Part Ten
Gia felt someone gently nudge her. She opened her eyes slowly and turned to look at Jason. "We are in Port Charles?"
Jason nodded as he unhooked his seatbelt. They had left Brooklyn immediately. Gia had left a note for her cousin explaining that she was going back to Port Charles to set things straight. She had also called Lance's babysitter to tell her to pick up the child from school. With everything set straight, the two had gotten into Jason's car and headed back to Port Charles.
Gia must have fallen asleep during the drive. She stretched her arms, and unbuckled her seatbelt. She looked around and realized that they were in the parking garage of Harbor View Towers. She gave Jason a questioning look.
"It's supper time and I figured that you might want something to eat." Jason explained. Gia nodded. She was hungry. "I called Sonny when we turned off the freeway. He is a really cook."
Gia momentarily panicked. She was unsure of how she felt about eating with Sonny Corinthos.
"It's okay Gia." Jason reassured her. "They are my friends and they want to help me…us out anyway possible. I know there is some bad blood between you and Carly and you and Sonny. I am hoping that we can put that all behind us."
Gia got out of the car. She could see that this meant something to Jason. She also knew that she should try to mend fences between herself and the Corinthos family. They were Jason's best friends and therefore would be a part of her baby's life. She didn't want to have any kind of hostility around her child.
The elevator doors opened and Gia spotted Johnny standing at the door. She automatically remembered her first meeting with the bodyguard. He had threatened to throw her out.
Apparently, he remembered it too. "Miss Campbell." He said politely.
She nodded in his direction and gave him a small smile. He wasn't so bad after all. He was just doing his job that night. He opened the door to the Corinthos penthouse and Gia stood behind waiting for Jason to enter first.
She was greeted with the two smiles as she entered the penthouse. She managed to find her voice. "Hi."
Carly spoke first. "Hi Gia. I'm glad you could come."
"I hope you like pasta." Sonny added.
Gia felt herself starting to relax. She looked at Jason who was giving her a reassuring look. "I do." She admitted, even though she was so hungry anything would have satisfied her. She put her purse down on the desk and looked around the penthouse. There were plenty of pictures for her to look at. Her eyes settled on a photo of Michael with his parents. She smiled. Her action was not unnoticed by Carly who immediately picked up the picture.
"That's my angel." Carly said. "He's with Bobbie right now. I think it would be a good idea for this dinner to be just us four adults."
"That's a good idea." Gia agreed. "Carly, I wanted to say I am sorry for all those things I said about you…"
Carly put her hand in the air. "It's in the past Gia. We both were different people then. I would like to forget the bad and try again." Carly stuck out her hand. "Carly Corinthos."
"Gia Campbell." Gia said smiling as she shook the blonde's hand.
Jason smiled. He had hoped that it would turn out like this. Sonny was in the kitchen finishing up the food so Jason decided to join him. He looked over at Gia and saw that she and Carly were talking so it would be all right for him to leave.
Carly sat down on the couch and motioned for Gia to take a seat as well. The model settled into a huge chair and brought her feet up to rest under her.
"You're about six weeks along?" Carly asked counting back in her mind to the day Jason had told her about the break up and the one night stand.
Gia nodded. "I think so. I have to make an appointment with Dr. Meadows to be sure."
"How's morning sickness?" Carly asked.
"I've only been sick once, the rest of the time I just feel a little off." Gia admitted.
"Lucky." Carly said. "When I was pregnant with Michael I threw up almost everyday. I felt rotten."
Gia shifted her weight and thought for a moment. Carly had experience with pregnancy. It would be better than talking with Carrie, and it would give the women a chance to get to know one another better. "Carly, can I ask you something?" When Carly nodded, Gia continued. "I was wondering if I could talk to you about pregnancy. This is a first for me, and I would really appreciate talking to someone with some experience."
"Sure." Carly smiled. "But I must admit, I'm not an expert. I only have had one child. But I would be willing to help." Carly stood up. "Now that I think of it…I got a book on it…for when I was pregnant with my second son…"
Gia felt her heart tighten. She had heard that Carly had lost her and Sonny's child. She hoped by asking for her help she wasn't reopening any wounds.
"It's all right." Carly said noticing the look on Gia's face. "I had sent the stuff over to Bobbie's so it survived the penthouse fire. I brought it back over because Sonny and I are thinking of trying to have a child." She disappeared upstairs to the storage room.
Jason and Sonny reappeared from the kitchen. "Where's Carly?" Her husband asked.
"She went upstairs to get me a book on pregnancy." She said.
Sonny smiled. "Carly will help you out in any way. She loves children." He said wistfully thinking of the fact that he wanted a child of his own.
Gia smiled back at him. Was it really only a few months ago that she was worried about the accident and what Sonny might do to her? She had to admit to herself that she was still a little bit nervous around him. But she was becoming more comfortable with him by the moment.
Carly reappeared a few moments later waving the book in her hand triumphantly. "Right on the top of the first box I opened." She handed the thick book to Gia. "It has everything from how to deal with morning sickness to when to start expecting to feel the baby move. I've read it more than once." She admitted. "When you're done, give it to Jason. That way he'll know what to expect…especially when the mood swings start."
Jason raised his eyebrows. "I handled yours, Carly." He reminded her.
Gia laughed a little at the conversation between the two friends. She immediately wanted to call Lucky. He needed to know that she was back in town. He also needed to know that Jason knew now. She walked over and tucked the book into her purse. That night when she was snuggled into her bed at the Brownstone she would begin to read the book.
"I think supper is ready." Sonny said going back into the kitchen.
Gia watched him go. Jason noticed her look. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm not sure." Gia admitted. "Sonny's reaction to this situation is not what I expected. He was pretty angry with me over the accident with Courtney. But he is being so kind."
Carly came up behind Gia. "I think my own car accident put things into prospective for Sonny and I. I think we learned to let things go easier. Plus, even though Sonny cares for Courtney, they have drifted further apart." It was all because of AJ. He seemed determined to keep Courtney away from her family now that it wasn't possible for him to get back Michael. And Courtney was so blinded by her love for him she couldn't see what he had done to her. Even if he truly cared for her now, AJ had mistreated her. But no one could get through to Courtney Quartermaine.
Gia understood. She had tried herself to help Courtney, but the blonde refused to believe that AJ was the one telling the lies. She only hoped that Courtney could be happy living in an apartment with AJ and Rosie.
Sonny brought out two plates of steaming angel hair pasta. "The sauce is made from scratch."
"Don't believe him, I saw the tomato sauce bottles." Carly said as Sonny pulled out a chair for her. Jason did the same for Gia.
Sonny shook his head. "You're not allowed in the kitchen so you wouldn't know." He returned to the kitchen and came back with food for him and Jason plus some garlic bread.
Gia looked down at her plate of hot food and heard her stomach growl. She was starving after her small lunch. This was probably the first well-cooked meal she had had since she learned about the baby. She twisted the pasta around her fork and put it in her mouth. "Oh!" She murmured. "This is so good."
"I'm glad you think so." Sonny said proudly.
"He prides himself on being a good cook." Carly said moving closer to her husband. "If I didn't have so much work at the club, and a four year old to chase around I think I would be pleasantly plump."
Sonny laughed. "I don't think I would mind."
Gia grinned and bit into a piece of garlic bread. Her appetite had definitely increased over the last few weeks. At least now she knew why.
"Wait until you get some of those wild cravings." Carly exclaimed. "It's something else. I remember making Jason go out and get chocolate ice cream and dill pickles."
Gia's eyes grew wide. "Oh that's gross."
"Don't knock it until you've tried it." Carly laughed. "And they come at all times of the day."
"I know." Jason groaned. "Like the time you were convinced Michael wanted chicken at four o'clock in the morning."
Everyone laughed at the story, including Gia. In the back of her mind she was wondering if Jason would be there for her if she wanted food in the middle of the night. She brushed off the thought. They had other decisions to make before they could worry about that.
Gia had started to make a list of things they needed to talk about. Things like whether or not Gia would continue to stay at the Brownstone or move somewhere else. Also, what kind of custody arrangement would the two work out? She pushed away those thoughts as well. Right now she just wanted to concentrate of the dinner and the conversation between friends that she was beginning to feel a part of.
When the dinner was done, Sonny cleared the table, refusing Gia's offer of help. "I like to be the only one in the kitchen."
"But you let Jason go in there all the time." Carly protested.
"Yeah, but he doesn't touch anything." Sonny laughed when Carly sighed in frustration.
Gia looked at Carly. "Where's your bathroom?"
"Ah…" Carly began fondly. "Frequent urination…I miss that." She laughed. "Wait, I don't." She started up the stairs. "Follow me."
Gia glanced back at Jason before following the blonde upstairs.
Jason looked over at Sonny. "Thanks for being kind to her."
Sonny shrugged. "The whole mess with Courtney is out of my head. She's about to become an important part of your life. Besides, she seems nice enough Jason…I can't help but like her."
Jason grinned and moved to help Sonny with clearing the table.
A knock came to the door, and Sonny went to open it. He was surprised to find Taggert standing there. "Detective?"
Marcus was in no mood for any kind of small talk. His mother had just called him to say that Gia had left Brooklyn and was on her way back to Port Charles. She didn't know how or when she would be home. She was waiting patiently in the Brownstone for her daughter to arrive home. Marcus wanted to join her but he got a call to go question Sonny about the beating of one of the dockworkers. Any other day, he would jump at the chance to get under Sonny's skin but not when he was worried about his sister.
"Well, Anger Boy is here as well." Marcus began. "Two birds with one stone."
Jason froze. Did Taggert know Gia was here? Did he know that he was the father? He was prepared to take responsibility and listen to whatever Taggert would throw at him but he didn't want to fight in front of Gia.
Sonny sensed Jason's mood. "What's this about?"
"One of the dockworkers was in an unfortunate accident last night. His body collided with some fists." Taggert said. "He spoke out against your management, so I was wondering if you had anything to do with it."
Gia was laughing with Carly when she started back down the stairs. She didn't hear her brother's voice.
Marcus looked up when he heard the familiar sound. Both siblings stopped in their tracks, shocked by the sight of the other. Without thinking, Jason moved closer to the bottom of the stairs, standing between brother and sister.
Everything seemed to click in Marcus' head. He looked at his sister and evenly said. "Not Morgan…anyone but Morgan."