My Life Closed Twice
Chapter 27: Reporting as Ordered
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 took a minute to collect myself at the entrance to the front room. All the adults were here. Great-Grandfather was sitting in his chair with Uncle Alan and Aunt Monica sitting on the couch next to it. Behind the other chair stood Jax, Aunt Emily and Uncle Zander all talking. Junior and Skye were over by the desk in the corner looking at some report. Only the kids and Aunt Courtney were missing.
I was sure Aunt Emily and Uncle Zander's toddler was getting ready for bed. Jase was probably leading the poor babysitter on a merry chase through the house. Jax and Skye's three boys were on their yearly excursion to their Grandparents. Jax's parents always had them alone for two weeks a year ending with a week visit by Jax and Skye. Aunt Courtney was upstairs explaining yesterday to her dad.
No, I wasn't going to think about yesterday. I was just going to enjoy being a Q tonight.
I walked over and gave Great-Grandfather a hug, "Good evening Great- Grandfather."
"Well it's about time young lady," Great-Grandfather groused as he returned the hug. "I was beginning to think you forgot you belong to this family."
I sat on the arm of his chair. "Well actually I sold my place in this family on West 57th. You have a lovely new granddaughter named Mary," I told him.
"Don't be disrespectful of your elders young lady," he said.
"How much did you get for it?" Aunt Monica ignored Great-Grandfather.
"Quite a bit actually," I told her. "She hadn't heard anything about the family."
"Some of us are rather nice," Aunt Emily argued.
"Can I meet them?" I asked.
"Not before you are twenty-one," Aunt Monica explained.
"That explains it," I said.
"I think we should be insulted," Uncle Alan observed.
"Its Cassadine, he's brainwashed her," Great-Grandfather grumbled. "We never should have left them with him."
"Be quiet Edward," Aunt Monica said.
"Dinner's ready," Reginald broke in.
The entire clan got up and headed for the dinning room. I grabbed Great- Grandfather's arm. "Don't worry Great-Grandfather I only believe half of my brainwashing," I teased him.
"What happened to my good Great-Granddaughter?" he asked.
I smiled at him. "I grew up to be just like you."
"Lord save us all," Uncle Alan muttered as he held out my chair for me.
"Hey, at least I am not like Grandmother Tracy," I told Uncle Alan over my shoulder as I sat down.
"Jeez, I hope they broke the mold after they made her," Junior said as he took his seat.
"Let's not bring Tracy up," Great-Grandfather Edward declared from his place at the head of the table. "I want this to be a nice family meal."
"Wrong family," Aunt Emily and I chorused.
The rest of the meal continued in the same vein. Great-Grandfather continued to gripe about a lack of respect, the incompetence of the younger generations, and the general unfairness of being him. The rest of us either teased him (Aunt Emily and myself), argued with him (Skye, Junior, and Uncle Zander), or ignored him (Jax and Aunt Monica).
To my relief the subjects of Michael, Mr. Corinthos, and anything to do with yesterday were not brought up. I had a sneaking suspicion that Jax had laid down the law while I was upstairs. Judging from what Michael had said and yesterday's display I didn't think it was a subject Great- Grandfather would normally avoid. I made a mental note to thank Jax later.
Once dinner was over, Great-Grandfather went up to bed. Junior went upstairs with him to look in on Aunt Courtney. I told Reginald to tell Cook that I thought the meal was excellent and followed the rest of the family back into the front room.
Uncle Alan, Uncle Zander, Skye, and Jax were all talking to each other over by the open patio doors. I joined Aunt Emily and Aunt Monica on the coach.
"How are you enjoying your first real trip to Port Charles?" Aunt Emily asked. Since Dad died, Great-Grandfather had insisted that Uncle Stephan allow me to come here for Thanksgiving dinner. However, those trips always were never longer then about 6 hours. The Quartermaine jet or Jax would pick me up in New York. I would arrive in Port Charles in time for a 2pm pizza dinner. Then I would fly back to New York in time for bed. I had seen more of the Port Charles airport then I had of the town.
"Except for meeting a lot of crazy people, its not too bad," I said.
"Crazy people?" Aunt Monica asked.
"Mr. Spencer is defiantly not playing with a full deck," I answered.
"He is unique," Aunt Emily allowed. "Don't worry though, his bark is worse then his bite."
"I'm not worried, he seems to be good for Mom," I said. "Besides, considering my hello involved breaking a vase on his head, I don't think he is going to mess with me."
They both laughed. Then Aunt Emily asked the question I know they had all wanted to ask me since yesterday evening, "So Alexis is talking again?"
The room was silent. Everybody wanted to hear this. "Yes, she is talking. Mr. Spencer showed up and just kept talking to her. I think she answered him in the hopes it would shut him up," I told them.
Aunt Emily put an arm around me and gave me a squeeze. The others gave up pretending they weren't paying any attention to the three of us.
"Alexis always did try that approach with Spencer," Jax said.
"Has it ever worked?" I asked.
"Not that I ever noticed," Jax replied.
"Why should it work with her when it didn't with anyone else?" Uncle Alan observed.
"Lila could get him to slow down a little," Aunt Monica said.
"Great-Grandmother could get anyone to do anything," I pointed out.
I spent the rest of the evening explaining the last few days. I glossed over my discussion with Michael in the park and the shooting. I totally forgot to mention our investigation into what was going on, especially the trip to Mr. Morgan's house. Some things were just better left unsaid.
Jax and Skye drove me back to the brownstone. I said goodnight, went to the door, opened it and started to step through. As soon as Jax turned the corner I went back out the door. It was still early and I didn't want to have to make chitchat with Mom. I headed toward the park. I was nearly there when someone grabbed me from behind. I felt a prick in my arm. I kicked my attacker in the shin hard enough to get him to drop me. However, the drug got to me before I could get more than a couple of steps. My last thought was that Spencer is never going to let me live this down.
Chapter 27: Reporting as Ordered
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 took a minute to collect myself at the entrance to the front room. All the adults were here. Great-Grandfather was sitting in his chair with Uncle Alan and Aunt Monica sitting on the couch next to it. Behind the other chair stood Jax, Aunt Emily and Uncle Zander all talking. Junior and Skye were over by the desk in the corner looking at some report. Only the kids and Aunt Courtney were missing.
I was sure Aunt Emily and Uncle Zander's toddler was getting ready for bed. Jase was probably leading the poor babysitter on a merry chase through the house. Jax and Skye's three boys were on their yearly excursion to their Grandparents. Jax's parents always had them alone for two weeks a year ending with a week visit by Jax and Skye. Aunt Courtney was upstairs explaining yesterday to her dad.
No, I wasn't going to think about yesterday. I was just going to enjoy being a Q tonight.
I walked over and gave Great-Grandfather a hug, "Good evening Great- Grandfather."
"Well it's about time young lady," Great-Grandfather groused as he returned the hug. "I was beginning to think you forgot you belong to this family."
I sat on the arm of his chair. "Well actually I sold my place in this family on West 57th. You have a lovely new granddaughter named Mary," I told him.
"Don't be disrespectful of your elders young lady," he said.
"How much did you get for it?" Aunt Monica ignored Great-Grandfather.
"Quite a bit actually," I told her. "She hadn't heard anything about the family."
"Some of us are rather nice," Aunt Emily argued.
"Can I meet them?" I asked.
"Not before you are twenty-one," Aunt Monica explained.
"That explains it," I said.
"I think we should be insulted," Uncle Alan observed.
"Its Cassadine, he's brainwashed her," Great-Grandfather grumbled. "We never should have left them with him."
"Be quiet Edward," Aunt Monica said.
"Dinner's ready," Reginald broke in.
The entire clan got up and headed for the dinning room. I grabbed Great- Grandfather's arm. "Don't worry Great-Grandfather I only believe half of my brainwashing," I teased him.
"What happened to my good Great-Granddaughter?" he asked.
I smiled at him. "I grew up to be just like you."
"Lord save us all," Uncle Alan muttered as he held out my chair for me.
"Hey, at least I am not like Grandmother Tracy," I told Uncle Alan over my shoulder as I sat down.
"Jeez, I hope they broke the mold after they made her," Junior said as he took his seat.
"Let's not bring Tracy up," Great-Grandfather Edward declared from his place at the head of the table. "I want this to be a nice family meal."
"Wrong family," Aunt Emily and I chorused.
The rest of the meal continued in the same vein. Great-Grandfather continued to gripe about a lack of respect, the incompetence of the younger generations, and the general unfairness of being him. The rest of us either teased him (Aunt Emily and myself), argued with him (Skye, Junior, and Uncle Zander), or ignored him (Jax and Aunt Monica).
To my relief the subjects of Michael, Mr. Corinthos, and anything to do with yesterday were not brought up. I had a sneaking suspicion that Jax had laid down the law while I was upstairs. Judging from what Michael had said and yesterday's display I didn't think it was a subject Great- Grandfather would normally avoid. I made a mental note to thank Jax later.
Once dinner was over, Great-Grandfather went up to bed. Junior went upstairs with him to look in on Aunt Courtney. I told Reginald to tell Cook that I thought the meal was excellent and followed the rest of the family back into the front room.
Uncle Alan, Uncle Zander, Skye, and Jax were all talking to each other over by the open patio doors. I joined Aunt Emily and Aunt Monica on the coach.
"How are you enjoying your first real trip to Port Charles?" Aunt Emily asked. Since Dad died, Great-Grandfather had insisted that Uncle Stephan allow me to come here for Thanksgiving dinner. However, those trips always were never longer then about 6 hours. The Quartermaine jet or Jax would pick me up in New York. I would arrive in Port Charles in time for a 2pm pizza dinner. Then I would fly back to New York in time for bed. I had seen more of the Port Charles airport then I had of the town.
"Except for meeting a lot of crazy people, its not too bad," I said.
"Crazy people?" Aunt Monica asked.
"Mr. Spencer is defiantly not playing with a full deck," I answered.
"He is unique," Aunt Emily allowed. "Don't worry though, his bark is worse then his bite."
"I'm not worried, he seems to be good for Mom," I said. "Besides, considering my hello involved breaking a vase on his head, I don't think he is going to mess with me."
They both laughed. Then Aunt Emily asked the question I know they had all wanted to ask me since yesterday evening, "So Alexis is talking again?"
The room was silent. Everybody wanted to hear this. "Yes, she is talking. Mr. Spencer showed up and just kept talking to her. I think she answered him in the hopes it would shut him up," I told them.
Aunt Emily put an arm around me and gave me a squeeze. The others gave up pretending they weren't paying any attention to the three of us.
"Alexis always did try that approach with Spencer," Jax said.
"Has it ever worked?" I asked.
"Not that I ever noticed," Jax replied.
"Why should it work with her when it didn't with anyone else?" Uncle Alan observed.
"Lila could get him to slow down a little," Aunt Monica said.
"Great-Grandmother could get anyone to do anything," I pointed out.
I spent the rest of the evening explaining the last few days. I glossed over my discussion with Michael in the park and the shooting. I totally forgot to mention our investigation into what was going on, especially the trip to Mr. Morgan's house. Some things were just better left unsaid.
Jax and Skye drove me back to the brownstone. I said goodnight, went to the door, opened it and started to step through. As soon as Jax turned the corner I went back out the door. It was still early and I didn't want to have to make chitchat with Mom. I headed toward the park. I was nearly there when someone grabbed me from behind. I felt a prick in my arm. I kicked my attacker in the shin hard enough to get him to drop me. However, the drug got to me before I could get more than a couple of steps. My last thought was that Spencer is never going to let me live this down.