Chapter 9
Monica and Alan were arguing in the den.
"Why the hell are you acting like this?" Alan asked her. "My mother is dead. The least you can do is be respectful."
"Respectful?" gasped Monica. "You've been degrading Jason, our only living son, by the way, since AJ's death."
"First of all, Jason is NOT my son."
"Like hell he isn't."
"My son would never take the lives of so many people without a care in the world."
"No," Monica correct. "Your son would brainwash an innocent little boy into thinking that his parents didn't love him."
"Can you hear yourself, Monica? Jason was the one who stole Michael in the first place. Then, he handed him over to that punk Corinthos. It's Jason's fault that Sonny brainwashed Michael all those years into thinking that AJ didn't love him; that we, the Quartermaines didn't love him. Sonny is NOT Michael's father."
"Sonny is the ONLY father that boy will ever have!" Monica shouted.
"How many times are we going to have to go through this, Monica? Why don't you admit that you're still angry with me from earlier?"
"Oh, I think this is a far more important issue than what happened earlier."
"That is true, but you are still angry about it."
"Well the Chief of Staff did leave the hospital to deal with— "
"We've been over this, Monica. It's been exactly one year, and if I want to mourn her on the anniversary of her death, I will. If Tracy wants to, she will. If Father wants to, he will! There is nothing wrong with that!"
"Of course not," Monica said sympathetically. "But—"
"Oh, don't you even start!"
Monica continued anyway, "Lila would not want you to put everything on hold for her. As Chief of Staff, you have a responsibility, and you should be at the hospital today."
"For God sakes, Monica, it is ONE day. ONE day! I cannot believe that you are taking this all so seriously. Besides, Lois has reservations for the entire family. Are you going to let her down?"
"She should have consulted us ahead of time; we should be at the hospital."
"Monica."
"All right. I'm sure she worked hard to arrange this, but—"
"But?"
"I can't be in the same room with you right now anyway, and I'm sure that's not going to change anytime soon," Monica told him.
She began to walk out.
"Wait," Alan said. "Why did you come home?"
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. You're being rather hypocritical if you ask me."
"I wasn't asking you," Monica retorted.
"You didn't answer my question."
Monica was silent.
Alan swallowed. "Monica," he whispered. "Can we please try to get along? Please, for today?"
Monica sighed, "I don't know, Alan. I don't know if I can. I'm just so ANGRY with you right now. I can't even look at you."
Alan sighed. "For today?" he repeated. "For my Mother."
Monica bit her lip. "For Lila."
"Yes," Alan nodded.
He began to exit the room.
"Wait—," Monica said. "You're…You're right."
"What?"
She sighed heavily. "I am upset about Lila, which is why I came home actually. The family needs to be together right now."
Alan smiled. "I agree."
"And, I apologize…It's just…I don't know, Alan."
"You know, Monica, you don't have to apologize. I understand that you're grieving. We all are."
"I thought a year would be enough time," Monica said.
"You can't put a time limit on something like this," Alan told her.
"What I mean is, I thought…I don't know, Alan. I was supposed to feel better in a year, not worse. And then with everything that's happened recently…I…Oh…"
"I'm sure tomorrow will be better," he told her while giving her a hug.
A tear fell down Monica's cheek.
Chapter 10
Ned and Dillon are discussing Lois's reservations.
"Ned, do I HAVE to go? How am I going to survive a dinner with the entire family?"
"You and Brook Lynn will have each other. Besides, I don't think you have to worry too much. No one is going to pick a fight. Not today."
"Ned, are you forgetting that our own mother just started an argument in the other room? Not that I blame her. I mean, she's obviously upset, but—"
"Mother is just as excited about this gathering as you are, which if I may say, isn't very much. She is going to keep to herself."
"Ned, are you sure? Mom never keeps to herself. She keeps her true feelings herself, and when she is this upset, she lashes out. We've both seen it. Mom is going to start with someone, probably Emily or Skye, and the whole family is going to go crazy. I don't want to be part of that."
"Has Mother given you the whole 'You're a Quartermaine' speech?"
"Are you kidding?" Dillon asked. "Only about a million times."
"Well, Dillon, for better or for worse, you are a Quartermaine. You may not like it, and I don't blame you, but it's who you are, and you are going to have to deal with it."
"Oh my God," Dillon said, shocked. "You sound like Mom, although I think Mom enjoys being a Quartermaine."
"I don't think it's being a Quartermaine she enjoys," Ned told his brother. "It's the money and power. The Quartermaines have both. Well, not much at the moment, but that's for a different time."
Ned looked at his watch.
"You should start getting ready. The family isn't going to appreciate it if you're late."
"I have to dress up?" Dillon asked, disappointedly. "I'm still a teenager."
Ned nodded.
"Dillon, you need to move back into the mansion."
"No way," he said.
"Mother would not be impressed with your lack of Quartermaine upbringing. I thought she taught you better than this."
"Ned, what are you talking about? Do I even want to know?"
"Mother hasn't told you ANY of this?"
"Mom tells me a lot of things; doesn't mean I listen to her."
Ned laughed. "Look, image is very important to the Quartermaines. I thought you knew that."
"I do," Dillon shrugged. "But I still don't want to dress up."
Ned just looked at his brother.
"All right. All right," sighed Dillon. "I'll get ready."
Dillon left Ned alone.
Chapter 11
Tracy sat in front of a mirror in her bedroom and placed a necklace on. It was her mother's old necklace. She grasped the necklace firmly. There was a knock at the door.
"Tracy, are you in there?"
"Monica?" Tracy asked surprise. "What the hell do you want?"
"Would you open the door please?"
"No," Tracy said, acting like a teenage girl.
"Oh come on, Tracy. Open the damn door!"
Tracy opened it, "What?" she asked rudely.
"I wanted to talk to you before brunch this afternoon."
"Oh, this is going to be a wonderful conversation," Tracy responded sarcastically.
"Lois went through a lot of trouble setting this up."
"And your point is?"
Monica withheld her temper. "And while I'll be the first to admit that I don't like the idea, we…um, you and I…need to be civil to each other this afternoon."
"I don't NEED to be anything to you."
"Tracy, for Alan, please."
Monica knew how deeply Tracy cared for Alan.
"Alan knows I hate the sight of you," Tracy said cheerfully.
"Well, I hate the sight of you too, so I guess we're even. Just please, don't start anything later. Not with me, and especially not with Emily."
"Emily?" Tracy laughed.
Monica bit her lip. "Tracy," she gritted through her teeth.
"I'll be a good little girl," Tracy smirked.
Monica sighed. "I'm serious, Tracy."
"As am I," she replied.
"Well, good. Now that that's settled, I'll leave you alone."
"Oh, thank goodness!" Tracy clapped her hands together.
Monica walked out of the room.
"Buh-bye," Tracy waved.
PREVIEWS FOR CHAPTERS 12, 13, 14:
Limousines take the family to Metro Court: Edward, Alan, Monica, Emily, and Skye are in one. Luke, Tracy, Ned, Lois, Brook, and Dillon are in the other.