Chapter 22: A Complication

Standing in front of the door leading to Max’s office, Maryanne pauses to try and calm her racing heart. The butterflies that appeared the day before are still within her stomach, fluttering around. Swallowing her budding emotions, she knocks on the door. When she hears a rough grunt from within, she eases her way in.
“Max?”
“Yeah,” he responds, his eyes glued to the paperwork in front of him. He tilts his head toward her, listening.
“I’m sorry that it’s such short notice. With everything going on, I completely forgot. The girls from work are planning to come over today for our normal weekly book club meeting. We have put it all off for the last few weeks because of the move and Riley.” She rushes through her explanation, unsure of how it will play out.
Max remains quite for a moment, his eyes not leaving his desk. He slowly nods, “Oh, okay that sounds fun.”
He doesn’t say anything else and Maryanne feels an awkward tension rising in the air.
“I wanted to ask a big favor.” She slowly takes another step into the room, fiddling with the hem of her shirt.
“What is it?”
Forcing the words out through the nervous lump in her throat, Maryanne asks, “Is it possible for you to take Riley and leave the house for a while? Just until the girls leave?”
Now Max pauses and glances up at her, “Why?”
Maryanne shrugs, “It will just be hard to have the women focus if you are here, and Riley will be running around.”
“Oh, and you don’t want to deal with her like a normal parent?” A smirk plays at his lips as he leans back in his chair, interlocking his fingers.
“Max,” his name leaves her mouth with a hiss.
A chuckle reverberates through Max and he shakes his head, “I’m totally kidding. Calm down, I will take her out for you. I don’t want to get stuck around a bunch of women anyway.”
Pushing away the initial shock of his response, Maryanne blurts out, “That’s a first.”
“What?”
“Nothing,” she bites out, glancing away.
Max moves forward, placing his elbows on his desk. “What time are they going to be here?”
Maryanne shifts her wrist to check her watch, “Around two.”
“Alright, I’ll take Riley out around that time. I’ll leave Geneva here with you, just in case you need anything.”
“Are you sure?”
Max nods, his gaze following Maryanne’s every move, “Yes, why? Do you think I can’t handle Riley without her?”
A frown crumbles her brow, “That’s not what I said.”
“It was implied.” He shrugs, cocking his head to the side.
“I’m sorry,” Maryanne lowers her head, not sure what else to say
“It’s okay,” Max says before ruffling through the paperwork once more.
Maryanne stands still for what feels like ten minutes before she quietly exits the room, unsure what else there is to.

>><<

“Hey,” Maryanne grins, throwing the front door open to welcome her coworkers.
“Oh my. . . Maryanne this house is insane,” Jessica is in awe as she stares around the house, peering up at the ceiling of the foyer.
Maryanne chuckles as the three women walk into the mansion.
“I am in love,” Veronica twirls to peer at everything.
Shelley all but runs across the foyer, peering down each hallway, “Is Max home?”
“No,” Maryanne rolls her eyes but turns away from Shelley.
She gives the women a moment to search the foyer, staring at the sculptures and hand picked artwork by Max.
“Come on, the room is over here,” she finally says, walking to the right of the entrance and opening a side door. A large meeting table spans the room, plush chairs lining every corner.
Jessica wanders around the room, touching the backs of the chairs. “Wow, this is huge.”
“Why did you send Max out?” Shelley stands to the side of the room, not paying much attention to the details.
“Shut up Shelley,” Jessica huffs, bouncing her shoulders as she goes to the window and looks out at the driveway.
“Let’s get right into it,” Veronica sits down and pulls out her copy of the novel. She continues to glance around the room, reveling in the particular craftsmanship of the building. “I need to get home to let my dog out soon.”
Maryanne nods, her brow rising with realization, “Oh, right, okay.”
As Shelley reluctantly sits across from Veronica, the others follows suit.
Maryanne pulls out her copy and rifles through it quickly. “So let’s start from the beginning, right? We never had a first meeting, so today we will talk about the entire book.”
“That sounds good to me.” Jessica nods, opening to the first page.
“What were your thoughts on the first chapter?”
Jessica pulls out a notebook and opens it to a page filled with notes, “Well I thought—”
Shelley’s head pops up, her eyes wide as she peers out the open door. “Is that him?”
She jumps out of her chair and bolts from the room.
“Wait Shelley,” Maryanne calls after her coworker, but Shelley is long gone, running through the foyer.
Max freezes in the middle of the entrance, Riley in his arms. His eyes are wide as he stares at Shelley who is standing before him, a grin wide on her face. “I’m sorry if I disturbed you ladies. I forgot Riley’s diaper bag.”
Maryanne and the other two women follow behind Shelley.
“So sweet,” Jessica murmurs as she smiles at Riley.
Geneva rushes from the side of the foyer and grabs Riley from Max’s arms. She coos at the child.
Shelley blurts out, “Why don’t you join us?”
“Uh,” Max looks over at Maryanne, his brow softly crumpling.
“Oh, he can’t. He is bringing Riley out to play.” Maryanne rushes, moving to Max’s side to try and nudge him out.
“It’s too cold out for that. Just stay in here where it’s warm.”
“Shelley,” Jessica begins, grabbing a hold of her coworker’s arm.
She ignores the action and the glares from the other females as she asks, “Max, would you like to join our meeting?”
“Oh I don’t think,” he pauses as Shelley continues to speak.
“Please, it looks like Riley wants to stay inside too.”
It is true. Riley is currently walking around the foyer, playing with the Barbie in her hand. She giggles as she throws off her jacket and her hat.
Geneva picks up her items of clothing, “I can watch her Mister Ryder.”
Max ponders his answer, watching Riley run around. He makes eye contact with Maryanne as he says, “Alright, I’ll join you ladies.”
As Veronica and Jessica turn to return to the conference room, Geneva says, “I’ll have Sarah bring in some coffee for you ladies.”
“Oh, I only drink tea,” Jessica pipes in quickly.
Geneva nods, smiling. “What kind? We have Iced Tea, sweetened and unsweetened, or green tea.”
“I’ll take sweet tea please.”
“Of course, Miss.” The maid nods and urges Riley out of the foyer.
“Thank you,” Jessica calls after her.
Maryanne sighs heavily, a headache beginning to form in her temple. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”
“I’m sorry,” Max whispers to Maryanne as they walk into the conference room.
“It’s fine. I just hope this isn’t a complete train wreck,” she sighs roughly.