Finally, after almost two weeks, I have finished Shadows. Part 3 is posted, which you can read by clicking the featured banner to the right, or click here: Shadows.
I posted a poll to see which not already posted story readers want to see next. That poll will be up until June, since I have a TON of in progress stuff that has to be sorted before I can devote myself to anything else.
The edited chapters of Daughters will be along as soon as I finished reposting I Shall Believe, which should be in about ten days (roughly March 29). On Sunday, March 31, I’ll post the first full-fledged chapter of A Few Words Too Many (which includes the prologue piece I posted earlier and an extra scene). I would wait until April 1, but I’m leaving for a short vacation in Oxford on March 31.
While I’m working on FWTM, I’ll also be finishing up Daughters and working on the revisions of Tangle and These Small Hours. Daughters will be completed by end of May at the latest, and both Tangle and These Small Hours will resume posting sometime in either late May or early June. Please, respond to Shadows – Part 3 and vote in the poll to see what story I should be day dreaming about when I should be paying attention to bus stops 😛
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When the door behind him opened, Jason set the photo down on his desk and slid it under a stack of papers. He turned to see Sonny standing behind, his face lined with exhaustion. “Uh…hey.” They were rarely in the same room these days, not since Sonny had learned Jason had helped Carly arrange for AJ to have visits with Michael.
But the anger that had haunted Sonny for so long seemed absent. “Hey,” he responded, and Jason could tell he felt awkward. “Uh…” Sonny coughed. “I just had lunch with Morgan and Michael.”
“Oh.” Jason leaned back against the desk and crossed his arms. “Okay.” He paused. “How’d it go?”
“Good, good.” Sonny looked around the room, probably noting that it had returned to the bare necessities—without any of the flourishes Courtney had added. When she’d left him, she’d taken most of the furniture, since—as she pointed out—she’d picked it out, she liked it and his stuff was in still in storage. “Michael seemed like he had fun…in New Orleans.”
“I think he did,” Jason said carefully.
“And he, uh, said he’s going back in August, for two weeks this time. And maybe for a few days in July.” Sonny walked slowly across the room, to stand by the mantel with photos of the boys. He picked up one of Michael at about the age he’d been when Sonny had adopted him. “He told me that even though he was talking to AJ, that I was his father, too, and he loved me.”
Jason remained silent. Didn’t know what to say. Sonny seemed to be taking this well, but was it just the calm before the storm?
“I remember that I didn’t really care one way or another about AJ Quartermaine until Carly came into my life.” Sonny turned back to look at him. “And he became an obstacle to the family I wanted. I figured he was a drunk, like my stepfather, like Mike, and he didn’t deserve Michael in his life. Carly didn’t want him there, so I…” He waved his hand, as if dismissing the whole notion of AJ. “I made it happen, and then AJ…” His face twisted. “He did what he did to my sister.”
“I know what he did to Courtney,” Jason murmured. “And I don’t forget it. But it was the reason he gave her a divorce without arguments, that he left town immediately afterward, and got himself sober. He looked good, Sonny. I never would have—”
“No, I know.” Sonny blinked and looked at the ceiling. “I talked to Carly after the custody hearing, I apologized for taking it to this point, and now I want to apologize to you. For making Michael, the little boy you entrusted me with, for making his life miserable. I love him, I do, but I think I recognize now…” He planted his hands at his waist and looked down, exhaling. “I recognize now that adopting a child is a gift, one you have to treasure and not take for granted. I did that. I assumed I owned him, because Carly gave him to me. I never dreamed she would turn to AJ to save her son from the grief we were causing him.” He looked up at Jason. “She’s a better mother than I ever gave her credit for.”
“So,” Sonny continued when Jason remained quiet. “Michael told me you’d taken him to the hospital down there.”
Jason blinked. He’d told Michael that he might want to keep it to himself, that only AJ knew about Elizabeth because he’d wanted someone down there to know she was on her own if she had had medical problems or needed help after the baby…but Michael would never think Sonny should be included in that prohibition. “Oh?”
“I knew you’d helped her leave Ric.” Sonny paused. “And I knew she was pregnant. I guess I just didn’t know you’d taken her to New Orleans.”
“I, uh…” Jason cleared his throat. “I didn’t want to take her somewhere where she’d be completely alone, and I needed to talk to AJ about Michael. It just…it just worked out that AJ’s steady enough…” He stopped. “Elizabeth had her son. I was visiting her, and she was at the hospital, and it just seemed…” He shifted, uncomfortably. “You know, her room was kind of bare, and the other women in the wing had visitors and flowers, I just thought she might feel…better. So I asked AJ and Michael to come see her.”
“That’s good.” Sonny nodded and rubbed his jaw. “So, the baby…he’s all right?”
“Yeah.” Jason found himself smiling at the memory, of being in the delivery room so she wouldn’t be alone, of being there when Elizabeth saw her son for the first time. “She named Cameron, for Zander’s father who died in the fire. Cameron Hardy Webber.”
“Webber.” Sonny furrowed his brow. “What about…” he waved his hand again, as he always did when referring to people he rather didn’t walk the Earth.
“I contacted Diane Miller when I got back,” Jason responded. “She’s filing for divorce and is taking the steps to make sure Ric is out of her life and Cameron’s.”
“Good,” Sonny repeated. “I never understood why she married him again, but you know…” he shrugged. “She was pregnant and scared, maybe.” He cleared his throat. “That the picture you were looking at when I came in?”
“Uh…yeah.” Jason slid the photo out, and after a moment, held it out to his friend. “Just something AJ took. Of Elizabeth and Cameron.”
Sonny studied it and smiled. “She looks happy. Tired, you know, because having a kid ain’t easy, but she looks happier than I ever saw her around here.” He handed it back to Jason. “I know you don’t like Sam—”
“I don’t know her particularly well,” Jason said. “But if she makes you happy Sonny, that’s good. You…” He paused. “You look better than you have in months.”
“Yeah…well…” Sonny smiled a little more broadly, his dimples winking. “Eventually, when everyone is shouting the same thing at you, you begin to think they have a point.” He started for the door, and then turned back. “Ah, the guy I have at the PCPD, you know he gives me an updated list of what cases are getting their focus. I know you’ve been using him the last few months.”
“And?” Jason tensed.
“And,” Sonny said slowly, “He said you hadn’t checked in since you got home last week, so I’m letting you know that Zander Smith’s case has been permanently shelved. No suspects, no evidence…” He shrugged. “Nowhere to go.”
“Sonny…”
“Come over for dinner tonight,” Sonny said. “Get to know Sam.”
7 Cause I can only tell you what I know
That I need you in my life
Sunday, June 20, 2004
Garden District: Chestnut Street House
When Jason entered the house, he heard Elizabeth’s laughter coming from the back room. He set his duffel bag down and walked down the hallway to Elizabeth’s sitting room. She had only used a few pieces of furniture in the room, arranging it near the large back windows, and today she was sitting cross legged in the empty space behind the sofa. Her son was lying on his back on a soft blue blanket, his legs kicking and arms waving in the air.
Elizabeth glanced up and a warm smile spread across her features. “Jason! I wasn’t expecting you.” She remained seated, so he joined her on the floor, across the blanket. “Everything okay back home?”
“They’re good.” Cameron twisted at the new voice, but when he couldn’t roll over, his face scrunched up in frustration and he let loose a wail. Jason grinned, remembering Michael at this age. “I was heading down to Puerto Rico to check on a few things. Nothing urgent, so I wanted stop in here first.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but the sparkle stayed in her eyes. “Only you would consider New Orleans on your way from New York to Puerto Rico.” He watched as Cameron wrapped his small fist around Elizabeth’s index finger.
“He’s grown just since I saw him,” Jason murmured. “I can’t believe it’s only been what…two weeks?”
“I know.” When Cameron’s fussiness continued, she cradled him into her arms and started to stand. Jason quickly got his feet, and placed his hands under her elbow to steady her. “I feel like he does something new every day, though I’m sure half the time I’m making it up.” She looked down at Cameron’s face. “Today, I’m pretty sure it was the first time he tried to look at someone, so that’s what I’m putting in his journal.”
She moved towards Cameron’s bassinet, which he noticed had taken the place of one the arm chairs. “Did you…” She paused as she set the baby down, and arranged a stuffed rabbit with him. “Did you talk to your lawyer?”
“Yeah…” Jason exhaled slowly. “Diane sent me with some paperwork for you to sign. She wanted to send it to you herself, but I wasn’t sure if you were ready for anyone to know where you are yet.”
“Well…” Elizabeth was quiet for a moment, watching Cam drift into a light doze. “You told me they’ve shelved Zander’s case, so it’s not like I can’t return.”
“No, but you can stay here as along as—”
“Jason.” Elizabeth smiled at him, put a hand on his arm. “I accepted your help because I had very few options and I was at a dead-end in my life. I was pregnant and I was depressed, and staying in Port Charles under those circumstances was…” She shook her head. “But that’s not my life anymore. I have to decide if I want to go home and what I’ll do when I get there.”
She slid her hand from his arm and sat on the sofa. After a moment, he joined her. He didn’t know what to say to her because there wasn’t any advice he could really offer. She was right. This place couldn’t be anything but temporary, but only she could decide what she was ready for. “Okay.”
“I don’t know yet what I want,” Elizabeth admitted. “Which is kind of aggravating since I just…” She rolled her shoulders. “I just want to be doing something productive with my life so I can provide for my son.” She glanced back at the bassinet and he was struck by the changes in her face since he’d showed up on her doorstep in Port Charles. The dark smudges under her eyes had faded, the fatigue he saw now seemed less heavy and probably more related to being a new mother, and most of all…the sadness in her eyes, in her posture…it had bled away, replaced by her smiles and her laughter.
That’s what he’d wanted to do all those weeks ago. Help Elizabeth find herself again.
“But I’ll have to learn patience.” She turned back and looked at him, her smile almost permanent. “So, Michael’s back from AJ’s. How is Carly handling all of this?” She hesitated. “How’s Sonny?” Elizabeth hesitated. “Unless you don’t want to—”
“They’re resigned to it,” Jason said, cutting her off. “Michael liked it here, and though neither of them wants to admit it, they know Michael likes AJ. If Michael had been younger when this all happened, I don’t think Carly would have agreed to let AJ in his life.” He shrugged. “But Michael’s thirteen. So there’s only so much control they have. He could just get on his bike and head to the Quartermaines.” He grimaced at that, and Elizabeth laughed.
“Well, it’s natural he wants to know them,” Elizabeth said. “He’s known forever that AJ was his biological father, and he lived there for a while.” When he just winced, she put her hand back on his arm. “Jason, I know your relationship with them isn’t good, and don’t get me wrong, Edward, at the very least, has his moments. But they love Emily. And she loves them. Which means they can’t be that terrible.”
“Yeah…” Jason rubbed the back of his neck. “Monica came by. She thanked me for helping AJ get involved with Michael again. I didn’t know what to say to her. I didn’t do for AJ—”
“No, but she knows what it means for you to put in a good word for your…” Elizabeth wrinkled nose. “For AJ. It gives her the pretense of peace in her family. I look at Cameron, and I think…if I ever have more children, I would want them to be close. Not like me, Sarah and Steven. They send cards, and sometimes we call, but even with email we rarely stay in touch. I can’t imagine what it’s like to know your children are so far apart.”
“Yeah…” Jason exhaled. “Yeah, I get that. And Monica has been better. I’ve always gotten along with her, Emily and Grandmother more than the rest. But Edward…” He closed his eyes and shook his head.
“He loves his family,” Elizabeth said, simply, “and he shows it by trying to control them. Because if you can control people, then you can keep them from being unhappy, from making mistakes that will end up hurting them.” She hesitated. “Still, I’m glad he’s not my grandfather.” He looked at her, annoyed because of course, Edward was technically his grandfather. Elizabeth pressed her hand to her mouth, trying to hold back her giggles, but finally they escaped and he was so relieved to see her happy for such a long period of time, that he didn’t care she was laughing at him.
8 When the stars have all gone out
You’ll still be burning so bright
Monday, July 12, 2004
Jason’s Penthouse
When Jason opened the door and found Ric Lansing on the other side, he knew this day that had started out okay was going to be a bad one. He’d stayed in New Orleans two days with Elizabeth and Cam, and then gone on to Puerto Rico to check on a few things. Once he’d returned, Carly was having second thoughts about AJ, not because Michael wasn’t okay with it, but because it was Carly and she always had second thoughts about everything. She was also reeling from the news that Sonny’s new girlfriend, Sam McCall, was pregnant and Sonny had been hiding it for months to spare everyone from Carly’s wrath.
And of course no one was. Carly might have told the world she was giving up on Sonny Corinthos, and Jason mostly believed it, but it was one thing for her to give up and quite another to watch Sonny move on before the ink on the divorce papers was dry. When she’d talked about revisiting custody of Morgan because she didn’t want her son around that slut, Jason had told her that he wouldn’t support her and that if he dragged the kid into court again, he would testify on behalf of Sonny.
He’d thought that was going to be majority of his drama for the week and he was just looking forward to accompanying Michael on his next visit to New Orleans to see Elizabeth again.
Ric held up a sheaf of papers. “I should have known you’d use this opportunity.”
Jason stepped back so the irate man could walk into his penthouse and reminded himself that killing him where he stood was not an option. “I guess you got the papers.”
“You’re damn right.” Ric slapped them on the desk. “I asked for your help so I could keep Elizabeth out of jail, so that she could get some peace away from this town, but instead, you’ve talked her into filing for divorce, and stripping me of any parental rights to my son—”
“Elizabeth’s son,” Jason corrected. “I didn’t—” And he cut himself off. He didn’t really give a damn if Ric thought he had sabotaged their relationship. He knew he hadn’t, and that was only because he’d wanted it to be Elizabeth’s decision. “I don’t know what you’re doing here. You should contact Elizabeth’s lawyer.”
“This is bullshit, Morgan.” Ric stepped towards him. “Your wife left you, and you think you can have my family? Elizabeth loves me, I know she does—”
“You’re going to want to leave,” Jason cut in. “And contact a lawyer, I’m sure.”
“You smug son of a bitch. I can’t even contact Elizabeth.” Ric’s face changed and he looked down at the pile of papers. “Diane Miller petitioned for a restraining order, and the judge granted a temporary one.” He dragged his fingers through his dark hair and Jason might have felt some sympathy for him had he been anyone else. He believed Ric loved Elizabeth, but it was a toxic kind of love, the kind that Luis Alcazar had had for Brenda, dependent on control. “I asked you for help—”
“And I gave it. But I wasn’t doing you any favors, and you knew it.” Jason folded his arms across his chest. “If she hadn’t wanted to go, I would have found another way to keep her safe. Ric, I don’t know what you think I can do for you. Even if I did have the kind of influence with Elizabeth you seem to think, there’s no way I would use it on your behalf.” He picked up the divorce papers and slapped them against Ric’s chest. “So when I say you should leave, that’s what I mean. If you ever loved her, maybe you’d give her what she wants.”
Ric gripped her divorce papers and stared down at them. He swallowed hard. “I wanted her to be safe, and maybe I knew it would never work. Not after…” He paused. “But I wanted to try anyway.” He looked up then, the lost expression vanished from his face. “But she never loved me the way I loved her. She’ll never love anyone the way she loves you.”
9 Cast me gently
Into morning
For the night has been unkind
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Garden District: Chestnut Street House
Elizabeth glanced up from her sketchbook and smiled, watching Cameron pass out to the sound of Jason reading out loud from one his travel books. This time, it was Austria and listening to the description of the landscapes and towns had spurred Elizabeth into making some quick scribbles of one of the castles.
It was the third time Jason had visited since Cameron was born, and Elizabeth liked that she and Jason were friends again, that they had somehow achieved the easiness of those first few months they’d been friends all those years ago when he’d just listen to her ramble, or she’d sit in silence in the studio, painting while he read or napped while recovering from his gunshot.
And if sometimes, when she was by herself in her room at night, she occasionally dreamt that this was the life she could have had with him if they’d both tried a little harder, well…there was no harm in that.
“Do you want me to put him in the bassinet?” she said softly. Jason glanced down, cradling Cameron in one arm, his book in the other, and smiled.
“No, I got him.” Carefully, Jason set the book aside and stood, barely jostling the infant. Elizabeth was horribly jealous—her legs weren’t long enough to get that kind of traction when she stood. Cameron was always disturbed when she moved him.
“You make that look so easy,” Elizabeth said without thinking, but Jason’s face didn’t tighten as it once had at being reminded at all his experience with children.
“He’s a peaceful baby,” Jason responded, returning to his seat.
“Hmm…” Elizabeth set her sketchbook aside. “I want to talk to you about coming back to Port Charles.”
Jason hesitated. “You don’t want to wait until your divorce is final?” He shifted on the couch, turning to face her.
“No, your lawyer suggested I get a restraining order while we were negotiating. I filed a copy with the New Orleans police in case he found out where I was.” Elizabeth bit her lip. “I felt guilty about it, because I don’t…I don’t really believe he’d hurt me, and I don’t intend to renew it or make it permanent. I was just afraid…” She sighed and looked out into the gardens, the dying sunlight shimmering through the sheer curtains. “I was afraid I might change my mind because it was easier than being alone.” She looked back at him. “I want the divorce, Jason. Don’t misunderstand me, but all the decisions that are in front of me…I thought I might…fall back. I have a nasty habit of preferring comfort over change.”
“I think you’re stronger than you think, but I’m not gonna lie, Elizabeth, I feel better knowing he can’t come around you without being arrested.”
Elizabeth smiled, because even though she knew she’d pulled herself out of the dark place on her own, she knew his faith in her had been the first step in rebuilding that strength he seemed to think she’d never lost. “Diane said he was pretty annoyed, but well…I figured it was his turn.” She pursed her lips. “So, I want to come back but I just…don’t know what I’m going to do there.” She looked over the back of the sofa at the bassinet. “I waitressed before I got married, and I guess I could go back to that, but all I would be able to afford would be a room above Kelly’s, which isn’t something I could honestly do with Cam…”
“I could…” Jason stopped, but she knew what he might have said, and they both knew she wouldn’t accept charity. “I mean,” he continued, as if trying to find another way to phrase the offer. “I could help you find something temporary. To pay the bills until you make a more permanent decision.”
“Sneaky,” Elizabeth teased. She dragged a hand through her messy hair, and sighed. “And tempting. Because at least I’d be working rather than living off you down here.” She raised an eyebrow. “Or are you gonna tell me Ric’s been giving you money to support me?”
Jason scowled. “He offered but I told him I didn’t need his money. Besides, you were supposed to have been leaving him. How would that have looked? Elizabeth, money doesn’t matter to me. I’ve got it and it just…” He shrugged one shoulder. “It sits in the bank and does nothing. I wanted to help you.”
“I know, and I needed to get my head on straight, so I agreed.” She chewed her lip. “I need to get back to my life. I need to get back to work and not get spoiled by sitting at home, being with Cameron all the time. So…” She squared her shoulders. “It’s not just about me anymore. So, here I am, actually asking you for help without needing my arm twisted.”
“That looked painful,” Jason after a moment, and he grinned when she scowled at him. “I can set you up with something at the warehouse. The coffee side of things…” He grimaced now, and she knew he hated it when he talked about this stuff with her. “It gets ignored sometimes. We’re usually too busy with other things, but it might interesting if we were as successful as we said we were.”
“And how do you expect an ex-waitress with an art degree to help with that?” Elizabeth asked skeptically. “I’m not a charity case—”
“No, no.” Jason held up a hand before she could continue. “We’re always losing contracts and missing meetings with actual suppliers and vendors. Sonny’s been talking about it since the divorce was final, and with Sam being pregnant and Morgan getting older, he wants to leave them something that’s…” He hesitated. “Something where the money is separate.”
“Okay,” Elizabeth said slowly. “So…?”
“So,” Jason continued, “we’ve talked about hiring an office manager to keep track of meetings and keep Sonny in line. Remind him about meetings. Or nag me if came down to it.” He tilted his nod. “You’re good at nagging me, and I think you’d warm up to harassing Sonny.”
“Oh, that’s just not…” She tossed a small throw pillow at him. “I never nag,” she said, but the smile was spreading across her face. “You’re still holding a grudge after five years because I made you eat some soup.”
“Three times a day for three weeks,” Jason retorted with a grin. “I still can’t look at cream of broccoli soup and not think about it.”
“You got better.” Elizabeth crossed her arms and offered a mocking glare. “If I take this job, you’re getting soup every day for lunch.”
“You should take it if only to spare us having to do interviews,” Jason said, and she could tell he was only partly joking. “So, really you’d be helping me.”
“Sure.” But Elizabeth knew he had her. It seemed like an actual position she couldn’t screw up too much, and it would give her room to breathe until she figured out what she really wanted to do. She reached across her sofa and took his hand in hers. “If Sonny’s okay with it, I’ll do it. And thank you.” Her throat felt tight. “Having you in my life again has made everything else about this year easier.” Her cheeks flushed slightly, but she didn’t look away. “Your friendship means so much to me.”
“I’m glad…” Jason paused, his finger tracing a pattern over the back of her hand. “I’m glad that we got back to this place.” After a moment, the corner of his lip curved up. “So, where you going to live?”
10 Take me to a
Place so holy
That I can wash this from my mind
The memory of choosing not to fight
Sunday, August 1, 2004
Harborview Towers: Elizabeth’s Apartment
Elizabeth slid the last stack of Cameron’s onesies into the top drawer of the dresser that had been in the apartment she was renting for a few months. She knew Jason hadn’t furnished her place—he knew her better than to do that without asking, but she wasn’t so positive about Emily and Nikolas—Emily had looked at her rather brightly and ignored her questions.
It chafed that she was going to be starting a job tomorrow that had been given to her because she was friends with the owner or that she was renting an apartment using the advance for a salary that she might not deserve, but when she glanced over her shoulder and saw Cameron sleeping peacefully in the crib his godmother had probably arranged for him, Elizabeth couldn’t find it in her heart to argue.
There was nothing wrong with accepting help, particularly if it was as temporary as she was determined it would be. She would do the best job she could at managing Sonny and Jason’s coffee contracts, and she would save every extra cent so she could find a place that wasn’t being rented to her at bottom-market prices. But Jason had been right as always—she needed space to breathe and a way to develop a new routine for this new path in life.
She finished unpacking Cameron’s miniscule wardrobe, took the second baby monitor and headed into the living room to make tea. It had been three days since she’d left the house in New Orleans and she missed the gardens, the peace and the distance, but that had not been reality and she never going to let herself sink into a fantasy life again. Not after her marriage to Ric.
There was a light knock on her door and Elizabeth set her tea on the coffee table before going to answer it. She smiled immediately. “Hey, I didn’t think you’d be by tonight.”
“Hey.” Jason stepped in, looking around quickly. “I know it’s late, but I didn’t get the chance to stop in before now.”
“Well, come in.” She stepped back and closed the door after him. “I think your sister decided that when I asked her and Nikolas to get my things from Ric’s house that I meant she should stop at Wyndham’s and furnish the place as well.”
“It wouldn’t surprise me,” Jason nodded. “Is the apartment all right?”
“It’s great.” Elizabeth didn’t know what to do with her hands. It had seemed so easy in New Orleans. They’d sit on the sofa, and he’d read while she sketched or took care of Cameron. And now that they were in the real world again, she wasn’t sure if they could get that back.
She squared her shoulders. She was not going to think that way. “Do you want some coffee?” Which she’d stocked up on since she hoped maybe he would still come by when he wasn’t hiding her from the authorities.
“No, I’m okay.” Jason hesitated, and she wondered if he was as nervous as she was. So she cleared her throat.
“So what did you do today?” she asked, heading for the sofa and picking up her tea. As she had hoped, he lowered himself next to her.
“Listened to Carly complain about Sam.” Jason grimaced. “It annoys her that he moved on so effortlessly, or so she thinks.”
“Hm…” Elizabeth sipped the chamomile. “I met Sam briefly yesterday. Sonny came by with a lasagna and brought her.” She paused. “Do you like her?”
“I don’t know her,” Jason replied. “Sonny’s kept her mostly to himself, because of Carly.” He leaned back on the sofa. “But she seems to make Sonny happy. He’s calmer, less agitated all the time.”
“He looked good when he was here,” Elizabeth remarked. She wrinkled her nose. “And he thanked me for taking this job you made up.”
Jason chuckled, and the familiar but long absent sound caused her smile to broaden. “I didn’t make it up,” he assured her. “It’s just a brand-new position.”
“Ha, well if you think I was annoying that December when I refused to let you lift weights or eat pastrami on rye, you’re in for a surprise.” Elizabeth arched an eyebrow. “I have learned so much about nagging since then.”
“I’ll bet.” Jason paused. “Have you…heard from Ric since you’ve been home?”
“No.” Elizabeth set her cup on the table and tucked her legs underneath her. “I decided to stay low-profile. Right now, he’s not contesting the divorce and he didn’t contest the restraining order.” She eyed him. “And the guy at the desk downstairs assured me that Ric Lansing isn’t allowed past the front door, unless accompanied by Mac or a court order, so I shouldn’t worry about it.”
“Well, the court order thing is standard,” Jason admitted. “No one is allowed past the front desk to these upper floors that Sonny and I own unless they’re cleared, and cops are case-by-case basis.” He shrugged. “So I just wanted to make sure they understood that it included your apartment as well.”
“Hmm.” Elizabeth tilted her head. “Well, thank you. But I guess I’ll have to face him soon enough.” She grimaced. “I’m tired of talking about Ric and my life. I feel like all I’ve done for months is put myself back together…” She wiggled her shoulders. “How’s Carly dealing with AJ?”
“Surprisingly…well.” Jason propped his elbow on the back of the couch, resting his hand against his forehead as he faced her. “She told me that Michael had a great time last month when he went for a weekend, and AJ came up last week to see Lila, so Michael had dinner with the family.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “What, are you serious? Carly let him eat dinner with Edward?” She laughed. “I feel like I’m in twilight zone.”
“I know. It’s…” Jason paused, as if trying to find the right word. “I don’t even know. He’s going down to New Orleans next week for two more weeks, and Carly and AJ are talking on the phone, because he’s thinking of shifting back to Port Charles, at least part time now that he can be closer to Michael.”
“Are you worried about him being back here?” Elizabeth asked. “That he won’t be able to stop drinking?”
Jason was silent for a long moment, as if considering his response. “Yes,” he finally admitted. “But maybe that’s why he’s coming back. It’s one thing to separate yourself from the reasons you keep falling over the edge and do all right, but maybe AJ wants to prove he really has changed.”
“I hope for Michael’s sake…and yours,” Elizabeth said, “that it’s true. But if it’s not, I’m sure you’ll be there for Michael.” She smiled. “Just like you always are.”
11 If it takes my whole life
I won’t break, I won’t bend
It will all be worth it
Worth it in the end
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Jason’s Penthouse
Carly pushed open the penthouse door and sighed in relief. “Finally! I was beginning to think I would never catch you at home.” She raised an eyebrow. “Where have you been spending the evenings? Not here. Not all week.”
Jason closed the warehouse ledger and pushed the chair out from the desk so he could stand and look at his friend. “You could have called.”
“I notice you’ve avoided the question.” Carly planted her hands on her hips. “Listen. I need you to talk me down.”
“Again?” Jason pulled the ledger and a few other files from the desk top and secured them in a drawer. “If this is about AJ and Michael—”
“It is.” Carly hesitated. “But not the way you think.” She tapped her toe. “I think I’ve gone insane. I just hung up from an almost pleasant phone call with AJ Quartermaine in which we calmly discussed our son, AJ’s plans to come up for Thanksgiving and stick around for a few months, and he asked me very nicely how I was and how Morgan was.”
Jason paused by his bookshelf, a travel book in his hand. He frowned. “And…I need to talk you down from this?”
“Did you not hear me?” Carly demanded. “I just had a perfectly normal and pleasant conversation with my ex-husband regarding a son of whom we share custody. This is a sign, Jase, that something has gone terribly wrong in my life.” She pointed towards the door. “And I saw Sam getting on the elevator as I got out, and damn it, Jason, I said hello to her.”
“You’re right. Something has gone terribly wrong.” Jason raised his eyebrows. “Could it be…maturity? Realizing that not fighting with AJ isn’t good for Michael, and that Sam’s daughter is going to be Morgan and Michael’s sister. That trying to make Sonny’s life miserable affects Morgan.” A warm feeling spread in his chest because he could sense that finally…after all these years…
Carly was going to be okay on her own. He didn’t have to worry about her anymore, run after her cleaning up her plans and schemes.
“Carly, you’re a good mother.”
“You say that like it was ever in doubt,” Carly grumbled. She folded her arms across her chest. “But yeah…I guess maybe I am. I think…” She pursed her lips. “AJ told me that one of the reasons it was difficult for him to stay away from alcohol is because he always felt like I was there, representing all his mistakes. Every time he looked at me, he thought of Michael and the mistakes he’d made to lose custody. He wanted to find a way to make peace, because he wasn’t sure he could stay sober if we were always going to be at each other’s throats.”
“Sounds like AJ grew up, too. Wonders never cease,” Jason muttered. He put one book back and picked out another. Not Switzerland. Too cold. Michael had always liked the one about Africa. Maybe…
“And I realized that I was exhausted with fighting. I’ve been fighting for years, Jason. I fought my mother, even though she didn’t know it, I fought you, I fought Tony, and AJ, and Sonny, and Alexis…” She shook her head. “But I don’t have to live that way anymore. I have The Cellar and Jax is letting me buy back into Club 101, and I thought I could talk him into a partial ownership of the Port Charles Hotel he’s rebuilding.” She grinned. “Look at me, Jase. A whole new woman. Are you shocked?”
“No.” Jason put back the book on Africa and selected one for Australia. He’d never been there before. “Carly, why do you think we’re friends despite everything?”
“Um…I guess I always assumed you were one of the people who figured if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” She shrugged, as if it were a joke, but he could see there was something to her statement. That she really believed Jason considered her a friend because it was easier than kicking her out of his life.
“You drive me insane,” Jason replied, gripping the new book and coming back to the desk. He tossed it on the desk and took her hands in his. “You always had some way to fix my life, your life, everyone’s life, but you never stopped to see the flaws or consider what to do when it backfired, because it always did. And I helped clean them up, because I always knew…your heart was in the right place. You’re just…not good at helping.”
Carly scowled. “Sometimes my plans worked. I seduced the shit out of my stepfather.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she closed her mouth. “You may have a point, Jase.”
“So, we’re still friends because I always knew you meant well, even if you didn’t.” He released her hands. “I know it’s weird to be on good terms with AJ, but Michael is happier. And Sonny is relieved you’re not trying to figure out how to get rid of Sam anymore, which makes the boys happy because they want a new sister and they like their father being happy with Sam. So, you’re just going to have to suck it up and…” He hesitated. “Get comfortable with the fact that you don’t have to fight any more to be happy, and learn how to actually enjoy happiness.”
“I never could have gotten to this place without you.” She wrapped him in a tight hug. “So I want you to be happy as well.” Carly drew back and noticed the travel book. “You used to read these to Michael.”
So Jason waited, because his best friend was not nearly as scatterbrained as people thought. She narrowed her eyes. “You’ve been with Elizabeth Webber and her son all these nights. Since she got home and divorced Ric.”
“Yes.” Jason picked up the book. “And I’m going down for dinner tonight.” He stared at her, hoping that the Carly who could now converse with AJ Quartermaine without plotting some way to screw him over could learn to accept Elizabeth in his life.
“My first instinct is to criticize,” Carly said finally. “Which is how I know it’s wrong. So let’s try something new. This is your life, Jason. You always let me make my own decisions—for better or worse—so if she…” Her face twisted into a slight grimace. “If she makes you happy, then…all right. Clearly, I am destined to put up with her since every time I turn around, she pops back into your life.” She shrugged. “Who am I to argue with fate?”
12 ‘Cause I can only tell you what I know
That I need you in my life
When the stars have all burned out
You’ll still be burning so bright
Wednesday, November 5, 2004
Elizabeth’s Apartment
Jason nodded to Cody, Elizabeth’s evening guard, and lightly pushed open the door, his face unconsciously spreading into a smile when he saw Elizabeth on the sofa, with Cameron and a bottle ready. “Hey.”
“Hey.” She waited for him to sit down before assuming their usual position for Cameron’s final bottle of the day. She leaned into his side, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, watching as she began to feed her son. “How are Sam and Sonny?”
“Ecstatic,” Jason remarked. “They named her Adela Lily, because Sam wanted to honor the women in Sonny’s life who left him too early.”
“I’m so happy everything turned out so well,” Elizabeth replied. “He was so scared when he hurried out of the office today. I don’t know a lot about medicine, but placenta previa was one of the more terrifying complications I read about when I was preparing for Cam. If they don’t catch it early…” She shook her head. “But it’s all okay now, and they have their little girl.” She tiled her head up to look at him. “So, we finished Australia last night. Where are we going tonight? India? Denmark?”
“I thought…” Jason held up an old dog-eared book he’d owned for years. “I thought we might read about Italy.”
She’d already been content when he came in for the night, but the mention of Italy lit her up in a way he only saw when she was looking at Cameron, and lately…at him. “Really?” she asked, pulling her lower lip between her teeth.
Because he wanted and also simply because he could, Jason leaned down to capture her lips with his, soothing the tiny nicks in her lip from her teeth. Drawing back, he tightened his hold on her. “Well, if we want Cam to see it in the spring, we should start preparing now.”
“Well, that’s just logical then.” Elizabeth closed her eyes, and one tear slowly slid down her face. “When I think of how this year…how this year started, and now how this year is going to end, I am just…I am so happy. I have everything and everyone I could possibly want in my life.” She leaned the top of her head against his jaw. “I didn’t know a person could just…overflow with bliss.”
“That makes two of us,” he replied softly. “I love you so much.”
“And I love you.” She sniffled a bit. “But you’re right. We have to be logical about this. So, let’s talk about Italy.”
“The beauty of northern Italy,” Jason began, “is its diversity. You only have to have to take a short train ride out of Turin…”
Cast me gently
Into morning
For the night has been unkind THE END
This entry is part 15 of 34 in the I Shall Believe
Chapter Fourteen
Carly’s House
Sage eyed the baby monitor in her hands, almost hoping for some sound. She wanted something to do.
Something that didn’t include her psychology or history homework.
She set the white plastic monitor on the coffee table and stood up. She crossed to the large bay window that faced the street. She crossed her arms and glanced up and down the street, hoping Carly would come back.
With a long frustrated sigh, Sage turned away and surveyed the rest of the downstairs. As houses went, she guessed this one was pretty nice. It was kind of bare though, a box here and there that still needed to be unpacked. It didn’t really look like two small children and a woman like Carly lived here.
If she lived here, she’d paint all of these boring white walls bright colors. A bright green in the living room maybe–sunny yellow in the kitchen and she’d keep the dining room an eggshell color so it didn’t take away from the artwork Sage would hang.
Modern art, Sage decided. Abstract paintings with some bright colors. Discussion pieces. That’s what she’d hang here. Family portraits would go in the living room. Maybe a large framed one above the fireplace of Michael and Morgan.
It was so easy to picture the kind of home she’d create and she found herself aching for this situation to go past the temporary week. Her room was fantastic, this house just needed a woman’s touch. A woman not bogged down in raising children, fighting her feelings for different men and dealing with her husband’s trial.
A knock on the front door interrupted Sage’s fantasy of her as a bridesmaid in Carly’s wedding to her uncle. She crossed to the front door and pulled it open. She scowled immediately. “What do you want?” she demanded.
Lucas Jones sighed and slipped his hands in his pockets. “Look…this isn’t easy for me to do–”
“Just spit it out,” Sage remarked darkly.
“I’m sorry,” Lucas blurted out. “I didn’t know you went over there to apologize. I came into the cafeteria and saw you walking away from the table and I just…I don’t like people hurting my cousins. They don’t have an older brother and their dad’s busy a lot so I tend to step in and look out for them. I’m sorry.”
“Now that you’ve got that off your chest…” Sage gestured towards the walkway behind him.
He stopped her from shutting the door by bracing his hand on it. “No, I…I really am sorry. I don’t know you, Sage. I had no right to judge you before I even laid eyes on you–I’m not usually such an asshole, I promise.”
“Well…the only thing you knew about me was that I’d thrown myself at your cousin’s boyfriend so I guess you thought you knew exactly what kind of person I’d be,” Sage sighed. “I apologized to your cousin, I’ve accepted your apology. Can we leave it at that?”
“I should have considered the source,” Lucas protested. “That anything Georgie would told me would be colored by her anger towards you. I didn’t and I took what she said at face value. I was cruel to you.” He lowered his voice. “I know that I upset you a-and I really…I really am sorry.”
Sage glanced away. “You didn’t upset me,” she mumbled.
“I did,” Lucas argued. “I just…” he licked his lips and took a deep breath. “I didn’t show you around like I was supposed to and I’m sorry for that too.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“Well…I’d like a second chance,” Lucas told her. “Maybe we could meet at your locker tomorrow and I can do it right?”
Sage hesitated. She didn’t want to open herself up to another cutting and cruel remark from him–but he seemed genuinely sorry and he had been just looking out for his little cousin after all. “Okay.”
“Okay,” Lucas nodded. “Before homeroom?”
“Yeah, sure,” Sage agreed.
“Okay.” He hesitated and gave her a little smile. “I’ll see you then.”
Despite herself, Sage smiled back. “Okay.”
“Okay,” he repeated. He backed up from door, sliding his hands into his back pockets. “Bye.”
Amused now, Sage laughed. “Bye.”
He laughed too and finally turned to finish walking to his car. He opened the car door and waved at her little before getting inside.
When he’d finally driven away, she laughed again and closed the door, leaning against for a minute. She wasn’t sure but if she didn’t know any better…he might have been flirting with a little at the end there.
Port Charles Hotel: Courtney’s Room
Courtney parted the curtains of her single room and waited for Brian to answer his phone. She’d decided to stay the night here before making the drive back to Haye’s Landing.
The scene in the penthouse had gone both better and worse than she’d expected. She’d presented herself as well as she was able to and she was proud of herself for holding it together, for not yelling and crying and just generally losing it. She didn’t want Jason to see how much it hurt–how much the knowledge of knowing Jason would get the child she knew he always wanted but Courtney wouldn’t be having it. No, the woman Courtney could never measure up to had that privilege.
But she’d hoped…she’d hoped Jason would at least argue with her. Not a whole lot because she’d been afraid if he pushed her, she’d back down. But he’d just…he’d agreed. She’d wanted the divorce, he nodded and said that was fair, whatever she wanted.
She hadn’t known how to deal with that answer. Hadn’t expected it. It didn’t change her mind about wanting one but it…it made her think a little more about Jason and whether he’d been happy in this marriage or not.
“Hello?”
“Brian…hey, it’s me,” Courtney said. She sat down in an armchair and sighed. “I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier.”
“It’s fine. Where–where are you?”
“The hotel,” she answered. “I went to the penthouse already.”
“Yeah?”
“We talked. I almost…I almost–” she sighed. “I could feel myself making excuses for him. Saying that I knew he still loved her, that I had been a rebound for him–but I stopped. I took a step back and I got through it.”
“Did you get the answers you needed?”
“No,” Courtney kicked her shoes off and closed her eyes. “I was going to ask but…but I was afraid of the answer. Jason–why’d you sleep with your ex-girlfriend. It should be have been simple to ask–I mean, it’s a logical question to ask in these circumstances.”
“Of course it is.”
“I think I even have a right to ask.”
“Right.”
“But…what if he’d told me he did it because he still loved her? That one night, he’d seen her and he’d realized what he’d given up and he wanted to fix it–”
“Courtney, if any of that was true, he wouldn’t have come back to you,” Brian interrupted. “He still married you. He didn’t stay with her.”
“Maybe he felt guilty,” Courtney challenged. “Maybe–”
“Maybe you should just ask him,” he cut in.
“Maybe.” She bit her lip. “I told him…I told him I wanted a divorce and he said okay.”
“He said okay?” Brian repeated. “Is that all he said?”
“Just okay. Not…no, Courtney, I love you. Not Courtney, we can make this work. Just, yeah, okay, let’s end this marriage. He didn’t argue. He just sat there while I packed my stuff and called one of the guards to help me out with it.”
Brian sighed. “I’m sorry, Courtney. I don’t…I don’t know what I supposed to say to you.”
“There’s nothing to say, I guess. I need to find a lawyer, file for divorce and figure out what I’m supposed to do with the rest of my life.”
“Don’t worry about the rest of your life. One day at a time.”
“Easy to say, harder to do.” She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. “I’m gonna take a shower, get a nap. I’ll probably be back sometime tomorrow. Depends on what happens here.”
“Okay, yeah, I gotta go make some rounds. I’ll see when you get back then.”
“Okay…bye.”
She hung up the phone and sighed. Was it wrong to be disappointed Jason hadn’t protested the divorce? Or be relieved that he hadn’t?
November 25, 2003
Wyndemere: Elizabeth’s Bedroom
Elizabeth murmured something in her sleep and burrowed more deeply into the soft pillows of the guest room she was staying in.
“Thanks for walking me home,” Elizabeth said, tugging her keys from her pockets and turning to smile at the hazy shape of Jason leaning against the wall outside her studio.
“It’s no big deal,” he shrugged. “I mean…you nearly tripped and fell into the water,” he teased her. “Who knows the damage you could have done getting up the stairs?”
Elizabeth laughed and shook her head. “None with you only three inches away the whole time,” she retorted good-naturedly. She tried to fit the key into the lock but kept missing it as the hallway was rather dark.
“Stupid key,” she mumbled. She heard it scraping against the metal of the lock but it wasn’t fitting in.
Jason’s warm hand covered hers and gently moved it just slightly to the left where the key slid inside the lock. The tumblers clicked open and she tilted her head up to thank him.
He was so close to her she could make out the details of his face more clearly before. She licked her lips, a little nervous. It’d been some time since they were this close to one another. A year. More even.
And…he was getting closer. He pushed her hair out of her face and closed the last bit of distance between them with a soft, hesitant kiss.
“Jason,” she breathed against his lips, her eyes fluttering shut at the warmth and familiarity of his scent and taste.
“Shhh…” He kissed her again, harder this time. She dropped her keys on the floor and wound her arms around his neck.
Jason tangled one hand in her hair while fumbling blindly for the doorknob to open the door to the studio.
He found it and pushed it open, backing her inside, never breaking the contact between their mouths.
Jason’s hands shoved the jacket from her shoulders and hoisted her onto the nearby table, knocking some sketch pads and other various art supplies to the ground. Elizabeth speared her fingers in his dirty blonde hair, a breathy moan escaping her lips as he ravaged her neck.
She yanked his shirt up and over his head, dragging her nails back down the hard plane of his chest, eliciting a slight growl from Jason as he took possession of her mouth again, thrusting his tongue inside her mouth. They fought for control–for the kiss and for everything else.
He gripped the sides of her button-down shirt and ripped them apart, sending the tiny buttons scattering all over the studio. He slid the shirt halfway down her arms, restricting the movement of those limbs as his lips roved over the smooth expanse of skin he’d just uncovered.
“Jason,” Elizabeth moaned. She wiggled out of the shirt and wrapped her arms around his neck again, shifting her weight so that he was forced to take a step back and lift her back into his arms.
He stumbled backwards and his knees hit the couch. He went sprawling on his back and she landed hard on top of him. Elizabeth giggled a little and started to sit a little, bracing her hands on his chest.
Jason had other ideas–he wrapped his hands around her wrists and yanked, sending her crashing back on top him. He tugged her up a little and devoured her mouth once again in a searing kiss.
Her hands slid down the smooth skin until they reached the button of his jeans–
“Elizabeth!”
She jerked up suddenly, her face burning, her breathing shallow and fast. “What?”
Emily smiled a little and sat on the edge of the bed. “Must have been some dream,” she teased.
Elizabeth shoved her sweaty hair off her face and stood quickly. “What did you need?” she asked.
“Jason’s…downstairs. Apparently, you were supposed to meet him after your shift yesterday.”
Elizabeth’s face reddened further and she went over to her bag, yanking some clothes out. “I completely forgot,” she mumbled.
“So…what was the dream about?” Emily pressed, blocking her friend’s approach to the bathroom to shower.
“Nothing,” Elizabeth muttered. She darted to the left but Emily blocked her again. “Em–”
“Come on, if you can’t tell your very best friend in the whole wide world, who can you tell?” Emily demanded with a smile. The smile grew slightly wicked. “Was it about my brother?”
“Emily,” Elizabeth hissed. “Be quiet.”
“Oh please. He’s two flights down. He can’t hear you, trust me. Well, I guess it was.”
“It was…about that night,” Elizabeth admitted. “And you interrupted at a key moment,” she grumbled.
“Okay, enough about sex and my brother. Nasty,” Emily wrinkled her nose. “Anyway, he picked up some apartment listings so am I to understand you won’t be giving him a hard time about this today?”
“No. Nikolas pretty much killed the last of my stubbornness,” she sighed. “Look, I just want to get showered and changed.” She pressed a hand to abdomen suddenly with a grimace. “Oh…man, I don’t feel so well.”
“Morning sickness?”
“Excuse me.” Elizabeth dashed past her friend and slammed the bathroom door shut.
Wyndemere: Study
“She was still sleeping so she’s getting a shower and stuff,” Emily told her brother. “She forgot all about meeting you yesterday.”
“Yeah, I called and Penny told me she’d gone to the hospital.”
“With the newscast, she didn’t want to chance that her grandmother had seen it before she had a chance to tell her about it.”
“How did that go?”
“Not well at all,” Emily sighed. She turned to see Nikolas entering with a cup of coffee. “Hey.”
“Well…Courtney knows,” Jason told his sister. “She found out on Friday, avoided me until yesterday.”
“Oh…Jason…” Emily touched his arm. “How did that go?”
“Probably as well Elizabeth and her grandmother,” Jason said with a sigh. “She’s filing for divorce.”
“Oh…I am so sorry…” Emily wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah…I–I’ve been resigning myself to this possibility since I found out Elizabeth was pregnant,” Jason admitted. “I just want to get everything squared away with Elizabeth so I know she’s taken care of.”
Outside the door, Elizabeth sighed and leaned her head against the cool wall. An obligation. That’s all she’d ever be to him.
Someone to take care of.
Carly’s House
“Michael, did you do your homework?” Carly shouted up to her son as she shoved his lunch into his Harry Potter book bag.
“Yes!” Michael shouted back. He started to hop down the stairs, tying his left shoe at the same time.
“Oh, tie your shoe and then come down!” she chastised. She turned to call for Sage who had been loitering in the kitchen the last time she’d seen her.
“Sage?”
“I’m almost done!” the teen called back. The phone rang. “I’ll get it!”
Sage yanked the receiver off the wall. “Hello?” she asked hurriedly.
“Hey, honey, it’s me,” Lorenzo said.
“Oh, hey, Uncle Zo,” Sage grinned. “How’s the trip going?”
“It’s going great. I should be home earlier than expected. How’s school?”
“It’s okay,” Sage sighed. “I think it sucks but it can’t get worse can it?”
“That’s a good attitude,” Lorenzo remarked. “You behaving for Carly?”
Sage rolled her eyes. “Yes, Uncle Zo. She’s really great, you know. It’s good to be around another woman. Look, I so hate to cut you off but I’m like four minutes from being late–”
“Sage Alcazar, if you don’t get your butt out here right now, you’re walking!” Carly yelled.
Lorenzo laughed. “Sounds like you’d better go. I’ll call after school, all right?”
“All right,” Sage agreed. “I love you, Uncle Zo,” she said in a hurry before slamming the phone down.
At the other end, Lorenzo smiled and hung up the phone. “I love you, too, Sage,” he sighed. He glanced over at one of the men he was working with. “Let’s get this over with. I have a family I need to get back to,” he told him, slipping his cell phone into his pocket.
This entry is part 14 of 34 in the I Shall Believe
November 24, 2003
Carly’s House
Sage slammed into the house and tossed her book bag to the ground. “I am never going back to that school again,” she declared.
Carly sighed and set Morgan into his bassinet before approaching the irate teen. “I take it the first day didn’t go well.”
“I am sick of being where I’m not wanted,” Sage seethed. “First it was with my own mother. She didn’t want me. Didn’t want my father either. She took off with some guy and I’ve never heard from her. And then my father just shipped me off to boarding school after boarding school until he died–which was a fact that my own uncle neglected to tell me for weeks!” Sage cried. “And I had to beg Uncle Lorenzo just to let me come to Port Charles, beg him again to let me stay and now he just shoves me off on you when he doesn’t want me around–”
“Whoa, whoa.” Carly held up her hands. “Lorenzo was all set to take you with him this week but I asked to look after you.”
Sage hesitated, her chest heaving from the exertion of her rage. “You did?”
“Yes. Lorenzo’s business trips are no place for a teenaged girl and…” Carly shrugged. “I wanted to get to know you better. Seemed like a good trade off.”
“Why do you give a damn about me?” Sage demanded.
“Because you mean the world to your uncle and he means a lot to me and mostly because I see part of myself in you,” Carly told her. “When I was your age, I was angry at the whole world. I thought my mother owed me better than what she gave me…both my biological mother and my adoptive mother. I hated that I lived in a house that was barely more than a trailer. That all of my friends had more than I did–I hated everything and everyone about my life.”
Sage crossed her arms tightly and blinked back tears. “No one wants me, Carly. No one has ever wanted me. I was an accident–I heard my mother shouting it at my father often enough. A-and when she was gone, he left me with nannies and in school. I was lucky to see him on the holidays. I never really saw my uncle until he came to tell me that my father was dead. I ran away from boarding school to come here, Carly. Did he tell you that?”
Troubled, Carly shook her head. “No. I didn’t…Honey, I’m sorry. But I know what you’re going through. I promise. I still don’t feel like I’m wanted a lot. I spent most of my life fighting to matter to people, fighting to destroy people, fighting to be happy…I don’t want to see it happen to you.”
She pulled Sage down to the couch and made her sit. “Being angry at the world takes too much energy, Sage. I’m so sorry that your childhood sucked and that you’ve been treated so horribly by the people who were supposed to love you but that’s going to change.”
“How can you be so sure?” Sage sniffled.
“Because you have a home here now. You will always be wanted and welcomed here with me,” Carly promised. She took Sage’s hands in hers. “Your uncle loves you but he’s a man and they don’t always understand what it’s like to be your age, much less a female.”
“I tried to apologize to Georgie and she just yelled at me and then her stupid cousin came over and told me that I should just go back to my private tutors because no one wanted me there anyway.”
“Teenaged boys are notorious for being stupid,” Carly sighed. “Sage…I know you’re lonely. I can see it in your eyes.” She touched Sage’s face. “I know what it’s like to be that way and it’s a very desperate feeling because you’ll do anything to get rid of it.
“So what should I do?” Sage asked quietly.
Carly glanced at her watch. “First of all, keep an eye on Morgan because I need to pick up Michael at school. I have a conference with his teacher about his absences.”
Sage nodded. “Okay. Yeah, I can do that. I’ve never really been around babies before but it shouldn’t be too hard right?”
“He should sleep right until I get back but if he starts to cry, just pick him up and rock him. He won’t be due to be fed until after I get back.”
Carly stood and shrugged into her jacket. “And while he’s sleeping, you can get started on your homework.”
Sage wrinkled her nose. “Careful. You’re starting to sound like a mom.”
“Well…after about seven years…I’d say it’s about time. I’ll be back.”
Morgan Penthouse
Jason leaned against the edge of his desk and watched as Courtney deposited the third suitcase at the foot of the stairs.
Divorce. It would be his second and it was almost depressing to think that his false marriage had lasted longer than his real one.
He deserved it though. He’d cheated on her, created a child with his ex-girlfriend and she had every right to leave him. He’d broken her trust in him.
But she hadn’t listed just that reason. Once again, his job had cost him the life he’d thought he’d have. His life with Robin, a life with Elizabeth, a marriage to Courtney.
But he couldn’t change who he was and he didn’t think he should have to. Courtney had known going into this who he was–or at least he’d tried to warn her. And after all, she’d known why Elizabeth left him. She had to know–had to have understood.
She dropped her last bag, a duffle bag at the bottom of the stairs. “Do you think someone could help me downstairs with my stuff?” she asked softly.
Jason nodded. “Yeah. Just…Marco’s outside. He’ll take care of it.” He crossed to the penthouse door where Marco was standing. It felt odd for him to have a guard outside his penthouse but he was in charge now and he’d better start getting used to it. “Marco, take Courtney’s bags down to the parking garage and put them in her car.”
Marco nodded and crossed into the penthouse. He grabbed two of her suitcases and went to the elevator. Courtney pulled the duffle bag over her shoulder and lifted the third suitcase. “Jason…I’m sorry it had to be this way.”
“Me too.” He took a deep breath. “Dara’s got her hands full with Sonny’s case right now. Maybe we could hold off filing until that’s done…?” he asked.
Courtney bit her lip. “I’d rather…I’d rather just get it over with. I don’t want anything, Jason. I just…I want to get it over with,” she repeated. “I’ll ask Dara if she can recommend someone.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.” She hesitated. “I wanted…could you ask Elizabeth to give me a call? I know that sounds weird but I realized that…” she took a deep breath. “I never really apologized for the accident in September. I just want to clear the air with her.”
Jason nodded. “I’ll tell her the next time I see her.”
“I don’t plan on playing the jealous wife card,” Courtney assured him. “I-I don’t want to be that person. I just want to make amends.” She shifted the suitcase to her other hand. “I’ve got the rent on the Haye’s Landing house paid through the end of the year so I’ll be there until I can figure out what to do next.”
She turned towards the door and left. She couldn’t close the door with her hands full so she left it open. He crossed to stand there and watched until she got on the elevator.
He shut the door and crossed to the telephone. “This is Jason Morgan. I won’t be able to pick those listings up until tomorrow,” he said in a mechanical voice. “Thanks.”
He hung it up and went upstairs.
Suddenly, he felt very tired.
Wyndemere
“I know why she’s angry me,” Elizabeth sighed, accepting the cup of hot chocolate Emily handed her. “I’ve been back and forth so many times in my life and now…boy, now I’ve really screwed it up.”
“Your grandmother comes from a generation where things like this didn’t happen,” Nikolas said. “Married men and women didn’t sleep together, create a child and try to keep their respective lives separated.”
Emily smacked him in the shoulder. “Don’t make it sound like that. They didn’t do anything wrong.”
“But we did. He was engaged. I knew he was engaged. I knew it was wrong. It was wrong then, and it’s wrong now. My grandmother is right. I can’t afford this baby.”
“Yes you can,” Emily said forcefully. “Jason–”
“I can’t accept help from Jason. You heard what she said. His mistress,” Elizabeth spat out. “A kept woman. That’s all I’m ever gonna be in this town if I let him pay for a place to live.”
“Elizabeth, he’s the father of your child,” Nikolas argued. He stood and crossed to the mini bar, leaning against it. “Look, I understand where you’re coming from, I promise. And I even agree with you. The people in this town are vicious and cruel. They will say things behind your back and to your face. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is that you do everything in your power to take care of your child.”
“I can get a job,” Elizabeth argued. “There’s gotta be somewhere I can work that’ll work with my schedule and I’ll save money–”
“Okay, maybe you can do that someday but you are pregnant now. You’re not planning your future because one day it’ll happen. It’s happening now,” Emily interrupted. “Like it or not, Elizabeth, you’re pregnant with my brother’s baby and he will do whatever he has to do to be in the kid’s life.”
“I would never deny him that opportunity and I already said he can pay for the medical bills,” Elizabeth protested.
Nikolas sighed. “Elizabeth…you know we love you, right? We’ve been friends forever. But I’m about to do some tough love here and you’re just going to sit there and listen.”
Elizabeth bristled. “Wait a minute–”
“Elizabeth, in about seven months you’re going to bring a baby into this world,” Nikolas told her. “You’ll be lucky if you can afford a one-room apartment on what Kelly’s pays you not to mention we all know you’re behind in your credit card bills, your hospital bills and your phone bills so you can’t even get a new phone installed until you pay those off.”
“So?” she retorted.
“What if you wake up one night and your baby’s sick?” Nikolas demanded. “You can’t call anyone because you have no phone. You can’t leave to get help because you can’t leave your baby alone. You can’t take the baby anywhere because you have no car. What’re you going to do, Elizabeth?”
“I…” tears welled up in her eyes. “I’ll get a neighbor–”
“What neighbor?” Nikolas challenged. “You don’t know them because you spend all your time working or taking care of the baby. You don’t have time to meet your new neighbors because you’ve taken two jobs just to pay the bills and get the baby’s formula and keep the air conditioner on in the summer.”
“Nikolas,” Emily said softly. She stood and shook her head. “I think that’s enough.”
“Where do you do, Elizabeth?” Nikolas ignored Emily. “Do you take a chance and call a cab you can’t afford? Do you walk your baby the sixteen blocks or so to the hospital? Do you take a chance and beg a stranger to use their phone?”
Elizabeth wrapped her arms tightly around her body. “So you think I should let Jason take over my whole life.”
“No. I think you should let Jason take responsibility for his actions,” he corrected. “If you were married, would you think twice about quitting Kelly’s to concentrate on your child?”
“No…I quit while I was married to Ric,” Elizabeth hedged. “But–”
“And he paid all the hospital bills for the times you were in there until you filed for divorce leaving you stuck with the bills from the pulmonary embolism. He paid the utilities and paid for the house, right?”
“But we were married,” Elizabeth argued. “It’s different–”
“It’s not different at all. The only thing that makes it different is that Jason’s not your husband and he doesn’t live with you. He’s offering to do all the things Ric did, only he’s not going to try to kill you,” Emily tried to joke a little but it fell flat.
“I just…look, you’re right. You’re both right. But how do I explain to my grandmother that a married man is going to pay my bills and take care of me for the immediate future?” Elizabeth demanded.
“Audrey’s mad right now,” Nikolas said. “Once she calms down and realizes you don’t exactly have much of an alternate solution…she’ll understand.” He sighed and rubbed his neck. “You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want, you know that right?”
“Yeah, but I can no more accept your charity than I can Jason’s–”
“It’s not charity,” Emily interrupted. She took Elizabeth’s hands in hers with a warm smile. “We’re family, Elizabeth. We’ve always been family except now you’re going to have my niece or nephew and it’s going to be official. Family looks after each other and that’s what we’re doing now.”
Port Charles Elementary School
“Well, it’s not that we don’t think Michael can’t catch up but he was absent for nearly a month,” Mrs. Jacobs, Michael’s third-grade teacher sighed. “That’s an awful lot of time to miss.”
“I know but it couldn’t be avoided,” Carly replied. “I was in the hospital and my husband was–is–in jail. My sister-in-law just wanted to shield the boys from the media and the entire chaos of it all.”
“The circumstances are extraordinary,” Mrs. Jacobs agreed. “I just need some sort of assurance that Michael won’t be missing this much time the rest of the year. His attendance record is spotty at best already. He can’t afford to miss any more time.”
“He won’t,” Carly told her. “He’s back, it’s all under control. And there should be no reason for him to miss any time for the rest of the year–barring of course illness.”
“Of course. Well, Mrs. Corinthos, Michael is a bright boy and we can certainly understand trying to protect him. I understand that you and your husband are now separated and he no longer has contact with his father.”
“That’s correct. I’ve filed all the necessary address change forms in the office,” Carly replied.
“Okay, then I think that’s all of my concerns. We’ll arrange a schedule of make-up work for Michael and get him back on track.”
Carly stood and shook Mrs. Jacob’s hand. “Thanks.” She exited the classroom and saw Michael sitting on the bench outside of it, swinging his feet. “Okay, Mr. Man, let’s head out.”
They were almost to the car when her cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her purse and answered it as she directed the guard to take them home. “Hello?”
“Carly, it’s me.”
She smiled. “Lorenzo. I was going to call when I got home.”
“Where are you?” Lorenzo asked.
“On my way home from a conference with Michael’s teacher,” she answered. “Sage had her first day of school today.”
“Oh? How did it go?”
“Not as well as I would have liked. When you come home, I think the three of us should sit down and talk. Sage is a very lonely girl and she needs to express some things to you that I think she’s been afraid to up until now.”
Lorenzo sighed. “I know nothing about teenaged girls, Carly. I think I’ve done such a half-ass job of raising her since her father died.”
“There’s still hope for her,” Carly teased. “She just needs someone to take a more active role in her life, make her feel safe and wanted. She needs a home, Lorenzo. One that she can be absolutely sure of.”
“You’re right,” he agreed. “I talked to her about it before I left. I’m looking into buying a house. A nice big one that she can go wild in and decorate and make her own.”
“I should go,” Carly told him. “We’re almost home and I want to talk to Michael about school.”
“You know…I liked what you said earlier. About when I come home…” she could almost hear the smile in his voice. “Sounded nice didn’t it?”
This entry is part 13 of 34 in the I Shall Believe
Port Charles Courthouse
“How does the defendant plead?” Judge Cooper asked.
Dara cleared her throat and stood. “Not guilty, Your Honor, by reason of mental defect.”
“Your Honor,” Scott Baldwin declared, lunging to his feet. “This is nothing more than a sympathy ploy by the defense–”
“It’s our right to offer the best defense under the law,” Dara retorted.
“That’s enough, Mr. Baldwin. The plea has been entered. I’m sure Mr. Baldwin would like to make arrangements to have Mr. Corinthos examined by a state psychiatrist.”
“You’re damn right,” Scott muttered.
“We’d also like to reopen the bail issue,” Dara said. “My client is willing to surrender his passport and his private jet as well as wear an ankle bracelet if you wish to assure the court he will not attempt to flee.”
“The passport will be fine. Bail is set at three million. Trial date is set for next Monday, December 1. All pre-trial issues must be taken care of at this time.” He smacked the gavel. “We’re adjourned.”
Carly breathed a sigh of relief. “Bail, thank God.”
“I’ll go pay it. Why don’t you head out of here before the media circus?” Jason advised. He stood. “I’ll stop by the house afterwards and you can tell me what you wanted to earlier.”
“Okay.” She kissed his cheek and left the room, ducking away from reporters rushing after her.
Jason checked his watch. He had three hours before the end of Elizabeth’s shift. He hoped that would be enough time to bail Sonny out, get him home, get to Carly’s and swing by the realtor to grab the listings he’d called about earlier.
And somewhere in there, he made a note to call Courtney and at least ask her how she was. He didn’t want to force himself on her but he was worried about her. Three days with no contact.
“How’s Courtney doing? She still got the kids out of town?” Sonny asked as Jason wrote a check to the court officer.
“No. Michael and Morgan are back with Carly. Courtney…” Jason hesitated, knowing this was neither the time or the place to tell his brother-in-law that he’d cheated on his then-fiancée and had gotten his ex pregnant.
“She’s still in Haye’s Landing,” Jason finished lamely.
Sonny frowned. “Why?”
Ric, who was conversing with Scott about which psychiatrist to line up, overheard this and couldn’t help but jump in. “Because she found out her husband is a lying son of a bitch.”
“Shut up,” Jason said lowly with a glare. “Just go back over to where you came from and stay the hell out of this.”
“Since my wife is the one you screwed, I think I have a right to let my brother know what you did,” Ric said with a smirk.
Sonny leveled a glare at his enforcer. “What does Elizabeth have to…” the words sunk in. “You slept with her.”
“Sonny, we can talk about this later.”
“This isn’t a conversation to be having near the press,” Dara hissed. She put a hand on Sonny’s arm but he shook it off.
“You cheated on my sister.”
Some of the loitering reporters heard Sonny’s raised voice and tuned in, anxious for anything to add to the temporary insanity story.
“Oh, he did more than that,” Ric supplied helpfully. “Go on, Jason, give him the good news.”
“This is between me and Jason,” Sonny growled at him. “Get the hell away from me.”
Feeling that he’d done his good deed for the day, he smiled charmingly at the press and exited the courtroom.
“Elizabeth is pregnant,” Jason confirmed reluctantly. “Courtney knows and that’s why she left me.”
Sonny made a move as if to lunge for Jason but Dara quickly stepped in front of him, knowing that any act of violence would have his parole revoked immediately.
“You can not have this conversation here,” she hissed. She looked at the bailiff. “Is Mr. Corinthos free to go?”
“Yes, the bail has been paid.”
As soon as the handcuffs were off Sonny’s hands, he stalked towards the courtroom doors, barraged by reporters yelling questions. Why was he pleading insanity? Why had he shot his wife? Would he be seeking retaliation against Jason?
And other reporters had already left to write their secondary story of the day–how enforcer Jason Morgan had impregnated the estranged wife of the assistant district attorney.
Kelly’s
Emily rushed inside the diner and went to the counter, immediately switching on the TV. “Elizabeth, you have to see this.”
Elizabeth set the coffee pot down and frowned. “What?”
“Just watch.” Emily turned the volume up.
“While Jason Morgan was paying Mr. Corinthos’s bail,” the reporter began, “a short fight broke out between the business partners. Apparently, it was over some information the assistant district attorney, Richard Lansing, provided to his half-brother about the nature of Jason Morgan’s relationship with Mr. Lansing’s estranged wife. Mr. Morgan has been married to the sister of the defendant for less than two months while Mr. Lansing has been separated from his wife, Elizabeth, since the middle of the summer. It looked as though the fight might come to blows but Mr. Corinthos was quickly restrained by his attorney. Just the first exciting day of what will undoubtedly be the most sensational trial Port Charles has seen since Laura Spencer’s trial. Mrs. Spencer was accused of…”
Emily switched off the television and looked at her friend’s pale face. “Honey, listen, it’s not as bad as it sounds. It doesn’t look like they know about the baby.”
“Oh my God!” Elizabeth cried. “My grandmother!” She yanked her apron off. “Penny, cover for me. I need to go catch my grandmother before she watches the news.”
“I’ll drive you,” Emily volunteered, dashing after her.
Carly’s House
“I just saw the news report,” Carly said, switching off the television as Jason came in.
“Yeah, so did everyone else and I can’t get a hold of Elizabeth to warn her,” Jason sighed. He sat down. “That’s not the way I wanted to tell Sonny.”
“He’ll calm down,” Carly said. “What I wouldn’t do to get my hands on Ric…”
“What did you want to talk to me about?” Jason asked.
Carly hesitated. “It’s about Sonny. And Lorenzo. And me.” She stood and started to pace. “You know that I got my feelings for Sonny back and I always assumed that the feelings for Lorenzo would go away when that happened.”
“They didn’t,” Jason stated flatly. “Okay.”
“And…they’re stronger,'” Carly told him softly. “Very strong. I care about him, Jason. A great deal. And…my marriage to Sonny is over.”
“You want to be with Lorenzo?” Jason asked, resigned.
“Maybe,” Carly hedged. “I still want to be on my own. I have an appointment with Cameron in a little bit and I want to continue with those meetings. I need to get my life under control before I even think about another relationship.” She sat down. “But Lorenzo is in my life. His niece is staying with me while he’s away this week. I want…you both in my life. Please tell me I can have it.”
“I don’t always agree with your decisions,” Jason told her. “But if this is what you need and what will make you happy…then it’s okay with me. Just do me one favor.”
“Anything,” Carly said immediately.
“Don’t make Elizabeth’s life any more difficult than it has to be,” Jason said. “I know how you can get and she’s already dealing with so much because of Ric and now she’s got to deal with the rest of the town.”
“Lay off the brunette, got it.”
He stood. “I gotta go. I have to pick up some apartment listings for her.”
“Did she agree to let you pay for the place?” Carly asked. “Or is she still being stubborn?”
“We’re getting there,” Jason replied. “She’s very independent. It’s hard to convince her to accept help.”
“Maybe I should give her some tips on how to do it,” Carly joked. “It’s one of my strong points.” She glanced at the clock. “I need to get to the hospital if I’m going to get home by the time school lets out.”
“Okay, I’ll see you later then.” He kissed her cheek and headed out of the house.
Port Charles High School: Cafeteria
Sage saw Georgie Jones sitting with her sister and Dillon a few tables from the door. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders before marching over to them.
“What do you want?” Georgie demanded scornfully.
“To apologize,” Sage said. She was careful to keep her eyes on Georgie, not even glancing in Dillon’s direction. “I was a bitch.”
Georgie blinked. “Okay.”
“I didn’t think we were staying long so I saw a cute guy and went after him. If I’d known I was moving here, I might have thought twice,” Sage continued.
“Might have?” Maxie echoed with a trace of amusement.
“Do you want me to lie and say I wouldn’t have dreamed of it?” Sage asked.
“Okay. You’ve apologized. Is that it?” Georgie asked shortly.
“No. You can have Dillon. He was just a little distraction for me.” Sage shrugged. “Sorry about the confusion. I was bored, he was cute. It happens.”
Dillon scowled. “I’m sitting right here.”
“Quiet,” Georgie told him. “This is between me and the slut.”
“I’m not a slut because I kissed a cute guy, okay? Grow up, little girl. Sluts sleep around.”
“And who says you don’t?”
“I say.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I don’t care if you believe me or to. But I’m just telling you like it is. Dillon, I’m sorry for forcing myself on you,” she told him sarcastically. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go and eat lunch now.”
“Good riddance,” Georgie muttered as Sage stalked off.
At an empty table, Sage dumped her lunch tray and book bag and sat down, irritated by the whole conversation and the entire day.
And most of all, irritated by Lucas Jones. Little twit presumed to know her. Okay, so yeah, she’d treated his little cousin like dirt. But obviously he had the wrong impression of her. She wasn’t a slut–she was a virgin for Christ’s sake.
“Look, stay away from my cousins.”
She glanced up to see an angry Lucas with his hands on his waist. “Oh, look, if it isn’t the little boy scout,” she said, scathingly. “Will you please just go away?”
“No one wants you here,” Lucas continued. “Why don’t you go back to your little private tutors?”
Tears pricked her eyes unexpectedly and she looked away. No one ever wanted her around. Her mother had abandoned her years ago, her father never wanted her around and she’d had to beg her uncle to let her stay in Port Charles.
She cleared her throat and glared at the teen, not bothering to hide the hurt in her eyes. “Why don’t you go back to your silly little cousins?” she shot back.
Troubled by the pain in her eyes, Lucas swallowed hard and walked back to the other table.
This was a mistake, Sage decided. A very big one. As soon as she got home, she was going to tell Carly so.
General Hospital: Nurse’s Station
“Can you page Audrey Hardy?” Elizabeth asked desperately.
Amy Vining nodded and glanced at Elizabeth out of the corner of her eye. “I saw the news,” she told them. “Audrey seemed a little upset.”
Elizabeth’s face fell. “She saw it?”
“Yes, I did.”
Elizabeth and Emily turned to see Audrey standing behind them, an unreadable expression on her face.
“Gram, I can explain everything,” Elizabeth said hurriedly. “The news…they’re making too much of this.”
“Oh…and what part do they have right?” Audrey asked.
“Grams…” Elizabeth was almost in tears. “Please…it’s not a relationship. It’s just…that’s not what it is. We’re not having some torrid affair.”
“I suppose it’s different because you’re in love,” Audrey said, her lips set in a disapproving line.
“Mrs. Hardy, if you could only hear Elizabeth out,” Emily pleaded.
“Gram, it was just…it was once–it was a mistake,” she added, hurriedly. “But I swear…and…” she hesitated. “I’m pregnant.”
Audrey closed her eyes. “Oh, Elizabeth,” she sighed. “How could you do this to yourself?”
“Mrs. Hardy, it’s not like she planned this,” Emily defended.
“I wanted to tell you, Gram, but I just…I didn’t know how. This wasn’t it. This wasn’t the plan.”
“I can’t…how are you going to afford this, Elizabeth?” Audrey sighed. “What? Will you become Jason’s mistress? A kept woman?”
“No…” Tears slipped down her cheeks. “Gram…”
“I need some time,” Audrey told her. “Just…I need some time.” She grabbed some folders from Amy and walked away.
Elizabeth’s lower lip trembled and Emily put an arm around her. “Come on, honey,” she said softly. “Let’s go back to Wyndemere.”
Morgan Penthouse
“Okay…I’ll pick up the listings in about a half hour and we can arrange some viewings,” Jason said. He hung up the phone and dialed Kelly’s. He frowned when Penny told him that Elizabeth had seen the news and gone to the hospital to tell her grandmother with Emily.
He left a message on Emily’s cell phone to give him a call.
The door slid open and Courtney entered.
“Courtney,” Jason said surprised. He hung up the phone and moved towards her but she held her hands up.
“I…” she took a deep breath. “When Ric told me about it…I told him it wasn’t possible. That you wouldn’t do that to me.”
He swallowed hard and looked away. “Courtney–”
“But part of me knew. Part of me knew even before you confirmed it.” She crossed her arms and looked away. “You were a rebound relationship for me. Because I was desperate to erase the hurt and forget the pain. And I was a rebound for you. It’s time we stop dancing around that fact.”
“You were not a rebound,” Jason argued.
“Yes…yes, I was. You do not spend three years pining for a woman who breaks your heart and then two months later…suddenly be over her. It doesn’t work like that.” Courtney bit her lip and sighed. “But I fell in love with you and I know that you love me. But it wasn’t ever going to work.”
“That’s not true,” Jason protested. “Courtney–”
“I have spent the last year proving to you…proving to Sonny…proving to myself that I could handle this life. But I realize…I shouldn’t have had to prove it. You can either handle it or you can’t,” Courtney told him. “And it’s taken me a long time to realize that I can’t. I don’t like the guards and the restrictive way of living. I…it’s suffocating.”
He hesitated. “What…what are you telling me?”
“I know that you love me. I never doubted that. But what I’ve also never doubted is that you love her, too,” Courtney told him. “You love her in a way that you could never love me.”
“I…” Jason hesitated. “Look, it was one time. It didn’t happen before then and it hasn’t happened since.”
“But it wasn’t a mistake was it? Maybe it was an accident…but a mistake is something you would take back…that if you could go back in time, you wouldn’t do it.” She sighed and looked away. “I told myself…that I wasn’t going to make this okay for you. And I’m doing it anyway.”
She squared her shoulders. “Whether or not we shouldn’t have stayed together, gotten married or whatever…you made a promise to me. We might not have been married when you slept with her, but you had a responsibility to me. To either tell me or not do it at all.”
“I wanted to tell you,” Jason said. “But we were having problems and then Sonny and Carly were…everything happened so fast.”
“Maybe.” Courtney sighed. “I thought…I thought maybe I could be okay with this. We could find some way to deal with this. But I can’t. Every time you’re with her, I’ll wonder. Every time I see you with your child, I’ll know it’s something I can never give you.”
“That doesn’t matter to me–”
“Just stop,” Courtney said. She held a hand up and shook her head. “Just stop. I don’t like who I am when I’m with you and if I stay in this marriage…I’ll end up hating myself. I won’t do that. I can’t do that.”
This entry is part 12 of 34 in the I Shall Believe
November 24, 2003
Kelly’s
It was early morning and Elizabeth was working the opening shift. The diner was pretty empty when Jason came in and she braced herself for the reprimand that was sure to come.
“You’ve been avoiding me since Friday night,” he said as soon as he sat down at the counter. “You weren’t at the hotel when you said you would be and then Emily told me you were staying at Wyndemere.”
“I don’t really like the hotel,” Elizabeth said hesitantly. “Emily offered and I took her up on it. I left a message–” she stopped. “No, that’s a lie. I didn’t try to call you or get in touch with you.”
“I was worried about you, Elizabeth. Why would you do that?”
“I needed time to think.” She sighed and poured him a cup of coffee. “This last week has just…it’s been insane and I really don’t know what my next move is. I have to tell my grandmother–and I know I have to make a decision about my living arrangements–and then there’s the guilt…” she shook her head. “It’s just a lot going on at once and I needed time.”
“You have nothing to feel guilty about,” Jason told her. “You aren’t responsible–”
“But I am,” Elizabeth interrupted. “Jason, I knew you were engaged to be married and you’d just finished telling me that all you two were doing was fighting. I knew and I still didn’t…” her cheeks flushed. “I still didn’t tell you to stop. So, I am partly responsible for whatever happens to your marriage.”
“Let me worry about that.” He sipped his coffee. “Did you…come to any conclusions this weekend?”
“I’ve fought very hard to be independent,” she began. “And it’s difficult to let go of that. Because I know for the rest of my life, I will never be that independent again. Because you will always want to pay for something–or take care of something. And it’s just…it’s not easy to come to terms with that.”
“I don’t want to take that independence from you. I just want to be the best father I can to this child and like it or not, Elizabeth, that means providing for you too. Especially right now. It’s the most crucial time to make sure you get the right care–the right everything.”
“I’ve always agreed to let you pay for Dr. Meadows,” Elizabeth said.
“But you need a good place to live–where the heat works and the electricity work. And your studio has been condemned so we can’t even remodel that. Will you please just let me find you something?”
“I can’t afford to pay for rent on a good place,” Elizabeth admitted. “But right now…I could pay utilities.” She tightened her hands around a dish cloth and looked down at it. “Would you at least…put the apartment in my name? In case you decide later that–”
“That’s not going to happen,” Jason interrupted. “You told me that I either in or I was out. I couldn’t back out. And I don’t want to.” He sat back in his chair. “But I will put the place in your name. Two bedroom apartment–I’ll get some listings and bring them back to you.”
“I only need one,” Elizabeth protested.
“Two,” Jason repeated. “I’ll be back after your shift.”
Haye’s Landing
Courtney pulled her jacket on and pulled her hair out from underneath the collar. “If I don’t go back now, I won’t,” she told Brian.
She pulled her keys out of her purse. “Thank you…for everything.”
Brian shook his head. “Don’t say it like we’re never going to see each other again. Haye’s Landing isn’t that far from Port Charles. We’re friends, right?”
“Definitely,” Courtney agreed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. “I don’t know what I would have done this weekend without you.”
He cupped the back of her head and kissed her on the forehead. “I’m here for you, Courtney. You can always escape here.”
“It’s not fair to treat you that way though,” she sighed. “You…you deserve more.” She bit her lip and looked away. “Do you remember when I said that you make me feel things that you shouldn’t?”
“Yes.”
“I thought it was because I was away from Jason for so long–that because you were the only person I even knew around here…I thought it wasn’t real. That I was just imagining it.” She took a deep breath. “But it’s still true and I can’t…I’m not comfortable with it. But I thought you deserved the truth.”
“I’m not going to pressure you into anything you’re not ready for,” Brian told her. “And I will wait…until you’re ready.”
“I should go now,” she said softly.
“Call me when you get in. The roads are, ah, slick,” Brian cautioned her as he followed her out the door. She locked the front door and held out the keys to him. “You keep those. In case you need them.”
“Okay. And…I’ll call you when I get to town.” She moved towards her car but he stayed standing on the front step.
He was still there when she drove away and she took one last look in the rearview mirror. She’d miss him.
But it was time to stand on her own.
Port Charles High: Front Office
Sage watched intently as Carly filled out the necessary enrollment forms. She’d moved her things into Carly’s guest room the night before and she absolutely adored the new room. It had a great view of the street and it was a big room that just screamed for Sage’s personal touch.
Too bad it was only for a week.
“Okay, Mrs. Corinthos, we just need an in case of emergency number and we can work on Sage’s schedule,” the secretary told her with a bright smile.
Carly hesitated and glanced at Sage. “Who does your uncle usually put down?”
She shrugged. “Never had to fill one of those out before.”
After a moment, Carly put in her own information. “Until he gets back, we’ll just list me,” she said. She pushed the forms back across the desk. “That’s everything.”
“Great. Mr. Alcazar had his niece’s records faxed to us over the weekend and it appears that she is a junior,” the woman remarked, glancing over some of the forms. “If you’ll give me a moment, I’ll give you the schedule and call down a student to show Sage around.”
The woman disappeared around the corner and Carly shoved her pen inside her purse and checked her watch. Court was supposed to go into session in an hour and she wanted to be there. To support Sonny of course.
Even if she’d made at least the decision that her marriage was over.
“Carly…I really appreciate this,” Sage told her. “This is my first time in a public school and I’m just…I’m really glad you decided you wanted my uncle,” she said suddenly.
Carly couldn’t fight an amused smile at the girl’s nervous ramblings. Sage came off as a tough as nails bitch but the more she got to know her, the more she was just sure that all Sage needed was a family and a consistent home.
“Lorenzo is a good man,” Carly replied. “And he adores you.”
“Well, I think he’s the best so I guess we’re all equal.”
“Here’s your schedule, Miss Alcazar.” The secretary handed her a slip of paper. “And…” she hesitated, looking towards the front of the office. “Lucas Jones? Are you here yet?”
“Yes, Mrs. Kane.” Lucas Jones stepped up to the counter. “I’m Lucas,” he introduced himself.
Sage blinked. “Sage,” she murmured, extending her hand. “Sage Alcazar.”
Lucas’s eyes narrowed. “Sage Alcazar?” he echoed. “Oh. I’ve heard of you.”
“You…have?” Sage asked, hesitantly. She glanced at Carly as if for some support. “Your last name is Jones? Are…you’re not related to Georgie Jones are you?” she asked, a little desperately.
“Actually, she’s my cousin,” Lucas said flatly. “And I really don’t like people who treat her like dirt.”
Carly raised her eyebrows. “Lucas. I really don’t think Mom would approve of you being so rude to a girl you’ve never met before.”
Lucas slid a glance towards his half-sister as if just noticing her for the first time. “Carly. I’m glad you’re feeling better,” he offered.
“Yeah, well…Sage, I need to get going.” She squeezed Sage’s hand and kissed her cheek. “You have my cell number. Call me for whatever reason and Max will take you back to the house after school.”
“Thanks, Carly.” Sage watched her only ally walk through the door and turned back to Lucas. “Look…about Georgie…I–”
“Let me see your schedule,” Lucas interrupted. He yanked it from her hand. “Okay, you have History with Anderson. Let’s go.”
“Wait, seriously…I want to apologize for Georgie–” Sage sighed as she watched Lucas’s back disappear through the office doors.
Whether she was the daughter of a criminal or a would-be slut–it seemed she just couldn’t win.
She hurried to catch up with Lucas, intent on finding Georgie Jones the first second she could and apologizing.
Port Charles Courthouse
“Have you heard from Courtney?” Carly asked as she slipped into a seat next to Jason.
“No.” Jason shifted in his seat. “But she’s in Haye’s Landing again. One of her guards let me know that much.” He glanced at her. “The kids with Leticia?”
“Yeah. Sorry, I’m late. Who knew it took so long to get a girl enrolled in high school?” Carly said. She bit her lip. “Jason…there’s something we have to talk about. It’s about Lorenzo.”
“We can talk about it later,” Jason told her. “How are you feeling?”
“Better,” Carly answered honestly. “I have an appointment with Cameron after this. I think I’m getting into a better place and I just…I really want to apologize for Friday night–and for Saturday. I wasn’t being a good friend and you deserve better.”
“It’s okay–” Jason began but he saw Dara walking down the aisle, looking troubled. “Dara? What’s wrong?”
“Baldwin refused the deal,” she sighed. She set her briefcase on the table and sat down. “We’ve pleading guilty by reason of mental defect anyway so I’ve got to get Sonny examined by someone and unfortunately, we can’t use Cameron Lewis since he’s already treating Carly.”
“Well, there are other doctors. There’s Kevin Collins or Gail Baldwin,” Carly suggested. “They’ve both been around for a while. Why not call them?”
“I’ve already got an appointment set up with Kevin but Cameron’s the best out there for criminal insanity. It’s okay, though. I’m just disappointed Baldwin didn’t do the right thing. This all could have been over today.”
“Doesn’t surprise me though,” Carly muttered.
A bailiff brought Sonny in then and her heart lurched. He looked so haunted–so thin in his orange scrubs. Oh, God…he couldn’t survive in there much longer.
“Hey, guys,” he greeted quietly. He locked eyes with Carly before taking his seat.
“How’s the bail issue doing?” Jason asked, intently, troubled by Sonny’s appearance.
“We’re going to get a trial date set and petition then,” Dara told them. “I think we’ll be able to get something set up.”
“Court is now in session. All rise for the Honorable Judge Cooper,” a court officer announced.
Once Judge Cooper was seated, he cleared his throat. “You may take your seats. What’s the first case?”
“The People of New York versus Michael Corinthos for the attempted murder of Lorenzo Alcazar and Caroline Corinthos and the felony assault of Caroline Corinthos.”
Elizabeth flicked the on button to answer her cell phone and rolled over onto her stomach. “Hello?”
“Hey, it’s me,” Sonny said. “How’s the weather down there?”
“Still warm as ever,” Elizabeth replied. She tipped her sunglasses down to peer at the setting sun. “How’s Port Charles?”
“It’s…the same. Emily and Nikolas are engaged–did she tell you that?” Sonny asked.
“Yeah, she called me last night–fifteen seconds after she’d answered his question.” Elizabeth traced her fingers in the sand. “Ric moved to New York yet?”
“Not yet. It’s been made clear to him that you’re not coming home until he’s gone but I don’t think he’s getting the point. It’s probably better that you’re away right now.”
“I like it down here,” Elizabeth admitted. “But two months of sitting around and just–relaxing…it gets old quick, you know? I miss my friends, my life. I needed the time away from everything but I’m ready to come home.”
Sonny nodded. “Whenever you want, the plane is ready to bring you back.”
“I appreciate you letting me use the cottage down here,” Elizabeth told him. “Maybe another week or so – I’ll come home.”
“Right, right. Did I tell you my lawyer is dating AJ?” Sonny grimaced. “There’s no accounting for her taste.”
“Robyn’s a good lawyer–and AJ’s not the idiot of old,” Elizabeth reminded him. She sat up and tugged at the top of her bikini. “As long as she keeps you out of jail, what do you care?”
“But…AJ…” Sonny shook his head.
“How’s…Jason?” Elizabeth finally decided to ask. “I mean–after Courtney and all…?”
“He’s still quiet–still keeps to himself. He’s been going back to Jake’s a lot, riding his bike–doing the things he did after he lost Michael and Robin,” Sonny admitted. “Carly’s been restricted to bed rest or else she’d be following him around, trying to make him talk.”
Elizabeth bit her lip. “Sonny…why don’t you send that plane tomorrow?”
Jake’s
Coleman stood behind the bar, nursing a beer as he watched Jason Morgan get into his third fight of the night. He couldn’t complain–the man acted as his unofficial bouncer. No one messed with the bar with the reputation it had of being Jason’s hangout.
And anything the man broke–he paid for. Couldn’t ask for much more than that.
When Elizabeth Webber entered the bar, she stood back on the fringes of the crowd and waited for Jason to finish his fight and return to the pool table.
She pushed out of the crowd and grabbed a pool cue “Is there room for someone else?” she asked.
He turned and stared at her–his eyes narrowing at the familiar outfit she wore. Her hair was teased back, she wore a pair of black jeans and a black tank top. If he wasn’t sure he hadn’t drank enough to impair his vision, he might have thought he was staring at an Elizabeth from four years ago.
“I thought you were on the island,” he said after a moment.
“I flew back this morning.” Elizabeth chalked the cue and set the pool balls up to break them. “Sonny told me you were hanging out here again.”
He shrugged. “People mind their own business here and those who don’t….”
“Deal with you.” Elizabeth nodded and lifted the cue so she could break. The balls scattered across the table and he was mildly surprised when she sunk three balls at the first shot. “I’ve been practicing.”
“Obviously.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “So what are you doing here?”
“Trying to find trouble.” She smirked. “What are you doing here?”
“Trying to forget,” he answered honestly. “What do you need trouble for?”
She lined up her next shot and muttered something under her breath when she missed. “I’ve spent two months on Sonny’s island–waiting for my divorce to be final–on my terms. I turned down alimony, support, the house–I turned it all down because I just want him out of my life and those things keep him there. I’m waiting for him to sign the papers and move out of town.”
“He hasn’t signed yet?” Jason asked, surprised.
“He signed this morning. I believe I have Johnny to thank–for a little bit of extra persuasion.” She shrugged. “So–after he signed, I thought–I thought I’d feel a little better. Like–whatever’s been hanging over my head will be gone. It’s been three months since the miscarriage, two since the trial–and I should be feeling better.”
“Just because you should feel something–doesn’t mean it’s wrong that you don’t,” Jason told her.
“It’s not that I feel something–it’s that I feel…nothing.” She eyed him. “Do you remember what nothing feels like?”
“Yeah–” he nodded and suddenly, his throat felt thick. “Yeah, that’s pretty much where I live.”
She set the pool cue down and held out her hand. “You want to see how I escape?”
He found a smile in him at that point and he took her hand. “You’re not driving.”
Scott Baldwin cleared his throat and stood. “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the testimony you’ve heard in this courtroom along with the evidence presented leaves only one possibility. Sonny Corinthos pushed Elizabeth Lansing down those stairs in cold blood.”
He crossed to the front of the jury box. “They were the only two present. They were arguing and yes–Mrs. Lansing states that she does not believe Sonny Corinthos is guilty but how many times have you been reluctant to believe a friend is capable of something and find out later it is true?”
He slid his hands in his pockets. “Some of you are parents–mothers and fathers. You remember how incredible it was when you found out you were going to have a child? When my little Serena was born–I felt like I was on top of the world. I could no wrong, I was invincible.”
Some of the jury members smiled. Scott smiled back at them. After a moment, that faded. “Along with various other injuries, Sonny Corinthos stole that opportunity from Elizabeth Lansing. He pushed her down those stairs with no regard for her health or that of her child. She will never feel that baby’s heartbeat, feel that baby kick–hold that baby in her arms–watch him grow, take his first step–call her Mommy…”
In the back of the court room, Lucky put an arm around Elizabeth and Emily squeezed her hand tightly as Elizabeth fought back tears.
“It’s a travesty that we were unable to charge Sonny Corinthos with the death of that child but we can and have prosecuted him for pushing that poor defenseless young woman down those steps. Now–I’m asking you to do your civic duty–your moral duty–and send him to jail.”
He took his seat and smiled at Robyn who ignored him. “Ms. Nichols,” the judge prompted.
Robyn cleared her throat and stood, doing her best to walk without a limp. “As a woman who hopes one day to have a family, Elizabeth Lansing has my sympathy. I cannot imagine what it must be like to lose a child so soon after discovering its presence. And it is tragic that she will never experience being a mother to that child.”
Carly glanced over her shoulder and sighed when she saw Elizabeth silently crying. She wished there was something she could do to ease the other woman’s pain when she’d so selflessly defended Sonny on the stand that morning.
“But even though someone stole that from her, Elizabeth Lansing sat in this chair,” Robyn pointed to the witness stand, “and she not only stated it clearly–she practically screamed it to the heavens: Sonny Corinthos is not guilty. He did not push her. She even stated that she felt the long fingernails of a woman.”
“The only thing that the prosecution has stated without a doubt is that Sonny Corinthos and Elizabeth Lansing were at Rice Plaza that night alone and we even stipulated that. They were there, they did argue–but Sonny Corinthos walked away and there is no one who says he didn’t. The prosecution was unable to produce a witness stating that they saw Sonny push her. They couldn’t even introduce evidence showing that Sonny is a violent man, capable of such a heartless crime.”
She paused for a moment. “Sonny Corinthos is innocent and it would be a terrible miscarriage of justice to find him guilty. Don’t make that mistake.”
She sat down in her chair, grimacing at that slight pain in her leg.
The judge looked at the jury and began giving his instructions to the jury so they could begin their deliberations.
“I have to get out of here,” Elizabeth whispered to Lucky. He nodded and helped her to stand. He led her out of the courtroom as the judge released the jury to the jury room. Emily and Nikolas followed them.
Jessica and Ric were standing outside the courtroom, Jessica holding a tape recorder with a triumphant smile. The smile faded as she saw them exit, Elizabeth almost having to be propped up by Lucky and Nikolas, the trembling in her body so bad.
Ric took a step forward as if to comfort her but Jessica held him back. “You promised that you wouldn’t go near her.”
“But she needs me,” Ric hissed.
Carly, Jason and Sonny exited a moment later and Carly immediately crossed to Elizabeth. “I am so sorry that you had to sit through that,” she told the woman with complete sincerity. She touched Elizabeth’s shoulder. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
Elizabeth’s eyes dropped to the bulge of Carly’s abdomen and raised them back to her face. “How did you do it?” she asked hoarsely. “How did you go on with this aching void inside you?”
“One day at a time,” Carly said softly. “And sometimes I don’t feel I’ve gotten past it at all.”
Elizabeth nodded and stepped away from Lucky and Nikolas. “I need–I need some air.” She moved towards the stairs and held up her hands to stop them from following her. “And some space. Please.”
She turned and walked quickly away from the crowd, eager to break free from them all.
She’d never even seen her estranged husband standing there.
“What are you doing here?” Lucky asked, approaching Jessica and Ric. “Why did you bring him?”
“We just came from the police station,” Jessica said quietly. “We turned in a copy of this.” She held the recorder up and pressed play.
“Sure, I pushed the little wilting flower. Did you really think I would let her get away with keeping you from me?”
She stopped it and slid it back into her bag. “We’re not sure if it’s enough to prosecute her though but Ric manipulated her into thinking he was going to be with her so she’d confess.”
“Yeah, he’s real good at the manipulation part,” Carly said scornfully.
Ric cleared his throat and looked away. “I just hope it’s enough to get the charges against Sonny dropped.”
“Too little too late,” Lucky retorted. “You’re the one who fixed it so he was indicted in the first place.”
“I–”
“Just shut up. You said you wouldn’t say anything and you’re already breaking that now.” Jessica shot him a nasty glare before looking back at Lucky. “How did it go today?”
“Elizabeth testified this morning. Scott tried everything he could to shake her but there was nothing he could do. But the closing arguments were tough and she had to get out of there.”
“How does it look though? Will Sonny win?” Jessica asked.
“Robyn made a good case,” Carly informed her. “But you never can tell with juries.” She frowned. “Where’s Jason?”
Courthouse Steps
Elizabeth took in a big gulp of air and leaned against one of the pillars of the building. Her hands covered her abdomen and she closed her eyes.
Would the baby have been a girl or a boy? Would the baby have been enough to keep her marriage together or were she and Ric doomed from the start?
Would the baby have had her blue eyes or Ric’s brown ones? Light brown hair, dark brown hair? Sarah’s blonde hair maybe? Genetics were weird like that. The baby could have even looked more like its aunt than either of its parents.
Tears slid down her cheeks and her body started to shake. She slowly slid to the ground and buried her face in her hands.
“Elizabeth?”
She heard Jason’s voice and raised her eyes to find him kneeling next to her. “J-Jason?”
“I saw you leave and I–I wanted to check on you.” He touched her shoulder.
“I’m fine.” She swiped at her eyes and stood quickly. He followed suit.
“I didn’t ask if you were,” Jason remarked. “I could see that you weren’t.”
“It’s–just–I thought I was okay. I mean–it’s been over a month since it happened. I only knew about the baby for a few days. I–I thought I came to terms with it a while ago. But sitting in that room–listening to Scott Baldwin list the things that I will never do with my baby–” She swallowed hard and looked away. “It just hit all over again.”
“I’m sorry that you had to hear all of that,” Jason said.
“I know it had to be said. Scott wants to drive home the fact that a child was killed a-and I wish that the person on trial could have been guilty so I could feel good about him saying those words–because it’s not fair that no one will ever pay for the death of my baby.” She closed her eyes. “It’s not fair that just because my baby was nine weeks old and not twenty-five, it doesn’t count. It was a still a baby–it was still a little living presence and I could feel it inside me–and now it’s gone and I’m supposed to pretend it was never there–”
She started sobbing again and after a moment, he was unable to watch her in pain any longer. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her into his arms. She clutched at the front of his black dress shirt and buried her face in his chest.
A few moments later, someone cleared their throat near them. Jason glanced over to see Nikolas Cassadine standing there. “Hey–the jury’s back.”
Port Charles Courthouse
“Fifteen minutes. That’s not good is it?” Carly asked as she leaned towards the bar that separated the front of the courtroom from the spectator seats.
“It’s not usually but it’s possible the jury didn’t buy Scott’s case,” Robyn answered. She turned and caught Jessica Mitchell’s eye–she hadn’t had a chance to really speak to the other woman but her presence at the trial assured Robyn that the morning’s project had gone as planned.
“Did you find out where Jason went?” Sonny asked.
“No–” Carly glanced over her shoulder to see Jason and Elizabeth entering the courtroom, his arm around her shoulders. “Well–yeah.”
“Hey,” Elizabeth said softly. “I thought it might show some more solidarity if we all sat together.”
Carly nodded and slid over. “You’re more than welcome to sit here.”
Jason sat down next to Carly and Elizabeth next to him. The jury filed in one by one. She tried to read their faces but found that she couldn’t.
The judge called the court back into session and cleared his throat. “Members of the jury, have you reached a verdict?”
The foreman stood and nodded. “We have, Your Honor. On the charge of aggravated assault in the first degree, we find the defendant Michael Corinthos, Jr. -not guilty.”
Carly cried out and threw her arms around Jason before leaning across the divide and hugging her husband tightly.
“It’s over,” she whispered, closing her eyes. “It’s over.”
Elizabeth hugged Jason before embracing Sonny. “Thank you for everything that you did,” he told her. “If there is ever anything I can do for you–”
“There is something,” Elizabeth told him, keeping her voice down. “Maybe we could talk after everything dies down.”
Sonny pulled away and looked at her oddly–but as if sensing she would not talk until she was ready, he just nodded and kissed her cheek before turning to his lawyer.
Georgie pulled her black jacket and hung it over the back of her chair, shooting Dillon a nasty look as he worked on collating some of the newest briefs that been delivered while they were at Courtney Matthew’s funeral.
“I can’t believe she put you on salary,” Georgie grumbled. She sat down and started going through the mail. She set aside bills and shoved letters from clients in another pile. “She must be on crack.”
“She has been on some powerful pain killers,” Dillon agreed. “I told her it really wasn’t necessary but…”
“Hey, is your mother still in town?” Georgie changed the subject.
“Nope. She was only home long enough to give my grandfather heart pains. That and to get funding for some project. She got it, she’s gone–son of a bitch!” he yelped in pain, bringing his thumb to his mouth. “God damn stapler.”
“Yeah, those things can be lethal,” Robyn cracked from the doorway of her office. She had a cane to help her walk and had a bit of a limp but otherwise, looked and acted fine. “Jones, if a Jessica Mitchell calls, put her through. She’s doing a little side job.”
“Isn’t that the reporter from the Herald?” Georgie asked. She yanked Dillon’s finger from his mouth and slapped a bandage on it.
“Yeah. She’s got a lead on the real culprit.” Robyn took a deep breath. “Okay. We go back into session tomorrow. Did Scott send over the paperwork for his expert witness?”
“Yeah, I left it on your desk. Apparently, it’s some psychologist from California,” Georgie said. “I read Scott’s paperwork and then Dillon did some research on the computer about him.”
“That’s my aim,” Dillon said. “He’s got some theory all men hate their siblings and seek to destroy their lives. He’s going to present that theory for Sonny.”
Robyn frowned. “Has Scott lost his mind? He can’t introduce psychiatric testimony about a theory that’s not in general practice.”
“Nope. So you probably won’t have to worry about his testimony since you can get it thrown out.”
“Gee, thanks for that bit of law,” she said dryly. “Okay, and that’s Scott’s last witness so I’d better call our star witness and get her prepared.”
She disappeared back into her office and Dillon stared at the bandage on his finger. “Hey, you do care.”
Georgie rolled her eyes. “You’re a buffoon, you know that? I couldn’t let you drip blood on the papers.”
“Uh uh,” Dillon wagged his finger at her. “You like me. You can’t deny it.”
“Go stick your head in a boiling pot of water,” she scowled.
Corinthos Penthouse
Carly rubbed her eyes. “I think we should convince Jason to come over for dinner tonight,” she told Sonny. “He’s been sitting in his penthouse for the past two weeks, no one’s seen him except for today at the viewing and he hasn’t even said anything.”
“Jason’s never really dealt with grieving,” Sonny replied. “He’s never lost anyone close to him before–not like this. You have to let him figure this out for himself.”
“Yes, but he doesn’t have to be alone while he figures it out,” Carly argued. She sighed. “Look, we’ve been under so much stress this last month, with the trial and now Courtney…I just want to make sure we can keep our family together.”
“We will,” Sonny assured her. He put an arm around her shoulders. “We just have to give it some time. The trial will be over soon–Robyn only has one witness and she called a little while ago. Elizabeth goes on the stand tomorrow.”
“What if the jury doesn’t believe her?” Carly asked fearfully. “What if they believe the rumors and you get sent to jail and Jason and I are all that’s left?”
Sonny shook his head. “Don’t even think about that. It can’t happen that way. We’ll find a way out of this, I promise.”
The Next Day
Port Charles Courthouse: Lobby
Robyn emerged from the judge’s chambers with a smile on her face and a sulking Scott behind them. She stopped in front of Sonny and Carly. “I sure hope Elizabeth is ready.”
“So you got the testimony thrown out?” Carly asked hopefully. “No psychiatrist?”
“No psychiatrist,” Robyn confirmed. She glanced over at Scott who was fighting through a group of reporters, doing his best to remain silent. “Not only did Scott not give me proper notice but he can’t introduce psychiatric testimony when the defendant has not been examined or isn’t putting on a psychiatric defense. Also, the doctor he wanted to call practices a theory that isn’t generally accepted so all in all, it was obvious a desperate move on his part.”
“Elizabeth is prepped, she’s our star witness and Scott won’t shake her. I promise you, Mrs. Corinthos, I have done everything in my power to keep your husband from getting a guilty verdict,” Robyn told her. She glanced at her watch. “Okay, I need to call Elizabeth and let her know that she’s due in a half hour.”
She strode towards a bank of payphones. “She’s a good lawyer,” Carly admitted. “She’s going to get you acquitted.”
“All the lawyers in the world can’t control the jury,” Sonny sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck. “How you feeling? You all right?”
“I’m fine.” She kissed his cheek. “I’m going to go call Jason and let him know court will be in session soon. He’ll want to come out for this at least.”
“Don’t push him,” Sony warned her again. “It’s okay.”
“What’s okay?” Jason asked, approaching them. “Did Robyn talk to you about the psychiatrist?”
Carly blinked, her mouth open a little. A moment later, she threw her arms around Jason. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
He held her tightly. “I’m okay, Carly,” he promised. “I just needed some time to process everything, okay?”
She nodded tearfully. “Well, it’s good that you’re here because Robyn’s calling Elizabeth to the stand in a half hour and then she’s resting her case. It all hangs on her now.”
“She’ll come through,” Jason said firmly. “She always does.”
Port Charles Courthouse: Steps
Elizabeth darted up the stairs, shielded from the press by the glares of Lucky and Nikolas. It’d been a bad morning for her–it was all she could just to get out of bed and get showered. But once Robyn had called, she’d felt better.
She had a reason to breathe this morning.
“You okay?” Lucky asked. He gripped her shoulders. “You up for this?”
“I’m fine,” Elizabeth repeated for the third time that morning. “I need to tell the jury that Sonny is innocent.”
“Scott Baldwin’s going to do whatever he can to shake you,” Nikolas warned her. “So…don’t be surprised if he brings up everything and anything.”
Emily nodded. “Right. He’ll do anything to get Sonny in jail.”
“I know all of this,” Elizabeth assured them. She smiled briefly. “I’m ready.”
“Okay.” Lucky took a deep breath. “Then let’s do this.”
Emily rolled her eyes. “Oh for…we’re not going to war, Lucky!”
Port Charles Courthouse: Courtroom
The judge called the court to order before looking at Robyn who was getting last minute typed questions from Georgie. “Ms. Nichols, present your first witness.”
Robyn stood. “The defense calls Mrs. Elizabeth Lansing.”
The doors open and all eyes were on the victim in the case as she nervously came down the aisle and stepped up to the witness stand. A bailiff swore her in and she sat down.
Because of her limp and the cane, Robyn was unable to question Elizabeth in her normal pacing manner and settled for staying seated. “Please state your name, address and occupation for the record.”
“Elizabeth Lansing, 231 Harbor Drive and part-time waitress,” Elizabeth answered.
“Mrs. Lansing, on the evening of May 23 of this year, where you?” Robyn began.
Elizabeth took a deep breath. “I was at Rice Plaza meeting with my brother-in-law, Sonny Corinthos.”
“You were meeting with the defendant,” Robyn clarified.
“Yes.”
“Why were you meeting with him?”
“I had married his brother the day before and I wanted…I wanted to form some kind of truce between them,” Elizabeth answered. “They only recently found out about their relationship and it’s been very antagonistic. For the sake of my child and the one Carly is about to have…” she took a deep breath and forced herself to continue. “I was hoping to find a way to get past it.”
“But the meeting didn’t go well.”
“No,” Elizabeth admitted. “We were both arguing. We both yelled. Called in markers, so to speak. Took advantage of past favors…it was a bad fight and I walked away, knowing we weren’t going to come to any kind of agreement.”
“You walked away first,” Robyn said.
“Yes.”
“You did not see Sonny walk away.”
“No.”
She stood then and started towards Elizabeth. “What’s the last thing you remember before waking up in the hospital, Mrs. Lansing?”
“I was on the stairs and someone pushed me,” she answered softly.
“You sustained a number of injuries, none particularly life-threatening. But the one that concerned and upset everyone was the miscarriage of your child,” Robyn said bluntly.
“Yes,” Elizabeth answered in a hushed voice. “I…when I woke up, my husband told me that the baby had not survived the surgery.” She glanced away and met Emily’s reassuring gaze.
“You say someone pushed you down the stairs. Do you remember who? Did you see?” Robyn asked.
“No. The push was light–just enough to make me lose my balance,” Elizabeth answered. “It was a woman’s touch. I…” she hesitated and met Mac Scorpio’s eyes. “I felt the nails. They were women’s long nails.”
“Objection!” Scott bellowed. “None of this was in the police report.”
“Your Honor, the event was traumatic and it’s possible that the more Mrs. Lansing talks about it, the more she remembers,” Robyn said quickly.
“Overruled.”
“Mrs. Lansing, even if you weren’t sure of the kind of hand it was, is there any doubt in your mind that my client is innocent?”
“There is none,” Elizabeth told her clearly. “I’ve known Sonny for a long time and he would not have done this.”
“You’re good friends,” Robyn said. “You’ve been close for a few years. Supported each other through a great many things. Friends do things for each other. Get each other out of trouble…?” she trailed off.
Elizabeth shook her head. “I wouldn’t lie to protect to him. When I say Sonny is innocent, I mean that. He didn’t push me. He was angry but he never would have pushed me down the steps.” Her eyes teared and she found Sonny’s gaze. “He and his wife lost a child that way a few years ago and I can’t imagine for one second he’d ever put another woman though that kind of pain–not even for revenge or out of anger.”
Robyn nodded. “Thank you, Mrs. Lansing.” She glanced at Scott before taking a seat. “Your witness.”
Scott stood and shoved a hand inside one of his pockets. “Mrs. Lansing, good morning. How are you?”
“Fine,” Elizabeth answered warily.
“You testified that you’ve known Mr. Corinthos for a great many years, that the two of you are friends.”
“Yes.”
“Give me an example of one of the times he’s helped you, been a friend.”
Elizabeth glanced at Robyn who urged her to go on with a gesture of her hands. “A few years ago, there was a fire in a garage that his best friend Jason owned. My boyfriend lived above in one of the rooms and he was believed to be dead.” She took a deep breath. “I was devastated–I was there when they brought out this…a chain Lucky wore around his neck…they had taken it off the body…” her voice caught, remembering that night. “And Lieutenant Taggart handed to me. Up until then I had just…I’d been adamant that it wasn’t Lucky in there. It couldn’t be…but when they gave me that…” she shook her head. “I just fell apart.”
“And Mr. Corinthos?” Scott prompted.
“He caught me before I hit the ground,” Elizabeth answered in a hushed voice. “That’s really only one of the clear moments I remember of that night. He and Jason were there that night–and I guess they felt responsible…because Jason owned the building a-and they couldn’t do anything to save Lucky…he was very supportive of me that night. They both were,” she added quickly.
“So you and Sonny were friends even before you started dating his best friend,” Scott stated.
“I–yes,” Elizabeth answered. There was no need or way to explain the complicated relationship she’d once shared with Jason and she knew he’d understand that. “He was always there for me if I needed him and I was able to offer him comfort the night Carly miscarried.”
“And yet…once you ended your relationship with Jason Morgan, didn’t that end your friendship with Sonny Corinthos?”
“No,” Elizabeth said immediately. “You don’t have to see each other or talk to each other every single day to be friends. That’s not how friendship works,” she retorted. “Sonny was and still is someone I consider a very good friend.”
“This is the man who is on trial for killing your child,” Scott said, suddenly coming forward and resting his hands on the edge of the witness stand. “The man who is accused of pushing you down a flight of stone steps–”
“Objection, council is badgering the witness!” Robyn cut in sharply.
“I know what he’s accused of,” Elizabeth said in a shaky voice. “I know what you think of him and I know what everyone else thinks of him. But what you think and what I know are very different things. He did not push me, Mr. Baldwin. It is not in his nature or in his character to push a defenseless woman down a flight of stairs purposefully and deliberately. You think by throwing the death of my baby in my face you can get me to say well maybe he did do it but you’re wrong,” she snapped. Tears were streaming down her face now and her hands were trembling but her voice was still strong.
“Sonny Corinthos didn’t push me,” Elizabeth repeated. “You can sit here all day and you will never get me to say anything different. Not out of revenge for his best friend breaking my heart, not out of revenge for the death of my child breaking up my marriage. There is nothing you could say that would make me change my mind.”
Scott glared at her for a moment. “You met Sonny Corinthos at Rice Plaza to plead for your husband’s life, didn’t you?”
“I met with him to plead for a truce,” Elizabeth corrected in a scathing tone. “He and Ric argued and fought with each other every time they came near one another. If something bad happened to either one of them, they automatically suspected the other had orchestrated it. I didn’t wait to raise my child in an environment like that.”
“Well, Sonny Corinthos certainly made sure you didn’t have to,” Scott challenged.
“Someone pushed me but it wasn’t Sonny!” Elizabeth retorted.
“How can you be so sure?” Scott demanded. “Are you willing to stake your life on that?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth replied firmly meeting his glare straight on. “I am one hundred percent positive that Michael Corinthos is innocent of this crime.”
Furious with his inability to shake her testimony, Scott threw his hands up. “I’m done with this witness.”
The judge nodded. “Ms. Nichols, any redirect?”
“Oh, I think Mr. Baldwin pretty much took care of it for me,” Robyn said. “Oh…and the defense rests,” she added with a smug smile.
The judge nodded. “Mrs. Lansing, you may step down. This court is in recess until 1 PM. You will meet me in my chambers to discuss final instructions to the jury and then closing arguments will commence after that.” He rapped the gavel.
Elizabeth shakily stepped down from the witness stand and went over to the defense table. “Did I do all right?” she asked hesitantly.
“You did so much better than I could have dreamed,” Robyn assured her. “That whole last few minutes up there? With you listing all the reasons why you could frame Sonny and didn’t? Girl, those are moments we dream about in law school.” She put her arm around the slightly trembling brunette. “I’m buying you a drink. Come on.”
“You okay?” Lucky asked immediately as he, Nikolas and Emily strode through the gate. He gripped her shoulders. “Do you need sit down?”
“Why don’t you sit down, Mother Hen?” Emily rolled her eyes. She stepped over to her brother and wrapped him in her arms. “Hey, how are you?”
“I’m fine.” He hugged her back. “A lot better now that we know for sure Sonny will be acquitted.”
“Thank you for the things you said about my husband,” Carly told Elizabeth. “With all of the evidence and your testimony…there’s no doubt in my mind now.” She glanced at Sonny. “Right?”
Sonny nodded. “Right. Thank you, Elizabeth. I don’t deserve the things you said up there but it made my heart feel good to hear them.”
Elizabeth nodded and hugged him surprisingly. “I’m so sorry about Courtney,” she said softly. She glanced at Carly and Jason. “I’m sorry to all of you. I wanted to come to the viewing but these last few weeks have been hard for me.”
“There were some mornings I didn’t want to get out of bed,” Carly said, with a note of understanding.
“We should get some lunch while we can,” Nikolas told Elizabeth.
“Yeah, Kelly’s?” Emily suggested, taking Elizabeth by the arm and leading her away from the Corinthos family.
“That sounds good,” Elizabeth agreed. She laughed shakily. “I could use some hot chocolate.”
“With sprinkles and whipped cream,” Emily added, pushing the doors open.
