Chapter 34- 17 Going on 34

After breakfast, Esme cradled Ace in her arms and Felicia sat beside her.

"Esme, I want to continue our conversation from last night."

"Do you want to hold Ace?" Esme asked.

"Well, yes, that would be nice." She held Ace in her lap. "But please stop changing the subject."

"Can we paint each other's nails this morning?" Esme asked.

"I would love to do something like that with you, but unfortunately, I won't have time this morning. Maybe we can tonight."

"Oh."

"And we can talk more about your trial later too. We really need to discuss it more. But this morning, we need to focus on a couple other things. Cody is coming over soon and Mac and I thought we could tell you some good news together. But before that, I have some really sad news, Esme. I want to tell you myself before you hear it from the wrong source."

"Sad news?" Esme frowned. "Are you sending me away?"

"What? No. I would never ever send you away."

Esme laughed nervously. "Okay good. I want to go back to school to be a P.I. just like you, but I never never want to go to a boarding school again. I want to sleep here."

"Of course, sweetie. I would love for you to go back to school, if that's what you want. Just please don't do it because of me. It has to be for you. But you will never have to go to boarding school ever again. You wouldn't even have had to go there if it was up to me."

Esme smiled.

"There's no easy way to tell you this." Felicia took her hand into hers. "Esme, Maggie was killed. I'm so sorry."

Esme stared at her for a moment. "But... there must be some mistake. She reached out to me a couple times last year and it wasn't like before Daddy... but she was fine."

"I wish with all of my heart that there was a mistake, but I saw it on the news. I met with her in Rochester when you were in jail. She told me a bit about your childhood. And I'm so sorry the Princes treated you the way they did. But apparently, this must have happened sometime after I left her at the coffee shop. I should have stayed with her longer, I'm sorry. I could have helped her and that will forever haunt me now."

Esme's eyes welled with tears, then she shook her head. "Noo... if you were there... they could've killed you too."

Felicia hugged her. "I made her a promise though and it's one I will never intend to break: To protect you with everything that I've got."

"I shouldn't have cut her off," Esme cried. "I was so mean to her."

"Awe sweetie, she didn't blame you. She cared about you."

"But I was so cruel. I'm just like Daddy..."

"No, you are nothing like him and Maggie knew that," Felicia said. "She knows and I know you were under his influence."

Knock. Knock.

Felicia sighed. "That must be Cody. Are you going to be okay?"

Esme shrugged.

"You're not like him," Felicia reiterated and wiped Esme's tears with her thumb. "And I will keep telling you that." She passed Ace back to Esme, then answered the door, and hugged Cody. "Hi Cody. How are you?"

"I'm good."

"Come in and make yourself at home." She went to the stairs. "Mac? Cody's here."

"Hey, Esme, how's it going?" Cody asked when he sat next to her.

"Okay, I guess," Esme said. "You?"

"I'm doing good. I have the day off work."

"Where do you work?" Esme asked.

"The Quartermaine stables."

"Stables?" Esme sat up straighter and adjusted Ace on her lap. "You work with horses?"

He nodded.

"That's so cool," Esme said.

Mac came down the stairs smiling. "Robin and Emma are coming tonight. I said they could stay with us."

"Perfect," Felicia said. "It'll be a full house, but I wouldn't have it any other way."

They sat across from Cody and Esme.

"Wh-who's staying here?" Esme asked.

"Our nieces," Mac said.

Esme looked at Felicia. "Why?"

"Well, that's what we wanted to talk to you about," Felicia said. "Maxie is on her way home and—"

"Are they going to live here too?" Esme asked, her breathing speeding up.

"No," Felicia said. "Even though I'd love that, Maxie is picking up the kids and taking them home. And Robin and Emma are just visiting."

"Normally they stay with Anna, but I thought considering the circumstances, they'd want to be here with us," Mac said.

"But maybe they should stay with Anna," Esme said.

"What circumstances?" Cody asked.

Felicia teared up and held Mac's hand. "Our other daughter Georgie is alive. Maxie and Spinelli found her at Victor's mansion. They're bringing her home."

Esme's mouth dropped slightly.

Cody grinned. "That's awesome. From what you guys have told me, she sounded like a really nice person."

"She was," Felicia said. "She was amazing. So smart, kind, and honest. Always wanting to help out."

Mac nodded. "She was incredible. Positive to a fault and generous to everyone."

Esme turned away.

"I can't wait to meet her," Cody said.

Beep.

Mac pulled out his phone. "Maxie just texted me. They're at GH now."

Felicia beamed. "Let's go get our girl back." She squeezed Cody and Esme's hands. "Cody, will you stay with Esme and the kids until we get back?"

"Yeah, of course," Cody said. "We're good. Go focus on Maxie and both Georgies."

Mac grabbed his and Felicia's coats and they rushed out.

"You okay?" Cody asked. "You're really quiet."

Esme bit her lip. "Just wondering if Georgie will hate me like Maxie does."

"I don't know, but from what everyone says, it sounds like she had a very kind heart and was very wise beyond her years. So maybe she won't hate you."

"That's why Mac and Felicia asked you to stay here with us," Esme said. "Because Maxie doesn't want me alone with her kids."

"Hey, I get what that's like," Cody said. "Having to earn people's trust is hard. But just persevere and I'm sure Maxie will come around. Georgie too."

"Maybe she'll go live with Maxie?" Esme said barely above a whisper.

He squinted at her. "You don't want to share your mom, huh?"

Esme held Ace tight and didn't respond.

GHGHGH

"Ma petite!" Valentin wrapped his arms around Charlotte when he and Laura arrived at her hospital room.

Jake was sitting by her side holding her hand.

"How are you sweetheart?" Laura asked softly.

"I'm okay, thanks to Jake, Danny, and Georgie," Charlotte said. "And their moms too. The doctor says I'm just a bit dehydrated so I'm on fluids."

"Terry said she should be able to go home today though," Jake said. "I just hope Victor's voice can get out of your head."

Charlotte frowned. "Older Georgie said the same thing."

"You don't have to worry about Victor anymore," Laura said. "He's going to prison. So, let's focus on who is here now. And that includes you, sweetheart. I'm so glad you're home."

GHGHGH

After reuniting with Maxie, Little Georgie, and Spinelli in the waiting room, Mac and Felicia headed to Big Georgie's room.

Mac squeezed Felicia's hand. "Ready?"

Felicia nodded. "Yes. Let's go see our girl."

Mac slowly pushed the door open. They stood there for a moment to look at her. Georgie was very thin, pale, her hair unkempt, and she had dark circles under her eyes.

"Georgie…" Mac cried.

Georgie smiled. "Mom, Mac…."

Tears started to fall down Felicia's cheeks and she walked over to her. She hugged her gently. "Oh, Georgie Baby..."

"Oh Mom, I missed you." She looked over at Mac. "I missed all of you."

Mac wrapped his arms around both of them and kissed the top of Georgie's head.

"Are you okay, sweetheart? If we'd known..." Felicia choked up and stroked Georgie's cheek. "We thought you were killed."

Georgie nodded. "I'm okay. Just a little malnourished. Some days they fed me. Other days they forgot. And I couldn't leave that room. So, I haven't seen the sun in years. Until today. They've given me some fluids, but I should be able to go home today. They want me to slowly start eating normally again, but it has to be gradual."

Mac sat in a chair. "I will kill Victor."

Felicia sat on the edge of the bed and kept holding her hand. "I should have known something. I should have felt it that you were still with us. Oh baby, I'm so sorry for everything and everything that you went through."

"I still don't understand it," Mac said. "I held your body in my arms and both of us saw the autopsy... This can only be described as a miracle."

"Oh Mom... Mac..." She looked between them. "This isn't either of your faults. Victor fooled everyone."

"Well, we're so grateful to Maxie, Spinelli, Little Georgie, and the others for finding you," Mac said. "And had we known... we would've been there in a heartbeat to find you."

"Yes, absolutely," Felicia agreed. "We would have been right on a plane to find you, sweetheart."

"I know," Georgie said. "But enough about me. What have I missed? Maxie told me that Robin and Patrick are married now and have two kids. And Charlotte told me that you guys remarried? That's amazing. And I can't believe Maxie has three kids. I honestly didn't think she would ever have children. And... Spinelli is their father?"

Felicia laughed a little. "Only you, Georgie, would think about everyone else, when this time is about you. But yes, that's all right. Except Spinelli is only Little Georgie's biological father. But James and Bailey Lou love Spinelli too."

"Three, wow," Georgie said.

Mac laughed. "Maxie has come a long way since you last saw her, sweetie. She has matured a lot."

"Well, I'm happy for her," Georgie said. "I met Georgie already. I can't wait to meet James and Bailey Lou too. How old are they?"

"Bailey is 3, James is 6, and Georgie is 13," Felicia said.

"Th-thirteen?" Georgie swallowed hard. "I-I didn't really think about it when Maxie introduced her…. This is going to sound really silly but..." she lowered her voice, "what year is it?"

"Aww, sweetie, I didn't mean to alarm you," Felicia said. "It's 2024."

"2024…." She lowered her gaze. "So, I'm… 34?"

Felicia nodded sadly. "In March you will be 34. I'm so sorry about how much time you've lost."

Mac smiled a little. "But the 30s are an exciting time in a girl's life."

"You're right. I just have to get used to not being 17 anymore. But I can have lots of adventures in my 30s," Georgie said. "So many good times ahead of me."