Chapter Twenty-Six
Changes
"I don't know Max," Logan answered striding up the stairs to Bitsy and Kyle's house, the fire truck still sitting outside with its lights on. He'd received a call, there had been a fire, everyone was fine and it was under control, but to come over immediately. "Max, I'm not going to know until-" he paused as he stepped over the threshold.
"One little girl, you are in charge of one well behaved child and you can't manage that? Trying to put the blame on a six year old? And you call yourself a nanny," his aunt was going off, full force. His aunt never went off full force, she was too refined to do that, manipulative as all hell, but never loud or anything that didn't seem compassionate and polite to others, especially since Chester was standing right behind her rubbing her shoulders trying to calm her down and she didn't have the final ring yet.
"Uncle Logan," Brittany cried looking up from her scrunched up position at the bottom of the stairs and ran towards him clutching a baby doll.
He hunkered down and caught her up in his arms, "Hey are you okay?"
She nodded into his neck and he could hear and feel her muffled cries continuing.
"What happened?" he nodded in the direction of the fire marshal who was trying to stay out of the way of the two women.
"Small fire in the kitchen."
"Small fire?" More outrage from his aunt, "Half that kitchen is destroyed because this one," a flick of her hand at the offending commoner, "couldn't watch one little girl."
"I thought she was up in her room," the young rather plain looking brunette retorted back.
"Well obviously she wasn't."
"Max?" he said raising his phone back up only to be greeted by silence. He looked down 'call ended,' Great, what else could go wrong.
His aunt frowned looking over.
"So what exactly happened?" he once more asked.
"A plastic bottle on the stove," the Fire Marshall supplied.
He frowned.
"Hey," Bennett said entering the house, "I got here as soon as I could. What happened?"
'How many Cales does it take to screw in a light bulb?' Logan thought looking at Bennett. "I'm still trying to figure that out."
"That-" his aunt begun with another angry nod towards the negligent nanny.
The mousy brunette started to open her mouth as she realized she was about to be accused again.
"Aunt Margo," Logan said cutting her off as he heard the choke in Brittany's throat at hearing her grandmother begin again.
Margo turned and looked startled hearing Logan's tone with her; it shut her up long enough for the Fire Marshal to intercede.
"Fire appears to have been caused by a plastic doll bottle in a sauce pan. Bottle caught fire and it spread to the drapes."
Logan's eyes flinched shut automatically.
"Vicky was hungry," she said not bothering to remove her head from the crook of his neck.
" Brittany, darling, why would you put the bottle on the stove, I know your mother has explained to you that's not for children," Margo said, her face actually softening at first until she ended glaring at the nanny.
"But I saw it at Uncle Logan's," she said her voice still being muffled by Logan.
Margo's eyes shot around to glare at Logan and both boys suddenly felt 14 again and found the words trapped in their throats, "Brittany, sweetheart," Margo's voice suddenly shades sweeter addressed her granddaughter instead of her nephew in hopes of getting an honest answer, "what do you mean you saw it at your uncle's?"
Her head creaked around this time, "Uncle Ben was making a bottle for Nicky."
Logan could physically feel the tension leave his body as Brittany exonerated him; he hadn't thought he could still be made to feel that way by his aunt.
Margo transferred the look of blame over to her son.
"Brit," Logan began, but then stopped realizing he didn't exactly know the words to say to a six year old.
Her head turned up to him, her eyes still gleaming with tears that had yet to fall, "I just wanted to warm up her bottle."
"Brit she's a doll," Logan softly explained.
"But-" the little girl began to explain, but was cut off by the Fire Marshal clearing his throat.
His eyes moved to look over and he caught a look of his aunt looking suddenly startled before her icy polish returned. Right family drama…Family drama with strangers looking on. They all knew better than this…
"Perhaps someone-" the fire marshal began, but was once more interrupted, this time by the door flying open.
"Max," Brittany cried and caught her uncle off guard by throwing her weight towards Max before Logan had even finished turning.
"Hey," Max near cooed as she swept the girl out of Logan's arms and pulled her against her now chilled body, her coat having been forgotten to zip before she hopped on her bike and her hair a tangled mess because of the speed, held back by the yellow glasses that she'd tossed up as she ran up the stairs.
Logan looked over slightly confused at first, had he even gotten off the phone with her 15 minutes ago? But he smiled remembering that loner tough girl he'd first met, she'd probably scoff at the woman before him now. "That was quick?" he said with a little smirk as he tried to contain the smile.
She looked over apologetic and guilty, "I was in the area…" What the hell was she supposed to have done? Waited for Logan to remember she was on the phone? She did that and three loud Logan's later, she'd hit end and hit the road.
Bennett caught sight of his mother rolling her eyes at the whole interplay and wished not for the first time in his life that he had the type of relationship with her that he could call her out on it or hell just knock some sense into her. Max honestly cared, to most that would matter more than her social and financial status…not their family though.
The fire marshal cleared his throat again as Logan was mid-back rub to Brittany who was now completely curled into Max seeking refuge.
Logan turned looking slightly contrite as he once more realized he tended to forget there were others in the room whenever she made an appearance. He turned back to her, "Hey can you take Brittany up to her room for a few minutes?"
Max's eyes scanned the circle of people, "No prob," she nodded. "Hey Brit, how about you show me that dollhouse you were telling me about?" she smiled coaxing the little girl's face back up.
"Kay."
ooOoo
Logan was getting a migraine.
Margo and the nanny had gotten into it again as they were shown the kitchen. They said that the damage appeared to be contained to the surface and that the walls hadn't been damaged, but the bay windows would need to be replaced. Along with the stove, the wallpaper, at least two cabinets, possibly more and everything in the kitchen and the adjoining dining room was going to have to be professionally cleaned. Seven grand easy to Logan's calculations and he knew people.
The plastic baby bottle had gone up in flames and aside from creating an unpleasant stench it had ignited the potholders his cousin had foolishly hung above the stove and from the potholders the flame had spread to the drapes. The nanny had managed to stunt it with the fire extinguisher before it devoured the whole kitchen. He should probably be thankful for that much…
He wasn't though, not as his head pounded as his aunt repeatedly reprimanded the young girl for allowing this to ever happen in the first place. He escaped for a few minutes to talk to the fire marshal in private, to thank him and reassure him that they did indeed now have the situation under control and of course like with everything else in the world, tip him, therefore ensuring the next time something like this happened they would indeed return.
He returned to Bennett and Chester both looking resigned to the fact that they wouldn't be able to reign in the two women.
"Just go," his aunt said as he approached with an arm being flung in the air pointing out of the room.
"Don't need to tell me twice," she replied with her head cocked and almost knocked straight into Logan looking to get out of kitchen and out of the house.
"Mom," Bennett began and his mother shot him a look. "That was a little harsh don't you think?"
"My only granddaughter could have been killed tonight because of her incompetence."
Uncharacteristically caring for Aunt Margo, Logan thought.
"What about Brittany?"
Margo looked slightly startled by that.
"She hates Nicholas Mom; she refuses to be in the same house as him."
Margo looked down at her dress; they'd been halfway through dinner before heading to the theater, "Well…"
"I'll take her," Logan said not even bothering to take time and watch her stew in her hasty actions, he'd assumed he was since walking in the door.
Margo was caught off guard yet another time as her head spun 'round to look at her nephew.
"Well now that, that's settled," Chester began thankful his night hadn't been ruined completely.
"I'll go," he began to turn and spotted Max walking into the room, one hand holding on to Brittany who had her pink book bag on and was still carrying Vicky, who now had a traveling companion in the teddy Logan had bought for her. Max's other hand, held the small pink suitcase on wheels.
ooOoo
"Tuck me in?" Brittany asked as her lip quivered.
Logan's eyes shut briefly, in despair and frustration. She was hurting and scared and he didn't know how to fix it. They'd both tried. Promised the little girl no one was going to be mad. Unfortunately for them Brittany wasn't naïve or dense, she hadn't been able to miss the nanny's immediate screams following the discovery of the fire or her grandmother's anger over the situation. The night had been loud, angry and full of chaos.
She hadn't wanted to play once they'd returned to the penthouse…she hadn't wanted any pre-bed snacks.
"Brady Bunch is on," Max pointed out noticing the time, trying to think of anything to interest the girl. Some mindless 70 TV family time in which all problems were wrapped up in a half hour seemed like a good idea.
Brittany had shrugged her shoulders and followed them to the couch.
She sat alone just clutching the teddy Logan had given her months ago, its pink ribbon having long been in tatters.
Both adults looked anxiously between her, each other and the tv, both very out of the realm of their experience.
They both tried a few words, some meant to be obviously reassuring, others pointing out the facts (yes she'd been wrong to use the stove, but the nanny was the adult and she was supposed to have been watching her), some just plain meant to distract her.
The Brady Bunch came and went with just a few short answers, some squeaky replies and shrugs from the little girl in between them.
During The Partridge Family she'd crawled into Logan's lap.
Max had moved closer as Logan kissed the top of Brittany's head and they continued on with their attempts of distracting her.
Max smiled as she saw the little girl's eyes starting to shut and made a gesture to Logan
He smiled down.
"Hey sleepyhead," Max reached out a stroked a cubby cheek.
Brit squirmed a bit.
"Ready for bed?"
She bit her lip and her eyes grew worrisome once more, but she nodded.
So Logan had lifted her up and that was how they ended up here. "You got it," he smiled.
He leaned down and tucked in the edges of the sheet, "Tighter?" he asked.
Brit nodded.
You always wanted them tighter, he remembered as he did just that. He remembered what his mother smelled like leaning over him, lilacs…There were other things in her signature scent that an adult Logan might recognize, but the little child knew only lilacs.
Max was squatting in the corner rifling through the stack of books she'd grabbed off Brit's nightstand.
He caught sight of a white cover with an ink drawing; he remembered those books from when he was little.
A vague memory started to wash over him…
His mother perfectly done up. Formal evening wear, stones that distracted him as they reflected the light coming off of his cowboy themed lamp. Cowboys had been manly and therefore allowed by his father. She would be leaning forward, occasionally a long nail trimmed in white would stop and laugh and point at something or she'd ask a question.
His father arriving in the doorway, signaling his bedtime was near. One finger would be raised and his father's mouth would shut, he'd lean against the doorway either looking annoyed or pleased depending on his mood, but his mother's mood never changed. She'd continue with the story as before just now occasionally smiling at her husband.
"Oh," Max's small outburst pulled Logan out of the happy memory. "That is just wrong," Max said with an open mouth as she turned the book around. 'The Big O' the title read.
Logan laughed, "Uh, I don't think they meant it like that Max."
She shook her head, "Still wrong," she put the book down.
"Huh?" Brittany's small voice asked.
"Nothing Brit," Logan answered turning.
-o-o-o-
Logan was smiling as he heard Max's voice still in his ears 'Ickle me, Pickle me, Tickle me too…'
He was having a hard time focusing as he remembered how she looked as she giggled and faked seriousness as she read. They'd taken turns reading. Brittany had finally perked up for that, she hadn't wanted to read, but she always remembered when to tell them to switch.
He had fun doing the oddest things with Max.
Just like how he'd had fun months ago realizing Max like the Brady Bunch. She walked around and hummed and occasionally sung the theme song as he'd been trying to work.
She hadn't even realized she'd been doing it when he called her out on it.
"So seriously," Max said walking into the room and hopping up on her normal table, "this one is 'The Big O and the Missing Piece."
His chair swiveled to face her and she showed the book's cover.
"It's all about finding the perfect fit, I mean this circle's just rolling onto everything," she flipped through the pages.
Logan's head dropped down and he laughed with closed eyes. "Still don't think that's how he meant it," he looked up again and froze seeing her legs suddenly pulled up and crossed, her hair in her face as she looked at the book.
She looked up with glimmering eyes and smiled again…
He forced a smile upon his face and turned back, releasing his breath finally as he was confronted with the safety of the latest scandal.
-o-o-o-
Thump, thump, thump.
Only he would think running when he couldn't feel his legs was a good idea.
Logan was never one to do anything halfway and that went with his treadmill as well.
Bling repeatedly informed him, he could get the same cardio workout through walking quickly and holding on to the bar.
Logan didn't buy it. It was also part of Logan's retraining his body. Making it appear similar to how it had been. He was generally decently successful. Then again his own walk had been so long ago; even with her transfusion she was sure it had been stiffer than it had before. She had barely known him then. She liked his walk now; it didn't need to be anything else.
The treadmill and running though…Ugh!
He did things like this to give her a heart attack.
If his feet stumbled, he would fall. There was no correcting for something you couldn't feel its location. His arms would grab out, but it would always be so quick, sometimes he just couldn't find the bar in time. He'd received more than a few bruises trying to get it down. He actually had to go the hospital because of it once because Bling hadn't been sure his cheek bone hadn't been fractured on his first attempt at running while Bling had been out of the room, somehow forgetting leaving Logan unsupervised was well, like leaving Brittany alone with a stove.
Max had learned real quick and the hard way to not distract Logan at all while he was on the treadmill. It had been a miracle even for her, how fast she'd been able to move when he started to go down while sharing a joke OC had heard that day…
'Huh,' he said now sitting on the wooden floor leaning back in Max's arms as both of their hearts continued to race.
She braced herself for his reaction.
'Guess that wasn't such a good idea,' he said still slightly stunned.
Her mouth simply opened.
Then he started to laugh.
Another stunned moment from her before she started to laugh as well before helping him up.
It had been a sign of a changing Logan, one she was used to knowing now. An almost happy guy, she smirked.
He was oblivious to her however, kept his eyes trained on the wall ahead and humming along with the song playing on the radio in his head.
-o-o-o-
Working out after working had seemed like a sure fire way to get him ready for bed and only bed.
Once again though, he was wrong.
How was it possibly for this all to seem so common? He wondered.
Everyday and exhilarating, all at the same time.
How Max swooped into the bathroom as soon as she was sure he'd managed to get some clothing on.
Her complaining about how long he took as toweled off his hair.
Washing her face telling him to stay as he tried to go.
Brushing his teeth wearing only his boxers and a tee-shirt as Max talked to him.
How she looked wearing his boxers and a tee-shirt as she shut the drapes as he pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms.
How she'd laughed telling him they really weren't necessary.
"Interesting day," she said as she let her head hit the pillow as he was still sitting up.
"You're telling me, I had pretty scary flashback to my childhood before you got there."
"What happened?" she turned.
"My aunt had a moment where she thought I was responsible for Brit's actions," he faked shuddered.
She laughed, "How did Bennett fair when she found out it was him?"
"She hasn't done anything yet, but give her time," he laughed.
"So the black sheep has come to the rescue yet again?"
Logan laughed and hunkered down to her level, "Only rescuing I did was Brittany from my aunt. Having spent the rest of the week with her would have guaranteed some serious counseling."
She laughed again and scooted forward a bit.
"My family's insane," he said with his eyes briefly shutting.
"You're in good company," she smiled.
Work, exercise, cold shower…None of it worked.
"You must have done ninety to get there so fast," his voice grew lower.
A sheepish look passed her face.
God she was beautiful.
She gently bit her lower lip and continued to look slightly embarrassed.
He moved a bit closer, his hand was suddenly on her hip, her eyes grew wide…
Max's eyes suddenly darted away.
Shit what was he doing?
Then he heard it, footsteps padding down the hall quickly.
Lavender pajamas, a ponytail and a teddy bear all flew into his bed, in between him and Max, the teddy bear striking him in the head.
Max responded quicker than him and took the little girl in her arms as she the words started flying out of her mouth in a jumble, "Fire…Doll…Hate me…Didn't mean to…"
He quickly joined in comforting his niece as Max rocked her in her arms.
-o-o-o-
"Rise and shine," Max cheerfully ordered opening the blinds leaving Logan to grumble and turn away.
"Good morning to you too sunshine," she laughed.
He'd spent the majority of the night with a foot in his back, he was allowed to grumble. "Feed yourself," he muttered.
Another laugh, "Already did and Brit, remember the little girl you offered to take care of."
He turned back, "That was before I ended up with teddy bear fur in my mouth," he smacked his mouth a few times feeling the stray hairs.
"Yea well you've got to take her to school, unless you want me to take your car and you can be without it for the rest of the day."
Hmm that didn't sound like a good idea.
A short grunt.
"Thought you'd see things my way," she smiled. "You've got fifteen minutes," she said leaving the room to give him privacy.
He pulled a pillow quickly over his head, but resisted letting out a short scream. Morning Max was especially obnoxious today.
-o-o-o-
"Hi Max," Brittany came launching herself down the hall as Max walked up it arriving at his place after work.
"Hey there kiddo," Max swung her up for a hug. "Where's your uncle?" she asked continuing to walk
"Doing a puzzle."
A puzzle? "How was school?"
"Alright," she shrugged.
"You know what's for dinner?"
"Spaghetti cuz I asked for it," she smiled.
"Good thinking," Max nodded as she headed through the kitchen following the path she'd heard Brit's footsteps take.
Sure enough Logan was doing exactly what Brittany said he was doing, working on a puzzle at the dining room table as Brittany's workbooks were scattered at the other end.
"Hey Max," he looked up for only a brief moment before his head dropped back down to the puzzle spread out across more than half the table.
She chuckled softly as she watched him patiently moving pieces around the table sorting them to the side without blindly trying to put them together as most did.
He looked up. Almost innocently before he realized he'd been caught in the act. The act of what he wasn't exactly sure, but still. "It's slightly addictive," he admitted.
"It has too many pieces," Brittany sighed.
Max laughed, "I can see that," she dropped Brit back down in her chair and picked up the puzzle cover. "I've seen this place before," she said noticing the picture before seeing the words, 'Fisherman's Warf.'
" San Francisco," his attention already dropping back down to the puzzle.
"Didn't look anything like this last time I saw it," she said still studying the picture. The docks had shown their wear, the flowers were raggedy, signs were about to fall down and the biggest difference, the faces weren't smiling. " Logan."
He looked up.
She turned the box around, "This is for an ten year old."
"It was the youngest one they had," he defended. Then he shook his head, "That's just the suggested age," and went back to the puzzle.
"Suggested for a reason," she shook her head and sat down across from him.
"I did puzzles like this when I was Brittany's age," he said pulling more pieces towards him.
"Brittany isn't you," she pointed out and wondered if Logan wasn't really so dense to realize he had been slightly more advanced than most kids his age, she would have thought being two grades ahead of kids his age would have made that a little obvious. She wondered if his father was like this, for some reason she was assuming he was.
"Hey Brit," Logan said finally looking up. She looked over from the workbook she'd been coloring in the drawings instead of doing any exercises. "I think these are all the pieces for the sign," he pushed the pieces off to the side for her, she hopped up out of her chair and switched to the one next to him and started to study the pieces and knelt up on her knees to grab the box Max had put down.
Max shook her head as Logan went back to work on the edges, occasionally putting aside pieces that went together. Max gave up and started working on her corner.
-o-o-o-
"Don't leave me," Brittany pouted after Max finished dressing her a pink nightshirt with a picture of Tinkerbell on the front as she tried to leave to get out of her slightly damp shirt after Brittany's bath.
She held in the sigh.
Brit looked up with large eyes and held up her arms. Expecting Max to carry her, just like she expected Max to shampoo her hair, just like she'd tried to get Max and Logan to feed her at dinner time.
Brit had apparently gotten it into her head that you couldn't be mad at a baby, since everyone loved Nicky.
Max groaned a bit and lifted the little girl up; they were not equipped to handle things like this.
-o-o-o-
Her eyes blinked twice as he opened the door.
Standing there with a little girl resting on a hip, her nightdress riding up as her legs supported her a bit, aiding his arm only slightly, her arms wrapped around his neck, her head using his shoulder as a pillow and a teddy bear holding on only by a paw mostly hidden by his back.
And he seemed completely nonchalant about it.
"Hey there's the sleepyhead," Max smiled walking up to them. "Hey Asha," she paired the smile Asha knew was fake with a nod.
"Are you going to read me a story?" the little girl asked in a pleading voice as she was switched off between the adults.
"You got it…How about that meatball story?" Max asked as she walked away from them.
Logan smiled as his head turned following them.
"Cute kid," Asha said shifting the box in her arms.
"Oh," Logan said catching the movement from the corner of his eye, "let me get that." He made a move to grab the brown box.
She willingly released it. All the good guys were always taken, though apparently more taken than she had realized.
"Brit's got to be cute," Logan chuckled walking away, "according to Max there's too much Cale in her."
"I can't imagine that being a problem," Asha said following.
"I'm sure my cousin is going to think differently when she arrives home and sees half her kitchen has been destroyed." He put the box down on the table.
"Oh she's your cousin's daughter," she asked.
Logan's fingers paused opening the box and he turned, "You thought Brittany was my daughter?" he turned asking with a completely baffled face, he knew what her tone had implied.
"I didn't really know what to think," Asha admitted with a touch of embarrassment.
" Brittany's my goddaughter," he smiled with a shake as he went to rummage through the box.
-o-o-o-
"Where'd Asha go?" Max asked walking into the kitchen a quick story later.
"She left a file in the car," he turned from the fridge where he'd been trying to figure out snack while they worked.
Max jumped up on the counter, "When'd she get a car?"
"She borrowed it," Logan shut the door, food could wait.
"Oh," she nodded.
"Thought Brittany was my daughter," he said with a mixture of chagrin and amusement.
Max almost snorted.
Logan laughed, "Yea that was my reaction as well."
She just shook her head…The thought of Logan with Brittany on a daily basis…
"She go down okay?"
Max nodded, "She said she'd sleep in her own bed tonight."
"Thank you," Logan replied honestly. Something about a 32 year old man sleeping with a 6 year old girl…Definitely sounded rather wrong. Then again maybe a 32 year old, with a 20 year old and a 6 year old was even worse.
"Sure you don't need me to stay?" she asked. She'd promised Original Cindy she'd be at Crash as soon as she got Brittany to bed after a huge blow up with Trix. There was a good chance Max would be carrying her home tonight and probably even a better chance she'd been cleaning their bathroom tomorrow. Relationships…Honestly why did they bother…
"I'm fine," he walked in front of her to look her in the eyes with that promise.
Logan laughed again, "You've got something in your hair." His fingers went to a curl, brushing her cheek in the process, sending shivers mentally through her. He leaned in with a frown and stepped in a bit as he couldn't detangle it.
She stopped breathing.
He smiled finally coming up victorious and then frowned looking at it.
" Brittany's bath confetti," Max replied with a chuckle and moved to take it out of his fingers.
She had no idea how it happened, neither did he.
His hand drew her in as his eyes locked her to him…the hand that had been going to remove the bits of pink left in the dark hair and had apparently gotten confused on its intent and acted on its own.
They both forgot to think.
Her head tilted up on its own even though his hand was doing it for her.
She licked her bottom lip as she left out a short breath of a laugh.
He was leaning down as she was pushing up.
His lips caught her lower one for a brief tease.
Her mouth immediately opened, like his seeking more. Wanting more, needing more.
His hand tightened and pulled her in closer.
A hand of hers went out seeking as well as the other pushed her up on the counter.
They had no idea how idea how long they stayed like that. One of them moaned, then again maybe they both did.
Neither took in anything concrete.
The door opened, but they didn't hear it. They also didn't hear the footsteps. "Hey Logan think you can make some coffee?"
Logan stepped back, Max dropped down as they both looked over like teenagers about to be caught by their parents.
Logan looked back at Max with a stunned look.
"I gotta go meet OC before she does something stupid," she said with a quick nod and hopped down. "Call me if you have a problem?"
He nodded, "I'll talk to you later."