Another week had passed, Zander was getting anxious about the hearing coming up, Ric asked him to testify in front of the Grand Jury, he needed Zander to get the indictment of murder against Sonny. Testifying weighed heavily on Zander's mind as he tried to relax some on the sofa in front of the fireplace.
Emily emerged from upstairs, just checking on Devon, he never slept very long in the afternoon anymore, so she had been making a few trips up the stairs to check on him.
"Can I make you something to eat?" Emily said as she approached her husband.
"No thanks, I'm not very hungry." he replied as he pulled his legs in so she could sit next to him.
"I'm worried about you, Zander. Care to talk about it?" she asked as she rubbed her hand along his thigh.
"I'm sick of talking about it. I just wish this was all over with." he snapped.
She didn't know what she could do for him, she just wish she could take all the pain and worry away for him. Testifying was the last thing he wanted to do against Sonny, but there was no other way to get the conviction they wanted. Sonny needed to pay for his crimes, and it was all hinging on Zander's testimony. It was alot of pressure for him to handle, he was unsure of himself and he was reluctant to tell the whole world about his past and where he came from.
"How bout we get out of this house for a while? Go for a walk down by the lake. I'm sure Devon would love that." she suggested.
Zander himself up on the sofa and leaned into her. "I'm sure he would. Why don't you go get him and we'll go." he replied.
Emily went upstairs to get Devon dressed to go outside. It had been cool so she dressed him warmly and then brought him downstairs. While she was getting Devon dressed, Zander had taken the stroller out of the closet and popped it open, it was waiting for Devon when she came downstairs with him. Emily sat Devon in the seat and strapped him in.
Zander opened the door for her and grabbed their jackets before closing the door behind him. Emily waited for him on the porch and he helped her with taking Devon and the stroller down the steps.
He breathed in the cool crisp air as she took a hold of his hand, he pushing the stroller along the well beaten path down to the lake.
"Thank you." he said with a smile.
"For what?" she asked.
"For getting me out of the house. I was going stir crazy in there." Emily smiled up at him. She hoped spending some time with his family would take away his worries, at least for a little while.
The fall colors were decorated the trees around the lake, as they got near, her eyes widened at the beautiful sight before her. He saw her reaction to nature's beauty as they came upon the man made lake.
"Beautiful isn't it?" he said as she took in the array of colors.
"Yes it is, very much so." she agreed. It certainly was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
"You know in the winter time, this lake is good for ice skating." he smiled at her hoping she'd take him up on his offer.
"You offering?" she replied with a cocked eyebrow.
"Of course I am, that is if you want to come up here again with me. I don't know, I haven't been the easiest person to get along with while we've been here."
"Of course I would come here with you again, Zander. I am so glad you suggested it. But ..um, perhaps next time we will leave Devon with Granma and Granpa." she replied as she looped her arm with his and pulled him to her.
"What? Leave him out of all the fun of making snow angels and ice skating?" Zander chuckled.
Emily pondered the thought of being at the cabin alone with her husband versus having Devon with them. After all that will happen over the next few months, she thought the two of them deserved some time alone.
"Snow angels? I was thinking more of the roaring fire and cold nights cuddling with you underneath some warm blankets." she replied as they walked along together with Devon.
"Oh, I see. So you want to get me up here to seduce me, is that it?" he laughed.
"Hey it was your idea. So now who's seducing whom?" she giggled.
They walked the entire path along the lake and turned down the path back towards the house. As they approached the house, they noticed Ric's car pull up. Zander kissed Emily on her cheek and hurried to meet Ric who emerged from his car, along with his passenger, Alexis.
"Hey, what brings the two of you up here? More news on the case?" Zander asked after he embraced his brother hello.
Emily had walked up to them with Devon still in the stroller, as Alexis bent down to say hello to the toddler. Ric wrapped his arm around Zander's neck and led him up to the house and onto the front porch.
"Yeah, there is some stuff we need to talk about. But it can wait, I want to visit with my family for a while, okay." Ric said as Emily and Alexis followed them into the house.
As the four of them entered the house, Emily removed her jacket and hung it on the peg at the door. "Anyone care for some coffee or hot chocolate?" she offered as her guests and Zander went into the living room and sat down on the couch. They all nodded in agreement, so she went into the kitchen, Alexis followed behind her and offered to help.
"How's he holding up?" Alexis asked as she got some coffee cups down from the cupboard.
"He's not. He's so worried about testifying, Alexis. I thought taking a walk would do him some good, get him out of this house for a while. Being cooped up all the time is just giving him more reason to think about this hearing coming up." Emily replied as she filled the kettle with water and put it on the stove.
"I know this is difficult for him, Emily. It's been hard on everyone and I suspect worse on him because everything rides on his testimony. But Ric and I will both be there, he doesn't have to worry, we'll take care of everything." Alexis trying to calm the fears she was feeling from Emily about Zander.
"I know, the two of you will take care of him during all this, but he's worried about everyone finding out about his past, something he's gone to great lengths to hide. He's a very private person and to have his life story spread across the front page of the Port Charles Herald and every other newspaper in the country it's just not for him. He's worried about what this is going to do for his business, this isn't something he wants his associates to know, it can really be bad for him in that way, it will make him look weak or less of a threat, which will bring on more danger for us." Emily explained as she and Alexis sat down at the kitchen table and waited for the water to boil in the kettle.
"Hopefully we don't have to go to trial, but if I know Sonny Corinthos and his attorney, we will be seeing the inside of a courtroom. I know Vickie, she's not going to let this go, she's going to prove her client innocent of all charges, we can count on that."
"Vickie? You know Sonny's attorney?" Emily asked.
"Yes I do, Vickie and I went to college together. We haven't seen each other in years, but I've been following her career in the newspapers and such, she's very good and very tenacious. Ric's going to have a fight on his hands in court, I can tell you that. Which is also why we want to make sure Zander is ready for what's to come, because even though we can protect him the best we can with our questions, I'm not so sure Vickie will be. I want Zander to be prepared."
The kettle on the stove started to whistle and Emily got up and removed it from the burner. She filled the coffee cups with hot water and added the hot chocolate packets and the coffee jar to the tray. She and Alexis carried it out to the living room, and found Zander and Ric content on the sofa with Devon.
The four of them spent the afternoon together, talking about anything but the case against Sonny. It seemed it was not the topic for discussion, all were worried about what was to come over the next few weeks. An afternoon spent with Ric seemed to be what Zander needed to rid himself of his worries.