FUEL
"Carly, do you have a minute?" Olivia asks as she barges in and takes a seat across from her.
Carly finishes typing on her laptop then sits back in her chair. "Is there a problem with the Wakefield party?"
"No, everything is on schedule." Olivia reassures her. "I wanted to talk to you about Dante."
Carly immediately stiffens. "What about him?"
"I stopped by there on my way to work and he and Lulu are pretty messed about what happened." Olivia leans forward. "They told me what you overheard and let me tell ya I tore into them real good about the secrets they kept from us."
Carly shakes her head. "But somehow I don't think that's what you came in here to tell me."
"They were kids." Olivia sighs. "They made mistakes. I can see how you'd feel gut punched by what they did for Michael considering…"
Carly eyes blaze. "Did for Michael? For Michael? Are you fucking crazy? They did nothing for Michael. They did it TO him. My cousin and your son took it upon themselves to toss my son to the wolves as some kind of atonement for THEIR sins. It was never about my kid."
"They did what they thought was right. They each know what it takes to live with that kind of weight. They didn't want it for Michael." Olivia tries to defend.
Carly stands. "If they thought it was so 'right' then why not cop to their own shit?" Olivia remains silent and Carly laughs. "Yeah exactly. This conversation is over."
"What do you plan to do?" Olivia rises as well. "I know you Carly. There's no way you're going to sit on this information. I'm asking you mother to mother…"
Carly eyes flash fire and she moves around the desk to stand toe to toe with Olivia. "You mean the way I asked you for help mother to mother when Michael was in trouble? When your son was hiding my kid from me? What did you tell me? He's your son and you can't get involved. You were sorry but I was on my own. Well how does it feel from the other side?"
"I know and I know I have no right to ask but I'm here and I'm asking." Olivia pleads. "Don't do anything to hurt my kid. Let's just put the past behind us and move forward."
Carly licks her lips. "Easy to say when it hasn't cost you anything."
"I don't want to go to Sonny but I will if I have to." Olivia warns.
Carly hisses. "Go ahead and while you're there see if he's hiring because as of now your services are no longer required."
"What? You can't!" Olivia recoils. "I have a contract."
Carly smiles. "You have a contract with Jax. Jax is no longer the owner of this hotel. Now if he wants to place you in one of the others he's free to do so. I'll send your final check in the mail. Goodbye Olivia."
Once she's gone, Carly paces the room. Her blood is set to boil but she wills herself to calm down. All she has to do is keep it together and everything will fall into place and everyone will get exactly what they have coming to them.
She picks up her cell and hits 2 on her speed-dial. "Hey tell me again."
"Relax and breathe." He instructs. "Just four more days and it'll be over."
Carly sighs. "I don't know if I'm going to last that long without killing someone."
"You can and you will." He assures her. "What happened?"
Carly tugs on the end of her hair. "Olivia was here to plead their case. I wanted to throw her out the window. She has the nerve to come here and tell me to let the past be the past and not do anything to hurt her son but when I came to HER about my kid she blew me off. Fuck her."
"So what'd you do?" He gets to the bottom line.
Carly shrugs. "Only thing I could do. I fired her. It won't interfere with the plan. In fact the more I think about it it'll play perfectly into what we got going. Can you imagine how he's going to react to that?"
"Just make sure when it happens its public and loud." He laughs. "Like it won't be loud. It's you after all."
She flips off the phone. "Screw you. That's why this plan works. It plays to all my strengths."
"Oh is that what we're calling it?" He teases. "Strengths?"
She laughs. "Why do I deal with you?"
"Cause you know I have your back." He answers honestly.
She smiles tenderly, "Have I thanked you enough for what you're doing?"
"You never have to thank me Carly. I'd do anything for you, you know that. Always have and always will." He leans back in his chair. "I just wanted you to be sure. You are so it's all systems go from this end."
She walks to the window. "You're putting it all on the line for me though. I can't help but feel a little selfish for asking."
"You are selfish." He laughs. "You're also loyal and smart and in need of my help. Stop worrying about it. I'm not giving you more than I'm willing to give and lucky for you…I'll give you everything."
"Lucky me." She laughs. "I don't know what I did to deserve a friend like you but I'm grateful. I better go. Love you."
He looks at the picture of her and the kids on his desk. "Love you too. Just hold on. It's almost over."
