Chapter Twenty Four
Elizabeth joined Jason at the window as they got ready for bed, "What is it?"
"Robin came to visit us today." he said rubbing the back of his neck. "She wanted to tell me she was married and in her own way congratulated me on our marriage. However it was all a cover for her wanting an apology for being mad at what she did."
"Are you serious?"she asked in stunned awe. "She really doesn't get you does she? Doesn't get that you knew what Carly was, but that it wasn't about her, that it was about an innocent child?"
"No." he said flatly then added "Strangely enough, yes she was right about Carly, so I did say I was sorry for not believing her in regards to that, but this attitude, her belief... I just don't know, maybe I should have done so, but in truth, I think that I would have figured out what Carly was doing much sooner if she had left things alone."
"You might have, you might not have." she said gently. "Either way, like you have said, she didn't tell the truth from the position of moral outrage, she did it to get Carly out of her life."
Reaching down to encircle her waist, he smiled a bit as he noticed her slightly rounded belly. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired a bit." she said honestly as she thought about her very long and complicated first day as a surgical nurse. "More from work than the baby though. Today was an incredibly busy day."
"For your first day as a surgical nurse or busy from the gifts to Mercy and County." he said as he laid his head on top of hers. "Old man Zachara is certainly being very cagey about what he is up to."
"You do know that Georgie was the one actually doing the ordering?" she asked as she rested her head against his chest. Listening to his heart beat, she felt the steadiness soothing as she found it hard not to drift off to sleep just yet. "She hasn't said anything to me about specifics but I understood that she has been doing all sorts of shopping for him."
"I know, the thing is, I did some research, the amount of medical equipment, my guess... General Hospital gets an equally large donation at some point this week." he said then because he knew she needed sleep decided to have a little fun teasing her before putting her to bed. "Speaking on the holiday, when do you want to get our tree?"
"How about this weekend?" she asked her mind on her schedule. "I saw the perfect lot they had some wonderful six footers and I have to pick up some ornaments for it."
"No paper chains and construction paper?" he asked as he recalled their first holiday sad little tree that had been in the studio had been one of the best decorated trees he had ever seen.
"Actually no." she said then stammered through what she had to ask. "Uh, Jason, I was wondering... I want to do something special for Cam, since it is his first Christmas. I was thinking..."
"Santa suit?" he asked with a touch of irony in his voice. "You know, you make a terrible conspirator. The tailor on Fifth called today. You forgot to give him my arm measurements."
"Oh..." she said embarrassed to realize she had been caught. "I was planning on telling you. I just..."
"You should know, your co-conspirator, she talked when threatened by me. Its the first time I have ever seen Emily fleeing without giving Cam a goodbye kiss." he said with a smirk. "Confessed all and I have to say Mrs. Morgan, I really am not sure that the real Santa Claus would approve of your plans. I am almost certain that what you had planned would place you most definitely on the naughty list."
Groaning as she turned red, Elizabeth said in a small voice. "I am so sorry, I was just..."
Lifting his wife's chin, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips then said "Only for Cam and you but if you tell anyone and I am including my very nosy sister in this, you will find I am quite creative in how I deal with naughty wives."
That stopped her heart for a moment then she whispered in his ear "Jason, if that is supposed to stop me for saying something, you might want to come up with a different punishment."
Georgie was not a happy woman as she saw Brooklynn sitting on the sofa as she came home from work. "Brook, what are you doing here?"
"I came to see my friend." she said standing and nervously rubbing her one hand with her other. "Look, Georgie we apologized, you said you weren't mad but then you avoid us all the time. Dillon thinks that you no longer want to see him, at all."
"Brook, I have been very busy with my new job and with my new... well boyfriend." she said a bit self consciously. "While the two of you and Lucas avoided me, I moved on, made new friends and didn't sit around pining for what used to be."
"What used to be? New boyfriend?" she asked doubtfully. "Look, I am so sorry, Georgie, I really am but I still think of you as my friend."
Taking a long assessing look, Georgie said "More like acquaintance, Brook. You were pissed at me over something that you were more than glad I did. Yes, it was wrong and yes we learned afterwords that Sage was acting up because she felt alone but at the time we didn't know that. Yet suddenly I was the one in the wrong and the three of you were innocent. You weren't, and I discovered I have no time for hypocrites in my life."
"So that is what you truly think of me, of Dillon?" she asked choking at the pain Georgie was causing. "What about Lucas, he said you go out of your way to avoid him too."
"Lucas is my cousin, I haven't gone out of my way to avoid him, but I also haven't gone out of my way to see him either. Look, Brook... I am sorry that time passed us by but maybe you should move on, find new friends."
The dark haired girl looked at the high school girl in front of her. "But I thought... I thought that next year, the three of us would go away to school together, we would be..."
"That might have been the plan last year, but things changed." she said with a shrug."Instead of tossing away a chance to attend an Ivy League school I went for it, sent in the applications to where I truly wanted to go. Yeah, Columbia is one of the schools, but if I get in, well I will just most likely live in the dorms."
"I get it, well I guess I wasted a whole year at PCU, waiting for my friend to join me in New York, didn't I?" she asked.
"I guess you did."said Georgie evenly as she watched Brook walk to the door. "Brook?"
Turning, she asked her what while wiping the tears away.
"I am sorry. I... well things changed the moment you accused me of wanting Sage dead." she replied. "I would have thought you, of all people would understand I wouldn't wish death on anyone and most especially not over a boy who spent more time chasing other girls than with me."
Anthony was snickering as he fed the reporter even more gossip on Sam McCall, sending him in the direction he wanted him to go. He figured a day or two and Ms. Davis would learn that the young woman she had done so much damage to in an arrogant effort to save her youngest child had been her own daughter.
Adding to that the fact that Sam's history would become public, her cons, her using of men for financial gain, that she had a child with the same man her mother had once tupped and he got the feeling Alexis might be a bit embarrassed then, he would release the piece de resistance, that Sam had died from a rather well known poison, one that screamed Cassadine family, that her own nephew had killed her daughter out of greed and maybe just maybe the attorney would figure out she wasn't so hoity toity after all.
Frowning a bit, he thought about what his man had told him regarding Felicia Jones and how the lovely blond was cordial with her ex-husband, but that there was no sense of romance and he got that he might, just might not be able to fulfill his late wife's wishes for the police commissioner.
He had been so certain the man was pining for the blond PI, now it looked like that wasn't right. Crossing to the list of women, he went through them, trying to find a woman for a romantic entanglement with the middle aged Aussie and he had yet to find even one that he would accept as a mother in law to his son.
That did make him happy, his spontaneous guess regarding Georgie Jones had proven correct, his son was smitten with the lovely young woman. He had already set it up for John to make his own way in life, thanks to his manipulation of Trevor. And his son was getting in good with Georgie's father, which would leave him with someone to go to for advice after his father went away...
That made Anthony pause, the tumor growing in his head, that was inoperable. The pain would start soon, then the memory loss and finally he would be nothing more than a drooling husk with a beating heart. When that happened, he had already put in place his wishes thanks to a DNR that Diane Miller had drawn up for him... hhhmmm, Diane Miller, she was a free woman, tall enough, she needed a man in her life... maybe a nice law enforcement officer.
With a low chuckle, Anthony made plans for her to end up at the police station while he was there, to witness any possible sparks. If not, he would just do his best, that was all that Maria had ever asked him to do.
Making the calls, arranging for his next set of deliveries to go out, he made a note to tell his son that warehouse five would be empty by the end of the week as he went up to bed, singing his own little version of Rudolph, he had been rather shocked today to find out there were eight reindeer, not six attached to the sleigh. Maybe Corinthos would have to die after all.
Jason was still not sure what else to get Elizabeth for Christmas. He had found the bracelet to commemorate Cam's birth but he was giving her that from their son. After a useless trip to the mall, he was driving down Martin street when he saw the small dusty looking shop.
Pulling into the next open parking space, he was soon inside the art store. "May I help you?"
"Yes, my wife is an artist and I am looking for something special to get her for Christmas. I saw the art set in the window. But it can't have oils because she is pregnant, is there something else that I could get for her to use now?" he asked the smaller man who looked between the set in the window and him.
Frowning for a bit, because he felt the other man should just take the set as is, he thought about the large sale he would get from it and with a sigh asked "Does she work in pen and ink, or chalk, or maybe pencil?"
"She does work in pencil, but would you set up a professional art package including all three. I remember when she was in art school she used all three." he responded then looked around at the other offerings in the store. Seeing the artist smocks, he was going to pick one out for her then realized he had never see Elizabeth wearing one.
Walking out to the car with his purchases, he called his sister. "Em, does Elizabeth ever use a smock when painting, I have never seen her do so?"
"No, she feels it interferes with her arm movements." she said then told him she had to go. Hanging up she looked at Carly who had put her food down in front of her. "Dare I hope you didn't spit into it."
The blond glared at Jason's sister, then without a word walked back to the counter were she was told by Bobbie to smile. "My customers prefer someone who at least looks cheerful."
"I hate this job." she spat out. "The tips are lousy and the customers are rude. Why am I working here?"
"Because no place else would hire you Carly. As for the customers, you are just getting treated just like you have treated the women who worked for me. Remember how nasty you used to be to Elizabeth, well things of this as karma. You know, I let you get away with a lot because you are my daughter, but let me tell you, you are only now learning a very important lesson that most of us learn."
"And just what is that? To take out a bottle of ketchup with fries?" she snarked as she glared moodily at the door.
"No, to treat others how you want to be treated yourself." she stated.
"That is so that poor people respect their betters, nothing more, it is merely a sop to them." she responded.
"Carly, you are poor. You have no money, no place to live, you have no marketable skills. I am giving you a chance but waitressing requires skills like a good memory, the ability to deal with people and most importantly patience. Just so that you know, if you get too many complaints just like any other waitress, you will be gone. So suck it up and treat my customers right."
Muttering under her breath about how she couldn't wait much longer for Jason to get over his infatuation with that muffin faced bitch, she went to refill the coffee cups. Returning to the counter where one of her customers had just left, all she found was a note and five cents.
"WHAT THE HELL?" she shouted as she read the note. "Who the hell does he think he is? Like I give a shit that he worked for Sonny and that his name was Brandon, not Bradley, I mean really who gives a fuck."
"My guess would be he did and you called him by the wrong name repeatedly." said the man behind her. "In fact I know you did. Carly, go away I need to speak to your mother."
"JASON." She breathed out his name and went around the counter but by the time she got there, the blond had silently followed Bobbie to her office then shut the door in Carly's face.
Steaming, Carly went back to the diner, was sitting at one of the counter stools when Emily greeted someone entering. "Robin, hi, Elizabeth said Jason told her you were back, and this must be Patrick."
Whirling around, Carly's eyes narrowed as the bitch that ruined her life came into the room.
"Yes, Patrick this is Emily Quartermaine, she is a resident at GH." she said then continued "I heard you were divorced from Nik or you didn't marry him? Maxie doesn't always make the most sense."
Emily smiled and said "We broke up before the wedding took place. So are you in town until the holidays or is this just a quick visit."
"The holidays. We are staying at the Ramada outside of town." she said. "AJ recommended it, he stayed there when he first came to town, but I guess I don't need to tell you of all people that."
"No, he did mention it. You do know he is living at the Brownstone now." she said. "I am surprised you aren't staying with your uncle."
"Felicia is using my old room, plus we felt a bit odd at the idea of having sex with Uncle Mac just down the hall." she stated. "Wow, since when does it take this long to be waited on at Kelly's?"
Giggling a bit, Emily said "Since Carly is the only waitress on this shift, it might be a while."
Patrick groaned then walked to the counter. Pouring two coffees, he walked past the blond whose eyes were drilling holes into his wife and said "Who is the blond?"
Looking up, Robin said "Uh oh, that is Carly. I guess we have coffee then go."
"No, that is fine, Robin." said Emily who asked what they wanted then went to the kitchen, muttering to Carly that she had better get her act together.
The blond did, standing she walked over to the happy couple and said "So this is the spineless wimp you more than likely trapped into marriage with your whoa is me act. Does he know you are you know, 'sick"
""Carly, I see you are still your usual nasty self. Now as to your question, yes, Patrick knows I have HIV." she said evenly. "Emily put in our order, can you make sure it gets to our table without any unwanted additives or should I go pick it up myself?"
Bobbie who had returned after speaking to Jason said "If anything happens to your food, Carly will be fired immediately."
"Wait, where is Jason? Momma where did Jason go? How could you let him get out of here without letting me speak to him?" she said frantically as she chased out the door without a coat. Returning, she glared at Robin then said to Patrick. "Her last boyfriend came to me when she couldn't give it up, if you get bored, I will be glad to have you visit me here."
"What, you aren't renting the rooms at Jake's by the half hour any more?" asked Robin with an innocent smile on her face. "Such a shame. Oh, Carly Patrick would no more be interested in you, than Jason is."
Patrick whispered in Robin's ear to ignore the blond and she looked into his brown eyes and just felt her heart turn to mush again, "You're right, I have to be the bigger person."
Emily walked to the counter and paid her bill then was leaving. "Robin it was nice to see you, Patrick nice to meet you. I am sure I will see you around town."
Bobbie brought over the couples order while Carly waited on the old man. "Hey little girl, were you a good girl for Santa this year?"
"Huh?" she asked.
Anthony gave a grin then said "I said hey girl, what is good on the menu today?"
Carly just said Get the chili and a sandwich it is what everyone else does.
"Fine, how about sitting in my lap while I eat it." he leered.
"How dare you talk to me that way, do you know who I am, I am Sonny Corinthos wife, you got that, Sonny's wife." she shrieked.
"Is there a problem here?" asked Bobbie wearily.
"I think your waitress needs some time off, I just asked her to be careful when setting my food down, last time she almost poured it into my lap." he said.
Looking at the well dressed but clearly older man, then at her daughter who was saying he was lying and Bobbie said "Carly go home, I will call and get Tiffany to finish out your shift."
"Fine, but I need an advance on my pay." she said. "I have to get presents for the boys."
"Carly you got an advance yesterday for that. What did you spend that two hundred on?" she asked.
"Well I got my hair cut and my nails done." she said. Walking to the register, she opened it by hitting the no sale button only to have her hand almost smashed when Bobbie shut it on her.
"Carly that money was so you could buy the boys presents. You wasted it, you face the consequences. You get a check on Friday, buy their presents then." she told her.
"I can't, I need that money to pay to get my car out of the impound yard. What am I supposed to use to buy the boys presents with?"
"Maybe you should have gotten your hair done elsewhere and I already told you, you can't wait tables with those false nails on. So that was a waste of your money. So either remove them before your shift tomorrow morning or you don't have a job." stated Bobbie.
"I can't believe you are treating me like this. I am your daughter, your daughter." she shrieked as she stormed towards the door. Seeing her worst nightmare entering, she looked between her mother and Elizabeth then tossed down her apron. "I quit, I don't have to take this from you."
Then glaring at Elizabeth said "You little bitch, you just wait. I am going to make you pay and pay dearly."
Elizabeth stopped her guard from getting between the two of them and said "Carly, I forgive you."
"What?" she asked. "You forgive me? You forgive me? YOU FORGIVE ME?"
"Yes, now if you will excuse me, I only have forty five minutes left of my lunch hour." with that, she went to the counter and got her take out order
.
Robin watched as the blond stood there still as a statue while Bobbie and Elizabeth talked about her son. "Is he looking forward to Christmas."
"For Cam I think it will be the boxes and the attention, maybe the lights and the tree, but otherwise I think he is too young to understand. Jason and I however are looking forward to this."
"Your first Christmas together." said Bobbie with a soft sigh.
"Actually our second. Remember the studio?" she said with an impish grin.
Bobbie watched Elizabeth leaving, saw her daughter still there and in spite of not wanting to drag family business out in front of her customers said "Carly if you quit, you need to remember you owe me two hundred dollars a week for your room."
"I hate you." her daughter snarled at the now empty door then repeated it towards the tiny brunette eating chili and flirting with her husband. Then looking at her mother said "You have always been a disappointment as a mother."
With that she left and Bobbie just shook her head and delivered the elderly man's food. "Don't worry my dear, sometimes tough love is needed when it comes to our children."
TBC