"I think Mark told Ned this but, I just want to assure you that if you need help with anything, I can completely be there for you and I really want to help you," Beth Quartermaine said.
Carly really wanted to believe that Beth wasn't just saying that because it was what any good Quartermaine wife would say. After all, Hugh Lars's wife, Marla Mears Quartermaine, had joined her for shopping although Carly was sure she would much rather have shopped with any of her numerous friends. "Thank you," she said.
Perhaps Beth heard the uncertainty in her voice. "Also, if you ever have any how do I survive as a Quartermaine Wife questions, Monica can be helpful there or you can just ask me and I'll tell you what she told me," she offered.
Carly was sure the latter option was better. Dr. Monica Quartermaine might have made Tony go away and she thought that she had tried to be kind, maybe she had even been kind but she doubted that Monica had really let go of how Carly had hurt one of her best friends. "Yeah, I think I'll just ask you," she said.
Beth smiled. "Anytime, seriously, oh and just putting it out there, Celia will give you and Ned a two year diaper service subscription and it is completely ok if you still use disposable diapers for convenience when out and about or just your own preference," she said.
Carly smiled. "Is that what you do?"
"We do use cloth at home, unless Kensi has a rash then we switch back to Pamper's for a week to clear it up. They wick better than the cloth. I always put disposable ones on her before we leave the house and put them in the diaper bag because as much as I want to treat the planet kindly for my child, I am just not able to lug dirty diapers around in the diaper bag. I have limits! Mark does our penance by wearing his aerator shoes extra or something," Beth said.
"What?" Carly asked.
"Aerator shoes, they have hollow spikes on the bottom so you can open up the soil to better oxygenation and irrigation. Apparently if you get the kind with the hollow spikes, they actually do work. I'm sure Ned has a pair in the back of your mudroom closet or something. Maybe he even wears them golfing; Mark does so it's like basically one of his most charitable endeavors. He gives back to the environment, reduces his carbon footprint, and bonds with Edward all with a single activity," Beth explained.
"Let me guess, those were also a gift from Celia," Carly asked.
"Of course! Speaking of gifts, Celia's birthday is coming up in another few weeks, perhaps we can do a group gift," Beth suggested.
"Only if that also means you are volunteering to shop for that group gift!" Carly said. She was pretty sure that shopping for Celia would not be easy unless Green Peace was having a membership sale.
"I could do that. I think last year Mark and I contributed to some Women's Shelter in her honor. Maybe we could do that again this year. I think her friend, Holly, is still their director. There is also some Foundation Julia Barrett is involved with that works against Human Trafficking" Beth said.
"Is Julia any relation to Brenda?" Carly asked.
"They're sisters, or I guess technically half-sisters. They are both daughters of Harlan Barrett."
"I didn't realize that," Carly said.
"I don't think Julia ever lived in Port Charles. She was engaged to Jenny's brother Bill for a while, but that relationship imploded around the same time that Ned and Jenny divorced," Beth said.
"Because Julia took Ned's side?" Carly asked.
"If she was asked, I would presume she kind of would, but I think it more had to do with the ELQ vs Barrett Patent Hearing. This would have been in the Summer and Fall of 1993 and Mark and I were just loosely dating then so I really don't know details. I know that ELQ won the patent hearing, but there was something else behind that. I feel like somehow Paul Hornsby and Bill Eckert were both involved in that. You know what, I can ask Mark. He wasn't living in Port Charles then either, but he has had ELQ Stock since his eighteenth birthday so probably at least knew the factual basis behind all of the innuendo I've heard over the years. Another aspect of marrying into the Quartermaine Family is understanding some of the painful past history so you don't unintentionally hurt the man you love completely unintentionally with a completely naïve question or comment," Beth said.
Carly was sure that was way more possible than Beth imagined. In fact, she probably already had. "Did you do that to Mark?" she asked instead.
Beth winced as if the memory was still painful. "I really didn't know that Mark has a sister. I mean Ned's mom has always seemed to have an almost older sister relationship with him. She is his godmother. He remembers her flying all the way back from London when his father died when he was four and then after his mother died when he was thirteen, he lived with Edward and Lila and Tracy didn't live far from them so they spent a lot of time together. I asked Tracy to be in my bridal party when I married Mark because I felt like she was the closest thing he had to a sister. Then we celebrated New Year's Eve that year and Edward remarked it would be Dorothy's Fortieth Birthday. Everyone else seemed to know who Dorothy was. I had no clue and Mark ended up fleeing to the West Terrace."
Carly decided it was not the time to point out that if Ned fled to any of Alan or Monica's terraces, she would need someone to provide her with a map, or a tour guide, to locate her husband. "So, Dorothy is Mark's older sister?" she asked.
"Yes, I still haven't met her. I guess that she and their mother had some falling out when she was in college. Mark called her in a panic when he learned their mother had cancer, but she refused to come home. Unfortunately, his mother died before they could repair their relationship, she refused to attend the funeral, and hasn't really had any contact with any of the Quartermaines since she sold her ELQ Stock to Edward in 1977," Beth explained.
"Isn't that a long time to hold a grudge?" Carly asked.
"You would think, I think it just got more complicated after both of their parents were dead. I don't really know…" Beth's voice trailed off, full of uncertainty.
XXXXXXXX
Elizabeth Webber took glanced up from wiping the counter when the bell on the door to the diner jingled. Lucky!
"Hi," Liz said tentatively when Lucky Spencer sat down on one of the stools at the counter.
"How is your sister?" Lucky asked.
Liz exhaled. Of course, it would be too much to expect that he had come in to talk to her. "Unfortunately, Sarah is still complaining of a lot of pain," she said. She suspected the distinction of her words would be lost on Lucky. He was far too enamored with her sister to consider that she might just be a melodramatic liar.
"That's rough, I tried to stop by and visit her, but I guess Pediatrics patients are only allowed family visitors," Lucky said.
Liz shrugged her shoulders as the bell on the door jangled again. She was a little surprised to see her English teacher, Mr. Murty, walk in.
"So, umm, could you just tell Sarah I tried to stop by and visit her," Lucky said.
Liz rolled her eyes innately. Why couldn't Lucky see that there were multiple reasons that Sarah would never care about him? "Sure, I'll let Sarah know," she said.
"Thanks Liz! You're the best!" Lucky called as he hopped up from his stool, turned, and just barely missed a collision with Mr. Murty.
Liz just shook her head. If she was really so great, then why was Lucky still so lost in her sister?
"I would ask where the fire is but I'm sure he is just in a hurry to get home and read the rest of Othello," Mr. Murty said as he sat down on a stool adjacent to the one Lucky had just bolted out of.
Liz rolled her eyes again. "Yeah, I'm sure that is it! So, what can I get you? Or are you just here to express your concern for my sister as well."
Mr. Murty seemed a bit taken aback by her outburst. "How about some coffee? I'm supposed to be meeting someone but they're usually late so it may be awhile," he said.
Liz slid a cup in front of him and turned around to grab the coffee pot. After she filled his cup and replaced the coffee pot she stood awkwardly. Mr. Murty only made it worse by smiling warmly. "Uh, I have to check on something in the kitchen! I'll be back in a minute in case your date arrives," she said.
If his date arrived within the next minute she would be back. Until then, hiding in the kitchen to avoid awkward conversation was not beneath her.
XXXXXXXX
As he fell in step with the crowd egressing from the auditorium after Dr. Alan Quartermaine's Keynote Lecture on Highly Effective Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV and AIDS, Dr. Ken Martin wondered if he should feel obsolete. Infectious Disease was supposed to be his specialty, but the nuances of HIV care were not exactly his strength.
"Alan actually made that somewhat understandable. I don't usually have that sentiment when I tag along to one of your CME events," his wife, Cynthia remarked.
"Didn't he say he was going to attempt to direct some of the lecture towards the community members in attendance?" Ken asked. He heard more irritation in his tone than he really intended.
Cynthia Martin scrunched her face up at the slight. She wasn't exactly a layperson; she was a nurse and had ascended to become the Nurse Manager of the Labor & Delivery Unit at PCGH which was both ironic and painful at times due to her own infertility. "And now I remember that I really hate tagging along to CME with you because it always puts you in such a mood. Fortunately, I see Peggy over there. I'm going to go and say hello. Perhaps you will be in a better mood when I return," she said.
As he watched his wife walk over towards the AIDS Quilt display Ken could only shake his head.
XXXXXXXX
Michael Corinthos Jr. stepped up to the buffet where seared salmon, overcooked tortellini, and antipasto salad were being served at the buffet by members of the Port Charles General Hospital Catering Staff. He accepted a plate to be polite and resolved he would prepare something better later. Stepping away from the buffet, he surveyed the clusters of tables that had been set up around the lobby. He was mildly surprised to see Brenda sitting alone. Miguel and Ned might be playing some sappy ballad, but he figured she would have found a place at the Quartermaine table or even with her friend Dr. Karen Baldwin-Cates at the Baldwin table. Perhaps it was a sign…
Sonny flashed one of his dimpled smiles. "Is this seat taken?" he asked.
Brenda didn't meet his eyes as she pushed some food around on her plate but didn't actually take a bite of anything. "No, I guess it's ok, just either be gone before Miguel finishes playing or don't hassle him. This night isn't exactly easy for him either if you must know," she said. Then, she resumed moving antipasto salad across her plate.
Sonny decided that asking Brenda who had died and left her Miguel's protector would be in poor taste. So, he just sat down and took a bite of his fish. It actually wasn't bad. The antipasto salad also offered some redemption, but the tortellini was still anything but al dente. "The salad is actually pretty good, you should try it," he said after a few bites.
"I have tried it, it's fine," Brenda said. But she did spear an artichoke and raised it to her mouth.
Was that a victory? Sonny wasn't sure.
XXXXXXXX
Ned Ashton struck the final chord and glanced over at Miguel as the applause began. He followed his eyes to the table where Brenda sat with her former fiancé, Sonny Corinthos. Perhaps it wasn't his place to have an opinion, but there were numerous reasons he couldn't see any good coming of that interaction.
"Thank you, thank you very much, we've been honored to be here tonight and share in this celebration of our friend Stone Cates and the expanded HIV treatment program that his life has inspired," Ned said before he finally set down his guitar and turned to follow Miguel off the erected dais.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that Sonny was going to be here tonight," Ned said.
"Ned, he did donate millions to the creation of this wing, and I guess much of this program. I would imagine that gives him the right to be here," Miguel said.
Technically, Ned believed that Sonny's contribution had been funded from his late wife Lily's Estate. Pointing that out to Miguel seemed awkward and unkind so he just laid a hand on his shoulder. "Just know I'm here for you," he said.
"Perhaps that should be my line. Is Carly feeling any better?" Miguel asked.
"She insists she is," Ned said.
"But you don't believe her? What do the doctors say?" Miguel asked.
"It isn't that I don't trust her in general or even specifically about this. I just worry that she is trying too hard to avoid complaining or inconveniencing me. As for more objective opinions, I guess Monica did an echocardiogram which was normal and Dr. Meadows said all the fetal strips looked great," Ned said.
"That sounds encouraging!"
"I hope so. I think it will be better once she is home again, and Dr. Meadows may release her tomorrow which would be great," Ned said.
"I'm sure it will be," Miguel said.
Ned heard the unease in his friend's voice. He just wasn't sure how to address it.