Chapter 3

A small seafood restaurant

It was about 7:15 when Laura walked into the restaurant.  She sees Hutch sitting in a booth near the window.  She walks over to the table.  He gets up as she approaches the table.  Laura slides into the booth across from where Hutch had been sitting.  Hutch sat back down.

He smiled at her.  "I didn't think you were going to come," he said.

"I'm sorry that I'm late.  I got lost."

"No problem, you're here now."

The waiter came and took their order.

"So tell me about your plan."

"In time, I want to hear about you and Luke.  Do you have any children," said Hutch.

"Yes, three.  I mean two."

"Don't you know how many you have?  Is it two or three?" Hutch asked with a look of confusion.

"Well I have three, but only two with Luke."

"Who is the father of the other one?"

"Stavros Cassadine."

"Cassadine?  Wasn't that the name of the man who tried to freeze Port Charles?"

"Yes, Stavros is his son."

"Why would you want to have anything to do with that family?"

"I didn't want to.  They kidnapped me years ago.  I had to marry Stavros to stay alive.  Luke knew all about it.  I just never told him that I had had a baby.  His name is Nikolas.  Luke just found out a few years ago when Nikolas came to Port Charles."

"Is that why you are divorced?"

"I think that was the start of it, but it is not the whole reason."

"What was the rest of it?" asked Hutch

"Hutch, I would rather not talk about that."

"Ok.  I understand.  So tell me about the children you and Luke have together."

"We have a boy named Lucky and a daughter Lulu."

Hutch looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Those are interesting names."

She smiled at him.  "Well that's not their real names.  They are nicknames.  Lucky's real name is Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, Jr. and Lulu's is Lesley Lu."

Their dinner arrived at that time.  While they ate, Laura told him about their time on the Cassadine's Island and returning to Port Charles after being in Canada.

"I can't believe you jumped out of a plane."

"Believe me, I didn't want to.  We didn't have much of a choice."

"Yeah, I guess you're right.  I just can't see you doing that.  Luke yes, but you no."

They finished eating dinner and Hutch ordered them dessert.

"How did you know that I was still hungry?" she asked.

"I can tell by your face that you are still nervous and upset about Luke, which means you are still hungry."

Laura gave him a faint smile. "Hutch will you tell me your plan now?"

"Ok, tomorrow morning I want you to go into the flower shop across the street and buy three dozen roses.  Don't have them delivered, take them with you"

"Roses?  How is that going to help Luke?"

"When the delivery boy comes out to make his deliveries, I will follow him and steal his uniform and his van.  Then I will pick you up and take the flowers you bought to the building that Luke is in," said Hutch.

"Ok, then what?"

"You wait in the van…"

"No!" said Laura loudly.

Everyone in the restaurant turned to look at her.  Laura blushed.

"No," she said more quietly.  "I want to help you rescue Luke.  I don't want to be left behind to wait and worry."

Hutch smiled at her.

"Don't worry you will be with me when I go in to rescue him.  This is just a plan to find out what hotel room he is in and to get in to check out the layout.  We will go back later to pull the actual rescue mission."

"Ok, as long as we agree that I go with you when you rescue Luke, I will wait in the van while you deliver the flowers."

"That's a girl.  I forgot how brave you were."

Laura shook her head.

"Hutch, I am not brave.  I would just do anything for the man I love."

"Then Luke is a lucky man."

"Hutch, I have a question.  What name do I put on the card?  I don't think that Jennifer would like to get flowers from me.  Plus she would know that I am in town.  She might move Luke somewhere else."

"I never thought of that," Hutch said.  "I know!  Put 'From Your Secret Admirer.'  That will keep her guessing for a while."

Laura smiled at him.

"I love it."

"We better are going.  We have a busy day ahead of us."

Hutch paid the bill and walked Laura back to her motel.

"Meet me in front of the flower shop at 9:00 am."

"Ok.  Thanks for all your help Hutch."

Hutch smiled at her and walked away.