Chapter 29- Morgan's Plan

Over the next few weeks, Nina received some highs and lows. The search for Nelle kept hitting dead ends. Curtis spoke to the staff at the Denver medical lab, but no one could remember Nelle coming in and they didn't have video surveillance to look back on. He even searched the vacant house on Wellington Way and asked some of the neighbours. No one had seen her, and the house directly next door seemed vacant. He promised Nina he wouldn't give up though.

The most positive thing was Nina's visits Willow. Willow was doing a lot better and gaining some strength and didn't turn Nina away once. She even asked her opinion on her wedding dress and flowers. The bad part though, was Carly and Donna moved in with Michael and the children temporarily to help out until Willow recovered. She even wanted to stay on to help care for Willow when she returned home.

Each time Nina tried to visit her grandchildren, Carly would start undermining her to Michael again. The first couple times she stopped by, she was able to see Wiley and Amelia, supervised by both Carly and Michael, and after that they kept making excuses as to why she couldn't see them. Nina held back on telling Willow, in fear of causing her stress and setting back her recovery. Once Sonny returned from Denver with a recovered Dante, Olivia, and Sam, he decided to go with Nina to the gatehouse to set the record straight.

"Wiley and Amelia are spending the day with Brooklyn and Chase," Carly said, not even letting them in the door.

"We called ahead," Sonny spoke up. "You knew we were coming."

"Yes, but I didn't realize Brooklyn already made plans through Michael."

Nina sighed. "Sonny, let's just go. If we fight this we'll somehow come out the bad guys. I'm already bonding with Willow. Once she's released, she'll let us see them."

Sonny shook his head. "No, this isn't right. Carly, we had plans to visit Wiley and Amelia. Let us in and call Brooklyn to bring the kids back."

"They're at the aquarium," Carly said. "Do you really want to disappoint Wiley by dragging him away from there?"

"I can understand Wiley, but why did they take a one month old baby to the aquarium?" Sonny asked.

"Just to give me a break."

They could suddenly hear footprints on the stairs.

"Then what time will they be back?" Sonny demanded to know. "We'll wait here for them."

"Probably not until late—"

"Grandma! Grandpa!" Wiley came running past Carly and hugged both Sonny and Nina at the same time.

Carly groaned.

Nina's face lit up. "Wiley, hi!"

"How are you, buddy?" Sonny asked.

"Are you here to play with me?" Wiley asked.

Carly shook her head.

"Of course, we are!" Sonny said, ignoring Carly. "We had special plans to play with you and Amelia." He looked up at Carly and grinned. "I think Great-Grandma Monica needs to see Grandma Carly at the main house for an hour or two."

Carly rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine. Donna is upstairs too. You might as well spend time with her too." She grabbed her coat. "Bye Wiley, Grandma will see you soon." She headed up to the main house.

Wiley took Nina's hands. "I missed you!"

Nina smiled. "I missed you too."

"Grandpa will go get Donna and Amelia," Sonny said and headed upstairs.

Nina sat on the couch with him.

"When is Mommy coming home?" Wiley asked.

"The doctors think she'll be able to come home real soon," Nina said. "She's feeling so much better."

"Do you think my zebra makes her feel better?"

"I think so. Do you know why?"

"Why?" Wiley asked.

"Because you gave it to her." She hugged him tightly.

GHGHGH

Morgan still hadn't found Nelle and hadn't heard a thing from Madeline. He came up with two potential scenarios in his mind: either Madeline took off with Nelle and the baby or someone from Port Charles came and took Nelle away.

He was starting to run out of food and money and had no luck in finding employment. At the coffee shop one day he went to spend the last bit of change from the allowance Madeline gave him, he found a newspaper splayed open on one of the tables. A picture of his brother Michael with his arm around a brunette stared back at him with the headline: Great-grandson of Edward Quartermaine, Founder of ELQ Enterprises, To Wed Survivor of Leukemia.

He lifted it and skimmed the article. Mentions of everyone's names from Sonny to Carly to Donna and Avery. Of course, Kristina is mentioned last like always. He rolled his eyes. It even mentioned Nina Reeves and Liesl Obrecht as the bride's family. This Saturday at the Quartermaine Mansion….

He rubbed his chin. His mother, father, and Nina were hanging around Denver right on their very street, only the day before Nelle went missing. Maybe they did take her after all.

He stared at the little change he had left. It wouldn't be enough to take a train or bus. Maybe he should beg for money. Or sneak on a train.

If his family had something to do with his wife's disappearance, he wouldn't let them get away with it. Michael had the spotlight his whole life. It was time for Morgan to crash his wedding.

GHGHGH

"Pregnant?" Nelle felt like she might faint. "Are you sure?"

The doctor at the mental hospital nodded. "You're sure you don't know the father's full name?"

Nelle shook her head and started tearing up. "I don't know what to do."

The doctor headed over to the nurse and out of Nelle's earshot. "If we don't find any of this poor girl's family, her child might end up in foster care."

Nelle placed her hands over her belly. "I'm so sorry I left your daddy. I should've just stayed there and trusted him. I just hope I don't lose you like the baby boy in my dreams."

GHGHGH

Wiley drew all over Sonny's face with his washable markers and giggled. "You're a clown, Grandpa!"

Meanwhile, Donna sat on top of the couch with her legs hanging over Nina's shoulders. She was playing hairdresser with Nina's hair and Nina cradled baby Amelia.

Donna finished up and handed Nina the compact mirror.

Nina stared at her reflection. Her hair had no less than 30 hair elastics sticking her hair up every which way. "Gee, Donna, you should open your own hair salon when you get older!" She laughed, the bit her lip.

Sonny chuckled. "Wiley, Donna, why don't you head upstairs and pick out a toy each?"

"Okay!" They said in unison and raced up the stairs.

Nina stared down at Amelia.

"What's wrong?" Sonny asked her.

She shook her head. "Nothing."

"You would show excitement, contentment, all the good emotions, but then you'd tense up or frown or bite your lip. Like you're holding back a bit with having fun with the kids."

She sighed. "You know how much I love our grandchildren. And Donna is such a sweetheart…."

"But?"

"Whenever I'm around Donna, I keep imagining my girls at that age," Nina said. "Would they have climbed on my shoulders to do my hair like that? Would I have grown their hair out past their shoulders like Donna's? I probably would've given them all kinds of different styles they'd grow up resenting me over." She chuckled at the thought.

"I know it's hard, I know you won't ever have that time with them. I feel the same way about Dante. But we have to focus on the present. Willow is coming home soon, and you've already had a good start to building your relationship. And Curtis is going to find Nelle. And you're going to build a relationship with her too. I can even ask Spinelli and Sam to help Curtis."

She smiled. "That's a great idea."

"And we will get to be a part of Wiley and Amelia's upbringing. We'll get to be a part of shaping them into the adults they will grow into. I know it's not the same as being the parent. But being a grandparent has all the fun with less of the responsibility."

Amelia wrapped her hand around Nina's finger. "You're right. We have a lot to look forward to. Including, the wedding of this little one's mommy and daddy. Isn't that right, Amelia?"

GHGHGH

"Good news," Terry told Michael and Willow. "You're free to go home, now."

Michael and Willow smiled at each other.

"I'm very pleased with your progress," Terry continued. "You're gaining strength every day and the transplant seems to be working. But still, keep in mind, you are still at risk of infection. And we still need to monitor you regularly. It could take up to a year before your blood counts to reach close to normal. But you're well on your way to recovery."

Michael shook Terry's hand. "Thank you!"

Willow smiled. "Thank you."

Michael hugged her after Terry left. "I think we have a wedding to get ready for!"