Part 63
Coming out of the pits at the speedway, Joe told Zander and Sergei, "by the way, I was visiting that friend of yours in the hospital - Elizabeth. She's missing her classes because of her hospitalization. Her boyfriend and I went to PCU to get her schedules and books straightened out to try to minimize the damage there. So while I was there, I took the liberty of talking to the person in charge at the admissions office. Didn't mention you by name, just broadly stated the general picture. The lady there was interested. She said there is a way to take a set of classes that count for college and for a General Equivalency Diploma at the same time. The home schooled kids can do it that way, and anybody over high school age who wants to get a college degree."
"Thanks, Joe," Zander said slowly. "I didn't know that. Never even thought to ask them. I just thought I had to have a high school diploma."
"Nothing's simple nowadays, it seems."
"You know I'll help out," Sergei said, "Whatever you need."
"I don't know," Zander faltered.
"Well, think about it, my boy. Come up to my hotel suite for a little while. So you know where I am if you need to find me. Come on, too, Joe."
Zander went without protesting, feeling unsure, but fairly safe with Joe around. He wanted to talk to Sergei, but just about cars and the like, not about stuff like "helping."
They were at the elevator in the Port Charles Hotel lobby, waiting to go up. The door finally opened. Oksana came out in a rush and stopped suddenly when she saw them.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded of Sergei.
"You know why. I came to help my son."
"I'm here to do that," she snapped.
Some other people came along and were trying to get into the elevator.
"Let's sit down over in the bar," Joe Quinn said. Sergei and Oksana just looked at him, "Have a little talk. Prove to him you can sit down and be civil in a public place for 10 minutes together."
Sergei said he agreed. Oksana just stared at him, but went along. Zander was rather speechless and it was easy for Joe to get him to go into the bar.
They sat down at a table there - Joe asked the bartender for 3 vodkas and one iced tea.
Oksana recovered first. "You ought to leave town; Peter's here, now," she said to Sergei.
"I'm not going near Peter," Sergei said. "I only help Aleksander. That's it. No Peter. You got Peter still, so I make it easier on you - I help Sander."
"That sounds sort of reasonable," Joe said amicably.
"I can help Aleksander, too," Oksana said. "Don't be so ridiculous. You got to get out of town, because Peter's here."
"I avoid and walk around Peter so long as the court tells me too."
"Oh, I see," she said. "You want to take us back to court."
"No," Sergei insisted. "I'm sick of all that. Only two more years and Peter can talk to me if he wants. I can stay away from a kid in a town. Even my own kid."
"You better not be planning something," Oksana said. "You kidnap Peter again, and you're going to get caught this time."
"I'm not gonna kidnap Peter," Sergei said. "You think I like prison? I'm not gonna do that. I just help Aleksander. With you or without you."
"Would be good to find a way to work together on this," Joe said mildly, sipping at the vodka.
"I really don't need any help, Dad," Zander said. "I don't want you to go back to prison."
"Well, of course," Oksana said to Zander, "he kidnapped Peter before. He kidnapped you, before. That's why they have this rule. Not just to be mean. Because he can't be trusted. And you watch out, too. You think you're so smart. You're not that smart compared to him. I can tell you."
"Shut up," Sergei addressed Oksana. "I'm not gonna go near Peter, and I'll do what you want me to do to help Sander. Deal?" He put his hand out to Oksana.
She would not take it, but she said, "OK." Zander was glaring at her. The glare got a little less intense when she agreed.
"Good night, son," Sergei said, getting up to leave. "Good night, Joe." He looked at Oksana. "Good night," he said.
