Chapter 38
"Lulu, go back to bed," Dante told her, standing at the kitchen counter, pouring a cup of coffee, "I'll make you some tea. Hey, you should eat something too, you know."
"Can't. I'm late for work," she said, pulling on her Kate Spade wedges and grabbing her purse from the coffee table. Her head was fuzzy and her body felt like every movement was in slow motion. It took every ounce of her strength to shower and get dressed this morning. She felt horrible, but staying home was not an option.
"You could call in, you know. People do it all the time, Lulu," Dante told her, walking over with a cup of tea laced with honey and lemon.
"Ugh," she replied, taking a sip and hating the concoction. She took another swallow, allowing the hot liquid to coat her throat, momentarily numbing her aches.
"God, that's awful," she commented, shaking her head to dispel the bad taste in her mouth. Big mistake, her head throbbed with each movement, her vision blurred and she became dizzy for a moment. She sat down on the couch and placed her head in her hands, willing the discomfort to pass.
"That's it. I'm calling Cousin Connie," Dante told her, reaching for the phone and dialing her number.
"Dante, hang up that phone this instant. Do you hear me? This isn't your Cousin Connie, we're talking about. It's Kate Howard, owner of Crimson, my boss. You remember her, don't you? In her office there is no such thing as a sick day," Lulu explained, her protestations going unheard, as he continued to let the phone ring.
"Crimson, Maxie, speaking?" Dante heard on the other end.
"Hey, Maxie, it's Dante. Lulu isn't feeling well today. Will you tell Kate that she is going to stay home?"
"What, do I look like, Lulu's secretary? Do I look like I have a death wish? You tell her, she's your cousin. Kate Howard is a busy woman. So, tell Lulu that I said to suck it up, pop a pill and get her ass in her pronto!" Maxie replied, as Dante stood in his apartment, one hand pressed to the counter, while the other cradled the phone.
"Put her on the phone now, Maxie," Dante ordered, in his authoritative detective tone, as she huffed and then put him on hold, "Fine. But, don't say that I didn't warn you. Kate, Dante is on line 1."
"Dante, where is Lulu?" Kate Howard asked her cousin, while her fingers began to tap on her desktop.
"Lulu isn't coming in today, Kate," Dante told her, as Lulu jumped up from the couch and raced to grab the phone from him.
"Fifteen minutes, Kate. I was just leaving. I need to pick up your dry cleaning on Bishop Street. Did you want me to stop at Kelly's and pick up a non-fat soy latte?" Lulu asked, pointing her finger at Dante to stay silent.
"No, just hurry up, Lulu. I needed those layouts on my desk an hour ago," Kate scolded, shaking her head, "You girls think that this is some kind of summer camp. Well, it's not, Lulu. I could get someone else in here at a moment's notice. Do you understand?"
"Perfectly. I'm on my way," she said, disconnecting the call. She took another sip of the vulgar tea and kissed Dante on the forehead, before reaching for her coat.
"I could call the station, you know, " he said in a concerned tone, assisting her with her coat.
"And do what, wait on me hand and foot all day long? It's a cold, Dante. I'll stop at the pharmacy on the way to work. I promise," she told him, as he looked at her with a disapproving gaze.
"I meant what I said earlier, Lulu. After we're married, Kate and I are going to sit down and talk about what is expected of you," he told her, as Lulu smiled, turning to cough.
"That's one conversation that I am looking forward to," she grinned, knowing that both of them were as stubborn as mules.
"Honey, I have to go. I'll be fine," she said, as he walked her to the door. He reached for his holster and gun and grabbed his badge and jacket, before she could close the door, "Call me, if you need anything. I can talk to Mac. I can easily work from home," he said, trying to change her mind, as he walked her to the elevator.
"I'd kiss you goodbye, but I'm contagious," Lulu laughed, a spasm of coughing racking her body.
"I'm willing to suffer if you are," Dante told her, kissing her softly on the lips and closing the cage door.
"Don't say I didn't warn you," she answered, grinning, as the elevator closed. She slumped against the walls praying to God to she could make it the cleaners and Kelly's without dropping to the ground.
…...
Lulu Spencer moved slowly down the pier, carrying Kate's dry cleaning bag and a tray full of lattes. Every movement was agonizing and her head felt as if someone was pressing their hands against it, pushing with all of their might. Lulu hated the bug that had crawled into her body and was invading every aching inch of it. She wished that it would just lay down and die, allowing her mind to focus and her body to move.
"Finally," Maxie said, reaching for a mocha latte and handing Lulu the March Madness layout spread, as Lulu dropped into her chair and turned on her monitor. She sipped her earl gray tea, cringing at the flavor and stirring in three packages of blue sugar packets.
"What's wrong with you, anyway? You look horrible," Maxie Jones commented, as Kate Howard, yelled from her office, "Maxie is Lulu here?"
"Yes, Kate," Lulu answered, grabbing Kate's Non-Fat Soy Latte, as Maxie followed her, snatching the March file from her hands.
"Coming, Kate," Maxie replied, as Lulu adjusted her skirt, wiped the perspiration from her brow and tried to appear put-together.
Maxie entered Kate's office first, handing Kate the file, as Lulu simultaneously placed the latte in Kate's right hand. Lulu and Maxie waited until Kate took a sip of the latte, before releasing their breath, as she set the coffee on the desk.
"Ok, let's get down to business. Maxie, you're up," Kate ordered, pointing her finger in her direction.
"I spoke with our photographer in Paris about changing the March layout date," Maxie began, as Kate interrupted, "And?" Kate asked.
"And he was very firm about not doing the shoot. Something about it interfering with some French event. Anyway, I told him fine that we could just find another photographer," Maxie continued, as Kate Howard smiled, "And?"
"Well, he changed his mind. So, we're all set for the first week in March."
"Great. Lulu, I'm going to need you to make sure that the designers are all on-board for this. Also, call our office in New York and make sure that the new spread of couture designer bags and shoes is ready. Are you getting all of this?" she asked, as Lulu looked at her with glazed eyes.
"Call New York, make sure couture bags and shoes a go. Got it," Lulu answered, with a scratchy voice, as she turned, covering her mouth and coughing.
"You aren't contagious are you?" Kate questioned her, suspiciously, "because the last thing I need is to catch something. Mr. Murphy at the Metro Court front desk had the sniffles just last month, and I can't tell you how I agonized over what malady was going to befall me," she said eyeballing Lulu, while scanning her face for any sign of sickness.
"I'm fine, Kate. It's just allergies. I'll just go to my desk and get right on this," Lulu said, reaching for the file and racing out of Kate's office.
Fifteen minutes later, Lulu found herself staring at the same email content, attempting to get her brain to focus on the words in front of her. Her head was pounding and her sight was becoming hazy. She had taken some supposed wonder drug that was reputed to zap all of her symptoms away, so why wasn't it working. None of her symptoms were improving and if she had to drink another freaking cup of tea she was going to start sprouting tea leaves any minute. She felt miserable and all she could think about at the moment was her pillow in their apartment, snuggled under the covers.
"Lulu," she heard, belted from Maxie's desk, "Huh?" she answered, turning with glassy eyes and a runny nose.
"That's it," Kate Howard shouted, ushering Lulu from her seat and leading her toward the elevator, "You're contaminating my office. Maxie, take her home, please."
"Me? I don't want to catch it," Maxie told Kate, jumping back as Lulu let loose with another coughing fit.
"I'll call Dante," Maxie said, reaching for the phone, as Kate Howard went to lock herself in her office, "And Maxie, don't forget to debug the place. I don't want any germs."
"I hate you," Lulu told Maxie, as she placed her head on the table and vaguely heard Maxie calling Dante, "Detective Falconeri," he answered.
"Will you please come get your girlfriend, before she causes a massive outbreak at the Metro Court," Maxie replied, shaking her head at Lulu, as Dante answered that he'd be right there.
"What are you doing?" Lulu asked Maxie a few minutes later, as she saw Maxie wiping down everything around her desk with one hand and carrying a can of Lysol with the other, "Fumigating."
…...
"I am perfectly capable of walking, Dante!" Lulu said, as he assisted her into their apartment and she used his body as a crutch, "I'm fine. Really."
Dante tossed his files onto the coffee table and helped Lulu to the bed, "Lie down. I'll make you some tea," he told her, as Lulu's eyes grew wide and she used every last bit of her energy to protest, "No more tea. I swear, Dante, if I see another cup of tea, I am going to scream."
Lulu lay back on the bed and Dante reached for her feet, pulling her shoes off and tossing them to the floor, "Ok, no tea. I'll get you a bottle of water," he told her walking toward the kitchen and opening the refrigerator door.
"What I need is to go to work? Who am I kidding," she coughed, turning her body to alleviate the aches in her body, "As of tomorrow I will be unemployed."
"What you need is to drink something, no arguments, Lulu," he told her, turning to approach the bed. He smiled, noticing that she pulled the sheets back and grabbed his pillow, pulling it beneath her head.
Her eyes were closed and he placed the water bottle on the nightstand next to the bed and then sat down beside her. He felt her forehead, its skin warm to the touch, "You get some rest, baby. I'll be here when you wake up," he told her, pushing himself off of the bed and walking toward the kitchen. He made a pot of coffee and when it was finished brewing, he seated himself on the couch and took a sip.
He reached for the first file in the stack before him and stared at the name typed on its tab.
Mikkos Cassidine, he read, opening the file and perusing its contents.
With a furrowed brow, he scanned the file looking for the tiniest clue to tell him exactly who was behind all of this.
An evil tyrant, who wanted world domination, the notes read, of the Greek mastermind behind the Ice Princess caper. He was the husband to Helena Cassidine, and father to Alexis and Stavros. The file noted how one Alexandria Quartermaine had found the world's largest diamond, painted it black and had it shipped to Port Charles, where it was unfortunately stolen. Lulu's father, Luke was hired by Alexandria to find it. Somehow Edward Quartermaine was involved and someone named Robert Scorpio and the WSB.
Dante remembered vaguely hearing about the man and various spy missions when he was at the police academy. They were looking for new recruits, a new generation, to refresh the world of espionage and had approached Dante Falconeri. But, he had turned them down. His dream was to work for the NYPD, not some covert agency. How ironic, that Lulu's father was involved with the very same man and agency that he had been introduced to years earlier.
How much of this Ice Princess fiasco played into what was going on now, Dante wanted to know, taking another sip of his now tepid coffee and closing the file.
Lulu coughed, turning in her sleep, and facing his direction, as he stood and walked toward her. "Lulu," he whispered, holding the bottle of water to her lips, as she gazed with glassy eyes in confusion, "here, drink this."
Lulu took a few sips and Dante reached for the gray tee shirt and sweatpants that he had pulled from his drawers. He never understood why she refused to let him buy a set of pajamas for her. She insisted that his were perfectly comfortable and quite frankly he found her sexy lounging about in his clothes.
"Here, put these on," he told her, helping her out of the designer suit and revealing her sexy, black lingerie beneath. He pulled the dark sweatpants over her feet, lifting her body and pulling the pants over her hips.
Next, he lifted her hands and pulled the gray tee shirt over her head, gently placing her head back against the pillow when she was dressed. Reaching for the sheet, he tucked her in, kissing her on the forehead, as Lulu's sleeping form shifted sideways, grabbing his pillow once again. Dante smiled, thinking that he could do this everyday for the rest of his life.
Lulu rarely let him take care of her, she was very independent in that way and it was in rare moments like this that he could appreciate how much she needed him. The Falconeris were extremely protective by nature, especially of their loved ones, and Dante loved Lulu more than he ever thought possible.
He glanced once more at Lulu, grinning, as she lay snuggled under the covers, he wanted so much to join her. Sighing, he turned back toward the coffee table with his pile of files and notes and anything and everything ever published about the notorious Cassidines. In just a few days, Lulu Spencer was going to become his wife, they were going to start a family and he wasn't about to let anyone interfere with their future.
…...
"Hey, sleepyhead," Dante said, sitting down beside her and placing the tray of food on the night table beside them, "How are you feeling?"
"Like I was hit by a freight train," Lulu answered, wetting her lips and hating the cottonmouth taste in her mouth.
"Have you been here the whole time?" Lulu asked, with a surprised look on her face, glancing at the pile of folders on the table.
"Where else would I go? You needed me, and I got to tell you, Lulu, it felt pretty damn good to be able to do something for you for a change," he told her, sitting beside her on the bed, and reaching for the bottle of water.
Lulu took the bottle and unscrewed the cap, swallowing a large gulp, before her coughing fit hit her once again, "Easy," Dante told her, taking the bottle from her and setting it on the tray.
"I feel horrible, Dante," Lulu confessed, resting her head on his chest, "You know what you need," Dante answered, running his hand through her hair in a reassuring manner.
"What?" she croaked, her voice going in and out. She looked so adorable, Dante thought, gazing down at her glazed eyes and her pale skin. For a moment a worried look came over him and Lulu caught it, her smile, alleviating his concern, but just a little.
"I'm fine, Dante. It's just a cold. I promise. I took something this morning and just need another dose in a few hours."
"You're sure. I could take you to the hospital," Dante told her, pushing a few wet strands from her brow.
"Positive. If you really want to help me, you know, you could distract me," Lulu told him, using all of her energy to manage a grin in his direction.
"Distract you, Lulu? I would love nothing better than to-"
"Not that," Lulu laughed, suddenly seized by another coughing fit.
"I meant that you could help me get my mind off of being sick. You could read to me. If you have time, that is?" Lulu said, glancing at the files.
"I'll always have time for you, Lulu," Dante answered, kissing her hand, "Hold up just a second," he said, reaching below the bed, "I think...Yeah, here it is," he said, pulling the book from beneath the bed.
"How did you know-"
"None of your business, princess," Dante told her, opening the book to the last chapter they had read together on the island.
"You've been reading ahead, haven't you?" Lulu leaned over, noticing the dog-eared pages several chapters further.
"Hey, hands off, Spencer. You know for someone who claims to be sick, you sure ask a lot of questions," Dante answered, grinning.
"I'm suspicious by nature. It's hereditary you know, and it apparently runs in my fiancee's family as well," she smiled, sitting up slightly to see the pages of the book.
"Read," she ordered him, pointing at the page in front of him.
"Now, where were we? Oh, yes, I remember," Dante began, as Lulu interrupted.
"Princess Sofia threw Dante out of her bed," Lulu grinned, as Dante looked at her with a cocked brow.
"No, she didn't. They fell out of bed, because she was in a state of shock, after being caught lip-locked by one of the saloon's maids."
"Whatever makes you happy, I like my version better, " Lulu answered, coughing.