Big
Fat Happy Sunshine Day
Overcrowded Room
--Chapter Five--
.:Port Charles Hotel, Fourth floor, Room 431:.
"I have decided," Elizabeth Drake announced, holding up a spoonful of ice cream to mark the declaration, "that of all the things Jason Big Fat Happy Sunshine Day Morgan can be, a bank robber is not one of them."
Carly Benson looked sideways at her stepsister as the two of them sat sprawled out on her couch, her own spoonful of ice cream paused midway on its trip to her mouth. "…And you figure this how?"
"Noodle likes him," the brunette shrugged, her eyes once again trained to the large television screen where Wesley was in the process of saving Buttercup from a large rodent.
The blonde turned away from the movie that had become a Sunday night ritual of theirs ever since their parents tied the knot two years and seven months ago. They barely even paid attention to the movie anymore since they knew the lines by heart – it was more like comforting background noise with a healthy dose of 'Wesley-hotness', as Elizabeth put it.
"And if Noodle likes him, he can't be a bank robber?"
Elizabeth rolled her eyes impatiently at what seemed to her a painfully logical conclusion. "Well, duh. Remember that time that Noodle and I were running at the park and I wasn't watching where I was going and I smacked into that dude with the Minolta?"
"…Yeah…"
"I was saying sorry but Noodle kept growling at him, and I had one hell of a hard time pulling him down. Then the guy left and I got really mad at Noodle and I took away his toys for the rest of the afternoon-"
"Is there a point around here somewhere, Elle, or do I need to call Columbo?"
"And then two days later, that same guy was on the news and he stuck up the Port Charles Bank on Maple Avenue! Remember that?"
Carly frowned, trying to remember the incident, and her eyes slowly widened as it all came back to her. "Oh, my God, you're right. I remember telling Nik about that and he didn't believe me. But you're right!"
"See?" Elizabeth exclaimed triumphantly. "That settles it – Jason Morgan isn't a bank robber."
"Phew," her stepsister sighed, cramming another heaping spoonful of Moose Tracks into her mouth. "Thank God that's settled. Now I can sleep easy. Although…"
She glanced sideways at her sister just as Buttercup agreed to sacrifice herself for Wesley's safety. "…What's the sudden interest in Jason, Elle? He keeps Noodle from giving in to his Elmer Fudd tendencies, and all of a sudden you're actually looking at him like he's not a total tool. What gives?"
The brunette shrugged innocently. "Nothing," she replied, licking her spoon clean as Wesley watched Buttercup disappear through the forest. "I'm just glad he's not a bank robber, that's all."
.:Quartermaine Manor, Drawing Room:.
"The tea tastes different, Lila," Nikolas Cassidine mused, swirling the dark liquid around in his teacup. "A different blend today?"
"I switched back to white tea, dear," the old woman replied happily. "I do find that it suits my palate so much better these days. More honey, Jason?"
"No, thank you, Lila," he smiled politely, crossing his legs at the ankle. "I'm just fine."
"At least have a scone, darling," she coaxed, motioning for Edward to offer Jason the plate, which he did at once. "Cook's special recipe. I dare say, you won't find any like those except back home in Lancaster."
Jason obliged the Quartermaine matriarch by taking one of the proffered cookies and sitting back in his seat. It was a lazy summer afternoon and Lila Quartermaine had invited him and Nikolas to have tea with her and her family as she often did in the past before he left for New York. She had invited Jason's father before him, and his grandfather before him, and these afternoon tea dates were a favorite little ritual of hers. She'd sit happily in her wheelchair with only half a cup of tea, pushing scones and crumpets at the rest of her companions.
Edward sat contentedly in his own seat across from Jason with a cup of coffee balanced on the armrest of his chair and a cigar tucked into his pocket for later. Junior had disappeared into the house to receive an important phone call from one of his associates, Alan and Monica were occupied at the hospital, and Carly had declined the invitation due to a previous engagement, so at present it was only him and Nikolas with the two elderly Quartermaines.
Jason shifted in his seat, slightly uncomfortable in the custom-made suits he and Nikolas seemed to live in now. But Edward's cat-ate-the-canary smile from across the little table made him even more uncomfortable, and that was why Jason was exceedingly relieved when his old friend picked up the conversation once more.
"I saw Emily this morning with Raul," he informed Edward, referring to his youngest grandchild. "He's a fine looking horse, Edward. Any plans to race him?"
The old man shook his head. "No, but we are thinking about using him as a stud."
Nikolas was nodding in approval. "You'll get a lot of good colts and fillies from him, that's for sure. And Emily'll be happy to keep him at the stables."
"She will," Edward agreed. "She does so love that horse – and her mare, Lady. In fact, the girl would open up a menagerie if we let her."
"We probably would let her, dear," Lila smiled confidingly at her husband.
Edward laughed, patting her hand. "Yes, I'm afraid we would. Tell me, Nikolas, Jason – do either of you have any experience with dogs?"
Jason blinked as Nikolas considered the question. "I used to have one in Greece when I was a kid but I left him behind with the help. Why do you ask, Edward?"
"Emily's got her heart set on getting a dog," the old man frowned. "I told her that we'd buy her a fine thoroughbred, but I'll be damned if she doesn't want to adopt from the pound. Imagine that – the pound!"
"I think that's very commendable of her," Nikolas disagreed. "Lots of those animals are strays that just need a good home and some attention. Does she know which breed she wants?"
"Labrador Retriever," came the answer.
"They're large dogs," Jason spoke up, not fully knowing why he did it. It was always best to remain out of Edward Quartermaine's radar, as far as he was concerned. Unnecessary attention from the old man was never a good thing. "Emily's small, and they can be a lot to handle."
Lila's brow furrowed. "How so, dear?"
"They're large, for one thing," the young man repeated. "They're strong, too, and very excitable. Just be careful that the dog doesn't take Emily for walks instead of the other way around."
Both husband and wife exchanged alarmed looks. "So you're saying that it's not a good idea?"
Nikolas watched, bemused, as Jason shook his head. "Not at all, Lila. Labrador Retrievers are very friendly animals. They're very good family dogs, and very affectionate. They make good companions, too. I'm sure Emily would be very happy with one of that breed…just as long as there aren't any rabbits or squirrels within a twenty-mile radius."
The last part was muttered under his breath, and Edward and Lila wore matching confused expressions when Nikolas burst out laughing. "So you've met Noodle, huh?"
Jason grinned at that. "How'd you know?"
"When that dog sees a squirrel, the whole town knows it," Nikolas smirked, his dark eyes glittering. "If ever an animal needed to come with a Mute button, Noodle is it. In fact…he reminds me a lot of his owner."
Edward watched suspiciously as Jason chuckled. "See, I thought the same thing – maybe I shouldn't have said it out loud, though."
Lila looked back and forth between the two young men as they laughed together. "Goodness, my dears, I'm afraid you have me at a loss. Who is this Noodle?"
"Noodle is the name of Elizabeth Drake's dog, Lila," Nikolas grinned back, his shoulders still shaking at the thought of the oafish creature. "You remember Elizabeth, don't you? She's Carly's stepsister, Noah Drake's daughter."
"Oh, yes," the old woman replied happily, her pale blue eyes twinkling. "She sat with me at the Christmas party last year at the hospital. Lovely girl, that Elizabeth. So unlike her sister."
Her eyebrows shot up when Nikolas and Jason exchanged glances and snickered, and Lila quickly amended her words. "Not to say that Caroline isn't lovely – she is quite lovely. But she and Elizabeth appear so…opposed at times, don't they? Not to say that-"
"Don't worry, Lila," Jason assured her kindly, smirking at his old friend. "We know what you mean."
"Well, I don't," Edward huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't know the girl at all."
Jason remained silent, ticking his nails on the edge of his teacup as an oblivious Nikolas explained.
"Elizabeth and Carly are like polar opposites," he started. "You know Carly-"
"Unfortunately," the old man mumbled.
"She's punctual, she's very organized and orderly, she dresses very…professionally and she conducts herself with a certain sense of propriety," Nikolas continued as if Edward hadn't spoken. "Elizabeth, on the other hand-"
"Is she a degenerate?" Edward wanted to know. "A delinquent? Good heavens – a hippie?"
"No, no," the Prince hurriedly got out, holding up his hand. "She runs Jake's, the little club by the Elm Street pier-"
"Oh, that's the place Emily's always talking about," Lila beamed, pleased to be 'in the know' when it came to the young people. "She does so enjoy that little establishment. I had no idea Elizabeth ran it. How marvelous for her!"
"What kind of club is this?" the old man groused. "Does she know that Emily is underage? Oh, I'll have my friends in the DA's office look into this immediately-"
"Edward, it's a place for students," Nikolas interjected, and Jason could tell his friend was beginning to lose his patience. "It's got a little coffee bar and a large area with desks and computers for the kids to study, and it's got a lounge with video games for when they want to relax. Elle also invites area bands – bands comprised of her patrons, again – to play on certain nights. It's a good, safe place for Port Charles' younger demographic to congregate."
Jason smirked to himself, content to sit out the rest of the evening in silence. Nikolas was a fool for getting in to this with Edward, but that was his problem. At least he hadn't mentioned that Elizabeth did indeed serve drinks at Jake's. That little bit of whitewashing would satisfy Edward until he forgot about the whole thing.
"Anyway, she runs Jake's and she's an artist herself," Nikolas continued, surprising Jason with that new information. "Some of her work was featured in that up and coming gallery in New York a year ago, and she's in talks with another gallery in Manhattan right now."
"How lovely," Lila smiled, looking out at her rose garden. "Oh, Edward, we should see the girl's work – I would so love a new painting for the house."
"We'll see to it, then, my dear," Edward assured his wife. "So she's an artist and runs this Jake's place, you say?"
Nikolas nodded, choosing to leave out the part about Elle being a musician as well – he knew that the artist bit was bad enough as far as Edward was concerned. "She's very free-spirited, not very punctual, and dresses like a typical college student," he continued. "Sometimes, I'm surprised at how close she and Carly are."
"It sounds like they balance the other out, dear," the Quartermaine matriarch observed. "And those are the best relationships, are they not?"
Jason smiled at that as Nikolas nodded. "So that's who we were just thinking of – Elizabeth and her dog Noodle. I'm surprised you haven't seen him tearing around the town – you probably have, but you might not have taken note of it."
It was his polite way of saying that they forgot; it was no secret that Lila's memory was going and that Edward's wouldn't be too far behind. But the Quartermaines didn't take any offense and simply nodded.
"So I take it, then, Jason, that this Elizabeth doesn't exercise much control over her dog?" Edward inquired, his eyes glittering under his bushy white eyebrows. Each word was weighed, measured, calculated, and Jason sat up straighter in his chair, knowing that he'd better answer carefully. "You've seen them together, then?"
"Just once," Jason replied blandly, inwardly hoping that the indifferent answer would be enough to deflect Edward's line of inquiry.
It would have been, too, had Nikolas not unknowingly trapped him back again. "When did you run into Elizabeth and Noodle, Jason?"
The businessman shifted uncomfortably. "On Tuesday."
"After our game?" Nikolas asked, thinking to himself. "Oh. She usually takes him to Lucky's around that time so he can play with Foster."
"They were walking through the park when I ran into them," Jason replied reluctantly, unconsciously tugging on his ear and giving himself away to an ever watchful Edward. "He saw a rabbit and took off after it and…I just chased him down and grabbed him."
"He's huge, isn't he?" the Prince chuckled, completely oblivious to the game being played at the little garden party. "Tough to handle. Especially since Elle's so tiny."
"But she really loves that thing," Jason pointed out, unable to help himself. "Anyone can see that."
"Thank you, dears, for the advice," Lila spoke up with a smile. "I do feel we're better prepared for when Emily introduces her final proposal regarding a new dog. I do believe she's working on a chart for us, Edward – imagine that!"
The old woman laughed to herself as her husband's eyes twinkled deviously. "I don't see why she can't have one, Edward. The house is big enough, and so is our property. If Emily wants a puppy, I say we let the little dear have one. We'll just have to make sure she understands the responsibilities. Thank you again, darlings – you've been most helpful."
Edward tented his fingers, his elbows balanced on the armrests, and smiled slyly. "Oh, yes – most helpful, indeed."