Chapter Fourteen

Very familiar and probing hazel eyes followed her every movement. They bore into her backside as she used the carpet surface of the pool table to iron out a dress shirt for Jason that he had thrown into the laundry. Elizabeth had company, but she had fiddled around the penthouse. She had continuously chatted away barely letting the older woman with her respond. She was nervous and rambling nonstop, but she didn't care. If she let a moment of silence pass she knew she would be cornered, which she wasn't ready for.

Gently placing the now crisp white dress shirt on a hanger, Elizabeth buttoned it up and smoothed a hand down it, making sure that there were no wrinkles remaining. Inspecting it one last time with a critical eye, she said, "Don't you hate it when you think you've ironed out all the wrinkles out, but you find one or two here and there afterwards." She didn't wait for an answer to plow on. "I think this is the first time that I've gotten all the wrinkles out. It takes forever with Lil's clothes, but it's worth it."

Brenda gawked at the younger brunette before her. For the last thirty minutes, she had sat and listened to her go on and on about laundry detergents after a whole one sided conversation about kid snacks and which ones were most healthy, but enjoyable. Not that Brenda minded household tips and suggestions—it made things easier at home for her—but Elizabeth's attempts to distract her from the mystery topic that was bothering her wasn't going to last very long. Something was bothering her best friend and there was a reason behind it and she was going to get to the bottom of it. At least when she could get a word in otherwise.

She knew for sure that it had to do with Jason. That was the only logical reason why she had found the enforcer sitting in her living room reading the newspaper in the morning. Usually if Jason was over for breakfast it was when everyone was invited. Today they had all been too tired to enjoy a morning together and Sonny had opted to wait until everyone looked alive again.

A smile tugged at Brenda's lips. If only Jason could see them now. He definitely wouldn't be complaining that she was a chatterbox. Elizabeth could give her a run for her money with the way she was going on forever about nothing in particular.

"How do you get Sonny's dress shirts so nice and crisp?" Elizabeth asked as she started on another shirt. "They're always perfect."

David from his spot on the floor with Lil threw his mother a disturbed look at his favorite aunt's ramblings.

Biting the inside of her cheek to not laugh, Brenda gave Elizabeth a stern look, a perfectly plucked eyebrow raised. "There's something called the dry cleaners."
Elizabeth stuck out her tongue at Brenda for her retort before going back to her work at hand.

Finally seeing an opening, Brenda looked around the penthouse for a moment before focusing her eyes on David and Lil. They both looked up from their spots on the couch and gave her blank stares.

"David. Lil," she said in a gentle commanding voice. "Can you please go upstairs and see if Della is still asleep?"

"But Mom—" David started to only be cut off.

"No buts, mister."

Panicking, Elizabeth stepped in. "Brenda, you have the baby monitor with you. Why don't you just let the kids stay down here with us?"

The older woman didn't budge. "I don't have the baby monitor with me." She lied. It was wedged into the side of the sofa cushion of the armchair she sat in, completely out of sight. A look of complete virtue covered her face as she stared back at her best friend. As the kids trudged past her, Brenda winked at them before her features turned back to utter neutrality.

Elizabeth began to fidget as Brenda watched her intently. Her face was now void of any emotion, which only worried her more. She reminded her of Jason at the moment when his face went completely stoic. The older woman continued to observe her, still without speaking. The washcloth that was in her hand wrinkled in her grip as she twisted it, waiting in anxiety for Brenda to speak.

Finally she spoke, but only one word. "Spill."

The nanny grew confused at the command. "Spill? What—Spill what?" she stammered.

"You know what."

Elizabeth only stared back; well aware of what Brenda was referring to.

"Do you need me to spell it out for you?"

"That would help," she replied, prolonging the dancing around the topic as much as she could.

Sitting up straight and pulling the short purple dress she wore into place, Brenda sized up the younger brunette. "Quit, playing dumb, Elizabeth." She crossed her bare legs and gave her a pointed look.

"Honestly I have no idea what you're talking about," Elizabeth turned her body as quickly as possible to avoid revealing that she had a very good idea of what.

Brenda rolled her eyes.

About to make a run for the safe haven of the kitchen, Elizabeth froze at the sound of the oak door flying open. Pivoting sharply, she found herself staring at a very ecstatic Emily still in her blue scrubs.

"I'm here," she bellowed. "And I've got ice cream." She held up a bag from Kelly's.

"You're just in time," Brenda told Emily. "Elizabeth was about to confess."

Closing the door behind her, the youngest Quartermaine skipped into the penthouse and plopped down onto the couch. "Okay, spill."

Dropping the laundry basket onto the floor in frustration, Elizabeth groaned. "There is nothing wrong."

"Of course there is," the Corinthos matriarch replied. "You've talked nonstop, calmly might I add, for the last two hours that I've been here."

"Oh, then there's definitely something wrong," Emily sat up straight. "What happened, missy?"

"Just because I'm talking a lot does not mean something's wrong."

"Yes, it does," Brenda said without hesitation. "You only ramble when you're nervous."

"Yup," Emily said in support of the older brunette. "And we're your friends and we can just tell."

"Don't you have work or something," the nanny asked as a last attempt to stir the conversation away from her.

The two brunettes looked at each other before turning back to look her over. "I did, but I just clocked out and thought I'd head over here when I received a very interesting voicemail."

Brenda smiled sheepishly.
"Now back to you." Pulling out three plastic spoons from the bag she had, Emily held them out to her friends.

Giving in, Elizabeth moved away from the laundry basket and grabbed a spoon. Easing onto the couch beside Emily, she waited for the small carton of ice cream she knew Emily had picked up for her. Leaning back, she sighed.

"And there's the sigh," Brenda commented.

"Now speak, woman," Emily ordered.

"I kissed him."

The former runway model and doctor shared knowing glances before focusing their attention on their best friend.

"Who?" the youngest brunette asked, keeping her excitement out of her voice.

"Jason," Elizabeth grumbled jabbing a spoon into her favorite ice cream, Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.

"Oh," Brenda played dumb and for the second time in one day.

"When?" Emily followed up, understanding that they were going to pretend they knew nothing.

"How?"

"Yesterday, when he came home after the meeting. I just went up to him and laid one on him," she stuffed a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth, keeping her eyes trained on the surface of the coffee table.

"Why?" Emily asked, her delighted brown eyes connected with Brenda's for a moment.

Ignoring the coldness of the ice cream in her mouth, she swallowed the lump and began to scoop more. "Because I saw him and couldn't help myself. I was worried and when I saw him I was relieved." She paused taking in a deep breath. "He was safe and I wanted him to know I cared."

Emily bit her lip to keep from squealing, shoving a spoon of ice cream in her mouth she attempted to concentrate on the subzero temperature. When Jason had needed a nanny, the first person that had come to mind was Elizabeth. She thought Elizabeth was perfect for the job with her major in child behavior and her gentleness with children. The moment she had seen the three of them together, they looked and acted as a family. With every passing day, she knew that her brother and niece had found the missing piece of their family—Elizabeth.

When Jason had announced that Elizabeth had resigned she had the urge to smack her brother silly, but now with him trying to get her to stay for Lil and for himself, she was more than willing to help. From the way things looked they had grown closer and that was a good sign. Emily only hoped that it all worked out in the end.

"It wasn't the first time," Elizabeth murmured, drawing the others back to her.

Once again the two brunettes placed blank looks on their faces.

"It wasn't the first time?" Brenda parroted.

A soft blush began to spread across Elizabeth's cheeks as she swirled her spoon around in her ice cream. "The first day that we arrived on the island Jason kissed me."

Instant smiles graced Emily and Brenda's faces as they listened to Elizabeth reminisce.

"It was everything a girl could want in a first kiss with someone. He was gentle and kind. He didn't push. He simply kissed me." She sighed contently this time, leaning back fully, her eyes fluttered shut. "It was like I was the only one out there. He made me feel special and wanted."

Brenda and Emily shared cheerful smiles as they listened to Liz.

The sigh that now slipped from Elizabeth's lips was one of sadness. "Then, he pulled away."

Emily being the closest one to the nanny pulled her into a warm hug. "It's all right. He's an idiot. All men are in some shape or form."

"Things were fine and then he had to go and kiss me," Elizabeth muttered leaning against one of her best friends. "Then to say it meant nothing. He's the only reason that I resigned."

"We know," Brenda reassured her as she took a seat beside her best friends. Rubbing a hand over Elizabeth's back, she murmured. "You did what you had to do."

"And then the idiot has to go ahead and start being nice," the young nanny scowled sitting up straight.

Emily and Brenda chuckled at Elizabeth's expression. The girl was about ready to give Jason a nice whacking for sending out so many mixed signals.

She shot up from her spot on the couch and began to pace in front of them. Her white sundress with yellow polka dots swishing with every movement. "I mean one minute I don't exist and then he kisses me in a way that had my toes curling to only then upset me enough to quit." She gulped for air before continuing. "And then he goes ahead and starts acting like a wonderful person that anyone would fall for. Breakfast with my favorite pancakes, stupid s'mores on the beach, a romantic candlelit dinner, listening, acting all concerned. A damn water fight that almost ended in a kiss might I add. I have never known someone that can go from cold to hot so quickly like Jason Morgan."

Her two best friends watched in amusement as she ranted about Jason. The man had really done a number on her that was for sure.

"Will the both of you quit staring at me like really satisfied cashmere cats and tell me what to do," she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Toe curling?"

"Favorite pancakes?"

"Candlelit dinner?"

"A water fight?"

"Did I just speak Hebrew?" Elizabeth glared at them. "Because I just said all that."

Emily faced Brenda and quirked an eyebrow. "Looks like that brother of mine isn't as boring as we suspected."

"Definitely not," Brenda replied. "Especially if he can cause this one to be all over the place because of him."

"He's come out of his shell," Emily smiled wistfully. "I'm so proud of him."

Hands on her hips, a frown on her face, Elizabeth glowered at them. "Will you both stop praising him? I want to leave in peace not do something embarrassing like hand myself over to him on a silver platter."

"I don't think he'd mind."

"Emily!" she screamed in horror.

"What?" Brenda shrugged. "It's true."

"You could put some of that Victoria's secret wardrobe you have hiding away to some use."

"That black one with the really deep neckline and white lace."

"Or that red strapless one," Emily suggested.

She gapped at them in mortification. "Will you two please be helpful and get your minds out of the gutter?" The Victoria's Secret wardrobe they had forced her into buying a few months ago was going to stay locked in her closet and remain there forever.

"What do you mean?" Brenda smiled up at her innocently. "We are being helpful. We're offering suggestions of what you can wear to lure him to bed."

"Brenda!"

"What?" the older woman asked acting lost.

"I am not going to sleep with Jason Morgan any time in the near future." She paused. "Wait no, correction. Ever."

They stared at her blankly.

"I am not going to coerce Jason into bed."

"Well, not coerce him," Emily contemplated her words. "More like seduce him."

"I want to leave without any hostility between us."

"You don't have to sleep with him," Emily replied with a sly smile.

"We're just saying that you can leave him in knots and wanting to kick himself," Brenda took over.

"You know," Emily gestured to Elizabeth's modest outfit. "Show off some skin. Wear some very tempting clothes and do a lot of innocent touching. Like Brenda does when she's mad at Sonny and won't let him touch her."

Brenda flashed her a devious grin.

Slumping onto the coffee table, Elizabeth stared at them as if they both had grown two extra heads. They were insane that was official. She was not going to act sultry to get Jason to all hot and bothered. If she did, the only thing that would happen would be more problems she did not have time to deal with. They continued to look at her with glimmering eyes.

"You two are insane," Elizabeth declared.

"Not insane," Emily corrected her. "As Sonny would say we're just evil geniuses out to make the male race think twice about their next move."

Elizabeth shook her head in shame, but couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips.

"Look, we can tell that Jason and Lil are important to you," Brenda murmured, moving forward. "And we get that you didn't expect the whole quitting thing any less than Jason." She shared a look with Emily before continuing. "But since you're leaving because Jason's behavior and his lack of shall I say appreciation of you, we're suggesting that you make him every bit aware that you're all woman and not just the nanny."

"That's not fair to Jason," Elizabeth countered.

"And how would he know?" Emily retorted. She smirked. "For all he could know you're trying out a new wardrobe."

"This will only complicate things."

"Nope," the oldest brunette replied. "It will just make it more enjoyable for you and a little frustrating for Mr. Morgan."

A warm blush formed on Elizabeth's cheeks at the words.

"Come on," Emily probed. "You know you want to."

"What do I get out of this?"

"You leave your mark on Jason Morgan," Brenda replied easily.
Elizabeth ran the idea around in her head. It didn't harm anyone except…"What do I do if I start feeling things?"

Emily made a face. "Feeling things?"

"Feeling things," she repeated, wringing her hands. "Like actual feelings of sentimental value."

Brenda smiled softly at her anxiety of falling in love. "Then live in the moment and go with your heart and not your head."

Scrubbing her hands over her face, she mumbled into them, "I can't believe you guys are talking me into this."

They smiled gleefully.

"It gives us an excuse to go shopping," Brenda clapped her hands like Lil did when she was happy.

They all laughed.

"Don't worry," Emily said, joining Liz on the coffee table. Throwing an arm around her shoulders, she continued. "You have us; we'll figure this out and have fun along the way."

Brenda chuckled also joining them and throwing an arm around Elizabeth. "He won't know what hit him."

"Thank you," Elizabeth murmured.

The two brunettes flanking their best friend communicated through their brown eyes. Things were about to get more interesting.

"Have I mentioned men suck?" Elizabeth asked.

"Aye aye," Brenda raised one of the ice cream cartons in salute.

"Aunt Brenda!" Lil's screech from upstairs filled the penthouse. "Liz!"

They all looked up startled as the four year old bounded down the stairs with Mr. Floppy in tow. "David gave me cooties!"

"And they give you cooties," Elizabeth added before they all busted into laughter.