Chapter 15
Thank you to Trini12180 and Pamela for your reviews.
June 1996
Jason survives the family dinner. He likes Jeff and Steve, but Audrey reminds him of Edward. She keeps looking at him, hoping he is someone else. Jason asks Elizabeth to move into the PH. She relents because it makes more sense and because Milo can live in the apartment with his brother.
Not ready to tell others she is pregnant, Carly goes to Mercy for her prenatal visits. She lost out on Steven to claim paternity, and she's trying to choose the best man for her child. There's Tony, a doctor, and it would stick it to Bobbie or AJ, a Quartermaine who is wealthier than Dr. Jones. She can't fathom Sonny Corthinos being the father. She wishes Jason wasn't with Elizabeth. She can't see the appeal. She saw some guy hanging around the twit when Jason wasn't with her. Why was she so special? Carly calls a nurse she used to work with at GH before being fired. Kathy got a job at a lab in Rochester, and Carly wants her to do three paternity tests.
"Shit, Carly! How many men did you sleep with? What happened?"
"Tony kicked me out when I stepped over the line with Bobbie. I told AJ, and he was pissed about what I did. He offered me a job at one of his hotels in NYC. Hell, he probably wanted me to move to another state. He wanted to send me away. I was upset, got drunk, and picked up a nobody."
"Carly, there's a reason why you flunked nursing school. You don't need three tests, only two. Get DNA from Tony and AJ; if it's not one of them, it's your mystery guy."
Sonny and Brenda reconnect, and she moves back in with him.
Brenda wants to start a fashion magazine and advertise and promote with Deception. Brenda used to be the Face of Deception, and Laura Spencer recently bought Deception from Scott and Julia, who left PC last year. Brenda needs financial backing from Sonny.
Jason asks, "Deception is established; it takes time to start a new business. Corothinos-Morgan Coffee is in its infancy. It will be six months until the warehouse is outfitted and another three months to work with the manufacturers and the resources in PR. Two more months for shipping and product placement. How will you run a magazine?"
"Edward has a fashion insert in the Port Charles Herald. I want to buy him out, and Lois said I could use the extra office in L . Jax has contacts in the publishing industry, specifically ones in Landview."
Sonny shouts, "I don't want to be in business with Candy Boy!"
"Jax is offering his contacts, not a partnership."
Jason says, "Present a business plan, operating costs, and what Edward expects from the fashion insert."
Sonny grumbles and agrees to review the plan when Brenda presents it.
Francesca arrives for a visit. Milo picks her up at the airport and gets her a suite at the PC Hotel. He brings her to the PH, and she meets Sonny. She sends him regards from her father. Jason has a business meeting with Sonny, and Elizabeth gives Frannie a tour of PC.
Elizabeth shows her GH, introducing her to her family and colleagues. She introduces her to the Quartermaines. Francesca met Nikolas and Emily briefly when they were visiting. The four have lunch at Kelly's. Francesca and Elizabeth walk to her studio, and Milo follows them. Elizabeth shows Francesca her new art projects. Elizabeth calls Steven and asks if she could borrow his bike. She and Frannie take off before Milo can object. She wants to show Frannie the bridge and the old estate with the statutes. Later, they go to Jake's for beer and a few pool and dart games. Steven arrives after his sift and joins them. Elizabeth retreats to the bar and watches them play. She's on her second beer when Jason and Milo enter. Jason kisses her cheek and asks if he needs to LoJack her.
"Jason, unless Milo knows how to ride a bike, there will be times I'm alone if you are busy. I texted we were okay." Jason knows it's a losing argument. Things are quiet in the organization, but he is still on alert. They watch Francesca and Steven flirt. Elizabeth whispers, "Let's leave Milo with Frannie and Steven and go home."
"What about Francesca?"
"She'll be fine. Milo will get her back to the hotel, and maybe Steven will join her. Sonny's making dinner for everyone tomorrow night; he might want to add an extra plate."
July
Harborview Towers
Elizabeth tearfully hugs Francesca goodbye. "Frannie, I'm going to miss you.
Francesca wipes a tear from Elizabeth's eye and wipes her eyes. Dammit, Bella. I swore I wasn't going to get emotional."
"Give my love to Maximus."
"I will."
Carly gets the paternity test results. She screams and wonders how long she can hide her baby bump. She is considering taking AJ's job offer in one of ELQ's other hotels.
Brenda presents her business plan with help from Ned and AJ. Sonny agrees to invest $100,000 with a 51% vested interest, while Brenda has 49%.
7/15/1996
General Hospital
Jeff is running late for a staff meeting, and his brother, Tom Hardy, stops him. "Everyone is late. Dad is still in his office." Tom's wife Simone suggests they head to his office to find him; she'll stay with Tommy Jr. Tom reaches the office first and knocks on the ajar door. "Dad? Everyone is waiting in the conference room."
Jeff pushes past his brother. "Dad?" Both men arrive to see their father sitting with his face on the desk. Tom checks for a pulse, looks at Jeff, and shakes his head. Jeff sinks into the chair facing Steve and picks up his father's glasses, which fell.
Tom says, "Can you tell the others? I have to find my mom."
"Yeah. Sorry, Tom. I'll call the medical examiner and my kids."
Harborview Towers
Elizabeth loads her backpack filled with notes and tapes from recorded surgeries at GH. She adds the textbook on pathology. Jason envelopes her from behind. He kisses the nape of her neck and asks if she has time for another round before she must leave for work.
"Sorry, no. If I don't leave in the next ten minutes, Bobbie will have my hide."
"I'll call Milo."
While waiting for Milo, Jeff calls.
"Hey, Dad, I'm on my way to GH. I should be there in 20 minutes."
"Elizabeth, I'm sorry to tell you, but your Gramps died earlier this morning. They think it's a heart attack. Audrey will need you."
Elizabeth tears up and gulps, "Dad, I'm on my way. I am so sorry."
Jason asks what's wrong."My Gramps died." Jason embraces her, and she sobs on his shoulder.
"Oh, babe, I'm sorry. Do you want me to come with you to GH?"
"My Gram is there, and I need to comfort her. Unfortunately, you aren't her favorite person. The Quartermaines are there, and they were close to my grandfather. If you want to see them, you could."
"That's okay. I'll see them later. Call me if you need anything. Milo, make sure she's okay."
Jeff announces Steve's passing to staff and friends. Tom tells Audrey privately and holds her hand until she's ready to face everyone. Steve's closest friends and colleagues huddle around the nurse's station and share stories of the beloved COS. Several calls are placed to friends and family who are not at the hospital. Steven arrives from the ER and calls Sarah. The elder Quartermaines are called. The Spencers arrive for a follow-up check for LuLu. The Cassidines are there for a board meeting. Gail and Lee Baldwin arrive and mourn their friend and colleague.
Elizabeth arrives and immediately hugs Audrey, Jeff, and finally, her brother. She says, "Gram, I'm so sorry. We all loved Gramps. What do you need from us?"
"Elizabeth, I feel so lost. He was a part of my life for 30 years. I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
Tom and Jeff offered to go through Steve's office and assist with the memorial arrangements. Elizabeth and Steven said they'd move in temporarily to help her pack his home office and offer comfort. Steven said Sarah was moving back to stay with her. Audrey said Lee would know what to do regarding her husband's wishes and his estate.
Elizabeth misses Jason but assures him it will only be a few days until Sarah returns.
Sarah arrived, and while you could cut the tension with a knife, they remained civil for their grandmother. Three days later, Steve's service is held in the GH Chapel. Friends, colleagues, and family share their love of a great man. Jason sits by Elizabeth and watches as she grieves. He wonders if he would feel that way for Lila or even the 'Old Man' when their time comes. Robin, Anne Logan, Audrey's former ward and nurse, visits. One of Steve's first patients talks about how understanding and caring Dr. Hardy was.
Elizabeth returns to the PH only to see the annoying Carly Roberts moving suitcases into Sonny's PH and Brenda moving out. Elizabeth says, "Jason, I was gone for five days. What the fuck did I miss, and why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Elizabeth, you were dealing with a lot with your grandfather. You didn't need to be distracted by this thing with Carly. Please sit with me, and I'll tell you everything." Jason tells Elizabeth about Carly Benson's background and relationship with the Spencers. He tells her everything Stan discovered in the file he gave Sonny.
"I knew she had an agenda. I don't know the story behind Carly giving up a daughter, but I can see why Carly/Caroline wanted revenge. Heck, my mother didn't want me, but my revenge would be proving I'm better without her not trying to destroy her life."
Jason kisses her and says, "Yeah, you're a better person than Carolyn, at least from what Steven told me."
"Okay, but that's not why Carly is moving across the hall or Brenda was hightailing it out of here."
"No, it's not. After Tony kicked Carly out, she stayed in a PC Hotel suite provided by AJ."
"It makes sense; she was sleeping with him too. OMG! She slept with Sonny, too? AJ is kicking her out, and she's begging for scraps from Sonny?"
"It's more than that. Carly is pregnant, and Sonny is the father."
"Seriously? Did Sonny get a paternity test?"
"Yes. Carly had two, and it eliminated Tony and AJ. That left Sonny, according to Carly. Sonny insisted on one from our doctors. It came back positive for baby Corothinos."
"Shit! I will be living across the hall from a woman I despise, and I'm sure the feeling is mutual. At least Brenda was entertaining."
"Carly's not my favorite person either, but Sonny doesn't want what happened to Lily and their child to happen to Carly. He gave Brenda the rest of his shares in the new magazine. She wanted nothing to do with him when he told her Carly was pregnant."
"Can't say I blame her. Promise to take me bike riding whenever Carly makes me want to yank my hair out."
Jason kisses her, "Deal."
August 1996-