Chapter 33
Thank you to the guest reviewer for your comments on the past what-ifs and the 2023 story. Thank you to Starlightguardian, Trini12180, and Levesque-Rollins823 for your reviews. I hope these final chapters are a happy surprise for everyone.
12/20
Jason and Elizabeth take the Quartermaine Jet to the Laguardia International Airport.
12/21-22/2023
They fly first class to Belize. Johnny flies with them and stays in an adjoining suite at the Itz'ana Belize Resort. They tour the Mayan Ruins, swim and snorkel the beaches, and hike. They fly from Belize on 12/29-30/2023 and transfer to the Quartermain Jet to Port Charles.
12/30/2023
Johnny has a town car waiting and checks it for devices. They arrive at the estates late 12/30/2023. The boys welcome them with a snack before retiring to their rooms.
They are tired and leave their suitcase filled with gifts for the boys, Monica, Michael, and the Scorpio-Drake family. The other suitcases contain their travel items. They plan on unpacking in the morning.
12/20-30/2023
Meanwhile, back in Port Charles, Cameron, Jake, and Aiden finish moving in. Jack and Francis help keep the children safe and secure the gates. Robin, Patrick, and Noah fly back to Berkeley. Emma stays with Anna. Cam checks with Lucy on listing his former house for sale.
Monica invites the boys for dinner twice. Aiden takes Sonny up on his offer to use the ovens at Pouzzulas's to bake cookies for everyone over the holidays. Jack stays with Aiden during his visits to Sonny's business. Francis accompanies Cameron while he visits the local homeless shelters and plays soccer with the children. Emma goes with Cameron and tutors the adults in studying for their GEDs. Emma sleeps over a couple of nights with Robin and Patrick's permission. She helps with breakfast and lunches.
Jake tours the various museums and sketches. Mario keeps a close eye on Jake and has to fend off Carly from approaching Jason's son.
12/29/2023
Jason and Elizabeth hear a knock at their door. Cameron sets a tray of two glasses of orange juice and a carafe of coffee and cups on a table in the room. Jake and Aiden carry two boxes and set them at the foot of their bed. A nine-year-old girl runs into the room and hands Elizabeth a manilla envelope. Everyone yells, "Happy Anniversary, mom and dad."
Elizabeth looks confused, and Jason says, "Dad?"
Elizabeth says, anniversary? We just returned from our honeymoon. How can it be our anniversary?"
Cam says, "Dad, how much did you guys drink last night celebrating?"
"Did you call me dad?"
"Of course. You are my father. The letter said you'd be confused, but I didn't believe it.
Jake says, "The boxes have a note on them, only to be opened by you. We are curious about them as they weren't here last night. Audra thinks you put them there."
Elizabeth looks at the young girl. "Are you Audra?"
"Mom, this isn't funny. Of course, I'm Audra, Audra Anne."
Jason hesitantly asks, "How many years have we been married?"
Cameron replies, "Seriously, guys. This isn't funny anymore. It's your 20th anniversary. It's 12/27/2023. There are notes in the envelope that say everything will be explained. Emily will be here around 11:00 am. There's a celebration at the Metro Court at 1:00 pm."
They leave the room. "Emily? Is Emily alive? Jason, what the fuck is going on? We just got back from Belize yesterday. That was 12/30. And we have a daughter?"
Jason picks up the envelope on Elizabeth's lap. Perhaps whatever is in this will explain things."
Elizabeth looks around their bedroom, and it looks nothing like last night. The suitcases are gone, and the room looks more lived in than when they first moved in. She opens the first envelope. In Elizabeth's neat and block handwriting, she reads aloud.
"Jason and Elizabeth, I imagine you are confused and wondering why you are waking up on 12/27/2023. You have about an hour to skim what I've written. Jason, in the first box, are journals you've written over the years. You took up writing after you married Elizabeth. Elizabeth, your journals are in there too. There is a scrapbook confirming what I say is true. You've had several "what ifs" that could have happened to you. This is your new life. Many of those what-ifs came true. Within the next two weeks, your memories of the past twenty years will fade, and you will remember the life you were supposed to have shared for 20 years. This is what your friends and family remember. Don't be sad. You will forget events that weren't meant to happen."
Jason finds the scrapbook; he shakes his head. "Elizabeth, this is insane. The only way to disprove this is to go downstairs and meet this Emily imposter. Did they bring Rebecca back to fuck with us?"
Elizabeth looks at her finger. "Jason, this is not the ring I was wearing last night. It's lovely, but I want the one you gave me. How do you explain it?" She gets up, goes to the sitting table containing the coffee, and pours her a cup. "I need to wake up and get more information before we know what to expect."
Jason joins her and pours himself a cup. Elizabeth skips to the next page. "Jason, find the page of us. We don't have time to read everything, but could you look up Emily too? We are seeing her again in less than 60 minutes.
Jason reads aloud,
"Marriages:
Eizabeth Immogine Webber marries Jason Morgan on 12/29/2003. (PC Courthouse)
Emily Bowen Quartermaine marries Nikolas Milail Stavorosovich Cassidine (Quartermaine Mansion) 12/2/2004-12/9/2005.
Emily Quartermaine marries Nikolas Cassidine (Wyndmere Ball Room.) 1/10/2008
Births:
Cameron Steven Morgan May 11, 2004 (later sorased to 2002)
Jacob Martin Morgan May 4, 2007
Aiden Edward Morgan July 19, 2010 (later sorased to 2009)
Audra Anne Morgan February 3, 2014
Spencer Cassidine with Courtney Matthews February 20, 2006 (later sorased to 2002)
Charis Alan Cassidine With Emily October 15. 2008
Marvella Page Monica Cassidine With Emily March 8. 2011.
Jason skims the "Deaths" section of the scrapbook. He reads a note in his handwriting, "Jason, this is not complete. It notes what happened, not what you think happened."
Notable Deaths
1999: Tom Baker (Prison Riot)
2006 Diego Alcazar (Killed in a shootout with the PCPD)
2007: Jerry Jacks (Gunshot to the head during Metro Court Hostage Crisis)
2007: Luke Spencer (Heart Attack during B&W Ball)
Ric Lansing (killed by a speer during B&W Ball).
Anthony Zaccahara (Broken neck from fall at B&W Ball)
7/30/2010: The Artist known as Franco (Fell off GH roof)
10/14/2011: Lisa Niles (Accidental death in Ferncliff)
9/16/2012: Edward Quartermaine (Natural Causes)
6/29/2021: Alan Quartermaine (Heart Attack)
5/9/2023: Barbara Jean "Bobbie" Spencer (Cancer)
10/31/2023: Nikolas Quartermaine (Fall from a horse)
Elizabeth places her hand on Jason's arm. "Nikolas and Bobbie are dead?"
"Alan didn't die in 2007. I missed all those years with him."
"If my letter is valid, which I still think is crazy, it means we will remember everything in two weeks. You will remember lost time with your father. Hopefully, you made amends with him."
"I hope so."
"I'm sorry about Bobbie. I feel for Carly. Bobbie was important to everyone. She helped me after my rape. She helped you too with Michael."
"I know. I wonder if I was there for her when it happened. I'm sorry about Nikolas. I hope Emily is adjusting."
"Jason, you said, Emily. The Emily we remember died in 2007. Nikolas died two months ago. Bobbie died more than six months ago. We need to shower and get ready. I hope there are more fucking answers than this letter and some old journals."
"Don't forget we need to finish the scrapbook later."
(Not all deaths are listed—only those changed by the story. Lila, Epiphany, etc., deaths remain unchanged and not included. More explanations will come later).
Jason and Elizabeth quickly shower. Elizabeth looks through her closet. "Jason, there are more clothes here than I had two weeks ago."
"I have more, too. What are we supposed to wear for our 20th anniversary?"
Elizabeth laughs, "That sounds so strange hearing you say it."
Elizabeth wears a green sweater, black dress pants, and pearls. Jason wears a charcoal grey suit. Elizabeth finds a green handkerchief that matches her top and places it in his suit pocket. "I'm surprised you aren't wearing jeans."
"I'm not sure what I should be wearing. There is no rule book for this."
Cameron yells, "Mom, Dad, Aunt Emily is here."
Elizabeth replies, "We'll be right down."
Jason and Elizabeth walk into the Great Room, and Elizabeth squeezes Jason's hand. She releases it and runs to hug Emily. "Em, I've missed you so much."
"Liz, how can you miss me? You saw me last night. Cam said something about you drinking too much."
"Sorry, you look great."
Jason hugs his sister, "Elizabeth is right. You look great, Emily."
Emily says, "These two envelopes were in my car's passenger seat this morning. Your names are on it." Emily points to a stack of photo albums. "I received a note to show you these."
"What are they?"
"I imagine family photos over the years."
"Elizabeth, I swear if there is a picture of me in an ugly Christmas sweater, I will kill someone."
Elizabeth flips a few pages and laughs, "I think you are safe."
Audra and Aiden set a tray of muffins next to the albums. Audra asks, "Aunt Emily, will Alan and Marvela be at the party?"
"Yes, sweetheart, they will be there with Spencer."
Jason picks up a muffin and asks, "Will Danny be there?"
Emily replies, "Danny? Do you mean Danny Spencer? Why would he be at your party?"
Elizabeth says, "Oh my god, Jason. Danny's not yours anymore."
Jason glances at Elizabeth, tears well in his eyes. "What else has changed?"
Emily says, "Elizabeth, your dad, and Anne said they'd pick up Audrey. Steven won't be there; he's working at GH. Jason, I called Mom and said she would meet us there."
Jason replies, "Thanks. I can't believe Nina agreed to host the party for us after what's happened."
Emily says, "Nina? Do you mean Nina Cassidine? She's with Valentin in Greece. He wasn't much of an Uncle to Nikolas when he and Nina lived here. Why would you think Nina would have a problem with your party?"
Elizabeth says, "We thought Nina owned the Metro Court."
Emily laughs, "If I didn't know you better, I'd swear you were smoking something. Nina has never owned the Metro Court. Carly Corothinos owns it."
Jason shakes his head. "I don't think we can survive today without a cheat sheet."
Elizabeth says, "Jason and I need to go upstairs. We will be back soon. I have to find something."
TBC
The party…and more!
In case you weren't paying attention, Jason and Elizabeth woke up to their alternate reality. A reality where they've been married for 20 years, and the previous years happened differently. More will be explained on the changes.