December 2, 1989

Port Charles, NY

Olivia Jerome Shore dabbed at her face with the damp cloth a few more times for good measure when she heard the back door close behind her husband. Like a good marine, Colton still ran several miles on the beach every morning. This particular Saturday morning it had given Olivia time to prepare for her latest deception.

Olivia hid the damp cloth under the mound of pillows collapsed back against them and began to breathe heavily as she heard Colton on the stairs. When she felt Colton's lips brush her forehead she moaned a little but didn't open her eyes.

"Olivia, honey, is everything alright?" Colton asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

Olivia panted a little more for good measure, and then slowly allowed her eyes to flutter open and then close. "I feel…faint…I am afraid…I might… pass out," she said as she drew out the words as if it took effort just to get them out. Clearly there was no way she could have brunch with her mother in law in such condition. Or at least she was hoping Colton would conclude that.

"You're burning up! You must have a fever!" Colton said with panic.

Fever? Or a few strategically applied heating pads what was the difference? Oliva decided as she made her breathing appear as labored as possible.

"It will be ok, honey, I'm calling an ambulance," Colton said as he reached for the bedside extension.

Sometimes I underestimate my own abilities, Olivia thought with an internal chuckle.

XXXXXX

Colton Shore hung up the payphone in the Port Charles General Hospital Emergency Department Lobby with frustration. What was the point of his wife's brother having one of those portable phones if he refused to answer it? He was still pondering that question when he heard a familiar voice call out to him. saw his mother come through the sliding doors of the Emergency entrance.

"Colton!" Charlene Simpson called frantically as she came bustling through the sliding doors of the PCGH emergency entrance.

"I came as soon as I got your message. I was at my aerobics class, you know, I always go on Saturday mornings. What did the doctors say? Is the baby going to be alright?"

"They haven't told me anything yet, Mom," Colton said.

Colton's words were punctuated by the opening of the double doors that led into the actual emergency department as Dr. Monica Quartermaine exited.

"Dr. Quartermaine, is Olivia going to be ok? Is this a relapse of the rheumatic fever?" Colton asked with trepidation.

"I did an echocardiogram and the heart function looks great. I am going to recommend she continue with the Penicillin injections through the pregnancy of course but that is standard at this point. I believe that Dr. Collins was going to admit her for some observation and fetal monitoring just because of the fever. She should be out to speak with you shortly," Dr. Quartermaine said.

"So, the baby is alright?" Charlene asked.

"The fetal heart tracing is reassuring. Dr. Collins can answer more specific questions on that," Dr. Quartermaine said as her words were punctuated by a piercing shrill.

Dr. Quartermaine glanced over at the pager peeking out of the breast pocket of her long white coat for a moment. "I am sorry. That is the CCU so I really need to return this page. Dr. Collins should be out to speak to you shortly," she said before escaping back into the Emergency Department.

As he watched Dr. Quartermaine's retreat, Colton released a deep breath. He knew his mother didn't approve of his wife and only respected their marriage because she loved him, her first-born son. From his mother's perspective, Olivia was a criminal. Colton wouldn't dispute that; Olivia had made her mistakes, and committed her crimes. She had!

Yet, he wasn't exactly perfect himself. He had succumbed to mind control during his brief capture in Libya and almost killed a fellow American. Realizing what he could have done had rocked Colton to his core. He had wallowed in guilt and then found his way back with some help from his psychiatrist, Dr. Tom Hardy. He had been in better place when he had opened his night club, Body Heat, at the end of 1988 and in a really good place when he had proposed to Felicia Jones in May. He had been ready to make the most of his second chance at life. He thought it would be pretty hypocritical of him to deny Olivia the same thing.