Dillon situated himself down on the park bench directly next to Lucas. It had been impossible to miss the distracted look in his husband's eyes the past two days. Normally he would have dismissed it as the normal stress Lucas felt when doing case work for his family, but Lucky and Patrick's case was over. Lulu's wasn't going to happen. So that couldn't be it. No Lucas had been distracted since he came back from Bobbie's house. Keeping one careful eye on Lance as he played on the swings, Dillon reached out and took Lucas's hand in his.
"You ok there babe? You've been awfully quiet over there."
"I'm just glad to be out of the office." Lucas assured him, squeezing his hand softly.
"Not that Lance and I don't appreciate the company, but are you sure you're ok? You seem a million miles away."
"I saw something, and I'm not sure if I'm overreacting or not." Lucus murmured, his eyes darting to his shoes.
Dillon moved his finger under Lucas's chin and raised his husband's head until their eyes met. "Why don't you tell me what you saw and I'll be the judge of that ok? I'm the dramatic one here remember?"
Lucas laughed softly. Dillon kept him grounded and he wondered if he would ever even realize how important he was to Lucas and Lance. "I went over to my mother's to get a few things that she had stored in the attic." He began, knowing he was going to have to work himself up to what was bothering him.
"And you found a dead body there?" Dillon clapped his hands. "It would be exactly like this scene Hitchcock filmed once..."
"Honey." Lucas settled his hand over the inside of Dillon's palm. "Focus."
"Focusing. Sorry." Dillon smiled sheepishly. "Go on."
Taking a deep breath, he continued, "As I was closing up the attic door, I noticed a few things on the countertop, things that couldn't possibly belong to my mother."
Knowing what he knew about Bobbie and her past, Dillon really couldn't image what exactly that would include. He loved Bobbie dearly but the woman was Luke's sister. Innocent to the ways of the world she was not. "What? Like boxes of Viagra?"
Lucas made a look of disgust. "That is NOT funny!" He scolded. Of course, it would have further supported what he was leaning toward.
"It's a little bit funny."
"Okay, a little." Lucas admitted begrudgingly. "No, like one of those SpinBrush toothbrushes, a three-blade razor my mother would be terrified to use, and a deodorant spray can."
"Do I even want to know how you know what razor your mother would be terrified to use?"
"She's a one blade kind of person. She's always going on that anything more would kill her." Lucas clarified. "But the other things. You have to admit, that's a little strange."
"They are off but I'm sorry I still don't see why you are obviously freaking out. I know I've freaked out on less but you need something more than this to rattle you."
"You've noticed her distance lately too, haven't you?" Lucas asked quietly.
"Define for me please."
"Like when we showed up to help her close down the bakery when Robin was in the hospital." Lucas pointed out.
Thinking back to that night, Dillon had to admit she was a bit high strung. "Ok maybe she was a little Reese Witherspoon in Election that day."
Lucas cocked an eyebrow at his husband, but didn't push it. "She couldn't wait to get away from us."
"We had video of Lance's star turn as tree number two. People across the country tend to run from us when we have that."
"Didn't she seem kind of distracted? Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but Lance is her world. She barely said a word to him, or us that night."
"Honey what you really trying to figure out? You don't bring Columbo home with you like this."
Lucas slowly lifted his gaze to settle upon Dillon's quirky face. "My mother hasn't exactly been open about her relationships...since my dad, but I know there have been a few. I think she might be involved now and I think she's trying her hardest to keep me out of it."
Titling his head sideways, Dillon looked thoughtful. "If she is, do you really want to know? You don't have the best track records with the few you have met."
"What does that mean?" Lucas inquired briskly.
"It means I love you but you are a beast when it comes to meeting your mom's boyfriends. I don't think I saw snarling and baring of teeth, but you have come darn close to a White Fang imitation."
"I just want my mom to be happy. She spent a better part of her life being in love with my father." Lucas defended.
"I know you do but you appear to have impossibly high standards. I don't think Spielberg could create a man good enough for you to like with your mom."
"Spielberg better never show any interest." Lucas teased lamely. "It doesn't matter, I guess. She's not going to tell me." Lucas answered resignedly.
"Not if you don't ask her she won't." Dillon pointed out. "Act all passive aggressive like my family and she will keep it to herself."
"Do you think it's serious? She's never left that stuff out before." Lucas' eyes moved to his giggling son as he pumped his little legs harder and harder to get the swing to go a little higher.
"Did she know you were coming over?"
"I didn't exactly tell her, no."
"Was she home?"
"No. She was out getting groceries I think."
"So my beloved Sherlock, would it be a safe guess to say that maybe she didn't have a chance to hide this evidence from you? Maybe it's not a case of her allowing the stuff to be out but you being in the wrong place at the wrong time?"
"It's like she wanted to get caught." Lucas insisted.
Dillon shook his head. "Ok you are starting to sound like me now. I need you to dial it back and actually tap into your inner Lucas."
"I'm not being paranoid...maybe a little irrational, but not paranoid. I know what I saw."
"You saw nothing. Less than nothing. You wouldn't even go to a client with evidence that flimsy."
"No. I saw evidence. Evidence of a guy my mother doesn't want me to know about." Lucas paused as a more sensible idea came to his mind. "Or he doesn't want her to tell me about him. That must be it. He's using her and knows I would stop it in a second."
"Ok see. That right there is probably why she hasn't told you anything, if there is anything to tell."
"What other explanation is there? She's vulnerable." Lucas declared.
"You don't even know if there is a guy in the first place and you already have him using Bobbie. Don't you hear how crazy you sound? You are getting close to talking like Edward!"
"That old guys does make a good, solid point once in a while. No one ever got anything over on him." Lucas knew he had gone so far past irrational when he started praising Edward's way of thinking.
Dillon stood up. "Ok I'm going to go over there and play with my son. If you see my husband return will you send him over please?"
Lucas snatched his husband's hand and held him in place. "Will you at least give me the benefit of the doubt?"
"I will grant you the possibility that Bobbie seeing someone but you have to give me at least the same possibility that if she is, that he really does like her for her."
"Fine." Lucas gave in. "Now, let's go play with our boy."
"Oh my God! Baby what happened to you?" Bobbie exclaimed as Cruz entered his townhouse in a daze. She had decided to surprise him by making dinner but it looked like she was in for the surprise. Bobbie had seen him come home from work exhausted, angry, annoyed and even though it was rare, even excited. But never had she seen him like this.
He looked as if a truck had run over him, stopped, reversed and run him over again. The tie he normally kept crisply tied was dangling open across his chest. The sport coat she knew for a fact was one of his favorites was slung haphazardly over his shoulder. The normally pressed shirt was untucked and crumpled.
Under normal circumstances, her unexpected presence in his home would merit her a smile and a kiss. Today he barely managed a glance and a small smile before he fell onto his couch with a groan. Something was seriously wrong.
Bobbie made her way over to the couch and sat next to him, barely touching his shoulder. "Baby what happened?"
"Robin and Elizabeth happened." Cruz groaned and fell backwards onto the couch. "They happened."
Now she was lost. When she talked to Laura this morning, she heard the girls had been found in New York City. A few hours later Lois had spread the word they had apparently left in the middle night after a disastrous run in with her nephews. Now it appeared they were apparently back in Port Charles? Bobbie shook her head and made a mental note to ask Robin to consult with her on destination weddings. Obviously the girl knew a thing or two about traveling.
"Did they mistake you for Patrick or Lucky?"
Remembering the small part of the revenge plan he was let in on, Cruz shuddered. "God no. I don't want to be them when they catch up with them."
"So why do you look like they ran you over with a garbage truck?"
Cruz sighed. It could be the death of him if either girl found out but they had only threatened if he had warned his friends. They said nothing if he talked to Bobbie. "They are planning revenge on Patrick and Lucky."
"Well we all expected that much. I think Luke even has money on it with Lulu."
"Who will pay first?"
"More like who will pay more."
In spite of himself, Cruz laughed. That sounded about right for Luke. "I think they tried to apologize last night and it didn't go so well."
"Understatement. Laura heard from Lois. I think you need to give them some pointers." She laced her fingers with his and offered a comforting squeeze, pulling her legs up onto the couch beside her.
"Yeah well if they survive what the girls have planned for them I'll consider that."
"Oh so they came and told you their plans did they?"
"Sort of. They made me a partner in their plans. Which may be worse."
Alexis reached over Mac's left shoulder and flipped off the desk lamp, winning a weary scowl from her better half. "I'm trying to do something here." Mac insisted with a huff.
"Yes, well now you're done." Alexis declared just as stubbornly. "What are you doing up here, tucked away in your office?"
"It's a private matter." Mac bit back, rubbing his eyes and leaning back against his chair.
Alexis gave him an incredulous look. So now he thought he could keep things from her? "Try again." She suggested softly.
"If you must know, Robin called me in tears this morning." Mac gave in, knowing it was easier to just give in than to fight with her.
Alexis bristled at that little bit of information. "Crying? Why? What happened? Who did this to her? Have you tracked him down? Are you doing all you can to--" Mac touched his fingertips to her lips to silent her.
"Sweetheart, breathe." Mac told her. "And yes, I've been working all afternoon to track down that son of a bitch." He gritted through his teeth.
Alexis had a disgusting thought and let it pass through her slightly painted pink lips, "Did she run into Logan?"
"Logan?" Mac repeated, confused. "Is he back in town?"
"Who can really trust the gossip in this town?" Alexis reasoned. "I assume this means I guessed wrong."
"I knew I shouldn't have let that slime ball in my home, but did anyone listen to me?" Mac ranted and pointed a finger at her. "You didn't even back me up."
"I don't understand. And where do you get off blaming me for who you let into the house?" Alexis snapped, planting her hands on her hips.
"Patrick Drake announced to his entire family that they were sleeping together." Mac clarified with a disgruntled sigh.
"Mac, you don't really believe that, do you?" Alexis needed to hear all of the facts before she could make an informed decision. "The fact that you hate him hasn't affected your judgment at all?" She lifted an eyebrow at him.
"Of course not. I heard it straight from the horse's mouth. And I've spent the better part of the day calling in all of my favors. So far, they haven't been able to find him." Mac replied.
Alexis smiled uncomfortably.
"What do you know?" Mac prodded.
All those years defending Sonny and Jason and she couldn't lie to save her life. The irony was deafening. If she knew them only to be rumors, she might have thought nothing of it. However, Lulu couldn't keep a secret any better than her brother and had announced to everyone in Kelly's where the boys could be found. "He and Lucky stayed at Ned and Lois' last night."
"In telling you that..." Alexis added, resting her hand over Mac's as it started to reach for the phone, "I have to warn you that, if something happens to either of those boys, I'll have to turn you in."
"Oh you will, huh?" Mac challenged, spinning his chair around so that his eyes were level with her cream camisole covered breasts.
"Whatever it is you're thinking, you can forget it. I'm going on pure adrenaline here." Alexis assured him.
"That's not a problem for me." Mac whispered, flicking his thumb over her right breast and smiling when it puckered under his touch. "Oh, would you look at that? It looks to me like this new evidence doesn't support your case, Counselor."
"You can't blame me for pleading anyway." Alexis replied breathlessly as he swept his hands under the thin piece of material.
Her knees buckled when he began kneading her breasts softly, pinching her nipples into points and listening to her purr. He yanked her into his lap and eased her knee-length black skirt up her legs and over her hips, his finger sliding inside the lace of her panties as her mouth found his without incident.
"Malcolm." She whispered against his ear, her hips bucking wildly as he slid his body up and over hers.
Moving his hands under her knees, Mac picked her up and set her on the desk, swiping at a few miscellaneous items that were in the way.
Alexis reached into his back pants pocket and found the condom she had been looking for, closing her eyes as he brushed brazenly against her. He snatched the foil package from her hands and struggled with the button on his pants. "Let me." Alexis offered, easing the zipper down and getting the button free.
Ten seconds later, they were no longer bothered by clothing but joined in the most intimate way two people could be. As his eyes rolled in the back of his head, Mac reminded himself to give Ned Ashton a call.