Chapter 15: Shelley Alert

As the doorbell rings, echoing throughout the mansion, Maryanne calls out, “I’ve got it.” She descends the main staircase and walks across the main floor.
“Miss, this is my job,” Geneva huffs, trying to reach the door before her.
She chuckles, holding out her hand to stop the maid, “Really, Geneva, it’s fine. I can answer a door once in a while.”
Geneva pauses for a second, eyeing Maryanne before sighing and dropping her shoulders, “Okay Miss.”
Maryanne continues to smile as she opens the front door. That is, until she realizes who is on their front porch. “Shelley?”
Her brow shoots up with a greeting before she slightly tilts her head and looks past her coworker. “Hey, how is everyone feeling?
“What are you doing here?” Maryanne folds her arms and tries to take up as much of the doorway as possible.
Shelley now resorts to shifting around, trying to look around Maryanne as much as she can. She even stands on her tippy toes. “Claire told us about you having to stay home.”
“Okay, and. . .?” Maryanne cocks her head to the side and impatiently waits for a response.
Shelley continues to work at seeing any sign of life within the mansion. She acts as though Maryanne is not staring her down. Eventually, though, she stops, grumbling as she rocks back on her feet and hands out a large woven basket with various objects within.
“Oh, I volunteered to bring you a care package.”
Maryanne tries not to roll her eyes, but she knows that she has failed miserably. “Of course you did.”
“We all chipped in. There is medicine, snacks, and some housewarming gifts.”
After she hands over the basket, Shelley continues to look past Maryanne. Now she steps closer to the door to peer in further. It helps her search when Maryanne steps back in order to put the basket on a nearby table. She ends up leaving the doorway wide open for Shelley to peek through.
Maryanne returns to her position, making sure her coworker doesn’t enter the house. “Shelley, what are you doing?”
Shelley bounces about, almost like a little kid excited for a new toy. “Where’s Max Ryder? Is he home?”
Dread begins to wash through Maryanne, “How do you know his name?”
She simply shrugs, “I’ve done my research. It’s all over the tabloids that Max has lost his cousin and gained temporary custody of Riley.”
“Why do you care?” Maryanne now takes a step outside, forcing Shelley to back up.
She turns her excited gaze to her coworker, but only briefly before she reverts back to searching Max out. “I heard he’s the CEO of a large commercial business in the city. Something about construction right?”
Maryanne tries not to roll her eyes, “Why does it matter?”
Shelley huffs and rocks back, folding her arms. “Just admit it.”
“Admit what,” a sigh rolls through her chest, sounding more like a growl.
“You were living in a small apartment just last week. Now you’re living it up in a mansion.”
Maryanne fights the urge to yell, “Shelley.”
“You only agreed to the shared custody so that you could use Max’s money, right?”
Irritation builds in her chest, and Maryanne tries to hold her anger at bay. “Are you serious?”
Shelley cocks her brow and tilts her head to the side, “You’re only using him. That has to be it. Once the year is up you will leave with money in your pocket and never see him again.”
Grinding her teeth, Maryanne bites out, “Who do you think I am? Do you even know me? Why would I do that?”
Shelley scoffs, “Oh come on, everyone gets tired of living in the lower class eventually.”
Anger rolls through Maryanne, her fingers trembling. “Shelley, I do not appreciate what you’re accusing me of.”
She laughs, almost throwing her head back, “Why, isn’t it true?”
“No, of course it’s not.” Maryanne glowers at her coworker.
Shelley tries to hold down her disbelief but it comes out thick in her words, “You can’t tell me you actually like him?”
Maryanne folds her arms once more, holding down her anger. “Not that it is any of your business, I don’t. Max and I are only legally bound to share custody for a year. It is in the best interest of Riley. There are no emotions involved.”
Even as the words leave her mouth, there is a pain in her chest. She is telling the truth, so why does it hurt so much? She can’t possibly have any lingering feelings for the man that betrayed her, right?
Shelley shakes her head, “Oh really?”
“Shelley, thank you for the basket, but I’d appreciate it if you just left. I don’t appreciate my coworkers coming to my home and calling me a gold digger.” Maryanne steps back within the threshold of the mansion and grabs a hold of the door.
In a last ditch effort to try and see Max, Shelley leans forward, peeking within the house. “Are you sure he isn’t home?”
Rolling her eyes, she growls, “Goodbye Shelley.”
Maryanne holds down her frustration as she closes the door. Gritting her teeth, she pivots away and takes a few steps into the foyer. Turning toward the kitchen, she pauses as Max stands in the doorway, his shoulders tense.
“Hey,” she says quickly, “How are you feeling?”
Max remains silent for a moment, just watching Maryanne.
“Uh, what’s wrong?” Maryanne wonders how much he actually heard. His intense gaze is now clear of his sickness, his reactions not as open anymore
“I came down for a drink of water,” he finally says. “That was one of your coworkers? It’s nice that they brought you a gift basket.”
Maryanne looks to her side where she placed the basket on the table next to the wall. It is just out of range for Max to see.
She swallows and realizes that he heard the entire conversation.