Hijinks Ensue

Who: Lucas and Max
Where: The Echo
When: early evening

Lucas worked most weekends, more because he felt there was always something to do. There was no need to take days off just because it might be a normal weekend. Though tonight he had little interest in burning the midnight oil. Long before usual he was closing up his day, pulling the cover down on his typewriter before handing off some copies to the clerk waiting in the door of his office. “These are for tonight’s edition. And don’t let some copy editor try and change things again alright?”

Max looked down at the papers in hand, his hair slicked back and his short sleeved blue shirt a bit wrinkled from the heat. He nodded in understanding and shuffled them a bit, perusing the paragraphs. “The copy editor is only doing his job sir,” he said politely, knowing that Mike was very dedicated at his job. “But I’ll be sure to make him aware of your request. Although if you didn’t want things changed, perhaps you should be a copy editor so you have complete control. Might do you some good.”

Lucas was reaching for his bag, lighting another cigarette before leaving when the voice came through. Turning back he glared at Max, reaching to snatch his papers back. “I did my time as a copy editor thank you very much. And I’d rather you not show up and fuck with work. Where’s the damn clerk?”

Max held the papers out of reach and shook his head. There was a solemn look on his face and he sighed. “I need to ask you for some guidance as my dear older cousin,” he said. “I’m at my wits end and I’m not sure what to do.” It was the plan and Max was doing it to the fullest, looking sincerely troubled and concerned and unsure.

Lucas reached for the papers again. “I don’t have time for games Max,” he said, patience not what it should be. Feo was playing his tonight yes, but if he was late she was bound to hold that against him all night. “I have somewhere to be.”

“I’m worried about Arienne,” Max confessed and reluctantly handed the papers back. “She’s been so upset the past couple of days... I came home the other evening and she was inconsolable. She wouldn’t eat, I brought her some warm milk because that usually calms her down but she wouldn’t touch it. I took her to a movie, brought her flowers...” He sounded completely heart broken and Max looked at Lucas with his eyes heartbroken and upset. “She’d been doing so well...”

Lucas snatched his papers back, needing to find the clerk and head out again. Talk of Arienne though that slowed his race to leave. “Perhaps she’s mourning her mother, it’s still fresh after all,” Lucas suggested. “Has she said anything?” He was concerned, yes, but at the same time, how was he supposed to be able to help?

Max shook his head and fell in step with Lucas as he went looking for the clerk. “She’s a stoic girl. Brave face for everyone but she’s so delicate, a soft center, and I know you talked to her the other day. Did she say anything?”

He wasn’t as sure as Max was that she was all that delicate, she seemed delicate, but there was a side of her that was her father’s daughter, tough as nails. “Maybe her boyfriend at school broke up with her. Girls her age are fickle.” Had she said something when he spoke to her? What had they talked about? About her additional protection yes. Then there was the small argument, what had that been about... Lucas shook his head as he finally found the clerk, handing off the copy for the night. “I don’t remember anything specific. Maybe she just needs some time.”

“No,” Max said with a grimace. “Her and her boyfriend are fine. He’s been quite good for her and she’s been happier since she started living with me... I don’t know. I’m just worried about her. I worry, you see,” he said, his grimace turning more sheepish and fond and there was no mistaking the genuineness. His eyes sparkled and he looked almost normal.

That was news in its own way. Lucas wasn’t actually aware that Arienne had a boyfriend. It was a safe guess give that she was a lovely girl, but sometimes he wondered if she had any interest in that sort of thing. “I know you worry Max,” he said nodding towards the door of the building. This was important yes, but they could talk and walk right? Lucas really couldn’t be late to meet Feo. “But she’s a young woman who lost her mother. She was bound to be upset at some point. Do you want my mother to come by? Check in on her, look after her?”

Max continued to trail after Lucas and he wondered how well this was working. Lucas was seemingly receptive and he wondered how well he was doing. Lucas was always difficult to play to the fullest extent. “Do you realize really that I do?” he asked, doubt in his tone. “I know your opinion of me and I understand where it comes from, but when it comes to my sister’s wellbeing, I hope we can put our differences aside.”

Lucas was starting to get annoyed mostly because he had somewhere to be and Max was drawing this out. Stopping in his tracks he turned, pressing his hand to his forehead in frustration. “Max, please. What the hell do you want? I have somewhere to be, I can’t be late. I really can’t go back and forth on this now.”

Stunned, Max looked taken aback -- pretended at least -- by Lucas and he shook his head. “I was just wondering if you said anything to her that she might have taken the wrong way,” he said carefully. “I’m sure you wouldn’t, of course, but do you think there might’ve been anything? I know you get that tone sometimes but I can’t imagine you’d take that with her like you do me.”

Lucas made a face, trying to remember. “Max, I don’t know...” he trailed off after a moment. What had he said that upset her. “I suppose I could have said something insensitive. She didn’t think my concerns were justified. Thought I was makings more of things.” She’d talked down to him and he’s made that comment about her mother. Still, that wouldn’t have sent her over the edge did it?

Max stared at Lucas in mock incomprehension, shock that he would be insensitive to his sister. “While I disagree with your so called extra protection, to be insensitive and impolite to Arienne isn’t acceptable and I’m curious as to what exactly you said to her to make her so upset.”

The feeling of being annoyed was there again, not wanting to deal with Max and his look of shock. “I don’t remember what I said. I apologized for it I’m sure. I just lost my cool or something. Really, Max, the girl is allowed to mourn her mother,” he pointed out moving forward again and checking his watch.

Max was starting to feel annoyed too and this time he let it show and it wasn’t exasperated either. “You don’t have to be so flippant about this, dear cousin,” he said lowly. “Arienne’s been living with me for quite some time now. I know how she’s dealing with mother’s death and this is different. Someone said something to her and judging by how you’re just brushing this off when you’ve been so concerned about her safety that you went over my head to broadcast her location to the wrong people? Forgive me if I’m not exactly letting this go so fast.”

“I did not broadcast her location to the wrong people,” Lucas said feeling the ire building in his voice. “She needed extra protection. Her room was ransacked. Defaced even. It was disgusting. She’s a target,” he pointed out. “I am not being flippant. I just don’t know what it is you want me to do and I have an important meeting to be at.”

“You are, you nitwit. You’ve got guys following her to and from school and that stupid car parked outside my house at all hours. That car alone is enough to get some Syndicate roach taking a closer look. Not to mention, Lucas, you do not have the authority to order my men to watch me because it’s awfully suspicious isn’t it that she’d be living with me.” It wasn’t common knowledge to the lower levels that Max was a DiGiovanni and it was important that it was kept quiet. “Have fun at your meeting. Good day, Lucas.” Adjusting his tie with a final menacing glower, Max turned to go, already knowing he’d be following Lucas to see what kind of meeting he was going to.

Lucas didn’t have an answer to that, too distracted to craft something properly before Max turned to go. “I’ll do whatever I damn well please,” he said though that was hardly the truth. Rolling his eyes he started back towards his apartment. There wasn’t time to deal with Max’s issues now, nor Arienne’s moods. Later he could focus on those things, but for now he needed to be himself.

“I said ‘Good day!’, Lucas!” Max yelled after him and watched him go, waiting a little while before he began to follow. He was not going to get away that easy.