chapter12
Chapter 12

Monday morning bright and early Zander had mentioned to Emily it may be a good idea to make an appointment with Dr. Meadows...just as a precautionary measure. The stress of the last month or so has been tremendous on both of them, Emily especially. Emily agreed she would make an appointment with Dr. Meadows today, but first she wanted to see Grandmother. She hadn't seen her in a long time, so she was way overdue for a visit. Emily made a phone call over to the house and spoke with Reginald. She gave him notice that she was coming over to see Grandmother and asked if he would tell her she was coming.

Zander stood in the foyer waiting for Emily to gather her keys before heading out to see her family. He took her arm and pulled her close to him as he leaned down and kissed her lightly on her glossy lips. Emily had just added a few touches of lip gloss and now Zander was wearing some as well. She giggled at the sight of Zander wearing lip gloss as she turned towards the door. Antonio was posted outside the door and was instructed to take Emily to the Quartermaine mansion to see her folks. He nodded in agreement with Zander's instructions. He watched the two of them head for the elevators that were at the end of the hallway and reassured himself she would be okay out and about by herself. Zander had given strict instructions to the drivers as well as the guards to keep their eye on her...this late in the pregnancy anything could happen and knowing their luck it probably would.

Antonio walked closely to Emily and opened the passenger side door to the limo for her. She stepped in and made herself comfortable for the short ride to the mansion. She noticed that the streets of their little town were sure busy today. She thought a moment and guessed because it was a Monday morning traffic in Port Charles would be fairly heavy with people going to work. They made their way to the edge of town and veered off into the long driveway that led up to the mansion. She was getting those butterflies again and didn't really understand why. She had done this so many times before, but she guessed because this would be the first time without Zander along. He had been so protective of her when it came to her family.

Antonio parked the car at the front door and once again opened the car door for her. He assisted her as she stepped out onto the blacktop drive. She told him she could be all afternoon that he could wait in the side employee quarters with the rest of the drivers if he wanted. She would have Reginald come get him when she was ready to go home. He nodded in agreement as he led her to the front door of the mansion. She knocked casually on the door a few times and it only took a few moments before Reginald opened it. He was so happy to see her, he gave her a hello hug to welcome her back home. Reginald was so sweet and cared very much for her.

"Hello Reginald...can you tell Grandmother that I am here to see her.." Emily said as she placed her bag on the chair in the foyer. "Sure...I'll be right back." he replied as he started to walk away. "Reginald...is the rest of the family here.." she asked not knowing why in the world she did. "Your father and grandfather are in the living room..I'll tell Lila you'll meet her there.." he replied as he scooted up the stairs.

Emily took a deep breath as she entered the living room where her Grandfather was sitting comfortably on the large chair, while her father has sitting on the sofa looking over some papers. "Good morning.." she announced when she walked into the room. "Emily...what do we owe this pleasure?" her grandfather replied as she walked over to him and embraced him. "Grandmother. I figured I hadn't see her in a long time...I thought I'd better stop by and visit." she replied as her father rose from his seat. "It's good to see you..Em." he said as he leaned in and kissed her cheek. Emily was pleasantly surprised by their welcome..normally they have some snide comment about Zander being a deviant or a criminal and how she shouldn't be involved with him...but this time, this time seemed odd. She didn't question it, because she didn't want to start another argument.

Reginald walked in and whispered to her that Lila would like to see her upstairs in Lila's room. Emily excused herself from the room and followed Reginald up the stairs to the bedroom. Lila sat with one of her assistants waiting for her. Emily quickly rushed over and kissed her grandmother on the cheek as Lila reached out her hand for her to come sit with her. Emily did so as she pulled a chair from the corner and sat down beside Lila's wheelchair. "Emily, my dear...there is much we need to talk about." Lila said as she held Emily's hand. "Alright, what do you want to talk with me about." Emily replied listening intently to what her grandmother had to say. "First, how are you and the baby?" Lila asked as Monica peeked her head in the door. "I'm fine and the baby is fine...I'm planning on seeing Dr. Meadows for a check-up." Emily replied reassuring Lila she was staying healthy. "Come in Monica..." Lila said as she noticed Monica standing in the doorway. "I didn't mean to interupt.." she replied as she walked into the room. Emily enjoyed every minute she spent with her grandmother. She was the only one who had supported her through it all and she took to Zander right away. "Your mother and I have decided to give you something special for the baby." Lila said as Monica drew closer to the conversation and took a seat on the edge of the bed. "A surprise...I love surprises!" Emily said elated about getting a something special. "You and your mother will have to go and get down from the attic. I'll have Reginald show you where it is." Lila replied as she noticed the excitement in Emily's eyes. "No need to call Reginald..we'll find it..." Monica said as she rose from her seat. Monica assisted Emily from her chair and they walked towards the door. Monica closed the door behind them as they walked to the end of the hall to the door that led to the attic. It had been years since Monica was on the attic but she wanted so badly to give the christening gown to Emily, it was well worth the trip up another flight of stairs.

Monica and Emily began searching the many trunks that were scattered around the attic. Many had old clothes and blankets that Lila had stored away for many years. Emily and Monica decided to split the room in half so each had their own half to search. As Monica searched the one half for the gown through many boxes, Emily's side had quite a few old trunks to look through. As Emily searched through the old trunk she had opened, she was surprised to what she had found. "Mom....look." Emily said as she held a stack of letters that were tied in a ribbon that looked to be red at one time. The letters were obviously old, they had watermarks and the paper had faded with age. "What are they?" Monica asked as she examined the envelopes. "They appear to be love letters, Mom..from grandfather to grandmother." Emily replied as she untied the ribbon. "Emily....you shouldn't..." To late Emily already had the top letter open and reading it before she even got her complete thought out. Emily read a portion of the letter to herself as her eyes welled with tears. Monica noticed her eyes started to fill with tears. "Emily, are you okay?..." her mother asked her as Emily turned to her. "Read this...." she said as she handed the letter to her mother. Monica took the letter from her hand and started to read it. "Oh, how sad..." she gasped at the words written in black ink that were barely readible. "Could this be true?.." Emily asked as Monica folded the letter back up and gently placed it back in the envelope. "I don't know...I mean..I never seen these before.." she replied as she examined the post mark on the envelopes. "It seems these were written back in 19...1944.." Monica added hesitantly because the the postmark was faded so badly she could hardly read the date. Monica left it at that as she began searching once again for the christening gown. She turned her back for a brief moment and Emily scurried down the attic steps. "Emily..." Monica shouted as she noticed the letters were no longer in the trunk.

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Zander had made a few business calls while Emily was out and than decided to meet up with Sonny to get the scoop about what had happened with Sorel. He had never really told Zander the whole story, and Zander got curious. He was about to head out the door when the phone rang. "Hello.." Zander said as he initially held the receiver to his ear. "Alexis..how are you?" ... "Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes.." With that he hung the phone up and grabbed his keys from the table and walked out the door. He took the elevator down to the lobby and said pleasantries to the door man as he stepped outside in the fresh air of the morning. It had been cloudy for a few days, but this morning the sun was shining and there were very few clouds in the blue sky above. He stood there a moment and took a deep breath of fresh air. He was sure counting his blessings right at this moment.

It wasn't far to Alexis's penthouse, he'd walk. He headed down the street and turned the corner to head towards the PC Hotel. He was met by the doorman as he opened the large glass doors of the hotel. Zander headed for the elevators and signaled for one to take him up to the penthouse. He was always aware of his surroundings and who was standing close to him. It was a habit and it was hard to break. He noticed a younger man on the telephone who was standing behind the registration desk and also an older women sitting in the lounge reading the morning paper. He stepped onto the elevator pressed PH.

The elevator soon came to a stop and the doors opened with Johnny there to greet him. "Hey, Johnny...how are you?" Zander said with a pat on the shoulder as he turned and walked to Alexis's door. He knocked a few times before she answered...he wondered if she was even home. The last time he was standing at Alexis's door he had heard bad news about Sorel, so he was prepared to hear the worst once the door opened. Alexis opened the door and he noticed she was on the phone. She motioned for him to come and take a seat on the sofa. He did as she closed the door behind him. She was only a few moments on the phone and he waited patiently for her. She hung up the phone and grabbed a file folder from the desk and came to sit down on the chair next to him.

"Is there aproblem?" he asked hesitantly...not knowing if that was a good question to ask his attorney. " No, not a problem...just a glitch." she replied as she opened up the folder on the table in front of her. He didn't like that word either...gliche, problem, wrench in the works...none of them were popular in his vocabulary. "What kind of glitch?" he asked. "Well....you tell me?" she said as she sprawled the papers across the manilla folder they were in. He looked down at the papers on the table and noticed they were photographs of people...people he knew...people from his past...people he would like to forget. There were many things that he didn't reveal to anyone during the past two years of living in Port Charles...not even Emily. His past was buried and he wanted to keep it that way.

"Alexis..where did you get these?" he said as he gazed at the photographs. "Never you mind where I got them...I want you to explain them to me..." she said in a forceful tone. He felt so consumed with guilt at that moment. He never wanted any of his past to come out...he had left it behind in Florida and he just wish it would stay there. He was running from his conscience, and running as fast as he could. The news of these photographs could put a wedge between he and Emily and he didn't want that to happen. They had worked so hard to be together...these secrets would be the end...or at least a major problem for them to work through...if they could work through it.

Zander picked up one of the photographs and slid his finger across the face that stared back at him. He hadn't seen her in almost 3 years...it felt like it was just yesterday. Zander started to remember his time spent with her before he took off for places unknown. He would never forgive himself for running away from his problems..but it was either them or me. He ran to protect those he cared about, he ran to save their lives. And he ran as far as Canada to protect them. He never intended to forget them or to neglect his responsibilities..he would never do that..he wasn't like that...but it got a little too close for comfort with dangerous people and he needed to skip town fast.

"Zander...talk to me...who are they and how do you know them?" Alexis asked as she noticed he was in another world. "Where shall I start..." he asked. "Start with the truth.." she replied as he rose from his seat. "Alright...about 5 years ago, I met this girl...I was a football player in high school and she was the most popular girl..." he began. "Continue..." Alexis replied as she leaned back against the cushion of the chair. "I had gotten into some trouble with betting on games and I lost big...I mean big money. By this time I was a senior in high school and getting ready to graduate. Steph and I had been seeing each other about 2 years and it was getting serious. Very serious. Serious enough to sleep with her." he replied as he rubbed his hand against his forhead. "You didn't..." Alexis replied. "Yes we did....the night of graduation. The best night of my life...I knew that night that I was in love with Steph and that we would be together for a long time." he replied as he poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher on the counter. He never in a million years thought he would be reliving his past...especially with his attorney. "And..." she questioned as she urged him on to continue with the story. "And...I was in debt up to my eyeballs. I was dabbling in alot of things back then...alot of things. And none of the any good. But Steph was like Emily...she didn't care she wanted to be with me...and at that time I didn't care either...oh God she was..." "Go on..." Alexis said clearing her throat. "Well needless to say I got hooked up with the wrong crowd after high school and got in deeper. By this time, Steph was 3 months along." he said as hesitated. "Zander...she wasn't...how..." Alexis questioned as he sat back down and picked up one of the photographs. "Alexis, I honestly don't know...it wasn't planned..hell, I was only 18 and so was she...we were not ready to be parents...Anyway, after the baby was born..we started receiving threats and started getting harassed by the crowd I had thought were my best buds. They threatened her and the baby and I couldn't take the chance of having them get hurt..." he replied as he placed his head in his hands. "So...what you left...?" she asked a little confused as to why he would do such a thing. "There wasn't anything else to do...Look, it was either I leave or they get hurt...Alexis those were my choices. I didn't want to, God knows I didn't want to...but I made the only choice I could." he replied in desperation. "You could of took her with you..or at least sent for her..." she said as she moved and sat next to him. "Alexis I tried that...she didn't want to leave Florida and I couldn't stay. She had family there and besides when I called her to give her the option, I found myself talking to someone who I didn't know anymore." "So you left your girlfriend and child in Florida to fend for themselves while you took off for places unknown....is that about right?" Alexis asked forcefully. "No..that's not right...she had moved back with her family who were mega millionaires...she was welcomed back with open arms now that I was gone and she had the baby. I was crushed that she would keep my child away from me...my child!" he cried. "Zander, look..I appreciate your honesty with me..I really do...but she is back. And she is wanting you to take the responsibility of Alexandra." Alexis replied as she tried to comfort him. "Now, she wants me in her life..now she needs me. I wasn't any good to her 2 years ago..but now I am. Man...! How do you know this...?" he asked as he turned and looked at Alexis. "This came with the photographs..." she handed him a letter that was hand written. Zander took the letter from Alexis and rose out of his seat. He knew it was Steph's hand writing, he could just tell by the little funny hearts she used to dot her "i"'s. As he read the letter Alexis examined the photographs and stared at the face of Zander's daughter that stared back at her. She looked just like him, the dark hair and his dark eyes...she was his child through and through. Zander walked around the penthouse in a daze, not knowing what to do or what to say. He couldn't believe this. After all he and Emily had been through, his past has returned to haunt him. He tried so hard to explain it away. He wasn't like that anymore...back than he was a total jerk and a jock to boot. He was a follower than and did what everyone else wanted him to. Because of Emily he now was the leader. The leader of his own life.

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Emily scurried down the spiral staircase and into the living room where Edward and Alan sat still conversing about ELQ business. "Em..what's the matter?" Alan replied as he noticed her rushing into the room in panic. "Grandfather, I would like a straight answer from you...." she said as she stood in front of him with the love letters hidden behind her back. "Okay..about what?" he asked curiously. "About Zander....I want to know the honest truth why you hate him so.." she inquired. "Emily....I don't like him because he hurt you..he kidnapped you, and he is a drug dealer, he worked for Sorel...shall I go on?" Edward replied as he rose from his chair. "No...the real reasons...I've heard those excuses before...I want to hear the truth...dammit.." Emily replied forcefully. With that Edward's blood pressure was rising at the thought of his precious Emily speaking to him like that. As they stood in the living room, Monica walked in and attempted to speak to Emily. "Mom...don't...I'd like to hear Grandfather's explaination. "Where is this coming from?" he questioned. "From these....I want to know about these.." she replied as she showed him the love letters she found. Edward was shocked to see the letters she held in her hands. He hadn't seen them in fifty years...and he was flabbergasted at the thought of them.

Edward sat down in his seat fearing he would pass out from the shock of seeing the love letters he had written to Lila so many years ago. "Emily...where did you find them?" he asked as she knelt in front of him. "I found them in an old trunk in the attic and I want you to explain them to me." she replied as he brushed back her auburn hair. He took a deep breath as he contemplated the thought of telling his grand daughter the real reason why he hated her husband so. "Alright...I'll tell you." he said as he took her hand in his. "Many years ago, when I was courting your grandmother, her family didn't like me much to say the least. I was not the typical young man they wanted for their daughter." he said as she sat there listening intently to his words. "Her parents did everything to keep us apart. And I mean everything. The family had much more money than mine did, and so they sent her away from home to school so she wouldn't be tempted by me." he said as she thought of the similarities of she and Zander were scary. "Go on.." she replied. "Well, we had made plans to run away one summer and get married despite her family's objections. Lila got caught leaving the house and she snuk out and left me a note to tell me what had kept her away that night. Her family's objections went on for years. I had enlisted in the service before the war and had gotten my orders to ship out a week later. Her family was overjoyed with the fact that I would not be able to take her away from them. During the time I was away, I wrote to her every chance I got. Unbeknownst to us, her parents had intercepted a few weeks worth of letters." he said with a look of sadness. "Aw...grandfather that is so sad..how did the two of you get together than?" Emily asked as she noticed her grandfathers well up with tears. "After the war was over, I returned home to find Lila engaged to another man, at the request of her family. Lila was not in love with this man, she was in love with me. So, we planned for us to elope one night. We met at our spot and just ran. Ran as fast as we could. It was all we could do to be together. The family left us no choice." he replied as tears fell from his eyes. "Can you tell me why you signed the letters as you did?" she asked as he opened one of the letters she was holding. "Lila and I both signed our letters the same way..it was like code or something so we knew they were from each other."..he replied as he read the letter and noticed down at the bottom of the letter he signed it "Love, me."

Emily knew it took alot of her grandfather to tell her the story, and she appreciated his honesty with her. "So you don't like Zander because?" she inquired. Edward looked up at her and replied..."I don't like Zander..because..well, I guess he reminds me so much of myself." Emily shocked to hear that from her grandfather and stunned at the emotional state he was brought to by telling the story that obviously was painful for him back then. She had lived in the mansion for 8 years and all of those 8 years, she had never once seen her grandfather shed a tear. Yet today, she saw for the first time the man who she knew he was. A good man who loved his family and love his wife. A man who had to defend himself to everyone because they didn't like what he did or who he was.

Alan and Monica sat shocked at the story they just heard. Alan never knew the story about his parents until now. He was surprised to know how much they went through to be together. It brought the situation with Emily in a whole new light for him. The story just told had certainly changed his mind about his daughter's relationship with this man who loved her so deeply.

Emily and her grandfather embraced as she tried to comfort him as he would do for her. She spent a few more moments with the family before heading home.

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"Alexis..what am I going to do about this?" Zander asked as he paced her floor. "Zander...first thing you have to do is tell Emily....tell her everything." she replied as a look of concern came over him. "Alexis this is gonna hurt her deeply..." he replied. "Probably will, but you have no choice but to face it now...Emily is a good person, she is an understanding person...she loves you Zander.." she said as she embraced him trying to comfort and soothe his aching heart. Alexis gathered the photographs and placed them back into the folder they came from. "Here, take these along and talk to her. Tell her." Alexis said as she handed Zander the folder and brushed his jawline with her hand. Zander knew she was right. There was no running from this anymore. He had to tell his wife about his child he had with another woman. There was no turning back the clock and no more running from responsibilities. Zander left Alexis's penthouse and wondered how he was going to tell his wife about the past that came back to haunt him.

Chapter 13