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Chapter 34

"Explain to me again how this happened?" Emily asked her best friend. She, Liz, Nadine, and Monica were sitting on a large blanket that was spread across a patch of grass on the Quartermaine estate lawn. Georgie was also with them but she was currently sleeping. They had several large umbrellas up to provide shade since it was the middle of the afternoon. Spring had come early and this May was warm so they also had some coolers with drinks.

"I can't say." Liz laughed at her best friend. Em had come home last week. Liz, Cameron, and Jake had met her at the airport with signs which Emily had tucked away for safe keeping. "It violates the Mommy code."

"There is no such thing." Emily said shaking her head.

"I hate to burst your bubble, but there certainly is." Monica said with a wide grin. "When you become a mom, we will share all our secrets with you."

"Gloating isn't attractive." Emily told her mom.

Nadine snickered enjoying the conversation. She got up and adjusted Georgie's umbrella to keep her in the shade. It was too soon for the official announcement but all the ladies knew Georgie was expecting. It was little things, like this nap, that gave her away. "Monica is only gloating because she got her way."

"Milo folded like a house of cards in a wind tunnel." Emily said disgusted. The object of her ire walked by carrying a box, and she had to resist the urge to fan herself. He was looking really good in that t-shirt. "He is going to be no help in family arguments. He's my guy, he's supposed to be on my side." She pointed out.

"Someday he will be, but not today." Monica said grinning.

"Look at it this way, you didn't have to rent a house. I know you well. After about four houses the search for the perfect home would have become less fun." Liz told her friend. "Besides you always said that you liked the mansion."

"Technically they aren't living in the mansion." Nadine pointed out.

No Emily and Milo were moving into the cottage. A four bedroom home on the grounds. It had been built to replace the gatehouse that caught fire a few years ago. Monica had this new home placed on the rear of the estate so that it had a lake view. She wanted a place for family to stay when they visited, because certain members didn't mix well. Sometime space was needed. Now that they owned the Metro Court problem family members could stay there.

"Are you defecting to the dark side too?" Emily wanted to know. "I mentioned during our video chat at Christmas that we were renting a house. One talk with you and Milo was championing the cottage. What did you use to bribe him?" The young doctor wanted to know.

"I didn't have to bribe him." Monica said insulted. "I just used my mommy powers, and that is all I'm saying about that."

The crew was currently moving items into the home. When they were all done Emily would go in and decide on final placements. She figured this was the first step in what would end with her inheriting the mansion. She still had mixed feelings about that. While yes it was a family legacy, the place was huge. It just might be too big. Milo said they could live there for a few years after Emily got it and try it out. Then he commented that it was smaller than his parents place. Yeah he was fully on Team Monica.

"I'll miss having you in the house." Liz said with a small pout. Em and Milo had been staying in the guest room on the first floor out at the farm house. While the ladies and kids were thrilled with the weeklong sleepover, Jason and Milo weren't as comfortable. Jason didn't need the reminder his sister was a grown woman, and Milo didn't want to live with his boss.

"I'll miss it too, but I'm home now so we will get to hang out." Emily had missed Port Charles. While she hadn't brought it up this week, she was hoping that sometime soon Liz would share what happened between her and Steven. After the last phone conversation with his sister he had gone out and gotten wasted, however it wasn't until she was packing to leave Malta that Em learned he wouldn't be at the wedding. Karen was pissed at whatever the reason was. She had been shooting daggers at Steven when he confessed that.

"When you aren't working." Liz knew Em was itching to get back to the hospital.

"I'm so ready." Em replied nodding. Next week she would go back to working regular shifts. Yesterday she had met with head of Pediatrics to talk about what she had learned while overseas, and how that could be incorporated into her residency. "Milo is too."

"How long do we let Georgie sleep?" Nadine wanted to know. It had been almost an hour already.

"When the guys are done, which should be shortly we will wake her up." Monica told her nurse. "Rest is important right now."

"We will also make sure she has something to drink." Liz tacked on. Staying hydrated was important too.

"How is Johnny? I haven't seen him since we got back." Emily wanted to know.

"He's been grinning for months." Liz said laughing. "I'm surprised he managed to hold onto the news for this long."

"I have some gossip." Nadine knew that Liz and Em wouldn't be aware of this, and Monica might not know either because she was on vacation.

"Spill." Emily told her friend. "I miss hospital gossip. It's always really good."

"I was over at the hospital the other day to watch a surgery, and I bumped into Robin. She is wearing a new ring. On a certain finger, not a diamond but a nice sized sapphire." Nadine let them know.

"Really?" Monica commented. She still had no use for Robin.

"It's not that surprising. They've been seeing one another for a while, and things between them are going well." Liz occasionally ran into the doctor and she would say hi before moving along. Stopping to chat didn't happen, unless Patrick was with Robin. However she taught her boys not to be rude, and tried to model that behavior.

"Arguments between them must be epic." Emily snickered. She was hoping not to run into Robin much. "They both have massive egos and don't like to be told they are wrong."

"Your father and I used to have some serious fights." Monica remembered fondly. "We could go days without giving ground." She told the younger women smiling. "Making up was always fun though."

"No, we are not going there." Emily said shaking her head. There were just some things she didn't want to know.

Liz just laughed out loud. During her week at the house, Emily had balked anytime she walked into a room to find Liz and Jason kissing. Cameron was thrilled to have an ally in the battle to make his parents kiss less. "Are you excited to host Milo's parents?" Liz would help her friend and switch topics.

"Yes. It helps that your wedding is that same weekend. That way the focus isn't completely on me." Emily told her best friend.

"I thought the visit with them went well?" Nadine asked confused.

"It went great, but I was just Milo's girlfriend for that visit. I'm on call the day before Liz's wedding. So they will see a different side of me. Margareta is fairly traditional in her views. She doesn't work and Milo's older brothers, with the exception of Max who is single, all have wives who don't work either. I'm bucking the trend there." Emily wasn't sure how that was going to go over. "They know I'm a doctor, I didn't hide that fact and neither did Milo. I'm just not sure if they will be pleased with how many hours I devote to my career."

"You can't change who you are to please his parents." Liz told her friend. "I spent too many years of my life trying to please other people. You will only make yourself miserable in the end."

"As a mother with a son I know for me the most important thing is that he is happy. What I wanted for Jason was to find someone who would love him for the man that he is. I watched your brother drift through a multitude of relationships with women who were completely wrong for him. It caused more than one argument when I made my opinion known." Monica gave them all a look that said Jason could be stubborn. "I am willing to bet that Margareta feels the same way. You make Milo smile, that's what she wants to see." And Monica would not hesitate to defend her daughter if Margareta became too free with her criticism.

"Thanks mom." Emily appreciated the support. Things hadn't always been easy between them, but they found their way. "I am looking forward to seeing my dress this afternoon." The bridal party was going in for a fitting. Just the ladies because Liz had a fitting yesterday.

"You will love it." Nadine said grinning. "We are wearing the same dress but each one is styled differently. I'm planning on shortening mine once the ceremony is over so I can use it as a nice dress for dinners out in the warmer weather. It's too pretty to just get shoved in the back of the closet."

"Georgie said the same thing." Liz had been pleased to hear that. She couldn't take credit for picking the dress, however she could take credit for not vetoing it.

"Now I really can't wait to see them." Emily said clapping.

"I'm looking forward to seeing them as well." Monica had been thrilled to get the invitation to tag along. She had gone with Liz yesterday while her future daughter in-law's gown was adjusted. Elizabeth was going to be a stunning bride.

"So any news we should know from the Crowell/Paul camp?" Liz asked Nadine.

"We are going on vacation later in the summer." Nadine had been waiting to share this. "Costa Rico."

"It's lovely there. I've been a couple of times." Emily told her friend. It wasn't that long of a flight from New York and the beaches were stunning.

"It's on my wish list." Nadine confessed grinning. "I've never been out of the United States before and I so excited. I wonder if sometimes my boyfriend looks at me and thinks I'm a rube. He's traveled a lot, and I've hardly been anywhere."

"I've only been out of the United States once before." Liz said shrugging, and she didn't really get to enjoy that trip. She had spent the time on Sonny's island recovering from the poison she drank to fool Helena. Not a time she liked to look back on that often. "Also most of his traveling was in the military. So this will be much more enjoyable."

"I hope so. I'm planning on getting some very small swimwear." Nadine said bobbing her eyebrows. "I'm sure that will help make the trip fun." All the ladies laughed at that. "Where are you guys going on your honeymoon?"

"Italy. Which is number one on my wish list. Has been all my life. I can't wait." Liz was only a little worried they wouldn't get there. The chance to go had come around several times and they never managed to get there.

"I am looking forward to having the boys to myself for two whole weeks." Monica was taking time off then as well, and she was going to spoil her grandsons as much as possible. When Jason asked if the boys could stay she had said yes before he even finished the question.

"You have to share them with me." Emily told her mother.

"You'll be working." Monica said with an evil grin. "Even if I have to bribe whoever the attending surgeon that week is to make it that way. I share my grandbabies with no one."

"What about Edward, he'll be home." Liz said laughing.

"Actually he won't. He'll be in London with Lila." Monica had planned well. "All mine."

The ladies were laughing again when Georgie sat up. "Sounds like I missed all the fun. Sorry I passed out."

"It's fine." Liz told her friend as she reached in the cooler. "Have some orange mango juice." The tropical fruit had been something Georgie was eating, and drinking, a lot of at the moment.

"Thanks. I am thirsty." Georgie took a large swallow. "How is the move going?" She was feeling sluggish but if she stretched out again she would go back to sleep. While she hadn't been sick a single day, taking naps was common. Georgie had started taking her one hour lunch break around eleven so she could get in some rest. Eating happened on one of her fifteen minute breaks or between clients.

"Since my guy is heading over, and the crew is now standing by the house I would guess it's done." Emily said as she watched Milo walk over to where they were sitting.

"Everything is moved in. So you ladies can go inside where it's cooler." Milo had been sending Johnny updates on Georgie all morning. He knew Hank was as well. Georgie's guard had come dressed in jeans to help the crew move everything. So had Renaldo and Chris.

"Come on Liz, you can tell me where everything goes." Emily said laughing and getting to her feet. Milo was assisting Georgie up, which wasn't a surprise. Emily was betting that Johnny had his wife wrapped in cotton wool when they were at home.

"I'm beginning to think you guys are only my friends so I can decorate your houses." Liz said arching a brow. "I may have to start charging for my services."

"Speaking of decorating." Monica chuckled. "I'm thinking of redoing the mansion. While the girls are being fitted I'd like to run some ideas by you."

Liz just shook her head, but she was smiling. "First we need to get Emily and Milo squared away."

"Emily I'm going to want your input too." Monica figured now would be a good time to put her daughter's stamp on the home. That would make the transition from the cottage to the mansion easier when the time came. It wouldn't be for many years still, but there were a lot of rooms in the mansion. "I want to do the bedrooms first, and maybe next year do a few more rooms."

"That is a workable plan." Liz couldn't imagine the nightmare a full on renovation would be. Although Jason's crews would more than likely do the work so it probably wouldn't be that bad.

They were at the front door and everyone clapped as Milo scooped Emily up and carried her over the threshold. It was finally official. They were home.

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