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Chapter 43

"Yay!" Cameron was cheering and holding up his sign when his parents walked into the mansion. They had some art time before nap and he and Jake got to make a welcome home banner. "You are home!"

"Hi guys." Liz said looking at her babies. Jake had rushed right over and was wrapped around his dad's leg. "I love that sign." She said as Cameron came over and got a hug.

"Nana and Aunt Em helped make it." Cameron had fun during their long sleepover, but he was glad him mommy and daddy were back.

"Thanks." She said to Monica and Emily as the boys switched parents.

"I am so glad you are home." Emily came over for hugs. "When can I watch the boys?"

"You didn't get enough time over the past two weeks?" Jason asked lifting Jake off his feet. Cameron liked the occasional piggy back rides, but he preferred to walk these days.

"Someone didn't share." Emily said giving her mother a look.

"Liz you look stunning." Monica hugged Jason and then her daughter in-law while ignoring her daughter.

"You do know that after a long international flight you are supposed to look like you just rolled out of bed after a night of tossing and turning, right?" Emily wanted to know, she had been a hot mess when they flew home from Malta. "That's why I wore a hoodie so I could hide from the press." It was just a fact of her life that she appeared in the paper too often for her liking.

"The time difference, and the fact that I was relaxing while I was gone helped. You were exhausted from worrying about everyone here, and working long days." Liz pointed out the difference. "Plus this is the first time I'm going to be in the local paper as Elizabeth Morgan." In all the wedding pictures her last name was listed as Webber, and there had been no published pictures of the honeymoon. "I'm not vain, but I will be keeping tomorrow's paper."

The sleeveless lighter blue eyelet jacquard dress was picked up in Bologna. The garment had a unique geometric pattern that made it stand out from the other items in the display window. It was perfect for warmer weather and with a sweater she could wear it in the spring or fall. Heels would make it a great date night outfit. With sandals, like the white ones she was now wearing, it was perfect for daytime. This was a piece that she was going to get a lot of use out of.

"I can't borrow the dress." Emily said looking at her best friend. It was already above Liz's knees. On her it would be indecently short, which would land Milo in jail. "However I am borrowing those earrings." The silver knots were just plain fun.

"Speaking of jewelry, did you see Nadine's ring?" Liz asked as they took a seat in the parlor.

"In a text, and then live in person. Cody made a statement." Emily was so happy for her friends.

"Where are grandmother and grandfather?" Jason asked as the boys settled onto his lap.

"The lake house." Monica told her son. He looked happy. "They will be back next month. In the meantime, Elizabeth." She looked at the young woman who had her son's heart for years. "Lila would like for you to consider something. Honestly so would I."

"What's that?" Elizabeth wanted to know. Monica seemed serious.

"Lila wants to step down from the hospital board, and she would like for you to take her seat." Monica passed along. She knew Jason had asked his wife to take his seat a while back and Liz declined. He had instead asked Lila to recommend someone. She asked Katherine Bell. The new owner of Deception was looking to do more philanthropic work.

"Me?" Elizabeth blinked in surprise. "I already turned down Jason when he offered. I don't know if you are aware of that."

"I am." Monica said with a smile. "I just think we should keep offering until you say yes. Edward will retire next, and if you aren't already on the board I'll ask again." The Chief of Staff wanted her on the board so that when Edward did step down Liz could take over as the head of the committee.

"See. I'm not the only one that thinks you would be great on the hospital board." Jason said smiling his wife. "Mommy would do an awesome job, right guys?"

"Right." Cameron nodding agreeing with his dad.

"Right." Jake said in a quieter voice leaning against his father.

"Well there you have it." Emily said laughing. "I also think you would be great in that room." The board too often looked at things from a financial viewpoint. It was important the hospital watch its spending, but without compassion those decisions ended up costing lives and not saving them.

"I think we have a clear consensus. What we really need is someone in that room who will not be cowed by Edward." Monica said smiling. "Lila and Jason kept him in check. I also think it would be nice to have a member of your family on the board. The Hardy/Webbers made General Hospital what it is. That's a legacy you have honored. As a damn fine nurse, and maybe now you can serve in a different capacity."

"Thank you." Liz had to blink back tears. Monica was a doctor she had a great deal of respect for. So to know that the respect was reciprocated meant more than she could say. For a long time Liz felt like she was standing in her grandmother's shadow. Audrey was head nurse at one point, and the best the medical center had to offer. "I'll think about it."

"Good. I will pass that message on when Lila calls to make sure Emily hasn't killed me for not sharing the boys." Monica said smiling wide. "Dinner should be ready soon. You two probably aren't hungry." They would still be on Italian time. "So you can sit with us and tell us about your trip."

"We would like that." Jason stood up throwing Cameron over one shoulder and tucking Jake under his arm. Both boys howled with laughter. "I'll get them cleaned up."

The ladies followed them out. "I think I'll start our story with the villa Jason bought me."

"Seriously?" Emily couldn't tell if Liz was joking.

"Seriously. I'm hoping Monica will break the rule about no phones at the table so I can show you guys' pictures. Because words won't do it justice." Liz teased them. "We are having work done, once it's finished we will open the villa to everyone."

"Call me mom and I'll bend that rule for the night." Monica requested.

"Deal, mom." Liz felt like she really had come home.

"I'm off tomorrow, can I come out to the house?" Emily wanted Liz's opinion on the plan she was setting in motion. Em had finally picked a guy.

"Sure. Call first." Liz said as they walked into the dining room.

""Hi." Emily said walking into the house the next day. "I love it here." The relaxed and cozy style was one she was hoping to replicate in the mansion makeover that they would be starting in a couple of weeks.

"Us too." Jason said laughing at his sister as he took her coat. "The munchkins are in the den, because I know you aren't here to see me or my wife."

"I said hi when I walked in, what more do you want? Don't be needy." Emily said giving him attitude. "No one likes that."

"Brat." Jason said shaking his head. "Come on."

"I don't suppose I could steal the boys for a movie this afternoon?" Emily wanted to know as they walked down the hall. "Or is too soon."

"Too soon!" Liz yelled from the den.

"How did she hear that?" Emily muttered to herself.

"Mommy ears!" Liz shouted while laughing.

"Before you ask, no we don't get anyway with anything." Jason was laughing too.

"Hi Aunt Em!" Cameron waved from the pop up tent the boys were using as a fort.

"Hi!" Jake waved too.

"That looks like fun, do you think I can fit in there?" Emily asked leaning over. She was being only a little sarcastic. The tent was huge. It was big enough for four adults to comfortably fit. On the side action figures and cars were painted in bright bold colors. More than likely the work of Elizabeth. If Emily had to guess she would say the tent had been a gift from Edward who enjoyed being out in nature, but this type of camping wouldn't agree with his health these days.

Jake nodded.

"Okay. Let me talk to your mom and dad, then I'll come in and play." Emily said before walking over to the couch and flopping down to the right of Liz. Jason was on her left. "Mom really wouldn't share."

"What do you want me to do, yell at her?" Jason asked his sister who was on the verge of a pout.

"Next time we go away we will ask her to give you some time." Liz said trying to be a peacekeeper.

"Actually that is what I wanted to talk to you about. I'm hoping the next time you guys go away that mom might be too busy to hog the boys to herself." Emily said with a wicked grin. "I think it's time mom got back into the dating pool. She's too amazing to be sitting in that mansion alone night after night."

Jason opened his mouth to speak.

"I know you are going to say that mom doesn't need to date." Emily cut her brother off. "But Jason she's not just our mom. She's also a woman. One who isn't too old to experience love again. Dad would want mom to move on. I know that in my heart, just like if the situation was reversed she would want dad to be happy." Emily had spent some time coming up with a counter to her brother's argument. At some point she was hoping that Liz jumped in, on her side. "Her whole life is work, and not sharing the boys, that's not healthy. She's needs balance. Work, family, and personal life is the balance she needs to strike. I have it, and you have it. We need to encourage her have it as well. It would really help if you were on my side in this."

Jason started to speak again.

"Of course you can feel free to run the guy that I've picked out. In fact I would expect you too. Mom shouldn't be dating just anyone." Emily kept going. "I was very careful when I was screening potential boyfriends. I mean this guy could be our stepfather, not that I think mom is necessarily looking to get married again. But if we are going to see his face around the table for the next twenty years we need to know he doesn't have any deep hidden secrets that will break her heart if they come out. The Quartermaine's have enough of those."

Liz reached over and covered Emily's mouth. She didn't think her best friend would stop talking otherwise. "What do you mean when you were screening potential boyfriends?" The mother of two wanted to know.

"Spinelli got me access to a website for mature professionals. It was a freaking goldmine. I found a guy who is absolutely perfect for mom." Emily grinned at them both. "It took a while though. A lot of guys looked good, but then something would knock them out of the running. The biggest issue was finding someone who was willing to move here."

"I would love to see your list of requirements." Liz said laughing. She looked over at Jason. "Tell her."

"Tell me what?" Emily looked between the couple.

"Can I talk without you interrupting me?" Jason wanted to know.

"Go ahead." Emily told her big brother.

"It's nice that you are worried about mom. It's also really great that you put in the time and effort to find her a guy who you think would make her happy. Now all you have to do is tell her current boyfriend that he's being replaced." Jason finished before grinning.

"What boyfriend?" Emily asked stunned.

"The one she's been dating for the last six months." Jason informed his sister.

"She came to dinner with the Giambettis alone." Emily was gob smacked. "How did I not know she was dating?"

"You were gone for a while. Now that you are back you spend most of your time at the hospital, and your free time with Milo." Jason said shrugging. "You make time for us, so don't feel guilty, but we clearly have time to get up to mischief. I'm sure mom would have told you. Eventually." He said grinning.

"And you're okay with her dating?" Emily needed to check. "I mean AJ is overseas, but you and your glare are here."

"I would certainly hope Jason is okay with his mother dating." Liz said stretching. Jet lag was crushing her. She hadn't spent much time off the couch. The morning was spent having a movie marathon and yeah she had dozed a bit.

"What does that mean?" Emily wanted to know.

"I introduced them." Jason said laughing. He wasn't playing matchmaker, exactly. But Lila mentioned that she suspected Monica might be lonely. Jason wanted his mother happy, and he knew a gentleman who was the same age as his mother and single. Like her had been married for a long time, and his spouse died.

"Wow." Emily said stunned into silence. "I guess when I leave I'll see some pigs flying overhead. You playing matchmaker might be a sign that the zombie apocalypse is near. Who is she dating?"

"I didn't set them up. I just introduced them. Mom is dating Harry Silver." Jason told his sister.

"As in the Silver family, the people who own Wyndham's and have business school named after them at PCU, among other things?" Emily asked as she gave it some thought. She could see it. He popped up in the paper a lot, so she knew what he looked like. He and her mom would make an attractive couple. "How do you know Harry Silver?" That she couldn't see.

"He is a good friend of Bernie's. Harry was having some issues, and I helped him out. This was during the time when Sonny was on the island mourning Lily. I took care of the problem, we all went on our separate ways." Jason didn't believe in giving out markers for favors that kept the territory quiet. Sonny was the one who liked having people under his thumb. For Jason it was just something else to keep track of. The issue that Harry was having involved another family attempting to get a foot hold in Port Charles. So taking them out kept the peace, which was all Jason wanted.

"Whenever we crossed paths over the years, which was rare, we did stop and speak. I even went to his wife's funeral out of respect. I was having lunch with mom when Harry came into the restaurant, so I introduced them. I think they vaguely knew one another because of the social circle they are both in, but Harry had been overseas for a few years expanding the family's holdings. Now he's back." Jason finished up.

"And dating mom." Emily leaned into the couch. "Where has he been for the past two weeks? He could have helped me get time with the boys. They haven't broken up have they?"

"No. They are still dating." Jason just laughed at his sister. Monica had booked a suite at the casino in Puerto Rico for her and Harry just before the wedding. They were leaving soon and would be away for ten days. Jason had already called down to make sure the manager moved them to the owner's suite and didn't charge them for anything. He wanted his mother to have fun.

"Harry sometimes travels for business. He might have been away. Or they might have spent time together when the boys weren't around." Liz said smirking. She was talking about overnight visits. A thought occurred to Liz. "You haven't contacted this perfect boyfriend you found yet have you?"

"No." Emily said feeling relieved, because she planned to make the call tomorrow if Liz approved of him. "Which is a good thing, because that would have been a mess."

"Yeah, it would have." Jason just nodded.

"Aunt Em, come play with us!" Cameron said sticking his head out of the tent.

"Okay, you two are boring." She said to Jason and Liz as she kicked off her shoes. "I'm going to play. Feel free to nap." The young doctor said before joining her nephews inside the spacious enclosure. "I told Milo we are having dinner here."

"You failed to mention that you suspect Harry is going to pop the question." Liz whispered to her husband.

"I don't want to steal his thunder. That is an announcement they should make, if it happens." Jason whispered back. "I was tempted to keep quiet about mom dating." He said chuckling. "That would have been funny watching Em get out of that mess. But I don't want mom upset."

Liz's heart just melted. When Jason loved you, he did everything in his power to make sure you were happy. "I'm going to go prepare a snack for the boys, and I guess Em too." She said getting up.

"I'll come help." He could kiss on his girl, without grossing out his oldest son. It had been over an hour, and that was way too long.

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