Part Twenty Four
After Gia and Jason returned from Sonny's island, she threw herself into decorating the nursery. Jason insisted they were having a daughter and Gia was beginning to believe him. She couldn't help but notice that the nursery was taking on a feminine touch. She stroked her belly. "If you surprise us and turn out to be a boy, I promise I'll tear down everything, paint the room blue, and paste cars all over the walls." She looked around, running her hands on the changing table and crib. The chair from Sonny and Carly sat next to the window so she could look out while she rocked her baby to sleep. The walls were a pale yellow and she had chosen a border to match. Of course, she had let Carly have her say and she knew her friend wanted a child even more as the two put together the perfect nursery.
Looking across the hall, Gia sighed. Jason had moved into the spare room, although he spent most of his time away from the house helping Sonny. She had to laugh at the people who came to visit her and congratulated her on her marriage. She doubted that any of the people knew the real reason she and Jason married. Maybe it was a bad idea to marry him…now he was just across the hall instead of across town. She could so easily slip out of her bed and make her way to his…but she was afraid. Afraid of being rejected because she loved him and he didn't love her back. She knew he was attracted to her but love and attraction isn't the same thing.
She looked away, going back to folding the little baby clothes and placing them in the dresser. Someday, maybe she could work up the nerve to tell him.
****
"Carly, really, I'm fine." Gia insisted as she smoothed out her sundress. Her due date was three weeks away and her best friend had taken to fussing over her every second they were together. She pulled herself onto the couch and looked over at Carly. "Its business, isn't it?"
"Huh?" Carly asked as she downed another glass of water. She was finding the July day too hot to her liking. Michael was at a friend's, making good use of their pool. She wished she had gone with him.
"Our husbands are on business." Gia said. The four had gotten together for dinner but Sonny and Jason left abruptly after dessert.
"Yeah." Carly shrugged. "I'm used to it by now." She smiled to herself. "I like the way you said 'our husbands'. I can't believe Jason is actually married. I would never have thought he would get married. And I'm glad it's you. You're the first person I've ever got along with." When Gia laughed, Carly then added. "How is going, Gia? I mean really…"
She knew what Carly meant. After their conversation with Sarah in the dress shop, she knew Carly wondered how the marriage was going. Was there progress on the 'love' issue? The truth was she had never told Carly the truth about her love for Jason. In fact, the only person she had told was Father Coates. She didn't know if she would ever tell anyone about her feelings for Jason. She had fallen into a pattern with him and was comfortable with it. Telling him she loved him would change the pattern too much…she was afraid he would spend more and more time away from her. "Things are great, Carly. We get a long find in the cottage. We usually have dinner together which is nice. I think I finally got a handle on this cooking thing. I'll have to remember to thank Sonny some time."
Carly was determined to push it. "Any headway on love?"
"You just don't give up do you?" Gia asked with a false smile. She hoped her face didn't betray anything. "We care for each other, Carly. We're there for each other and in few weeks we'll be parents."
"Being a parent…that's what brought Sonny and me together." She told Gia. "Maybe it will work for you two."
"Don't get your hopes up." Gia instructed. She placed a hand on her stomach. "I can't wait to give birth."
"So you can meet you're child." Carly said with a sigh.
"No, so I can get this thing out of me." Gia declared. "She's getting ready to come, I know but I wish she'd hurry up."
"So you're still sure it's a girl." Carly observed.
"Jason seems to think so and so do I." Gia told her. "Although I promised the baby that it turned out to be a boy then I would make up for weeks of calling him a her. I just don't see that happening."
"Do you want something else to drink?" Carly asked. "I remember the last few weeks before Michael was supposed to born. I was all achy and restless."
"I'm fine." Gia winced a little. "Just a slight pain. I think the baby is just as restless as me."
"You sure?" Carly said watching her friend. Jason said she had been having some back pain over the last few days…usually a sign of things to come.
"Yeah." Gia nodded. "Jason usually gives me a massage if it really bothers me. I think this one will be over soon."
Carly stood up as the phone rang. Picking it up, she smiled. "Hey Michael."
Her son's voice sounded excited. "Hey Mom, Tommy wants to know if I can spend the night. Is that okay with you?"
"Sure." Carly smiled eager to do anything to keep her son happy. "I'll pick you up tomorrow morning." She said her goodbyes and then hung up the phone.
"Carly…" Gia called.
Something about Gia's voice made her jump a little and she quickly turned to her friend. "Gia?"
"Carly, my water broke…" Gia cried. "…on your couch!"
Carly clapped her hands together, excited and a little afraid at the same time. "It's okay, Gia. I wanted a new one anyway. Now Sonny can't make any excuses." Her hand was on the door. "Hey Johnny, want to get the car around. Mrs. Morgan is going in labor!"
"Right away!" Johnny cried.
Carly looked back at Gia and found her in tears. "Gia, what's wrong? Are you in a lot of pain?" She rushed to her friend's side and grabbed her hand.
"No…your couch!" She moaned with a fresh string of tears.
"It's okay." Carly repeated and leaned forward and rubbed her friend's back. "What's really wrong Gia?"
"I'm scared." Gia whispered. "What if I can't do this?"
"You can do this." Carly said. "You were strong enough to just walk away with your head high from Prince Nicky. You were strong enough to stand up for what you wanted even though you were caught between two families that didn't get along. Giving birth to your child…no problem."
Gia gave a weak smile. "I am just afraid that I won't be able to put up with the pain. Carly, I want you nearby…if I ever scream for drugs; you tell me that natural is the way to go."
"And if you fling something at me?" Carly asked.
"Then duck and say it again!" Gia grinned as she felt a sharp pain go through her abdomen. "Yep, definitely having contractions…this is really it!"
Johnny opened the door. "The car's ready, Mrs. Corinthos."
"Alright, come on Gia." Carly said helping her friend to stand. The two of them made their way out the door and down the elevator. Once in the car, Carly pulled out her cell phone.
Gia watched as Carly dialed Sonny's number and listened to her friend. "Hello? Max? Where's my husband? What do you mean detained? What do you mean he just landed in Puerto Rico? Jason's with him? You get a hold of my husband and tell him to tell Jason that his child is about to come in this world. And if he misses the birth, I'll kick him where the sun doesn't shine. Then I'll let his wife at him!"
Gia wanted to panic. Jason was in Puerto Rico? What if he didn't make it back in time? What if he wasn't there to hold her hand like he promised? She gave Carly a wild look.
Carly then added. "And I'll be sure to give Gia my bat! And Max, make sure Sonny takes his phone the next time." She tossed her cell back into her purse and sighed. Trust Sonny to go out of the country without telling her. "How you doing?"
"Not so good." Gia admitted. "I kind of wanted Jason to be here for her birth."
"Well, this thing may take hours." Carly explained. "He could get back in time if he got on the plane right away. Hopefully he'll call when he gets the message from Max." They pulled up the hospital and Carly helped Gia out and the two walked in. The first person they met was Monica Quartermaine. As usual, she ignored Carly and greeted Gia.
"Is it time?" Monica asked.
Gia nodded. "I think so." She winced again as another contraction hit her.
"How far apart are your contractions?" Monica then asked.
"We weren't really keeping track." Gia admitted.
"That's the hospital's job." Carly informed her as politely as she could. "Come on, Gia we really have to get you to Dr. Meadows."
"Where's Jason?" Monica suddenly piped up when she noticed that her son was no where to be seen.
"In Puerto Rico, catching a tan." Carly said as she hurried her friend to the elevator.
****
"Is the plane ready to go?" Jason asked, frantically.
"A few more minutes." Sonny told his friend. He noticed that Jason was almost pacing. "Look, getting frustrated isn't going to help. Unless you plan to jump into the ocean and swim back to New York, you are going to have to wait five more minutes while the plane is refueled."
"I just want to be there." Jason said. "I read in the book that sometimes labor only lasts an hour and other times it can last almost a day. If I miss my child's birth, I'll never be able to forgive myself. And Gia will kill me."
"There was no way of knowing that Gia would go into labor today when we decided to come down and meet with Carlos." Sonny told him. "Don't beat yourself up."
"I should have known though. I know most women go past there due date with their first child…but Gia's not most women. She likes to go against the grain and I have a feeling our daughter's going to be like her mom. She wants to arrive in grand fashion." Jason groaned.
Sonny smiled at his friend's description of Gia. "Look, you'll make it in time. Trust me."
"When are you coming back?" Jason asked.
"I'm meeting with Carlos right after you leave." Sonny explained. "I'll be on the next flight back to Port Charles. No sense in sending the jet back here after you get into Port Charles." He held up the commercial airline ticket. "If your daughter's born before I get there, kiss her for me, will you?"
"Sure." Jason said and then looked up to see their pilot coming towards them. Before he could speak, Jason was already in the plane.
****
"This is just like Morgan to leave you high and dry when you need him." Marcus said as he watched his sister shift uncomfortably in the hospital bed. Dr. Meadows had been there a few minutes ago and told her she still had awhile to go before she could push.
"Marcus, you're not helping." Gia said sweetly through clenched teeth.
"I'm just saying he's the one who knocked you up, he should at least be here to watch my niece come into the world!" Marcus cried.
"MARCUS!" Florence protested smacking her son upside the head playfully.
Gia grinned and then stuck her tongue out at her brother. "Mom got mad at you."
"Ain't that always the case?" Marcus groaned rubbing his shiny head. "She could never get mad when she saw your beautiful face with your bottom lip sticking out. And you could cry buckets on cue."
"Always worked didn't it?" Gia grinned glad to have her mind off her missing husband.
Another head poked into the room. Along with it was a huge bouquet of red roses. Gia groaned knowing who it was already. "Hello Edward." She said as happily as she could. "Wow, those are beautiful."
"Lila insisted they be cut from her garden as soon as she heard." Edward said sitting them on her bedside. "So how is my little great grandchild doing?"
"She's fine." Gia informed him. Over the months she had gotten good at handling Edward. "She's still a few hours away from meeting everyone."
"Where's the hoodlum father?" Edward asked looking around for Jason.
"He's on his way." Gia told him, and then smiled. "Edward, I'm really not up to visitors right now. Do you mind?"
"Yes of course, my dear." Edward said. "I'll be around, waiting to meet the newest Quartermaine."
"Morgan." Gia corrected. "And don't worry you'll be able to meet her. I plan to bring her by to visit Lila often. But don't think that she'll become a permanent fixture in that horrid house of yours."
"Whatever you say, my dear." Edward gave his creepy impression of a smile and then left.
"Old coot." Gia said with a smile. Then it disappeared. Where are you Jason?
****
"Are you sure it can't wait any longer?" Gia pleaded with Dr. Meadows. She really didn't want to wait any longer. She was in pain and she wanted it all to end. But she wanted Jason there more.
"With the next contraction, you have to push." Dr. Meadows told her.
"Damn him!" Gia suddenly cried. "Damn him all to hell! If he doesn't make it I am going to cut off his…" She looked around the room. "That's what got me here in the first place."
"Oh boy." Carly cried. She was secretly hoping for Jason to show up soon as well. She had taken the brunt of Gia's pain so far. She tried her best not to be hurt by the comments the model had flung at her. But then again, most of them were some sort of slam against Jason. "I'm going to see if I can get a hold of him on my cell." She said rushing outside the hospital and fishing for her phone. She was about to call when she noticed a figure racing towards her. "JASON!" She cried. "Get your butt up there. She's pushing very soon." She rattled off the number. As he ran off, she called. "Where's my husband?"
"In Puerto Rico." Jason called.
"Just great." Carly groaned before turning back to go wait with Taggert and his mother.
****
CRASH!
Jason ducked just in time. As soon as he got into the room, a pitcher of ice chips came flying towards his head. His wife looked small and pale on the bed. But she also had a look that told him he was in deep trouble. "I'm so sorry Gia."
"Just get over here and hold my hand." Gia instructed.
Dr. Meadows gave him a look of sympathy. She leaned over. "Don't worry, whatever she says…she doesn't mean."
Jason nodded and took his wife's hand. She instantly squeezed it so tightly that he grimaced in pain.
"Now you know how I feel." Gia clenched her teeth.
"Can't you give her something?" Jason asked.
"It's too late for that now." Dr. Meadows said.
"Yeah, you take the damn drugs." Gia cried.
"It will all be over soon." Dr. Meadows promised. "I want to take a deep breathe and get ready to push when I say so….Alright, Gia, now!"
Gia pushed with all her might, at the same time squeezing Jason's hand. "$%#*!" Both Jason and the Dr. raised their eyebrows at her outburst. She just gave them a dirty look as she fell against the bed. "How much more?"
"A few more pushes." Dr. Meadows said.
Gia's voice was small. "I don't want to do this anymore."
Jason was almost surprised to hear her say that. "Gia…I know you. Giving up isn't your style. Remember the night you stormed into my penthouse. You weren't going to give up until I listened to you. You're this close to meeting your daughter for the first time and you want to give up."
"Hell no!" Gia cried with a fresh burst of energy. Jason smiled and leaned down to kiss her forehead.
"Let's go again." Dr. Meadows announced.
A few minutes later a tiny cry filled the room. Both parents fell silent and Gia put her hand to her mouth as tears streamed down her face. "My baby…"
"She's healthy as can be!" Dr. Meadows announced.
Gia let out a huge sigh of relief and then raised her arms for her daughter. She gazed down at the perfect little being and smiled. "Hey baby, I'm your mother." She looked up at Jason. "Look at what we created. She's perfect." Gia traced the little mouth and laughed when her daughter instantly sucked on the tip of her finger. "She has so much hair." Gia observed taking in the mass of black hair.
"Does 'she' have name?" Dr. Meadows asked.
"Madison Florence Lila Morgan." Jason said without hesitation. He then looked at his wife, realizing that he had never discussed it with her.
"What he said." Gia's eyes never left little Madison.