If Tomorrow Never Comes
Chapter 10
Liz stomped down the wooden stairs, her shoes making enough noise to scare away the few remaining pigeons that were sitting on the stoops at the end of the docks. She sent them a disgruntled look not giving a damn about anything but her own bruised ego. She sat on the edge of the bench, her hands tapping against her knees in frustration. The nerve of Juan to sit there and insult her like he had. She felt her temper rise again from just thinking about it. No one had defended her to him. Not even Lucky. In her mind she saw the look of disgust he'd sent her way before she'd left. Damn Carly for making her seem the fool. She'd get her for that. She heard a noise from behind her and she turned to see AJ stumbling towards her. A smile came across her face as a plan formed in her head.
AJ stumbled as he came down the steps, his shoes having gotten caught on the edge of the stairs. You wouldn't be able to tell he was sober at the rate he was going today. He almost laughed to himself at that. The alcohol must be frying his brain more than he'd thought cause that had been pathetic. He heard a muffled sob and followed the sound to find Liz crying. He watched her cautiously not sure whether to approach her or not.
Liz waited impatiently, her manufactured tears falling down her cheeks. She wanted him to ask what was wrong. Why was he hesitated so much? She looked up suddenly and wiped her eyes, assuming an innocent look. "Oh, hi AJ."
AJ nodded at her but stayed where he was standing. Something about this girl always put him off. " Elizabeth. Are you okay?"
Bingo. She almost smiled at the opening, although she was a bit upset that he didn't seem more concerned. "I just had a huge fight with Carly. She attacked me for no apparent reason and that idiot Juan just stood there and defended her," she smiled sweetly, relishing the look of horror that AJ had on his face. "I'm sorry. It's just I know how you feel about her. I don't blame you for hating her. Especially after all of the trash she talks about you and the way she blamed you for the death of the baby. I know that it was what she deserved, AJ. I don't blame you."
She's good, AJ thought. She'd almost had him convinced there. The tears had been good but he'd caught the gleam in her eye and when she'd begun to speak he'd realized immediately what she wanted. He looked her up and down before speaking. "You know what, Liz? I don't know what your problem is but I bet it's hard to pronounce." He watched her face go red and felt a moment of triumph. "Listen close, kid. I'm not sure what happened between you and Carly. Maybe she deserved whatever you said to her and vise versa but I don't appreciate you trying to use me. I'm not as out of it as I seem to appear." He moved in closer coming to stop at her bench. "Carly and I hate each other on our good days but," he pointed at her, "what happened should never have. Carly didn't deserve to lose that baby, Sonny didn't deserve to lose his child, Michael didn't deserve to never meet his bother, and that baby sure as hell didn't deserve to die." He spewed the last part at her and turned to leave.
Liz watched as AJ stalked away, anger apparent in his every step. Damn it. Nothing was going right for her today. "Fuck. What the hell is wrong with all this people? I'm the good one. Carly's the slut." She shook her head, placing it in her hands
"I couldn't agree more."
Liz's head jerked up at the voice and she turned to see a familiar face. A smile broke out on her face and she ran into his waiting arms. "I was wondering when you would show up." She looked up into his face to receive the kiss he gave her. Pulling back, she smiled knowing everything would be as it should now that he was here. "So, I take it this means we're ready."
"Completely."
He watched her face light up when she looked at him and he felt a stirring of something but decided it wasn't worth the effort to analyze. He didn't want her.
"So, what's the plan here?"
"Simple. To destroy Sonny and Carly."
"So, you will help me then?"
Luke looked up, hearing the surprise in Sonny's voice. It stung to think that Sonny hadn't thought Luke would have. The guy was married to his niece for Christ sakes. She was a pain in the butt but she was still family. He smiled than started laughing as the realization dawned.
Sonny looked around him, wondering what could've made Luke laugh like that. "What? What the hell's wrong with you?"
"Nothing, man. I just realized," Luke paused catching his breath, "we're related." A horrified look came to Sonny's face and Luke began laughing harder. After a moment he regained his composure and sat down at the nearest table, Sonny joining him. "Alright, all joking aside though, what's up, man?"
Sonny sighed, tension evident in his shoulders and face. "Sorel." Sonny filled Luke in about the Mike situation as best he could. He told him about the $40,000 dollars, Carly famous "plan" and the resulting standoff and arrest at the motel. His voice shook when he mentioned the fact that Carly had been in the closet. He felt his stomach drop at the thought that she could've been killed. "She'd meant well but it was."
"Plain stupid." Luke shouted. Wait until he got his hands on that girl.
Sonny eyed, him a smile forming on his lips. "I wonder where she gets her penchant for those grand plans."
"Hey, at least mine always." He stopped suddenly remembering where his last plan had left him. "Never mind."
Sonny laughed, looking at his watch. She'd only been gone twenty minutes. Damn. He hated this.
Luke watched his friends face wishing he could help him in some way. A plan came to his mind and he looked at Sonny who immediately recognized the expression on Luke's face. "Oh no. I'm not getting mixed up in one of you're crazy schemes, Luke. I'm a married man now. I need to be a little more cautious. Besides Carly would kill me."
Luke slapped Sonny on the shoulder heartedly earning a foul look. "Not to worry, pal of mine. I gots me an idea." He raised his hand up before Sonny could protest. "Not a grand plan, see. Just an idea but I need to iron out some of the details." And run it by your lovely wife, he thought. "Meet me at my place tomorrow and I'll have something more solid." Sonny stood up and held out his hand. "Thanks, Luke. This means a lot to me." Luke looked at Sonny outstretched hand before clasping it with his own. "Don't sweat it, Son. Besides your family." With that Luke turned to the counter, kissing Bobbie goodbye before heading out to find his niece.
Sonny watched him go, feeling a little relieved that he had someone to help. He felt a warm hand on his shoulder and turned to see Bobbie who held a cup of coffee for him in her other hand. She handed it to him before giving him a peek on the cheek and returning to the counter. He held the coffee in his hand a feeling of calmness coming over him. He had a family who cared for him now. He had to do everything in his power to keep that together.
Carly opened Luke's apartment door slowly hoping she didn't scare Zander. They'd taken longer to get here than she'd hoped. Johnny had insisted they circle around twice before coming here in case they were being followed. A trip that usually took only ten minutes had taken them thirty. She tried looking for a light switch. Not finding one she made her way to the lamp in the corner, flicking it on as Emily and Johnny walked in quietly behind her. The little lamp gave out enough light for Johnny to find the light switch and flicked it on.
Emily caught sight of Zander on the couch first and rushed over to him. Carly and Johnny stood back watching the young girl. "Man, she's got it bad. Poor Juan." Johnny commented.
Carly thought back to Kelly's and the way Juan had been looking at Shari. "I don't know about that Johnny. Maybe it's not so bad."
Zander opened his eyes at the sound of their voices. He stared into Emily's eyes for what seemed like an eternity, afraid that if he reached for her she'd disappear. Emily saw the uncertainty in his eyes and caressed his face with her hand. At the feel of her hand he pulled her to him, hugging her tightly. He heard a muffled "Whoa" before she settled into his embrace. Looking up he noticed Carly and Johnny for the first time.
"I knew you'd find me."
Carly and Johnny exchanged a look before Carly turned back to look at him. "Actually we never lost you."
Zander looked at them, not sure what Carly had meant by that. "What?"
"Well, that gentlemen that took you?"
Zander nodded slowly, seeing where this conversation was going. "Yeah?"
"Well, he kind of happens to be my uncle."
"What?!" Zander screamed. "YOUR uncle? The guy that took me is your uncle?"
Carly nodded happily. "My Uncle Luke. This is his place, by the way. Sorry but Johnny couldn't take the chance that he was being followed so we had to send someone who wasn't being watched. Luke was the perfect person."
"As always." Luke said, catching only the last part of the statement. Carly sent him a grin and then pointed to Zander. "Uncle this is Zander, Zander my Uncy Luke."
Luke stretched his hand watching as the young man eyed him cautiously before shaking it. "Sorry about the bump, kid. Didn't think you'd fall that way."
Zander touched his face suddenly aware that he had a bump. "Don't worry I've had worse." He felt Emily's hands on his face and tuned everyone else but her out.
The adults rolled their eyes at the display of puppy love. Johnny shook his head as he made his way out the door. "I'm going down to say hi to Claude. If you haven't fired him yet tonight Luke?" Luke shook his head. "That reminds me. Tell him his fired for letting you guys in here without any questions." Johnny chuckled as he closed the door behind him.
Luke grabbed Carly hand pulling her to the corner. He wanted to take the opportunity that the kids where distracted to talk to her. "Carly. I need to ask you something."
Carly watched Zander and Emily before looking up at Luke. He never sounded like this so it had to be important. "Okay. What's up?"
"How much trouble would I get into if I used Zander to bring down Sorel?"
"What?" Carly yelled. She shook her head when the two kids looked at her, waving them away with her hand. "What in God's name are you talking about?"
"You told me the kid saw Sorel murder some cop, right? Sorel is bothering Sonny which by the way you didn't hear from me. So, why don't we use Zander to bring down Sorel? I could try to get Alexis to help us make a deal with the DA for Zander."
Carly looked skeptical, "Luke, if Sorel finds out that kid is dead. Not to mention Sonny. I don't know." She looked at Zander and Emily as they stood looking at her Uncle's record collection. "He's just a kid."
"We could protect them until the time came for him to bring Sorel down. I can do it and I know Sonny would help." He saw her shake her head.
"Sonny can't become involved. He's got enough problems with Sorel as it is. If we do this he'll have to be a part, won't he?"
"Sonny can be involved without being involved. Caroline, trust me your hubby is a whole lot smarter about this business than he appears. Can I just count on you to help, please? Just leave the rest up to us."
Carly sighed, and then nodded not wanting to get into it now. "Fine. But we have to make-"
Zander screamed, jumping up from the couch and grabbing a poker that lay near by. He beat the couch with the poker repeatedly, methodically bashing whatever was sitting on the cushions. Carly, Emily and Luke stood frozen as they watched the seemingly normal kid beat the living stuffing out of the couch. Carly thought that he's found a mouse living there. She wouldn't doubt it with the way Luke lived.
Luke caught sight of Zander's target and rushed forward yelling at the boy to stop. Zander heard him through his haze and stopped using the poker. He watched as Luke pulled up the now torn and abused wig from the cushion. "My brand new wig." He looked at Carly and Emily when they started laughing. "It's not funny. That's my favorite wig." He held it up in his hand as it lay drooping from his fingertips.
"I'm sorry. I though it was a rat." Zander started explaining as Johnny walked back into the room. Carly and Emily held each other; laughing so hard they started to cry. Johnny looked from Luke's face as he held some mangled piece of something in his hand, to Zander's guilty face, who was holding a poker in his limp hand, and finally resting on the girls who looked about ready to bust their stitches from laughing so much. He thought better not to ask and proceeded to make his way into Luke's kitchen.
"Okay. Don't worry about it, Zander. I'll buy Uncle Luke a new wig." Carly said in between laughter.
"I don't want a new wig." Luke complained, throwing the one in his hand on his head causing more laughter from the girls. He looked at Zander before he spoke. "I like you kid but no one messes with my wigs. God only knows what you'd do with the rest of the stuff I have here. We need to find him a new place, stat." They all turned to look at Carly who moved back slightly at the act. She said nothing a t first but a smile formed on her face. She spoke as Johnny walked back into the room. "I have the perfect place for Zander to go." She sent Johnny a sly smile and he shook his head, dropping it into his hand. This just got more and more complicated.
"Oh, hell."
Chapter 10
Liz stomped down the wooden stairs, her shoes making enough noise to scare away the few remaining pigeons that were sitting on the stoops at the end of the docks. She sent them a disgruntled look not giving a damn about anything but her own bruised ego. She sat on the edge of the bench, her hands tapping against her knees in frustration. The nerve of Juan to sit there and insult her like he had. She felt her temper rise again from just thinking about it. No one had defended her to him. Not even Lucky. In her mind she saw the look of disgust he'd sent her way before she'd left. Damn Carly for making her seem the fool. She'd get her for that. She heard a noise from behind her and she turned to see AJ stumbling towards her. A smile came across her face as a plan formed in her head.
AJ stumbled as he came down the steps, his shoes having gotten caught on the edge of the stairs. You wouldn't be able to tell he was sober at the rate he was going today. He almost laughed to himself at that. The alcohol must be frying his brain more than he'd thought cause that had been pathetic. He heard a muffled sob and followed the sound to find Liz crying. He watched her cautiously not sure whether to approach her or not.
Liz waited impatiently, her manufactured tears falling down her cheeks. She wanted him to ask what was wrong. Why was he hesitated so much? She looked up suddenly and wiped her eyes, assuming an innocent look. "Oh, hi AJ."
AJ nodded at her but stayed where he was standing. Something about this girl always put him off. " Elizabeth. Are you okay?"
Bingo. She almost smiled at the opening, although she was a bit upset that he didn't seem more concerned. "I just had a huge fight with Carly. She attacked me for no apparent reason and that idiot Juan just stood there and defended her," she smiled sweetly, relishing the look of horror that AJ had on his face. "I'm sorry. It's just I know how you feel about her. I don't blame you for hating her. Especially after all of the trash she talks about you and the way she blamed you for the death of the baby. I know that it was what she deserved, AJ. I don't blame you."
She's good, AJ thought. She'd almost had him convinced there. The tears had been good but he'd caught the gleam in her eye and when she'd begun to speak he'd realized immediately what she wanted. He looked her up and down before speaking. "You know what, Liz? I don't know what your problem is but I bet it's hard to pronounce." He watched her face go red and felt a moment of triumph. "Listen close, kid. I'm not sure what happened between you and Carly. Maybe she deserved whatever you said to her and vise versa but I don't appreciate you trying to use me. I'm not as out of it as I seem to appear." He moved in closer coming to stop at her bench. "Carly and I hate each other on our good days but," he pointed at her, "what happened should never have. Carly didn't deserve to lose that baby, Sonny didn't deserve to lose his child, Michael didn't deserve to never meet his bother, and that baby sure as hell didn't deserve to die." He spewed the last part at her and turned to leave.
Liz watched as AJ stalked away, anger apparent in his every step. Damn it. Nothing was going right for her today. "Fuck. What the hell is wrong with all this people? I'm the good one. Carly's the slut." She shook her head, placing it in her hands
"I couldn't agree more."
Liz's head jerked up at the voice and she turned to see a familiar face. A smile broke out on her face and she ran into his waiting arms. "I was wondering when you would show up." She looked up into his face to receive the kiss he gave her. Pulling back, she smiled knowing everything would be as it should now that he was here. "So, I take it this means we're ready."
"Completely."
He watched her face light up when she looked at him and he felt a stirring of something but decided it wasn't worth the effort to analyze. He didn't want her.
"So, what's the plan here?"
"Simple. To destroy Sonny and Carly."
"So, you will help me then?"
Luke looked up, hearing the surprise in Sonny's voice. It stung to think that Sonny hadn't thought Luke would have. The guy was married to his niece for Christ sakes. She was a pain in the butt but she was still family. He smiled than started laughing as the realization dawned.
Sonny looked around him, wondering what could've made Luke laugh like that. "What? What the hell's wrong with you?"
"Nothing, man. I just realized," Luke paused catching his breath, "we're related." A horrified look came to Sonny's face and Luke began laughing harder. After a moment he regained his composure and sat down at the nearest table, Sonny joining him. "Alright, all joking aside though, what's up, man?"
Sonny sighed, tension evident in his shoulders and face. "Sorel." Sonny filled Luke in about the Mike situation as best he could. He told him about the $40,000 dollars, Carly famous "plan" and the resulting standoff and arrest at the motel. His voice shook when he mentioned the fact that Carly had been in the closet. He felt his stomach drop at the thought that she could've been killed. "She'd meant well but it was."
"Plain stupid." Luke shouted. Wait until he got his hands on that girl.
Sonny eyed, him a smile forming on his lips. "I wonder where she gets her penchant for those grand plans."
"Hey, at least mine always." He stopped suddenly remembering where his last plan had left him. "Never mind."
Sonny laughed, looking at his watch. She'd only been gone twenty minutes. Damn. He hated this.
Luke watched his friends face wishing he could help him in some way. A plan came to his mind and he looked at Sonny who immediately recognized the expression on Luke's face. "Oh no. I'm not getting mixed up in one of you're crazy schemes, Luke. I'm a married man now. I need to be a little more cautious. Besides Carly would kill me."
Luke slapped Sonny on the shoulder heartedly earning a foul look. "Not to worry, pal of mine. I gots me an idea." He raised his hand up before Sonny could protest. "Not a grand plan, see. Just an idea but I need to iron out some of the details." And run it by your lovely wife, he thought. "Meet me at my place tomorrow and I'll have something more solid." Sonny stood up and held out his hand. "Thanks, Luke. This means a lot to me." Luke looked at Sonny outstretched hand before clasping it with his own. "Don't sweat it, Son. Besides your family." With that Luke turned to the counter, kissing Bobbie goodbye before heading out to find his niece.
Sonny watched him go, feeling a little relieved that he had someone to help. He felt a warm hand on his shoulder and turned to see Bobbie who held a cup of coffee for him in her other hand. She handed it to him before giving him a peek on the cheek and returning to the counter. He held the coffee in his hand a feeling of calmness coming over him. He had a family who cared for him now. He had to do everything in his power to keep that together.
Carly opened Luke's apartment door slowly hoping she didn't scare Zander. They'd taken longer to get here than she'd hoped. Johnny had insisted they circle around twice before coming here in case they were being followed. A trip that usually took only ten minutes had taken them thirty. She tried looking for a light switch. Not finding one she made her way to the lamp in the corner, flicking it on as Emily and Johnny walked in quietly behind her. The little lamp gave out enough light for Johnny to find the light switch and flicked it on.
Emily caught sight of Zander on the couch first and rushed over to him. Carly and Johnny stood back watching the young girl. "Man, she's got it bad. Poor Juan." Johnny commented.
Carly thought back to Kelly's and the way Juan had been looking at Shari. "I don't know about that Johnny. Maybe it's not so bad."
Zander opened his eyes at the sound of their voices. He stared into Emily's eyes for what seemed like an eternity, afraid that if he reached for her she'd disappear. Emily saw the uncertainty in his eyes and caressed his face with her hand. At the feel of her hand he pulled her to him, hugging her tightly. He heard a muffled "Whoa" before she settled into his embrace. Looking up he noticed Carly and Johnny for the first time.
"I knew you'd find me."
Carly and Johnny exchanged a look before Carly turned back to look at him. "Actually we never lost you."
Zander looked at them, not sure what Carly had meant by that. "What?"
"Well, that gentlemen that took you?"
Zander nodded slowly, seeing where this conversation was going. "Yeah?"
"Well, he kind of happens to be my uncle."
"What?!" Zander screamed. "YOUR uncle? The guy that took me is your uncle?"
Carly nodded happily. "My Uncle Luke. This is his place, by the way. Sorry but Johnny couldn't take the chance that he was being followed so we had to send someone who wasn't being watched. Luke was the perfect person."
"As always." Luke said, catching only the last part of the statement. Carly sent him a grin and then pointed to Zander. "Uncle this is Zander, Zander my Uncy Luke."
Luke stretched his hand watching as the young man eyed him cautiously before shaking it. "Sorry about the bump, kid. Didn't think you'd fall that way."
Zander touched his face suddenly aware that he had a bump. "Don't worry I've had worse." He felt Emily's hands on his face and tuned everyone else but her out.
The adults rolled their eyes at the display of puppy love. Johnny shook his head as he made his way out the door. "I'm going down to say hi to Claude. If you haven't fired him yet tonight Luke?" Luke shook his head. "That reminds me. Tell him his fired for letting you guys in here without any questions." Johnny chuckled as he closed the door behind him.
Luke grabbed Carly hand pulling her to the corner. He wanted to take the opportunity that the kids where distracted to talk to her. "Carly. I need to ask you something."
Carly watched Zander and Emily before looking up at Luke. He never sounded like this so it had to be important. "Okay. What's up?"
"How much trouble would I get into if I used Zander to bring down Sorel?"
"What?" Carly yelled. She shook her head when the two kids looked at her, waving them away with her hand. "What in God's name are you talking about?"
"You told me the kid saw Sorel murder some cop, right? Sorel is bothering Sonny which by the way you didn't hear from me. So, why don't we use Zander to bring down Sorel? I could try to get Alexis to help us make a deal with the DA for Zander."
Carly looked skeptical, "Luke, if Sorel finds out that kid is dead. Not to mention Sonny. I don't know." She looked at Zander and Emily as they stood looking at her Uncle's record collection. "He's just a kid."
"We could protect them until the time came for him to bring Sorel down. I can do it and I know Sonny would help." He saw her shake her head.
"Sonny can't become involved. He's got enough problems with Sorel as it is. If we do this he'll have to be a part, won't he?"
"Sonny can be involved without being involved. Caroline, trust me your hubby is a whole lot smarter about this business than he appears. Can I just count on you to help, please? Just leave the rest up to us."
Carly sighed, and then nodded not wanting to get into it now. "Fine. But we have to make-"
Zander screamed, jumping up from the couch and grabbing a poker that lay near by. He beat the couch with the poker repeatedly, methodically bashing whatever was sitting on the cushions. Carly, Emily and Luke stood frozen as they watched the seemingly normal kid beat the living stuffing out of the couch. Carly thought that he's found a mouse living there. She wouldn't doubt it with the way Luke lived.
Luke caught sight of Zander's target and rushed forward yelling at the boy to stop. Zander heard him through his haze and stopped using the poker. He watched as Luke pulled up the now torn and abused wig from the cushion. "My brand new wig." He looked at Carly and Emily when they started laughing. "It's not funny. That's my favorite wig." He held it up in his hand as it lay drooping from his fingertips.
"I'm sorry. I though it was a rat." Zander started explaining as Johnny walked back into the room. Carly and Emily held each other; laughing so hard they started to cry. Johnny looked from Luke's face as he held some mangled piece of something in his hand, to Zander's guilty face, who was holding a poker in his limp hand, and finally resting on the girls who looked about ready to bust their stitches from laughing so much. He thought better not to ask and proceeded to make his way into Luke's kitchen.
"Okay. Don't worry about it, Zander. I'll buy Uncle Luke a new wig." Carly said in between laughter.
"I don't want a new wig." Luke complained, throwing the one in his hand on his head causing more laughter from the girls. He looked at Zander before he spoke. "I like you kid but no one messes with my wigs. God only knows what you'd do with the rest of the stuff I have here. We need to find him a new place, stat." They all turned to look at Carly who moved back slightly at the act. She said nothing a t first but a smile formed on her face. She spoke as Johnny walked back into the room. "I have the perfect place for Zander to go." She sent Johnny a sly smile and he shook his head, dropping it into his hand. This just got more and more complicated.
"Oh, hell."