"Well, if it isn't the prodigal son." Tracy growled as AJ let himself into the kitchen via the patio door. She hadn't slept in a few days and it was starting to show in both her face and the shortness of her temper. Anything and everything set her off. The unexpected presence of AJ was just going to make everything that much worse.
"Tracy, please." Lila stressed, stirring her tea anxiously. Edward reached over and placed his hand on top of hers when the tiny silver spoon starting to shake loudly against the fragile cup.
"Why should I?" Tracy challenged, her voice rising in pitch, her face turning a dangerous shade of red. AJ continued to ignore her, sparking her temper that much more. "He waltzes in here as if he owns the place."
"This is more my house than it is yours, Tracy." AJ pointed out, turning the orange juice carton on its axis before taking a long drink.
"I think your parents would disagree with you there. At least your mother would." Edward threw in, his anger at his grandson's selfish act far more composed than that of his daughter's. You didn't get to be head of a company without learning a thing or two about keeping your temper in check.
"AJ, dear. Have breakfast with us." Lila insisted, gesturing toward an empty chair. "It's been too long since we've spoken and we have far more food here than we're going to be able to finish." She recognized the tension, but chose to ignore it. Her husband and daughter might be too stubborn even want to hear AJ's side of the story, but she was certain she could get to the bottom of this without another tragedy.
"I would love to Grandmother." AJ assured her. "I doubt that I'm welcome though."
"Nonsense. Sit down. Please." Lila reiterated kindly.
"It's not nonsense. Listen to the boy. He knows what he's talking about. For once." Edward countered tersely.
"Why don't you just come out and say it old man?" AJ placed the empty carton on the counter behind him and leaned against it impatiently.
"Maybe you should let me handle this Daddy." Tracy offered. "The appropriate words might not be ones you're familiar with."
"Is that supposed to scare me Tracy? And Grandfather, why are you being such a hypocrite?"
"How so?" Edward wanted to know.
"You go on and on about a Quartermaine heir and I'm about to present you with two!" AJ clarified with a wave of his hands.
"At the cost of one." Tracy reminded him.
"You're being overly dramatic, Tracy."
"You hateful little ingrate!" Tracy threw her napkin down and got to her feet without delay. "You were right there when the doctor gave us the prognosis! You know what will happen to Lance without the transplant!"
"Doctors have been wrong before. Look at Jason. The golden son never did return to his devoted family."
"AJ, please." Lila begged him.
"You're upsetting your grandmother." Edward accused.
"What did I do? I'm trying to defend myself." AJ argued.
"You're trying to get out of feeling guilty for supplying this family with one possible Quartermaine at the cost of another. You dare treat my grandson like he's not always been a part of this family." Tracy advanced on him, her finger pointed in his direction with enough malice to knock him step back a step.
AJ shook his head at her foolish assumption. "Lance will be fine. The doctor's just trying to scare us out of more money."
"Lance is getting worse every minute that he's without that transplant!"
"And the second you throw a little money her way, his prognosis will change for the better." AJ dodged her obvious attack by simply moving to the side.
"If we could just understand why you're so against this." Lila prodded carefully.
"Because there are risks Grandmother. On both sides." AJ informed her.
"What decision has ever been made without the balance of risks?" Lila argued.
"I am not going to put my son through a dangerous procedure because his derelict father managed to pass down some genetic disease."
"You've not yet proved he's your son." Edward corrected him sharply. "This is all unnecessary."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Just what I said." Edward clarified. "Putting Lance and Morgan through this without any care as to how it will affect either one."
"I am trying to make the best decision for my son!"
"Well you're not doing a good job."
"I don't believe I'm hearing this from you of all people. If it was your son—"
"But Morgan is not my son. He may not even be my grandson. What right do you have to take him away from a mother and father who love him? A family they've built together?"
"How dare you take her side!"
"I will take whichever side I choose. I've seen the hell that poor girl has been through over the last year and I will not willingly participate in adding to her misery. Have you no shame at all?" Edward climbed to his feet shakily and turned to his wife. "I've lost my appetite."
"Perhaps it is best that you go. All of this yelling isn't getting us anywhere." Lila stated grimly.
"How could it, when no one here thinks I'm doing the right thing?" AJ demanded.
"You aren't worried about doing the right thing. All you care about is power. Power over your family, over anyone who might be happier than you." Tracy retorted.
"For all of your hatred towards the man, it is pathetic how well you've managed to transform yourself into an even worse human being than Sonny Corinthos." Edward watched his words bring fire to AJ's eyes. "At least he recognized he couldn't give his children the life they deserved." Catching his breath, he continued, "I don't know what inspired Robin to ever give you custody of Michael. Lord only knows what nonsense you've put into his little head."
"I have done nothing but love Michael!" AJ insisted angrily.
"You've kept him locked up in a house or in a boarding school without allowing any of us contact with him. You've imprisoned him. And you dare go after another innocent child as a means to an end. You make me sick." Edward stormed off.
*****
"Don't you think this was a good idea?" Maxie leaned back against Ric's arm, draped half across his lap. Her roommate had developed a social life and thus was never home. She wasn't about to complain.
"Oh yeah the best." Ric tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. He had no argument to spending time alone with Maxie. Spending the night watching an old Barbra Streisand musical was another thing altogether. "Why do you like this again?"
"Are you kidding? Look at that dress!" Maxie exclaimed, absently tracing the inside of Ric's palm. It had been the perfect afternoon what with the movies and the ever present chocolate mousse he had conjured up for her.
"Should have known." Ric shook his head slowly. "So this is research for you then?"
"This is research for you. How would it look for you to be as clueless as every other man when it comes to style? I'm like your mentor." Maxie reasoned.
"But we don't live in the 1930s and I'm not a vaudeville star." Ric argued.
"You say that now. Give Los Angeles a little time, and I bet even you start singing in the rain." Maxie teased.
Ric moved closer to her. "And now I'm staying in Los Angeles with you. Interesting."
"What's interesting?" Maxie eyed him warily.
"One could interpret that as you want me to stick around."
"I'm just repeating your own words back to you. I told you I don't want to go back to Port Charles. Imagine the life we could have here, totally hidden."
"Who said anything about hiding?"
"Never mind."
"Never mind what?"
"You're missing the highlight of movie. I can't believe he had the nerve to come back."
"He loves her."
"That's not always enough."
"But it's always a starting point."
"We need more popcorn." Maxie declared, reaching for the empty bowl.
"Stay." Ric pulled her back to him. "I thought you said this was the best part."
"Yes, but I've already seen it."
"Let me put it another way. You aren't leaving this couch."
"Well aren't you Mr. Confident?" Maxie leaned over and kissed him.
"We do have time to make up for." Ric pointed out, pulling her into his lap.
"Do we?" Maxie asked between kisses.
"Yes."
She curled her hand around the back of his head and let her eyes flutter closed on a sigh. She stole kisses greedily, fearing that if she hesitated, she would find him to be nothing more than an apparition. "Sorry." She managed to squeak out when they had to break apart for air. "I didn't mean to kiss you like that."
"Don't ever apologize for that."
"Damn. That was...that was good." She admitted, pressing her palms against the muscles in his back and keeping their lips centimeters apart.
"Always is." Ric reminded her, his fingers slipping around her waist.
The thin shirt she wore was no match for his stroking fingers. Though he kept them at her waist, she let out a shuddering breath in response. "The credits."
"We'll rewind and watch later." He promised, dipping his lips to kiss her neck.
"You'd watch it again?"
"With the proper incentive." It had been too long since he had tasted or touched her. His newfound understanding of her health issues had held him back, but she was getting stronger every day. He resumed his mission to kiss every inch of skin he could find, pressing his lips against her pulse point.
She gulped and nodded because she didn't have a comeback for that. He had been good for far longer than she had imagined possible, but his extraordinary restraint was beginning to waver. "Do you—" Maxie flustered, tilting her head to give him better access. "Do you think it'll always be this way?"
"What way?"
"Vital."
"Hell yes."
Laughing, she gripped his shirt in handfuls. "I don't think you need this."
Ric pulled back just enough to allow her to remove his shirt and nudged hers up with his fingers. "I don't think you need yours either."
"We'll get there." Maxie told him, resting her hands over his.
"In the meantime, we can still have fun." He smiled, moving his fingers over her skin.
"Oh yeah? What did you have in mind?" Her hands braced against his thighs.
"That's for me to know and you to find out." Ric promised her, moving his hands higher up under her shirt. "But I promise you'll enjoy every minute of it."
Out of breath, she wound her fingers around his wrists. "If you keep that up, I'll be done before you are."
"Not a problem for me."
"Damn it. I can't believe I forgot." Gingerly, she slid backwards.
"Forgot what?"
"I forgot to tell Feona about her son's plane being delayed. I better call her." She lunged for the phone.
"Later." Ric mumbled against her skin, his hand snaking out to still hers.
"I don't think it would take much for me to lose this position and you know how hard I've been working..." As her words rambled on, she pulled her hand back.
"I know. So call her. Just don't think I'm going to stop."
"Like I could concentrate on the conversation with you here."
"I thought you could do anything."
"Even that goes beyond my capabilities. Please?"
"Fine." Ric conceded with a sigh. "But we are not finished."
"Are you mad?"
"No."
"Maybe I could make it up to you tomorrow night. What do you say? Dare to be seen with me in public?"
"Always. However I do not promise to behave in public."
"Go on. Get out of here." Maxie suggested, shoving him toward the door.
"Not until you tell me when I'll see you again."
"Eight tomorrow night. You can pick me up here."
"You'll have the time of your life."
"I know." Maxie agreed with a shaky smile.
"Until tomorrow Maxie." Ric winked at her before kissing her again.
"Until tomorrow." She repeated closing the door.