Author's Note: Okay, I promised these would come quicker after I went out of town. Okay, not so much the truth. However, I cannot and WILL NOT take blame for it. It is all Huma the Guma's fault. See, she wrote this little fic called 'Hack'. Well, I loved Hack. It is funny, refreshing, brings a different side of Jason, Spinelli, Elizabeth and personally I think portrays the best Sonny, most likeable Sonny ever written. Okay, so I had seen this fic around but never read it. Then Monday I happened upon it at and just thought I'd read the first chapter. Well, that was it. Now it's Thursday. I finally finished the story (well what is written so far ch's 1-50) last night during GH on Soapnet. I was hooked to that story. I barely got any work done, barely slept, read that story at every chance. So that's why Counting had been neglected. However, this chapter is pretty long. I hope you enjoy.
Counting to Ten
Chapter 25
"So other people allow you and your nephews to hang around their children, Morgan?"
"They are your nephews too, Ric. But I guess only when it's convenient for them to be."
Jason stood after tapping Cameron lightly on the behind to let him know that his shoe was completely tied and he could go back to the swings with Morgan. He had planned an afternoon with Cameron that would include going to the park, taking a ride on his motorcycle through the parking garage at Harborview Towers where Elizabeth finally agreed he would be safe, and then once Elizabeth finished work, they were going to all go to Kelly's for dinner.
"Thanks Jason" Cameron yelled over his shoulder as he tore his little legs into a mad dash to the only open swing before the little girl with pigtails and a yucky pink dress on beat him to it. She made it there just after him and a mini four year old mob war ensued.
"I GOT HERE FIRST"
"NO YOU DIDN'T"
"YES I DID"
"MOMMY"
"JASON"
Jason walked over to the swings, completely ignoring, actually with a slight wave of hand, dismissing Ric Lansing. Once there, he eyed the competition. A rather short, slightly round mother of three stood with one latched on to her exposed breast, another sleeping in the stroller she pushed and her third currently arguing with one very angry and stomping Cameron. Surveying the situation, Jason took on the fatherly role and decided this was as good a time as any to teach the little boy, hopefully HIS little boy one day, what it means to not only share but the all important and often times forgotten rule of 'Ladies First'.
"Cameron, come with me. You and I need to have a talk." Jason said reaching out his strong hand to clasp onto the fingers of the boy he had already fallen completely, hopelessly in love with.
"Jason I was here first. She's lying. She didn't get here as fast as I did." Cameron refused his outstretched hand and his lower lip jutted out as his arms crossed over his chest and his chin lowered.
Jason shot a quick look at the woman standing next to him, careful not to allow his eyes to intrude on her private moment of nurturing her newborn wrapped in a pink blanket. She winced in a silent plea. Plea of what, he wasn't sure. He was well known in this town. She could have very well been pleading for her and her children's life for all he knew. That was a look he regularly received, although completely unfairly warranted, from strangers in this town. Then again, she could be pleading for a gentleman's acquiescence to a woman's desire. Well, okay maybe more like a little boy giving up and letting a little girl swing. Of course, more likely than not, it was a simple look of, I have no idea who got to the swing first because I have two other children to attend to and please help me out of this jam without my having to walk away with a crying little girl or worse three crying little girls.
Jason decided he would rather believe the woman to be pleading the latter so now was the time to have the boys versus girls talk. He had done it before. First with Michael and then just a year ago with Morgan. He was well versed. It was the same speech, almost to the word, that one Michael "Sonny" Corinthos had given him not too long after he woke up from his accident.
"Morgan, you keep swinging. I have my eye on you and Max is right behind you if you need anything. Cameron and I are going over to that bench. Once we are done talking we'll all go get an ice cream. Deal?"
"Okay Uncle Jason. MAX come push. And push her too. K?" Morgan said as he pumped his legs back and forth and smiled at the little pigtailed girl in the pretty pink dress. She was still holding on to one of the swing chains until her mother said it was okay and that she was first.
Morgan didn't know and actually thought maybe Cameron had gotten there first but girls always go first because that's what Uncle Jason said. And Uncle Jason is ALWAYS right. It's 'just a fact of life' is what he said. We boys have to be nice to girls so that they will be nice to us someday. Why boys want that, Morgan Corinthos didn't know but Daddy, Uncle Jason, Max, Milo, Jax and a lot of other boys that were bigger did. Even Michael was starting to want girls to be nice to him. The only girls Morgan wanted to be nice to him were his Mommy, Letecia, Grandma Bobbie, Lulu, Alexis – only because she is Christina and Molly's mom and Christina is his sister and Molly is his cousin – and now Kate and Elizabeth because Daddy and Jason like them. Other girls can go pack sand in the sand box for all he cares.
"Max will push you too." Morgan said to the little girl. Packing sand they could definitely do but he knew to be nice to them because Uncle Jason said so.
The little girl and her mother looked up at the well dressed burly hunk of a man walking up to the swings with a huge cheesy grin on his face. Morgan was his favorite. He couldn't help it, it was just a fact. Anything Morgan asked for, Max did. He would even crawl on the ground in his best Italian suit if Morgan asked. And many times at the park, Morgan would ask just that so they could play basic training around the monkey bars with his friends. "Ma'am, do you mind?" Max said bending down to help the little girl onto the swing. "You look like you have your hands full. I'll be glad to help your daughter on the swing and then push her and Morgan."
The woman, despite looking a bit tired, was naturally beautiful with long blonde hair, roots protruding at least a half an inch which Max and Jason both likened to the approximate time it took to grow out with the arrival of the new bundle in her arms. Her hair was pulled back into a simple pony tail. No makeup clouded her face and her green eyes pierced and sparkled at Max and Jason as her skepticism turned into a deep smile of thankfulness. She had some weight from the pregnancy on her but Max could tell it wouldn't stay long. Her muscles in her arms and legs showed that she was in pretty good shape. Three kids in four years easily take its toll. Especially since two of the three years were spent pregnant. Her body looked great compared to many young mothers.
"MAX" Jason yelled as he noticed the bodyguard staring at the woman's exposed breast a little too long.
"Uh...yes boss?" Max immediately shook his head and then lowered his gaze down to the little girl raising her arms to be lifted onto the swing. He turned purple from embarrassment. He did not mean to stare at the woman's breast but he was in deep thought on the woman's other features. His gaze just happened to stay there.
"Cam and I will be over here." Jason said quietly as he pointed to the park bench. He could see that Max was mortified over his actions so admonishing him would do no good.
Max looked back at the woman who now wore her own rosy cheeks. He was bent at the waist but was, as of yet, still not touching the little girl. "Ma'am? Do you mind?"
"OH, no that would be wonderful. I am sure Becky would love for you to push her. Thank you so much." The woman said pulling herself out of her own thoughts of the handsome man staring at her breasts. For some reason, she was slightly embarrassed for him but not herself. He actually looked like he was lost in thought, not drooling over her chest.
Ric was watching the whole scenario play out. He was actually in the park to make moves on the woman with the three small children. She would be an easy hit. Her husband had died in the war in Iraq when she was just four months pregnant with their third child. Ric was made aware because many times, the military dispatch a police officer to aid in notifying the family. Ric had done it himself and figured this would be a woman easily acceptable of his 'no strings, late night booty call'. She certainly wasn't someone he wanted to wine and dine. Sure, he would show the occasional interest in something other than her bed but for the most part, with three kids, SHE would be the one unable to go out very often. It was a perfect set up. He had laid the ground work and now she'd had the baby a few weeks ago. Except now, that stupid Neanderthal, Max, was ogling her and insinuating himself into her good graces. This would not do at all.
"Hey Morgan" Ric said with his sickly sweet voice. "Uncle Ric didn't think he'd get to see you today. How have you been?"
Morgan Corinthos was shy, loving, and sensitive and on rare occasions talkative but one thing was for sure, there were two people in this town that he didn't like, Uncle Ric and cousin Lucky Spencer. Talking was not an option because Uncle Jason said 'if you can't be nice, don't talk'. It was something Uncle Jason made daily practice of and so did Morgan.
Max moved from lifting the little girl onto the swing and pushed Morgan with one hand while pushing the little girl, Becky, with the other. All the while eying with deep skepticism, the reason for Lansing to come talk to Morgan. Morgan on the same aspect, continued to pump his legs and stare at the man who was his Daddy's younger brother and Molly's daddy without letting his lips so much as part away from each other.
"Oh, Mr. Lansing. You are this little boy's uncle? I thought…" the mother turned around to see the blonde man with the incredible physique sit down with the curly headed, currently deeply pouting, little boy.
Her brows drew together when she realized that if they were both this boys' uncle, they sure didn't look a thing alike. Maybe opposite sides of the family, she reasoned and looked back up, glancing at Max before turning her attention to Ric. Her brows furrowed as the scowl Max was giving Ric further confused her. Ric had been very supportive of her since he came with the Marine Chaplain to notify her that her husband had died not six weeks after he arrived in Iraq. He had come by occasionally, later in the evening, to check on her. Sometimes he would bring a nice dessert or a non alcoholic drink for them to share. He always seemed to be so busy during the day so to take his personal time to check on her was rather flattering.
"I am his uncle. Jason is not. He's Morgan's Godfather." Ric explained as he sauntered up beside the woman and stared directly at her chest.
Max fumed quietly as he watched the snake of a man, slither around the young mother of three. Whatever he was doing, there was obviously a motive and that didn't sit well with Max. Hell, the fact that Ric even remotely acknowledged his nephew was a sure sign that Ric Lansing was up to no good and since he knew this woman, she was obviously the target of his dastardly endeavor. Naturally, Max would have to wait until he wasn't around the kids to find out what, when and why.
Secretly, Max enjoyed throwing monkey wrenches into Ric's plans whenever he came across them. He'd succeeded many times over the past few years. This will be another fun adventure ending up with Ric wearing the egg Max threw at his face. Listening carefully to obtain clues to his new personal-time mystery adventure, he smiled at that knowledge.
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Jason watched as Ric approached Morgan and then sauntered up to the young mother but Max was intently watching. Jason laughed knowing that look on his employee's face. Max enjoyed tearing into Ric and thwarting any diabolical plans he may have. Knowing his nephew and the woman were safe from Ric's wrath, Jason turned his attention to the little boy beside him.
"Cameron, I want to talk to you about something." Jason started with an even tone.
"Jason, I DID get to the swings first. She's just a dumb girl anyway." The pouting little boy interjected.
"First, girls aren't dumb. Your Mommy's a girl. You don't think she's dumb do you?" He watched the little boy shake his head 'no' and continued on with his talk. "Girls are just different. But us boys, we have to treat them different too. One day we will be thankful that we did because we'll want them to be nice to us."
"Nuh-uh" Cameron declared.
"Well, I know you don't think so now but trust me…boys have to become men and men always have to show respect to girls. Even when we don't want to, like now for instance. We should always let a girl go first. Whether it's to play on the swing, in line at school or well…anywhere." He watched as the little boys eyes widened. "Yes, girls always get to go first. That's the rule. Also, we should always protect girls. If someone is mean to them, we should help them. If they are hurt we should take care of them and if they are sad, we should try to cheer them up any way we can."
Knowing the next part of the lecture was somewhat difficult to explain to a child, he used the same tone and words he used with Morgan. "If a girl says no, then we should respect her wishes. If she doesn't want to do something, then we do what she wants to do. No means no. That's a very important rule."
"But why?" Cameron asked as he hung on Jason's every word.
"Because that's what makes us become men. Good men. Only bad men don't follow the rules when it comes to girls and bad men always get into real bad trouble when they don't follow the rules."
"Do you follow the rules with Mommy?"
"Yes I do. Especially with your Mommy because she is so very important to me. I would never want to make her sad or see her hurt. If she says no, then no it is. I would always let her go first in line, protect her from mean people and take care of her if she was hurt. Just like I would do for you because you are important to me too."
"I am?"
"Of course you are." Jason pulled the little boy into his lap. "You and your Mommy are very, very important to me. I will always make sure that you are happy and protected. But you have to do something for me too."
"What?" Cameron asked, squirming in Jason's lap to turn and get on his knees. He then put his little arms around Jason's neck and put his head down on Jason's chest.
"You have to promise me that you will become a good man instead of a bad man and that means always treating girls with respect. Always letting them go first, always protecting them and always helping them if they are hurt or sad or are in trouble. Can you do that?"
"I guess so but why?" Cameron murmured into Jason's neck.
Jason smiled. This was almost exactly how it went with Michael but Morgan was agreeable without question. "Because one day, that same girl will do the same thing for you. She'll do whatever makes you happy, she'll protect you and keep you safe and help you if you are hurt or in trouble. She'll cook for you and smile at you and ride on your motorcycle and even watch ballgames with you. The biggest thing she'll do that you'll want is let you hang around her. THAT is the thing you'll want most and will make you the most happy."
"Just like Mommy does with you." Cameron agreed.
"Exactly, just like your Mommy, does with me. She let's me hang around you and her and that makes me the happiest man alive."
"Me too." Cameron said as he lifted his head and looked straight into Jason's eyes. "I'm happy Mommy lets you hang around us too."
Satisfied with his response and knowing that there wasn't much more to say until he was older, Jason patted him on the rump and then gave him a big hug. "I promise you that if you follow the rules about girls, one day you'll thank me for telling them to you. Will you follow the rules?"
"Yes. But I did get to the swing first but I guess the rule is she gets to go first anyway, huh."
"Yes it is but you know, that little boy on the other side of her just got down so if you run real fast, you'll get to swing too. Then we'll go get some ice cream. Deal?"
"You always make deals." Cameron replied as he squirmed down from Jason's lap and ran to the swing. Max moved over and lifted the little boy onto the swing and then moved seamlessly between the three children pushing them.
Jason smiled as he slowly lifted himself off of the bench and started to walk toward the woman to see what Ric was up to. Michael, carrying his school backpack with Milo following behind, walked up the path toward the group.
"Hey, Uncle Jase. Milo said you guys were here so I thought I would come by before going home and studying for my finals."
"Hey Michael. You have finals already? It seems like Spring Break was just last week."
"It was over a month ago Uncle Jason. You know that because that's when we went to Disney World."
"Oh yeah." Jason smiled and lost himself in his thoughts of meeting and spending time with Elizabeth and Cameron in the theme park.
"Jeez Uncle Jason. You are so…lost over Elizabeth."
"Lost?" Jason stopped his walk and looked over at his red-haired nephew.
"Yes, lost as in whipped, wrapped, useless, dweeby, dorky, pansy and dopey. You're like the seven dwarfs of love. You're head over heels and totally lost to us men now. You are all about Elizabeth."
Jason smiled. The boy was right. He WAS lost.
Just then he could hear heels clicking rapidly on the path behind the trees. "JASON! CAMERON! JASON WHERE ARE YOU?"
Her voice sounded panicked and she still had another hour to be at the museum so something must have been wrong. He turned toward the path where she was running from and reached behind him, placing his hand on his well used weapon and started running toward the sound of her voice. She rounded the corner and once she saw him, launched herself up into his arms. Tears were steadily streaming down her face.
Jason looked behind her and Johnny was running up behind her with a bewildered look.
"Hey, hey, hey what's wrong?" He asked as he held her tight, her feet dangling a foot off the ground and her face buried in his neck. He smoothed his hand over her flowing curls and held her tight against him with one arm while trying to read the look on Johnny's face.
"I don't know Jason. I was waiting in the car outside the museum, where I normally am and she came running out, quickly locked the door and jumped into the car. All she said was 'Find Jason' then she started crying." Johnny gave as much detail as he knew.
"Was anyone in the museum with her?" Jason asked as he kissed her temple and continued rubbing her hair and her back.
"No, the place was empty." Johnny replied as he dropped back in line with Milo to survey the surroundings that all of their charges and their boss were standing in. His eyes immediately fixed on Ric Lansing and he scowled while giving a questioning glance to Max. Max rolled his eyes as he continued pushing the three toddlers on the swings. Ric was deep in discussion with the woman and Max would occasionally stop, look up at the woman then roll his eyes again. Apparently Ric was working the woman good.
"Hey Elizabeth, what's the matter honey? Did someone call you or scare you or…why are you crying?" Jason noticed Cameron watching and he winked at the little boy to let him know everything was okay.
Cameron saw his mother crying and stopped pumping his legs and told Max to stop pushing. He tried to jump off the swing and Max caught him with ease and lowered him to the ground. Cameron ran up to Jason and Elizabeth and wrapped his arms around their legs. "Why are you crying mommy? Did you tell a bad man no and he didn't follow the rule?"
Elizabeth lifted her head, puzzled by her son's question. She looked at Jason but kept crying. "My grams..." she started but then saw Ric.
Elizabeth's face turned ghostly white and she started to tremble but her crying stopped and a cold hard look covered her face. Jason turned to see what she was looking at and as soon as he noticed Ric, his blood started to boil. His hands clinched into tight fists and he turned the three of them so that neither the boy nor Elizabeth was in Ric's view. Jason zeroed in on Johnny and then jerked his head toward Lansing then gave a quick nod. Johnny knew this to mean Jason wanted the guy gone so Johnny headed purposely toward the loser DA.
Michael who was in between all of the groups of people stopped Johnny and both men watched as Max was currently stalking over, grabbing Ric by the lapels and physically moving him away from the woman holding the baby. He was speaking rather harshly to Ric but no one could hear him. They could only see the clinched jaw and Max's lips moving. The woman was flushed red and backing up with her stroller.
Whatever it was that happened, Max didn't like it and was in the middle of telling Ric, rather forcefully, to leave. Unfortunately, in doing so, it sent the jerk heading straight for Jason, Elizabeth and Cameron. Instantly he recognized Elizabeth once he got closer and snidely lowered one hand into his suit pants pocket and walked up to the three.
Before Johnny could intercept, Ric spoke, "Well well well. What do we have here? What are you doing here Elizabeth? And what are you doing with this criminal?"
Jason slowly lowered Elizabeth to the ground and pushed her and Cameron behind him. "Leave Ric." Jason said in a quiet but lethal tone.
"Oh but Jason, Elizabeth and I are old friends." He looked down at the little boy peeking out from behind Jason's legs. "Is this little Casey? My how he's grown. Actually Jason, we're VERY close friends. Aren't we Elizabeth? She's actually a slut I bedded in Col" Jason's fist connected with Ric's jaw before Ric could finish his sentence. Johnny immediately grabbed the DA and drug him out of the park.
"I'll have you arrested for assault on an officer of the court Jason Morgan. I hope she's worth it. Leftovers. My leftovers." Ric laughed as he rubbed his chin and tried to jerk his arm from Johnny's grasp.
Jason took a step forward but cringed when he felt Elizabeth's hand on his arm stop him. He turned around to face Elizabeth and Cameron.
Oddly, it was the woman with the small child that spoke up first. "I'll be glad to testify in your behalf. That jerk had it coming. I thought he was nice but he was just using me. You should have seen the way he was leering at me while I was feeding my newborn. What a pig! And I heard what he called you ma'am. And right in front of your little boy. No judge in his right mind would fault your husband for punching him."
"He's not my husband. He's my boyfriend. And Ric. He's just some jerk I met a long time ago. How do you know him?" Elizabeth asked. She was so confused about everything that she just started talking to anyone who would talk to her.
"Well, he was with the Marine Chaplain when they came to tell me my husband had been killed in Iraq." The young mother started as the rest of the group started moving. Milo went to push the two remaining children on the swings; Johnny was off making sure DA Lansing left and Michael and Max, now pushing the stroller, moved closer to Jason, Elizabeth, Cameron and the woman.
"Oh, I'm so sorry for your loss." Elizabeth replied pulling her hand to her heart in a known gesture of sympathy. Jason moved in behind her and picked up Cameron into his arms then wrapped his free arm around Elizabeth's neck and pulled her back into his side.
"Thank you. That was seven months ago and Ric has been stopping by my house ever since. He always seemed so nice and was meeting me at the park today to spend the afternoon with us. I don't really get the impression now that THAT was what he really wanted to do."
"Yeah, the jerk made a…lewd comment to her. I wanted to bust his fu…face open." Max responded, checking his words because Michael and Cameron were there.
"Well, I can tell you from experience, he's not a very nice person. He tricks you into thinking he's some wonderful fairly tale prince but trust me, he's no Prince Charming."
"Nope, Jason's Prince Charming and my Mommy is Cinderella" Cameron announced from Jason's arms.
"No, silly! Your Mommy is Sleeping Beauty, remember?" Michael said as he hefted the little boy from Jason's arms and started walking back over toward the swings.
The group of adults laughed and Max turned to the woman. "Could I walk you home ma'am? I don't want that bastard coming anywhere near you. You'd be smart to not allow him to visit you anymore either. Nothing good comes from Ric Lansing." Max then looked up at Jason. "Would that be okay Jason? I mean, Milo's here and so is Johnny."
"That's fine Max, as long as this lady doesn't mind. Why don't you take the rest of the day off. Take her and her kids for some ice cream or something. I'll get Morgan and Michael home or send them with Milo or Johnny." Jason responded.
"What exactly did Ric say to you?" Elizabeth's curiosity got the best of her so she asked.
The woman blushed and looked over at Max and then at Jason. She then leaned in and whispered into Elizabeth's ear causing Elizabeth to gasp loudly. "That Rat! I can NOT believe that man would stoop so low. Well, actually I can. I guess it's better that you found out now."
"Yeah, and I was actually starting to feel like I could actually maybe date another man. Now I don't know if I ever want to again." The woman said as she laid her small child down into the stroller next to her sleeping two year old. She had long ago tucked her nurturing breast back into her top after Ric's lewd comment.
"Well, I certainly understand. I met him in Colorado and unfortunately didn't find out what a jerk he was until it was too late."
Max shot her a look then looked up at Jason. Jason was fuming at the mention of Ric's name from Elizabeth's lips so Max knew whatever transpired was not going to bode well for Ric in the end. It also explained the risky punch instead of Jason's usual stoic, tight lipped stance.
Johnny came back into the playground area of the park and immediately walked up to Jason. "I don't think you need to worry Jason. I had a chat with Lansing. He won't be pressing charges."
"Good, I don't need that with the charges" Jason stopped and looked over at the woman.
"It's okay. I know who you are. Actually, I believe you are innocent. Actually, I know you are."
"Oh yeah?" Jason asked.
"Yep, Ric likes to talk about himself. A lot. Your case is a big one for him and the PCPD. He was trying to impress me. Well, I guess he actually did a little. He said something about not really having evidence but because it was you, he was able to convince the judge for a warrant. He's hoping to find something or get a jury that wants you in jail as much as he does. Actually," she looked down with guilt on her face. "I never told Ric this but your company gave all three of my children college scholarships once you found out that my husband had died."
"You're Jack Burton's wife? Jack was one of our best men down at the ware house. Max you remember him. He was the Port Supervisor over at pier 27. Blonde hair, my build, a little shorter though. He left because he got called into active duty. He was a reservist. He's worked for us for about nine or ten years." Jason looked back from Max to the woman. "You are still getting his paychecks aren't you? I know Sonny and I agreed to continue your benefits, give scholarships and continue his pay for three years once we found out he had died."
"Yes, I am. It's really very generous of you. I wrote you a letter. I actually have some skills, office skills. I was hoping I would be able to work for you once I am off of maternity leave. I would rather not take charity. I would feel better if I was working for that paycheck myself. Besides, the government pays us survivor benefits and the kids receive social security due to Jack's death. You all are being way too generous. I would like to earn the money."
"I didn't see any letter. Then again, I probably wouldn't. Our secretary at the coffee warehouse would have given it to Sonny and knowing him, he just tossed it in the trash. He's old school. Look, you come by anytime. I'll be glad to see if there is a spot for you at Corinthos Morgan Coffee Imports. I'll make one if there's not. I understand wanting to earn your keep. Max, make sure…" he searched his brain for her name. "Shirley? Sherry? No Shiree, yeah, Shiree. Max, make sure Shiree and her kids get home safely."
"No problem boss. Ma'am." Max jutted out his elbow for her to take and latched on to the stroller and headed over to the swings.
The mother of three latched on to his arm and turned back, "Nice meeting you. And thank you for everything."
Elizabeth and Jason watched them stroll away and Elizabeth actually had a bit of a smile on her face but when she looked up at Jason she remember why she was there. Tears started forming and Jason pulled her into his chest.
"Now, do you want to tell me what's going on with you?"
"Oh, I got a call from Steven. My Grams fell this morning and broke her hip. She won't be able to come and I can't go there to help her because of my new job and there's no one there to help her. I don't know what to do. I feel so helpless and my Grams has always been there for me. Now when she really needs me, I can't be there for her."
"Well, what if we hire a private nurse to take care of her." Jason reasoned, always seeking the simple, direct solution to a problem.
"I can't afford that and Grams is a nurse herself. I don't know if she would go for something like that anyway."
"I didn't ask if you could afford it. I can and I want to help. Call her. Call your brother. I'll take care of anything they need. OR maybe we could have her transported here so you could be close to her." He added that last part hoping on all hope that she would say no.
"No, Grams wouldn't do that and there's no way she could recover at that cottage I rented. I just wish I could be there for her."
"Well, would you like to fly home tonight to check on her? We could be back tomorrow morning." Jason asked, pulling her back and wiping the stray tears from her eyes.
"No but do you think we could go there this weekend? Like Sunday and Monday. She should be out of the hospital by then and back at home. The museum is closed on Monday's and Mr. Rigby said he would work Sunday's so I would have two days off in a row."
"We'll fly out Saturday night as soon as you are off work. Maybe your brother, Cameron and I can go catch a Rockies game while we're there. Hey, I have been meaning to ask you. Morgan has signed up for T-ball. Would you mind if I signed up Cameron? Sonny and I sponsor the team Morgan plays on and I would love for Cam to be on the team too."
"Are they even old enough to play baseball? I mean what if he gets hit by a ball or something?"
"Elizabeth, he's a boy. You can't baby him. He'll grow up a wuss. Besides, they hit the ball off of a stationary stand. No one is throwing a ball at them necessarily. It will toughen him up, teach him teamwork and hand-eye coordination. Also, it will give me more reasons to spend time with him."
"You know, when you asked to spend time with him, I figured you just wanted to hang out with him an hour or two here or there but you are serious. You have spent a lot of time with him in the past two days. I mean…are you for real?"
"Whaaat? What do you mean am I for real? I am right here Elizabeth." Jason took her hand and beat on his chest with it. Jason sometimes confused questions and took them literally. This was obviously one of those times.
"I know you are real I just meant…you are just so wonderful. I am waiting for the other shoe to drop." She laughed.
"What shoe?" Jason looked down at their feet.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Grabbing his hand she pulled him over to the swing set where the crowd of bodyguards, children and the widow stood.
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"The woman's name is Elizabeth Webber. She's from Denver Colorado. Um…she's twenty eight or right around there and her little boy would be" he counted on his fingers "five, no four. Casey or something like that. Find out what they are doing here and why they were with Morgan."
"No problem Ric. I'll get right on it. Oh, and hey, if it's the woman you described. I met her. Jason picked her up from the airport. He said they didn't know each other but that he was doing a favor for Emily and picking her up from the airport."
"She knows Emily?"
"No, she's going to work for the Museum in Crimson Point. You know the one Mr. and Mrs. Rigby own? She's going to be the one who runs the place from now on since Mrs. Rigby is so sick."
"Really, out where the Zacharra's live? Well, that could prove interesting. I'll have to call my father."
"What will Trevor want with the girl?"
"Oh, bargaining power."
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"Is he asleep?" Elizabeth asked as she removed her robe to show a LOT of skin and very little purple silk and lace.
"Yep, took three books but he's actually snoring." Jason replied as he crawled across the bed and grabbed for Elizabeth. She pulled back and he had to catch himself before he went face first on the floor.
"He does that when he's really tired." She replied, slipping from his grasp, smiling coyly. Playing hard to get was fun with Jason. He was always so eager.
"Well, we had a fun day. Max, Morgan, Cameron and I spent a lot of time at the park and the kids and I built a big guitar out of K-Nex this morning. Those things are cool." Jason climbed off the bed and stalked toward his prey. One more step and Elizabeth would be trapped in the vanity area of the master bathroom.
"I don't remember Cameron having K-Nex toys." She said as she slid down the wall out of the vanity area before Jason trapped her.
"I bought them for him with the furniture and other stuff I had delivered the other day when you said you would stay here until your house was done." Jason turned and picked up the pace. Elizabeth started running for the door and opened it running into the hallway. Jason chased her and because his strides were one to her two caught her easily.
Just then Spinelli bounded up the stairs with his ear bud in, bouncing his head to his music on his Ipod holding a bag of Bar-B-Que chips and a bottle of orange soda. "Whoa" the hacker said as his master and his master's new vivacious beauty came bounding into him.
Jason grabbed Elizabeth up by her waist and turned carrying her back into the room. Just before closing the door he turned to a stunned Spinelli standing in front of his door. "Go to bed!" and he shut the door in his young protégé's face.
"Jason, that wasn't nice. I like your roommate Spinelli." Elizabeth admonished.
"Well, I like you more." He responded as his lips crashed to hers while they crashed to the bed. Immediately his hands were all over her as if she was going to disappear soon.
"Jason, I like you too." She replied lifting her head so that her lover could nuzzle her neck.
"Like?" he lifted completely up and looked down at her.
"Love" she replied and he quickly smiled and lowered himself back down to her.
"I love you too. Let me show you how much." And he did.