Rocco sat patiently collecting his thoughts as he waited for Anthony
to join him in his study. Rocco still wanted to believe that Anthony
hadn't been party to the events that had cost Joseph Morgan his first
grandchild. Given the scene he had just witnessed between Elizabeth and
Anthony, however, he knew that wasn't the case at all. He had heard his
son's mock denial of the crime but Rocco wasn't buying it any more than
Elizabeth had. He felt his chest constrict around his heart. For once he
knew it wasn't his illness causing the pain. This pain had been brought on
by the miserable excuse for a son Rocco had raised.
How had Anthony become so twisted Rocco asked himself? How had he lost sight of all of the things that made the world that encircled them work? Rocco shook his head and wished for an answer. He was flabbergasted that Anthony was cold and callous enough to use a woman and an unborn child as pawns in his elaborate chess game. That was the part in all of this that Rocco was unable to forgive or forget. Such things were never done. A woman and child were to be revered. They were never to be used as a means to an end.
"You wanted to discuss business?" Anthony asked when he finally entered the room.
"Yes I did."
"Well, what is it?" Anthony huffed impatiently. He was anxious to get the next leg of his plan put in motion. The last thing that he wanted to be doing was making nice with his father.
"I am sure you have heard of the tragedy that has befallen Joseph and his family."
"Some accident or something like that," Anthony said nonchalantly as he wondered where his father was headed with his remarks.
"It was more than just some accident. AJ's wife lost a baby!" Rocco stressed resisting the urge to snap his son's neck.
"I hadn't heard that," Anthony lied.
"Well now you have. We need to mobilize our men... ..."
"What for?" Anthony cut Rocco off in mid-sentence.
"To seek retribution for what has happened to Joseph's family," Rocco said matter of fact.
"WHAT?!?" Anthony's anger began to boil.
"You heard me. If the tables were turned and it had been your wife who had lost a child, Joseph and his crew would be right here doing the same for us."
"Hardly!" Anthony shot back. "Jason and his father would be dancing on my child's grave!"
Rocco clenched his hands at his side and forced down the words he wanted to say from coming out of his mouth. He wanted to shout 'No son that's what you are doing!' but stopped himself. "You don't believe that anymore than I do, Anthony. Yes, you and the Morgans have your differences, but in a time of crisis we all need to come together as one."
"What crisis!?!" Anthony flamed.
"The one that I see happening all around me," Rocco countered pointedly.
Anthony stared at his father carefully in an attempt to gauge just how much Rocco did or didn't know about who had been behind the accident that had claimed AJ Morgan's child. "Exactly what are you trying to say? Do you think it wasn't an accident?" Anthony asked.
"What do you think?" Rocco returned the question with one of his own.
"I think that AJ isn't even in the business, which means it would have to have been just an accident." Anthony heard his response and tried to keep a straight face. He sounded even more naïve than his wife did had when she first entered into his world.
Rocco cocked his brow and gave his son a quizzical look. "Who are you trying to kid here, son?"
"I'm just saying that over the years Joseph has made it perfectly clear that AJ wasn't part of the business. He said that AJ and his family were never to be touched... ..."
"EXACTLY!!"
"Exactly what?" Anthony threw up his hands trying to feign ignorance all the while he knew just what his father was trying to say without saying it.
"I find it hard to believe that a construction company that has operated for years without so much as one worker's comp claim has suddenly had a crane accident on one of its sites," Rocco stated with great agitation in his voice.
"What exactly is it that you expect from me?" Anthony finally asked.
"Before we do anything, I would like for us to offer our condolences as a family."
"As a family?"
"Yes. I believe that you, Elizabeth and I should go to the Morgan estate and offer our sympathy for their loss. Elizabeth said that Emily told her that the family is taking this all rather hard. I feel that offering our support and loyalty is the right thing to do."
Anthony pushed down the bile that he felt rising into his throat. His father's loyalty to the Morgan family enraged him. The mere thought of standing before Jason and Joseph playing the part of a concerned ally made Anthony want to hurl. In the back of his mind though, he took great pleasure in knowing that he was the cause of all the anguish the Morgans were feeling. The sadistic side of Anthony got the better of him as he heard himself agree with his father. "Maybe you are right," he offered.
"Oh really?" Rocco was taken aback by his son's suddenly agreeable tone.
"Yes. If this really was a strike against the organization, we never know who may be next. I think that we should stand united."
"I am glad to hear that." Rocco was puzzled by his son's abrupt change in demeanor. "Well then good. Let's gather our things and head over to the Morgan estate now. I will have Raul bring the car around when Elizabeth returns from her benefit meeting."
"Wait... ..."
Rocco heard Anthony's voice and knew that there had to be a catch. He was sure that his son wasn't about to willingly make nice with the enemy. "Yes?"
"The Coronary Care benefit is only a day away."
"Your point, Anthony?"
"Don't you think that you should save your strength for tomorrow?" The mask of concerned son came to rest on Anthony's face.
"Save my strength for tomorrow?" Rocco echoed.
"Yes. As much as you try to hide it, it's easy to see that you haven't been feeling well these past few weeks. I am not sure that the stress of rehashing what happened to AJ's wife would be good for you right now. Besides, I know how much Elizabeth is looking forward to you joining us at the head table tomorrow." Anthony used his trump card with the inclusion of Elizabeth. He knew that his father would certainly not want to disappoint his daughter in law.
"I am the Capo of this family. I should really be the one to go."
"I will speak for you. I am your second, am I not?" Anthony questioned.
"Yes," Rocco answered reluctantly.
"Then let me be the one to offer our support to Joseph and his family."
"You want to offer our support?" Rocco almost choked on the words, not to mention the thought.
"Yes. I will let Joseph know that no matter what needs to be done, he can count on the Malucci family to be a part of whatever action is taken." Anthony smiled. "Let me go make a call. I want to be sure Joseph and his family are up for visitors before Elizabeth and I arrive at their door."
Anthony ended the torturous conversation that he had been having with his father and went to find a phone in another room of the house. While he was glad he had emerged unscathed from any accusations, pretending that he gave a damn about Joseph Morgan and his family had been a hell of an act to pull off.
"Yeah," Reggie's voice met Anthony's ear.
"Is everything ready?" Anthony asked.
"Yeah ... ... but," Reggie hesitated.
"But what?"
"I don't think... ..."
"You aren't paid to think!" Anthony spat angrily. He had used up all of his pleasantries with his father. He didn't have the patience to deal with the possibility that Reggie was getting cold feet.
"Are you sure about this?" Reggie questioned taking advantage of the fact that this conversation was taking place over the phone rather than in person. "I mean I'm not so sure we should be messing with the Morgans again so soon."
"The sooner the better!" Anthony hissed.
"You are crazy, you know that man! If we get caught, Morgan is going hang us both by our balls!"
"We?" Anthony questioned. "There ain't no we in this. It's you, my man, and there's no way you'll get caught."
"Come on Tony... ..." Reggie stuttered. No amount of money in the world would save him if Joseph Morgan found the men who were responsible for the loss of his grandchild. "You are messing with women here... ... and kids!!"
"I am doing what I have to do to claim what should have been mine a long time ago!"
"Then you can do it without me!" Reggie said suddenly feeling brave.
"LIKE HELL!!" Anthony bellowed. "You think that you are going to jump ship now? Look around you Reggie."
"What?!?" Reggie's anxiety got the better of him as he shifted nervously in the glass phone booth."
"Just watch your back!"
Reggie heard the phone go dead in his ear and his eyes immediately began to search his surroundings. He knew that Anthony's men were all around him even if they were hidden from view. Reggie was sure that one way or another he would lose. If he didn't do as Anthony instructed, he would end up at the bottom of the Chicago River, but if he did follow his orders god only knew what the Morgan family would do to him.
Elizabeth sat in the parking lot of the Chicago Botanic Gardens and made a vain attempt to regain her composure. As she lowered the driver's side visor and looked at herself in the small mirror, it was easy to see how shaken she still was from her earlier run in with Anthony.
".........I always finish what I start........."
Anthony's sneering face and his cryptic words spooked Elizabeth more than anything he had ever said to her before. What puzzled her most in all of this was that she knew that Anthony was aware of her affair with Jason, yet her husband had done nothing about it. Then again maybe he did have plans for the two of them she thought. Elizabeth recalled the anguish that she heard in Jason's voice when he had told her about his sister in law's miscarriage. Like Jason, Elizabeth now felt her own sense of guilt about the part they both played in that event. Yes, it was Anthony who had been the true cause of what happened, but Elizabeth couldn't forget the fact that the relationship that she was carrying on with Jason had added fuel to her husband's hatred of the Morgans. Elizabeth looked at her reflection in the mirror again and pasted on a contrived smile. She hoped that it would be enough to convince Emily.
"I'm so glad you are here," Emily gushed as Elizabeth entered the room.
"What's wrong?"
"The caterer says he can't get the crayfish for one of the appetizers."
Elizabeth let out a heavy sigh of relief. She had expected to hear of another strike again the Morgan family rather than a mere problem with the food for the benefit. "He does intend to replace it with something else I assume?" Elizabeth questioned. She looked over Emily's shoulder at the swinging metal door that led to the kitchen area.
"Yes."
"Problem solved then... ..."
"What problem?" Jeff Webber asked as he approached the two women. "Good afternoon dear." Jeff kissed Elizabeth gently on the cheek as she tensed at his touch.
"What are you doing here?" she asked a noticeable edge came over her voice.
"I called the house looking for you. Helena told me you had come to meet with Miss Morgan to go over the final preparations for tomorrow. I thought I would come and join you."
"Miss Morgan," one of the caterer's assistants interrupted.
"Yes?" Emily turned her attention to the young man.
"The chef, he needs you in the kitchen."
"Excuse me." Emily said as she turned and followed the assistant into the kitchen.
"So, what do you really want?" Elizabeth asked harshly when Emily was out of earshot.
"I am just checking on your progress."
"Oh please," Elizabeth snorted.
"What?" Jeff countered as if he was hurt by his daughter's lack of trust in his motives.
"Spare me the concerned benefactor routine. What's really on your mind?"
"If you must know, I am worried about how you plan on conducting yourself during the benefit."
"Excuse me?"
"I need you on your best behavior dear. There can't be any of the stunts like you pulled that night at the Morgan house. I have lined up some major players for my campaign to join me for this event. I can't have them seeing anything but the loving family that I have portrayed us to be."
"Loving family?!?" Elizabeth grumbled under her breath.
"YES!"
"OH that's a joke if I have ever heard one."
"Elizabeth, tomorrow is very important to me. My career and how far I can ride this political machine hinges on this benefit and how I am perceived when I am in public," Jeff stressed in an attempt to make a point.
"Then it's a shame you don't have any more children to sell into slavery!"
"ELIZABETH!!" Jeff gasped.
"What? Does the truth hurt, daddy dearest?" Elizabeth sneered.
"Can't you just play along for once?" Jeff almost pleaded. "For everyone concerned, why can't you just play this game for this one night?"
Elizabeth began to speak but stopped short. The reality of that question hit her hard. She wasn't able to stop herself form thinking that things might had turned out differently if she had been better at playing the role that had been forced on her. If she had been able to wall of her emotions, if she had been able to accept a loveless marriage, if she had just never met Jason Morgan, then maybe, just maybe, she could have done what her father was asking now.
"Elizabeth?" Jeff's voice broke into her private thoughts.
"Huh?"
"Please, just do this one thing for me. Please don't make waves tomorrow night."
"Do I have a choice?" Elizabeth quipped.
"Yes, but choices do not come without consequences." Jeff added. He knew full well that his daughter understood what those consequences might be.
Elizabeth was thankful to see Emily heading back in her direction. She had been ready for this conversation to end before it had even started. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Elizabeth, I need your opinion in the kitchen. The chef has prepared several appetizers to replace the crayfish, and I just can't make a decision about which one to choose."
"I will let you two get back to work." Jeff kissed his daughter's cheek in keeping with the pretense of his visit. "It appears that you have a few things to iron out yet. Nice to see you again Miss Morgan."
"Good-bye Congressman Webber." Emily offered in return.
"Please call me Jeff."
"Jeff it is then." Emily smiled as Elizabeth's father made his way to the exit. "Your father is a charming man."
"Let's go see what the chef has to show us," Elizabeth said as she ignored Emily's remark about her father's charms. In Elizabeth's opinion, Jeff Webber had about as much charm as a street urchin.
"Are you okay?" Emily asked sensing the tension in Elizabeth's frame.
"Yes. I guess I am just getting a bit nervous." Elizabeth looked for a way to remove the dark cloud that her father had just hung over her head. "By this time tomorrow, the event will be set to start in a few hours. It's all just a bit overwhelming. I have never been in charge of such a production. I really don't want to let Rocco down."
"Rocco?"
"Yes. He's put a great deal of stock in my abilities. Malucci Manufacturing has a lot riding on this project. I just want to do a good job."
"The benefit is just as important for you father right?"
"Yes, of course it is," Elizabeth agreed. She tried to remember the rules of the game that she was supposed to be playing, however the costume of devoted daughter and loving wife was rather constricting.
Emily and Elizabeth spent the next several hours ironing out the menu alterations with the caterer and his staff. There were also several seating changes to address and the presenter's list to be finalized. By the time both women felt that they finally had a handle on things it was nearing the dinner hour. "Wow! Look at the time." Emily gestured toward the clock on the wall. "Where did the time go? Would you like to go grab dinner with me?"
Elizabeth hesitated for a moment and weighed her options. One was going home and having to face her husband and the other involved spending the evening sitting across from Emily while she wrestled with the guilt she felt for what Anthony had done to the Morgan family.
"If you have plans... ..." Emily took Elizabeth's silence as her polite way of backing out of the offer.
"No, no I would like to have dinner with you."
"Great." Emily was relieved Elizabeth had agreed. It was now time to get down to the business of exactly what was going on between her and Jason. "Do you have a particular place in mind?"
"Not really," Elizabeth stated.
"I could really go for some pizza. What do you think about Chicago Pizza downtown?"
"That sounds good to me," Elizabeth concurred.
"Great. I can drive. It doesn't make sense for us both to try to park downtown.
"Yeah, sure that's fine," Elizabeth agreed.
She settled into the passenger seat of Emily's car. The tension that she had felt since the early afternoon was finally beginning to wane. Elizabeth enjoyed the time she spent with Emily. It was almost like having a true girlfriend to talk to, so for the time being, Elizabeth simply wanted to enjoy the reprieve from the complications of her life.
"It appears that your father is mounting a nice campaign for his bid to the Senate," Emily said off handedly as she maneuvered her car out of its space.
"Yes he is." Elizabeth kept her answer brief.
"I imagine the success of this benefit will garner a great deal of support for him and bring some wonderful research grants to Chicago Memorial as well. I was looking over some of the information that Rocco sent my father. It was quite impressive."
"Uh huh." Elizabeth said averting her gaze to the city streets passing before her eyes. In her heart, Elizabeth knew Emily spoke the truth. She was sure that the grants Anthony and her father had helped bring to the hospital would serve a great many people. Yet, for her, somehow that didn't negate the underlying seediness of it all.
"It appears to me that we have something in common," Emily said while she silently thought to herself, 'besides the affection we both hold for Jason.'
"What's that?" Elizabeth was curious about that remark since from where she sat, she and Emily Morgan were as different as night and day.
"We both have powerful fathers."
Elizabeth choked on the thought that Emily saw Jeff Webber as a powerful man. "If you say so." Elizabeth suppressed a laugh.
"Well, he is a congressman. That's quite an accomplishment."
Elizabeth wanted to scream as Emily went on singing the praises of Congressman Webber. Why was it that so many people around her were oblivious to what was staring them squarely in the face? Why was she the only one to see what a snake her father really was? She turned her head again to watch the city streets speed passed her and tried desperately to drown out Emily's flowery praises of the illustrious Congressman Jeff Webber.
"ENOUGH!" Elizabeth said raising her voice. "You don't have a clue... ..." she said as she turned to focus her attention back on the young woman beside her. "EMILY!!!" Elizabeth shrieked when she saw the line of traffic before them had suddenly stopped.
How had Anthony become so twisted Rocco asked himself? How had he lost sight of all of the things that made the world that encircled them work? Rocco shook his head and wished for an answer. He was flabbergasted that Anthony was cold and callous enough to use a woman and an unborn child as pawns in his elaborate chess game. That was the part in all of this that Rocco was unable to forgive or forget. Such things were never done. A woman and child were to be revered. They were never to be used as a means to an end.
"You wanted to discuss business?" Anthony asked when he finally entered the room.
"Yes I did."
"Well, what is it?" Anthony huffed impatiently. He was anxious to get the next leg of his plan put in motion. The last thing that he wanted to be doing was making nice with his father.
"I am sure you have heard of the tragedy that has befallen Joseph and his family."
"Some accident or something like that," Anthony said nonchalantly as he wondered where his father was headed with his remarks.
"It was more than just some accident. AJ's wife lost a baby!" Rocco stressed resisting the urge to snap his son's neck.
"I hadn't heard that," Anthony lied.
"Well now you have. We need to mobilize our men... ..."
"What for?" Anthony cut Rocco off in mid-sentence.
"To seek retribution for what has happened to Joseph's family," Rocco said matter of fact.
"WHAT?!?" Anthony's anger began to boil.
"You heard me. If the tables were turned and it had been your wife who had lost a child, Joseph and his crew would be right here doing the same for us."
"Hardly!" Anthony shot back. "Jason and his father would be dancing on my child's grave!"
Rocco clenched his hands at his side and forced down the words he wanted to say from coming out of his mouth. He wanted to shout 'No son that's what you are doing!' but stopped himself. "You don't believe that anymore than I do, Anthony. Yes, you and the Morgans have your differences, but in a time of crisis we all need to come together as one."
"What crisis!?!" Anthony flamed.
"The one that I see happening all around me," Rocco countered pointedly.
Anthony stared at his father carefully in an attempt to gauge just how much Rocco did or didn't know about who had been behind the accident that had claimed AJ Morgan's child. "Exactly what are you trying to say? Do you think it wasn't an accident?" Anthony asked.
"What do you think?" Rocco returned the question with one of his own.
"I think that AJ isn't even in the business, which means it would have to have been just an accident." Anthony heard his response and tried to keep a straight face. He sounded even more naïve than his wife did had when she first entered into his world.
Rocco cocked his brow and gave his son a quizzical look. "Who are you trying to kid here, son?"
"I'm just saying that over the years Joseph has made it perfectly clear that AJ wasn't part of the business. He said that AJ and his family were never to be touched... ..."
"EXACTLY!!"
"Exactly what?" Anthony threw up his hands trying to feign ignorance all the while he knew just what his father was trying to say without saying it.
"I find it hard to believe that a construction company that has operated for years without so much as one worker's comp claim has suddenly had a crane accident on one of its sites," Rocco stated with great agitation in his voice.
"What exactly is it that you expect from me?" Anthony finally asked.
"Before we do anything, I would like for us to offer our condolences as a family."
"As a family?"
"Yes. I believe that you, Elizabeth and I should go to the Morgan estate and offer our sympathy for their loss. Elizabeth said that Emily told her that the family is taking this all rather hard. I feel that offering our support and loyalty is the right thing to do."
Anthony pushed down the bile that he felt rising into his throat. His father's loyalty to the Morgan family enraged him. The mere thought of standing before Jason and Joseph playing the part of a concerned ally made Anthony want to hurl. In the back of his mind though, he took great pleasure in knowing that he was the cause of all the anguish the Morgans were feeling. The sadistic side of Anthony got the better of him as he heard himself agree with his father. "Maybe you are right," he offered.
"Oh really?" Rocco was taken aback by his son's suddenly agreeable tone.
"Yes. If this really was a strike against the organization, we never know who may be next. I think that we should stand united."
"I am glad to hear that." Rocco was puzzled by his son's abrupt change in demeanor. "Well then good. Let's gather our things and head over to the Morgan estate now. I will have Raul bring the car around when Elizabeth returns from her benefit meeting."
"Wait... ..."
Rocco heard Anthony's voice and knew that there had to be a catch. He was sure that his son wasn't about to willingly make nice with the enemy. "Yes?"
"The Coronary Care benefit is only a day away."
"Your point, Anthony?"
"Don't you think that you should save your strength for tomorrow?" The mask of concerned son came to rest on Anthony's face.
"Save my strength for tomorrow?" Rocco echoed.
"Yes. As much as you try to hide it, it's easy to see that you haven't been feeling well these past few weeks. I am not sure that the stress of rehashing what happened to AJ's wife would be good for you right now. Besides, I know how much Elizabeth is looking forward to you joining us at the head table tomorrow." Anthony used his trump card with the inclusion of Elizabeth. He knew that his father would certainly not want to disappoint his daughter in law.
"I am the Capo of this family. I should really be the one to go."
"I will speak for you. I am your second, am I not?" Anthony questioned.
"Yes," Rocco answered reluctantly.
"Then let me be the one to offer our support to Joseph and his family."
"You want to offer our support?" Rocco almost choked on the words, not to mention the thought.
"Yes. I will let Joseph know that no matter what needs to be done, he can count on the Malucci family to be a part of whatever action is taken." Anthony smiled. "Let me go make a call. I want to be sure Joseph and his family are up for visitors before Elizabeth and I arrive at their door."
Anthony ended the torturous conversation that he had been having with his father and went to find a phone in another room of the house. While he was glad he had emerged unscathed from any accusations, pretending that he gave a damn about Joseph Morgan and his family had been a hell of an act to pull off.
"Yeah," Reggie's voice met Anthony's ear.
"Is everything ready?" Anthony asked.
"Yeah ... ... but," Reggie hesitated.
"But what?"
"I don't think... ..."
"You aren't paid to think!" Anthony spat angrily. He had used up all of his pleasantries with his father. He didn't have the patience to deal with the possibility that Reggie was getting cold feet.
"Are you sure about this?" Reggie questioned taking advantage of the fact that this conversation was taking place over the phone rather than in person. "I mean I'm not so sure we should be messing with the Morgans again so soon."
"The sooner the better!" Anthony hissed.
"You are crazy, you know that man! If we get caught, Morgan is going hang us both by our balls!"
"We?" Anthony questioned. "There ain't no we in this. It's you, my man, and there's no way you'll get caught."
"Come on Tony... ..." Reggie stuttered. No amount of money in the world would save him if Joseph Morgan found the men who were responsible for the loss of his grandchild. "You are messing with women here... ... and kids!!"
"I am doing what I have to do to claim what should have been mine a long time ago!"
"Then you can do it without me!" Reggie said suddenly feeling brave.
"LIKE HELL!!" Anthony bellowed. "You think that you are going to jump ship now? Look around you Reggie."
"What?!?" Reggie's anxiety got the better of him as he shifted nervously in the glass phone booth."
"Just watch your back!"
Reggie heard the phone go dead in his ear and his eyes immediately began to search his surroundings. He knew that Anthony's men were all around him even if they were hidden from view. Reggie was sure that one way or another he would lose. If he didn't do as Anthony instructed, he would end up at the bottom of the Chicago River, but if he did follow his orders god only knew what the Morgan family would do to him.
Elizabeth sat in the parking lot of the Chicago Botanic Gardens and made a vain attempt to regain her composure. As she lowered the driver's side visor and looked at herself in the small mirror, it was easy to see how shaken she still was from her earlier run in with Anthony.
".........I always finish what I start........."
Anthony's sneering face and his cryptic words spooked Elizabeth more than anything he had ever said to her before. What puzzled her most in all of this was that she knew that Anthony was aware of her affair with Jason, yet her husband had done nothing about it. Then again maybe he did have plans for the two of them she thought. Elizabeth recalled the anguish that she heard in Jason's voice when he had told her about his sister in law's miscarriage. Like Jason, Elizabeth now felt her own sense of guilt about the part they both played in that event. Yes, it was Anthony who had been the true cause of what happened, but Elizabeth couldn't forget the fact that the relationship that she was carrying on with Jason had added fuel to her husband's hatred of the Morgans. Elizabeth looked at her reflection in the mirror again and pasted on a contrived smile. She hoped that it would be enough to convince Emily.
"I'm so glad you are here," Emily gushed as Elizabeth entered the room.
"What's wrong?"
"The caterer says he can't get the crayfish for one of the appetizers."
Elizabeth let out a heavy sigh of relief. She had expected to hear of another strike again the Morgan family rather than a mere problem with the food for the benefit. "He does intend to replace it with something else I assume?" Elizabeth questioned. She looked over Emily's shoulder at the swinging metal door that led to the kitchen area.
"Yes."
"Problem solved then... ..."
"What problem?" Jeff Webber asked as he approached the two women. "Good afternoon dear." Jeff kissed Elizabeth gently on the cheek as she tensed at his touch.
"What are you doing here?" she asked a noticeable edge came over her voice.
"I called the house looking for you. Helena told me you had come to meet with Miss Morgan to go over the final preparations for tomorrow. I thought I would come and join you."
"Miss Morgan," one of the caterer's assistants interrupted.
"Yes?" Emily turned her attention to the young man.
"The chef, he needs you in the kitchen."
"Excuse me." Emily said as she turned and followed the assistant into the kitchen.
"So, what do you really want?" Elizabeth asked harshly when Emily was out of earshot.
"I am just checking on your progress."
"Oh please," Elizabeth snorted.
"What?" Jeff countered as if he was hurt by his daughter's lack of trust in his motives.
"Spare me the concerned benefactor routine. What's really on your mind?"
"If you must know, I am worried about how you plan on conducting yourself during the benefit."
"Excuse me?"
"I need you on your best behavior dear. There can't be any of the stunts like you pulled that night at the Morgan house. I have lined up some major players for my campaign to join me for this event. I can't have them seeing anything but the loving family that I have portrayed us to be."
"Loving family?!?" Elizabeth grumbled under her breath.
"YES!"
"OH that's a joke if I have ever heard one."
"Elizabeth, tomorrow is very important to me. My career and how far I can ride this political machine hinges on this benefit and how I am perceived when I am in public," Jeff stressed in an attempt to make a point.
"Then it's a shame you don't have any more children to sell into slavery!"
"ELIZABETH!!" Jeff gasped.
"What? Does the truth hurt, daddy dearest?" Elizabeth sneered.
"Can't you just play along for once?" Jeff almost pleaded. "For everyone concerned, why can't you just play this game for this one night?"
Elizabeth began to speak but stopped short. The reality of that question hit her hard. She wasn't able to stop herself form thinking that things might had turned out differently if she had been better at playing the role that had been forced on her. If she had been able to wall of her emotions, if she had been able to accept a loveless marriage, if she had just never met Jason Morgan, then maybe, just maybe, she could have done what her father was asking now.
"Elizabeth?" Jeff's voice broke into her private thoughts.
"Huh?"
"Please, just do this one thing for me. Please don't make waves tomorrow night."
"Do I have a choice?" Elizabeth quipped.
"Yes, but choices do not come without consequences." Jeff added. He knew full well that his daughter understood what those consequences might be.
Elizabeth was thankful to see Emily heading back in her direction. She had been ready for this conversation to end before it had even started. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Elizabeth, I need your opinion in the kitchen. The chef has prepared several appetizers to replace the crayfish, and I just can't make a decision about which one to choose."
"I will let you two get back to work." Jeff kissed his daughter's cheek in keeping with the pretense of his visit. "It appears that you have a few things to iron out yet. Nice to see you again Miss Morgan."
"Good-bye Congressman Webber." Emily offered in return.
"Please call me Jeff."
"Jeff it is then." Emily smiled as Elizabeth's father made his way to the exit. "Your father is a charming man."
"Let's go see what the chef has to show us," Elizabeth said as she ignored Emily's remark about her father's charms. In Elizabeth's opinion, Jeff Webber had about as much charm as a street urchin.
"Are you okay?" Emily asked sensing the tension in Elizabeth's frame.
"Yes. I guess I am just getting a bit nervous." Elizabeth looked for a way to remove the dark cloud that her father had just hung over her head. "By this time tomorrow, the event will be set to start in a few hours. It's all just a bit overwhelming. I have never been in charge of such a production. I really don't want to let Rocco down."
"Rocco?"
"Yes. He's put a great deal of stock in my abilities. Malucci Manufacturing has a lot riding on this project. I just want to do a good job."
"The benefit is just as important for you father right?"
"Yes, of course it is," Elizabeth agreed. She tried to remember the rules of the game that she was supposed to be playing, however the costume of devoted daughter and loving wife was rather constricting.
Emily and Elizabeth spent the next several hours ironing out the menu alterations with the caterer and his staff. There were also several seating changes to address and the presenter's list to be finalized. By the time both women felt that they finally had a handle on things it was nearing the dinner hour. "Wow! Look at the time." Emily gestured toward the clock on the wall. "Where did the time go? Would you like to go grab dinner with me?"
Elizabeth hesitated for a moment and weighed her options. One was going home and having to face her husband and the other involved spending the evening sitting across from Emily while she wrestled with the guilt she felt for what Anthony had done to the Morgan family.
"If you have plans... ..." Emily took Elizabeth's silence as her polite way of backing out of the offer.
"No, no I would like to have dinner with you."
"Great." Emily was relieved Elizabeth had agreed. It was now time to get down to the business of exactly what was going on between her and Jason. "Do you have a particular place in mind?"
"Not really," Elizabeth stated.
"I could really go for some pizza. What do you think about Chicago Pizza downtown?"
"That sounds good to me," Elizabeth concurred.
"Great. I can drive. It doesn't make sense for us both to try to park downtown.
"Yeah, sure that's fine," Elizabeth agreed.
She settled into the passenger seat of Emily's car. The tension that she had felt since the early afternoon was finally beginning to wane. Elizabeth enjoyed the time she spent with Emily. It was almost like having a true girlfriend to talk to, so for the time being, Elizabeth simply wanted to enjoy the reprieve from the complications of her life.
"It appears that your father is mounting a nice campaign for his bid to the Senate," Emily said off handedly as she maneuvered her car out of its space.
"Yes he is." Elizabeth kept her answer brief.
"I imagine the success of this benefit will garner a great deal of support for him and bring some wonderful research grants to Chicago Memorial as well. I was looking over some of the information that Rocco sent my father. It was quite impressive."
"Uh huh." Elizabeth said averting her gaze to the city streets passing before her eyes. In her heart, Elizabeth knew Emily spoke the truth. She was sure that the grants Anthony and her father had helped bring to the hospital would serve a great many people. Yet, for her, somehow that didn't negate the underlying seediness of it all.
"It appears to me that we have something in common," Emily said while she silently thought to herself, 'besides the affection we both hold for Jason.'
"What's that?" Elizabeth was curious about that remark since from where she sat, she and Emily Morgan were as different as night and day.
"We both have powerful fathers."
Elizabeth choked on the thought that Emily saw Jeff Webber as a powerful man. "If you say so." Elizabeth suppressed a laugh.
"Well, he is a congressman. That's quite an accomplishment."
Elizabeth wanted to scream as Emily went on singing the praises of Congressman Webber. Why was it that so many people around her were oblivious to what was staring them squarely in the face? Why was she the only one to see what a snake her father really was? She turned her head again to watch the city streets speed passed her and tried desperately to drown out Emily's flowery praises of the illustrious Congressman Jeff Webber.
"ENOUGH!" Elizabeth said raising her voice. "You don't have a clue... ..." she said as she turned to focus her attention back on the young woman beside her. "EMILY!!!" Elizabeth shrieked when she saw the line of traffic before them had suddenly stopped.