The church was filled with guests for the christening.
JAX spotted Ned, Brooklyn and Lois walking in, along with all the other Quatermaines. He shook Ned's hand.
"Thanks for coming back to town for this, man. It means a lot," Jax said "I hope I didn't mess up Brooklyn's touring schedule."
"We shifted some stuff around. No problem. I have to be here for my own goddaughter's christening." Ned said
Lois hugged Jax. "I am so happy for you. Congrats!"
"Thanks."
Just then Robin, Patrick and Brenda walked in. Patrick had a baby carrier strapped to his chest and Isabella inside.
"Brenda!"Lois squealed
They hugged and then Robin, Lois and Brenda were talking a mile a minute.
PATRICK smiled and kept walking toward the front of the church. He walked past the second row where Anna, Robert, Luke and Tracy were sitting. Then he stopped next to the first one where Noah and a woman, dressed in a navy blue business suit, stood.
"Son," Noah said "This is Ms. Klein, the woman I told you about."
"Nice to meet you," Patrick said.
Noah was focused completely on Isabella now, her big eyes meeting his as he cooed at her.
AT THE BACK of the church, Jason, Carly, Micheal and Morgan walked in.
"This is a christening?" Jason asked "The place is jam packed. Are you sure you haven't drug me to a surprise wedding for Robin and that doctor guy?"
"Patrick. And no." Carly said "Robin is boring small town doctor. Not Britney Spears. Surprise Wedding, yeah right! Have you been watching the E! Channel again?"
Jason gave her a horrified look. "I don't watch that junk."
Carly accused him, " I saw you watching Brenda on there just last week!"
"Keep your voice down." Jason said. He put his hand on her back. "Lets just get some seats, okay? Without causing a scene? Do you think we can do that?"
Carly spotted Brenda standing near Jax. She glared at the brunette.
"There she is," Carly hissed "Go say hi to everyone's favorite ex, why don't you, Jase?"
"Maybe later. Come on, Carly." he led her and the boys to some seats, making sure he sat on the aisle so Carly couldn't jump up and scratch Brenda's eyes out in the middle of the ceremony.
Those two being in the same town, Jason thought, is a very bad idea.
ROBIN walked over to Patrick, who was now seated in the front row. She whispered, "Did you see your dad brought a date who is not Bobbie? What do you think it going on?"
Patrick smiled at her. "That's not his date. She's our real estate agent. I'm buying us a house."
"You are?" her voice was in awe. This man had a way of doing that to her.
His eyes were slightly nervous when he asked, "What do you think?"
She dropped a quick kiss on his lips. "I love that idea!."
Isabella cooed and smiled.
Robin said, "And it looks like Izzy agrees."
THE CEREMONY started, and the preacher announced Brooklyn would be singing a song.
She rose and walked to the front of the church and stood behind the microphone that was set up there.
Brooklyn sang, "I hope you never lose your sense of wonder.
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger.
May you never take one single breathe for granted,
And God forbid love ever leave you empty handed.
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean.
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens.
Promise me that you'll give faith the fighting chance!
And if you get the choice to sit it out or dance-
I hope you dance, I hope you dance..."
AND IN THE FUTURE, Isabella Angel did dance.
She danced when she was two years old, being held in Patrick's arms as they swayed in front of the Christmas tree that decorated the living room of their hundred year old Victorian house.
She danced when she was seven years old, standing on the feet of her father, Jax, when he took her to her first daddy and daughter dinner at her private school.
She danced when she was fourteen, at Homecoming in the arms of Spencer Cassadine.
At sixteen she danced in a Port Charles High production of Grease, and in the audience along with her parents, there also sat Mac, Felicia, Georgie, Greg, Dillon, Lulu, Max and most of all Maxie who clapped with pride.
At eighteen years old, Robin watched when her daughter, a brown haired ballerina, danced her audition piece for Juilliard. And on that day, Robin remembered Brooklyn singing at the christening,
"Living might mean taking chances, but they're worth taking.
Loving might be a mistake but it's worth making.
Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter.
When you come close to selling out-
reconsider.
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance-
I hope you dance, I hope you dance I hope you dance, I hope you dance..."
Isabella danced at her wedding, spinning around the floor in the arms of her husband, of her two daddies, of her younger brother, of Micheal and Morgan her stand in big brothers who had never let her down- not even once- and she danced with her only cousin, John, the son of Jerry Jax.
YEARS LATER, Isabella watched her own daughter, Noelle , take ballet lessons.
And marveled at how far she had come in life.
Once Isabella had been somebody's baby, now she had adopted one of her own. A full circle, and it would keep circling back, wrapping them in love for life.
Isabella knew she started life in an unusual way but it made everything after that possible. It made her who she was.
A baby in a picnic basket. A mother to her own precious child now. Her mom had given her an amazing childhood and Isabella hoped to do the same for her daughter, Noelle.
And when Isabella sat in the audience of her four year old daughter's ballet recital, her hand being held my her husband, she smiled thinking of the song her own mom used to sing to her at bedtime, "Promise me that you'll give faith the fighting chance And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance-
Dance!
I hope you dance I hope you dance, I hope you
dance!"
THE END
The song is by Lee Ann Womack.
Thanks for all the reviews! You were awesome for sticking with this story.
