Part 81
"He's not your problem," Oksana was saying, in Gail's office. "Peter is my problem."
"Oh, he's not? Well, you can still hear my opinion! I can have one! I know what it is like to be where he still is, Mom. I guess you forgot about that." Zander fidgeted in his chair.
"I mean, he's not your worry. He's my worry."
"I'm not trying to interfere with your legal ruling over the whole thing, Mom! You've worked hard to earn that! I only said I could help with Pete seeing Dad. And my friend, Joe Quinn, who said he would help."
"I think what your Mom means is that it is something you should not be responsible for. You're young. You shouldn't have this problem," Gail said.
"I don't think going to the speedway with Joe and Pete to work on cars with Dad is a problem. If it is, I can handle it," Zander said with certainty.
"Should you be handling it?" Gail replied, "That is the question. It's not as casual as you got it to sound just now."
"I don't know. But I don't want him to get caught up in what we used to be. We only get one parent at a time. He's older now and he can handle it. And we're saying someone else will always be there. So Joe and I can do that."
"Dr. Baldwin, she is right," Oksana said. "She understands. I'm not worrying about that part. Only that I handle it and you don't have to. You study. You take out a girl. You don't go to supervise a visitation."
"Why not? It does not end my entire social life to go there every once in awhile. Maybe part of my social life is I like to hang out with Dad and Pete. You're only saying that so we don't see Dad."
"No, I talk to Pete, he wants to see him. We will work out a way. Including you. But for you to be supervisor, it is not fun. Take Quinn out instead."
"OK, I get what you mean, Mom, but it's still not a big deal. Quinn would not mind going to the speedway, even, and being there for Pete."
"Why - Quinn is to have a good time on that errand? Think of something more fun."
"It is fun to hang out there."
"Get the point, Zander," Gail said. "Go do something fun only, with no responsibility. You're too young for all this stuff. Let the adults take care of Peter, visitation. I know you don't think much of the job they did in the past. Still, they're the adults, it's their job, and they may even be better at it by now than you are."
Zander looked at her, a weak sort of smile crossed his face. "I never thought I was better at it than they are. I wasn't looking at it that way. It's all I can think of to do."
"Let it go," Gail laughed. "You be the brother; let your mother be the mother."
"He's my son also," Oksana said. "But I feel like he's some kind of cop."
Zander looked at her, light dawning on his face.
"Next week, I want the report on your homework," Gail smiled, looking at him, "Zander, on what fun stuff you did."
Paul and Elizabeth wandered through the paint store. It was like a magical garden. It smelled of paint, but it might have been perfume for all they cared.
Elizabeth picked the colors out, matching them in her memory. Looking through the books standing next to him, her arm touched his sleeve every once in a while. He was more aware of this than of any color.
It was humid and her hair was extra curly, and her eyes were radiant. She was usually rather pale, but today she had color in her cheeks. She came up to his shoulder, so if she stood in front of him, he could lean his chin on the top of her head. She smiled at this. He could not see that from where he stood, of course. But he knew she smiled.
Going out to the car, he held her hand as they walked, recklessly, though there wasn't much chance they would see anyone they knew.
He dropped her off at PCU, getting a long, long, kiss before she jumped out and grabbed her artists' portfolio. He watched her walk away, then drove off.
Zander met Amanda Friel at Oksana's house. Oksana picked the big room at the side of the house, with windows to the ground, and double doors opening onto a patio, looking out onto the garden. Then she had bookshelves and some storage cabinets put in; reference books put on the shelves; and a big table and chairs placed in the middle of the room. Looking out into the garden, Zander could see Lisa Benitez, the elder of Rosa's two nieces, looking around or directing a worker.
Amanda talked over the general plan with him. She let him ask whatever he wanted to ask. It was logical to start in earnest after Christmas vacation, she said, so until then, she wanted to assign him a few things, one at a time, just to get him back to a studying/school mode. She was not going to make any test for him on these things, and he was not to be overly concerned about what he might not understand of it.
When he got fidgety, she proposed they walk in the garden. She asked him about school in Russia.
She told him she thought he would be able to pass a GED exam in a very little time. She asked him if he wanted to take a practice one right away, to see where he stood, even before he started reviewing anything.
He liked that idea.
"I liked taking the tests," he said. "I liked the oral exams the best, but I remember I liked the tests better than teachers talking. They were like a game compared to that."
"Hmmm," she said. "Interesting. I'll give you a novel to read. Do you have anything you want to read?"
"I have no idea. Something about the Irish?"
"OK," she went along, not worrying about where that idea came from. "I'll pick something. You read it. OK?"
"OK," he answered.
Paul and Quinn went to the Outback, and he told her.
She looked down. She covered he face with her hand. She looked very upset.
Paul had not expected that reaction.
"I wouldn't do this to you; but I can't not. It feel so exactly right. I guess you were right. I couldn't give this up, no way. I felt strange the minute I met her. It is impossible to explain."
She turned her head and motioned him away. "You deserve it. I'm happy for you."
"But you look depressed."
"For myself, is all."
"I don't want to leave you here. "
"I'll call a friend."
"Will you? I want to make sure you do."
"Go away, and I'll call."
"Why, you don't want me to know who you call?"
"Why should you?"
He shrugged, though uncomfortably. She was right.
He went towards the door, and watched her dial and talk to someone. Then he left.
At Kelly's, Laura had Deception's financial statements and brochures and other information spread out. Alexis and Oksana were looking at them.
Laura explained the company made perfume and cosmetics and was trying to branch out into facial treatments and lotions.
Oksana agreed to have her accountant look at the books. In
the afternoon, Laura gave Oksana a tour of the company. Alexis was
along for it, and congratulated herself on her brainstorm. She
thought it might turn out to be one of her better
efforts.
Quinn had called
Joanna, who had come to the Outback to get her; she had been so out
of sorts. She had even wanted to go to her parents' house rather
than her own place.
Danny came into her room with a present; a photo of Jeff Gordon. "Now you're free, you can start looking at some other guys. Here's a specimen." He sat on the bed beside her, patted her on the back several times, tried to cheer her by cajoling her to admit Jeff Gordon was a great looking guy, even he could tell that. He kissed the top of her head and put his arm around her and hugged her sideways. She smiled in spite of her blue feelings. After he went out, she looked at the picture. She propped it up against another frame. Well, Jeff was a looker, she thought.
Kathleen hugged her a couple of times, and wanted to celebrate by going shopping for some cool clothes to wear out on dates. She then realized then Quinn needed a little time before talking of such thing, and brought her a cup of tea.
Quinn went down to the living room for awhile. Tim grabbed her and waltzed her around the living room. She had to laugh at this.
Brad, sensing this was not quite the celebration the others thought, let her beat him at a few video games.
When they next met, at the Port Charles Grill, Oksana said her accountants thought, from looking at the books, that Deception had ties to organized crime. Oksana said she would have nothing to do with that.
Alexis was amazed. How had they figured that out?
Laura admitted it, but insisted it was the withdrawing partner.
Oksana asked for assurance that he would be out completely.
Alexis piped up and said they could do a whole new corporation.
Alexis was starting to see the potential for Deception - she had never really been impressed with it before, and knew it was subject to disaster, because most of the money was Sonny's. But it was up and running, and Alexis mind started spinning with what it could do if it were a real company.
"We can call the new one 'Deception Designs' or some variation like that," Alexis assured Oksana. "Still using the company name publicly, we don't have to change that. Leave the old corporation to go defunct. You and Laura would own the new one's shares."
Alexis pulled out the report from Oksana's accountant to show Laura how it could work. If Oksana would own 65, it would be greater than Sonny's 51, true, she said, "but at this point you want to keep it going, and 65 control is no worse than 51 control."
"Don't I know it," Laura said, "I have heard repeatedly from both of them about how that one little percent makes them the boss. Him. Or her. Or both. Control. I am sick of that word."
"So," Alexis said, "you can figure in, also, that a legitimate investor is so much better for company potential, that this 35 you would have is actually a more solid position, and worth more, in reality, than 49 of a mob operation."
Laura was more than convinced, and promised Oksana that Sonny would be gone, gone, gone, as if he had never existed.
They agreed to go forward right there.
Laura felt great about the fact a real investor thought that Deception was worth it. She positively danced into the house that night. The situation had gone from oppressive and stressful to hopeful and excited. She waited with impatience for Sonny to carry out his "threat."
He did, with all the dramatics he usually did, and Laura was secretly glad she could admit to herself that she found Sonny and his wife extremely tiresome. She could tell he thought she was going to come back later begging him to return. She nearly smirked at his retreating back.
Luke was happy because she was happy.
The day Oksana moved people in was exciting and almost festive. Laura introduced Lucky to her.
As soon as he could, Lucky went to Elizabeth to tell her of this new development.
Elizabeth was strangely distant. He hadn't seen her in a couple of weeks. He thought she should know this.
"Why?" Elizabeth asked. She was helping move some people in and the whole atmosphere gave her the inkling that the change was good. "So Zander's mother is part of this company now. Big deal."
Lucky pointed out Emily probably wanted a summer job there.
"Don't know if she'll get it now."
Lucky was shocked at how cavalier Elizabeth's attitude was today.
He knocked on the door to her studio apartment later that evening. She would not let him in. He insisted, and started pushing the door open, gently, and not angrily, not a thing he thought would upset her; but she got very angry and asserted that it was her studio and he couldn't just come in.
"I know you're upset with me," he said. "I thought we might be able to talk it over, is all."
"Nope," she said, "All over."
"Elizabeth!" he exclaimed, "I know we had a fight. But we didn't break up! What are we doing to do?"
"You'll find out soon enough," Elizabeth said, and she shut the door.
He wondered if he was talking to Elizabeth's evil twin. He decided to go back to Kelly's for now.
Over the years, Elizabeth had kept her room at Kelly's, usually staying in his; staying at her studio, though he opposed it, only when she got so involved in a project she couldn't get herself to quit. The last couple of weeks she had stayed there full time, he knew, because she was avoiding him. She had never stayed away that long before, but that didn't mean they wouldn't get back together like they had before. He could hardly recall the argument now.
He thought to himself he was going to be rather angrier at her if she was pushing him out because Jason was there. He looked around for the motorcycle. Jason was always posing as somebody cool when he was off duty at the hospital, by wearing a leather jacket and driving a motorcycle. Jason wouldn't have hidden it; he always made a point of leaving it where Lucky could see it. But today it was not there.
And she was so totally different than she usually was. Whatever was up was different this time.
On the way to get her car the next day, when Joanna came to the house and picked her up, Quinn vowed not to drift, and not to go out with any other guy for at least six months.
Joanna smiled, wondering how long this would really last.
Later in the day, Joanna noticed the rumor mill was in full gear. Quinn had not told anyone, and she hadn't. Paul must have. There as no other way for it to be around so much. Every man in that hospital who was anything close to free, unattached, unmarried or single, patient or employee, appeared to smile when he found out.
"I saw several whose eyes lit up," she told Quinn, relating her impression.
"Because they think the queen of non commitment must be a whole lot of fun."
"No."
"I'm not. I'm not having anything to do with any of that. Right now, the whole subject is depressing."
"OK, you can have to the end of the year, how's that? To mend from this experience."
"Yes, captain. But I can't help thinking - if he would have only given me a little more time, it would all have worked out. Logically, it had to."
"This is not logic we are talking about."
"The way he described it, no. It sounds like lunacy."
On a break, Joe came. Quinn and Joanna were standing at the low-traveled end of a hallway. Joe hugged Quinn and looked enquiringly at Joanna.
"I think she's doing a little better," Joanna said.
"She's sad."
"Oh, Joe you're the only one that doesn't tell me I should be happy, Quinn said, mournfully, "I feel worse knowing everyone thinks I should be happy."
"There are a few pages ahead of you, and need to stop and back up a bit," he answered.
He took a wheelchair and opened it up; then took her arm, and motioned for her to sit in it. She protested a little at his breach of the rules, but sat down, too mentally tired to object more. He wheeled her down a ramp and onto a the rooftop patio. Joanna looked after them a second, then went back to the nurse's station, determining to pick up a little of the slack for Quinn.
Zander had been in for an EKG and when it was over, came by say hello. Joanna explained what happened. He looked off for a second. Another one glad to hear about it, Joanna smiled to herself. She showed him the hall and told him Joe had wheeled her off in a wheelchair down the ramp at the end.
Zander walked down the ramp, then came into an atrium area, with glass walls that looked out onto the rooftop patio. He saw them then, out near the railing-wall.
He looked at them for a little while. She was still sitting in the wheelchair, with gold-colored scrubs on, and with her hair up in the French braid he had seen so often. Joe stood next to her, his back to the wall, looking down at her, listening to her and squeezing her shoulder every now and then. She looked sad. Zander saw a big tear fall down her cheek, and saw that she wiped it away quickly. He felt overwhelmed with her sadness for a minute. He decided to leave them alone; he could talk to her later, and he knew her godfather could do more to get her feeling better than anyone else.
Later, Zander called her up and said he hoped she didn't feel too bad about it all.
"Thank you," she said. He had never heard her voice that spiritless before. "I know you can empathize. I don't think I'll ever like the Outback again!"
"It's a good place," Zander said. "Don't let that wreck it for you. You liked it before. I am determined to undo that."
She laughed. "How?" she asked.
"Tape over it," he continued. "Rosa and her nieces and Pete and I were planning to go out to dinner. We'll go there and you can come with us. You don't have to be the life of the party. With Rosa and Pete there, you don't have to say a word and who'll notice?"
She sighed. She didn't feel like it. But she smiled at the thought of Pete in spite of herself, and said, "OK."
In the end she was glad she went. Pete talked about the soccer team, and how had he made a goal in their last game, and asked her to come to the next one. "I have my own cheerleader. I have been bragging, and the guys think I am making it up," he explained.
They talked over Tim and his Russian. Pete thought Tim was doing OK – better than he thought he was.
Rosa was kind, and her nieces were friendly. Lisa was 20 and Diana was 18. They were doing all right with their first autumn chill. Lisa said she liked having a jacket – she claimed never to have owned one before. Diana liked the leaves falling and turning colors. All three liked the town; it was so different from Miami and that made it interesting. Quinn offered to help them find anything they needed.
Quinn found this group about ideal to get her mind off of things. She thanked them as they were leaving, and told Zander it was working. The Outback was going to make it and remain on Quinn's list. He laughed, and tugged at her long braid. "You'll be fine," he said.
