The late night summer storm blew through Port Charles only to leave behind a beautiful sunrise and a clear blue sky. Emily awoke early that morning by the sound of Devon's crying. She quickly slipped on her ruby silk robe and her terry slippers, she looked over her shoulder to see Zander still sleeping soundly for the first time that night. He'd been restless last night, though he didn't realize she was aware, she was. She stood up from the edge of the bed and went to Devon's room to comfort him. When she reached his room he had pulled himself up to the collapsible side bar of the crib, his face lit up when he saw his mommy standing in the doorway of the nursery. He not quite 7 months old, was her and Zander's miracle. She had been told by countless doctors that she would have a difficulty becoming pregnant, and if she were to become pregnant, she would have a hard time carrying the baby to term. Both were pleasantly surprised when she found out she was carrying Devon. Doctors had put her on the strictest routine because she was at risk. Plenty of bed rest and absolutely no stress ... a difficult thing not to have when she's married into the mob lifestyle.
Devon, a dark haired little boy, was certainly happy to see his mother when he woke up every morning. Emily not knowing how having a child would change their lives, she was just overwhelmed with being a mother. She reached into the crib and lifted him up to her. He smiled and cooed as his mother just smiled at how big he was getting over the last few months. He'd be walking and getting into mischief in no time. She had to laugh at the faces he was making as she stood and held him close to her. She changed his diaper and got him all ready for the day. The morning sun created funny shadows on the Noah's Ark wallpaper of the nursery as Devon smiled and pointed to the sunspots that were scattered on the walls. She headed out the door of the nursery with Devon in her arms as she peeked in at Zander and noticed he was still sleeping. She left him sleep and took the baby down stairs for breakfast.
She sat Devon in his highchair and took out a bottle of milk and his baby food from the refrigerator. She laid a terry bib on the counter and grabbed a baby spoon from the drawer. Devon sat waiting patiently as he watched his mom gathering his breakfast. She was surprised at how good he was when it came to feeding him. He rarely made a mess for her to clean up or was fussy with what she was giving him to eat. She sat down in front of him and opened up the jar of strained bananas. She put the terry bib on him and snapped it closed in back. He cooed at her and she smiled and laughed with him. She turned when she heard the pattering of bare feet from the living room. Zander had awaken and walked across the tile floor of the living room and into the kitchen.
"Morning sweet heart..." he said and kissed her on her cheek and then said good morning to his son as he brushed the side of his pudgy cheeks. "Any coffee?" he asked as he walked towards the cabinet for a coffee cup. "Sorry, honey ... didn't get a chance to make a fresh pot." she apologized as she spooned another small portion of strained bananas for Devon. Zander began to fill the filter with coffee just as the phone rang. He stopped what he was doing and went to answer it. Emily rolled her eyes cause she knew this was only the beginning of their day, it was sure to get worse as the day went on.
Zander came back in a few minutes, without saying a word he went back to making a fresh pot of coffee. She noticed his demeanor and didn't ask who was on the phone. She finished giving Devon his strained bananas and handed him a bottle of milk. He grasped onto the bottle and started to suckle the tip. She held it for him as he drank so he wouldn't drop it on the floor.
Zander filled his coffee cup with his morning caffeine fix and took a seat at the table with his wife and son. He looked at Emily feeding his son and wondered if all of the danger was worth it. How life with his family away from the mob would be different. He ran his hands through his hair and answered his own questions .... what other life did he know ... why worry about the what ifs when all they were, were his dreams.
Jason's morning began like any other morning as he turned towards Elizabeth to watch her sleeping peacefully. He brushed back a stray strand of her hair and kissed her gently on her lips. She stirred as she felt the sensation of his soft lips on hers and returned the gesture as she wrapped her arms around him. "Good morning, beautiful..." he said as she began to stretch out the sleepiness in her body. She yawned and looked at the digital clock that sat by the bedside. "Jason ..." she whined as she noticed it was only 5am. "It's so early ..." she continued as he smiled and caressed her upper arm with his strong hand. "Yeah, it is .. but I wanted to tell you that I would be leaving again for a few days, and I couldn't leave before I did." he said as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and saw that he was dressed in a black tee shirt and jeans. "For how long?" she asked as he sat up and reached for his watch that sat on his night stand next to the bed. "I don't know .. I'll have to call you when I get there." he replied hoping she wouldn't push the subject with him about where he was going.
She noticed the look on his face and thought better of asking any more questions that she knew he couldn't answer. He leaned down and kissed her gently, she wrapped her arms around his neck not wanting to let him go. He reached up and pried her arms from him as he got up from the bed. He knew she wanted him to stay, but he had to leave her for a while, he'd be back soon enough. He gave her one last longing look and grabbed his duffle bag as she watched him walk out the bedroom....always on her mind, if it would be for the last time.
She turned and sunk her head into the down pillow as she heard him return as the door squeaked as he opened it slightly. She turned towards him as he peeked in "I love you..." he said as she smiled and said "I love you too..." He blew her a kiss and was off to somewhere she didn't know.
She laid in bed alone, with nothing to think about but what would be happening to him while he was away from her. She knew he would return in a few days, he would come back to her as he had done many times before. She turned onto her side, reached out her arm and caressed his side of the bed....still warm from his body, she grabbed his pillow and held it close to her, still having his scent deep in it's fibers, she took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. He would come back to her .... she just needed to believe that.