Thanksgiving was a bright and glorious day. The sun was shining and the sky was blue. It was such a pretty day that Steven, Jason and Elizabeth walked from the gatehouse to the main house. The air was crisp and even though there was a slight chill to the air, it still felt good out there. They walked up to the door and Monica had opened the door. Emily came downstairs with Johnny following her. Jason gave him a look and Emily just laughed.
"Happy Thanksgiving Brother. I see that you still are the same old pain in my butt. Johnny is my friend, so back off. He helped me a lot when you and Elizabeth were marooned on that island. You wanted me to have help and I got it. We may want more later but we are just friends right now."
Johnny knew where Jason stood on just about everything but he wanted his friendship with Emily not to interfere with everything else that was going on. "Jason, it is cool between us, right? I am not trying to do anything but protect Emily. Now that we are all moving to Italy, I want you to know that I care about Emily. She is more than a friend to me and I hope one day we will be together as a couple. Just don't have me killed before then." Johnny tried to laugh at that but the looks that Jason gave him well, he knew that maybe he needed a bodyguard to guard himself.
"Johnny, don't let Jason's glare get to you. He is just trying to scare you but I promise that he won't harm a hair on your head because then he will have to answer to both myself and Emily. I think that it is cute that he is trying to protect his sister but I know Emily and she can do it all herself. Although if you hurt her, I will let Jason tear you limb from limb and that is not a threat but a promise."
Emily just looked at her best friend and brother. "You both sure do know how to scare someone. I am glad that you love me and all but Johnny and I are fine. No threats needed now or ever. Let's enjoy this day."
Everyone was hanging out in the study waiting on dinner. Soon, the guys were watching the football game and the women went into the other room to talk about Christmas and the baby that was coming. "I think that we should have a baby shower for Elizabeth. We know she is having a son so we could do it up right. What are we going to do with the gifts, do we keep everything here or send it overseas?"
"I think that we should do both. Elizabeth will need some things here but the big pieces of furniture should be sent to the villa. They will be staying at the gate house on her parent's property until their home is done which will take a while. We can buy them there so there is no need for shipping."
The dinner was almost ready when everyone retired to the dining room. The table looked absolutely beautiful. There were fresh flowers from Lila's garden on the table and the room smelt of flowers and roasted turkey. The dinner was about to be served when Lila opened up with a prayer. She wanted everyone to know that she loved them and was proud of what everyone accomplished. She also was happy that the whole family was together and that there was going to be another great grandson to add to their family. She also thanked the Giambetti family for being there to celebrate their holiday.
"I believe that now that my daughter is moving to Italy, she and her brothers will be bringing back some of their holidays that they celebrate here in America to Italy. I have always loved their 4th of July celebration and now Thanksgiving. It will be something that we will celebrate there too. I want to be the first to invite you all to Italy for Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can stay as our guests and we would love to have you also come for when the winery opens back up. I also have grapes and olives on my property but nothing like the property that Jason and Elizabeth have. We plan on going together into business. It will be a great source of pride for both families. My wife and daughter also plan on having an art gallery. Elizabeth knows a lot about what looks good and doesn't and so does her mother. I think that they will do fine in town or we might have to go to a larger city for her to get the pieces that they need. I guess they will find out."
"Papa, you are too much. Mama and I have been talking about the gallery but the first thing that I need to do is go back to school and learn the language of the area. Emily and I will both be taking classes together and then when we are doing learning Italian and more about the culture, we plan on taking management and marketing classes. We will also have to throw some law into it so we know the rules and regulations for both the gallery and the winery. It will be something that is needed to succeed. I know Papa will help but I also need to learn some on my own."
The meal was delicious and everyone was on their best behavior. Elizabeth made sure that Jason did not say anything to upset Emily. She also made sure that her brother was being treated well because there was a little tension between Steven and her father.
"Mr. Giambetti, I am sorry about what happened to Elizabeth when she was a baby. I have always loved my little sister, and sometimes it felt like she fell from a tree and came into our family but my father, my grandparents and I truly love Elizabeth. I just wish I could say the same for my sister, Sarah and mother. They did not seem to even try to like her. She was so different from the rest of us but I thought that just made her cooler than Sara and me. She never wanted to toe the line and that is how she ended up here in Port Charles. I just want you to know that Elizabeth was loved."
"Thank you, Steven. I appreciate everything that you and your dad did for my daughter. I am also glad that she got to stay here with her grandmother. I think that fate played a lot in it and some of it was pure luck. She means the world to us and we will take very good care of her. I just want to send out an invitation to you and your father, to come visit us in Italy. There will always be room for the two of you and even your sister, Sara. I am not sure about your mother, but I think she wouldn't want to come anyway."
Emily and Johnny teased Jason to no end with their flirting. When the two of them left the table to walk outside, Jason almost followed them. Luckily, Elizabeth saw what he wanted to do and made him go back and watch more football with the men. Max and Milo were looking forward to wrapping up things in the states and moving back home too.
The rest of the day, Elizabeth spent talking with the women of the house. Emily had come back in and so now the conversation was on the baby and Christmas. Elizabeth was so ready to have her son and soon he would be there.
Steven had gotten a call from his girlfriend and she wanted him home. He gave his sister a kiss on the cheek and his new address and phone number. She gave him the address at the gatehouse and promised that she would have Jason call him when the baby arrived. He wanted to see his nephew. He told her that she would always be his sister, no matter what. He was very happy for her and wanted their relationship to continue.
The rest of the day was a blur. Elizabeth started to fall asleep in the middle of their dessert. He knew that she was tired so he needed to get her back to the gate house. Milo offered them a ride in his SUV because he was on his way home. They got Elizabeth back into the gate house and Jason carried her up to bed. He thanked Milo and watched him leave.
The next couple of days Elizabeth was in her nesting mood. She tried to get as much cleaning done as possible and also bought a few things for their son. Jason had cleaned up the Quartermaine cradle and had it re-stained. He then found a nice dresser and changing table and redone them to look like the cradle. Elizabeth had made a beautiful mural for the baby's room but made it so they could take it with them. It was a little different than actually doing it on the walls because they were not going to be staying there long so they painted the walls a soft pale blue and had made some borders that had the mural on it for their son. Jake was the answer to their prayers and they couldn't wait to see him.
It was a few days before Christmas when Elizabeth had just finished up her Christmas shopping. She had gone shopping with her mother, Emily and Monica. They had stopped for a break when Elizabeth's water broke. She had just sat down and felt like she had to go to the bathroom. She had been having twinges all day but thought that it was just her back. When she got up, her water broke and then the contractions really started to kick in. When her mother and Monica looked at her the first thing they thought of was getting Elizabeth to the hospital. Emily called Jason and told him to meet them at the hospital.
Margaretta called Maximus and Monica called Alan. The men were going to meet at the hospital. Monica got Elizabeth right into see her doctor and it was good. Elizabeth was going to have her son very soon. The contractions were strong but not as bad as she thought they were going to be. She was having a very easy labor compared to most people. Emily believed it was because she was in such great shape. Being marooned on an island was a great set-up for her pregnancy. She was also young so that was helping too.
Jason was able to make it into the delivery room and Jake arrived shortly after his father did. Jason looked at Elizabeth and was amazed that she was able to have their son with no medication at all. She was strong and she was able to push like a champion. Jake came out screaming and everyone was happy to hear that set of lungs he had. Jacob Martin Quartermaine was born on December 20th, 2000. He weighed in at 7 pounds and 10 ounces and was 21 inches long. He had very light blond hair and deep blue eyes. He was going to be a heartbreaker when he grew up. Jason was so proud of his wife and son.
Maximus had to make a big announcement about his daughter and grandson too. He never thought that he was going to be able to see his daughter again and to find out that she was a beautiful and talented young lady made him so proud. She also had an amazing husband and son. Her life was there for him to be a part of and soon they would be moving to Italy. He couldn't wait to show them off.
The nurses were in love with little Jake. He already had half the staff in love with him. Monica and Alan were very proud of their new grandson. It hurt to know that they would be leaving soon but with everything that happened, it would be for the best. They were letting Elizabeth and Jake go home on Christmas Eve. They had a few days to spend in the hospital, to make sure everything was okay. The five families had already sent their Christmas greeting and well wishes to the new mother and father. They were also happy about finding out that Elizabeth was Maximus's missing daughter.
Emily came over to see Elizabeth and Jake. She got there before everyone was coming in for the day. She wanted to speak to Elizabeth alone without anyone around, especially her brother.
"I need you to keep a secret for me. Johnny just asked me to marry him. We have been through so much together since we thought we lost you and Jason. He is very special to me but I am not sure if I should say yes or make him wait. I know what Jason would say and that is to wait but we all know that things happen and I already trust and love Johnny. He has my heart and he has been my everything for a while now. I want us to elope and then no one can say anything but I need to know if you believe I am doing the right thing."
"I know how both of you feel about each other. I see it every time he looks at you and you look at him. You are right everyone would want you to wait but that is how everyone was feeling about me and your brother. We knew that we loved each other and didn't want to wait. If they could do it for us, they can do it for you. Maybe you two could get married on the grounds on New Year's Eve. It would be a great time to celebrate and also then you would both be married before you moved to Italy. I love you and you are the best sister and friend that I could ever have. Have faith in your family like I do. I know that they will come around and if not, get grandmother on your side. Lila loves you and Johnny. She will help you. She will even help you elope if everyone has a fit. She only wants the best for you and I know she feels the love that you and Johnny have. I say go for it. Say yes, get married and lived happily ever after in Italy like me. We both have to learn the language and culture there. We will both be married, so no one would hit on us. I will let you tell everyone. Now go to your fiancé and let him know how much you love him."
"Thank you. I pray that you are right and if not, grandmother will help us."
When Emily left, Jason and Maximus came in together with a surprise for Elizabeth. "I have pictures of where we will be staying on your parents' estate. The pictures are of his guest house that is right next to the main house. We will have our own kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom. The bedroom is plenty big for us and for Jake too. This way, we can have our privacy but also be close to your parents and their staff. Emily and Johnny would be staying in one of the cottages on the land too but a little further away than us. The villa is coming along and so is the winery. I can't believe that tomorrow you will be going home and then it will be Christmas. Time is flying by us and soon we will be in Italy."
"I came to offer you a sign of peace. I know that everything is going a little fast and that we will soon be home in Italy. I wanted you see that your mama and I have gotten our own things for Jake when he stays over. There is a room near ours that he will be staying in and that way if you and Jason have to go out for something at night because of the winery, then we will be able to babysit. I just wanted to show you what we have done to the room for Jake."
Elizabeth looked at the photos that both men brought to her. She loved the guest house and she realized that she could live there and never move but that wouldn't be what she truly wanted. Then she saw the room that they had done for Jake. It was so beautiful that she couldn't help but cry. "Papa, did I have a room like that when I was a baby?"
"This picture here is the room that you had when you were born. Max and Milo were right down the hall from you. That loved going to see their little sister. I knew that you were going to want to see that. You were truly loved then and you still are truly loved now."
Everyone was happy about the birth of Jake and soon it would be Christmas.