." Steven accused coldly.
"No, for either of us. We'd only be getting married because of the baby and that's not good for anyone." Elizabeth defended. This was why she didn't talk to her family outside of her grandmother and brother often. Her parents were making feel as if she was six years old again. She hadn't expected them to be happy for her. Steven however was throwing her for a loop. No she hadn't expected him to be thrilled, but for him to react like this? This was not her brother.
Laura's eyes went somber. "I didn't say anything before." She began, putting her hand out in front of her when Lucky looked like he might interrupt. "But, darling, I'm afraid I have to say something now. I can't keep hoping you'll make the right decision." Her eyes never left her son's as she spoke the words. He looked absolutely stunned that she had expressed her opinion so openly; not only that but also that her explanation showed how unhappy she had been with his decision regarding Jess and Cameron back when this had happened the first time.
"Mom..." Lucky started to explain. "It's not what you think."
"I used to think you were afraid of responsibility," she went on, the words as flee-flowing as her tears. "But then, I saw how you were with Cam, how you stepped up even before Jess—even before." She might have been in the minority, but she had truly thought Jess and her son made a good match. That wasn't to say that she thought any less of Elizabeth. "You've been given a second chance, a miracle. You've found love again and you're telling me you're still going to squander it away?" She was practically shrieking now, her shoulders quivering even when Luke pulled her closer to him.
"It's still his decision." Luke told her.
"Don't!" Laura warned.
"We wouldn't have even discussed this yet if it wasn't for the baby." Elizabeth pointed out.
"Mom, this isn't the same. I know it seems like it but it's not." Lucky tried to reassure his mother but she still turned away from him.
"Don't tell me it's not the same. I was there the first time, same as you." Laura reminded him. "Have you even considered what this is going to do to the next one? What happens when it gets too hard? Are you going to walk out then too?"
"I didn't walk out the door." Lucky defended himself.
"You didn't try hard enough. You had one fight and then it was all over." Laura accused him angrily.
"That you knew about." Lucky sighed. "It was one fight you knew about."
"What have you got against being happy? Doesn't Elizabeth make you happy? Don't you think she deserves some sort of stability?" Laura challenged, crossing her arms.
"I'm the one who didn't want to get married." Elizabeth blurted out. "Me."
"Elizabeth you aren't thinking clearly. Don't take the blame for his forwardness." Elaine begged her daughter, taking her hand.
Elizabeth jerked her hand back as if her mother stung her. "It's not him. It's me. We talked about it and I was the first one to say no. It's not the right time. This would only be about the baby. Getting married for that reason alone isn't fair to this baby, me, Lucky, or Cameron."
"Okay, let's just calm down." Patrick suggested stepping in-between the two families and moving Elizabeth over to the Spencer side in an almost unnoticed motion. "This arguing isn't helping anybody, least of all Elizabeth."
"And just who are you?" Jeff wondered. "What does this have to do with you?"
Patrick would have laughed if the situation weren't so damn serious. He had been gearing up for this conversation just with different family members. "Patrick Drake." He introduced himself, bowing. "And this has plenty to do with me. See, unlike you, your wife, and your son, I, like the rest of my family, have watched these two from the very first day and it's obvious they love each other. What doesn't make sense, what I can't wrap my head around, is why they're constantly having to prove it to you or anyone else. You're like holiday parents, never around for any of the really defining moments. All you want it to have your voice heard even when you're the last ones who should be speaking. That's who I am."
"Loud, angry voices. This way!" Dillon deduced, pulling Lucas around the corner and spotting the family. "Bingo. You want to tell them? I'm kind of shy."
"Since when?" Lucas wondered.
"Since your family terrifies me." Dillon explained.
"My family? Yours is right out of a horror movie."
"Yeah, but at least they're open about it. Yours reels you in with fake sweetness." Dillon told him.
"Yours just reels people in with money and promises of power."
"Shiny object." Dillon gritted through his teeth. "Go on." And, with that, he shoved him forward.
Lucas look sheepishly between his aunt, uncle, cousins and the other family he didn't quite recognize outside of Audrey Hardy. This had to be Elizabeth's family, he had heard through his mom they were coming to town. Judging by the looks on everyone's faces, he and Dillon had just interrupted something major, something Lulu was probably dying to fill him in on. Any other night of the week, this drama would probably top his, but not tonight. "Um, I know why Mom and Cruz are late to the party." Lucas began holding out a note.
All eyes turned to look at him, momentarily distracted or just needing to take a moment to calm down.
Lucas cleared his throat and began to read from the paper. "'Dear boys, Sorry to do this to you on Christmas, but Cruz and I decided we couldn't wait. I always told you Lucas, when the time and the person was right, you would know. Well I know. By the time you read this, we will be landing in Las Vegas and heading for a wedding chapel. I'll see you in two weeks. Love, Mom.'"
"Guess we got that wedding after all." Luke said after a long moment of shocked silence.