Chapter 3 – Did anyone order a pizza?

Smiling at herself in the mirror, Maxie grinned at her reflection, she felt pretty good about this plan of hers, plus she didn’t look too bad with red hair. Now all she had to do was convince Spinelli that her idea was a perfect way of allowing them to see other without the fuss of danger. Speaking out loud the adrenaline was getting to her, and she felt so smart, almost ready to write a book “How to date a Mobster,” yes indeed it would be an instant hit.

Checking once more, she grabbed her bag and carefully and quietly snuck out the window. Luckily for her, she had plenty of practice with this since her high school days, and some things are like riding a bike, impossible to forget. Once reaching the driveway she carefully waited for a car to come down the street so she could start up her car with a mixture of noise. Even though her Dad was at work, that doctor still occupied their house, and she just knew he would be a snitch if he heard any strange noises. So with that, she was on her way.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked softly on the door holding a pizza in her hand. She had tried to make something, but cooking wasn’t her specialty, so she opted for a simple favorite and she knew Spinelli was a fan of pizza.

Waiting a few seconds she was delighted when Spinelli’s face appeared on the other side of the door. She stood there and couldn’t help the smile that formed on her face, granted it had only been a week, but the sight in front of her filled her world with such happiness and she couldn’t help but relish in it.

She watched him stare at her for a second, then heard him exclaim “Maximista?” it sounded like an excited question, of almost a little boy who was opening up a train set for Christmas that he honestly didn’t think he was going to get or deserve but there wrapped in a pretty bow and Christmas paper was a box of beauty.

“Are you going to invite me in or what?” She smacked on a piece of gum, very much enjoying the whole disguise bit she had masterminded up with a little help from Sam and a pop princess.

“The Jackal fears Maximista is most confused” Pausing he stood there, he wondered what was going through her mind, and where she got that getup. She stood there in a red wig that touched her shoulders, a white long-sleeved button shirt, black pants, suspenders, and black-rimmed glasses. Plus, she had pizza.

“I’m not confused at all” with a smile she walked past him and placed the pizza box on the desk by the door. She turned to Spinelli and whispered in his ear “you might want to close the door.”

Her whispers and intoxicating scent sent him into a whole new mode, it had seemed like so long since she was that close to him, and he figured she was already in, so he would let her just stay a few minutes.

Hearing footsteps from the kitchen Spinelli saw Jason walk towards the stairs then did a double take when he saw a red headed figured standing in his living room. He squinted to look at her and then he heard her speak “You like?”

He thought that’s who it was, man those two were unpredictable “I’m not even going to ask” walking up the stairs he nodded his head to himself “I don’t even want to know, I don’t even want to know.”

Maxie went to sit down on the couch and made herself comfortable as Spinelli quickly followed, yet still standing. “Maximista, it is far too dangerous for your precious frame to be in the vicinity of the Jackal and Stone Cold, you must leave at once.”

“Look Spinelli, there is no need to panic, I figured this all out” smiling she just knew she could convince, him, she just knew it. They were great at disguises. She had learned quite a bit from the Jackal P.I. “Sam reminded me of how good I am at sneaking out of the house and then I just figured if it’s too dangerous for me to be around you, I can just be somebody else, no harm, and simple as pie.”

“Maximista, the Jackal fears you have not thought this through” he watched her arrange the pillows on the sofa and make herself even more comfortable, his thoughts flashed to that night when he reached nirvana on that very same couch, but he knew now wasn’t the time for sweet, sweet memories. “The darkness that looms will now target someone with deep red locks.”

“See I already thought about that too, that’s why I borrowed many different colors and styles of wigs” she smiled and shrugged her shoulders “I can be whoever you want me to be.”

“The Jackal desires no one but the Fair Maximista” he was about to continue on, but she interrupted him as she stood up.

“Like I said, it’s foolproof. I know Mac’s schedule, so as long as I’m home when he gets home from work, and when he leaves for work, there are no issues at all. None that I can think of anyway, so we’re golden.” Walking over to the kitchen she grabbed a couple of plates and walked back into the living room. Noticing, Spinelli standing there slightly, stunned, maybe confused she walked to the pizza box and opened the box “so do you want some pizza or what?”

Groaning and doing a spin around himself, he worried, he worried this plan would falter, but if they were careful, maybe nobody would notice. She said it was foolproof, so maybe he could give it a chance, he sure did love having her back in the penthouse and back in his life. He had worn out the number four button on his phone replaying her voice messages just to get a glimpse of her. Walking over to the pizza, he decided to just give in and eat dinner with the most beautiful person in his world.

Once Spinelli reached her, she threw her arms around him like he had all she had ever needed in the world. All that she needed that she had managed to get back. Then pulling out of his embrace she slapped him on the shoulder “that’s for kicking me out” he slightly hunched at her words, knowing that he had hurt her last week, then she continued “and for being the best friend I’ve ever had.”

Grabbing her plate and a slice a pizza she walked over to the couch and waited for Spinelli to follow. She looked around and appreciated everything about the penthouse even more. The walls, the floor, the couch, the fireplace, the pool table, everything about this place was magic. Magic because it was where she could spend time with him.

She took off her wig as she watched him grab a couple slices of pizza and make his way toward her, he saw her blonde locks return so he picked up the red wig off the table “The Jackal wonders how this adventurous and most profound idea came into the Fair Maximista’s mind?”

“Britney Spears if you would believe it. I went to Sam’s for advice and she talked about sneaking out and men’s weakness for food” pointing to the pizza in his hand “hence the dinner and then as I was driving home, womanizer came on the radio and she just, she just spoke to me.” Maxie couldn’t help but laugh.

“Well the Jackal is most appreciative to the dancing diva and the fair Samantha.” Smiling he still wasn’t quite convinced that this was the greatest plan, in truth some of their plans before had landed them in sewers and padded rooms, but at the moment he didn’t care. All he knew was she was sitting next to him sharing a pizza and brightening his life all over again.

As Maxie finished eating she turned to Spinelli “You know Spinelli, I’ve never known anyone like you. And I didn’t think I would ever have somebody in my life who accepted me without judgment without having to” she looked down at her hands as he starred at her, being the great listener that he always was “and I know sometimes I don’t deserve people like you in my life, but I’m so glad that I’ve got them, because those moments without you and thinking that we couldn’t be together, my life just felt”

“Empty” he finished her wording and she met his gaze again. And he saw her, he saw the Maxie that ripped into his words, gave him feelings he never dreamed he would have, and gave him a reason to be somebody other than the “loyal grasshopper” she gave him himself.

“Yeah empty.” She gave him another smile, she seemed to be smiling quite a bit, probably making up for the past week, and then they carried on. They carried on as if the only thing that mattered was in those penthouse walls and they forgot about all the reasons why they shouldn’t be together and cherished every reason why they were.

After a little while Maxie checked the time and realized it was getting late, and she had to leave. Putting her wig back on she started to get her things together “Is it already time for Maximista to leave?”

“Yeah, I spent too much time creating my alias, but next time I will be much quicker.” Smiling she turned to him “does everything look okay?”

“Everything” pausing he smiled “is the essence of perfection.”

“Aww thanks Spinelli” running back over to him she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and he longed for her to linger.

“If you don’t mind the Jackal questioning when does Maximista think she will be gracing the penthouse with her presence?” He asked with hope that her answer was soon, very soon.

“Tomorrow?” it seemed like partly a question and partly a statement, but a great answer to his question nonetheless.

“Tomorrow’s great” the little boy with the train was back again, and she loved to feel the Spinelli she last saw a week ago had allowed that cloud to lift and resumed his eager personality full of optimism. Yup, she was in complete agreeance with this idea of hers, it was working like a charm, an absolute charm.