It Happened One Heist

The Payment

In the early hours of dawn it had gotten cold once again. The glowing coals from the night before had died down, and Monty slowly woke up remembering what had transpired.

What state of calm bliss he was in before had long since melted away. He wanted to deny anything had happened between them, but he looked to the side and he was horrified at the sight of Maggie still in his bed, a reminder of what he had done.

Before she too could wake up, he removed what little clothing remained on his person and rushed in the shower in a near-panic as he could still smell Maggie's perfume on him.

He turned on the hot water and it stung on his back where she had scratched him. Where he had wanted her to scratch him. He hid his face in his hands, mortified.

He toweled off. In the mirror he could see where Maggie had left a love bite where his neck met his shoulder. He threw on his robe in disgust and denial. Again, he had wanted Maggie to be rough with him and he enjoyed it.

He didn't want to see or feel any of it. He had worked so hard and so long to diminish his ties to his humanity, and up until last night he was so certain he was incapable of having any such affection for another person. One little slip and he could lose everything he had achieved.

He held his head in his hands. He had even long thought himself defective or even broken because he had never regarded women, or even men, in the same way that his schoolyard peers did.

His mother had called him a "late-bloomer", but he knew he could never meet the same oversexed standards as the rest of humanity.

He bent over the bathroom counter.

Why was Margaret Beckhert the exception? What made her so special? If he had none of these feelings for DNAmy, a woman as mad and vile as himself, then why should he have them for anyone else?

A mistake. That's what it was. A mistake and a distraction.

As far as he was concerned, nothing happened.

He had the Monkey King relics. It was time to draw this partnership to a close.

***

After getting some clothes and his smoking jacket on, Monkey Fist went downstairs to the parlor to find Maggie in his chair, having already made herself some coffee and reading the newspaper. She was wearing a set of his pajamas with his monkeys gathered around her, Daisy settled in beside her.

He scowled and cleared his throat, getting her attention.

Maggie looked up at him with a contented smile, which quickly faded upon seeing the displeased look on his face.

She folded the paper and set it aside. "Is something wrong the matter, Monty?" she asked as she stood up.

"I believe the matter of your payment is in order," Monkey Fist answered concisely.

"'Payment'? I didn't think we were still going through with that."

Monkey Fist pulled the Wufu pendant off over his head. "We made an agreement, Margaret. You assist me in acquiring what I needed, and I repay you with this."

He took her wrist and firmly closed her fingers around the pendant.

"I thank you for your assistance, Margaret, but this is where our partnership ends."

"Wait, what?" Maggie was taken aback. "What about last night? Or the last month?"

"We were business partners from the start and it's best that we keep it that way." He picked up the gourd where it had been left on the dining room table and made his way to his liquor cabinet.

Maggie let out an insulted scoff. "You can't be serious. After everything we've just been through..."

Monkey Fist switched the gourd for the vase of jade wine. "I am serious." He locked the cabinet and looked back at her through the reflection on the cabinet's glass door. "What happened last night between us was a mistake. One that I do not intend to make again."

Maggie was in shock. "I can't believe I'm hearing this! I thought we had something, Monty!"

Monkey Fist bolted around. "Don't call me by that name!" He charged in front of her. "I am Lord Monkey Fist. With Sun Wukong gone I am destined to become the rightful Monkey King, and my destiny involves no one else."

Maggie was left speechless, a whole flurry of emotions within that she couldn't put into words.

The monkey ninjas had retreated behind the sofa. Mommy and Daddy were fighting again.

Monkey Fist cleared his throat and calmly leaned back. "You are free to leave anytime you wish. Though I ask you that you do it within the day." He approached the hearth and once more pulled down the chimp-arm candelabra. The fireplace moved aside and he descended into the shadows.

Maggie couldn't bring herself to cry; she was more shocked than heartbroken. She didn't know what to make of what had just happened. It was as if the Monty Fiske she fell in love with had suddenly been replaced altogether.

She trembled, and then something lightly rattled and fell over. She glanced over at the liquor cabinet. The gourd had fallen on its side.

Her eyes narrowed on it. If they had gone to so much trouble to retrieve it, then why was he leaving it in there? Wasn't it a part of his big destiny plans?

The gourd twitched and sprung ever so slightly like an oversized jumping bean.

Maggie raised her eyebrow suspiciously, and glanced at where Monkey Fist had descended. Just what was he up to...?

She checked the sharpness of her nails. She was going to find out.