Chapter 11
Thank you to Trini12180, leeleelayla5, Pamela, and guest for your reviews.
11/2-3/1995
Milan, Italy
Max holds a sign at the airport looking for Senigor Sonny Corthinos. Jason approaches Max and explains that he is Jason Morgan and is taking Sonny's place in the meeting.
Max says, "There's a room set up for at our estate. I'll take you there, and you can settle into your room before meeting with my Pop."
Jason nods and says, "Thank you." He pulls at the collar of his starched shirt. Sonny told him to dress appropriately when he meets Maximus, but he misses his T-shirt and jeans. On the drive, Max talks nonstop, only allowing Jason time to answer in two or three words. Jason doesn't mind, as he is not in the mood for conversation.
They arrive at the mansion, and one of the servants escorts Jason to his room. Can I get you something to drink, Senigor?"
"A beer?"
"We have several fine Italian beers to choose from. Would you like me to select one for you?"
"Sure. Thank you."
Jason unpacks and calls Sonny to let him know he's arrived. Jason's beer arrives, and he looks at the label. "Angelo Poretti." He tries it, and it's not what he's used to, but it's good.
Jason takes out his laptop and flips through file folders about the Corothinos organization. Max knocks on his door and says his father is waiting for him. Jason finishes his beer and follows Max to Maximus's office. Max knocks and waits for the authorization to enter.
"Pop, Mr. Corothinos sends his associate, Mr. Jason Morgan." Maximus waves his son away and stands to shake Jason's hand.
"Why did Sonny send you?"
"Maximus, Sonny wants me to broker an arrangement to…"
Maximus interrupts, "It's Mr. Giambetti. You need to respect your elders and those who have more control than you. I don't know you. You have not earned the right to call me Maximus yet."
Sonny did warn him about Maximus. "Sir, Mr. Giambetti, I apologize. Mr. Corothinos wants to broker an agreement to bring your sons to Port Charles. He has some conditions. Sonny controls several piers and shipping lanes. One product we will not ship is drugs."
"Negazione. No. The Giambettis don't touch the stuff. I want you to train my two boys. Smack them on their heads if they get out of line."
"I'll oversee your operations the next two weeks and bring my evaluations back to Sonny."
We will start on Monday. Tomorrow morning, my son Milo will show you the finer aspects of Italy. Tomorrow night, you will sit for a family dinner. Do you own a tie? Francesca will pick one out for you."
Early Friday, Jason was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. Despite not understanding regular maps, based on the map Max gave him of the various rooms in the estate, Jason found the breakfast room off from the kitchen. He helped himself to a generous breakfast and Italian espresso. Milo entered and introduced himself. "When you are ready, I will give you a tour of Milan."
Milo points out several attractions when they pass a glass blower's shop. Jason stops and stares at the process and how delicate some pieces are. He sees a box of discarded pieces, one of which is dark ruby red. He asks if he can see it and holds it in the palm of his hand. It feels heavier than it looks. "How much? Um, quanto?"
"Senijor, gratuito, uhh no charge."
"Grazie."
Francesca calls Elizabeth and invites her over for dinner. She recommends Elizabeth wear one of Chloe Morgan's designs. Elizabeth completes her sketch and signs 'BIW' in the far right corner. While in Italy, she embraced her Italian name, 'Bella Immogine Webber.'
Elizabeth showers and spreads her favorite vanilla lotion on her legs, arms, and neck. She carefully steps into the spaghetti-string red dress. She applies a dusting of powder and rouge. Elizabeth has always taken good care of her skin, even in Bosnia. She is taking advantage of the beauty creams in the fine Italian shops. She doesn't need much make-up. Elizabeth runs her fingers through her curly hair and adds the earrings Steven sent for her birthday this year. She calls out for Giuseppa, Italy's version of Mrs. Lansbury.
"Mamm, what do you need?"
"Could you please zip me up?"
Giuseppa zips Elizabeth's dress. She adores Elizabeth and is often torn between loyalty to Nikolas or her boss, Stefan Cassidine. Nikolas has called to check on her and is worried about her friendship with the Giambettis. Stefan wants to monitor her every move and determine what use she could be for him, but the staff loves Elizabeth too much to report on her.
"You have a lovely evening, mamm." She helps Elizabeth with an emerald green shawl.
Francesca arrives to give Elizabeth a ride to the estate. "Wow! I'm jealous. You look fabulous!"
Elizabeth blushes, "We should get going. You know how Maximus is about punctualness."
Jason is in the Great Room talking to Max and drinking a beer. He tugs at his tie.
Max says, "Relax. Tomorrow, you can ditch the coat and tie and wear what you want to.
Elizabeth and Francesca enter, and Maximus smiles. "Bella! You look Bellissima!" He embraces her and kisses both her cheeks. Jason looks up from the commotion and stares. He recognizes Elizabeth Webber. She is stunning. Maximus kisses his daughter's cheeks.
A server hands glasses of wine to the trio. Elizabeth takes the wine by its stem and says, "Grazi." She sips and turns to face Jason. Elizabeth stumbles and nearly drops her wine. She returns the stare.
Francesca whispers, "Elizabeth, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'll tell you later."
Maximus says, "Bella, let me introduce you to Mr. Jason Morgan from Port Charles. He is representing Sonny Corothinos."
Jason says, "Bella?"
Elizabeth stammers, "It's Elizabeth to everyone else. Maximus and his family like to call me Bella. Excuse me." Elizabeth hurries off, and Francesca follows.
Jason restrains himself from following and wonders how Elizabeth rates an invite to the family dinner and the ability to call Giambetti by his first name.
Francesca says, "Elizabeth, wait up. Tell me now what's wrong. Is Jason Morgan the guy you knew as Quartermaine? The one you fell in love with in Sarevjo? You said he doesn't remember you because of a brain injury."
"Francesca, don't tell your father. Jason lost his memories, but he is not damaged. Maximus can't think Jason doesn't know how to do his job."
"Elizabeth, Poppa will find out if he doesn't already know. He will call and ask everyone he knows about the man who took Sonny Corothino's place in a meeting. He won't hear it from me, but he knows something is bothering you."
A steward announces dinner, and everyone follows him to the dining area. Jason is seated opposite Elizabeth. He hopes to talk to her later. Francesca is sitting to Elizabeth's left and across from Milo. Max is on Jason's left. Maximus is at the head of the table.
Maximus bows his head, and everyone follows. He offers grace and says, "Amen." Max, Milo, Francesca, and Elizabeth echo him. They wait for him to eat before they do as a sign of respect. Jason observes their motions. Maximus says, "Jason, how was your tour today?"
"Milo was a good guide. I want to tour more of Italy before Monday. Is there a car I could use, or is a motorcycle available?"
Milo says, "Maybe Bella will let him use hers. Ow! Damn, Frannie." Francesca kicked Milo, shutting him up.
Max says, "I'll find a car for you."
Maximus says, "Bella, could I impose on you to help Mr. Morgan this weekend?"
Francesca exclaims, "Poppa!"
Elizabeth clears her throat and, in a neutral voice, says, "Maximus, if Mr. Morgan agrees, I can show him around."
"Wonderful! Francesca will give him your number,"
Staff clears the dishes, and Milo exclaims, "Is it time? Can we do it now?"
Maximus nods, and the staff brings a large chocolate brownie cake with green icing, saying, "Happy Birthday, 21, Bella!" They start singing. Francesca explains to Jason that Elizabeth's favorite dessert is brownies.
Max and Milo give Elizabeth oils, brushes, charcoal pencils, and a sketch pad. Maximus gives her a dozen red and white roses and a kiss on the cheek. Francesca hands Elizabeth a box and whispers to open it later. Jason is embarrassed that he didn't have anything to give her.
Elizabeth thanks everyone for the wonderful gifts. She kisses their cheeks and says, "Maximis, I drew this for you."
He unrolls the canvas, depicting him in his vineyard. He smiles and shows it to everyone.
Max has turned on the music and approaches Elizabeth. "May I have this dance, Bella?"
"Sì, bene, signore." They dance, and Milo and Francesca join in. Minutes later, Maximus cuts in and takes over dancing with Elizabeth. Jason watches and feels something is missing. He never got close enough to the Quartermaines to feel the family love the Giambetti family has. The few times he was with Sonny, Lily, and Robin were brief.
Francesca leaves Milo and nudges Jason toward Elizabeth. "Ask her to dance."
Reluctantly, Jason asks Maximus if he can cut in. Maximus obliges.
Jason takes Elizabeth's hand and says, "I'm not very good. I got lessons a few months ago. Did I know how to dance as a Quartermaine?"
Elizabeth is nervous. "Yes, you were very good."
"I'm sorry for my behavior in PC. I was rude and didn't consider your feelings. I want to start over. Can we do that?"
"I…I…I'm not sure. I left because I didn't want to force you to be someone else. I know you aren't Jason Quartermaine. I…I'm sorry, but this will take time to adjust. Maximus wants me to show you more of Italy. I'll be by tomorrow at 8:00 am."
"If you are uncomfortable, we can wait."
"No, what Maximus wants, Maximus gets. Goodnight." Elizabeth turns on her heels and grabs her shawl and purse. She whispers to Francesca, "I'll call you later. I gotta get out of here." Francesca offers to drive her home. Elizabeth catches her up on more of her relationship with Jason. Elizabeth opens Francesca's gift to her. "You bitch! I am not that bad of a cook." Elizabeth laughs at the Italian Cooking for Dummies book.
"Well, there's more. Open the cover." Elizabeth opens the book to reveal a gift card of 460,000 lira or about $250 US dollars. "That card is good for shopping at the Mercato. When all else fails, when your cooking sucks, there is another card for Ratanà. It should cover two meals and a fine bottle of wine. Maybe you could invite Jason."
"Wow! And I thought Steven was bad. My love life, or lack of one, is my own. I know you mean well, but please don't interfere."
"Noted. But don't forget about tomorrow. You promised Poppa."
"Good night, Francesca. I love you."
Francesca laughs and says, "Back at you." She drives away, and Elizabeth prepares to go to bed.
Giambatti Estate
After dinner, Max asks Jason to follow him to the game room. There is a dart board, a billiard table, a pool table, and a pinball machine. Max points to the pool table, "Have you ever played?"
"Yes. There's this bar in PC called Jake's. I live in a room above the bar and practice during off hours."
They play a few games, and Jason turns in for the night. He checks his voicemail and has a heated message from Sonny. "Jason, what did you do to piss off Maximus? Call me!"
Jason calls Sonny, "What happened? I didn't realize I ticked him off unless it was because I called him Maximus instead of Mr. Giambetti."
"No, but that was a dick move to make. I should have warned you. He called because you offended Bella. Who the fuck is Bella?"
"Bella is Elizabeth Webber."
"Webber? Of the PC Webbers? The one who was in the hospital, and you have a past with her? That Elizabeth Webber?"
"Technically, it was Jason Quartermaine she had a past with, but yes, that Elizabeth Webber. She moved to Italy six months ago and met the Giambettis. I don't know the history."
"Fix it!" Sonny hangs up.
11/3/-15/1995
Port Charles, New York
Sonny took a tongue-lashing from Maximus Giambetti, called Jason, and told him to fix it. Of all people, Elizabeth Fucking Webber could screw the deal.
Carly arranges for Bobbie to walk in on her and Tony having sex. Bobbie kicks Tony out of the house and sues for full custody of Lucas. Carly turns on the innocent charm. She cries on Tony's shoulder that Bobbie kicked her out of Kelly's, and she has no place to live. Tony agrees to put her up in a cottage until he figures out his marriage. It's a temporary win for her. Now, she will help Tony get custody of Lucas, leaving Bobbie out in the cold. When word got around GH about what happened to Bobbie and Tony, people picked sides, and more people supported Bobbie than Tony.
Steven found out and ended things with Carly. He said, "Carly, it's been fun, and I didn't mind screwing you with no strings, but ruining someone's marriage is a shitty thing to do."
AJ is not tuned into the GH gossip, and Carly calls him about once a month to satisfy their urges. AJ heard his parents arguing about Tony and Bobbie, but Carly's name was never mentioned. She continues to sleep with both Tony and AJ.
Sonny speaks with Jason daily to get updates on the progress in Italy. The plan is to have Max and Milo fly out in mid-1996.
11/4/-15/1995
Milan, Italy
Elizabeth wakes and prepares for her visit with Jason. She is nervous. She wears form-fitting jeans and boots. It's a crisp fall day, and she puts on her leather jacket to cover her sweater. She gets on her bike and heads to the Giambetti estate.
Jason is dressed and ready for Elizabeth. "Good morning."
"Good morning. If you haven't had breakfast, there's a place I like. We can take a car or use my bike."
"Will I even fit on your bike? Aren't you too petite to drive a bike?"
"I don't know whether to be offended or flattered. I've had a motorcycle license since I was 17. I drove my brother's bike when we lived in Boulder, CO. I drove a street bike in Sarevjo for almost a year. I've been driving a Ducati motorcycle for the last few months. If you'd rather borrow a car…"
"Nope! You know your way around. You can take the lead."
Jason is impressed with her bike and loses the argument about his wearing a helmet. "Jason, you may drive a motorcycle in PC without a helmet, but we are in Italy and it's the law. I'm not about to tell Monica I scrambled your brain more than it already is."
Jason gets behind her, hoping to distribute his weight evenly so as not to topple her. Elizabeth shows him her favorite cafe near the Naviglio della Martesanacanal. She orders a cappuccino and a pastry. Jason orders a coffee and a bagel. They walk along the canal and begin to talk.
Jason apologizes again for his behavior after his accident and wants to know what she's been doing since arriving in Milan. Elizabeth explains that she's an amateur artist who teaches art to the local children. Maximus pulled strings, and my nursing certification was approved to help in the local clinics."
"How did you meet Maximus, and how is it you can call him that, but he insists I call him Mr. Giambetti?"
Elizabeth retells the story of meeting Max and the rest of the family. "Max and Milo are like brothers to me. Frannie is my best friend and a better sister than the one I grew up with. Maximus basically adopted me, and when he first thought Sonny was coming, he wanted to ensure that I would be under his protection when I returned to PC."
"Do you know what he does in Italy?"
"I know enough not to ask. The Giambettis have many businesses and are well respected here."
They return to the bike, and she shows him the marketplace. They walk along the shops, and he finds a tourist area and buys postcards for his sister and grandmother. They have lunch at the Ristorante Galleria. She offers suggestions for Sunday and the following weekend for canal tours, walking tasting tours, panoramic red train tours, and hiking trails.
He invites her to dinner, but instead, she invites him to Nikolas's villa and asks the staff to whip something up for them. Jason consults Francesca, and she tells him Elizabeth likes white roses. Since Maximus gave her roses last night, she gave him one of Elizabeth's favorite wines from the Giambetti's reserve. Francesca arranges for Jason to have a car and driver.
Jason arrives dressed in jeans and a blue polo shirt. Elizabeth gives him a tour, and they enjoy dinner and Jason's wine. Elizabeth opens a couple of beers and she hands Jason one. He asks about her art and follows her to a room overlooking a mountain. Elizabeth has several pieces displayed. He explains that since his accident, he's struggled with two-dimensional things like drawings, maps, and paintings. Photographs are different.
"So you can see the primary colors but not the shapes in between."
Jason tries to understand and focus on what she is saying, but he wants to touch her. "Yeah, something like that."
"Okay, here's a painting I'd like to explain."
All Jason can see is a lot of colors and blur.
"You know the places we went to today?" Jason nods. Elizabeth describes what she sees on those rides and the emotions she gets from it. "I take these roads late at night, and I ride fast. Sometimes, I'll go further to the trailheads and turn around. I love laughing and screaming into the wind. I named this painting 'The Wind.' At least that's how I see things."
Jason says, "How you describe it, I can see the images. He takes a swig from his beer as Elizabeth re-hangs the painting. Jason's hand gently touches her shoulder, and she gets a shiver. Jason follows her to the media room, and she starts the fire.
As they drink beer, Jason says, "I didn't know it was your birthday and was sorry I didn't have something for you."
"That's okay; Jason Morgan wouldn't remember something like that."
"You sound pisssed."
"No, it's just that I'm coming to terms with the fact that you're no longer Jason Quartermaine but Jason Morgan. It will take a while for me to get used to that. You are a different person. That's precisely why I left Port Charles and came to Italy."
"I did find something the other day when Milo showed me around. I want you to have it."
Jason handed Elizabeth the red glass. She felt the smooth texture and weight in her hand. She held the glass up to the fire, and it shimmered. "Jason, it's beautiful. Thank you." She sat back on the couch, and Jason leaned in to kiss her. She stopped him. Jason, what is going on?"
"I'm attracted to you. Your lips are beautiful. I wanted to see what they tasted like."
"Are you still involved with Robin? I refuse to be second to anyone."
"Robin and I broke up before I came here. She's going to school at Yale. It was mutual." Jason pulls her to him, and Elizabeth sinks into Jason, devouring his lips.
Jason begins to undress Elizabeth, but she stops him. "It's late; you should return to the Giambetti estate."
"What? Are you afraid of Maximus?"
"No, but you should be. He's protective of me. He often asks me to move into one of his rooms, but I like it here. I have more privacy. If Nikolas were to kick me out, I'd take Maximus up on his offer."
"What's the deal with Cassidine?"
Elizabeth explains that they are friends and that she was the favorite nurse for LuLu Spencer and Nikolas, her brother. "When Nikolas found out I needed to get away, he offered me the use of his villa."
"Is there anything more to that?"
"Nikolas wants more, but I told him I wasn't over you. He respected my feelings."
Elizabeth drives Jason back, and he asks if they can go out again tomorrow. "Monday and the next two weeks will be busy. I'll have time at night, but I'll be working with Mr. Giambetti during the day."
Elizabeth laughs as she knows Maximus can be a hard ass at times. "Dress comfortably; we'll get you some boots if you don't have any. I'll pick you up tomorrow. By the way, Jason Quartermaine's birthday is in November, too."
"I consider my birthday to be the day I woke up from my coma."
"I'll remember that." Jason kisses her softly.
Sunday, after breakfast, Elizabeth takes Jason farther out to the trailheads, and they hike Monte Resgone. After lunch, they return to the villa, and Elizabeth leads him to her room. She explains there is a skeleton crew, consisting of security. He follows her, watches as she strips, and walks to the shower. He quickly follows suit and joins her in the shower.
A/N: The following is slightly R-rated.
Jason wraps his arms around Elizabeth and kisses her neck. She turns to face him and reaches up to kiss him. He lifts her for a more prolonged kiss. He gently slides her back to the shower floor. She pushes him back on the shower seat and wraps her legs around his waist. Jason moans as she assists him inside her. They shift and move in unison before climaxing. Elizabeth rests her head on Jason's shoulder, panting as he slides out of her. She climbs off him and uses her vanilla shampoo and body soap. She hands him the guest soap.
After drying off, Elizabeth steps into a fluffy robe and slippers. Elizabeth points to a second robe for Jason, and he follows her to the kitchen. Elizabeth points to a baguette to slice, and she opens a bottle of red to allow it to breathe. She cuts up a variety of cheeses and arranges them on a platter with fresh fruit. Jason assists in carrying the wine, glasses, and beer. They head to one of the studio rooms. Elizabeth starts the fire. Jason eats a cube of pineapple, and juice drips down his face. Elizabeth leans in and licks it off him. She eases him to the throw on the floor, and they make love.
Over the next two weeks, Jason observed the Giambetti operations. Max took him on a tour of the vineyards. He suggested the Corothinos organization find a niche in PC. Jason made notes and reported back to Sonny daily. Jason spent most nights at the villa with Elizabeth. A few times, when it was very late, Elizabeth took Jason out on back roads, driving very fast. Jason got a kick out of hearing Elizabeth screaming and laughing.
Maximus tried getting Elizabeth to attend Mass on Sunday, but Elizabeth reminded him that she was not Catholic or religious. He tried bullying Jason into going, but Francesca talked Poppa down.
On Jason's final night, he takes Elizabeth to her favorite restaurant. Returning to the villa, Jason hands her a box, "I had help from Francesca." Elizabeth opens the box, revealing an emerald jewelry set. There is a necklace, bracelet, earrings, and a ring. "Francesca said emerald represents loyalty, new beginnings, peace, and security. You are loyal not only to others but to yourself. I want a new beginning for us. My hope for you is peace and security. I was hoping you could move back to PC, but until then, I'll be out for business."
They make love one last time; Elizabeth explains she can't see him off at the airport. It would be too painful to say goodbye.
Jason leaves in time to spend Thanksgiving at Sonny's.