Chapter 14
In the hallway, Johnny stood, awaiting further instructions. He observed as the elevator opened and a dark-haired man in his late twenties emerged. Hesitating a moment, the man looked at both doors and turned to the left toward Jason's.
On the alert, Johnny kept his hand close to his weapon and demanded, "Can I help you?"
Startled, the man turned and replied, "I was looking for Jason Morgan's residence." His voice was smooth and cultured.
Suspicious, Johnny walked closer to him and said, "And you would be?"
"I am a friend of a friend," he answered. Growing impatient, he moved to knock on the door.
Not appreciating the man's condescending attitude and seeming reluctance to offer his name, Johnny grabbed his arm, twisted it behind his back, and pushed him against the wall. "Let's try this again. Who are you?"
Just then, the door to Jason's penthouse opened and Chloe stepped out. "What's going on, Johnny?" she inquired.
The dark-haired stranger turned his head to face her and exclaimed, "Chloe! You do not know how happy I am to see you! Please tell this... person that I am not some dangerous criminal."
Surprised, Chloe responded, "Justin! What are you doing here?"
"I came to make certain that Michelle was all right. Please tell him to let me go, Chloe," he implored.
Shaking herself, Chloe said, "Sorry. Johnny it's fine. He's an old friend of Michelle's and he is certainly not a threat to anyone." She smiled reassuringly.
Johnny softened a little, but retained his grip. "I'm sorry, Miss Morgan. I'm sure that you're right, but I really need Jason's OK to let him in."
As if on cue, Sonny's door opened and Jason emerged. They all turned to look at him and spoke at once. "Jason... Morgan... ".
Jason, taking a good look at the man Johnny was still holding, said, "You can let him go, Johnny. I know who he is." He waited till Johnny released him and stated coolly, "St. Amant. What are you doing here?"
Straightening his suit jacket, he replied in an equally cool voice, "Morgan. I came to make sure Michelle was all right."
They continued eyeing each other until the door opened and Michelle said, "I heard voices and wondered... " She broke off as she spotted her friend. "Justin!" she shrieked, and threw herself into his arms. "I am so glad you are here."
Closing his arms around her, he said softly, "I came as soon as I heard. I am so sorry, Michy. I know how much you loved Jules. He was a wonderful man."
Pulling back, she wiped tears from her cheeks and smiled. "I feel better now that you are here. Come inside and tell me all your news." She took his hand, drew him inside, and closed the door.
Jason spoke first. "Thanks for being on top of things, Johnny. It's fine for Justin St. Amant to visit Michelle." Nodding, Johnny returned to his post outside Sonny's door.
Chloe approached Jason and said quietly, "They've been friends for a long time. Actually, he's been in love with her for as long as I've known them. I always thought they would end up together."
"Why are you telling me this, Chloe?" Jason asked, unsure how much she knew.
"Michelle filled me in on what happened between you," she said softly, uncertain whether or not she should interfere. "I guess I told you this to let you know that Michelle will be fine. Yes, she's hurting some now, but, knowing you both, I think it was inevitable. You want different things from life, Jason." She smiled kindly. "If she would let him, I think Justin would devote his life to making her happy."
Jason looked sceptical. "He always seemed like an idle, rich kid, who divided his time between skiing in St. Moritz and yachting on the Riviera." His tone was dismissive.
Chloe chuckled. "Yes, he does enjoy his leisure time, but so does Michelle. She loves those things as much as he does." When Jason nodded, she continued, "Besides, Justin has a serious side. Did you know his mother was a Cassadine?"
Enlightened, Jason said, almost to himself, "So that's it! I knew there was something about him that got under my skin." Conscious of Chloe's curiosity, he shrugged and explained, "You could probably tell from that day at your office that Nikolas Cassadine and I do not exactly get along. Something about St. Amant bugged me from the moment we met. It was probably his resemblance to Nikolas."
"Well, he'll be good for Michelle. He was the one, apart from her family, who helped her most when her mother died." She smiled sadly. "If I have learned anything from this tragedy, it's that life is too short not to grab whatever happiness you find and hold onto it with both hands. So be happy, Jason. You and Elizabeth both deserve it." She laughed shakily. "OK. Lecture over."
Touched by her concern, Jason said, "Thank you, Chloe. We're sure going to try."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
With only two days left before Chloe Morgan Designs' spring line debut, the office was chaotic. Last minute alterations and soothing models' tempers kept Elizabeth hopping all day. Chloe was at the Port Charles Hotel overseeing the set-up of their largest conference room for the showing. That left Elizabeth responsible for keeping things under control and on track for removal to the hotel the following day.
"Elizabeth," called Nikki, a tall, blonde, green-eyed model with a major attitude problem.
Elizabeth gritted her teeth and counted to ten to avoid losing her temper with the demanding prima donna. "Yes, Nikki," she responded. "What can I do for you?"
Nikki wrinkled her pert little nose and whined, "This skirt just doesn't feel right. It's too loose at the waist and it keeps slipping down. I don't think I can wear it like this."
Elizabeth drew closer to get a better look. "That is how Chloe designed it to look, Nikki, and she told me that only you could do it justice, but I could get Rachel to try it on," she suggested with mock innocence, certain that the model's ego wouldn't permit it.
Nikki responded quickly, "No, no. I wouldn't want to disappoint Chloe and she is right. I am the only one here who could pull this off." She turned and walked away, completely satisfied, despite the fact that she hadn't gotten her way.
Elizabeth turned to find Gia clapping silently and laughing. "You're good, Elizabeth. She doesn't even realize that she got played. Bravo!"
"Shhhh. Don't spill my secrets or we'll never be ready in time," she responded, smiling. "What about the designs that you're wearing, Gia? Are they fitting properly?"
"Yes. Everything is fine, Elizabeth. I think you need a break. You've been going non-stop since I got here," said Gia. "Can you take the time to grab a cup of coffee?"
Before Elizabeth could answer, the phone started ringing again. "Sorry, Gia, but the receptionist is on a break so I'll have to get that," she explained, picking up the phone. "Chloe Morgan Designs, Elizabeth Webber speaking."
"Hello, Elizabeth Webber," said Jason softly. "I miss you."
A big smile on her face, she answered, "Hello, Mr. Morgan. I miss you, too." Gia smiled knowingly and moved away to give her some privacy.
"Do you know that everything took me twice as long today because of you." His voice was low and intimate. "I just couldn't get you off my mind. I'm finished for the day now, though. How about you? I need to see you, Elizabeth."
The intensity in his voice made her heart beat faster in anticipation of just being with him again. "I'm almost finished," she responded breathlessly. "I want to see you, too, Jason. What did you have in mind?"
"It's a surprise," he answered. "I'll come by there and pick you up in about half an hour, if that's OK."
"That sounds good," she said. "I'll be here." Curious to know what Jason had planned, she knew that there was no point in asking him.
"I'll see you soon, and Elizabeth," he began.
"Yes," she prompted.
"I love you."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
In the hallway, Johnny stood, awaiting further instructions. He observed as the elevator opened and a dark-haired man in his late twenties emerged. Hesitating a moment, the man looked at both doors and turned to the left toward Jason's.
On the alert, Johnny kept his hand close to his weapon and demanded, "Can I help you?"
Startled, the man turned and replied, "I was looking for Jason Morgan's residence." His voice was smooth and cultured.
Suspicious, Johnny walked closer to him and said, "And you would be?"
"I am a friend of a friend," he answered. Growing impatient, he moved to knock on the door.
Not appreciating the man's condescending attitude and seeming reluctance to offer his name, Johnny grabbed his arm, twisted it behind his back, and pushed him against the wall. "Let's try this again. Who are you?"
Just then, the door to Jason's penthouse opened and Chloe stepped out. "What's going on, Johnny?" she inquired.
The dark-haired stranger turned his head to face her and exclaimed, "Chloe! You do not know how happy I am to see you! Please tell this... person that I am not some dangerous criminal."
Surprised, Chloe responded, "Justin! What are you doing here?"
"I came to make certain that Michelle was all right. Please tell him to let me go, Chloe," he implored.
Shaking herself, Chloe said, "Sorry. Johnny it's fine. He's an old friend of Michelle's and he is certainly not a threat to anyone." She smiled reassuringly.
Johnny softened a little, but retained his grip. "I'm sorry, Miss Morgan. I'm sure that you're right, but I really need Jason's OK to let him in."
As if on cue, Sonny's door opened and Jason emerged. They all turned to look at him and spoke at once. "Jason... Morgan... ".
Jason, taking a good look at the man Johnny was still holding, said, "You can let him go, Johnny. I know who he is." He waited till Johnny released him and stated coolly, "St. Amant. What are you doing here?"
Straightening his suit jacket, he replied in an equally cool voice, "Morgan. I came to make sure Michelle was all right."
They continued eyeing each other until the door opened and Michelle said, "I heard voices and wondered... " She broke off as she spotted her friend. "Justin!" she shrieked, and threw herself into his arms. "I am so glad you are here."
Closing his arms around her, he said softly, "I came as soon as I heard. I am so sorry, Michy. I know how much you loved Jules. He was a wonderful man."
Pulling back, she wiped tears from her cheeks and smiled. "I feel better now that you are here. Come inside and tell me all your news." She took his hand, drew him inside, and closed the door.
Jason spoke first. "Thanks for being on top of things, Johnny. It's fine for Justin St. Amant to visit Michelle." Nodding, Johnny returned to his post outside Sonny's door.
Chloe approached Jason and said quietly, "They've been friends for a long time. Actually, he's been in love with her for as long as I've known them. I always thought they would end up together."
"Why are you telling me this, Chloe?" Jason asked, unsure how much she knew.
"Michelle filled me in on what happened between you," she said softly, uncertain whether or not she should interfere. "I guess I told you this to let you know that Michelle will be fine. Yes, she's hurting some now, but, knowing you both, I think it was inevitable. You want different things from life, Jason." She smiled kindly. "If she would let him, I think Justin would devote his life to making her happy."
Jason looked sceptical. "He always seemed like an idle, rich kid, who divided his time between skiing in St. Moritz and yachting on the Riviera." His tone was dismissive.
Chloe chuckled. "Yes, he does enjoy his leisure time, but so does Michelle. She loves those things as much as he does." When Jason nodded, she continued, "Besides, Justin has a serious side. Did you know his mother was a Cassadine?"
Enlightened, Jason said, almost to himself, "So that's it! I knew there was something about him that got under my skin." Conscious of Chloe's curiosity, he shrugged and explained, "You could probably tell from that day at your office that Nikolas Cassadine and I do not exactly get along. Something about St. Amant bugged me from the moment we met. It was probably his resemblance to Nikolas."
"Well, he'll be good for Michelle. He was the one, apart from her family, who helped her most when her mother died." She smiled sadly. "If I have learned anything from this tragedy, it's that life is too short not to grab whatever happiness you find and hold onto it with both hands. So be happy, Jason. You and Elizabeth both deserve it." She laughed shakily. "OK. Lecture over."
Touched by her concern, Jason said, "Thank you, Chloe. We're sure going to try."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
With only two days left before Chloe Morgan Designs' spring line debut, the office was chaotic. Last minute alterations and soothing models' tempers kept Elizabeth hopping all day. Chloe was at the Port Charles Hotel overseeing the set-up of their largest conference room for the showing. That left Elizabeth responsible for keeping things under control and on track for removal to the hotel the following day.
"Elizabeth," called Nikki, a tall, blonde, green-eyed model with a major attitude problem.
Elizabeth gritted her teeth and counted to ten to avoid losing her temper with the demanding prima donna. "Yes, Nikki," she responded. "What can I do for you?"
Nikki wrinkled her pert little nose and whined, "This skirt just doesn't feel right. It's too loose at the waist and it keeps slipping down. I don't think I can wear it like this."
Elizabeth drew closer to get a better look. "That is how Chloe designed it to look, Nikki, and she told me that only you could do it justice, but I could get Rachel to try it on," she suggested with mock innocence, certain that the model's ego wouldn't permit it.
Nikki responded quickly, "No, no. I wouldn't want to disappoint Chloe and she is right. I am the only one here who could pull this off." She turned and walked away, completely satisfied, despite the fact that she hadn't gotten her way.
Elizabeth turned to find Gia clapping silently and laughing. "You're good, Elizabeth. She doesn't even realize that she got played. Bravo!"
"Shhhh. Don't spill my secrets or we'll never be ready in time," she responded, smiling. "What about the designs that you're wearing, Gia? Are they fitting properly?"
"Yes. Everything is fine, Elizabeth. I think you need a break. You've been going non-stop since I got here," said Gia. "Can you take the time to grab a cup of coffee?"
Before Elizabeth could answer, the phone started ringing again. "Sorry, Gia, but the receptionist is on a break so I'll have to get that," she explained, picking up the phone. "Chloe Morgan Designs, Elizabeth Webber speaking."
"Hello, Elizabeth Webber," said Jason softly. "I miss you."
A big smile on her face, she answered, "Hello, Mr. Morgan. I miss you, too." Gia smiled knowingly and moved away to give her some privacy.
"Do you know that everything took me twice as long today because of you." His voice was low and intimate. "I just couldn't get you off my mind. I'm finished for the day now, though. How about you? I need to see you, Elizabeth."
The intensity in his voice made her heart beat faster in anticipation of just being with him again. "I'm almost finished," she responded breathlessly. "I want to see you, too, Jason. What did you have in mind?"
"It's a surprise," he answered. "I'll come by there and pick you up in about half an hour, if that's OK."
"That sounds good," she said. "I'll be here." Curious to know what Jason had planned, she knew that there was no point in asking him.
"I'll see you soon, and Elizabeth," he began.
"Yes," she prompted.
"I love you."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*