Author's Note: We'll have to wait for the next chapter to see how Kellie reacts to Lorenzo's planning on taking back the shipping company. But we do have Charles and Monica out on a date in this chapter.
Happy reading and have a great weekend!
The Port Charles Grill
Charles and Monica handed their menus to the waiter once their order was taken.
"Tell me how the conference was," Charles said after the waiter left.
"Nothing too exciting," Monica answered, "Not that I don't enjoy imparting my knowledge to younger generations at this point or catching up with old colleagues and friends, but I guess part of me wished I'd been home with everything going on with Michael and Willow's transplant and Wiley and Amelia."
"You missed them," Charles said, "And it's understandable that you want to be here for them. Add in the usual ELQ shenanigans and whatever trouble Michael is having with the SEC, your family is going through a lot."
"Do not get me started on ELQ and the mess with the SEC," Monica said, shaking her head.
"That bad?" Charles replied.
"To be honest I don't know," Monica said, "The feud between Michael and Valentin has gone on so long. I can't believe that Michael went to work for another company to set up a merger with ELQ to oust Valentin. Actually, on second thought I can. What I am really annoyed with is Carly. The woman just does not think sometimes. She does what she wants and then there's a mess. In this case, buy stock in Lavery Media Publications ahead of a merger. I would have thought she at least knew what insider trading was."
"Yes, well Carly is Carly," Charles said, "I know your family has had issues with her."
"Issues is an understatement," Monica said, "It's just Michael didn't need this, not when Willow just had her transplant and we're waiting to see if the Leukemia goes into the remission. He should be focusing on his family and Willow's recovery, not a legal battle."
"That is extremely unfortunate," Charles said, "But knowing you and the rest of the Quartermaines, you will provide Michael and Willow all the support they need."
"I really appreciate you listening to my frustrations," Monica said, "But this isn't what I wanted tonight to be about."
"Monica, you know I'm always happy to listen to you and support you with whatever you need," Charles said, "Even if it's just to talk something out."
"On some level, it feels trivial," Monica said, "The ELQ and SEC stuff is business as usual for the Quartermaines. Especially after what Willow has been through, what you've been through. I have so much to be grateful for that letting the company stuff and Carly get to me seems silly."
"It still matters," Charles said, taking Monica's hand.
"Well, I'd still prefer to focus on other things," Monica said, "I know we exchanged text messages while I was gone, but I want to hear about how things have been for you in person."
"I've spent most of the time getting my financial and estate matters settled with Diane Miller," Charles said, "I'm happy to say that is almost done. Just a few loose ends to finish up and paperwork to finalize."
"I'm sure that will be relief," Monica said, "Though I have say that seems to come together fairly quickly."
"It helps most everything was just in trust for the grandkids," Charles said, "it's fairly straightforward."
"But your house in Miami," Monica said, "You left that to Kellie."
"That's most of the paperwork left," Charles said, "to sign it over to her. I'll be taking care of that tomorrow and letting Kellie know. I can't see the sense in taking the house back at this point. I know she's already had work done to the house. I know if I want to go the house, she'd tell me to go anytime."
"I can't imagine Kellie won't have something to say about that," Monica said, "Not that I have any doubt of your ability to smooth that over."
"I figure it helps if the paperwork is already done too," Charles said.
"That's a good plan," Monica said, "You know, Kellie and Jason took the kids to spend Christmas there."
"No, I didn't," Charles said.
"They thought it might be good for the boys and Alyssa to spend Christmas in the house where you and their father grew up," Monica said.
"Especially since they would have thought it was their first Christmas without me," Charles said, softly.
"Well, fortunately, you'll have more Christmases with them," Monica said.
"Oh thank god, I've already eaten," Tracy interrupted, "the PDA between you two is nauseating. You're in a restaurant for God's sakes."
"Tracy," Monica said, "We're just holding hands."
"Exactly," Tracy said, "So how long before Charles moves back in and I'm subjected to this at the house."
"Tracy, we're nowhere close to that," Monica said, "besides it's not like you currently live there anyway. You're just visiting before you go back to Amsterdam."
"That's hardly the point," Tracy said, "Anyway, I have better places to be. Although, it is nice to have the obligatory first back from the dead sighting for Charles out of the way."
"It's nice to see you too, Tracy," Charles replied as Tracy took off.
"My apologies for Tracy," Monica said.
"No apologies necessary," Charles said, "I know how Tracy is. Besides it was kind of refreshing to have someone act almost like I was never gone and not startle seeing me."
"That would be Tracy for you," Monica said, "Did you end up taking Jared and Jamie to a baseball game?"
"Yes," Charles said, "As much as they've grown-up, it's nice to see they're still as excited to go to a game as they were when they were little boys."
"I bet they were that excited just because it was their Grandpa taking them," Monica said.
"Maybe," Charles said, "I've got tickets to a ballet for Alyssa. Kelsey is probably a little young yet for that. Any thoughts on something I can do with her that she'd like?"
"The zoo is her favorite place right now actually," Monica said, "She'd go everyday if Jason and Kellie would let her."
"I remember Tyler at that age when all he wanted to do was go to Disney World," Charles said.
"All children go through the phase of when they find something they like it, that's all they want to do," Monica said.
"I'll see about taking her to the zoo," Charles said, "Maybe see if they have some sort of behinds scenes tour."
"I'm sure she'd love that," Monica said as the waiter brought their meals to the table.
Later outside the restaurant, Charles and Monica lingered.
"I'm really glad you suggested this," Monica said.
"Me too," Charles said, "I just wish… actually never mind."
"Wish what?" Motnica prompted.
"I guess I'm not quite ready to say good night yet," Charles said.
"I'm not either," Monica said, "I was thinking we could take a walk and get a cup of coffee and maybe some pie at Kelly's since we didn't have dessert yet."
"I'd love nothing more," Charles said, taking Monica's arm.