October 17, 1997
Dr. Alan Quartermaine refrained from shouting Hallelujah! Still there was reason to celebrate. Katherine Bell's morning Chest X-ray showed great expansion of the lung and the air leak that had been present yesterday had also resolved. "So, I have good news Katherine, it looks like everything in your chest is healing well and we can put the chest tube to water seal this morning. If everything goes well, I should be able to remove the chest tube completely sometime tomorrow," he said as he recoiled his stethoscope into the pocket of his white coat.
Katherine seemed more frustrated than pleased. Of course, in Alan's experience, that was her usual countenance. "If that is the case, then why am I still so short of breath?" she asked.
Alan considered the question. Objectively she seemed to be able to speak comfortably, her lungs were clear to auscultation, the chest x-ray looked great, and her oxygen saturations were normal on room air. "Do you feel short of breath all the time?" he asked.
Katherine rolled her eyes, "Of course," she said.
"Ok, so you're having constant dyspnea, but does anything make it better or worse?" Alan asked.
"Not really," Katherine said before crossing both arms across her chest.
"It seemed that you were more short of breath when the physical therapist tried to get you up. Remember you said your chest was hurting then as well," Nikolas Cassadine said as he looked up from some textbook.
Alan wasn't exactly sure why Nikolas was there at all, but he definitely couldn't understand why he might be there at six AM when he was pretty sure there was a rule against minor children visiting outside of visiting hours. "Ok, well, I'm going to order an EKG, some cardiac enzymes, an echocardiogram, and an arterial blood gas. If all of that is reassuring, then I think we can more strongly consider that the dyspnea may be due to deconditioning. I know Dr. Ross was considering transferring you to the Physical Rehabilitation Unit and maybe that is the best plan," he said. Then he made a hasty retreat from the room. So much for his celebration.
XXXXXXXX
Alexis Davis groaned when her cell phone rang. She glanced at the clock as she reached for the phone and groaned again. Who felt they had the right to call her at 6:30 AM?
"Alexis Davis," she said.
"Have you made any progress on the matter we discussed last week?" Dr. Tony Jones asked.
Alexis was sure she had told Tony she wouldn't be doing anything until Carly had the baby. She was also sure Tony had told her Carly wasn't due until December so exactly why did he need to call her at 6:30 AM to check on progress? "I thought I made myself abundantly clear that we can't file anything until after Carly has the baby."
"What if she did? I mean what if she did have the baby?" Dr. Jones asked.
"Did she? I thought you said she wasn't due for at least another two months."
"I don't know, it seems she showed up on the L&D census, but I didn't see a baby in the NICU so I'm not sure."
"Aren't hospital censuses supposed to be private?" Alexis asked.
"Are you saying you can't help me?" Dr. Jones asked. He terminated the call before Alexis had a chance to respond.
Alexis had an uneasy feeling as she listened to the dial tone. Regardless, it was far too early to be awake, so she just laid her phone back on her bedside table and laid back down to sleep.
XXXXXXXX
Lucy Coe Stanton awoke with overwhelming nausea. She felt unsteady and just generally unwell as she made her way into the bathroom in Rex's suite at the Port Charles Hotel. Yet, as she emptied the contents of her stomach, she felt exhilarated, even vindicated. Her morning nausea could only mean one thing. She must be pregnant!
XXXXXXXX
Carly Ashton was only mildly surprised that her husband was already tapping away on his laptop when she opened her eyes. After all, he was basically a card-carrying member of the early risers' club, and she doubted that he had really gotten any restful sleep on his chair bed. "I would ask you how you slept but I'm sensing that might be a bit of a sore subject," she said.
"Touché! Pun intended I presume?" Ned asked.
It took Carly a minute to make the connection. She didn't feel like admitting that though, so she just smiled.
"More importantly, how are you feeling?" Ned asked as he got up and came over to stand by her bed.
Carly considered that for a minute. She didn't feel too badly if she didn't move. Her head still swum if she tried to sit up though. "I"m ok," she said.
"Really?" Ned asked as he brushed some stray hair out of her face.
"I don't feel so badly if I just lie still," Carly said.
"Dr. Meadows said she thought maybe you needed more IV fluids. She was going to stop back when you were awake, and after they had done the echocardiogram," Ned said.
"That's ok, as long as the baby is ok. I'll be ok if you need to go into the office, I mean I'm basically surrounded by doctors and nurses, seriously," Carly said.
Ned appeared a bit apprehensive. "I'm supposed to have a Norscott conference call at nine. Normally I could call in from elsewhere, but it is an international video conference so it much easier to do from the main ELQ Conference Room. I was actually about to send Cord an email and see if there was any way to reschedule but if you're sure you'll be ok maybe it's better to just get it taken care of," he said.
"Who is Cord?" Carly asked.
"Cord Roberts is the majority owner and CEO of Norscott Drilling."
"Drilling as in oil?" Carly asked. Once again, she felt like she was actually living in one of those primetime soap operas she and Simone had watched in high school.
"Mostly oil, but Norscott is based in London so they do some natural gas contract work as well. ELQ's Venture Capital Division provided a chunk of their startup funds last December and still maintains an equity stake in the company," Ned said.
"I see…" Carly said. She really didn't but maybe that was the point.
"That is probably more information than you wanted, sorry," Ned said.
"It's ok, I did ask," Carly said.
"Good point," Ned said with a smile.
XXXXXXXX
Detective Allison Jordan pulled the DNA results off the printer. "So, it looks like the DNA from Tiffany's rape kit does match JR Chandler. Do you want to call Dara or should I?" she asked as she passed the paper across the desk to her partner Detective Alejandro Garcia.
"It looks like that won't be necessary," Alex said as Dara Jensen strode through the detective workroom.
"So, I guess the lab called you as well?" Allison asked.
Dara appeared confused. "What?" she asked.
"I just presumed you were here to talk about the DNA results we just got back," Allison said.
"Actually, I'm here for a panel sign off meeting on a different case. That is supposed to be in the Detective Conference room at eight. So is the DNA a match for Mr. Chandler?" Dara asked.
"Indeed, it is. So, I presume that means you're going to at least drop the charges against Mr. Baldwin," Alex said.
"Presuming is dangerous. Apparently, my boss feels that Tiffany Peterson is a compelling witness and her story needs to be heard, at least by a grand jury. So, no, we will not be dropping the charges against Mr. Baldwin at this point. Now, I have to get to this panel sign off meeting so can you just send a copy of the DNA results over to my office?" Dara asked and she was out of earshot before either Detective had a chance to respond.
"Do you feel as uncomfortable with this as I do?" Allison asked.
"Maybe more, at least Sean Donely believed that voting Michael Schultz out was the answer to cleaning up the DA's Office. Forgive me if I'm not seeing that right now," Alex said.
XXXXXXXX
Dr. Tony Jones looked warily at Dr. Alan Quartermaine when he came into the surgeon's lounge with one of the interns who's name Tony couldn't be bothered to know. "Alan, I understand congratulations are in order," he said.
Dr. Alan Quartermaine looked a bit confused. "I just did a colectomy and a g-tube, Tony I'm not sure exactly why that is worthy of high praise, but, uh, thanks," he said.
Tony forced a laugh. "That's a good one, Alan. That wasn't what I was referring to."
"Oh, you probably mean my article in American Journal of Surgery. Thank you, I appreciate that. On that note, Dr. Marshak and I need to get over to same day surgery for a procedure over there. Have a great day!" Alan said as he departed with his intern trailing in tow.
Tony tossed his coffee cup in the trash with frustration. So apparently Alan had published another article. Woo Flipping Hoo! Why couldn't he just take the bait and let Tony know what was going on with his daughter? The daughter Alan seemed happy to aid and abet his nephew at stealing.
As the frustration continued to build Tony stomped out of the surgeon's lounge. Sometimes if you wanted something done right you just had to do it yourself.
XXXXXXXX
Carly Ashton flipped another page in one of the magazines Ned had brought her from home. She might have gone a bit overboard with magazine subscriptions once Ned had presented her with a collection of credit cards. It had seemed like what a Quartermaine wife would do. The idea of being a Quartermaine wife had been so overwhelming back then.
October 1, 1997
Carly Ashton ran a brush through her blonde curls and couldn't believe she was regretting a free shopping trip. Well, technically, it wasn't literally free. Anything that suited her fancy would be paid for with the American Express Gold Card her new husband had presented her the evening before. It also was likely to be anything but figuratively free as well since she was expected to shop with her new husband's cousin's wife, Marla Mears Quartermaine. The same Marla Mears Quartermaine who was the former Mrs. Utah, Mrs. America, and had just completed her reign as the 1996 Mrs. World Runner Up.
Carly pulled her curls back into a barrette, set the brush down, and reached for a tube of lipstick. She was pouting at the mirror after applying the lipstick when Ned poked his head into the bathroom.
"I told Hugh Lars and Marla we would meet them for breakfast at 8:30 before we head over to the capitol for that hearing and you and Marla go shopping. Hugh is punctual to a fault so we should probably plan on leaving in the next fifteen minutes or we risk not being at least five minutes early," Ned said.
Carly was afraid that anything less than five minutes early was considered late in her husband's world. In contrast, she was just happy if she arrived less than five minutes late. She shook her head, she was going to need to invest in an alarm clock, or twenty because she had a feeling that the whole opposites attract line her new husband had fed his mother would be wearing thin far too soon. "Well, I guess you're in luck because I'm ready to go!" she said.
XXXXXXXX
At a table in Nauvoo Café, Carly Ashton felt painfully out of place as Ned discussed the plan for the Utah State Senate hearing they were all slated to testify at with his cousins. She was probably meant to discuss china patterns and fall fashion with Marla, but she thought she had a better chance to add a meaningful comment to the discussion of environmentally safe leaching than either of those topics. Anyway, Marla seemed pretty busy staring into her black coffee, in between greeting and smiling at practically everyone who walked by their table.
"By the way is there a sane contact at Buchanan Enterprises, these days?" Hugh Lars Quartermaine asked.
"In my experience, no," Celia Quartermaine said.
Ned laughed. "A year ago, I would have told you to go through Cord, but you know what happened there," he said.
"Which raises the next question, how did you convince Edward to buy into Norscott?" Hugh Lars asked.
"Are you saying it hasn't been a sound investment?" Celia challenged.
"I wasn't implying it wasn't, but I also don't think that had much to do with why ELQ Diversified provided the initial investment," Hugh Lars said.
Celia shrugged her shoulders. "Isn't that the whole point of having a Venture Capitalism Department within the ELQ Diversified Division?" she asked.
"Of course, but Hugh is right and regardless of the numbers I felt, and Grandfather agreed, that we should support Cord financially. Grandfather may take excellence for granted and thus fail to reward for it, or even acknowledge it. But he has never punished for it to cover his own inadequacy and insecurity," Ned said.
"That is because we're Quartemaines; excellence is standard!" Hugh Lars said.
Ned and Celia joined in the laugh. Carly forced a smile and forced herself to laugh as well as Marla hopped up to greet another best friend.
Who was she kidding? Being a Quartermaine wife was still incredibly overwhelming. Unfortunately, Carly was desperately afraid that being a Quartermaine mother would be even more overwhelming. She sighed as she turned another page in her magazine.
"Hello, Carly," a familiar voice pulled her from her unpleasant thoughts.
Carly shuddered. "What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I came to make sure my daughter was ok," Dr. Tony Jones said as he sauntered into her room with a smug smile.
Carly noted that Tony used the word my, not our and she longed the wipe the smug smile off his face. Of course, perhaps, considering that the baby she was carrying wasn't his maybe it really didn't matter. She wanted to believe that, but Tony seemed to know how to push her buttons. She tried to take a deep breath but somehow that just made her dizzy.
Tony loomed over her bed. "Once this baby is born, it's mine, all mine!" he ranted.
"This isn't even your baby," Carly finally managed to choke out.
"You lie! You lie! Women always lie!" Tony ranted.
Carly gave up and buried her head under the pillow.
XXXXXXXX
As she pushed the echocardiography machine down the hallway of Labor and Delivery Dr. Monica Quartermaine heard screaming. Unfortunately, as she proceeded down the hall, she realized that the screams were not those of a healthy newborn, or even the anguished screams of a mother to be in the throes of a painful contraction. No, they were the rantings of a disturbed colleague. With that realization she quickened her pace and reached the door of her newest niece by marriage's room.
The scene was disturbing. Carly seemed to be curled into a variation on the fetal position with a pillow over her head while her fallen colleague had his face literally an inch away while ranting "Lying liar who lies!"
"Tony! You need to stop, and you need to leave or I will call security!" Monica said.
Surprisingly her words reached him. He stood straight, locked eyes with her. "This is a personal family matter," he insisted before he stalked from the room.
Monica released a breath. She crossed over to the bed and heard sobs. "Carly, are you alright?" she asked. Then she lamented herself for the question. It was clear Carly wasn't alright and Monica was quite certain that she was one of the last people she wanted comfort from. But it was what it was, and they were where they were.
Carly took a few gulps and then pulled the pillow away from her face. "Thank you," she said.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Monica offered.
Carly wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "Really? Because, I would think you would consider it what I deserved," she said.
"No one deserves to be treated that way, Carly," Monica said.
"Even women who steal other women's husbands? I know Bobbie was one of your friends. I guess even I would understand if you hated me on her behalf," Carly said.
"Bobbie is a dear friend, and I am sorry for all the pain that she has been through these past few years. At the same time, I'm sure that there are a lot of nuances of the whole situation I couldn't possibly understand so I'm not really in a position to judge," Monica said.
"Really? Or is that just what you have to say since I married your nephew?"
"That was my position on the matter back in April, long before I realized you even knew my nephew," Monica said.
XXXXXXXX
Rachel Berlin was certain her roommate was a pathologic liar. Whenever her Grandmother or any of the doctors were in the room, she claimed to feel so weak and be in so much pain. Any other time, Sarah seemed perfectly able to touch up her makeup, literally hop out of bed to retrieve the magazine she had dropped, and even chatter away on the phone for hours to her BFF, Alison and some poor sap named Lucky. Rachel felt for him; it was clear that Sarah had Lucky's heart but would never deign to give him even a small piece of hers. It was very similar to the roles she had seen her parents dance in for almost fifteen years so she could understand.
XXXXXXXX
Carly Ashton lay absolutely still as Dr. Monica Quartermaine moved the echo probe around on her chest. Apparently, another perk of being married to a member of the hospital board was that your echocardiogram was done personally by the Department Chair. Or maybe that was the benefit of being married to the nephew of the Department Chair. Either way it was unnerving.
"Wonderful! The flow across the mitral valve looks perfect!" Dr. Monica Quartermaine said as she glanced over from the screen.
"Aren't echos usually done by the cardiopulmonary techs?" Carly asked.
"Routine echocardiograms generally are. After hours STAT echocardiograms usually should be done by whomever is on cardiology non STEMI call. Additionally, STAT echocardiograms on inpatients with specific questions are often done by the consulted cardiologist to ensure that we get adequate images. I like to do my own echocardiogram on pregnant patients because it is critical to look at flow across the mitral and aortic valves in real time.
"So, if I wasn't married to Ned, you would still be doing this yourself?" Carly asked.
"Yes, like I said, I try to personally do all pregnancy echocardiograms. I read all of the fetal echocardiograms but often those are done in conjunction with the rest of a level three ultrasound, so I don't physically do the scan. As a result, I do end up having to recall a few patients every year and redo portions of the fetal echocardiogram myself," Monica said.
Carly wasn't sure if she really believed that. Maybe that wasn't the point, maybe…