** DISCLAIMER I do not own any character appearing on "General Hospital".

*words* = thoughts "words" = talking/speaking ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHAPTER 7: Zander Finally Has A Talk With His Old Man

After Beth had left the General Hospital cafeteria Zander and Cameron had stayed at the table sitting silently. Zander couldn't help but stare at the photo in his hands, wondering what else could go wrong in his life. Cameron stared straight ahead and watched as Drs. Alan and Monica Quatermaine finished their coffee, got up and left the cafeteria together. It wasn't until a few minutes later, which seemed like an eternity of silence that Cameron decided to tell Zander about his mother.

"Alexander you must realize what's done is done and you can't do anything about it now. Right there in your hands you have a picture of your daughter Erin Janet Smith-Lewis.", started Cameron, "When Erin was born it was the same time your mother was admitted to the hospital with her illness. Your mother was in the latter stages of breast cancer Alexander, if she had just gone for a routine exam they would have found it sooner."

"Mom had breast cancer?", said an absolutely stunned Zander.

"Unfortunately so Alexander.", calmly said Dr. Lewis, "You and Pete didn't know this but your mother and I were planning on divorcing before she became ill. Your mother and I had been married for 20 years, you were 17 and Pete was 19. We were going to tell you but we didn't anticipate the cancer and our first grandchild for that matter. We figured since you boys were old enough, you could choose who you wanted to live with. I wouldn't doubt that you two were aware of the arguing that was going on through the years."

"Yeah we did,", said Zander with a bit of a chuckle, "but we thought that was normal for parents to do. What were you and mom arguing about so much that you two wanted to divorce?"

"Well I guess it was everything. The finances, your future, your brother Pete's future. And there's that secretary that was hired for my practice, your mother was jealous of her, and there was that new young male math teacher that your mother had taken under her wing while she taught math at the high school, I was jealous of him. We were both suspicious of each other, we had thought that each of us had an affair, which we didn't at all. I know your mother had some late night faculty meetings and I had late night sessions with patients who couldn't come in during the day…"

"You thought mom was having an affair with Mr. Worley?"

"Yes Alexander, as unimaginable it may be, I did think that your mother and Mr. Worley were too close."

"Dad, you do remember that Mr. Worley was a newlywed right?"

"Yes I do, but son that's not the point. The point is that we came to a point in our marriage where we didn't trust each other anymore. All marriages have that and you and Emily will learn this soon enough."

"Don't worry dad, people are already placing bets on how long Emily and I will last together. I doubt that Beth's news would help it any, the Quartermaines don't like me anyway so if Emily and I do split they would gloat. Plus Nikolas is getting too close to Emily, especially now since Dr. Hansen says that Em's cancer is heading into remission."

"That's great to hear son, but tell me what would you have done if Dr. Hansen would have told you that Emily's cancer wasn't going into remission?"

"I would have gone to Jake's and downed a few whiskeys to ease the pain. Why do you ask?"

"Because that's what I did when they told me that your mother's cancer was terminal. I headed for the nearest bar, downed a few whiskeys and told the bartender to keep them coming. If it wasn't for Beth's dad, you remember Arthur Smith don't you? Well anyway he came and found me at the bar and he was telling me that if I truly loved your mother that I would stop drowning my sorrows right that minute. So I guess I don't have to worry about that with you now son."

"Yean I guess. I remember Art, he always reminded me of the Fonz. The Fonz was cool. Art was a good guy, he always made me feel welcome whenever I was around, I was Beth's friend after all. So what happened after Art found you in the bar?"

"He got me sobered up, he reminded me that your mother and I had been through so much that I couldn't give up now. Arthur had been through a lot too but he and Janet managed to stay together to this day. And they especially adore their granddaughter, thanks to you I guess."

"It happens. How was I supposed to know that Erin was mine? Anyway get back to what happened after Art talked you out of getting drunk."

"Well Alexander, Art took me home and told me to get some sleep, then he told me that I should go to the hospital to see your mother. Beth gave birth to Erin on February 16th which was 5 months before your mother passed away from her cancer. So at least she had ample opportunity to hold her first granddaughter. Beth was thinking of naming her Eliza, but thought that Erin suited her better since it was your mother's first name. Your mother wished that you hadn't of left and Pete hadn't have killed himself, she just wished that everything stayed the way it was. You know Alexander her dying wish was for you to come home and see your daughter."

"I'm sorry dad. I'm sorry about everything. You know how many times I wish that I hadn't have run away from Hamilton? And now to hear that my mother's dying wish was for me to come home, really makes me regret running away."

"Alexander you had to know, this had been eating me up inside ever since she passed, I had just wished that she could have seen you for one last time. I just hope now that you don't make the same mistake with your wife Emily and your daughter Erin."

"That will be very hard to promise dad because I don't know if I want to see my daughter, because what is she? Seven? She won't know who I am, and if she does she probably wouldn't want to see me."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that son, every time I look after that angel she always asks about her daddy. Beth has never gone on a date with anyone since Pete killed himself, she didn't want to bring strange men into Erin's life. I advise you to go and see her at Beth's house, even if at first you say you are Beth's friend. If anything do it for your mother I know she would have loved it if you were able to meet your daughter."

"Dad are you sure about this? Are you sure it won't have any psychological effects on any of us?"

"Of course there will be Alexander, I haven't been a psychiatrist for over twenty years for nothing you know. The point I'm making is that if you don't at least see her and how she is being raised then you can't make a sound decision on what kind of relationship you want to have with her if it is even a non-existent one. Here son," Dr. Lewis said as he was writing something on a piece of paper, "this is Beth's phone number and her address. If you want to visit Erin I suggest that you call Beth first."

"Thanks, I'll think about it.", replied Zander.

Cameron looked at his watch and then looked at the clock on the wall. He saw that Elizabeth Webber-Lansing and Gia Campbell were still sitting at a table together, he wondered how many other relationships his son was hiding from Emily.

"Well son I have to go.", Cameron said as he was getting up from the table, "I strongly advise that you tell Emily ALL of this and other things that even I don't know about."

Zander started to get up from the table too, he realized that he should get back to Emily. *Hopefully Lucky hasn't told her anything at all.* He thought.

"I won't promise that I will. But I've got to get going too, Em might start to wonder where I am.", said Zander, "I'll see you later dad."

"I'll talk to you too later son.", replied Dr. Lewis.

They both walked down the corridor that led out of the General Hospital cafeteria. Zander headed for the elevator while Dr. Lewis headed for the parking garage.