PAJAMA PARTY!!
Chapter 32
Hours later: Max & Liz’s penthouse…
Helping Liz get situated back in her bed, Max handed Liz her TV remote and cell phone. “I have a meeting to attend before my first appointment at the Viper Room (tattoo parlor), so I need to get going. Kenya’s back and Maria’s on her way up…”
“Okay…”
“Do you need anything before I leave?”
“Um… No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive… I’m fine. Kenya’s here if I need anything.” Leaning over, she gave Max a peck on the cheek. “Go… I’ll see you when you get back.”
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Leaving the penthouse; Max bumped into Maria as she walked from the elevator. “Hi, Maria…”“Hi, Max… Is everything okay?”
“For the time being it is. If Detective Porislukski should happen to call…”
“Don’t worry, she’ll call you… We’ll keep an eye out for Tess and make sure to clean up the mess and send the strippers home after the party…”
“What?”
“I’m kidding… We’re having a ladies afternoon if that’s what you want to call it. Isabel, Courtney, Pam, Serena, and Ava are on their way up. So, we’ll probably just watch some TV, play a game of some sort and just hang out… And no, Tess wasn’t invited.”
Max raised an eyebrow. “What’s in the bag?”
“Oh, nothing… Just something I wanted to show Liz.”
“Oh, okay…” Pushing the button for the elevator, he paused. “Do I need to call when I’m done for the day?”
“Oh, I don’t think that will be necessary.”
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Downstairs in 69 (Gentlemen’s Club)…Kyle and Max walked into the empty club. Max did a quick survey of the room; everything was clean, organized and ready to go for later when the club opened. He sighed. Following the guidelines outlined in the Employee Handbook, Max did everything he could but she refused to cooperate. He didn’t want to, but now he had no choice. “Let’s go…” Walking backstage, they stopped within a few feet of the dressing room door. “Wait here…”
Approaching the dressing room, he softly knocked on the door. “Come in,” Tess called out from behind a screen.
Slowly opening the door, Max stepped inside closing the door behind him. “Tess?”
“Oh, Max… I knew you couldn’t resist a little company,” she cooed coming out from behind the screen wearing a sequined bikini like costume that left nothing to the imagination. Approaching Max she brushed her voluptuous breasts up against him as she flirtatiously glided her fingers across his chest.
Catching her wrist, he pushed her hand away. “You need to stop.”
Not taking no for an answer, she reached up and rested her hands back on his chest. “Oh, but why… She’s not here. She’ll never know…”
Brushing her hands aside, he looked her in the eye. “We need to talk…”
“Omigod… You and Liz broke up. I’m so sorry…”
“Um, no we didn’t…” Crossing the room, he sat down on the plush couch. “Have a seat, Tess.”
“Okay, what is this about then?” She asked joining him on the couch.
“Look, I really hate to do this, but after our numerous conversations you’ve left me no choice…”
“What are you talking about?”
“Talking with Isabel, a decision was reached and I’m sorry but I’m going to have to let you go…”
“What?!? How can you? I’m the star performer…”
“Who can easily be replaced. So, I’m going to need you to pack your bag and turn in all your keys, pass card, membership card and ID. Kyle will then walk you upstairs to pack up your belongings…” he instructed. “Once everything is packed up, he will then help you load everything onto a cart and walk with you out to your car in the parking garage. Once you leave the premise, you will not be permitted back inside.”
“But, I have no place to go…”
“I’m sorry, but living in the condo upstairs was an employee benefit as stated in the employee contract you signed upon your hire date…” Max reminded her. Unfolding a piece of paper, he handed it to her. “I called around to the hotels in the area. This is a list of hotels with rooms available for extended stays…” He paused. “Due to circumstances, it’s the least I can do for you.”
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Meanwhile in Max & Liz’s penthouse…Using her key, Isabel let herself and the others inside before Kenya could reach the door. “We’re here so let the party begin!” Maria called out.
Dropping her bag on the table in the foyer, Ava walked past Maria into the living room where Kenya and Liz were sitting. “Ignore her. How are you feeling?”
“Okay… What’s with all the bags?”
“PAJAMA PARTY!” Maria called out. “The guys are at work, so let’s get changed…”
“I’m already wearing my pajamas…” Liz stated flatly looking down at her pajama pants with matching top.
Pam chuckled. “Oh, no… You need to wear something sexy.”
“I don’t…”
“Did you open your gifts yet,” Serena asked immediately changing the subject.
“I did… Except for the one with the note to open in private…”
“Oh, that’s from us… Where is it? I can go get it.” Kenya said.
“It’s on the chair in the corner underneath all the other gifts.”
“Okay, be right back.” Returning seconds later with the box and a scissors, Kenya handed it to Liz. “Go ahead, open it…”
Eyeing her friends, Liz carefully cut the tape. Lifting the lid, she pulled back the plaid tissue paper and gasped. “Omigod…” Lifting a skimpy red negligee from the box she held it up.
“There’s a matching bra and thong in there too,” Pam mentioned.
“I can’t wear this… What happens if Max walks in the door…”
“So, he’ll get an eye full. Come on, I’ll help you get changed.” Taking Liz’s hand, Kenya helped her up and walked with her back into her bedroom with the box draped under her arm.
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Thirty minutes later everyone was sitting around in the living room in the lingerie they brought with them while watching the movie P.S. I Love You and painting their nails while talking about anything and everything; avoiding the topic of the wine cellar incident. “Did you hear about how Michael caught a couple making out in the dumpster behind the club last week?” Maria asked.
“Omigod… No. What did he do?” Liz asked.
“Oh, wait… I heard about this one,” Isabel chimed in. “Didn’t he toss the garbage he had with him on the couple?”
“He did… Scared the shit out of them too,” laughed Maria. Imagining Michael’s initial reaction, everyone laughed.
“What was Kyle’s reaction when he received the call from Michael?” Courtney asked.
“Oh, he was laughing…” Serena stated. “He called me upstairs just to tell me because he thought I could use a good laugh.”
“I’m getting hungry… Is anyone else?” Courtney asked.
“I am…”
“Me too… Why don’t I call Michael downstairs in the El Flamingo and ask him to make us up a pizza and an order of breadsticks?” Maria suggested.
“Sounds good, but doesn’t it sometimes irritate him? I mean, he’s a professional chef and all…” Ava asked.
“Sometimes, but that’s okay. He knows we’re hanging out so he won’t mind,” Maria stated. Taking her cell from her purse, Maria called the El Flamingo to place the order with Michael. “He should be up with the food in thirty to forty five minutes…”
Suddenly three cell phones rang and everyone instantly scrambled to grab theirs from their purses. Reaching for her cell on the end table, Liz checked her phone. This better not be Max.
“It’s my agent,” Kenya stated answering her phone on the third ring.
“It’s Max.” What does he want? Pam stated answering her phone on the second ring.
“It’s Kyle.” Isabel stated answering her phone on the third ring as if expecting his call.
Three conversations later, the cell phones were placed on the coffee table. “So, what’s the scoop?” Maria asked.
Kenya turned to face Liz. “The theater beckons. That was my agent calling. Auditions for the upcoming season are starting a week early, so she needs me to fly back to New York two days from now,” Kenya explained. Liz frowned. “Cheer up, Liz… There’s still tomorrow.” She paused. “And, we’ll keep in touch. You can come out to New York to visit and I can come back in between shows,” she added.
“But, I’m still going to miss you…”
“I know. And I’m going to miss you too…”
“And on a more positive note, Tess got the ax….” Pam stated.
Heads turned. “What?!?”
“That’s right… Max met with her earlier in 69,” Isabel added. “Going over the list of write-ups and complaints, it was decided she had to be dismissed.”
“Wow… So, what about the condo? Tess was your roommate, wasn’t she?” Kenya asked Pam.
“That’s why Max called. If everyone remembers, the living arrangements are part of our contracts for employment that we all signed…” Everyone nodded as Pam continued. “Anyways, since Tess no longer works at the Safe House, she has to move out… She’s downstairs as we speak packing up her things.”
Ava thought for a minute. “I wouldn’t trust her. How can you be sure Tess won’t take any of your things or trash the place before she leaves?”
Isabel smiled. “Kyle is downstairs with her. He asked that we stay up here until she’s gone.”
“So, he’ll be calling back?” Courtney asked.
“He said he will.”
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Thirty five minutes later, Michael stood at the door with the cart of food. Grabbing his keys from the cart, he knocked on the door before opening the door to let himself in. “Hi, guys…” Heads turned and everyone greeted him. “Here’s your…” OMIGOD! Michael’s jaw dropped. There sat his girlfriend along with her friends wearing nothing but lingerie in the living room. Embarrassed, Liz blushed. “Um… I’m going to just put your food on the table in the kitchen…” “Okay…”
Pushing the cart through the foyer and into the kitchen, he unloaded the cart before hurrying towards the door; but not before taking one last look. The ladies were so enthralled with whatever they were watching they didn’t see him back in the foyer. Max isn't going to believe this. Reaching for his cell phone, he took a quick picture before walking out the door.
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Twenty minutes later in the Viper Room (tattoo parlor)…Michael walked through the door greeting Max’s business partner. “Is Max around?”
“He’s in back cleaning up. You can go back there if you want… Just knock first.”
“Thanks, man…” Approaching the door to the back room, Michael knocked.
“Door’s open…”
“Hey, Max…”
“Michael… What brings you here? Your appointment isn’t until tomorrow night…”
“Yeah, I know. But, you won’t believe what’s going on upstairs in your penthouse…”
Omigod, Liz… Eyeing Michael, Max set his tools down. “Have a seat… Now, tell me what’s going on?”
“There’s nothing to worry about… Everyone is fine,” he started.
Phew. “That’s good to know…”
“Maria called earlier placing an order for pizza and breadsticks and asked to have the food delivered up to your place… Which of course wasn’t a problem. Anyways, arriving upstairs with the food, I figured I’d let myself in with the spare key you gave me so I wouldn’t interrupt whatever they were doing…”
“Okay…”
Taking his cell phone from his pocket, Michael found the picture. “When I arrived upstairs, they were all sitting in the living room wearing nothing but lingerie…” He handed his phone to Max to show him the picture.
Max’s jaw dropped. OMIGOD!
“Yeah… That was my initial reaction too…”
“And they thought nothing of it when you walked in?”
“Liz was embarrassed, but otherwise no.”
Max thought for a minute. “Can you do me a favor?”
“Sure… What do you need me to do?”
“Tess was dismissed earlier, so Kyle is upstairs supervising while she packs up her things in the condo…”
“It’s about damn time,” Michael muttered under his breath.
“Yeah, I know. But we had to follow protocol giving her time to attempt to correct her behavior.” Max stated. “Anyways, I need you text everyone and mention that I’m going to need them all to leave once Kyle calls Isabel informing her Tess has left the building… In the meantime, I’m going to call Isabel asking her to make up a reason for everyone to leave.”
“But, what about Kenya? She’s staying at your place…”
Max thought for a minute. “When you text Pam, ask her if Kenya can spend the night at her place… I’ll then text Kenya to explain what’s going on.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Now, it’s just a waiting game.”
I missed a chapter, so at least I had two to read this time. 