A Night At The Gala

Part 5: The Gala Ignites

He spent all morning getting ready, packing Luna's night bag and other necessity items for her stay with Ella. She agreed to baby sit so she could get some hands on experience to prepare for her own child. She was even happy to take her all night- wanting the full experience. Max wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to have a baby free night- so he jumped on it. As he puts on his white dress shirt, and grabs his tie- a knock on the door disrupts him. Going to open it, he briefly looks at his tie before glancing up and finding Alice on the other side of the door. He wants to slam the door in her face after telling her to piss off, but he's a gentleman.

"Hello." He says blandly and Alice smiles, a bit of shame playing on her face.

"Hi...I wanted to apologize for last time. I pushed way too hard- way too fast and it wasn't okay." He steps aside and allows her to enter his apartment. "You're all dressed up in a tux? What's the big event?"

"Fundraising Gala. I have to schmooze people out of their money. So that's fun." He goes back to tying his bowtie in the mirror by his armchair where she blew him. He watches her cautiously in the mirror as she glides around his furniture and makes her way to him.

"Sounds like a fun night. Need a date?" Trying to be coy is not working for her. Max is less than impressed and wishes he never invited her in.

"No, actually tonight is for someone else." He states and she furrows her eyebrows.

"I thought you weren't ready to date anyone." She throws it in his face like a snowball- harsh and waiting to watch it implode against his face.

"I'm not, but she's also not just anyone. She's the most important woman in my life and I'm ready to tell her that." Getting the tie figured out, he folds his collar over it and adjusts it in the center of his neck.

"Are you serious? If you have had feelings for her and you lead me on- what kind of an asshole are you?"

"One who is too stupid wasting his time on other people when the only one that actually matters to me has always been by my side." Alice shakes her head and heads towards the door.

"Whoever she is- she better feel the same about you. Or that's going to be a waste of your time."

"Whether she feels the same for me or not- I won't be wasting any more time not telling her how much she means to me." Walking across the apartment floor, Alice opens his door and leaves without another word. Staring at himself in the mirror, he remembers last years Gala. How happy he was to see Georgia there- his secret weapon. How is he going to convince everyone to donate? He's not good at this. He's never been good at smooth talking people into giving him what he wants or needs. Brantley expects him to do better than last year- phh, he did nothing last year, but run between a patient and the Gala. Georgia did all the hard work. Tonight will be a struggle no doubt. He hopes Helen comes. He not only wants to see her and make sure she's okay- but he also wants to apologize and tell her how he really feels.

**Helen**

Standing in her office, Helen finishes tying her hair up into a bun and smooths her hands down her emerald green dress that hugs her body. It's an elegant, form fitting mermaid dress that exposes her chest and yet covers everything else. It's the prettiest dress she owns and yet has never worn. For the last how many Galas, she has never attended one. Her and Mo were supposed to go, but we know how that had ended. So staring at herself, all exposed in the tight, long sleeve green dress- Helen smiles and then frowns. Is she doing the right thing by going? She knows Max is useless when it comes to fundraising- so someone has to help him. Yet she hopes she doesn't see him. She doesn't know if her heart could take it. Looking at the resignation letter on her desk, Helen feels her chest tighten.