Part Fifteen
"Well, what do you think?" Gia asked, looking at Jason expectantly. She stood in the middle of the empty room watching Jason as he stood in the doorway.
"Do you like it?" Jason asked.
"Oh no!" Gia protested. "We aren't playing that game. You're going to tell me what you think about this place before I tell you whether or not I am going to move in here. But I think you'll need to see more in order to make a decision. Come in!" She urged.
Jason stepped into the room. He supposed it would become the living room. He looked around and made a face. "Everything is so white." He said referring to the walls and ceiling. The floor beneath his feet was hardwood.
"That's the point. The real estate agent said that this place was just built over the summer. The builders leave all the walls white so the buyer can choose what color to paint them." She said. "Don't worry about that…come on!" She didn't even think when she reached out and grabbed his hand. She pulled him through a door and into a kitchen. "Check this out…the window gives me the perfect view of the backyard. That way when our child wants to play I can keep an eye on him or her." She ran her hand over the wooden cupboards. "The table would go right here." She said indicating the space off to the left.
Jason could tell that Gia had already made her mind up about the place. He smiled to himself. He never understood why women get so excited about a space to live.
He followed her back out into the living room and down a hall. She opened the first door. "Bathroom." He said for her. She nodded and then went across the hall.
The door opened to reveal a room with a tiny window on wall, and a closest on the other.
"I was thinking this could be a nursery." Gia told him. "It's just the right size. When the baby gets bigger, there will be no trouble turning it into a good size bedroom."
She continued down the hall, opening the next door. "This would be my room." She pointed to the good size closest. "Of course! And I like how the sky light gives it natural light."
Jason bit his lip. She was getting excited again.
She noticed his look. "What?"
"Nothing." Jason couldn't help it. He laughed a little. "It's just a room."
"Well, right now it is!" Gia declared. "But soon it will become a master bedroom. There is quite a difference." She closed the door and went across the hall to the room next to the bathroom. Pushing open the door, she turned back to him. "I was thinking I could turn this into a spare bedroom…you know, in case you wanted to spend the night once and awhile."
Jason was a little taken aback. He was touched by her thoughtfulness. "I would like that."
Gia smiled. "Great. I'll call the real estate agent this afternoon to let her know that I want the place."
Jason shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I did it this morning."
"You what?" Gia asked, more than a little surprised.
"When you called me yesterday and told me about the place, I could tell you wanted it already." Jason explained. "It's bought and paid for."
"Jason!" Gia cried. "I can't let you do that."
"Why not?" Jason asked. "I own fifty percent in a coffee business that is making me more money than I'll ever need or want. I don't need much or buy much. The money is just sitting around."
"For some reason, I feel really guilty." Gia admitted.
"Why?" Jason asked.
"Well, I am not hard up for money either. I could have put a good size down payment on this place. And I could have easily afforded the mortgage." She told him. When she had first called about the place a few days ago, she and her mother had worked out a payment plan and everything. She knew she could handle it.
"You shouldn't have to worry about the bills." Jason said.
Gia just shook her head. "You really are something, aren't you?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jason asked.
"It means, thank you." Gia said. "I think I can honestly say no one has ever bought me a house before."
Jason grinned. "When do you move in?"
"Probably not for another month or so." Gia said. "I have to get this place painted and decorated. My salary from Deception will do that."
"I'll pay for it." Jason insisted.
Gia looked at him, noticing the determination in his eyes. "You'll pay for half and that's my final offer."
Jason nodded in agreement.
"I want to get it done before winter sets in." Gia told him. "It's almost November now. We had a good amount of hot weather this month so I think the snow won't start to fly for awhile. I'll have to work hard."
"You're going to paint this yourself?" Jason asked.
"Not all of it." Gia said. "I was actually thinking of getting Carly to help me out. I know she is busy with her club but it would help us to become better friends. And Lucky said he would help in anyway. I think it will be good for me. It will help me pass the time."
"I'm sure Carly would love to help." Jason said. "She took a few courses in interior decorating when she was married to AJ."
"Great!" Gia said. "I'll call her later on." She looked at her watch. "I'm supposed to meet my mother at Kelly's for lunch. I would really like it if you would come. You need to meet my mother sooner or later. She's really trying to keep an open mind but it's hard with Marcus whispering in her ear."
"I can do that." Jason said holding the door open for her. She stood in and looked at the empty space.
"I can't believe it's all mine." Gia looked back up at him. "Thank you again."
"No problem." Jason said. "You're right. It's a good place to raise a child."
Gia just smiled. "I'll meet you at Kelly's." She said crawling in her car. She drove away from her new house slowly, letting what had transpired between her and Jason sink it. "Well, little one, you daddy is very generous. You're very lucky to have someone like him…in fact, we both are."
****
Florence Campbell noticed that Gia was not alone with the door to Kelly's opened. A man wearing a leather jacket, and a serious look was right behind her. She understood. This was Jason Morgan, the father of her grandchild. She studied him for a moment, trying to see if he looked like a cold blooded killer…like Marcus had described to her.
Gia sat down first, looking between her mother and Jason. "Mom, this is Jason Morgan."
"I know." Florence said. "Why don't you have a sit, Mr. Morgan?"
"Jason." He corrected, doing as she suggested.
"I'm glad we finally get to meet face to face." Florence said.
"Me too." Jason agreed. "It's important to Gia that we get along."
Florence nodded and looked over at her daughter. She could tell that Gia was very nervous. "Tell me, Jason, what it is exactly that you do?"
"Mom!" Gia hissed.
"I own a coffee business with Sonny Corinthos." Jason said truthfully. He didn't have to tell her everything.
"I remember Sonny from Brooklyn." Florence admitted. "Adella and I used to be friends before she married Deke Woods. I'm not sure that he would remember me though."
"Sonny has a very good memory." Jason informed her. "He would remember you."
"I have heard that Sonny has been arrested for various crimes…as have you." Florence said, ignoring the warning look that her daughter was giving her.
"We have been arrested but never charged." He corrected her. "There is a big difference."
Florence could tell he had been grilled on questions like this before. "Gia tells me it is your wish to become a part of this child's life."
Jason nodded. He was doing his best to humor Florence but her questions were bothering him. What did she expect him to do? Tell Gia and his child to get lost? "I plan to take an active role." He told her. "I think it is important that a child have both a loving mother and a loving father."
"I'm glad to hear you say that." Florence admitted, as some of her fears about Jason began to disappear. "I have one more worry. Gia is my daughter and the child, my grandchild. I have heard so many things about you and frankly I am worried that something bad may happen to both of them. I know you want to keep them safe, but can you?"
Jason thought for a moment. Florence had a point. He wanted to keep them safe but with Gia living in the bungalow so far away from Harbor View Towers, he would be easier said than done. He quickly decided to put a guard on her from now on. "I will do everything in my power to make sure that nothing happens to either of them." He vowed.
Florence seemed to accept that answer and Gia let out a sigh of relief. She felt tense as soon as she sat down with both of them but now it was starting to wear off. She smiled a little and then announced. "I'm hungry." She called over the waitress and placed on order for a sandwich and soup. Both Jason and her mother followed suit.
"So honey, did you put a down payment on that bungalow you liked?" Florence asked.
"Gia owns it." Jason informed her.
"What?" Her mother was confused.
"Jason bought it before I could say anything." Gia explained.
"I don't see how that is going to teach you to act responsibly." Florence reasoned. She and Gia had worked hard on figuring out a decent payment plan. She was actually glad for it. It was time that Gia had some other things to worry about besides the latest fashions.
Jason just shook his head. "The coffee business I own is very successful. Gia will never have to worry about money for her and the baby. I want to make sure that she has everything that she needs and wants."
Gia watched the look that passed between her mother and Jason and felt the tension return. She knew what her mother was already thinking. Gia had chosen well when she decided on the one night stand…she got one of the richest men in Port Charles. "Mom, I intend to pay for a lot of the things I am going to need for the new house."
"Half." Jason reminded her.
"Half." Gia repeated and then continued. "I know you wanted me have more responsibility when it comes to money. I plan to. The baby will be first in everything I do. Can we just leave it at that and enjoy the meal that is coming?" She begged.
Both Jason and Florence agreed, and again Gia sighed in relief. She had to admit, it was going better than she expected. With Marcus telling her everything he could about Jason's police record, she was lucky her mother was screeching at him while she sat there.
Awhile later, after a good meal, Gia bid farewell to her mother and walked out of Kelly's behind Jason. "I am so sorry."
"For what?" Jason asked, turning back to her.
"For my mother…I could tell that she was annoying you to no end." Gia said.
"I don't mind. She cares about you, that's all." Jason shrugged. "I hope she sees now that I not what Taggert says I am."
"I think she is getting there." Gia smiled.
"I see you soon, okay." Jason promised, getting on his bike.
She waved and then watched him leave. After a moment, she got into her car and began driving. At first she started back towards the Brownstone, but soon she found herself in the parking garage of Harbor View Towers. A little ways off she saw Jason getting off his bike. They met at the elevator.
"What are you doing here?" Jason asked a little surprised.
"I thought I would talk to Carly about decorating the house." Gia said as they boarded the elevator. She watched him press the button for the top and then she continued. "I wanted to say thank you again for what you did today. For putting up with my mother but most of all for buying me a house. You really didn't need to do that."
"I just want you to be happy. You're mood effects the baby, you know. I read it in that book of Carly's."
Gia's smile was wide. So he was reading it. "I am happy." She said, impulsively leaning forward and kissing him on the cheek. The elevator doors opened and she skipped out. "See you soon." She said repeating Jason's earlier farewell.
He nodded and watched her enter Sonny and Carly's penthouse. His hand moved up to touch his cheek where she had kissed him…