Lee Baldwin sat at a stool at the large granite island in his daughter's kitchen while she washed and cut vegetables for salad. When she had called him after her distressing conversation with Lucy Coe and Rex Stanton, he had known they needed to talk. So, she had suggested that they come for dinner. Now Gail was outside on the swings with Serena and Katelyn and he was trying to make sense of the senseless.
"So, how badly did I mess this all up?" Monica asked as she looked up from the tomato she was slicing.
"I wouldn't say that, honey. It sounds like you were perfectly respectful to Mr. Stanton and Lucy."
"Ironically, I think I was, Dad. But I get the impression that Mr. Stanton is going to see getting visitation as a new conquest. Plus, he somehow ended up with Warren Bauer as his attorney. So, even if he is really coming at this from a place of true concern and compassion for his great niece, you know it will be hard for Warren Bauer to see this as anything but an opportunity to win against Scott."
As an officer of the court, Lee firmly believed in the judicial process. Inherent in that was the presumption of innocence until guilt was proven and the right to counsel. Criminal defense attorneys were just as crucial to upholding the societal good of justice and fairness as prosecutors. But that required that those criminal defense attorneys maintain their own ethics and actively work towards justice even if that meant their client was convicted in the process. The latter point seemed to be lost on the Graff, Fowler, & Bauer law firm.
"That is certainly a valid concern. Judge Preston also seems to have a higher opinion of Graff, Fowler, & Bauer than most of the rest of the Chapparal County legal community so I think they probably got the family court judge that is most likely to be sympathetic to their arguments. I'm going to talk to your brother, I got the impression that he had pretty specific reasons he didn't want Serena near Mr. Stanton based on things Dominique had shared. Perhaps there is some evidence that substantiates Dominique's concerns which I can pass on to Mrs. O'Connor."
"Dominique was such a forgiving person so I suspect that there is something there," Monica said.
Lee did as well. He was just afraid he wouldn't be able to actually prove it. "There is also another option, but your brother needs to be ok with this and I suspect he won't be," he said.
"What do you mean?"
"Mr. Stanton's criminal record is all white color crime, mostly insider trading but Lucy Coe pled guilty to several violent felonies and has no biological relationship to Serena. Blocking her access would be much easier."
"Definitely, but somehow, in spite of that, Dominique believed she had reformed and trusted her as their gestational carrier so I'm guessing that Scott will be opposed as he will feel that Dominique would be opposed."
"You're probably right but I'll talk to your brother and see how he wants to proceed. Just between you and me, do you think Lucy has reformed?"
Monica added the tomatoes and cucumbers to the salad and then started to toss it before she spoke. "I know Scott wants to believe she has, because Dominique believed she could and because he does hold himself in a lot of debt to her for carrying Serena. I think the problem is that Lucy has never been able to forgive. She has always needed to get her revenge and retribution. Ironically, she is usually just wronging people all over again. She tormented Dr. Patrick O'Connor. She burned Tony's house down and tried to frame Bobbie. That failed but years later she still couldn't let it go. She paid Damian Smith to seduce Bobbie in an effort to destroy their marriage and that was just a few years ago. I guess the only possibly selfless thing I've ever seen Lucy do was carry Serena and she was compensated quite well for that so when I look at the whole picture sometimes, I wonder if she really did just do it for the money. I know that Scott is invested in that not being that case and only Lucy really knows so I'm never going to share my opinion on this with anyone else but you asked and you're my dad."
"I appreciate your candor."
"To be fair, you pretty much always have. I think a certain amount of sometimes uncomfortable candor is the tradeoff of raising kids with a sense of integrity. Alan and I are definitely earning our stripes there," Monica said.
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Rex Stanton cursed his lack of oversight as he waited for room service to bring the chilled champagne to his suite. Warren should have done better due diligence. Good grief he had lived in Port Charles for more than a decade he should know that Scott Baldwin had a sister. He had told Dr. Monica Quartermaine that he understood family loyalty but he was beginning to question that. It seemed like he had taken far too many for the team lately. Regardless, he wasn't quite ready to pull out of the plan so it was time to take the next step and propose to Lucy Coe
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Danielle Ashley put the final binder into the box and sighed. She had a feeling it was going to be a late night. Perhaps that was just as well, she was sure Jake would be at the hospital until all hours anyway. More importantly it gave her an excuse to delay going to see Scott Baldwin for another night.
"Oh, Danielle, I didn't realize you were still here. It is almost five, you should go home. I'm sure everything else can be wrapped up tomorrow morning," Amy Elizabeth Morgan said as she came out of her office.
"Are you sure? I am still waiting on a call back from the caterers to confirm they can accommodate the count for the Thursday night reception and the Friday Luncheon. I left three different messages for Daisy Murdoch" Danielle said.
"I'm sure they will accommodate it. They were sent the final numbers last week. Anyway, we're hosting this meeting at the hotel owned by our parent company and using their inhouse caterers. If this doesn't work out then I'm sure my Great Uncle Edward will have at least a mini meltdown with much more emphasis on meltdown than mini."
Danielle laughed in spite of herself. "So, you're sure you don't need anything else before I go?" she asked.
"No, unless you're trying to avoid going home to your fiancé?"
Danielle felt her cheeks grow warm. "My fiancé is an intern at PCGH. It is doubtful that he will be home for hours so, really, if you need me to stay it is no trouble."
"Nope, I should be leaving soon anyway myself. In a weak moment, I promised my boyfriend's mother I would attend this woman's bible study tonight."
"That's cool that you're close. I have only met Jake's parents once. With his schedule at the hospital we aren't exactly taking trips back to Idaho on the weekend."
"Craig is a Port Charles native. He even graduated from Port Charles High, Stallions Class of 1991," Amy said.
Danielle laughed. "I have no idea what Jake's high school mascot even was."
"Oh, I mostly know that because my Quartermaine cousins attend the same school he graduated from. Emily's XC team is always screaming Stallions run fast! before their races. Fortunately, her team is pretty good so it doesn't sound as ridiculous as it might otherwise."
"Yeah I guess that would be kind of bad if they were last after screaming that. I went to Malcolm X Shabazz High School so that was a bit of a mouthful at times. Technically I think we were the Bulldogs."
"In, Newark, NJ?"
"Yep, my mom grew up there. My grandparents were about to move out of Newark when I was born but then that didn't exactly work out."
"I'm sure there are nice parts of Newark."
"There are still some beautiful homes in the Forest Hills section. There is just a lot of poverty, drugs, and violent gang crime. I basically grew up down the street from Shabazz on Johnson Avenue and my grandparents didn't really understand how rough that school had become in the 90s."
"So, were you basically raised by your grandparents? Are they still in Newark now?"
"My grandparents were murdered during the spring of my sophomore year at Sarah Lawrence. The case is still open, at least officially."
"But unofficially?"
"Unofficially everyone in the neighborhood knows it was part of a Bloods and Crips turf battle. Newark PD probably can't prove that easily so they are picking their battles. Logically, I suppose, I understand, at least sort of. Nothing will bring my grandparents back so maybe justice would be hollow regardless."
"I'm really sorry," Amy said. Her voice trailed off as if there was more she wanted to say but was afraid to or just couldn't find the words.
"Thank you, it isn't something I talk about much. Most of my friends have no idea."
"Does Jake know?"
"We met about three months after they died so he knows they were killed but doesn't really understand the details. I'm sorry I really shouldn't be dumping all of this on you."
"No, it's ok, really. If you ever want to talk, it's fine," Amy said.
Something in Amy's face caused Danielle to believe she was actually serious. It was just a weird dynamic though. Technically Amy was her boss. "I appreciate that, and thank you, but I'm ok. I guess I'll head out then. Maybe Jake will make it home before I go to bed. His attending this month always makes sure he hits exactly eighty hours each week."
"Isn't that the maximum they are allowed to work?" Amy asked.
"Basically. He did ER last block and that was great. They do shifts so he was scheduled for eighteen shifts and he sometimes had entire weekends off. I'm secretly hoping that he will decide that is what he wants to do but he is considering surgery or Obstetrics. He really loved his OB rotation, especially delivering babies. He does surgery next block so I guess we'll see. He's the one who has to do it so I guess it has to be his choice and I need to support it."
"Craig has decided to apply for oral surgery which means another six years. I guess they go back and do a sort of abridged medical school alongside some oral surgery, then a year of surgery, and then a final year of oral surgery or something like that."
"Would you have to move?" Danielle asked. She had some regrets about moving herself.
"Apparently New York Medical College has a program based out of PCGH. He is applying to that program."
"That's good but, wow, six years. Although I guess if Jake does surgery that will be another at least four more years. He says Dr. Quartermaine said that they try to work it so their transitional internship gives them at least six months of standing towards their surgery residency so they might be able to complete in four more years if they adjust their research component the right way. Jake is really into research though so I'm not sure how that would work," Danielle said.
"Well, like you said, Jake and Craig are the ones who have to do it. But on that note, I should get out of here, so I can go home eat, and change into something slightly more comfortable before bible study. I'll see you tomorrow," Amy said. Then she turned and went back into her own office to collect her things.
Danielle sighed again as she reached for her purse. It was quarter after five. It was certainly early enough that she could go see Scott. She was dreading the conversation but perhaps the longer she put it off the harder it might be. That was true of many things.
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Lucy Coe smiled as the light reflected off the diamond Rex had put on her finger. She had never seen a diamond so large. Even Amanda Barrington didn't have as significant a center stone and her husband had owned Barrington Jewelers.
"So, does this mean yes?" Rex asked.
"Yes! Of course, yes! This is amazing! Oh, wow, this ring!" Lucy raved.
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Carly Ashton stood in her walk-in closet in the master suite. The closet was almost as big as the room she had once rented at Kelly's and she didn't even have to share it. Ned had his own slightly larger closet, although she had heard him refer to his as his dressing room and suspected that perhaps that was technically the proper name for her huge closet
Once again, she had no idea what to wear. She probably should have asked Lila Quartermaine what people wore to bible studies hosted at mansions. At the time, she had been both taken aback by the invitation and didn't want her husband's grandmother to consider her a clueless heathen. Unfortunately, she kind of was a clueless heathen.
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Danielle Ashley's cellular phone started ringing as she pulled the door to Eli's open. With trepidation she opened her phone and extended the antennae. "Hello," she said.
"We got engaged! We got engaged! Come celebrate with us!" Lucy Coe shrieked in her ear.
Danielle extended the phone away from her ear and took a deep breath. Rex had told her she wasn't irreplaceable and she had a good idea that he had just moved on plan C or plan D or whatever. Unfortunately, that didn't mean that her dear Uncle Rex was any closer to letting her go. He would remain the pesky albatross around her neck. "Umm wow, Lucy, that's great! I'm very happy for you and Uncle Rex but I'm really not feeling well so I think I just need a quiet night in."
"Oh, if you're sure," Lucy said.
Danielle heard the dejection in Lucy's voice and felt badly. Lucy was supposed to be her friend. Perhaps that was another reason it was harder to be happy for her. After all, friends weren't supposed to let friends marry sociopaths and the more that she got to know her Uncle Rex the more she feared that was the most accurate descriptor.
"Yes, I really need an early night, I'm sorry. I'm really busy right now at work but maybe we can do brunch on Saturday," Danielle offered.
"Ok, well, toodles, tata, and I'll call you tomorrow. I think I'm about to be seduced off to bed by my husband to be. I guess we'll celebrate with a night in as well," Lucy said.
Danielle just shook her head. "Ok, well congratulations, again," she said and then quickly closed her phone before Lucy could say more. She definitely did not want details about her Uncle and Lucy's sex life. Plus, if Rex was moving forward with a full court press then she didn't have a choice. She had to come clean with Scott.