Jason handed the cab driver his fare as he turned to stare at his parked car. The thought of climbing behind the wheel and heading home wasn't something that appealed to him very much. Having to face Joseph for another barrage of questions or rather acquisitions didn't rank high on Jason's list of things to do that morning. So, rather than having to confront his father Jason crossed the busy street and made his way to the Rainforest Caf.
His eyes traveled the menu that the pretty young hostess handed him. Food was the last thing on Jason's mind but the diversion would prolong the inevitable confrontation he was trying to avoid. Absently, he gave his order to a waitress who was trying mercilessly to flirt with him. However, Jason's mind was too occupied with thoughts of Elizabeth and Anthony to even notice. As he sat there among the people that crowded the room, Jason longed to be anyone but who he was. The tables surrounding him were filled with young executives, college students and visitors to the city of Chicago. Jason's gaze was fixated on the young couple to the rear of the room. He wondered if that's what he and Elizabeth had looked like the night before. Had they appeared so oblivious to all that was going on around them? That must have been the case. Jason cursed himself again for letting himself and Elizabeth be made my Anthony's goon. No matter how hard Jason tried he couldn't remove his eyes from the young lovers. It was almost as though they mesmerized him. Jason watched the way they touched one another, how they kissed each other playfully without a care in the world. He wanted that desperately for Elizabeth and himself. He longed to be able to openly show her how much he loved her. He wanted to take carriage rides in the park with her, wanted to take her dancing or to a movie. Jason wanted to be able to do something as simple as walk down the street hand in hand with her.
Frustrated Jason brought his hand to message the knots that had taken up residence in the back of his neck. At that very moment, Jason craved the normal life that surrounded him. He yearned to be able to fade into the background of the world as the others in this room did. Jason wanted he and Elizabeth to be just an ordinary couple leading an ordinary life. Unfortunately the text book definition of ordinary fit neither the Morgan nor the Malucci family. While Jason's head knew that the things he wished for would never be possible, his heart still entertained the fantasy. A fantasy that was full of romantic endeavors with Elizabeth not just the stolen encounters that they had had up until now. She deserved so much more than this impossible situation was able to give her. They both did.
Jason took a long drink from his water glass and wondered why was it that he always came back to the same argument over and over again. Even when danger stared them square in the face he hadn't been able to walk away. Elizabeth had a pull so hard on him that it rivaled the moon's effect on the tides. All Jason could do was assess the damage last night had caused Elizabeth and do his best to insulate her from Anthony. It was that thought that forced Jason to shudder. Anthony was unpredictable and for that reason alone Jason knew that keeping Elizabeth safe would be a difficult task to say the least.
Jason tossed two twenty-dollar bills on the table and left the café before the food he ordered ever arrived. While sitting there helped him avoid his father, it wasn't doing anything for providing Elizabeth with the alibi Jason had promised her.
Quietly Jason slipped his key into the lock of the massive entry door to the Morgan home. He steeled himself for what he was sure would be a mammoth argument with his father. Jason was shocked not to find Joseph pacing the floor awaiting his son's arrival. He was instantly relieved. That relief vanished the second Jason heard his parents' voices drifting from the study.
"Cassandra, I would feel so much better if you would just go see Dr. Johnjulio."
"I am fine. There is no need for such nonsense," she countered.
"It's far from nonsense," Joseph retorted as the images of his wife almost being run down were still fresh in his mind.
"Please, can we not make more out of it than we need to?"
"I don't think wanting my wife to be seen by our family physician after almost being hit by a car is making too much out of things!" Joseph strained to remain calm.
Those last words readily caught Jason's attention as did the panic he heard in his father's tone serving to only heighten his own anxieties. He felt his grip on the doorjamb tighten as he continued to listen to the exchange going on behind the partially closed door.
"Joseph," Cassandra took her husband's hand gently in hers. "I am fine, really," she stressed.
"Look what I did to you." Joseph lifted her arm to showcase a large purple bruise on her forearm.
"You saved me," Cassandra countered as she attempted to alleviate the anguish she could hear in her husband's voice.
"I couldn't imagine anything happening to you... ..." Joseph pulled her against his chest.
Jason swallowed hard around the lump in his throat. While he knew very little about what actually happened it wasn't hard for him to understand that whatever it was had his father noticeably shaken. Jason pushed aside his own concerns about facing Joseph and entered the room. "Papa, I wanted to – oh I thought you were alone," Jason lied.
"What is it Jason?" Joseph asked as he wiped away any traces of his tears.
"Good morning, Mama," Jason kissed his mother as he ignored his father's question.
"How was your evening?" Cassandra asked.
"I could ask you the same. Did you enjoy the play?" Jason felt it odd that they were standing around making idle small talk after what he had just heard in secret.
"Yes, we enjoyed the play very much. Didn't we Joseph?" Cassandra turned to her husband.
"Yes – yes," he answered offhandedly.
"Mama, your arm," Jason stated when Cassandra turned giving him full view of the large bruise inflicted by Joseph's hand. "What happened?" Jason gently touched the black and blue mark.
"Some idiot ran a red light and nearly killed your mother!" Joseph nearly spat.
"What?"
"I think your father over aggregates."
"Hardly! If I hadn't pulled you out of the way who knows what would have happened. That's why I feel that you should have Dr. Johnjulio look you over... ..."
"Joseph," Cassandra interrupted, "How many times do I need to tell you that I am fine?"
"I think Papa is right," Jason interjected. "We would all feel better knowing that you are all right."
"Stop this, both of you. It was just a freak accident with no real harm done. I refuse to let you both baby me. It's only a bruise for heaven sakes!" Cassandra smiled as she leaned in to kiss both of them.
"But." Joseph began to speak again.
"Sshhh," she silenced him. "Not another word do you hear me? I have a wedding to finish planning. With that in mind, I need to speak with Emily about this whole orchid confusion."
"I actually need to talk to Emily myself," Jason said to his mother. "Why don't you enjoy breakfast with Papa first? Once I finish filling Emily in on the arrangements I ironed out last night for the blues band I will send her in to talk to you."
Now more than ever Jason needed to enact his plan. He had serious doubts that this was just the accident that his mother believed it to be. It reeked of Anthony Malucci. That idea heightened Jason's fears of what Anthony would have in store for Elizabeth. Jason found his sister sitting by the pool enjoying the beginnings of the morning sun. "We need to talk," Jason said as he came up behind her.
"About?" Emily countered shading her eyes to the sun and trying to hide the smile that threatened to take over her face.
"Well, first might I suggest that you come up with a hell of a lie to Mama. She thinks that she needs to do damage control with the florist. You and I both know that that's not the case." Jason stared at her sternly.
"How was the band?" Emily asked artfully ignoring Jason's remarks.
"Emily!" Jason countered frustrated.
"Well?"
"The band was fine."
"That's not what I mean and you know it!"
"Exactly what are you fishing for little sister?"
"Did you enjoy your date with Elizabeth?" Emily asked point blank.
"You shouldn't have done that," Jason stressed.
"Why? Wasn't Elizabeth glad to see you?" Emily sat up and turned to face her brother.
"That's not the point."
"She was happy then?" Emily pressed.
Jason toyed with how to answer that question. Elizabeth had been elated to see him as he had been at finding her sitting at the table reserved for him. While Jason was sure that Emily knew more of what was going on between he and Elizabeth than she should, he wasn't ready to show his hand just yet. "I don't know if I would say she was happy. I would say she was as shocked to find me as I was to find her." Jason arched his brow and waited for Emily to admit her role in the 'chance' meeting.
"Jason," Emily paused searching for the words she needed to express that she was on his side in all of this.
"Yes?"
"I know this isn't the most ideal situation but... ..."
"But what?"
"I just want to see you happy."
"What makes you think that Elizabeth Malucci makes me happy?" Jason threw up a hardened expression.
"Come on Jason," Emily countered sarcastically.
"What?"
"You can't fool me anymore than Elizabeth could. The attraction between the two of you is electric. A person would have to be blind not to see it."
"Weren't you the one spouting that she is a married woman?" Jason questioned leery of his sister's about face.
"Yes."
"Why the sudden change of heart?"
"Things aren't always what they seem, that's why."
"What?" Jason couldn't help being confused.
"Elizabeth's marriage to Anthony is a sham."
"What if it is? That really makes no difference. She's still married." Jason's head was finally getting to voice all the concepts his heart wouldn't listen to.
"Jason, Elizabeth is in love with you. Are you telling me that you don't love her?" Emily asked laying all of her cards on the table.
Jason looked away. "What does love have to do with this?"
"Everything!" Emily gasped grabbing Jason's hands.
"You are so naïve, Emily. I can't love Elizabeth," Jason lied. "All that your little match making did was put Elizabeth and not to mention this family in harm's way."
"What are you talking about?" Emily asked exasperated.
"It just so happens that Elizabeth's dear husband is having her followed. Our little 'chance' meeting was under the watchful eye of one of his men."
"Tell me you are kidding?"
"I wish I were Emily. I know you were trying to help but now I need you to do me a favor. I need you to call Elizabeth and apologize for leaving her high and dry last night. I need you to be sure that Anthony and Rocco understand that she had nothing to do with my showing up at the club last night."
"How do you want me to do that?"
"I am sure a resourceful girl like yourself can come up with one way or another."
"I'm sorry Jason," Emily almost whispered. "I didn't mean to make things harder for you and Elizabeth. I just thought that I was giving you an opportunity to be together."
"I know, Em, I know." Jason lightly kissed the top of her head.
"Jason," she hesitated. "I know you love Elizabeth as much as she loves you."
"Maybe, but right now that's the least of my problems." Jason walked away in search of his father before Emily could say anymore.
Pensively Jason entered his father's study. Joseph sat stoic behind his expansive desk his thoughts still centered on the events of the previous night. "Papa?"
"Yes?"
"I would like to discuss something with you."
"I'm not in the mood for another argument Jason."
"Neither am I," the younger Morgan concurred.
"What is it then?" Joseph relented and gestured for his son to take a seat.
Jason looked at his father whose worried expression was etched on his face. Jason's stomach churned. He knew that he was about to open up a can of worms with his words but he couldn't remove the idea that what happened to his mother the night before had been no accident. "Papa, would you like a drink?" Jason asked as he got up and made his way to the sideboard.
"Scotch is fine," Joseph answered. Jason set two glasses and the half-full bottle on the edge of the desk. He was certain that this conversation would be one that required more than just one drink. "You said you had something you wanted to discuss." Joseph took a long swig of the amber liquid.
"It's about what happened with you and Mama last night. Do you really think that it was just an accident?"
"What makes you think that it wasn't?" Joseph countered.
"You do?" Jason asked in sheer disbelief.
"Why shouldn't I?" Neither man wanted to divert from their noncommittal responses.
"Seems a bit fishy to me," Jason finally said.
"If you have something to say Jason, I suggest that you say it." Joseph narrowed his eyes and stared hard at his son.
"I can't help but think that this little 'accident' is the handy work of Anthony."
"So, we are back to that again are we?!" Joseph's voice resonated off the plaster walls. "Everything bad that happens to us is somehow tied to Anthony Malucci!?! Why can't it just be bad luck, or that your mother and I were in the wrong place at the wrong time?"
"Because you and I both know that in our business there is no such thing as bad luck or being in the wrong place at the wrong time!" Jason's own hard stare now met his father's.
Courtney navigated the cluttered construction site on her way to the on site office trailer. She had been trying for days to pull AJ away from his current project. Today Courtney had no intention of taking no for an answer. "Hello Mrs. Morgan," Pete, AJ's right hand man, said as Courtney stepped inside the trailer.
"Hi. You wouldn't happen to know where my husband might be hiding?" she joked.
"I think he's checking on a few of the sub contractors. There was some sort of dispute on scheduling."
"I was hoping to lure AJ away today for a long lunch. Pete, do you think you could help me convince him that for one afternoon this job can survive without him?" Courtney grinned sheepishly.
"I'll do my best, but you know AJ he's got to have his eye on everything."
"I know, I know," she agreed. "I guess I better go on my hunt for him. You said he might be with the subs?"
"Mrs. Morgan, why don't you let me go look for him? It's a hot one out there today. There's no need for you to be walking around the site in your condition. As soon as I find AJ I will send him down."
"Don't be silly. I have been playing on construction sites all my life. That shouldn't have to change just because I am pregnant."
"At least let me escort you," Pete suggested.
"Now how are we supposed to convince AJ this place can run without him if his best construction supervisor is ushering his wife around the yard?"
"I think he would be fine with it given the circumstances." Pete's eyes were drawn to the tiny bulge jutting out from beneath Courtney's sweater tank.
"You go back to work. I am capable of finding AJ all on my own."
Courtney wound her way through the maze of the construction materials that littered the ground. She had been doing this for the better part of her life. Looking around she recalled the many summers that she worked for her father on sites similar to this one. Courtney had been so eager to prove she was as good as any son that for a time she became rather good at swinging a hammer with the best of them. Shielding her eyes from the afternoon sun, she glanced around the site looking for where AJ might be. She found him exactly where Pete thought he would be. He was standing in the middle of several sub contractors doing his best to make everyone happy.
"Good afternoon gentlemen," Courtney said joining the group. Many of the faces were familiar to her. These men had been subbing for her father's company for many many years now.
"I hear congratulations are in order," a long time friend of the family smiled as he leaned in to kiss Courtney's cheek.
"Yes, yes," she agreed patting her stomach. "I was hoping to steal my husband away for some much needed baby shopping." Courtney turned to AJ and smiled. She was thrilled to have been able to back him into a corner. It wouldn't be so easy now for him to brush off her attempts at lunch after all of this.
"Courtney, sweetie, we are on a deadline here," AJ stuttered.
"Nonsense!" the older gentleman spouted. "Your beautiful wife needs you and well, AJ, take it from an old man who missed all of his children's births – enjoy this."
"Thank you," Courtney said. "I have been trying to tell him exactly the same thing."
"You go shopping with your wife."
"But we still haven't worked out the scheduling kinks...."
"We are big boys. We can manage for one afternoon without you." The burly old man chuckled.
AJ looked into Courtney's eyes and knew that there was no getting out of this one today. She had played her cards right. If he stayed he would never live it down. "Looks like you win." AJ threw his arms up in defeat. Courtney encircled AJ's waist with her arm satisfied in finally getting her way. "You know you didn't play fair," AJ kissed her softly.
"All's fair in love and war right?"
"Maybe. Now that you have me for the rest of the afternoon what do you plan on doing with me?" AJ nuzzled his wife's neck thinking that an afternoon lounging in bed together was a much better idea than traipsing to one baby store after another.
"Well I was thinking lunch might be a good place to start. This little one," Courtney brought AJ's hand to rest on her stomach, "is making mommy very hungry."
AJ felt his heart flutter as he rubbed his hand over the bulge in Courtney's stomach. There were times when this was all like a dream to him. They had been trying to have a child for nearly a year and he still had to pinch himself to realize that this was reality. "Well then lunch it is," he smiled. "Courtney, honey, I'm sorry."
"Sorry? For what?"
"Neglecting you. Ron's right, I should be enjoying every minute of this pregnancy. I just have so many things on my plate right now. I want to do a good job for your father... ..."
"And all he wants is for you to be a good father," Courtney interrupted him.
"I want that too. I want that too honey." AJ enveloped Courtney in his arms reveling in the love he had found with her.
"AJ!!! LOOK OUT MAN!!!!" Pete's voice cut through the airwaves like a shot.
Joseph and Jason continued to exchange hardened looks across the desk. Neither one backing down in the least. "You can't tell me that it hasn't crossed your mind that this was no accident?" Jason's question was more like a statement.
"What if it has?"
"Then I am sure that it has crossed your mind that Anthony has the most to gain by your demise."
"Why is it you think that Anthony Malucci is this family's only enemy?" Joseph countered forcefully.
"Because he's the only man asinine enough to think he could take on this family and win. He's the only one you have let the door open for one too many times!"
"I have left the door open?"
"Yes you! You have let your friendship with Rocco cloud your judgment where Anthony is concerned!"
"Oh isn't this rich? You are telling me I am the one with the clouded judgment! This coming from the man sleeping with Anthony's wife! If anyone opened the door to this is was you Jason!!"
"Why don't you get that this started long before I ever met Elizabeth!? Anthony has been a thorn in our sides for years now. You can't pin this all on me. You have to take some of the blame as well. Anthony can see that your weakness is Rocco. The loyalty you feel toward your long time friend is what Anthony is feeding on! That's what's put this family in jeopardy not anything that I have done with Elizabeth!!"
Joseph felt his blood boil with his son's acquisitions. "HOW DARE YOU ATTEMPT TO MINIMIZE YOUR PART IN ALL OF THIS!!"
"Like father like son," Jason shot back as the shrill tone of the ringing phone joined the noises in the room.
"WHAT?!" Joseph barked into the receiver. "What do you mean there's been an accident at the construction site? I'm on my way." Joseph sped from the room with Jason hot on his heals.
His eyes traveled the menu that the pretty young hostess handed him. Food was the last thing on Jason's mind but the diversion would prolong the inevitable confrontation he was trying to avoid. Absently, he gave his order to a waitress who was trying mercilessly to flirt with him. However, Jason's mind was too occupied with thoughts of Elizabeth and Anthony to even notice. As he sat there among the people that crowded the room, Jason longed to be anyone but who he was. The tables surrounding him were filled with young executives, college students and visitors to the city of Chicago. Jason's gaze was fixated on the young couple to the rear of the room. He wondered if that's what he and Elizabeth had looked like the night before. Had they appeared so oblivious to all that was going on around them? That must have been the case. Jason cursed himself again for letting himself and Elizabeth be made my Anthony's goon. No matter how hard Jason tried he couldn't remove his eyes from the young lovers. It was almost as though they mesmerized him. Jason watched the way they touched one another, how they kissed each other playfully without a care in the world. He wanted that desperately for Elizabeth and himself. He longed to be able to openly show her how much he loved her. He wanted to take carriage rides in the park with her, wanted to take her dancing or to a movie. Jason wanted to be able to do something as simple as walk down the street hand in hand with her.
Frustrated Jason brought his hand to message the knots that had taken up residence in the back of his neck. At that very moment, Jason craved the normal life that surrounded him. He yearned to be able to fade into the background of the world as the others in this room did. Jason wanted he and Elizabeth to be just an ordinary couple leading an ordinary life. Unfortunately the text book definition of ordinary fit neither the Morgan nor the Malucci family. While Jason's head knew that the things he wished for would never be possible, his heart still entertained the fantasy. A fantasy that was full of romantic endeavors with Elizabeth not just the stolen encounters that they had had up until now. She deserved so much more than this impossible situation was able to give her. They both did.
Jason took a long drink from his water glass and wondered why was it that he always came back to the same argument over and over again. Even when danger stared them square in the face he hadn't been able to walk away. Elizabeth had a pull so hard on him that it rivaled the moon's effect on the tides. All Jason could do was assess the damage last night had caused Elizabeth and do his best to insulate her from Anthony. It was that thought that forced Jason to shudder. Anthony was unpredictable and for that reason alone Jason knew that keeping Elizabeth safe would be a difficult task to say the least.
Jason tossed two twenty-dollar bills on the table and left the café before the food he ordered ever arrived. While sitting there helped him avoid his father, it wasn't doing anything for providing Elizabeth with the alibi Jason had promised her.
Quietly Jason slipped his key into the lock of the massive entry door to the Morgan home. He steeled himself for what he was sure would be a mammoth argument with his father. Jason was shocked not to find Joseph pacing the floor awaiting his son's arrival. He was instantly relieved. That relief vanished the second Jason heard his parents' voices drifting from the study.
"Cassandra, I would feel so much better if you would just go see Dr. Johnjulio."
"I am fine. There is no need for such nonsense," she countered.
"It's far from nonsense," Joseph retorted as the images of his wife almost being run down were still fresh in his mind.
"Please, can we not make more out of it than we need to?"
"I don't think wanting my wife to be seen by our family physician after almost being hit by a car is making too much out of things!" Joseph strained to remain calm.
Those last words readily caught Jason's attention as did the panic he heard in his father's tone serving to only heighten his own anxieties. He felt his grip on the doorjamb tighten as he continued to listen to the exchange going on behind the partially closed door.
"Joseph," Cassandra took her husband's hand gently in hers. "I am fine, really," she stressed.
"Look what I did to you." Joseph lifted her arm to showcase a large purple bruise on her forearm.
"You saved me," Cassandra countered as she attempted to alleviate the anguish she could hear in her husband's voice.
"I couldn't imagine anything happening to you... ..." Joseph pulled her against his chest.
Jason swallowed hard around the lump in his throat. While he knew very little about what actually happened it wasn't hard for him to understand that whatever it was had his father noticeably shaken. Jason pushed aside his own concerns about facing Joseph and entered the room. "Papa, I wanted to – oh I thought you were alone," Jason lied.
"What is it Jason?" Joseph asked as he wiped away any traces of his tears.
"Good morning, Mama," Jason kissed his mother as he ignored his father's question.
"How was your evening?" Cassandra asked.
"I could ask you the same. Did you enjoy the play?" Jason felt it odd that they were standing around making idle small talk after what he had just heard in secret.
"Yes, we enjoyed the play very much. Didn't we Joseph?" Cassandra turned to her husband.
"Yes – yes," he answered offhandedly.
"Mama, your arm," Jason stated when Cassandra turned giving him full view of the large bruise inflicted by Joseph's hand. "What happened?" Jason gently touched the black and blue mark.
"Some idiot ran a red light and nearly killed your mother!" Joseph nearly spat.
"What?"
"I think your father over aggregates."
"Hardly! If I hadn't pulled you out of the way who knows what would have happened. That's why I feel that you should have Dr. Johnjulio look you over... ..."
"Joseph," Cassandra interrupted, "How many times do I need to tell you that I am fine?"
"I think Papa is right," Jason interjected. "We would all feel better knowing that you are all right."
"Stop this, both of you. It was just a freak accident with no real harm done. I refuse to let you both baby me. It's only a bruise for heaven sakes!" Cassandra smiled as she leaned in to kiss both of them.
"But." Joseph began to speak again.
"Sshhh," she silenced him. "Not another word do you hear me? I have a wedding to finish planning. With that in mind, I need to speak with Emily about this whole orchid confusion."
"I actually need to talk to Emily myself," Jason said to his mother. "Why don't you enjoy breakfast with Papa first? Once I finish filling Emily in on the arrangements I ironed out last night for the blues band I will send her in to talk to you."
Now more than ever Jason needed to enact his plan. He had serious doubts that this was just the accident that his mother believed it to be. It reeked of Anthony Malucci. That idea heightened Jason's fears of what Anthony would have in store for Elizabeth. Jason found his sister sitting by the pool enjoying the beginnings of the morning sun. "We need to talk," Jason said as he came up behind her.
"About?" Emily countered shading her eyes to the sun and trying to hide the smile that threatened to take over her face.
"Well, first might I suggest that you come up with a hell of a lie to Mama. She thinks that she needs to do damage control with the florist. You and I both know that that's not the case." Jason stared at her sternly.
"How was the band?" Emily asked artfully ignoring Jason's remarks.
"Emily!" Jason countered frustrated.
"Well?"
"The band was fine."
"That's not what I mean and you know it!"
"Exactly what are you fishing for little sister?"
"Did you enjoy your date with Elizabeth?" Emily asked point blank.
"You shouldn't have done that," Jason stressed.
"Why? Wasn't Elizabeth glad to see you?" Emily sat up and turned to face her brother.
"That's not the point."
"She was happy then?" Emily pressed.
Jason toyed with how to answer that question. Elizabeth had been elated to see him as he had been at finding her sitting at the table reserved for him. While Jason was sure that Emily knew more of what was going on between he and Elizabeth than she should, he wasn't ready to show his hand just yet. "I don't know if I would say she was happy. I would say she was as shocked to find me as I was to find her." Jason arched his brow and waited for Emily to admit her role in the 'chance' meeting.
"Jason," Emily paused searching for the words she needed to express that she was on his side in all of this.
"Yes?"
"I know this isn't the most ideal situation but... ..."
"But what?"
"I just want to see you happy."
"What makes you think that Elizabeth Malucci makes me happy?" Jason threw up a hardened expression.
"Come on Jason," Emily countered sarcastically.
"What?"
"You can't fool me anymore than Elizabeth could. The attraction between the two of you is electric. A person would have to be blind not to see it."
"Weren't you the one spouting that she is a married woman?" Jason questioned leery of his sister's about face.
"Yes."
"Why the sudden change of heart?"
"Things aren't always what they seem, that's why."
"What?" Jason couldn't help being confused.
"Elizabeth's marriage to Anthony is a sham."
"What if it is? That really makes no difference. She's still married." Jason's head was finally getting to voice all the concepts his heart wouldn't listen to.
"Jason, Elizabeth is in love with you. Are you telling me that you don't love her?" Emily asked laying all of her cards on the table.
Jason looked away. "What does love have to do with this?"
"Everything!" Emily gasped grabbing Jason's hands.
"You are so naïve, Emily. I can't love Elizabeth," Jason lied. "All that your little match making did was put Elizabeth and not to mention this family in harm's way."
"What are you talking about?" Emily asked exasperated.
"It just so happens that Elizabeth's dear husband is having her followed. Our little 'chance' meeting was under the watchful eye of one of his men."
"Tell me you are kidding?"
"I wish I were Emily. I know you were trying to help but now I need you to do me a favor. I need you to call Elizabeth and apologize for leaving her high and dry last night. I need you to be sure that Anthony and Rocco understand that she had nothing to do with my showing up at the club last night."
"How do you want me to do that?"
"I am sure a resourceful girl like yourself can come up with one way or another."
"I'm sorry Jason," Emily almost whispered. "I didn't mean to make things harder for you and Elizabeth. I just thought that I was giving you an opportunity to be together."
"I know, Em, I know." Jason lightly kissed the top of her head.
"Jason," she hesitated. "I know you love Elizabeth as much as she loves you."
"Maybe, but right now that's the least of my problems." Jason walked away in search of his father before Emily could say anymore.
Pensively Jason entered his father's study. Joseph sat stoic behind his expansive desk his thoughts still centered on the events of the previous night. "Papa?"
"Yes?"
"I would like to discuss something with you."
"I'm not in the mood for another argument Jason."
"Neither am I," the younger Morgan concurred.
"What is it then?" Joseph relented and gestured for his son to take a seat.
Jason looked at his father whose worried expression was etched on his face. Jason's stomach churned. He knew that he was about to open up a can of worms with his words but he couldn't remove the idea that what happened to his mother the night before had been no accident. "Papa, would you like a drink?" Jason asked as he got up and made his way to the sideboard.
"Scotch is fine," Joseph answered. Jason set two glasses and the half-full bottle on the edge of the desk. He was certain that this conversation would be one that required more than just one drink. "You said you had something you wanted to discuss." Joseph took a long swig of the amber liquid.
"It's about what happened with you and Mama last night. Do you really think that it was just an accident?"
"What makes you think that it wasn't?" Joseph countered.
"You do?" Jason asked in sheer disbelief.
"Why shouldn't I?" Neither man wanted to divert from their noncommittal responses.
"Seems a bit fishy to me," Jason finally said.
"If you have something to say Jason, I suggest that you say it." Joseph narrowed his eyes and stared hard at his son.
"I can't help but think that this little 'accident' is the handy work of Anthony."
"So, we are back to that again are we?!" Joseph's voice resonated off the plaster walls. "Everything bad that happens to us is somehow tied to Anthony Malucci!?! Why can't it just be bad luck, or that your mother and I were in the wrong place at the wrong time?"
"Because you and I both know that in our business there is no such thing as bad luck or being in the wrong place at the wrong time!" Jason's own hard stare now met his father's.
Courtney navigated the cluttered construction site on her way to the on site office trailer. She had been trying for days to pull AJ away from his current project. Today Courtney had no intention of taking no for an answer. "Hello Mrs. Morgan," Pete, AJ's right hand man, said as Courtney stepped inside the trailer.
"Hi. You wouldn't happen to know where my husband might be hiding?" she joked.
"I think he's checking on a few of the sub contractors. There was some sort of dispute on scheduling."
"I was hoping to lure AJ away today for a long lunch. Pete, do you think you could help me convince him that for one afternoon this job can survive without him?" Courtney grinned sheepishly.
"I'll do my best, but you know AJ he's got to have his eye on everything."
"I know, I know," she agreed. "I guess I better go on my hunt for him. You said he might be with the subs?"
"Mrs. Morgan, why don't you let me go look for him? It's a hot one out there today. There's no need for you to be walking around the site in your condition. As soon as I find AJ I will send him down."
"Don't be silly. I have been playing on construction sites all my life. That shouldn't have to change just because I am pregnant."
"At least let me escort you," Pete suggested.
"Now how are we supposed to convince AJ this place can run without him if his best construction supervisor is ushering his wife around the yard?"
"I think he would be fine with it given the circumstances." Pete's eyes were drawn to the tiny bulge jutting out from beneath Courtney's sweater tank.
"You go back to work. I am capable of finding AJ all on my own."
Courtney wound her way through the maze of the construction materials that littered the ground. She had been doing this for the better part of her life. Looking around she recalled the many summers that she worked for her father on sites similar to this one. Courtney had been so eager to prove she was as good as any son that for a time she became rather good at swinging a hammer with the best of them. Shielding her eyes from the afternoon sun, she glanced around the site looking for where AJ might be. She found him exactly where Pete thought he would be. He was standing in the middle of several sub contractors doing his best to make everyone happy.
"Good afternoon gentlemen," Courtney said joining the group. Many of the faces were familiar to her. These men had been subbing for her father's company for many many years now.
"I hear congratulations are in order," a long time friend of the family smiled as he leaned in to kiss Courtney's cheek.
"Yes, yes," she agreed patting her stomach. "I was hoping to steal my husband away for some much needed baby shopping." Courtney turned to AJ and smiled. She was thrilled to have been able to back him into a corner. It wouldn't be so easy now for him to brush off her attempts at lunch after all of this.
"Courtney, sweetie, we are on a deadline here," AJ stuttered.
"Nonsense!" the older gentleman spouted. "Your beautiful wife needs you and well, AJ, take it from an old man who missed all of his children's births – enjoy this."
"Thank you," Courtney said. "I have been trying to tell him exactly the same thing."
"You go shopping with your wife."
"But we still haven't worked out the scheduling kinks...."
"We are big boys. We can manage for one afternoon without you." The burly old man chuckled.
AJ looked into Courtney's eyes and knew that there was no getting out of this one today. She had played her cards right. If he stayed he would never live it down. "Looks like you win." AJ threw his arms up in defeat. Courtney encircled AJ's waist with her arm satisfied in finally getting her way. "You know you didn't play fair," AJ kissed her softly.
"All's fair in love and war right?"
"Maybe. Now that you have me for the rest of the afternoon what do you plan on doing with me?" AJ nuzzled his wife's neck thinking that an afternoon lounging in bed together was a much better idea than traipsing to one baby store after another.
"Well I was thinking lunch might be a good place to start. This little one," Courtney brought AJ's hand to rest on her stomach, "is making mommy very hungry."
AJ felt his heart flutter as he rubbed his hand over the bulge in Courtney's stomach. There were times when this was all like a dream to him. They had been trying to have a child for nearly a year and he still had to pinch himself to realize that this was reality. "Well then lunch it is," he smiled. "Courtney, honey, I'm sorry."
"Sorry? For what?"
"Neglecting you. Ron's right, I should be enjoying every minute of this pregnancy. I just have so many things on my plate right now. I want to do a good job for your father... ..."
"And all he wants is for you to be a good father," Courtney interrupted him.
"I want that too. I want that too honey." AJ enveloped Courtney in his arms reveling in the love he had found with her.
"AJ!!! LOOK OUT MAN!!!!" Pete's voice cut through the airwaves like a shot.
Joseph and Jason continued to exchange hardened looks across the desk. Neither one backing down in the least. "You can't tell me that it hasn't crossed your mind that this was no accident?" Jason's question was more like a statement.
"What if it has?"
"Then I am sure that it has crossed your mind that Anthony has the most to gain by your demise."
"Why is it you think that Anthony Malucci is this family's only enemy?" Joseph countered forcefully.
"Because he's the only man asinine enough to think he could take on this family and win. He's the only one you have let the door open for one too many times!"
"I have left the door open?"
"Yes you! You have let your friendship with Rocco cloud your judgment where Anthony is concerned!"
"Oh isn't this rich? You are telling me I am the one with the clouded judgment! This coming from the man sleeping with Anthony's wife! If anyone opened the door to this is was you Jason!!"
"Why don't you get that this started long before I ever met Elizabeth!? Anthony has been a thorn in our sides for years now. You can't pin this all on me. You have to take some of the blame as well. Anthony can see that your weakness is Rocco. The loyalty you feel toward your long time friend is what Anthony is feeding on! That's what's put this family in jeopardy not anything that I have done with Elizabeth!!"
Joseph felt his blood boil with his son's acquisitions. "HOW DARE YOU ATTEMPT TO MINIMIZE YOUR PART IN ALL OF THIS!!"
"Like father like son," Jason shot back as the shrill tone of the ringing phone joined the noises in the room.
"WHAT?!" Joseph barked into the receiver. "What do you mean there's been an accident at the construction site? I'm on my way." Joseph sped from the room with Jason hot on his heals.