Author's Note: The Spencer/Kellie dynamic along with Jared, Jamie, and Alyssa is a lot of fun to write for sure. While I didn't write any particular pranks into the story, 100% Jamie and Jared did prank Spencer. I might have some other scenes where I can work more information on that later. But if not, it's confirmed here they did prank him. Happy reading and have a great weekend!
Several days later - MetroCourt Restaurant
Kellie and Kristina were meeting for lunch and to go over plans for Kristina's Casino.
"First things first before we talk business," Kristina said, "How are you? How is Charles? I can't believe Victor had him in Greenland all this time."
"Charles is great," Kellie said, "He came over last weekend to have a campfire in the back yard with the kids. They were ecstatic."
"I bet," Kristina said, "And I doubt the kids were the only ones who were ecstatic even if it's hard for you to admit it."
"Yeah, I'm definitely thrilled," Kellie said, "Even if I still think I'm dreaming this."
"Or waiting for the other shoe to drop," Kristina said.
"Guilty as charged," Kellie said.
"I guess it is understandable given that one of the diabolical Cassadines was involved," Kristina said, "Just try not to let that overshadow the good news Charles is alive and back home."
"Believe me, I'm incredibly grateful," Kellie said, "So the casino. You said you had some news."
"So I wanted to run the name of the casino by you," Kristina said, "And see if you were on board with bringing in a partner, sort of."
"I'm listening," Kellie said.
"So after the Haunted Star blew up in Greenland," Kristina said, "I reached out to Lulu about purchasing the name from her or the company from her. Lulu is willing to let us use the name in exchange for a share of the profits and provided we buy a new boat to still host private games and events."
"Using an already established name is great," Kellie said, "As is incorporating the Haunted Star's original business model as part of the new casino. Did Zach have any concerns?"
Kristina shook her head as Lulu approached the table.
"Did I miss anything?" Lulu said, sitting at the table with them, "my last interview ran long."
"Not at all," Kristina said, "I just brought Kellie up to speed on our proposal and she's on board with it."
"Great," Lulu said.
"I do have one question or concern," Kellie said, "I hate to have to bring it up, but is Dante okay with this. The only reason I ask is he is a cop and you'd be a partner in a business where one of the business partners has a very questionable and colorful reputation in relation to alleged organized crime."
"You're both Dante's sisters and he already gets whatever scrutiny he gets about being Sonny's son," Lulu said, "I know the two of you are running a completely legitimate operation. He might have to disclose the venture for work, but it should be fine. He's on board with it."
"I'm sorry I had to ask," Kellie said.
"You're just looking out for your brother," Lulu said, "The same way I know he looks out for both of you."
"If that's settled then, I'll have the lawyers review the contracts," Kristina said, seeing Sonny approach the table, "We'll proceed from there….Hi Dad!"
Kristina got up from the table to hug Sonny. Kellie attempted to quietly avoid acknowledging Sonny.
"What brings you here?" Kristina asked.
"Lunch with Nina," Sonny said, "But I'm always happy to run into my daughters."
"I'm happy to see you too, Dad," Kristina said, "But we're in the middle of a business lunch meeting."
"I won't keep you long," Sonny said, "Kellie, are you not even going to acknowledge your old man?"
"Hi," Kellie said and nothing else.
"That's it," Sonny replied, "I figured after we kind of worked together finding Spencer maybe you'd want to be on better terms again."
"I can still cooperate with you and be civil when it comes to things like that," Kellie said, "It doesn't mean things have changed otherwise."
"You can't still be mad at me about Nixon Falls and Charles getting shot last year," Sonny said, "Charles turned out to be alive and it turned out Victor was behind the shooting, not one of my enemies."
"Seriously," Kellie said, standing up and then catching herself by bringing her voice down, "You can't honestly believe Victor's involvement in the shootout on the island absolves you of your culpability for everything else that went on last year. Cyrus Renault was part of that shoot out too and last I checked your also enemy in addition to mine. And we still don't know for sure if Victor or Cyrus were working with anybody else on that.
Kellie struggled to keep her voice down, "It doesn't change the fact that you were perceived as weak and put a target on all of our backs. A target which Victor used to ensure he didn't even register on our radar when he made us think Charles was dead last year."
"What Victor did is not…" Sonny argued.
"It's not about what Victor did," Kellie interrupted, "It's about your choices putting our lives at even more at risk. Don't even get me started on what happened after you disappeared for a weekend with Nina without even a word to Jason."
"You'd just kicked me out of Charles's funeral," Sonny said, angrily "Why would you care about a weekend away?"
"Has it even occurred to you that Victor's sniper was aiming for me when Charles took the bullet," Kellie said, furiously, "That I was the one that everyone was supposed to believe was dead. Are you really that…?"
Kellie stopped before she said anything further, realizing they were starting to attract attention from everyone else in the restaurant.
"Kristina, Lulu," Kellie said, grabbing her stuff to leave, "Rain check on lunch. We'll discuss the contract once the lawyers have it ready to review."
"Of course," Lulu said as Kristina nodded.
"Kellie, come on," Sonny said, about to block her from leaving.
"Dad, stop," Kristina said, thwarting Sonny, "How did you think any of that was a good idea?"
"I'll just go check on….," Lulu said, quietly leaving and indicating she was going to follow Kellie.
"I just thought that your sister would be more friendly now that we know Charles is alive," Sonny said, "and Victor was responsible."
"As much you don't want to hear this," Kristina said, "Kellie has a point from her perspective. I don't know everything that went on between you and Kellie the last couple years. She lost someone really important to her and her kids and until a few days ago it was logical to assume the shooters were tied solely to Cyrus or another one of your enemies. Dad, Cyrus was the one holding Jamie, Kellie's son, your grandson hostage, and delaying medical care to Charles."
"Which Victor probably already had arranged to interfere with," Sonny said.
"Dad, I was there remember," Kristina said, "I'm the one that threw the knife to stop Cyrus and had take care of Jamie's bullet wound while we all realized Charles wasn't going to make it. I had to help tell the kids what happened to Charles, that he went to heaven with Jared, Jamie, and Alyssa's dad, because Kellie was a wreck. Try to provide some sort of comfort to them until Kellie could get herself together to be able to."
Kristina stopped speaking, stunned, realizing she was crying.
"Oh my god, I thought I had gotten past a lot of that," Kristina said.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Sonny said, hugging Kristina, "It was a really bad situation for everyone. I just thought that knowing Victor was behind it and Charles didn't die would help when it comes to Kellie."
"It doesn't change what any of us went through, Dad," Kristina said, "Or whatever role your business played in that situation. Victor wasn't the only one causing that situation."
"Is it too much to ask for Kellie to try to understand?" Sonny replied.
"I don't know, Dad" Kristina said, "All I know is that trying to push Kellie like you just did, isn't the way to make amends. And it probably wasn't good timing to push it after her world just got rocked off it's axis. It's great that Charles is alive, but it's still a shock. Kellie was probably still getting used to Charles being gone. So she was on shaky ground to begin with."
"You could be right," Sonny said, "I probably wasn't thinking."
"You weren't thinking," Kristina said, "And you're impatient."
"I can't argue with that one," Sonny said, "I'm sorry about our conversation bringing up some bad memories today."
MetroCourt Lobby
Meanwhile, Lulu followed Kellie who ran right past Lorenzo and Alexis without noticing them.
Lorenzo and Alexis looked at other as Lulu ran by.
"Lulu, was that Kellie that just went by?" Alexis asked, causing Lulu to slow down, "I thought she and Kristina were meeting for lunch and to discuss the casino."
"Sonny showed up," Lulu replied, before continuing to follow Kellie, "Kristina's in the dining room with him still."
Alexis looked back at Lorenzo.
"Go," Alexis said, "I'll check on Kristina and let you know if and when Sonny leaves."
"Thank you," Lorenzo said, taking off in the direction Lulu and Kellie had gone.