Chapter 2: What I Do For Love.

The sound of fingernails rhymically taping on top of a table had never bothered Spinelli before. But something about the intensity at which they tapped and the fact that these particular fingernails belonged to Maxie triggered a lump of anger to form at the base of his throat. The silence between them had always been something cherished and easy but these past thirty minutes had been painful and riddled with discomfort. The only thing Spinelli could think to do was to put a stop to the one sound that had allowed him to concentrate on something other than the fact that he and the one time love of his life would no longer speak after their mission. “If the bad blonde one finds it necessary to continue to make noise might the Jackal suggest it be done in a more rhythmic and docile tone.”

“If I’m making too much noise I guess there’s two options. You can either fill me in on the details of what we’re supposed to be doing, which would require you to actually speak to me or you can leave because no one is forcing you to sit next to me.”

Never one to give into a request Maxie continued to tap, finding new and more annoying ways to do so. And then a brief pause, “I’m waiting Spinelli…” Maxie turned her head long enough to keep his eyes locked on hers. No chance of wandering and no hope of moving to scan the room or search for an unseen sight that might move into his view. She felt the intensity build, as did he, but what should’ve been could no longer be as Spinelli exited the gaze. Her heart dropped, it was the first time in years she felt actual pain that deep inside of her chest. Feeling defeated Maxie gathered her green crocodile clutch and turned to leave but in that moment a brief memory of Spinelli’s persistence in aiding her attempt to create the December issue of Crimson and failing miserably yet continuing in search of understanding the subtle art, and difference, among handbags fluttered into her consciousness. While most would shake this moment off as insignificant Maxie saw nothing but significance. It was a small moment, yes, but it was an image of Spinelli that she fell in love with and couldn’t remove from her mind.

“You know the Bad Blonde One would’ve left and done something stupid by now.” Her candid words caught Spinelli off guard enough to once again be lured into her gaze as he spoke, “and your point is?” Maxie smirked as she responded and placed herself securely back into her bar side seat, “I’m still here.”

It was the first time in weeks they had shared a truly honest exchange and while nothing was solved it allowed them to shift the conversation away from them and towards the task Spinelli began to share with Maxie. “Fair Samantha needs us to determine whether it is at all possible that the philandering Mayor was not responsible for the untimely passing of his recently deceased mistress.” Without realizing it Maxie leaned into Spinelli as she inquired, “Ok but how are we going to do that exactly? I mean I can get Mayor Floyd alone and talk to him until his face turns blue but I’m pretty sure the conversation isn’t going to turn into a confession.” Spinelli laughed as he reached into his pocket and waved a small yet seemingly powerful device in his hand in the shape of a pen. “Fear not the Jackal is prepared for such occasions.” Maxie’s look of interest sent chills across Spinelli’s body.

While handing over the device and slightly grazed her hand continuing the affect her peak of curiosity started within him. Smiling, Maxie continued, “See you never fail to amaze me.” She let her hand rest on his longer than she knew she should have but without regret as the exchange from his hand to hers was complete. “The pen is actually…” Before Spinelli finished his explanation Maxie cut in with one of her own, “It’s a listening device. It’s inside the pen.” She smiled and unscrewed the writing utensil to expose a small wire. The discovery produced a moment of show and tell.

“Now this is something I can work with. I just need to get close enough to Mayor Floyd and slip it into his pocket or somewhere that will maximize the feed and pick up his voice.” Maxie never claimed to understand everything Spinelli said or used in his P.I. business but she understood him and her remarks about the tracking device communicated that. Stunned by her seemingly in-depth technical knowledge Spinelli wanted to kiss her but he knew that it would go against the boundary he had placed between them and they would be no better off for it. Instead he spoke, he used what he knew best…his words, “How…I’m wow…I didn’t realize you listened without the Jackal having to assuage you” Maxie took the opportunity to answer and fill in the blanks, “You may not realize it but I listen to everything you say. Yes, I admit I am usually catching up on Vogue while you’re talking but that doesn’t mean I don’t hear what you have to say.”

Maxie shifted her focus from Spinelli down to the small device hoping to lighten the mood the conversation had just taken again. Would it be possible for the two of them to simply sit? The answer was increasingly becoming a clear no. Their lives had been too entangled, every thought, action or event that could be referenced included each other and most often brought up the happiness that once characterized their lives.

As if Mayor Floyd had felt the awkwardness, he entered the room and was met with a sea of applause by those attending the fundraiser. Spinelli glanced at Maxie who returned the look as the Mayor began to address his guests, “Thank you all for coming. The hard work and contributions of everyone in this room has made this campaign a success but no number of successes can overshadow the death of a colleague. Brianna Hughes was a hard worker, an intelligent individual but more than that she was a friend. Words cannot describe how saddened I am by her untimely death but I know she would have wanted this campaign she put her heart and soul into to continue. We owe it to Brianna to win this race and make Port Charles a safe and welcoming place to live and govern. Thank you all again. We’ve got wine and food so please continue to mingle and I look forward to you greeting you all next week as Mayor.” The surge of applause began again but neither Maxie nor Spinelli focused on the Mayor’s positive reception.

Maxie played with the surveillance device running the smooth casing across her palm waiting for the right time to make the move. “Should the Jackal overview the common ways associated with retrieving the necessary information from this particularly small auditory device?” He reached down to grab her hand but she leapt out of her seat before the contact could be made. Spinelli was living on these moments of contact to keep him sane, to keep him from imploding but despite the soothing effect she had on him he could no longer take the chance that Maxie returned this feeling and so he remained guarded in his efforts. “Usually I would take you up on that offer but I think I know what I need to do Spinelli. Wish me luck?” She smirked and bit her lip as she awaited his reply, “You don’t need that from me. You never have.” A lump formed in her throat forcing her to pause for a moment before she could respond, “You’re right I don’t and never will.” If there was one thing Maxie was more capable of than Spinelli it was the sting of having the final word. There was a brief moment while walking towards her intended target where she wished she had gone back and apologized but what good would it have done?

Maxie found a large stone pillar directly outside of the hall in the Metrocourt to take some of the weight off of her heavy heart. She closed her eyes and took in the sounds of useless chatter and the hopes of political prestige while she tried to find the strength to complete the mission at hand. “You that bored that you can’t even keep your eyes open for one of these things?” The choice was there, open your eyes or continue to ignore the mysterious presence. Maxie was never one to ignore a conversation and with that cue she looked directly into the brown eyes of the dark shadow they belonged to. “I wish that was all it was.” Maxie found no need to keep her eyes open but the man continued to pursue the conversation, “Are we just going to pretend this conversation isn’t happening? I mean it is on my end, which is ok I can go on like this for ages…” “Why are you concerned about why I’m standing out here?” Maxie side with a puzzled and irritated voice. “Well, aside from the fact that you are a beautiful blonde, you looked upset or sick so I thought I’d be a gentleman and check to see if you needed any help.”

“Wow,” Maxie said sarcastically, “how sweet. I’m fine thanks. I mean I’m not really fine but for your inquiring mind I am.” Usually at this point in a conversation Maxie would have a good grasp of whom she was speaking with but this man was not registering. He was too polite yet it was clear he was not completely upfront with his reasons for being in the area. Maxie continued to treat his words with silence only speaking when absolutely necessary.

“Dominic Perelli nice to meet you,” Dominic extended his hand waiting for Maxie’s to complete the formality. Unfortunately Maxie was not in the meet-n-greet mood. “And you are…angry? Contemplative? Worried….” She interrupted his increasingly annoying attempt to engage her, “Maxie Jones.” Dominic smiled, “Well, Maxie. It’s nice to meet you.”

Just as he was about to leave Maxie finally mustered up the energy to speak, “So Dominic Perelli what are you doing around here? I’ve heard your name before.”

This piece of information stopped Dominic dead in his tracks. “You have have you now?” He laughed to himself. Maxie didn’t make eye contact but continued, “I just heard you talking to Olivia Falconari as I walked out here. I think she was saying Dominic.”

Dominic was always quick on his feet, he had to be, and without a moments pause he answered Maxie’s inquest into his story, “Is that her name? She stopped me as I was walking by asking me if I knew what time it was. I mean she could’ve asked anyone else but she felt the need to keep talking to me. What does it matter anyhow?”

Maxie shrugged. While the allure of figuring out the psyche of Dominic was usually intriguing she had far too much on her mind to care. “It doesn’t really. Relax for a minute won’t you. I don’t have room in my life for more stress. You know, why don’t certain people realize I have my own set of abandonment issues and I can’t just forget they exist so we can be all happy and in love. I mean it really sucks that he has such high expectations of me and the ONE time I screw up, well the one time when the screw up is directly related to our relationship, because let’s be honest I screw up all the time but I’ve been so good…” Dominic wasn’t sure what had begun the lightening fast tangent Maxie now spewed but he was both intrigued and confused to meet another individual who talked as much as he did. She wasn’t intentionally changing the subject, a welcome development to their discussion from Dominic’s point of view, but it was clear that he could not make it stop so he continued to do the thing most girls asked of him, to listen.

“Look at me, I am a puddle of mush when it comes to him and I am never like that.” Dominic waited for a moment to see whether Maxie’s speech had ended. She motioned over to Dominic whose face was now completely visible in the light shining from the Metrocourt. Dominic assumed he would just peer in but Maxie continued to walk into the building, “I uh…I don’t think I should go in there with you. I mean it would just be awkward I don’t know anyone and…” Maxie took a few step back towards his tentative figure, “And what? Afraid someone will recognize you? Come on I promise it’ll be ok.” Even if Dominic had had the chance to pull away he ran the risk of being questioned more and the more questions asked the greater the chance of having to answer them without using his mysterious candor to help him escape. They stopped short of the ballroom and Maxie yanked the rest of Dominic’s uneager body towards her. “Why are we here again?” Dominic felt the need to ask a legitimate question at this point.

Maxie crossed her arms and began to tap her peep-toed Jimmy Chou heal against the marble floor. “I am so not a geek, but I am in love with this geek.” Dominic peered through the long hallway into the grand ballroom. He caught a glimpse of the mayor and then his mother, Olivia. Small beads of sweat began to appear on his forehead but Maxie was oblivious as she continued to shoot death stares across the room at Spinelli while passing the small listening device disguised as a pen between her fingers. Putting aside his hesitation Dominic spoke while pointing across the room at the lonely outline of Spinelli, “Oh that’s who you’re talking about? That Spinelli, he’s one of Sonny’s guys.” Maxie’s look towards Dominic was a cross between confusion and intrigue but the look would be all she could give him as Mac had spotted his daughter and Spinelli in the same vicinity. Just as Maxie was about to speak she was met with a firm hand on her shoulder turning her towards her father. “I want to believe you came down her to fulfill the civic spirit that lives inside you and was bursting to get out but I know better than that.” Before she knew it Maxie was back inside the grand ballroom and far away from the mysterious friend she had just made. She was aware that running into Mac during the night was inevitable, “Happy to see you too,” she flashed the smile that had gotten her out of hundreds of missed curfews and screw-ups but it wouldn’t be so easy this time given her proximity to Mac’s least favorite man.

“Why are you two together? Why did you bring Spinelli to a political fundraiser? I can’t even tell you how inappropriate that is,” Maxie cut in before the vein in the middle of his forehead enlarged, “We’re not together. I mean technically we came together but we’re not…” She was getting annoyed at herself for stumbling like this, “You won’t have to worry about us being together after tomorrow I can promise you that.”

Dominic’s knees almost buckled as he watched Maxie disappear into the crowd of due diligent citizens of Port Charles. By luck he had avoided a conversation that would should not and could not be had, at least not at this point in time. After collecting himself he looked down at the grey marble desk that was awkwardly placed near the entryway. Its intended function was to keep a running list of campaign contributors and supporters so Mayor Floyd’s personal assistant would have an easier time writing out the countless thank you’s but its purpose was clearly not utilized. Dominic ran his fingers down the guest list and picked up the pen that was sitting on top of a signature. This pen wasn’t intended for use it was intended to pry and gather information Sam and Spinelli so desperately needed to prove Mayor Floyd’s guilt or innocence for the parents of Brianna Hughes. Dominic never noticed it was the pen Maxie had been playing with throughout their conversation. He ran it in between his fingers as he decided whether to leave evidence he had attended such an event. With a click of the pen cap he placed it in his pocket and left the Metrocourt.

Maxie looked back towards the entryway she had just been forcibly removed from and noticed that the shadowy figure she had shared a conversation with was no longer there. Her brow furrowed, “Mac I know you’re only trying to protect me but I don’t think you want me to tell you why I’m here. I will tell you eventually I promise but just trust me for now OK?” Mac loved his daughter but he knew that her impulses often led her awry yet his response surprised even him, “Just be careful will you? We’re having dinner at my house tomorrow I hope you can make it.” He kissed her cheek, “You know I’ll be there. I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Just as Mac smiled and began to turn Maxie felt the need to verbally reassure her worrying father one last time, “Mac. Trust me.” The pair shared a silent agreement, Maxie would remain on her best behavior and Mac would let his daughter out of his care, at least for the night.

Spinelli watched as Mac walked past the barstool where he perched. He could feel the death threat without needing the actual words to accompany it. Rather than await the impending confrontation Spinelli jumped up and with a quickening gate headed towards locating Maxie.

Before he reached her he could see she had situated herself right in the path of the nefarious Mayor and his boding wife Andrea. He observed as she playfully hit his shoulder and shared a laugh as if the trio had been friends all their lives. The effort, was effortless as Spinelli walked up behind her touching the small of her back.

“Spinelli!” Maxie faced him with a smile. “Greetings I hope the Mayor and astonishingly ensembled wife would not mind if I borrowed Maxie from you.” Even in the absence of reporters or news media Mayor Floyd spoke like a politician, “Spinelli is it? I’m just glad to have spoken with this wonderful young woman for any time at all. Take all the time you need Andrea and I will be around.” Spinelli obliged the Mayor’s formalities with some of his own, “Many gracious thanks. I will return her post haste. Enjoy your evening.”

“I haven’t gotten a chance to put the device on him yet Spinelli why did you pull me away?” She was genuinely surprised by his actions, “do you not trust me to do this?” Spinelli thought before he responded, “Yes, actually trust does have a lot to do with this. Fair Samantha is counting on us to execute this correctly and without fail so excuse me if I seem the least bit worried.” Maxie interrupted him, “Look I’m about to do it. It’s not the easiest thing to do when you’ve put the damn thing in a pen. I can’t just stick my hand in his jacket and pass it along now can I?” Let me work and don’t hover.

Spinelli watched as she marched back to her target, poised and on a mission. He had almost made it back to his barstool when he heard the words he had been waiting for all night, “You have three seconds to get out of here or I’ll throw you in jail for trespassing.” Spinelli turned and met Mac’s gaze. “Greetings to you too.”

It wasn’t until Maxie spotted a traveling tray of red wine that she knew her goal was indeed attainable. Grabbing a glass for herself and the other two members of the bantering trio, she angled herself accordingly. “You know what would be amazing? An entire spread devoted to your styles and make or break rules about balancing a romance with politics. I’m Kate Howard’s first assistant at Crimson and I really think she would go for the idea.” When is the ideal moment to accidentally spill your drink over the most powerful man in Port Charles? As she continued to ponder that question she continued to indulge the huge egos of two potential murder suspects, “I can totally see it now. Andrea you can be in your own layout with a double print and Mayor Floyd can join you in a two-fold spread. This will be amazing!” The Floyds looked at one another, “Maxie that is so sweet of you to offer,” while Andrea continued to speak Maxie texted Spinelli. The time had come to mobilize.

“Bump into me. I need to spill my wine.” In any other circumstance Spinelli would have trouble deciphering the cryptic text but he knew what he had to do. “Commissioner I appreciate your frankness with me but rest assured my presence will no longer be in Maxie’s life after tonight.” He left the conversation at that and walked towards Maxie.

The splash of red wine made an eerily similar outline to blood. “Oh my God Mayor I am so sorry. Here let me get that for you.” She began to unravel him from his stained coat, “Maxie you don’t have to do anything it’s fine.” He fought with her before she finally gained control of the coat, “No no it’s my fault I need to clean it for you. It won’t take very long. I’ll be right back.” As she spoke her voice began to trail from the distance she placed between herself and the Floyds. She managed to make it to the women’s restroom pausing at the sink to look at herself in the mirror. Realizing she still had to finish the task she opened her alligator clutch to retrieve the pen shaped listening device. Aside from some lip gloss, her blackberry and gum the purse was empty leaving her with few other options as to where she could have placed it. Panic began to set in as the door creaked open. Maxie looked up at Spinelli’s reflection in the mirror, “It’s not here. I lost the pen.”