It was finally Tuesday.

Maisie had been stressing herself out ever since the phone call with Steven. She had repeatedly checked on the plane tickets and had visited the hotel so many times that she might as well have been staying there. She just wanted this to go perfectly. Maisie really felt like this would help Brent to take a big step into the right direction. Maybe him being happy with his old friend will make him realize that he actually can be nice to people.

After quite the long talk with Brent, Maisie finally convinced him to let her borrow one of his cars (after repeatedly reminding him that she was a grown adult and it didn't matter where she was going, as long as he would be so gracious as to lend her one of his many cars for an hour). A short while after struggling with the GPS Maisie eventually set off towards the airport to pick up Steven and then proceed to take him to his hotel before finally taking him to see Brent.

Maisie went walking around the airport, not knowing what to do because she hadn't gotten a text from Steven saying he had landed yet. Only then did she realize that there was one small little hitch in her plan: she had no clue what Steven looked like. It was such a stupid mistake, it was literally the only thing she never thought about. Not once did it cross her mind that she should probably look him up somewhere on social media to see what the man she was supposed to be picking up looked like. Just as she began to worry herself all over again she felt her phone ding with the most simple message in the world: 'here'.

Immediately, Maisie called Steven and revealed their mistake they neither of them had the slightest clue what the other looked like. While Maisie was still too busy on being worried that Brent would hate her plan, making him hate her, she obviously didn't take two seconds to come up with a reasonable solution. And it wasn't until Steven spoke up on the other line that she brought herself back down to reality. "Maisie," Steven said, "don't worry, just meet me by the front doors. I'll be wearing a green jacket. You said that you had on a yellow rain coat, right?" Nodding, before she remembered that he couldn't see her, Maisie responded, "Right. See you there, then."

....

They had found each other with no problems and were currently in the car and on their way to his hotel. They were both sitting in silence, Maisie focused on the road and Steven was looking out the window, watching the rain drops race down the glass. It was a comfortable silence, they didn't know each other enough for it to be anything but. The silence between them, with the low hum of the radio and the frequent honks from the abundance of cars on the road, allowed Maisie plenty of time to form her first impression of Steven. She had determined that Brent probably only made friends that were as attractive as he was. They were both good looking men, it was undeniable, except one of them often acted like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. He seemed just as nice as she had imagined from the few phone calls and texts they shared. Even his plane outfit showed that he had an impecable sense of fashion.

Maisie finally pulled into the parking lot of the hotel and got out to help Steven with one of his bags, not that he looked like he needed it but it was just a natural instinct to help others. He checked in and they made their way up to his room on the eighth floor to quickly set his luggage down and race back to the car.

Once they were finally on their way back to Brent's home Steven was the first to break the silence, "So, you're Brent's personal assistant?"

"Well, that's what he likes to call me, yes," Maisie answered with a chuckle, "but I was technically hired to help him out with his anger issues, but he doesn't want everybody in the world to know that."

"Ah, yes, I am very familiar with his anger problems. Though, he's never lashed out on me I have seen it happen in person and you get, like, secondhand embarrassment for those people."

"Secondhand embarrassment, that is such a good way to put it!" Maisie nodded in agreement as she continued to speak, "So, what about you? We never talked about what you do."

"I didn't become anything near as successful as Brent did, but I own a few hotels back home. It's pretty fun, honestly. I mean, I don't live in a mansion like he does, but I've got a decent place, a car, and I put meals on my table everyday, so there's no sense in complaining."

"Oh, that's neat! Well, I'm glad you like what you do. And, trust me, Brent is not the guy to compare yourself to. I mean, everybody seems so unsuccessful if you look at just the surface of his life. I can assure you he's not all that perfect. But, of course, you've known him a lot longer than I have so you can agree with that."

After Steven agreed with her and they talked about Brent a bit more and started other conversations they finally pulled into the driveway of his home. "Well," Maisie started, looking over at Steven who looked just as nervous as she did, "here goes nothing. I'll go in first, though. Then I'll call him out and tell him I've got something for him and then that's where you come in, obviously. Sound good?" Steven just nodded at her and they set off into the house. Steven stayed in the foyer and Maisie went into the living room where she figured Brent was located.

"Brent," Maisie called, "are you in the living room?"

"Yeah, I'm in here, Maisie, I'm not doing anything so you can just come on in, though!" Maisie rounded the corner to see Brent lounged out on one part of his couch, the remote in his right hand after he used it to pause his movie. "Fancy seeing you here, Maisie. What'd you need?" Brent asked.

"Well, I've got something for you, actually," Maisie said while nervously playing with her hands, "and, if you don't like it, well, then we've got an awkward week ahead of us."

"Oh, come on, Maisie, I'm sure I'll like whatever it is!" Brent reassured, "Now, where is it?" Maisie didn't say anything except smile and wave for him to follow her to the foyer. As they finally turned the last corner Maisie felt as though her heart would beat out of her chest and right onto the floor. They finally made it to where Steven was and Maisie turned around and used her whole arm to point to where he was.

Just as she thought she was about to get yelled at for giving him such a horrible gift, Brent yelled out Steven's name and Steven yelled out Brent's. They both had the widest grins on and they did one of those handshake-hug-things that Maisie felt like she'd need to attend school for four years and graduate with a Bachelor's degree just to master. Maisie stood back and looked at the pair in awe. This was the happiest she had ever seen Brent. I mean, he barely ever smiled and she had only ever heard him laugh, like, three times. Just as she was in the middle of watching the friends Steven asked Brent where his restroom was and left just Maisie and Brent alone.

"Brent," Maisie exclaimed, unable to hide her excitement, "are you sure you're happy with this? This is your Christmas present, by the way, well, one of them. I was so worried that you wouldn't be happy with this. I mean, you haven't spoken to him for years and I don't know what would have made me think you wanted to see him, luckily you do though! What if you hated it though, oh gosh! I would've obviously had to quit because I'd be so embarrassed, and then I'd have to move across the country, probably. Man, that would have been so bad! Oh my gosh, are you really sure yo-"

Maisie and all her word-vomit-rambling glory was stopped by what she least expected: a giant bear hug from Brent. Taking her a couple seconds to register the nicest thing she had ever witnessed Brent do, she hugged back with just as much joy. "I have never had somebody get me somebody else for Christmas!" Brent said excitedly, "I mean, this is one of the most thoughtful gifts anybody has ever gotten me: a whole week with my old friend. You don't have to worry about me not being happy. Thank you so much, Mace."

She had just witnessed two acts that she never thought possible coming from Brent: a giant hug of appreciation and a nickname used as a term of endearment-instead of the many vulgar names he usually calls people. It honestly made her heart flutter to see him so happy. This Brent was so much more attractive that the angry Brent she was so used to seeing. "Well, Brent, I am so glad you're happy, that's all I was hoping for," she answered with a smile just as wide as Brent's, "I'll leave you two kids to go have fun and catch up. If you need me for whatever reason, you know where to find me."

Even though Maisie was the one giving the 'gift', for lack of better terms, she felt as if she had been given the best present in the world.

....

Maisie went to bed with the same grin she wore earlier that day. Seeing him so happy was almost contagious. Every other night she had gone to bed since she worked for him, she often worried for him. She worried for his issues and grudges he continued to hold. She worried that his progress would just stop one day or it would go backwards. But not tonight. Tonight, Maisie only thought of the happiness he was able to spread when he truly meant it. And a couple thoughts of how good he looked wearing smile managed to slip their way into her mind.