As Keesha opened the car door, the memories flooded her mind. It seemed that everywhere she turned, there were long lost memories just waiting to take her back to the days of her youth. She stood still for a moment and just let the memories, good and bad, run over her. Suddenly she felt someone pulling her back to earth.
"Mom, why are you just standing there, staring off like that?" Keesha turned to see her oldest child staring as intently at her as she had been staring into space. His big hazel eyes had as much questioning in them as did his voice.
"Justus, there are so many memories. I know you don't understand, but one day you will. Once we've been in Port Charles for a while, you will understand", Keesha said as she gently kissed his forehead.
"Whatever you say, mom", the little boy said shaking his head.
"Mom, I wanna get out too. Let me out, Justus", screamed Maya.
Keesha looked past her son, to her oldest daughter. Sometimes she couldn't believe that her daughter was only five years old. The little girl was a veritable whirlwind. She spoke her mind and didn't seem to care who heard or what they thought about it. Everyone who saw the child couldn't believe how much mother and daughter looked alike.
Keesha tried to calm the little girl, least she wake up her baby sister, Lila. But as Keesha looked down at her eldest daughter she began to laugh.
"Mommy, whatcha laughin' at?" Maya asked with one eyebrow raised. 'Just like her father', Keesha thought.
"I am laughing at something your father used to say about you".
Maya's beautiful hazel eyes lit up. "What did he say, mommy? What did daddy say?"
With her children's eyes upon her, Keesha did her best not to tear up as she thought of the eagerness in her voice. The sheer desperation of any news of their father.
"Your father used to say that you were my mini me. Do you know what that means?"
Maya shook her head 'no'.
"It means", she said pulling the little girl into her lap "that you are a smaller version of me. A mini me", Keesha said as she hugged the little girl tightly.
"Mrs. Livingstone would you like to continue to the hotel or would you like to sit here for a while longer?" asked the driver.
"No, Martine, you can continue to the hotel. We have a lot of things that we need to get done today. We should be on our way".
"What is this Metro Court? What happened to the Port Charles Hotel?" Keesha asked her driver.
"There was a fire a few years back and it was completely destroyed. Jasper Jacks built this hotel not long after that".
"Jax, hmmm? Well if Jax had anything to do with this place then I am quite sure that it is exquisite. Come along kiddies, lets go get checked in", Keesha said to her children.
"We have a new life ahead of us, sweeties".
As they climbed out of the car, Keesha took a deep breath. She knew that along with the memories and old friends, there were a lot of adversities ahead of her. And the first one was standing at the desk of the Metro Court.
Keesha held her head high as she walked through the doors of the Metro Court pushing Lila in her stroller, while Justus and Maya held each other's hands.
"I would like a suite please, Carly".
The blondes' head snapped up and the two sets of brown eyes locked on each other. A smile crept onto Carly's face as she said, "that Mrs. Jasper Jacks to you, Keesha".
Keesha was nearly floored. Jax had married the town tramp. 'Well I'll be damned', thought Keesha to herself.
"Well then, Mrs. Jacks, that will be Mrs. Daniel Livingstone to you." With the mention of her husband, Carly's eyes narrowed.. I would still like to have a suite for myself and my children. Is that possible?"
Daniel Livingstone? She knew the name, he was pretty much a corporate raider who had made millions. He owned a variety of businesses and the man was pure class. 'So little miss perfect is married to Daniel Livingstone, guess she likes the millionaire type too' Carly thought to herself. The icy smile never left Carly's face as she looked over the edge of the counter at Justus, Maya and Lila. Something in her face softened and her smile became more genuine.
"Hi there guys", Carly said. "My name is Carly, what are your names?"
Justus and Maya looked to their mother to make sure that it was alright for them to speak to the strange woman behind the counter. Keesha shook her to acknowledge that it was alright for them to speak. Maya being Maya, she was the first to speak.
"My name is Mary Mae Ward Livingstone, but my daddy used to call me Maya. He said that Mary Mae is just a little too old fashioned for such a cute little girl. I like Maya more, but my great granma's name was Mary Mae so I like that too", she then turned to her older brother. "And this is Justus. He's named after Uncle Justus. Uncle Justus isn't…wasn't really my uncle, but that's what we called him. He called my Lil lil bit, cause mama is Lil bit, and I'm her mini me. Isn't that right, mama?"
Keesha just laughed as she shook her head 'yes'
Carly was laughing too. "I can't believe", Carly started. "Did she just say all of that in one breath?
Keesha looked from Maya to Carly and her shoulders shook with amused laughter. "Yes she did, and that's nothing compared to what she can do".
Carly and Keesha's eyes met again and reality sank in. The two women who had once been bitter enemies and competitors were sharing a relaxing laugh together.
"So, Keesha, how have you been?" Carly asked with genuine concern.
"Good, Carly, really good. And yourself? Actually, I guess you don't have to answer me. I can look around and tell that things are good".
"Yes they are. I'm married to a wonderful man, I have two wonderful children and I have a career that I love", Carly said with a smile.
"You have two children?"
"Yes Sonny and I have Michael, whom you know about and we have a five year old named Morgan". As the words left Carly's mouth, the smile left her face. She hadn't thought about preparing Keesha for the name 'Morgan'. She said the name so much that she hardly ever thought of Jason when she said it.
The smile had also faltered from Keesha's face. 'Another child named Morgan', Keesha thought to herself. Just as quickly as her smile slipped it was replaced with a newer and brighter one.
"Of course you and Sonny would name your child after your best friend. I see it in your eyes, Carly. You don't have to exclude Jason from your conversation because I'm around. Jason was a long time ago. It's been", Keesha tilted her head and counted the years since Jason Quartermaine died and Jason Morgan was born. "It's been eleven long years and I'm over it. I loved a man and I lost him. Not to you, not to Robin but to a fatal car accident"
Carly and Keesha's eyes met again. There was an air of understanding between the women. Motherhood, love and loss, they finally had something in common besides a man that they both loved but neither could have.
"So you want a suite, huh? I think I can arrange that", Carly said as she typed furiously on the hotel's computer.
"Alright, I've got this one suite that has an incredible view of the harbor. I designed the layout myself. I put every personal touch on it that I could think of and it happens to be perfect for children" Carly looked at Keesha and smiled.
"Thank you, Carly".
"You know, you never did introduce me to the one in the stroller"
As if on queue, Lila woke up with a cry. Keesha pulled her youngest out of the car seat and whispered soothing words into her ears. Once the child had quieted down, Keesha turned the baby around to Carly to introduce them.
"Carly, this is my baby girl, Lila"
Carly gasped when she saw the little girl and heard her name. The little girl in Keesha's arms was beautiful. Justus and Maya were gorgeous children, but Lila. God she had given her Jason's grandmother's name. And there was a reason for it; the little girl could have been Jason's. There were very few people in the world, that Carly had met, who had eyes the color of the purest part of the sea. Jason was one of those people; his grandmother also shared the eye color. And so did this little baby who couldn't have been more than a year old. But the most interesting thing about the baby, probably what made her so beautiful, was the caramel skin that surrounded those beautiful cerulean eyes.
"Say hi, Lila. Say hi to Carly"
"Hello…. Hello, Lila", Carly choked out.
Just then, Maya's voice cut through the awkward silence. "Daddy always said that me and Justus looked like mama, but Lila was all him. Except for her skin color, that she did get from mama, but her eyes are his. I always wondered, how Lila got daddy's eyes when he still had his eyes, but mama just said that it was a figure of speech. I'm still not sure what that means, but I guess since daddy's dead Lila really could have his eyes now, can't she mama?"
Keesha hadn't expected the last of what Maya said. The children hadn't mentioned their father that day, but she knew that he was never far from their hearts and minds.
Carly hadn't thought much about where Keesha's husband was. Momentarily, Carly had wondered if it were possible that Jason had fathered Keesha's youngest child. While Carly knew the name, she had never met the man. Now that she thought about it, Mr. Livingstone must have looked a lot like Jason, because Lila definitely looked like her best friend.
"I'm sorry to hear about your husband, Keesha", Carly said quietly.
"I guess I should get used to saying goodbye to the men I love".
"Why don't you follow me, I'll take you to your room and help you get settled. I can't imagine that it's easy with three kids. I only have two, but Leticia is a great help".
"Leticia, who's that"? Justus asked.
"So he does speak", joked Carly. "I was beginning to think that you couldn't talk".
"Well, Maya usually talks enough for all of us, donthca, Maya?" Justus asked looking down at his little sister.
"Well you know what; I have two little boys who are about the same age as you. Do you think you would like to come play with them sometime?" Carly asked Justus.
"Cool, how old are they?"
"Well, Michael is ten and Morgan is five. And they love to play cops and robbers and anything else involving being loud and rambunctious. Oh and don't feel left out, Maya. My boys have a sister who is about your age. Her name is Kristina and I'm sure she would love to play with you".
"Cool, mommy can we play with Ms. Carly's kids and their sister?"
"Oh honey, don't call me Ms. Carly… call me Aunt Carly. I think this might be the beginning of a new friendship a better friendship than what your mother and I had before"
Keesha was stunned, Carly Benson was being nice. Not just being nice, she had told her kids to call her Aunt Carly. 'There must be something in the water', Keesha thought as she followed Carly into the suite.