Reliving The Past

Chapter 32

Mary arrives at the Ritz just after 3pm. She calls the room and has Laura come down alone to get better acquainted. When Laura shows up downstairs, they go to the restaurant.

"Hello. I'm Laura Webber-Spencer. I guess at one point we were in-laws of sorts." Laura laughs nervously.

"Yes, among other things. I believe you and Jeff were related in some strange way. But most of all, I want to thank you for being there for my daughter. Audrey is wonderful, but I'm sure you had a motherly effect on my Lizzie." Mary says, in tears.

"Oh, hey. It's ok. Elizabeth made it easy to love her. I'm so sorry that you two had issues. I think that after Valentine's Day, she felt closer to me. I was happy to help her." Laura smiles. Reaches out and grabs Mary's hand. "We mothers have to stick together. As they say, it takes a village."

The waiter comes and takes their order. When he's gone, they start to talk again.

"What happened on Valentine's Day? Did a boy break her heart? She always seemed hard as nails, but she always seemed to be the more sensitive one of my girls." Mary says, thinking about how hard she used to cry when teased at school or by Steve.

"Oh, didn't Liz tell you about Valentine's Day?" Laura looks at her seriously.

"No. She said she had things to tell me when she got here. But that could be a long while. Would you please just tell me? I won't tell her you told me. I can fake a surprise with the best of them. I want to know what my daughter has been up to. I got to see my Sarah grow. Become the doctor she so wanted to be. She talked a lot about your son, Lucky. She was very much in love with him. That's why it shocked me to hear that my other daughter married him. AND has kids with Lucky." Mary blushes.

"Well, it goes against everything I believe in to tell this. But I also don't want you to be blindsided either. There was a Valentine's Day dance at the high school. Liz and Lucky had made plans to meet at the dance. Liz thought it was more of a date then just casually meeting there to hang out. So when Sarah and my other son, Nikolas had problems, Sarah asked Lucky to go. Lucky liked Sarah for a while. So he let Liz know. She being embarrassed, made up a story about someone else asking her to go too. Well, Audrey and Liz went shopping and bought a beautiful red dress. But Liz didn't want to go. Audrey thought she was just nervous. So Liz got all dressed up and left. She went to a movie, when went walking through the park. She sat down for a few minutes. A man came up from behind her and grabbed her. He pulled her into the bushes and beat and raped her." Laura stops when Mary's hand goes to her mouth. "I know. Being 15, that had to been even worse."

"What? This happened the first Valentine's after we left? My poor baby." Mary wipes tears away.

"Yes. I'm so sorry. My son got worries when she didn't show up at the dance. He ran into the young boy that she had said was going to the dance with her. He denied knowing her. So my son went looking for her. As he got to the park, he heard something. When he looked, he found Liz crawling out of the bushes. Her dress was ripped and dirty. She was holding one of her shoes. She didn't even have her coat on. I have to say my son was so devastated seeing her like that. She was bruised and in shock. He tried to get her to go to the police or hospital. But she refused. She wouldn't even go home. So he took her to my house. He called my ex-sister-in-law, Bobby Spencer. She came over. But my son had to go get her. She'd showered before they got back. Bobby tended to her cuts and bruises. Tried to get her to go get an exam done and call the police. But she didn't admit that she was raped. She was so afraid Audrey would know. My son took her home to Audrey's house. She spent two days in bed. I guess numb. Shell shocked or something. She told Audrey that she thought she caught the flu. She tried to go back to work at Kelly's. But found it too soon. Sarah caught Liz with her arms exposed and saw the horrendous bruises. She was the first real person Liz told." Laura says, trying to be delicate.

"My Sarah knew?" Mary is shocked.

"Yes. But Liz is very good at making people promise things. That was the same day that Lucky went to the park to find Audrey's bracelet that she lent to Liz. Audrey overheard and confronted Liz. That's when she told Audrey what happened. But they thought it best not to tell you and Jeff because there was nothing that you guys could do. And they didn't want both of you to feel bad. Or feel the need to come home. But my son was there for her whenever and for whatever she needed. He was so protective of her. Even after she was ok. It was beautiful seeing them together. Eventually Bobby got her to agree to an exam and testing. Our kids were joined at the hips. They seemed to be together all the time." Laura smiles at the memories of the two young kids together.

"That's why she wouldn't come that summer. I thought she was still mad at me. We had a fight before I left. When I would call, she would be conveniently unable to talk. Maybe she was angrier with me for not being there for her when that happened. Or maybe she was afraid she would tell me." Mary just let it sink in.

"I'm sure Audrey wouldn't like me to tell you this. I'm not too proud of this. But I was gone out of state visiting my mother with my young daughter at the time. But when I got home, I found out my husband and son had a falling out. He left home. Apparently Lucky was sleeping on Liz's bedroom floor. Audrey found out and told Lucky he had to leave. Liz got so upset and left with him. I know my son would have died to protect your daughter. But Audrey was beside herself. She ended up back home within a few days. But when I first met her, I loved her right away. I guess I was the person she felt like she could be comforted by. You see, my son knew I had been raped before too. So he told her. And she felt we had a shared experience. I was more than happy to be there for her. So played a big part helping mend my family. And for that I will always love that young lady. But the day the police came and told her that they were closing her case, she got upset. You see, Lucky and Liz had a person they thought was guilty. So that day, she went to this man's house. Armed with a knife that my son gave her for protection. She ended up stabbing Lucky. Thankfully a friend of this man was a doctor. She confronted this man. Found out it wasn't him. After she took care of Lucky and helped heal him, she decided to just let it go. That was about the time Liz got into her art. She painted this place my son and her hung out in. I never saw it, but I have heard about it. When he got into an apartment, your daughter painted wonderful murals on the walls." Laura smiles.

"Yeah, she started that when she was 3. It took us three weeks and a coat of paint to get that nice mural off my living room wall." Mary smiles. "She used to doodle. I would find these drawings of dresses and rooms. I never understood what they were. Why she would draw those two things. We thought that she would be a fashion designer or an architect."

"She and Lucky ended up helping my older son and a friend track down this girl's blackmailer. That's how Liz met her best friend, Emily. Well best girlfriend. Lucky was her best guy friend. That was when she found the blackmailer and her rapist. They were one in the same. That was the night before her 16th birthday. So on her birthday, she caught her rapist. She got her HIV test back as a negative and was happy. Lucky talked Liz into applying to an art school in New York. She painted three pictures. One was of Lucky. I was so amazed. She got into the school. But she found out the day of Lucky's funeral. So she didn't go. But it was a hard school to get into. I was so proud of her. When we thought Lucky died in that fire. Liz was just so lost. And when the fire inspector said it was caused by candles, she blamed herself. But she was kind enough to go to Sonny to tell him that it wasn't his fault. You have a kind hearted daughter there. And she gave us the most beautiful grandkids." Laura smiles. "She's been through hell and back. But she's still strong. My son-in-law Dante told me about the pictures that were sent to you."

"I didn't get any pictures. Lizzie asked me about them. But when we figured out she was sending them to the wrong address, we figured out I never got them. They must have been awful. She was desperate for me to not look at them. She wanted me to burn them." Mary says, concerned.

"Well, Dante told me that they were taken just before she was raped and right after. Even one of them had to have been taken by her rapist. It was just too much. That piece of garbage even got into her house and left her an exact copy of her dress that night. And then shot up Audrey's house. This was just too dangerous. Sonny seems to think there is at least three stalkers. Well at least three gunmen at Audrey's house. So there is more than one, no doubt." Laura didn't look so happy anymore.

"Wow. My poor baby. I never knew. I wish Audrey would have said something. I could have come to see my daughter when she needed me. Audrey worries, but none of us are supposed to. I bet you thought I was a monster." Mary says, looking somewhat upset.

"No. I knew that Audrey was not being forthcoming about things. But I thought that if Liz wanted you bad enough she would have called. Her second baby's birth almost killed her. They both almost died. I thought for sure she would have called. But I didn't know the relationship between you two. Or how your life was at the time. I have no room to judge anyone. We all do the best we can." Laura gives a small smile and pats her hand. "Do you want to go up and meet your very active grandsons?" Laura smiles much bigger.

"I would love to. Thank you Laura for telling me all this. It will be easier to take when Lizzie tells me." They have their stuff sent upstairs. "So tell me a little about each boy." They head upstairs as they keep talking.

Sonny is playing with the boys. Laughing and having a fun time.

"So, are you guys excited about meeting your Grandma Webber?" He asks, with a light tone.

"It's not that lady we saw the last time is it?" Cameron looks like he just as something gross.

"No. That lady wasn't your grandma Webber. It was a mistake. I hear that your Grandma Webber is a very nice lady. She can't wait to meet you boys. Why don't we pick up all the toys and take care of them. So when she gets here everything will be all nice and neat. Let's show her how good you boys are. Maybe we can go get some ice cream with her if you guys can be nice and give her a chance. Then we will call mom and let her know how you feel about Grandma Webber." Sonny smiles.

"Ok. Come on Jake and Aidan. Let's take care of the toys. Remember, mom will give you a gold star if we do it correctly." Cameron says, feeling stupid.

"What does the gold stars mean?" Sonny asks Cameron.

"By the end of the week, mom counts all the gold stars. There is a number range that means you get this or you get to do this. It seems to help Aidan the most. Jake was a little iffy with it when her first came back home. But now he enjoys it too. And at the end of the year, the one who has the most stars gets the big Christmas gift that they have on their list. But it only goes up to a certain money amount. I got it last year, but I still didn't get the laptop I wanted. Thank you again Mr. Corinthos." Cameron continues to help the boys.

"You know Cameron, you are a good kid. I was so glad I could do that for you. Don't worry about your mom taking it away. I'll convince her to let you keep it. All of it. I know your mom struggles to take care of you guys. And that is very powerful for your mother. But she and you need to learn that taking help now and again is ok. That's why you will be seeing Ric more and Jake will see Franco more. If you boys want you can come visit me anytime. Maybe your mom would let me take you boys out on my boat and we can fish. Maybe let your family vacation on my island. It's so nice there." Sonny looks at Cameron's face.

"That sounds like fun Mr. Corinthos. But I don't know how my mom will take that idea. She won't let Aidan out on the boat until he's older. And I don't know about the Island. But if she said yes, I'd be all in for it. Could Ric come with us? He's my friend." Cameron's eyes light up at the thought.

"Sure. I will ask all my sons and we can make it a guy's day. Pending your mom ok's it." Just then they hear the ladies at the door. "Ok boys. Hurry, they are here." The boys run around and come to stand by Sonny. The door opens.

"Cam, Jake, Aidan, come meet Grandma Webber." Laura calls out. Sonny steps out of the boy's room with the three boys trailing. Cameron is the first to step around Sonny.

"Hello there. You must be Cameron. Your Grandma Spencer has told me so much about you." Mary holds out her hand to shake his. He reaches out and shakes her hand.

"Yes Ma'am. I'm Cameron Webber. It's very nice to meet you Ma'am." Cameron smiles, but is still reluctant.

"Well, you are a very nice mannered young man. It's very nice to meet you too. Would you like to introduce me to your little brothers?" Mary asks.

"Sure. But first, this is my friend. Mr. Corinthos. He's my mom's friend and now mine too. And this is Jake and that's Aidan. Aidan's still shy. My mom says that you are a doctor. Is that true?" Cameron asks.

"I sure am. So is your Grandfather. He's away right now. But he will be back in a day or so. Is there anything else you want to know?" Mary looks at Cameron, trying to guess what is running through his head.

"Yeah. Why didn't you keep my mom? Gram Audrey says that she took my mom in when you left. Didn't you love my mom?" Cameron watches with anticipation.

"We wanted both our daughters with us. But we were moving to a foreign country. We thought that the girls should graduate high school in the USA. And your mom and I were having problems. I thought we could use the break. I missed her so much. Your Aunt Sarah came to visit and stayed with us. But your mother didn't. But I hope that changes now. I would love to see you boys on a regular basis." Mary smiles.

"Hello Dr. Webber. It's nice to meet you. We all adore your daughter. She's raised some wonderful kids. Why don't we go sit down on the couch and chat. Can I get anyone anything?" Sonny asks.

All three boys yell "Ice cream!"

A/N: Sorry about the delay in this chapter. Life took a little more of me the last few days. And the next chapter might be late due to me going on a date. :) But I will work on getting it up ASAP. Thanks for all the reading and reviewing you all do. It means the world to me. Take care all my readers and friends. xxoo