Chapter Text
Alex was laughing. Really, really loud. Her cackle of laughter bubbled up from her diaphragm and spilled out to the audience and the players on stage as they took their bows. Matt who had been clapping, stopped to look at her. He glanced back at Carl and Norma, both of whom shrugged.
He stopped clapping and watched as Alex held her tummy and sides as her laughter raged out of her like a river. She gasped and tried to catch her breath. She leaned over the balcony and looked directly at Max who was looking at her as if she’d lost her mind. She just laughed all the harder at that. Moving past Matt she turned to leave the booth and head backstage. He made to follow her but she held up her hand.
Running down the hallway she ducked to the backstage entrance and waited by the curtains for the curtain calls to stop. Max saw her and gestured her to come out. Alex was still giggling and wiped her eyes as she made her way to the center of the stage.
The crowd roared and shouted their pleasure and congratulations. She bowed and gestured to the cast. She looked at Max who smiled and took her hand. Raising their hands they bowed together soaking in the applause. The curtain lowered and Max dropped her hand giving Alex a cold look and stormed off stage.
Alex stopped laughing and scurried after Max. “Max, wait! Wait!” She skidded to a stop behind the taller woman who turned to regard her cooly.
“Yes?”
Alex gulped. “Look I know you’re angry with me. I’m really truly sorry for last night. Really!”
Max didn’t say a word.
Alex continued on with her script. “And by way of an apology I’d like you to join Matt and I at the Tea Room tonight!” she finished brightly.
Max’s glare would have withered a sunflower. “Oh you would, would you? Well that’s tough. Make it some other night.” She moved to get around Alex who blocked her way.
“No! It has to be tonight! Thank you, Sidney.” She acknowledged one of the actors who passed by them then returned her attention to Max. “It has to be tonight!”
Max sighed. “And what’s the big deal about tonight?”
Alex blinked, trying to think quickly. “I… I… I made reservations!”
Max shrugged. “Yeah? Well you cancel them.” She turned to go again.
Alex grabbed her arm. “I’ve never cancelled a reservation in my entire life!” She looked as Max became distracted. By the entrance to the dressing rooms was a very tall handsome man who grinned at her. Max winked, trying to get away. Alex rolled her eyes. “Alex Kingston does not cancel reservations! This would be the first time! My reputation would be shot!”
“Oh will you calm down. Just relax.”
“I’m relaxed!”
“Just relax okay. I’ll be there in twenty minutes. I’m not staying long.” She turned to go to the man waiting. Alex yanked her back.
“What do you mean you’re not staying long? You can’t just have a few drinks and then pop off! Matt will be humiliated. I will be mortified. Please? Okay?” She pleaded with her eyes.
Max nodded. “Okay. Just let me put something casual on okay?” She turned away again.
“No. No, no, no, no, no.” She held onto Max’s arm with a death grip. “Wear your matching black formal dress?” She gestured to her own. They’d been on a shopping spree to Bloomingdales once and bought matching gowns as a lark. “One, you look amazing in it and also we may be going someplace where we need to be formal.” She raised her eyebrows, waiting for Max’s answer.
Max looked at Alex and shook her head. “You are nuts, you know that? Alright, fine. The twins step out in black, it is.”
Satisfied, Alex relinquished her hold on Max’s arm. “Good! Great! Because you know, a lot of places in the city won’t let you in if you’re not dressed formally. It’s true! Twenty minutes right?”
Max went into the man’s arms and they disappeared into her dressing room.
**************
Ms. Foster sat bouncing her foot impatiently as crew and staff and actors left the building in droves. She checked her watch and hissed. Time was running out.
**************
Alex entered Norma’s office, flicking on the light and dashing to her desk. She yanked open the top drawer, digging her hands in to retrieve the recorders then realized there were none.
“What?” She pulled out all the papers and finding nothing looked through the other drawers. She got up and began looking through every drawer in the room, pulling drawers out and dropping the contents on the floor. Finding nothing, Alex flopped down into the leather chair huffing in frustration as her eyes fell on one of Norma’s coats hung up by the door.
“Oh please.”
Digging into the pockets she found first one recorder, then another. Sighing in relief she turned off the light and opened the door, carefully peering out before she ventured out and smoothing her wild curls as she all but ran across the hall to her own office and entered shutting the door behind her.
Seating herself comfortably she examined the recorder. Somehow in her dream it had seemed easier to operate. She made a satisfied sound and pushed a button and began to speak.
“Testing… Max, I want you to …” At that moment the back panel fell off and the battery fell out. Alex’s brow wrinkled in discouragement as she whimpered. Sighing she picked up the battery and slapped it back inside, sliding the cover over it and started again.
“Max, I want you to tell a story about the…”
A knock at her office door stopped her. She gasped wide-eyed and started to put the recorders into her bag only to realize she had left her purse with Matt.
“Just a minute!” she called out and dug into her desk drawer for her old purse, which did not match her gown at all, and shoved them inside. Plastering a smile on her face, she yanked some forms out of her desk and grabbed a pen. “Come in!”
The door opened and Matt’s smiling face peered in. “Hey.” He frowned and came all the way in. “What are you doing in the office?”
Alex looked up. “Hmm?”
“What are you doing in the office,” he laughed.
“Oh! Nothing important just some paper things.”
Matt nodded and ambled over to her desk sitting on the edge and looking down at her, a smoldering look in his eyes. “Are we talking to each other now?”
Alex smiled broadly and stood up. “Of course! Didn’t Max tell you?”
Matt looked taken aback. “No. What?”
“Well it’s all forgotten and the three of us are getting together at the Tea Room later.”
Matt reached out pulling Alex between his knees. He nudged his nose against hers. “Don’t you think we should be alone tonight?”
Alex paled. “No. We have to be with Max tonight.”
Matt kissed along her jaw. “Why.”
“Because… um,” she gasped as his tongue connected with her ear lobe. “Because we… oh God.” She pulled her head back and Matt looked at her amused. “We’ve been invited to a Halloween party later on!”
Matt tilted his head. “Who’s giving it?”
“Friends.” She held up her hand at his mouth opening. “Don’t ask questions. Friends, close friends.” She moved away from him and tugged him toward the door. “Have you got those wonderful Halloween masks that you bought?”
“Um… no. Why would I bring those?”
Alex gaped at him. “You’re kidding, right?”
Matt spread his arms wide and shrugged. “Alex, I didn’t think you’d be in the mood to celebrate Halloween, okay?”
“What? You think I’m going to miss all that candy?” She hustled him out of the office.
Alex and Matt left by the back entrance as three teens were approaching wearing cheap Halloween masks. Alex ran up to them. “Kids! I’ll give you a hundred dollars for all three of your masks, yeah?” It was Matt’s turn to look shocked.
“For these?” The one boy asked.
“Yep! What do you say?” Alex grabbed her purse from him and took out a hundred dollars waving it at them. The teens needed no further encouragement and ripped off the masks. Matt tried to stop her but she pushed his hand away and he shrugged stepping back and shaking his head. The teens handed over the masks and Alex passed them the money and they ran away yelling happily.
Matt came back over, frowning. “Alex, a hundred dollars for these cheapie masks.”
“Oh come on, darling! One life and it’s all over!”
***************************
Ms. Foster was all but lying on the bench now waiting. She watched as the night guard listened to news radio and stood up going to the window.
“Excuse me, but when does Ms. Kingston come down??”
The night guard looked at her confused. “Oh, Ms. Kingston goes out the back entrance. There’s usually people waiting around like up and coming writers or paparazzi. She likes to avoid that.” He smiled smugly.
Ms. Foster grabbed his shirt front and snarled. “Are you kidding me!!” Releasing him she ran for the exit, trying to grab a cab to get back uptown.
***************************
Alex lifted her champagne glass and smiled. “A toast to two beautiful, young people. May you never grow old.”
Max smiled and raised her glass while Matt looked a bit uncomfortable but raised his glass as well. They clinked then started to drink. Alex reached down to turn on the recorder.
“Max, I want you to tell…” came out of the recorder. Alex coughed and pretended to be choking. Matt leaned close and patted her back. She reached down and turned off the recorder as she spluttered.
“I was… oh dear, sorry. I was wondering if you could tell Matt the story of the Armenian twins.” She patted her chest as Matt wiped at her lip gently with a napkin.
Max lowered her glass from her lips and raised her eyebrow at Alex. “What Armenian twins?”
Alex cut her eye over and saw Matt looked at her concerned. “Zatik and Makar!”
Max rolled her eyes. “Alex to the best of my knowledge, I’ve never met Armenian twins in my life.” She took another sip.
“Max! The Armenian twins!”
Max looked up at the ceiling. “No.”
“You told me about these two guys that you met! Armenian boys! Armenian!”
Max had narrowed her eyes, thinking. She looked over at Alex. “You mean the night I spent with the two Argentinean boys from the boarding school in Buenos Aires!”
Alex perked. “Right! Right! Tell Matt the story.” She pressed record on the machine. “Tell him!”
Max looked at Matt who smiled and was a good enough sport to listen. He poured them all more champagne.
Max started to laugh as the memories of this scandalous event were clearly flooding back into her brain. “This’ll kill ya!” Matt started to laugh and Alex hung her head and rubbed her very sore temples.
The three sat in the back of the car wearing the cheap plastic masks. Matt was in the middle wearing a fox, Max next to him was wearing a cat and Alex had on the cow. The car slowed as it pulled up to their building.
“What are we doing at the apartment?” Matt asked.
“Oh uh.. I wanted you to put on that cape and black suit I got you. It’ll look great with the fox mask.” Alex made to open the door.
Matt lifted his mask to rest on top of his hair and gestured to his tux. “What’s wrong with this?”
Alex huffed and hissed at him. “Just do it!!!”
Matt scowled. “Alright!” They both slammed their masks down while Max tried to crawl to the other side of the car.
Matt pushed clothes aside, picking through hangars and sighed. He finally gave up and turned to march toward the bathroom. The door locked, he knocked a bit too loudly.
Alex’s face peeked out as she opened the door. “What???”
“I can’t find the black suit or cape.”
“So put on anything!” She tried to close the door but Matt pushed back with his hand.
“I thought you wanted the black one?!”
“Black, green, scarlet, pink; doesn’t matter!” She slammed the door in his face. Matt’s face stormed and he stalked back to his closet.
Inside the bathroom Alex was pulling out all the medicine. She couldn’t believe they had no sedatives. What kind of a house didn’t have sedatives!
“Where are the sleeping pills?”
“We never had any. Why would you want sleeping pills now?”
“Umm. Never mind.” She finally found one bottle and called out to Matt.
“What happens if you take a lot of tranquilizers?”
Matt sounded exasperated. “You go to sleep I guess.”
Alex nodded and emptied several into her hand.
“Are you under tension?” He yelled back at her.
“What?? No!”
Alex ran down the steps nearly tripping.
“So Max, join me for another..”
Max wasn’t anywhere. She panicked and checked the living room. No, this wasn’t happening. She ran to the kitchen and slammed open the swinging door.
Max looked over from her place in front of the open refrigerator door. “Sorry, you don’t mind do you? I was still a bit hungry after the Tea Room.”
Alex held up her hands shaking her head. “Not at all. Mi casa su casa.” She smiled and went over to pour more champagne. “Here, I’ll just open another bottle of champagne.”
Max held up her hand. “No, Alex. I’ve had enough, really.”
Alex’s mouth dropped open. “What? Come on! Have some. I can open another bottle.”
“I’m not thirsty.”
Alex put the glasses down and cocked her head. “You’re kidding.”
Max shrugged and opened a jar of jalapeno peppers. She took one out and took a bite.
“How can you not be thirsty? My mouth is as dry as cotton! Come on, have a glass. Just one glass?”
Max munched and looked at Alex. “These are good.” She took another and bit into it.
Alex looked on in disbelief. “How about orange juice, freshly squeezed?”
“No.”
“Okay, plenty of juices. Apricot, cranberry.”
“I don’t like it.”
“Right. Um…Pineapple? No it’s too acidy with the peppers. Glass of milk, nice glass of raw milk?”
Max shook her head still munching.
“Uh.. water. We’ve got loads of water. Every kind of water you can think of. Pellegrino, Vichy, Perrier, Evian… please?” Alex was looking very pained now.
Max licked her fingers. “You got a coke?”
Alex blinked. “What?”
“A coke. Just give me a coke, alright?”
Alex’s eyes lit up. “Oh! Coca Cola! Right!” She leaned down to look in the fridge but couldn’t find one can. She squinted looking determined.
Max looked as well. “You don’t even have any coke.”
Alex held up a finger. “I have got Coca Cola. Yes I do.” She turned and started tearing into the cabinets. Max rolled her eyes.
“Alex, really it’s no big deal, just forget it.”
“Forget it? You’ve got me going now! Hit the button! I want a coke! We have some upstairs in the mini-fridge.” She turned to head up to the bedroom.
“Alex, seriously?” Alex swung through the kitchen door and Max just shook her head eating another jalapeno. “Mind has snapped.”
Alex was down on all fours rooting through the fridge. There were no cokes to speak of. “I mean this may go on in the United Kingdom but in New York it is unpardonable!”
“Well I’m sorry, I took the last one.” Matt called out from the bathroom.
Alex looked up and stood hurrying into the bathroom. Matt was just about to pull the tab when Alex grabbed hold of the can trying to wrest it from his hands. He frowned and held tight.
“What the hell are you doing, Alex?”
Alex smacked his arm and yanked the can away. “Let go! We have a thirsty guest!” With that she turned and strode out of the room, leaving behind a bewildered looking Matt.
Max was on the phone in the kitchen when Alex returned with the can. She smiled and Max waved and continued her conversation. Alex ran to the counter and pulled out the tranquilizers. She put them on the counter and tried to smash them with her thumb. She blinked as they just sat there as hard as rock.
Looking over to make sure Max wasn’t watching, she grabbed the coke can and rolled it over the pills effectively smashing them to dust. She swept the dust into one of the glasses and cracked open the can but it sprayed her face as she’d just shook it up. She poured the liquid into the glasses then turned to grab a paper towel and wipe her face. When she turned back around, Max was standing there, holding one of the glasses.
She blinked and looked up at Max who waited expectantly to drink with her. She tentatively picked up the remaining glass and clinked it with Max’s glass. “Bottoms up!” She watched as Max drained the glass as she did as well. Gently putting the glass back on the table, she edged toward the door.
“I’ll just go and hurry Matt along.” Max watched her go as she wondered again what in the heck was wrong with Alex tonight.
Alex let the kitchen door swing shut behind her and took a step to her office. As she did, she felt her legs give way and she clung to the foyer table to keep from falling over.
“Bugger.”
Alex stumbled into her study with her purse and extracted the recorders. She sat down at her desk and turned one on. The sounds of Max’s voice telling stories and jokes came through as did Matt’s laughter. She set about editing the pieces together and finally breathing a sigh of relief as finally something was working.
Alex headed back to the kitchen and pushed the swinging kitchen door open hard. Max was bent over near the fridge rummaging for more food when it connected with her head and she went down like a sack of potatoes.
Alex looked down as she stumbled into the kitchen, her eyes glassy. “Perfect. Absolutely perfect.”
She turned in a circle then ended up at the intercom and pressed the button. “Matt, where are you?”
A crackle then Matt’s annoyed voice came over the speaker. “I’ll be down in a minute.”
Alex nodded. “Okay, well hurry up. We’ll be in the kitchen.” She slurred. Realizing what she said she pressed the button again. “I mean, in the lobby. We will wait for you in the lobby.”
Satisfied, Alex kicked off her shoes and leaned across Max to grab her cat mask. She turned back to the counter where the knives were glistening and yanked a wooden spoon from its place. She held it up like a samurai sword and nodded ready to spring her plan.
Leaning her head out the kitchen door, she saw Matt making his way down the stairs with angry steps. His eyes were stormy and his mouth set in a grim line. He opened the door and left.
Alex headed to the front door and put the mask in place on and held the recorder tight in her hand. Opening the door she spied Matt pushing the call button. Swaying side to side, she was about to sneak up on him when he turned slightly and mashed on the call button again with more force. She jumped and opened the side window, sliding out on the fire escape.
Of course it was now raining. She slowly made her way to the other side and reached the window in time to see Matt pacing back and forth like a jungle cat. Pushing at the window, she found it sticking and pushed harder. The window wouldn’t budge.
She slammed her body hard just as the elevator opened and Matt walked into it, the gold doors closing behind him. She landed on the floor on her face, her bum sticking straight up in the air. She climbed to her feet and banged at the elevator doors with her hand, the recorder hitting the metal repeatedly.
“Max, I want you to tell us a story…” Alex heard. It was the recorder going off.
“Oh! Max!” She gasped as she turned on unsteady legs and made her way back to the apartment.
In the lobby the elevator door opened and Matt strolled out, looking around for Alex and Max. Seeing no sign of them, he went over to Gino.
“Gino, have you seen my wife?” he asked.
“No. Not since you all went up.”
“She just called me from the lobby.”
“She didn’t call you from down here.”
Matt looked around frustrated when he heard Gino exclaim. “What the hell is going on up there?!”
Matt leaned over the monitors and saw Alex and Max, struggling or fighting or what he didn’t know; in the hallway. Alex looked drunk and she was stumbling trying to hold the taller woman’s weight. They were too close to the short hop of steps down and they both careened and fell on their asses.
Just then, Ms. Foster burst into the lobby and ran up to the desk. Upon seeing the women on the monitor she cursed and bolted for the elevator. Gino called out after her but Matt followed suit and the elevator closed taking them both up.
Alex lay still on the carpeted hallway, thankful at the moment that the hallway was carpeted, trying to catch her breath. She was pretty much seeing stars and not just from the tranquilizers. Max groaned next to her and Alex tried to sit up.
The elevator door split to reveal Ms. Foster talking to Matt, who looked on in disbelief, his hands on his hips. His jaw tightened and he stalked out of the elevator over to Alex and knelt down.
Alex hiccupped and looked into Matt’s green eyes. “Oh. Hello, Matt.” She tried to smile but it lacked sincerity.
Matt just stared at her, his eyes misting as his lip trembled. Ms. Foster had the good sense to stand back.
“Alex. You believed that I would do that? Hmm? You really believe that I would do anything to hurt you?” He waited for her to answer, a tear rolling down his cheek.
Alex gasped and looked ashamed. Her own eyes watered as she reached out to touch his cheek. “Matt, I… I don’t know what to say…”
Matt blinked slowly and pulled his face away from her hand. He nodded slowly and wiped his tears then stood up. He turned on his heel and strode to the elevator, pushing the button and the door closed.
Alex breathed out and squeezed her eyes shut.
“Shit.”
Matt came marching out of the elevator into the lobby and headed for the exit. Gino tried to get his attention.
“Is Ms. Kingston alright?”
He didn’t even break stride as he went out into the night. He paced in front of the building for a moment, not knowing where to go or what to do. A car pulled up and Norma and Carl got out, rushing over.
Norma was frantic. “Where’s Alex?”
Matt looked up and wiped his eyes. “She’s upstairs.”
Norma glanced into the lobby. “Did she kill Max?”
Matt looked at Norma frowning. “She didn’t kill anyone. What are you talking about???”
Carl held up his hand. “That detective called us and said that Alex was going to kill Max because she thought she was having an affair with you.” Carl’s eyes begged Matt not to say a word.
Matt sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He could have used a sleeping pill right about now. “Yes, I know. I know. The detective explained the mix up."
Norma brightened. “So Max is still alive?! That’s great! Oh here she is!”
Alex was coming out of the lobby followed closely by Ms. Foster who upon seeing Carl pretended to examine the sidewalk. Alex came up behind Matt and tried to touch his shoulder. He spun away from her, his eyes filled with hurt. “Do not… touch me.”
Alex flinched at his words but stepped closer. Norma pulled Carl and the detective away into the lobby to give them some privacy. Matt wrapped his arms tight around himself as he looked up at the stars.
Alex hung her head and came up behind him again, this time not touching him.
“Matt. I’m so sorry. I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am for hurting you, darling.”
“Then why did you? Hmm?” He turned to look her in the eye.
She gasped and her eyes filled with tears. “I didn’t even order the detective. I swear, it was just a stupid mix up. Then when they said they’d found something, I just. I don’t know I couldn’t stop thinking about it.” She took a deep breath. “The thought of you with another woman was just too…”
Matt narrowed his eyes. “That was your thought, Alex. Not mine. Never mine.”
“I know! Then there was all this circumstantial evidence and I…”
Matt swore. “Circumstantial?! Alex! I didn’t do anything!” He yelled.
Alex held up her hand. “You’re right, darling. You’re right. And you have every right to be angry.”
She moved closer, so close she could feel his warmth even through the wool coat.
“I admit, I behaved badly…”
Matt’s face crumpled in pain. “Badly? Oh, Alex.” He breathed out and tilted his head at her, his eyes twinkling and wet. “You didn’t believe in me.”
Alex gasped as her heart broke. She didn’t know what to say. Matt didn’t seem to either so he turned and walked away, disappearing around the corner into the night.
Alex finally broke and her chest heaved as great sobs wracked her body. She didn’t notice Max come out of the building and come up behind her, putting her arm around her shoulder. Alex cried and turned into her hug.
Max just smiled and rubbed Alex’s back. After a moment, she pulled back and looked Alex in the eye. “Alex.”
She blinked, her nose running as she sniffed.
“Alex, go after him. He loves you.”
“He hates me now.”
“No. If he did, he wouldn’t have even waited out here to talk to you. He’d have just gone. Go after him. Here.” She took off her coat and put it on Alex’s shoulders. Alex looked at her and smiled.
“You know, sometimes you’re not such a bitch after all.” She chuckled.
Max laughed. “Yea well let’s just keep that between us okay? Oh and you're not going to tell Norma, are you?"
Alex looked back in the lobby at Norma and Carl bickering. "No, no. Some people can't handle that sort of information." She winked.
Max laughed with her. She sobered then shoved Alex. "Now go on, get your man.”
Alex grinned and turned, taking off down the street after Matt.
Matt walked in a daze up the cold New York street. He passed a couple, snuggling into one another against the chill. He shoved his hands deeper into his coat pockets and dropped his head. He’d never felt so broken in his entire life.
He was about to cross the street when he heard the patter of feet coming up from behind him. He thought it might be a child but that was ridiculous. He turned and into the moonlight came Alex. She had on a coat that was way too big for her and her evening gown was keeping her from running too fast. Her wild blonde curls bounced in the night air, her eyes pained but full of love and regret.
He stopped and couldn’t move. She slowed to a stop just inches from him, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to think what to say. He didn’t offer any help, just waited.
Alex still felt a bit woozy but the evening air had sobered her somewhat and she cast about for a way to explain this mess to him.
“Matt look,” she started. “I don’t think I’m ever going to change from being a… um,” she gulped. “A jealous woman.”
Matt narrowed his eyes but still said nothing.
She nodded and shrugged. “So maybe you’d um… be better off… you know… without me.” She watched his face for some kind of reaction but got none. God he was a poker face when he wanted to be. She smiled gently then turned away from him. She got two steps before she looked back over her shoulder.
He hadn’t budged.
She threw up her hands and walked back to him. “Aren’t you even going to try to stop me?” She walked around him in a slow circle and he tracked her with his eyes, turning with her.
Stopping in front of him she moved a bit closer. “I may be jealous,” she said feeling woozy again. “But I think I’m really… very sick.” She started to lose her balance and thought she’d fall and hit the pavement.
Matt’s arms shot out around her waist and held her to him so tightly she could barely breath. He buried his face into her neck and kissed her hair. Alex clung to him as best she could in her weakened state, sighing happily.
Matt smiled into her hair. “I guess this means that we’re not going to the Halloween party.”
Alex shrugged. “They weren’t very good friends anyway.”
Matt swept her up into his arms, kissing her soundly then turned back in the direction of their apartment carrying her home.
Alex mumbled incoherent nonsense. “We can go if you like. I mean they have a very small place. Don’t know how they have parties with a space like that. The last time I went there was this guy who brought a ferret. You’d like him I think! He used to work in a circus!”
People moved aside as Matt passed carrying Alex and listening to her prattle away about absolutely nothing and absolutely everything.
Fin