The Safehouse
Max knocked on the front door as Milo held the bag with containers of Chinese food and a bottle of scotch.
"Max, Milo. This is a surprise," Charles said when he answered the door.
"It's been a while since we showed up at your door with take out and scotch," Max said.
"We thought why not tonight?" Milo said.
"Come on in," Charles invited them inside.
After dinner, Charles, Max, and Milo sat down in the living room with their scotch.
"Let's hear it boys," Charles said.
"Hear what?" Max asked
"Whatever you and Milo keep look at each other about when you think I'm not looking," Charles answered.
"I told you he'd figure out we showed up for other reasons," Milo said.
"If you hadn't been looking at me to bring up the subject," Max said.
"Boys," Charles interjected sternly.
"This was your idea," Milo said to Max.
"Our idea," Max said, glaring at Milo and sighed before continuing, "We just wanted to check on you. See how you were doing after everything."
Charles looked at Max unconvinced.
"Was there any specific reason that prompted this," Charles asked.
"We heard something about an incident with Mr. C outside Kelly's," Milo said, hesitantly.
"We just wanted to see for ourselves you were okay," Max said, "There weren't a lot of details other than Yuri and Taggert stopped him."
"I'm perfectly fine as you can see," Charles said, "It was nothing more than Sonny being Sonny demanding things be his way when it's just not going to happen. I'm curious how did you two hear about the incident."
"I heard about it from Jason," Max said, "Who heard it from Kellie."
Charles groaned.
"I didn't want Kellie to be involved in this," Charles said, "Has she done anything other than talk to Jason about it?"
"After picking the kids up at the Quartermaine's, Kellie went straight to Sonny's," Milo said, "Uncle Charles, whatever fight she and Sonny had was coming regardless of Sonny going after you or not."
"I certainly didn't want to help add to it," Charles said.
"You didn't," Milo said, "There's one thing any of us can be sure of when Mr. C. and Kellie are at odds. He will find a way to make it worse. That's on him."
"If it makes you feel better," Max said, "I got the impression Kellie said what she needed to say to Sonny and really doesn't plan on speaking to him willingly going forward. After you died on the island or we thought you did, that's pretty much business as usual between Kellie and Sonny these days."
"Even with Sonny's occasional attempts to talk to her," Milo said, "It's had fairly quiet between them until recently."
Charles took a drink, pondering the situation.
"Uncle Charles, I know you worry about Kellie's relationship with Sonny," Max said, "Is it ideal that things kind of work because she stopped trying with Sonny? Is it what anyone wanted for them? No, but I have to admit whatever she's been doing differently has worked for her peace of mind."
"Yeah, I've lost some bets on what I thought were sure fights between them," Milo said.
"You boys still take bets on that," Charles replied, stifling a laugh and shaking his head.
"It's tradition by now, I guess," Max shrugged, "But the point is Kellie really is the most okay I've ever seen her when it comes to how things are between her and Sonny."
Charles thought about what Max said for a moment.
"She has seemed more settled so speak," Charles said, "Even with everything that's gone on recently. "
For the next few moments, no one said anything.
"But who told Kellie about Sonny approaching me," Charles, "If she left for Sonny's directly from the Quartermaines, she had to have found out there. Monica and Yuri were the only ones who knew. Monica wouldn't say anything and Kellie wouldn't have had any reason to speak to Yuri."
"Unless she saw you leaving when she and Jason went to pick up the kids," Milo said, "And might have wanted to scope out the security situation at the Quartermaines if you're going to be spending more time there."
"Yuri thought Kellie had already heard about Sonny and that was what she wanted to talk to him about," Max said.
"Kellie didn't need to do that," Charles replied, "I didn't intend to spend the night. It just happened."
"Uncle Charles, if Kellie didn't scope out the security, we would," Max said.
"And what you and Dr. Quartermaine do, intentionally or unintentionally is your business," Milo said, "However, I want to add if you and Dr. Quartermaine decided to…."
Milo stopped mid-sentence as Charles gave him a look.
"I'm going to get a refill," Milo said, getting up.
"Just bring the bottle in here," Max said as Milo left the room.
Max turned his attention to Charles.
"There's one thing that bothers me," Max said, "Kellie hasn't been in touch with you since the Quartermaines."
"There were a brief call earlier today," Charles said, "But she didn't mention anything about Sonny. Probably because she either didn't want to worry me or didn't want me to know she'd gotten involved beyond knowing there was an encounter with Sonny."
"That makes sense," Max said as Milo came back into the room with the bottle of scotch. Milo refilled everyone's drinks as Max took out his phone.
Max set his phone down on the coffee table and hit play and the first notes of Jimmy Buffett's "One Particular Harbor" played.
"Please tell me you only found the records," Charles said.
"We found the pictures of you in the parrot hat," Milo said.
"Please tell me you burned them," Charles said.
"Of course not," Max said, "I think Kelsey has the parrot hat on one of her stuffed animals."