The voice filtering through the intercom on his desk startled Joseph.
"Mr. Morgan?" his secretary Rita's voice questioned again.
"Yes?" he finally responded.
"Those theater tickets you were waiting for have arrived. Would you like me to bring them in or would you prefer to have them sent home?"
"Bring them in."
"Right away sir."
Joseph had pulled some strings in obtaining tickets to a performance of Barefoot in the Park that was playing at the Stage Right Dinner Theater. He thought the lighthearted comedy about newlyweds in Central Park would help him to forget the dark clouds dangling above his head. Those clouds had become even more ominous with the information that Jason had just laid at his feet. Joseph opened the folders in front of him again. The facts and figures were undeniable. Anthony Malucci was doing to Joseph's organization what he had accused the Morgans of doing. Anthony was practically raping them.
"Here you are Mr. Morgan," Rita said as she handed him the messenger envelope.
"Thank you Rita. Is Jason in his office?" Joseph asked.
"I'm not sure. Would you like me to call him for you?" she returned politely.
"Yes. I would like to speak with him."
"Right away sir."
Joseph leaned back in his chair and tried to decide what he would say to his son. He knew that Jason had spoken the truth earlier. Joseph was certain that Anthony needed to pay for his lack of respect. And even though Rocco had given him carte blanche to do as he saw fit, something held him back.
"Excuse me, Mr. Morgan." Rita's voice permeated the room once again.
"Yes?" Joseph said waiting for her response.
"Jason has gone for the day."
"Thank you Rita." Joseph heard a note of defeat in his tone.
"Will there be anything else sir?" she asked.
"No, thank you."
Joseph let out a heavy sigh as he ran his hands across his tired face. The expression of utter disbelief that Jason had worn as he stormed out of the room earlier haunted Joseph. Why hadn't he given credence to his son's words? All Jason said about Anthony being the one to make things personal was more than true, yet Joseph wasn't able to get past the idea that Jason was having an affair with Anthony's wife. That thought was like a menacing force that clouded everything in Joseph's mind. While he knew that neither was tied to the other at the moment, he couldn't find a way to separate them in his head. He had so many fragmented thoughts running rampant through his brain and they all centered on Elizabeth Malucci. It amazed Joseph that a girl he barely knew had turned his world, his son's and that of his dearest friend upside down. It was almost as though Elizabeth possessed some whirlwind force that enveloped all three men. Joseph pulled the tickets to that night's theater performance from their envelope. He hoped that for one night he could get lost in the sweet world of Neil Simon's words and forget the job that had been laid at his feet.
Emily knew she was playing with fire as she placed a call to the Malucci estate. This fire had the potential to ignite into a full-scale inferno yet Emily wasn't able to stop herself from playing matchmaker. For too many years now, she had watched Jason walk through his life without ever truly experiencing all the joys it had to offer. It was about time for that to change and Emily had decided she knew just how to get the ball rolling. "Elizabeth Malucci please," Emily said to the servant's voice that answered the phone.
"Hello."
"Hi Elizabeth, it's Emily."
"Hi."
"I have some good news and some bad news," Emily laughed.
"Good news first please."
"The band we are interested in booking for the benefit is playing at Blue Chicago tonight."
"Great – what's the bad news?"
"This is the last night they are there and if we don't get to hear them they won't be back in the area until a couple days before the benefit. We'll need to get to the club tonight. I know it's short notice....."
"That's not a problem." Elizabeth cut her off mid sentence.
"Really? Are you sure that you can make it?"
"Yes. I will just have to make sure that Rocco is set for the evening. Even though he's been trying to hide it, I can tell he's been feeling a bit under the weather. I just want to make sure the staff is aware of how to get in touch with me."
"That will be great. I will call the club and see about reserving a table for us. You are familiar with where the club is, right?"
"Yes, yes I am." Elizabeth smiled. Blue Chicago was just around the corner from the Best Western River North – the site of her first of many encounters with Jason.
"Great. What do you say to meeting there at nine-thirty?"
"That will work for me."
"Great. See you then." Emily placed the receiver in its cradle and smiled to herself. The first steps in her plan had been taken. Now all she had to do was to get Jason to the club without arousing her already suspicious father.
Elizabeth found Rocco sitting quietly in the solarium looking over a few files that Enrico had brought to him from the office of Malucci Manufacturing. "You're not over doing it are you?" she asked softly as she came to stand beside his chair.
He removed his glasses and gave Elizabeth a brilliant smile. Now that he was secure in the fact that she would always be protected, he was able to rest a little easier. "No," he assured her. "I am actually just reviewing our contracts with Matthews Construction. Once the benefit is over, we will be breaking ground for the new Coronary Care Unit. I was just making sure that Anthony dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's."
"And?" Elizabeth asked knowing her husband never followed any set of rules but his own.
"So far so good."
"That surprises me," she remarked offhandedly. "Isn't AJ Morgan married to Mr. Matthews' daughter Courtney?"
"Yes he is....."
"Well, knowing how much Anthony despises the Morgan family, I can't believe that he agreed to work with Matthews Construction."
"He didn't. I did," Rocco stated firmly. "Matthews Construction has a fine reputation and they were the best candidate for this type of project. Not to mention that AJ Morgan has brought a great deal of business savvy to the company. Jack Matthews is a lucky man."
"I would have thought that AJ would have gone to work with his father at Morgan Enterprises," Elizabeth questioned. She was curious as to why both of Joseph Morgan's sons weren't at the helm of his company.
"AJ wanted to make it on his own," Rocco offered without revealing the whole sorted truth about AJ's absence from the family business.
"I guess it's lucky for Joseph that he had two sons." Elizabeth laughed thinking about how lucky she had also been.
"Yes. Jason has been quite helpful in his father's business endeavors."
"I don't know him all that well," Elizabeth lied. "He has been to a few of the benefit meetings, but for what I have seen of him he is a generous man."
"Like father, like son. Too bad I can't say the same for my own son." Rocco tried to hide the disappointment he felt for how poorly Anthony had turned out.
Elizabeth rested her hands gently on the older man's shoulders. It was easy to see how badly Anthony's total disregard for his father and the codes he had been taught affected Rocco Malucci. "It's not your fault, Rocco," Elizabeth whispered softly.
"Who else is there to blame?" he gasped. "It was I who was to mold Anthony into the next Capo for this family. I have failed miserably. While Joseph has sons he can be proud to call his own, I have one who shames me at every turn."
"It's not your fault," Elizabeth said again. "You can't control the uncontrollable."
"Elizabeth," Rocco reached for her delicate hands. "You are mistaken. In this business, domination is everything. If I am unable to control my own flesh and blood, well," he sighed heavily, "that doesn't speak too highly of me."
Elizabeth was at a loss for words. The man that she had grown to love like a father sat before her hurting and she didn't know what to do to help him. "I'm sorry," she whispered gently kissing his cheek.
"No child, it is I who is sorry. This isn't your burden. It's mine. Just being my son's wife is burden enough for you. You look nice this evening," he said suddenly taking notice of the black sequined cocktail dress that clung to her petite frame. "Where are you off to this evening?"
"Well I was going to Chicago Blue to meet Emily so that we could finally get the band booked for the benefit but I think I will call and cancel."
"Nonsense!"
"Rocco I would feel much better if I just stayed home with you tonight."
"There is no need for you to keep an old fool company. Besides you said this was for the benefit did you not?"
"Yes, so?"
"You go. I need to be sure that Malucci Manufacturing is well represented for this function and you are a lovely representative by far." Elizabeth blushed at his kind words. "Not to mention that you are already dressed to go."
"You are sure you wouldn't prefer that I stayed with you?"
"GO!" Rocco said forcefully as he attempted to hide a smile.
"I will have my cell phone on all night. If you need anything, have Helena call me right away."
"I won't need anything," he assured her.
"Have her call me," Elizabeth repeated as she made her way toward the door.
Rocco watched his daughter in law leave the room. He was sorry that she was tied to his son, but thankful just the same that she had entered his own life.
Joseph rattled around his study as he waited for Cassandra to finish getting ready for their evening on the town. His encounter with Jason that afternoon left him unsettled, as did the fact that his own son had yet to return home. Joseph's obvious thought was that Jason had found his way into Elizabeth's arms once again. He pulled back the drapes and his eyes were drawn to the crystal clear water of the elaborate pool off the terrace. That's where it had all started. One innocent request from Rocco Malucci had escalated into an all out love affair. All Joseph could do was shake his head in disgust.
"I was told you wanted to speak with me." Jason's hardened voice startled his father.
"Yes. Where have you been all this time?" There was no stopping the edge that Joseph's own voice held.
"What – you mean to tell me I finally lost your ever present tail?" Jason smirked still angered by his father's nonchalant dismissal of his earlier concerns.
"I don't want to have you followed."
"Then don't!"
"If you aren't going to look out for your own welfare, then someone must do it."
"My welfare?"
"Yes."
"What a joke!" Jason would have laughed if there had been something even slightly funny about all of this.
"Jason," Joseph sighed as he crossed the room to stand before his son. "I don't want to argue with you."
"Oh really?" To Jason that's all they every seemed to do anymore.
"Yes really. Can't you just admit that what you are doing with Anthony's wife is wrong?" The older Morgan asked as desperation filled his voice. "That, in essence, you are asking for a war even greater than the one Anthony is already waging?"
Jason stood silent knowing the answer his father wanted to hear, knowing the answer was what his head continually shouted, but he couldn't bring his lips to form the words. He couldn't let himself say out loud that his falling in love with another man's wife was wrong, not when it felt so right.
"Jason."
"I don't know how to answer that." That was the best Jason could offer his father.
"But son, I think that you do."
"Not with an answer that you would find acceptable," Jason countered.
"Why are you being so blind?"
"I'm not – not as blind as you are. I brought you clear, concrete evidence that Anthony is up to his old tricks but rather than act on it in the manner in which I expected you to, you question my intentions."
Joseph saw the same pained expression cloud Jason's features again as he spoke. "I...it's not..." Joseph searched for some way, any way to apologize to his son but that apology wouldn't come.
"It's not what?" Jason forced.
"I will handle Anthony in due time."
"You've been saying that for months now, but still you sit on your hands and let him run roughshod over this family. I don't understand that!" Jason let out a frustrated groan.
"Thank you for bringing Anthony's indiscretions to my attention."
"INDISCRETIONS!?" Jason nearly bellowed. "Stealing was never an indiscretion that you would tolerate before. So why are you doing it know, and don't tell me it has anything to do with Elizabeth."
"Well that certainly complicates things, wouldn't you agree?" Joseph shot back feeling as if he was losing another battle with his son.
"Complicates what?" Cassandra asked as she entered the study in the midst of the men's heated conversation.
"You look lovely darling." Joseph changed the subject without missing a beat.
"Thank you," Cassandra kissed her husband's cheek softly before continuing. "Complicate what?" she asked again.
"AJ's company is the construction firm is in charge of the expansion of the Coronary Care Unit. Since we are a major benefactor, it may appear as if there is a bit of nepotism taking place," Joseph offered.
Jason almost felt himself chuckle at his father's words. Joseph Morgan was as smooth as silk when it came to having an answer for everything.
"Nepotism has never been something you have never worried about in the past. Why are you starting now?" Cassandra asked believing that there was more to this exchange than her husband was letting on.
"Well it's more a concern for AJ than it is for me." Nice save Papa Jason thought to himself. "You know how adamant he is about not having any handouts from his father." For the first time, Jason heard a tiny hint of resentment in his father's voice for his eldest son.
"I'm so glad you are home Jase. I need you to do me a huge favor," Emily said bursting between the rest of her family.
"What?" Jason asked as all eyes were now drawn to Emily.
"I need you to hear a blues band play at Blue Chicago tonight."
"What?" Jason returned. He was more than a bit puzzled.
"This is the only night that Willie Kent & the Gents will be playing and they are the band that I am trying to book to play at the charity benefit."
"Why can't you go?" Jason asked. He wasn't really in the mood to sit in some smoke filled bar that night.
"There was a mix up with the flowers for the wedding....."
"What?" Cassandra added her voice to a conversation that up until that point she had had no interest in.
"The orchids that we wanted," Emily turned toward her mother, "were ruined somehow or another. Apparently there was a problem with the greenhouse and the crop that was slated for our wedding. I don't really know all the details. All I do know is that Zander and I have to start from scratch." Emily shifted uneasily. She had never been all that good at lying.
"Oh Emily," Cassandra cried. "I should join the two of you. It took us weeks to pick out just the right arrangements......"
"Cassandra," Joseph interjected, "we have dinner theater tickets for this evening."
"Mama please, you have done so much already for this wedding. You deserve a night out to relax. I promise that we won't make any final decisions without you." Emily smiled.
"Dear we are already going to be late as it is," Joseph sighed.
"Jason would you please do this for me?" Emily heard herself beg.
"I'm not really into blues. I don't think I would be the best person to send...."
"I don't have anyone else," she gasped.
"A blues band for a charity benefit?" Jason rolled his eyes with a questioning tone. "What exactly do you have in mind for this event anyway?"
"It's a Mardi Gras theme."
"Mardi Gras?" Joseph said before any of the others were able to.
"Yes. You said Rocco was looking for a younger image. Well I found it. Jason please...please just do me this favor." Emily reached for her brother the way she had when they were younger and she wanted Jason to do something he didn't want to. "Please..."
"All right, all right already. I'll go."
"Thank you, thank you. You are a lifesaver." Emily kissed Jason as she tried not to make eye contact with her father. Even without looking, she could feel his eyes staring her down. In her own roundabout way, Emily had defied him. She was more than certain Joseph would be less than pleased about that fact.
Jason paid his ten-dollar cover at the door and stepped inside a club that wasn't much more than a hole in the wall. Tables lined his right and a bar full of stools was to his left. There was a small dance floor and a bank of booths just to the left of that. Jason couldn't imagine why his sister had decided on a blues band or why she felt that he would be a good judge of them. His confusion lasted until he looked up to see Elizabeth sitting at the table Emily had said would be reserved for him.
"Yes?" he finally responded.
"Those theater tickets you were waiting for have arrived. Would you like me to bring them in or would you prefer to have them sent home?"
"Bring them in."
"Right away sir."
Joseph had pulled some strings in obtaining tickets to a performance of Barefoot in the Park that was playing at the Stage Right Dinner Theater. He thought the lighthearted comedy about newlyweds in Central Park would help him to forget the dark clouds dangling above his head. Those clouds had become even more ominous with the information that Jason had just laid at his feet. Joseph opened the folders in front of him again. The facts and figures were undeniable. Anthony Malucci was doing to Joseph's organization what he had accused the Morgans of doing. Anthony was practically raping them.
"Here you are Mr. Morgan," Rita said as she handed him the messenger envelope.
"Thank you Rita. Is Jason in his office?" Joseph asked.
"I'm not sure. Would you like me to call him for you?" she returned politely.
"Yes. I would like to speak with him."
"Right away sir."
Joseph leaned back in his chair and tried to decide what he would say to his son. He knew that Jason had spoken the truth earlier. Joseph was certain that Anthony needed to pay for his lack of respect. And even though Rocco had given him carte blanche to do as he saw fit, something held him back.
"Excuse me, Mr. Morgan." Rita's voice permeated the room once again.
"Yes?" Joseph said waiting for her response.
"Jason has gone for the day."
"Thank you Rita." Joseph heard a note of defeat in his tone.
"Will there be anything else sir?" she asked.
"No, thank you."
Joseph let out a heavy sigh as he ran his hands across his tired face. The expression of utter disbelief that Jason had worn as he stormed out of the room earlier haunted Joseph. Why hadn't he given credence to his son's words? All Jason said about Anthony being the one to make things personal was more than true, yet Joseph wasn't able to get past the idea that Jason was having an affair with Anthony's wife. That thought was like a menacing force that clouded everything in Joseph's mind. While he knew that neither was tied to the other at the moment, he couldn't find a way to separate them in his head. He had so many fragmented thoughts running rampant through his brain and they all centered on Elizabeth Malucci. It amazed Joseph that a girl he barely knew had turned his world, his son's and that of his dearest friend upside down. It was almost as though Elizabeth possessed some whirlwind force that enveloped all three men. Joseph pulled the tickets to that night's theater performance from their envelope. He hoped that for one night he could get lost in the sweet world of Neil Simon's words and forget the job that had been laid at his feet.
Emily knew she was playing with fire as she placed a call to the Malucci estate. This fire had the potential to ignite into a full-scale inferno yet Emily wasn't able to stop herself from playing matchmaker. For too many years now, she had watched Jason walk through his life without ever truly experiencing all the joys it had to offer. It was about time for that to change and Emily had decided she knew just how to get the ball rolling. "Elizabeth Malucci please," Emily said to the servant's voice that answered the phone.
"Hello."
"Hi Elizabeth, it's Emily."
"Hi."
"I have some good news and some bad news," Emily laughed.
"Good news first please."
"The band we are interested in booking for the benefit is playing at Blue Chicago tonight."
"Great – what's the bad news?"
"This is the last night they are there and if we don't get to hear them they won't be back in the area until a couple days before the benefit. We'll need to get to the club tonight. I know it's short notice....."
"That's not a problem." Elizabeth cut her off mid sentence.
"Really? Are you sure that you can make it?"
"Yes. I will just have to make sure that Rocco is set for the evening. Even though he's been trying to hide it, I can tell he's been feeling a bit under the weather. I just want to make sure the staff is aware of how to get in touch with me."
"That will be great. I will call the club and see about reserving a table for us. You are familiar with where the club is, right?"
"Yes, yes I am." Elizabeth smiled. Blue Chicago was just around the corner from the Best Western River North – the site of her first of many encounters with Jason.
"Great. What do you say to meeting there at nine-thirty?"
"That will work for me."
"Great. See you then." Emily placed the receiver in its cradle and smiled to herself. The first steps in her plan had been taken. Now all she had to do was to get Jason to the club without arousing her already suspicious father.
Elizabeth found Rocco sitting quietly in the solarium looking over a few files that Enrico had brought to him from the office of Malucci Manufacturing. "You're not over doing it are you?" she asked softly as she came to stand beside his chair.
He removed his glasses and gave Elizabeth a brilliant smile. Now that he was secure in the fact that she would always be protected, he was able to rest a little easier. "No," he assured her. "I am actually just reviewing our contracts with Matthews Construction. Once the benefit is over, we will be breaking ground for the new Coronary Care Unit. I was just making sure that Anthony dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's."
"And?" Elizabeth asked knowing her husband never followed any set of rules but his own.
"So far so good."
"That surprises me," she remarked offhandedly. "Isn't AJ Morgan married to Mr. Matthews' daughter Courtney?"
"Yes he is....."
"Well, knowing how much Anthony despises the Morgan family, I can't believe that he agreed to work with Matthews Construction."
"He didn't. I did," Rocco stated firmly. "Matthews Construction has a fine reputation and they were the best candidate for this type of project. Not to mention that AJ Morgan has brought a great deal of business savvy to the company. Jack Matthews is a lucky man."
"I would have thought that AJ would have gone to work with his father at Morgan Enterprises," Elizabeth questioned. She was curious as to why both of Joseph Morgan's sons weren't at the helm of his company.
"AJ wanted to make it on his own," Rocco offered without revealing the whole sorted truth about AJ's absence from the family business.
"I guess it's lucky for Joseph that he had two sons." Elizabeth laughed thinking about how lucky she had also been.
"Yes. Jason has been quite helpful in his father's business endeavors."
"I don't know him all that well," Elizabeth lied. "He has been to a few of the benefit meetings, but for what I have seen of him he is a generous man."
"Like father, like son. Too bad I can't say the same for my own son." Rocco tried to hide the disappointment he felt for how poorly Anthony had turned out.
Elizabeth rested her hands gently on the older man's shoulders. It was easy to see how badly Anthony's total disregard for his father and the codes he had been taught affected Rocco Malucci. "It's not your fault, Rocco," Elizabeth whispered softly.
"Who else is there to blame?" he gasped. "It was I who was to mold Anthony into the next Capo for this family. I have failed miserably. While Joseph has sons he can be proud to call his own, I have one who shames me at every turn."
"It's not your fault," Elizabeth said again. "You can't control the uncontrollable."
"Elizabeth," Rocco reached for her delicate hands. "You are mistaken. In this business, domination is everything. If I am unable to control my own flesh and blood, well," he sighed heavily, "that doesn't speak too highly of me."
Elizabeth was at a loss for words. The man that she had grown to love like a father sat before her hurting and she didn't know what to do to help him. "I'm sorry," she whispered gently kissing his cheek.
"No child, it is I who is sorry. This isn't your burden. It's mine. Just being my son's wife is burden enough for you. You look nice this evening," he said suddenly taking notice of the black sequined cocktail dress that clung to her petite frame. "Where are you off to this evening?"
"Well I was going to Chicago Blue to meet Emily so that we could finally get the band booked for the benefit but I think I will call and cancel."
"Nonsense!"
"Rocco I would feel much better if I just stayed home with you tonight."
"There is no need for you to keep an old fool company. Besides you said this was for the benefit did you not?"
"Yes, so?"
"You go. I need to be sure that Malucci Manufacturing is well represented for this function and you are a lovely representative by far." Elizabeth blushed at his kind words. "Not to mention that you are already dressed to go."
"You are sure you wouldn't prefer that I stayed with you?"
"GO!" Rocco said forcefully as he attempted to hide a smile.
"I will have my cell phone on all night. If you need anything, have Helena call me right away."
"I won't need anything," he assured her.
"Have her call me," Elizabeth repeated as she made her way toward the door.
Rocco watched his daughter in law leave the room. He was sorry that she was tied to his son, but thankful just the same that she had entered his own life.
Joseph rattled around his study as he waited for Cassandra to finish getting ready for their evening on the town. His encounter with Jason that afternoon left him unsettled, as did the fact that his own son had yet to return home. Joseph's obvious thought was that Jason had found his way into Elizabeth's arms once again. He pulled back the drapes and his eyes were drawn to the crystal clear water of the elaborate pool off the terrace. That's where it had all started. One innocent request from Rocco Malucci had escalated into an all out love affair. All Joseph could do was shake his head in disgust.
"I was told you wanted to speak with me." Jason's hardened voice startled his father.
"Yes. Where have you been all this time?" There was no stopping the edge that Joseph's own voice held.
"What – you mean to tell me I finally lost your ever present tail?" Jason smirked still angered by his father's nonchalant dismissal of his earlier concerns.
"I don't want to have you followed."
"Then don't!"
"If you aren't going to look out for your own welfare, then someone must do it."
"My welfare?"
"Yes."
"What a joke!" Jason would have laughed if there had been something even slightly funny about all of this.
"Jason," Joseph sighed as he crossed the room to stand before his son. "I don't want to argue with you."
"Oh really?" To Jason that's all they every seemed to do anymore.
"Yes really. Can't you just admit that what you are doing with Anthony's wife is wrong?" The older Morgan asked as desperation filled his voice. "That, in essence, you are asking for a war even greater than the one Anthony is already waging?"
Jason stood silent knowing the answer his father wanted to hear, knowing the answer was what his head continually shouted, but he couldn't bring his lips to form the words. He couldn't let himself say out loud that his falling in love with another man's wife was wrong, not when it felt so right.
"Jason."
"I don't know how to answer that." That was the best Jason could offer his father.
"But son, I think that you do."
"Not with an answer that you would find acceptable," Jason countered.
"Why are you being so blind?"
"I'm not – not as blind as you are. I brought you clear, concrete evidence that Anthony is up to his old tricks but rather than act on it in the manner in which I expected you to, you question my intentions."
Joseph saw the same pained expression cloud Jason's features again as he spoke. "I...it's not..." Joseph searched for some way, any way to apologize to his son but that apology wouldn't come.
"It's not what?" Jason forced.
"I will handle Anthony in due time."
"You've been saying that for months now, but still you sit on your hands and let him run roughshod over this family. I don't understand that!" Jason let out a frustrated groan.
"Thank you for bringing Anthony's indiscretions to my attention."
"INDISCRETIONS!?" Jason nearly bellowed. "Stealing was never an indiscretion that you would tolerate before. So why are you doing it know, and don't tell me it has anything to do with Elizabeth."
"Well that certainly complicates things, wouldn't you agree?" Joseph shot back feeling as if he was losing another battle with his son.
"Complicates what?" Cassandra asked as she entered the study in the midst of the men's heated conversation.
"You look lovely darling." Joseph changed the subject without missing a beat.
"Thank you," Cassandra kissed her husband's cheek softly before continuing. "Complicate what?" she asked again.
"AJ's company is the construction firm is in charge of the expansion of the Coronary Care Unit. Since we are a major benefactor, it may appear as if there is a bit of nepotism taking place," Joseph offered.
Jason almost felt himself chuckle at his father's words. Joseph Morgan was as smooth as silk when it came to having an answer for everything.
"Nepotism has never been something you have never worried about in the past. Why are you starting now?" Cassandra asked believing that there was more to this exchange than her husband was letting on.
"Well it's more a concern for AJ than it is for me." Nice save Papa Jason thought to himself. "You know how adamant he is about not having any handouts from his father." For the first time, Jason heard a tiny hint of resentment in his father's voice for his eldest son.
"I'm so glad you are home Jase. I need you to do me a huge favor," Emily said bursting between the rest of her family.
"What?" Jason asked as all eyes were now drawn to Emily.
"I need you to hear a blues band play at Blue Chicago tonight."
"What?" Jason returned. He was more than a bit puzzled.
"This is the only night that Willie Kent & the Gents will be playing and they are the band that I am trying to book to play at the charity benefit."
"Why can't you go?" Jason asked. He wasn't really in the mood to sit in some smoke filled bar that night.
"There was a mix up with the flowers for the wedding....."
"What?" Cassandra added her voice to a conversation that up until that point she had had no interest in.
"The orchids that we wanted," Emily turned toward her mother, "were ruined somehow or another. Apparently there was a problem with the greenhouse and the crop that was slated for our wedding. I don't really know all the details. All I do know is that Zander and I have to start from scratch." Emily shifted uneasily. She had never been all that good at lying.
"Oh Emily," Cassandra cried. "I should join the two of you. It took us weeks to pick out just the right arrangements......"
"Cassandra," Joseph interjected, "we have dinner theater tickets for this evening."
"Mama please, you have done so much already for this wedding. You deserve a night out to relax. I promise that we won't make any final decisions without you." Emily smiled.
"Dear we are already going to be late as it is," Joseph sighed.
"Jason would you please do this for me?" Emily heard herself beg.
"I'm not really into blues. I don't think I would be the best person to send...."
"I don't have anyone else," she gasped.
"A blues band for a charity benefit?" Jason rolled his eyes with a questioning tone. "What exactly do you have in mind for this event anyway?"
"It's a Mardi Gras theme."
"Mardi Gras?" Joseph said before any of the others were able to.
"Yes. You said Rocco was looking for a younger image. Well I found it. Jason please...please just do me this favor." Emily reached for her brother the way she had when they were younger and she wanted Jason to do something he didn't want to. "Please..."
"All right, all right already. I'll go."
"Thank you, thank you. You are a lifesaver." Emily kissed Jason as she tried not to make eye contact with her father. Even without looking, she could feel his eyes staring her down. In her own roundabout way, Emily had defied him. She was more than certain Joseph would be less than pleased about that fact.
Jason paid his ten-dollar cover at the door and stepped inside a club that wasn't much more than a hole in the wall. Tables lined his right and a bar full of stools was to his left. There was a small dance floor and a bank of booths just to the left of that. Jason couldn't imagine why his sister had decided on a blues band or why she felt that he would be a good judge of them. His confusion lasted until he looked up to see Elizabeth sitting at the table Emily had said would be reserved for him.