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Partially edited.
Chapter Ten
Baseball and Magical Carpet Rides
Alexis came out of the bathroom to find Sam rummaging through her fairly large walk-in closet.
- "Sam, what are you doing in my closet?"
Sam stopped searching for an outfit.
- "Clearly you're not going to dinner in your towel, Mom."
Alexis rolled her eyes at her daughter before searching through her drawers for her underwear. She grabbed what she needed and walked back into her room.
- "I think I'm more than capable of finding my clothes without any help honey; I've been doing it for years!"
Sam continued her search until she found something that might work.
- "Well, clearly it's worked well for you; I mean, look at you, married with three beautiful daughters!"
- "Thanks honey."
Sam poked her head out of the closet.
- "Mom, I'm serious! You need to loosen up a bit! There are like only suits in here!"
Alexis blushed; she was partially dressed when Sam stuck her head out.
- "Do you mind?"
Sam rolled her eyes.
- "Mom, relax."
Alexis' face burned. She grabbed her towel and wrapped it around herself before stepping into the closet with her daughter. Sam looked at her.
- "You know, you're too self-conscious about your body."
Alexis scoffed.
- "I am NOT."
Sam stared at her mother.
- "Seriously? You've got to be joking. You just turned all shades of red—"
- "I wasn't dressed!"
- "SO? I'm a woman, and not to mention your daughter. You've got nothing I haven't seen before."
Alexis had always admired Sam's carefree attitude in regard to her body. While she certainly did not care for the way her daughter had dressed in the past, over the years, Sam's clothing choices had become less revealing but still imbued a subtle sexuality to them.
- "I'm not as young as I used to be—"
Sam could not believe her ears.
- "Mom, you're 45 and you look great! You're not the toothless old woman you were ranting about yesterday! It's because you're overly self-conscious that you let yourself get so embarrassed with Mac—"
- "No, no, honey; THAT was different!"
Sam pursed her lips.
- "How so?"
- "Well, for starters, I woke up naked with him, and I didn't know what the hell happened the night before. And then when he saw me, he acted like I threw acid in his eyes! He was clearly disgusted."
Sam nodded her head.
- "Okay, fine, you have a point there, but I still think you need to loosen up and embrace your sexuality."
Alexis frowned.
- "Hey! I embrace my sexuality!"
- "Really? Because I'm not talking about—"
Alexis smacked her daughter's arm.
- "You know way more about me than I like!"
Sam laughed.
- "Mom, we're close and you're a talker! And even if you didn't say anything to me, those long droughts you have, are a clear indication. I mean, let's talk about a high risk of brush fires! There's obviously a reason for your cranky mood one hour, and then your sunny demeanor the next—"
Alexis pointed her finger at her daughter.
- "Are you done? Because let me tell you, Samantha, if I've got the Gobi desert, as you claim, Noah is definitely floating around with his arc around you—"
Sam grinned largely; Alexis put her hand up.
- "I don't care about the size of the arc."
- "FINE! But I think you should accept the fact that you're a sexy woman."
Alexis tightened her towel around her; she began to look through her clothes.
- "Honey, I do! I dress in skirts and dresses a lot."
Sam twirled her fingers in the air.
- "Well whooptidoo, Mom! Look, I'm not saying that you should dress with your cleavage hanging out, but you know, embrace yourself! On your days off, stop walking around in those designer power suits! Let's get you into designer jeans and really nice tops that are still in your style but more… sensual!"
Alexis looked almost hurt.
- "You don't like the way I dress?"
Sam sighed.
- "Mom, I think you look great all of the time, but what you don't have to always be so formal! I mean, if you have to be, at least add a flair of something to it!"
Alexis smiled slightly.
- "I guess I can't help myself! I mean, as much as I try to hide from it, I suppose it's the Cassidine in me?"
Sam made a face at her mother.
Alexis understood what her daughter was telling her.
- "I need to loosen up."
Sam nodded her head.
- "You need to loosen up. And I think pole dancing will help you with that—"
She shook her head at her daughter.
- "I'm not taking pole dancing lessons, Sam."
Sam crossed her arms in front of her chest.
- "Why NOT?"
- "Because it's not me."
- "That's the point! Step outside of the box! You'll be surprised how loose you get! It's a workout! And let me tell you, it helps with flexibility."
Alexis made a face.
- "Sam—"
- "Mom, come on! Baseball hasn't been in season for you in quite some time! It's time to open up the batting cage!"
Alexis mouth fell open.
- "Sam, I really don't want to have this conversation with you right now—"
She smiled at her mother.
- "Will you at least promise me that you'll think about it?"
Alexis put her two fingers up in scout fashion.
- "I promise I'll think about it."
- "That's all I ask."
Sam picked out a black pencil skirt, a white collared top, and red pumps.
- "Here you go. I'm actually shocked you own red pumps."
She frowned at her daughter.
- "Why?"
- "I don't know; I've never seen them before."
Alexis looked at her Nina Larente pumps; Kate had given them to her.
- "I never wore them before."
It was Sam's turn to frown.
- "Why not?"
Alexis shrugged.
- "I don't know! I guess I never thought of anything to wear with them."
Sam shook her head and grabbed a red clutch to go with the shoes.
- "Mom, you have so many things in here that you could add to your wardrobe to step outside of the box."
- "Well, I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be stepping too much outside of the box."
Sam smiled.
- "Fine, like maybe we can get you peaking out instead."
Alexis took the clothes from her daughter and put them on her bed; she liked the way they looked already. She turned back to look at Sam who was now searching through her jewelry box looking for accessories. She took in her daughter's style. Several years prior, Sam wore short skirts, and revealing tops, which cheapened her good looks; now as she stared at her beautiful daughter dressed in a pair of jeans, heels, and a nice covering top which revealed a hint of her shoulder, Alexis could not help to think that perhaps she had had some influence on her daughter's improved style.
Sam pulled out a pair of chandelier earrings with accents of black and red, along with a simple matching necklace and bracelet.
- "Here you go."
Alexis smiled at the completed ensemble her daughter had chosen for her.
- "This looks great honey, thank you."
Sam smiled back her mother.
- "You're welcome!"
- "Now, go get yourself together for dinner."
Sam began walking out of the room before she stopped in her spot.
- "I think right here would be the PERFECT spot for a pole!"
Alexis pointed to the door.
- "GO GET DRESSED SAM!"
Robin and Mac returned to the house to find Maxie already there waiting.
- "That was quick, Maxie! You found something for Uncle Mac, already?"
Maxie smiled coyly.
- "You bet I did! Daddy, before I send you to your room, might I say your hair looks ten times better than it did before!"
Mac sighed at his daughter's back-handed compliment.
- "Gee thanks."
Maxis nodded her head.
- "No problem! And while I was at it, I picked out something cute for Robin to wear, too."
Robin suspiciously eyed her cousin.
- "Thank you."
- "No problem!"
Mac went up the stairs to quickly shower and change into the attire chosen for him. He was not sure what the big deal about dinner was, but doing as his daughter asked sometimes was easier than fighting her on something she had her mind set on.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Robin grabbed Maxie by the arm.
- "Weren't you the one who, less than an hour ago, complained about having to buy Uncle Mac's clothes?"
- "Yea, so?"
- "So, why the hell did you buy me anything?"
Maxie waved her hand nonchalantly.
- "Oh, I memorized Mac's bank account number years ago! Don't worry, I bought something for me too!"
Robin shook her head at her cousin.
- "I don't want this, you can take it back, thief. I'm already dressed for dinner."
Maxie scoffed.
- "You are so not ready for dinner! What about the paparazzi?"
Robin put both hands on her cousin's shoulders. She looked her right in the eyes.
- "Maxie, this is Port Charles. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but you're being delusional. There are no paparazzi here, and even if there were, they wouldn't be running to take pictures of you."
Maxie moved Robin's hands from her shoulders.
- "Dream killer."
Maxie went upstairs to get ready for dinner.
Approximately twenty-five minutes later, Mac came down in a beautiful grey suit, matched with a light purple shirt, and striped purple tie.
- "Well, I must say that your cousin has great taste; this suit is really nice."
Robin smiled at how handsome her uncle looked. She nodded her head and mumbled under her breath,
- "I would hope so; it was on your dime."
Sam and Alexis arrived at the restaurant a few minutes before eight; unfortunately, it was a bit packed.
- "You have reservations, right honey?"
Sam looked around anxiously; she had not realized that her mother was talking to her.
- "Sam?"
She continued to watch the crowd to see if Maxie had arrived yet; she was completely oblivious to the fact that her mother had said anything to her. Alexis, who knew that her daughter was up to something, waved her hand in front of her face.
- "Okay, what are you up to?"
- "Huh? I'm not up to anything."
Alexis crossed her arms.
- "You're looking for someone."
Sam scoffed.
- "I am not—"
The hostess returned to the podium to seat them.
- "Good evening, do you have a reservation?"
Sam smiled at her mother.
- "Yes, under McCall."
The hostess nodded her head.
- "Right this way! The Jones reservation has not yet arrived."
Sam reddened as Alexis grabbed her arm.
- "What did she mean by the Jones reservation?"
- "I have no idea, Mom. I think she might be confusing our reservation with someone else's."
Alexis was not convinced, but continued to walk to the table. When the hostess seated them and left, Alexis leaned forward and hissed at her daughter.
- "This had better not be a set-up for Mac and me!"
Sam looked at the menu, avoiding her mother's glare. Alexis, growing frustrated with her daughter's avoidance, smacked her hand on the table at Sam's place. She looked around to ensure that no one around them was watching.
- "You listen to me, Samantha McCall—"
Sam closed her menu and unwillingly looked at her mother.
- "Mom—"
Alexis accusatorily pointed her finger at her daughter.
- "Is that why you forced me to get… a wax?"
Sam shrugged her shoulders.
- "Look, I figured that it wouldn't hurt if you were fresh and prepared if in case we, you know, found a man to ride your magical carpet."
Alexis under normal circumstances would have probably laughed, but considering the fact that she was in the midst of an ambush, she was not pleased.
- "This is not the time for your sick jokes, Samantha. Besides, thanks to Helga, it's more like my magical fiberless carpet!"
Sam laughed aloud.
- "That was a good one, Mom!"
- "This isn't funny! You already know how annoyed I am with Mac—"
- "PLEASE, Mom! You and Mac like each other! My goodness, when he came by the other day, if I hadn't been in the living room with you two, it would have probably been a wild kingdom in there!"
Alexis glared at her daughter.
- "I cannot believe you did this—"
As she stood up to leave, Maxie, Robin, and a very shocked Mac, approached; it appeared that their table was right beside Sam and Alexis'.
Maxie smiled amusingly at Alexis, disregarding Sam's partially pained and anxious face.
- "Oh, Alexis, you didn't have to stand up for us! But, I must say that people are right when they say that, although crazy, the Cassidines have impeccable manners!"
Alexis' eyes shot daggers at the girl, while Robin glanced apologetically at the woman. Mac, on the other hand, while agitated by the real reason behind this family dinner, was in awe of Alexis. He was highly turned on by her look. He loved the sight of her long legs, and the form fitting skirt she wore. The shirt she wore was also quite fitting, and tastefully revealing. While he knew nothing about jewelry, he certainly loved the classiness of the chosen accessories. He was so enamored by the obviously incensed woman that a thump heard from his side of the table, would not have been shocking.
- "Hi, Lex."
He tripped a bit as he went to sit beside her.
Alexis smiled politely at her friend, while giving her daughter, who was grinning like a Cheshire cat with her friend beside her, a swift kick underneath the table.
- "Hi Mac. It looks like our daughters were co-conspirators."
Sam winced in pain, while Maxie look innocently smiled.
- "I have no idea what you're talking about, Alexis! It just so happens that this is a brand new—"
Alexis finished the girl's sentence for her.
- "Restaurant that you have been dying to try?"
Maxie nodded.
- "As a matter of fact, that's right."
Robin shook her head.
- "I'm really sorry about this Uncle Mac and Alexis, I was coerced into this—"
Mac put his hand up understandingly.
- "I knew something was up and I had a feeling that whatever it was, you were not willingly involved. Maxie, on the other hand, has her whole hand in this mess—"
Sam rubbed her bruised leg while she interjected.
- "I'm sorry, but I wouldn't call this a mess… Mom, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a nasty bruise on my leg!"
Alexis continued to glare at her daughter.
- "You're lucky that's the only place you have a bruise right now, Samantha."
Sam's eyes widened.
- "Mom, seriously, I'm a bit too old—"
Alexis hissed at her daughter.
- "Consider it a retroactive payment for the years you weren't with me."
Maxie waved her hands.
- "Okay, I don't think it makes much sense for us all to sit here and argue back and forth and try to place the blame on any innocent party—"
Sam interrupted her friend.
- "Maxie, it's over."
The girl pouted.
- "Oh well! We're here anyway, and—"
Her cell phone began to buzz.
- "Oh dear, looks like Fusion is calling!"
Mac reached across the table and grabbed the phone from his daughter's hand; he picked it up.
- "Lulu, do not call Maxie again for the rest of the night. Whatever supposed problem is going on at Fusion at this time of night, I'm sure that you're more than capable of taking care of it yourself. Maxie is a bit indisposed at the moment with other problems she's managed to manufacture for herself."
He hung up the phone, and put it into his pocket. Maxie frowned at her father.
- "I object to that!"
Alexis shook her head.
- "Overruled."
Robin's pager went off.
- "Um, well, as much as I would like to be involved in this whole shindig, I actually DO have to go."
She leaned over and gave her uncle a kiss on the cheek and whispered in his ear.
- "Again, I'm really sorry about this Uncle Mac. Make the best of this, okay? I know that you like her."
Mac reddened.
- "Bye honey."
Robin waved to everyone and left for home; she had had Patrick page her.
Alexis raised her eyebrow at her daughter.
- "Don't think that you're leaving either."
She held her hand out. Sam sighed and handed her mother her car keys without an argument.
- "And—"
She frowned.
- "And what?"
- "Sam."
- "Mom."
- "Samantha."
Sam reached in her other pocket and pulled out the spare key. Alexis put them both in her purse. She then stuck her hand out again. Sam was now truly confused.
- "Mom, I gave you both sets of keys."
- "I want your cell too."
- "Whoa, why?"
Alexis kept her hand out.
- "Samantha, your phone."
Maxie started laughing at her friend causing Mac to snap her back to reality.
- "I really don't know why you're laughing, Maxie; I've got your cell phone, and you drove here with me."
Maxie immediately stopped laughing as she realized the truth in the matter; she was stuck. Sam shook her head and handed her phone over to her mother.
- "Looks like a match made in heaven."
Maxie rolled her eyes.
- "Tell me about it."
Alexis and Mac smiled at each other while their daughters sat agitated that their plan had backfired.
A man who had been watching the scene unfold stood up and approached the table.
- "Alexandra?"
Alexis who had taken a sip from her drink, nearly choked at the sight of him.