Saturday, December 4, 2004

Cottage: Living Room

It was nearly eleven o’clock and Elizabeth was due at the Quartermaines within the hour but Cameron was feeling cranky this morning and had flung his breakfast against the kitchen wall. After cleaning him up and taking a shower, she was seriously running late.

As she was stuffing Cameron’s necessities into the diaper bag, her phone began to ring. Deciding to let the machine answer, she started a hunt for the stuffed rabbit Cameron refused to leave the house without.

“Elizabeth? It’s me.” She glanced up and frowned at the answering machine as Jason’s voice filtered through. “I should have called last night but with the time differences…I’m not going to be home until Monday so I’m going to miss the shower. I wouldn’t leave you to the Quartermaines on purpose but there’s nothing I can do.” There was a long pause. “I love you.”

The phone clicked off and Elizabeth sank onto the couch, both pleased that he’d called at all and disappointed that he was going to feed her to the wolves while he was off in Europe.

“He gets to have all the fun,” Elizabeth muttered as she resumed her search for the elusive rabbit.

Quartermaine Mansion: Living Room

“It’s so exciting to have a baby in the family,” Brooke remarked to Georgie as they perused the refreshment table. She reached for a chocolate chip cookie. “One that’s actually related to us.”

“Babies are so cute,” Georgie said. “I love going to the hospital and going to the nursery to see all the babies who were just born.” She sighed happily and filled her plate with various crackers and cookies.

“Babies are nasty,” Lulu argued. She passed the cookies and crackers right over for a chunk of fudge brownies. “They spit up all the time, they cry and you never know what they want. I had to baby sit for Cameron once and I’ll never do it again.”

“Spoils sport,” Maxie joked. “Besides, the best thing about babies is that when they get cranky, you can just shove them right back to their moms. I plan on being the world’s best aunt,” she smiled.

“No babies on the horizon for our girl Maxie, eh?” Lulu nudged her with an elbow. “I sense a kindred spirit.”

“Well, I can’t wait to have kids.” Georgie paused. “Well, actually, yeah I can. I’m like seventeen. But it’s going to be so much fun in like ten years.”

“Ten years sounds way too soon to me,” Dillon eavesdropped from the other end of the table where the drinks were set up. “Who’s up for twenty?”

“Me,” Lucas said solemnly. He bit into a cookie. “I figure I wait a good fifteen, twenty years until I’m mature enough to handle it.”

“If you wait until you’re mature enough to have one,” Lulu drawled, “you’ll be waiting a lot longer than twenty years.”

Dillon snickered. “She’s got you there.”

“Kids, stop eating the refreshments,” Monica scolded. She tugged the cake away from Dillon’s roving eye. “The guests of honor aren’t even here yet.” She smacked Lucas’s hands as he made a reach for the brownies before going to join Audrey. She kept one eye on the group of teens though.

“So, how’s the case going?” Lulu asked.

Everyone froze except for Brooke who just rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry about it guys. It’s like the elephant in the middle of the room no one wants to talk about.” She turned to Lulu. “It’s going okay. Brianne has prepared me pretty well but she wants to meet once a week until the trial starts to go over my testimony. We’ve been practicing cross-examination, too so that I’m prepared for anything that comes up.”

“Yeah, I definitely think that’s a good idea. I was reading the Manson book the prosecutor wrote,” Lulu said as she sneaked one last cookie, “and he was talking about how his star witness was actually stronger on the stand because he didn’t give the defense an opportunity to mess with her. Like, he brought out her drug use and her criminal past during the direct part. She’s totally the biggest reason they won that case.”

“What were you doing reading Helter Skelter?” Maxie asked.

Lulu shrugged. “I like true crime novels and I’m a nut for those shows on A&E. Like Cold Case Files and American Justice. I love that stuff–I’m thinking I might want to go into PI work.”

“I like those shows too,” Brooke said with a small smile. “And from what I’ve heard of the Spencers, that seems like a good career choice. It’s like Lucky’s only…not so on the side of the law.”

“Which Luke would totally approve of,” Dillon pointed out.

Elizabeth entered the room with Cameron in her arms, having left the stroller in the foyer. She scanned the room uncertainly before spotting Emily talking with her mother. “Hey, Em.”

“Elizabeth!” Emily hugged her. “Hey, everyone–the guest of honor is here!” she announced.

Elizabeth was immediately swarmed by well wishers and various members of the hospital staff. Cameron was taken from her by Monica and Audrey to coo over while Elizabeth herself was supplied with a drink and a plate of cookies.

Fifteen minutes later, she found herself cornered by a curious Monica. “So, where is Jason today?” his mother asked.

“He got stuck in Europe on business,” Elizabeth shifted. “He should be back on Monday.”

“Mmm-hmm,” Monica nodded. “So, do you make my son happy?” she demanded without any sort of preamble.

“Ah…” Elizabeth fumbled with her plate for a moment before setting it down on a nearby table. “I wouldn’t–you’d have–Monica, that’s just not something I can answer right now,” she finally settled on.

“Uh huh.” Monica clasped her hands in front of you. “Jason left me with the impression that the two of you were planning a future together.”

“We were–that is, we are–it’s complicated,” Elizabeth finished lamely. “Things have been difficult for the last few months.”

“Well, I’m disappointed to hear that. Jason looked happy when he talked about you,” Monica said. “Happier than he’s been in a long time.”

Elizabeth shifted. “Monica, it’s complicated. We’re not seeing other people, we’re just not really seeing other at the moment either. We’re working it out.”

“Well, for the sake of my grandson, I would hope so,” Monica remarked.

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. “Look, Monica, I’m not really sure you want to be championing doing what’s right for the sake of your children. If I remember correctly from what I’ve heard just in my own family history, you were never the world’s best mother either, okay?”

Monica pressed her lips together. “I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Shipping your sons off to boarding school for the better part of their lives is one of the few things I can remark on but not knowing if my Uncle Rick was AJ’s father is one. Ignoring AJ’s alcoholism, getting married and divorced numerous times not to mention affairs–”

“You’ve made your point.” Monica shifted. “But I do love my children and I do want them happy which is what I’m hoping Jason will be with you and Cameron.”

“I’m hoping that too,” Elizabeth softened. “But I can’t make something happen if it’s not supposed to happen. Jason and I haven’t really been together in any kind of real way for almost three years. I want to be sure we’re together for the right reasons and not just because we have Cameron together. I won’t subject my son to that.”

“As much I as don’t want to admit it,” Monica said slowly, “you may have a point.” She sighed. “At least one of my kids is happy.”

Quartermaine Mansion: Parlor

“Emily?” Alexis entered the room as Emily was arranging the mountain of gifts in the room. “I was hoping we could have a moment to talk.”

Emily huffed and ignored her as she straightened a pile of gifts next to the chair reserved for Elizabeth.

“Emily, I was hoping you would be in the wedding,” Alexis tried again. She twisted her hands together. “Will you please just give me a chance to explain?”

“What can you possibly explain?” Emily demanded. She planted her hands on her hips. “Ric broke Elizabeth’s heart. He crushed it into the ground and now…” she shook her head. “She doesn’t know what’s going on in her life and it’s all his fault–”

“I’m not saying Ric’s blameless but your brother might have a few things to do with the current state of Elizabeth’s heart.” Alexis sighed. “When Ric found out Cameron was Jason’s son, he was devastated. He was working on his marriage to her at the same time Elizabeth was having the affair–”

“But they were divorced,” Emily said. She folded her arms tightly across her chest. “Because he drugged her and kidnapped Carly–”

“And I pushed Luis Alcazar off a building, faked a mental illness and dressed like a butler,” Alexis huffed. “You also married Zander, knowing you wanted to be with Nikolas and pretty much drove him to his death as well. No one is blameless, Emily, least of all you. Now, I want you and Nikolas at my wedding because he means the world to me and I have always considered you a friend. But I won’t beg for it and I shouldn’t have to explain being with someone who makes me happy.”

Emily sighed and looked away. “I did hurt Zander,” she said softly. “And I don’t deny that I probably drove him to what he did in the end. You’re right.” She squared her shoulders. “Nobody is blameless and I can’t whitewash my life to make myself feel better. We’ll be at the wedding, Alexis.”

The other party guests filtered in and soon, Elizabeth was lead to her chair and a present was pushed into her lap. “I have to say that I’ve been looking forward to this portion of the day,” she said with a grin as she ripped into the first present.

Cameron received enough clothes and toys and supplies to keep him happy for at least two years and Monica and Alan had bought a beautiful cradle for Cameron as well as a silver rattle with his named etched into it along with the date of his birth.

Georgie and Brooke each gave Elizabeth IOU coupons for free baby sitting and Maxie got a laugh from the crowd when she gave Elizabeth a third IOU for free baby sitting from Georgie.

Alexis was the last to give Elizabeth a gift. She held it in her lap for a moment. “Now when you open this, you might tell me it’s too much,” she began, “but I have to tell you that I could pay for Cameron to go through college and it could still never be enough to thank you for what you’ve done for my daughter.”

“Alexis,” Elizabeth shook her head. “I didn’t do it to get anything in return–”

“No, I know.” Alexis exhaled slowly. “Which just makes it all the more incredible. Kristina is my whole world and I know, you being a mother and all, I don’t have to tell you that. But you saved her life and you didn’t have to and I just…I wanted to thank you for that in some way.”

She handed the slim package to Elizabeth, who just set it in her lap and reached over to grasp Alexis’s hand. “I would do it again in second,” she told her. “I’m only glad I was able to help.”

Alexis sniffled. “Well…open your present.”

Elizabeth grinned and tore off the lavender wrapping paper and removed the lid. She held up the slim envelope inside and saw the plane tickets sticking out. She eyed Alexis suspiciously. “What are these?”

“Don’t ask, open!” Emily urged.

Elizabeth slid the tickets out and gasped, covering her mouth with her hand as she held the precious tickets in the other. “Italy,” she murmured. She looked at Alexis. “How did you know?”

“Believe it or not, you are the one subject Jason and I can talk about. I asked him the one place in the world you’d like to see and he said Italy.” Alexis leaned forward. “There are three tickets. They’re open, so you can take them whenever you want. There’s the number of a hotel in there that I’ve instructed they’re to bill me for your entire stay but if you don’t like that hotel, just pick any other and send me the bill.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “I–I can’t accept this,” she breathed. “It’s too much–Alexis–”

“I want to do this for you,” Alexis said firmly. “You made my dreams come true and I want to do the same for you.”

“Well, hell, how can you turn that down?” Lulu decided. “If she doesn’t want the tickets, I’ll take them,” she volunteered.

Quartermaine Mansion: Foyer

Carly sighed impatiently as she saw the wreckage of the parlor with gifts and wrapping paper strewn about. She had missed most of the shower and didn’t really intend to stay long. She’d gotten a voicemail from Jason on her way over that he wouldn’t be here after all and since she was only coming to support Jason, there didn’t seem to be a point to it now.

“Carly?” Elizabeth poked her head out of the double doors that led to the living room. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“Yes, well…” she coughed. “Jason asked me to come last week but since he’s not here–” She shoved a small gift into Elizabeth’s hands. “Here.”

“Thank you.” Elizabeth unwrapped it, understanding it would be first and last gift she’d receive from Caroline Corinthos.

“It’s beautiful…” she lifted the necklace from the box and met Carly’s embarrassed eyes. “These three stones…”

“Emerald for Cameron, citrine for you and garnet for Jason,” Carly muttered. “Your birthstones. And there’s room to add more gems for more kids–” she coughed again. “So, ah, it can kind of continue.”

“I know you don’t want to make a big deal of this and I swear after this moment, we’ll go back to being civil enemies,” Elizabeth said. She set the box down and put the chain around her neck, clasping it. “But just let me be nice and we can then return to our regularly scheduled program.”

“Okay,” Carly said warily.

Elizabeth stepped forward and embraced the blonde gingerly. She stepped back. “I know what you mean to Jason and I’m glad you came here for him today.”

“Well…” Carly rubbed the back of her neck. “I know what Cameron…and you,” she added reluctantly, “mean to Jason, so-”

Before she could finish what might be one of the only nice things Carly Corinthos would ever say to Elizabeth Webber, the door opened and Carly’s day just got worse.

“Somebody up there hates me,” she muttered to the heavens.

“Well, that’s amusing,” Brenda Barrett remarked caustically. “I was about to suggest the same thing.”

Elizabeth blinked. “Brenda. What are you doing here?”

“Well, I hear that Jason finally spawned so I decided to come meet the lucky new mob moll.” Brenda crossed the threshold and behind her, Carly spied someone else that took a bad day and just made it three times worse.

“And you brought the Saint with you.” Carly threw up her hands. “If this is what I get for doing something nice, I am never bothering again!”

Robin Scorpio smirked. “You did something nice? I’m sorry I missed that.”

“What are the odds that the three people in the world I dislike the most could be in the same room with me?” Carly asked, disgusted.

Alexis poked her head out of the double doors. “Elizabeth–”

“The only thing left is an apocalypse,” Carly muttered as she stormed towards the door. “I should have known stepping foot into the Quartermaine asylum would end up like this.”

She pushed past Robin and left. Alexis frowned and looked at the gathered women. “Was it something I said?”

Kelly’s: Inside

“The Saint, the Bitch and the Lunatic all in the same day,” Carly grumbled as she sat down at the counter. “I’m pretty sure locusts are next.”

“That doesn’t sound promising,” Steven said as he joined her at the counter. “My sister’s baby shower didn’t go well?”

“I didn’t stay long to find out,” Carly said. She flicked open a menu, despite knowing the menu by heart. “As soon as I did my nice deed, as if to punish me, God sent Brenda, Robin and Alexis to strike me down.”

“Brenda and Robin are…?” Steven prompted.

“The bane of my very existence.” Carly sighed. “No, Brenda is Sonny’s ex and Robin is Jason’s ex, so naturally neither one of them is fond of me and let me tell you–the feeling is more than mutual.”

“Well, it sounds as if your day needs a bit of a pick me up,” Steven remarked. “How about we get a table and try dinner.”

Carly eyed Steven suspiciously. “Is this another one of those friendly dinners you’ve been plying me with lately?”

Steven grinned and stood. “Sure, why not?”

Carly sighed and crossed to one of the tables. “Because I’m wondering how many of these dinners do we need to have before one of us admits they’re dates.”

Spencer House: Living Room

Luke coughed and moved to the space in front of the fireplace. “I, ah, I’m not good at this family stuff.”

Lulu snorted and glared at Lucky when he elbowed her. “What? It’s not like we weren’t all agreeing him silently.”

“Be that as it may,” Luke sent a warning glare at his daughter. “I’m glad you could all come on such short notice–” he broke off when he realized a very nervous and very unfamiliar blonde was seated next to his son. “Who’re you?”

“Ah…Brianne Joyce,” Brianne clasped her hands together to keep from wringing them. “Lucky wouldn’t let me stay home alone.”

“It’s okay, Dad,” Lucky told him, trying to convey the fact that he’d explain later without letting Brianne know that he’d explain. “So, what’s up?”

“Well, I asked you all here because well, for one, we’re a family.” He eyed Nikolas and his wife suspiciously. “Even the Cassadine branch, though it pains me to admit that we even have one. And we all want what’s best for Laura.” He took a deep breath. “She was the glue that kept us together and since she got sick…”

“Everything’s gone to hell,” Lulu muttered.

“Yeah, well…we all should have a say in what comes next.” Luke shifted. “The doctors in London say that she’s responding to some of the new treatment and she’s showing marked improvement.” He met Lesley’s eyes. “She even recognized me for a while.”

“That’s incredible,” Nikolas sat forward. “So she’s going to get better?”

“Well, now, we don’t know that for sure. They just say that she’s at a point in her recovery where family is encouraged to visit, to participate in the program. So they’re moving her here, to a place called Rose Lawn within the month. If she keeps responding, they say by the spring she could start out patient therapy.”

Lulu sat up straight. “Mom’s going to come home?”

“Well, the doctors aren’t sure. And they don’t want to make guarantees. She could slide right back or she could get better faster than they think. But they say she’s been improving regularly and if she keeps doing well, things are going to get better.”

“That’s the best news I’ve had in months.” Lucky stood and crossed to embrace his father. “So what’s there to decide?”

“Well, seeing as how we didn’t manage to get remarried,” Luke shifted. “Nikolas is her oldest son and has power of attorney. He has to okay the move.”

Nikolas stood. “Give me the name and the number of who to call.” He gripped Emily’s hand. “And I think that everyone will back me up when I say that I would have no trouble transferring power of attorney to you.” He met Lucky’s eyes for a moment before focusing on Luke. “Mom would want it that way.”

Luke swallowed hard. “Thank you. That would…that would mean a lot.”

Sonny’s Penthouse: Michael’s Bedroom

Michael flopped onto his bed and folded his arms behind his head. “I missed my room,” he sighed.

Sonny set Morgan on the bed beside his brother and patted Michael’s knee. “I miss having you in this room.”

“You and Mom really aren’t going to get back together are you?” Michael sighed. He sat up and tucked his knees under his chin, wrapping his arms around them. “This isn’t like the last time.”

“No,” Sonny said. “I’m sorry, buddy, but that’s not going to happen this time.”

“But you’re not going to fight over us this time either right?” Michael asked. “Mom said you weren’t but I wasn’t sure.”

“No, we’re not.” Sonny stopped Morgan from crawling too close to the edge. “We’re going to have joint custody. You’re going to spend weekends with me and every other holiday and your mother and I have already agreed that we can stop over the other’s house to spend time together when we’re apart. I don’t like it, but it’s for the best.”

“So if I want to come see you on a Wednesday after school, I can?” Michael asked.

“Sure. As long as you tell your mother and you do your homework,” Sonny said pointedly.

Michael huffed. “Well, if the homework is going to be the breaking point,” he joked.

“Smart ass,” Sonny muttered with a fond smile. “There’s something else I want to tell you, buddy. Some good news, I think.”

“What?” Michael asked eagerly. “Is it presents?”

“No,” Sonny drawled. “You’ve met Kristina Davis, right? Alexis’s daughter.”

Michael nodded. “She’s in Morgan’s playgroup at the park. What about her?”

“She’s my daughter, too,” Sonny said after a moment. “She’s your sister.”

Michael pursed his lips. “I don’t understand,” he shook his head. “How come you never told us before? And you were married to Mom.”

“Not when Kristina was conceived,” Sonny said uncomfortably. “Your mom and I were divorced for a year, remember?”

“Right, before her car accident,” Michael nodded. “Okay. So Kristina is my sister. That’s cool. When do we get to see her?”

“That’s something Alexis and I have to decide between us,” Sonny told him. “We haven’t come to an agreement yet.” He paused. “So you’re okay with this?”

Michael thought about it for a moment. “When Mom was pregnant with Morgan, I really wanted a little sister,” he told his father. “I love Morgan but it’s still cool to have a sister.”

“Well, good.” Sonny leaned over and kissed his forehead. “Watch your brother for a little while. I have to make a phone call.”

He left his sons and went downstairs to the phone on his desk. He dialed an old but familiar number. When the answering machine clicked on, he waited for the beep. “Alexis, its Sonny. I think it’s time to talk custody arrangements.”

← Chapter Nineteen | Chapter Twenty-One →