My Life Closed Twice
Chapter 26: My Other Family
Disclaimer: General Hospital and all its characters belong to ABC, Disney, etc.
Author's Notes: Thanks to my faithful beta reader. Please read and review!
I stayed upstairs until Jax and Skye returned. From my window seat I watched them get out of their car and walk up to the house. They looked like they always did. My world had tilted on its axis and they looked the same.
If they could look the same so could I. I fixed my hair and face. I straightened my shoulders. I would deal with this later. Tonight I would be the same person I had always been.
I walked downstairs with my head held high. Mom, Jax, and Skye were all in the foyer when I came down the stairs.
"So you ready for an evening of mischief, mayhem, and indigestion?" Jax asked.
"I am kind of interested in what happens when one of Cook's dinners makes it to the table," I said.
"Food fight," Skye kidded. At least I think she was kidding.
"I'll see you when you get home," Mom said.
I nodded my head. I couldn't look in her eyes though. I would deal with things tomorrow.
Jax and Skye said good-bye to Mom and off we went. I didn't say much during the car ride over. I just watched the town roll by outside the car window.
When we got to the main house Jax parked the car in the drive. Skye lead the way into the house.
Jax stopped me just outside the door. "If you aren't up to this we can take you home," he said.
I would have to be better than this. I needed to stay in control of myself. I smiled at Jax, "Better the insanity you know. Compared with the other crazies in this town, the Qs are going to be restful."
I'm not sure I convinced Jax, although his searching glance could have to do with the reminder of whom I had been keeping company with. "Well I guess I am always trying to convince you to get some adventure in your life," Jax said.
"Lions and Tigers and Bears, bring them on," I said.
We walked into the house together. I could hear the family already gathering steam in the front room. Reginald greeted us.
"So were you able to save the new maid's job?" I asked as I gave him a hug.
"Don't worry, she might even last another month or two," he responded returning my hug.
Junior was just coming downstairs. "Kristina," he called out. "Courtney would like to see you before you get sucked into the family fun."
That was odd. Aunt Courtney was Junior's devoted wife, and therefore we weren't close. She, like Jax, wasn't someone you thought of when you thought of the Qs as a group. She didn't join in the general mayhem that constituted the everyday life of the Qs. The only time I had ever seen her join in a family fight was to defend Junior. That wasn't the reason I hadn't noticed her absence before though. Aunt Courtney and Junior were expecting their first child. After several miscarriages it looked like this baby would make it. However, to ensure the baby would survive the doctor had put Aunt Courtney on bed rest. So Junior and Aunt Courtney had moved back into the main house until the baby was born. She must either be getting desperate for semi-sane company or wanted to get a chance to argue Junior's case for greater access to Michael in order to request a visit.
In the first case I couldn't blame her and in the second case I needed the warm-up. So I asked Junior which room she was in. Then I sent both men into the family and headed upstairs.
I knocked on the partially open door before entering. Courtney was sitting up in a big old fashion four-poster bed. She looked like a young girl playing princess, but then I think she always did when compared to the Qs.
She smiled when she saw me, "Kristina, I was hoping AJ would catch you."
"He caught me before Great-Grandfather could reel me in," I said.
"I just wanted to thank-you for what you did for Michael," she said. "Both by getting him to the hospital and keeping the peace when the family showed up."
I shrugged, "Someone needed to keep their head."
"I know how difficult that can be when it comes to AJ and my brother," Aunt Courtney said.
Aunt Courtney had a brother? My confusion must have shown in my face because she explained, "Sonny is my half-brother."
Oh boy, I didn't envy her being in the middle of this tug of war. Before I could say anything there was a tap on the door. In walked an older man wearing jeans and a button down shirt.
"Dad, what are you doing here?" Aunt Courtney was surprised to see him.
"I just got back into town. I thought I would come and see my favorite little girl," he said. He smiled at me and stuck out his hand, "Mike Corbin."
I shook his hand and returned the introduction, "Kristina Davis-Ashton."
"Nice to meet you," he said. "Am I interrupting some girl talk?"
Something dawned on Aunt Courtney, "Have you talked to AJ or Sonny?"
"No, it sounded like the whole family was here so I just snuck upstairs and I haven't called your brother yet," Mr. Corbin said.
I guess Mr. Corbin was the half of the half-brother. Aunt Courtney didn't know how to broach the subject with me here.
"Dad, maybe you better sit down," Aunt Courtney said. She was shooting me worried glances. She didn't know if it was OK to discuss this in front of me.
This was my story though. "Michael is fine." I said. "He was shot yesterday. He came through surgery fine and is expected to make a full recovery."
Mr. Corbin wore a look of shock. "How did it happen?" he asked.
"Dad," Aunt Courtney was trying to save me.
"He was opening the door to his car. There was no sound, no warning, no people," I said.
They were both looking at me now. Aunt Courtney with concern on her face. Mr. Corbin just looked confused.
"Michael is going to be fine. You got him to the hospital and he is going to be fine," Aunt Courtney said.
I nodded my head. I knew this. Michael had called me crazy today. "I better go down and join the family before Great-Grandfather sends a search party," I said.
I was going back down the stairs when it occurred to me that I wasn't joining my family, I had just left it.
Chapter 26: My Other Family
Disclaimer: General Hospital and all its characters belong to ABC, Disney, etc.
Author's Notes: Thanks to my faithful beta reader. Please read and review!
I stayed upstairs until Jax and Skye returned. From my window seat I watched them get out of their car and walk up to the house. They looked like they always did. My world had tilted on its axis and they looked the same.
If they could look the same so could I. I fixed my hair and face. I straightened my shoulders. I would deal with this later. Tonight I would be the same person I had always been.
I walked downstairs with my head held high. Mom, Jax, and Skye were all in the foyer when I came down the stairs.
"So you ready for an evening of mischief, mayhem, and indigestion?" Jax asked.
"I am kind of interested in what happens when one of Cook's dinners makes it to the table," I said.
"Food fight," Skye kidded. At least I think she was kidding.
"I'll see you when you get home," Mom said.
I nodded my head. I couldn't look in her eyes though. I would deal with things tomorrow.
Jax and Skye said good-bye to Mom and off we went. I didn't say much during the car ride over. I just watched the town roll by outside the car window.
When we got to the main house Jax parked the car in the drive. Skye lead the way into the house.
Jax stopped me just outside the door. "If you aren't up to this we can take you home," he said.
I would have to be better than this. I needed to stay in control of myself. I smiled at Jax, "Better the insanity you know. Compared with the other crazies in this town, the Qs are going to be restful."
I'm not sure I convinced Jax, although his searching glance could have to do with the reminder of whom I had been keeping company with. "Well I guess I am always trying to convince you to get some adventure in your life," Jax said.
"Lions and Tigers and Bears, bring them on," I said.
We walked into the house together. I could hear the family already gathering steam in the front room. Reginald greeted us.
"So were you able to save the new maid's job?" I asked as I gave him a hug.
"Don't worry, she might even last another month or two," he responded returning my hug.
Junior was just coming downstairs. "Kristina," he called out. "Courtney would like to see you before you get sucked into the family fun."
That was odd. Aunt Courtney was Junior's devoted wife, and therefore we weren't close. She, like Jax, wasn't someone you thought of when you thought of the Qs as a group. She didn't join in the general mayhem that constituted the everyday life of the Qs. The only time I had ever seen her join in a family fight was to defend Junior. That wasn't the reason I hadn't noticed her absence before though. Aunt Courtney and Junior were expecting their first child. After several miscarriages it looked like this baby would make it. However, to ensure the baby would survive the doctor had put Aunt Courtney on bed rest. So Junior and Aunt Courtney had moved back into the main house until the baby was born. She must either be getting desperate for semi-sane company or wanted to get a chance to argue Junior's case for greater access to Michael in order to request a visit.
In the first case I couldn't blame her and in the second case I needed the warm-up. So I asked Junior which room she was in. Then I sent both men into the family and headed upstairs.
I knocked on the partially open door before entering. Courtney was sitting up in a big old fashion four-poster bed. She looked like a young girl playing princess, but then I think she always did when compared to the Qs.
She smiled when she saw me, "Kristina, I was hoping AJ would catch you."
"He caught me before Great-Grandfather could reel me in," I said.
"I just wanted to thank-you for what you did for Michael," she said. "Both by getting him to the hospital and keeping the peace when the family showed up."
I shrugged, "Someone needed to keep their head."
"I know how difficult that can be when it comes to AJ and my brother," Aunt Courtney said.
Aunt Courtney had a brother? My confusion must have shown in my face because she explained, "Sonny is my half-brother."
Oh boy, I didn't envy her being in the middle of this tug of war. Before I could say anything there was a tap on the door. In walked an older man wearing jeans and a button down shirt.
"Dad, what are you doing here?" Aunt Courtney was surprised to see him.
"I just got back into town. I thought I would come and see my favorite little girl," he said. He smiled at me and stuck out his hand, "Mike Corbin."
I shook his hand and returned the introduction, "Kristina Davis-Ashton."
"Nice to meet you," he said. "Am I interrupting some girl talk?"
Something dawned on Aunt Courtney, "Have you talked to AJ or Sonny?"
"No, it sounded like the whole family was here so I just snuck upstairs and I haven't called your brother yet," Mr. Corbin said.
I guess Mr. Corbin was the half of the half-brother. Aunt Courtney didn't know how to broach the subject with me here.
"Dad, maybe you better sit down," Aunt Courtney said. She was shooting me worried glances. She didn't know if it was OK to discuss this in front of me.
This was my story though. "Michael is fine." I said. "He was shot yesterday. He came through surgery fine and is expected to make a full recovery."
Mr. Corbin wore a look of shock. "How did it happen?" he asked.
"Dad," Aunt Courtney was trying to save me.
"He was opening the door to his car. There was no sound, no warning, no people," I said.
They were both looking at me now. Aunt Courtney with concern on her face. Mr. Corbin just looked confused.
"Michael is going to be fine. You got him to the hospital and he is going to be fine," Aunt Courtney said.
I nodded my head. I knew this. Michael had called me crazy today. "I better go down and join the family before Great-Grandfather sends a search party," I said.
I was going back down the stairs when it occurred to me that I wasn't joining my family, I had just left it.