Chapter 10

"I turned you down for tea earlier, but I think I need a pot to settle my nerves until Marco arrives," Anna announces. "Care to join me, gentlemen?"

"I'll have some, too," Alex calls from the living room.

Anna makes an aggravated face.

"I suppose we have to feed 'er," Robert says. "The Geneva Conventions, and all."

"One of needs to watch Alex," she points out. "Since you don't trust Valentin and you want to keep your eye on him, that leaves me to make the tea while the two of you stay in the main room with her. Agreed?"

"Watch your back, love," Valentin says, taking her in his arms and kissing her tenderly.

"I won't do anything that will take me from you, darling," she says softly.

"If you can tear yourself away from him, Anna, it would be good to have a cup ready for Marco, too," Robert suggests. "Make the atmosphere friendly. Hospitable."

"Hospitable. While I sit in handcuffs," Alex chimes in.

"Yeah, what'll we do about that," Robert waves a thumb toward their guest.

"I say keep her locked up until I come back with the tea. Then you can release her. Three of us should be able to keep an eye on her and answer the door when Marco gets here."

"Still running your security feed of the island, Ivan?" Robert asks snidely. "Making sure the other three stayed put?"

"Drop the attitude, Robert," Anna snipes in return. "Unless you want to handcuff him, too?"

"I wouldn't mind, but I'd rather not be a man short once Alex and Marco are free to roam about."

"To answer your question, Amri and Johan are still in my home, and it looks like Jim is on the launch taking Marco to the dock, which means he could be here in 30 minutes or so."

"I'd better get the tea started," Anna says, giving Valentin a quick kiss on the lips and striding through the living room in the direction of the kitchen.

"Do ya happen to have any of those chocolate pastries I'm partial to?" Robert calls after her.

"No. But I have the strawberry shortcake Valentin likes." She beams at the man she loves. "I picked some up on my way home from the Metro Court this morning. I hoped we might spend the evening together." She frowns and looks around. "Not like this, of course."

"Strawberries it is." Robert smacks his mouth in distaste.

Before long, Anna carries in a tray with the pot of steeping tea, a small pitcher of milk and a sugar bowl, along with five cups, saucers and matching dessert plates. She returns to the kitchen for the strawberry dessert, cookies, crisps and fruit.

"Not bad for being thrown together in 20 minutes," she says, admiring the spread.

"Thanks for the variety, at least," Robert says, muttering under his breath, "Strawberries."

"Will you shut up?" Anna snaps, annoyed. "No wonder I divorced you."

"I believe I divorced you," he counters.

"I remember it differently. But no matter who started it, I am eternally grateful we finished it." She turns to Valentin. "Won't you sit, darling?"

"No. I'm sorry, I can't. I'll have a cup and a bite to eat, but I can't let down my guard."

Anna nods and also chooses to remain on her feet. Robert, on the other hand, starts to return to the chair facing Alex, and sees her waving her cuffed hand, clearly irritated.

"Mother, may I?" She sneers.

"I guess I can't put it off any longer," Robert concedes, taking out his key and removing the restraints.

"Thank you," she says, standing and straightening her blouse and skirt. She pours herself a cup and ravenously fills a plate with assorted treats. "I can't wait for the arrival of our visitor. The three of you have proved to be utterly humorless. Perhaps he'll be more entertaining."

"Glad someone's enjoying this," Anna says so softly that only Valentin can hear. "I, on the other hand, am a bundle of nerves. I can't figure out why Jim was instantly agreeable to my suggestion that Marco be the one to come. If only I knew what was going on with him. With all of them."

"All we can do is keep our guard up, like I said. And have at least something of a plan in place. For example, which one of you should answer the door?"

He glances between Anna and Robert.

"He asked for Anna on the phone," Robert reminds them. "Being it's her house, I say she should be the one to welcome him. I might be an unexpected surprise, since you two are the only ones he knows to be on the premises."

"And we'll keep an eye on you from here," Valentin promises her while scowling at Robert, who slouches in his armchair.

"Don't let him fool you." Anna gestures dismissively toward her ex-husband. "He only pretends he's not ready to strike. Right, Robert?"

"Don't reveal all my secrets, dear," he drawls.

"Never mind him," Anna says, setting down her cup and plate, and taking Valentine's from his hands. "We have but a minute, but that's enough time for …"

Her arms around his waist, she pulls him close. Their lips meet hungrily, as though it could be the last time they kiss. Judging by past events with the company they're keeping, Anna is forced to consider that it could be.

"Don't you two make a pretty picture."

Marco steps into the room from the kitchen. His arms hang loosely at his sides, showing he's not only unarmed, but at ease.

"What the devil!" Robert springs from his chair, his gun in his hand.

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To be continued

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If you love Anna and Valentin as much as I do, be sure to check out my other General Hospital-based story:

"Anna Devane and Valentin Cassadine — Anna's Birthday."

Thank you for reading, and please consider writing a review!

Annette Zoaps