Chapter 17 – Hypocrisy Everywhere
Esme, barely awake, got the uncomfortable feeling that there was someone in the room with her, standing right next to her bed. She opened her eyes and saw Kiki slowly lowering a pillow over her face, preparing to smother her with it! Esme instinctively grabbed Kiki's wrist and gripped it as tightly as she could, feeling her fingernails digging into Kiki's skin. Esme was used to her father constantly grabbing her by the wrist and knew exactly how to hold Kiki's wrist to inflict the most pain!
Esme (speaking quietly): I don't want…to hurt you…
Kiki: Well then, don't hurt me!
Esme: Don't…make me…
She felt Kiki wrenching her arm away, her fingernails scraping hard against Kiki's skin, before she opened her eyes and realized that the whole thing was a dream! She sat up in bed, looked around, and sighed with relief, her heart pounding.
She was back at the apartment above Bobbie's, but was used to waking up to the sound of Ace crying. Other than the muffled chatter from the customers in the restaurant downstairs, all was quiet. She was worried that something may have happened to Ace, but then remembered how Nelle had insisted that he spent the night at her house to give Esme some much needed rest. She had another moment of relief before being startled again by the sound of someone knocking at the door. She walked over to the door and opened it to see Carly, looking as annoyed and inhospitable as she did the night before, seemingly not caring about Esme's needs at all.
Esme: Hello Ms. Spencer.
Carly: You're behind in your rent.
Esme: Ms. Spencer, with all due respect, I literally just got back after what should've been a short weekend getaway turning into a week-long stay in a hospital in an entirely different state!
Carly: Not my problem. You chose to allow yourself to get addicted to those pills. Even after you figured out what they were doing to you, you chose to continue taking them, promising you'd get help after you returned from Pine Valley, when you should've stopped taking them and gotten help immediately!
Esme: How did you-
Carly: Leann told me everything. I called her, wanting to know her side of the story. She admitted that she was in denial about how the medication was affecting you. She was encouraged by the fact that it seemed to be helping you regain your memories, until she realized that these memories of yours were hallucinations where you actually felt like you were experiencing your memory all over again. And I remember when I was asking you if you wanted to eat breakfast before you left. Your gaze was unfocused, and you were unresponsive to me asking you what you wanted for breakfast, so I had to repeat myself. That's not okay!
Esme: Because I was remembering something, but it wasn't because of the medication!
Carly: Oh really?
Esme: Yes! When you were asking me what I wanted for breakfast it triggered a particularly unpleasant memory from when Nikolas was holding me prisoner!
Carly: You probably would've been able to remember it without using drugs!
Esme: Ms. Spencer-
Carly: Leann at least took responsibility by admitting that she was in denial about how the medication was affecting you, until after she did some research. You seem to be in denial about how bad it got. Esme, you almost died!
Esme: Ms. Spencer-
Carly: I don't want to hear it! I'm letting you live here because I care about Ace and want to keep an eye on you to see whether or not you're a danger to him. In the beginning, I was more open to the possibility that, despite everything you've done, you were capable of looking after your son. Now I'm not so sure.
Esme: MS. SPENCER!
*Carly looks startled*
Esme: Can't you put yourself in my shoes for just one second?! Yes, I am very much aware of the fact that I almost died, and I should've been more careful with the medication! But, in my defense-
Carly: I don't want any excuses!
Esme: IN MY DEFENSE, I was lied to about the dangers of this medication by the doctor who prescribed them! On the same day that Leann and I left for Pine Valley, I called the doctor to refill the prescription. He told me he was going to increase the dosage, and I asked him if the medication was safe for nursing mothers to take. He told me that it was, as long as I waited for about half an hour before nursing. Now I know that what he told me wasn't accurate.
Carly: Well, as a mother, it is your responsibility to research this stuff, and you should do that regardless of what the doctor says, and if you're unsure about it, you should get a second opinion. It's different if you don't have any children, or anyone else who is dependent on you, but you have a baby! If you're an unfit mother, he will be taken away from you and placed in foster care. I refuse to allow anything to happen to your son as long as you're living here, and if you don't like it then you can find somewhere else to go!
Esme: So you're threatening to evict me if I can't pay you rent when I literally just got back to Port Charles after being hospitalized, while at the same time wanting me to stay here because you're supposedly concerned about Ace? You do realize that me being homeless will not be good for Ace either, right? Isn't that kind of, I don't know…hypocritical?
Carly: Judging by the fact that Ace spent the night at your friend's house while you came back here alone, if I kick you out, Ace will be in good hands. Now, I will give you two weeks to come up with the money you owe me for this month's rent that you missed out on while you were in hospital, or I will evict you. And if it means getting an innocent baby away from his irresponsible mother, then that's what will happen!
*Carly turns around and walks away from Esme*
Esme: *yelling after Carly* Don't forget, you were the one who was married to a mob boss!
Carly: *yelling back while going down the stairs to the restaurant* I'm not married to him anymore!
*Esme slams the door and leans back against it, holding the bridge of her nose and looking down.*
Esme (under her breath): Bitch!
*Her phone rings; she checks and sees that it's Alexis Davis*
Esme: Hello?
Alexis: Hello Esme. I hear you're back in Port Charles.
Esme: Yes I am.
Alexis: Would you be able to come to the office this afternoon?
Esme: Okay!
Alexis: Great, thank you.
*She hangs up, feeling relieved that she still has a job*
LATER THAT DAY
Esme arrived at the Metro Court Hotel. She took the elevator up to the seventh floor and made her way down the hall to the headquarters of the Invader magazine. She walked in and saw a young woman around her age sitting at the receptionist's desk. Esme was taken aback, as this was her job, and she had assumed that Alexis had called her to come in for her shift.
Woman: May I help you?
Esme: I'm…here to see Alexis?
Woman: And you are?
Esme: Esme Prince.
Woman: Ms. Davis is in a meeting right now, but I'll let her know you're here.
Esme: Oh that's okay, I'm here for my shift.
Woman: I'm sorry?
Esme: My shift. I work here. I know I'm a little early, but-
Woman: What do you do here?
Esme: I'm the…receptionist?
Woman: I'm sorry, I think there's been a mistake.
Esme: What do you mean?
Woman: I'm the receptionist, and I just started my shift a few minutes ago.
*Esme looks at the woman's nametag, which reads "Makenzie"*
Esme: I wasn't aware that Alexis hired another receptionist.
Makenzie: I just started a few days ago.
Esme: Are you sure you have the days that you're scheduled correct? I mean, I've been out of town, so…
Makenzie: This is the shift I was hired for. But it is possible. Ms. Davis is a busy woman, and she's been under extra stress lately as the Invader was recently sold, and she's had some conflicts with the new publisher. And she told me that the old receptionist suddenly stopped showing up for work, so she had to find a replacement on very short notice.
Esme: I can explain what happened. I-
*Esme hears angry voices coming from the hallway growing louder*
Nina: I'm telling you, we need a social columnist! It would give the Invader a big boost in popularity.
Alexis: A social columnist is the last thing the Invader needs! I've worked very hard to transform the Invader's reputation, and a social columnist would be a major step backwards!
Nina: Well, don't forget, you're not the owner of the Invader, so you don't get the final say.
Alexis: Neither are you!
*Nina walks past Esme in a huff, seemingly not noticing her.*
Alexis: Hello Esme, can you please come with me to my office? I need to talk to you.
*Esme and Makenzie exchange awkward glances, then Esme follows Alexis to her office.*
Alexis: Have a seat.
*Esme sits down in the chair in front of Alexis's desk.*
Alexis: I regret to inform you that your services at the Invader are no longer necessary.
Esme: What?! Why?
Alexis: It was a business decision.
Esme: I'm assuming it was the new owner who made this decision?
Alexis: No it wasn't.
Esme: Was it Nina Reeves?
Alexis: No. It was me.
Esme: Why?
Alexis: It was a business decision.
Esme: Please, no! I-I need this job!
Alexis: Really? Because that wasn't your attitude when you started working here. You initially were very dead-set against having a job "answering phones". Plus, I've caught you going through private files, not once, but twice!
Esme: Yeah, both times looking for information about me! Don't you think I have the right to know about stuff pertaining to me? Especially since I'm trying to get my memory back?
Alexis: Seems like you have your memory back, thanks to those pills.
Esme: How did you find out about that? I wasn't even in Port Charles when that happened! Don't tell me the Invader published an article about it!
Alexis: No, we didn't, but it wouldn't have made a difference, as people found out about it anyway. Our first thought was worrying if Ace was okay.
Esme: And what about if I was okay?
Alexis: We obviously don't want anything to happen to you, but you've put Ace's life in danger. Don't forget, Ace is my great nephew. But, rest assured, we reached out to Jan Clayton, who told us her organization was looking after Ace, and they would continue doing so while you got help with your addiction issues.
Esme: Forgive me, Alexis, but aren't you a recovering alcoholic? Haven't you put other people's lives in danger because of it?
Alexis: I've gotten help for my alcoholism, which is what you should be doing for your drug addiction.
Esme: Alexis, I was given false information about the dangers of those drugs! I didn't know, and more importantly, I wasn't taking them to get high! I wasn't even taking them to help me remember stuff! I was taking them for migraines!
Alexis: But you nonetheless overdosed because you were having to take increasingly higher dosages. You were in a coma and people weren't sure if you'd wake up.
Esme: I still think you're being unnecessarily harsh. Not only that, but firing me, a struggling single mother, while claiming to be an advocate for helping people with addiction issues get back on their feet is kind of hypocritical, don't you think? I would've thought that, based on your own experiences, you can at least empathize with me?
Alexis: From a personal level, yes, I can empathize with you. However, as I have already told you, this was a business decision. My receptionist was, for obvious reasons, unable to perform her duties, and I had no choice but to hire a replacement. And Makenzie has a much more flexible schedule, and seeing as how she doesn't have any children, we don't have to worry about providing daycare services, which is something our new owner isn't too keen on as he feels it's too much of a distraction, especially since All Our Children can provide those services for you.
Esme: Okay, well, I'd be willing to compromise with Makenzie regarding our shifts. Or maybe you could have two receptionists working the same shift? That way, it would cut down on the amount of time that callers would have to wait on hold, and, from the conversation I overheard with you and Nina Reeves, it sounds like you're going to have an increased number of callers if you hire a social columnist!
Alexis: Which is a big maybe, and something that I personally am against. My reason for replacing you was out of necessity.
*Esme feels the tears welling up in her eyes and looks down, hoping that Alexis doesn't notice.*
Alexis: Esme, we have bent over backwards for you here, but we can't do that anymore, and that's why I'm letting you go. I honestly am not sure how much longer I'm going to be here myself.
Esme: *sobbing* I really need this job!
Alexis: No, Esme. What you need is help, and it sounds to me like you have people at All Our Children who are happy to help you with your addiction, and any other challenges you might be facing, while making sure Ace is looked after.
*She takes an envelope and hands it to Esme.*
Alexis: Here's your final paycheck. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to work.
*Esme, still sobbing, slowly gets up and walks out of Alexis's office, passing by Makenzie on her way out.*
Esme: Congratulations on your new job, Makenzie! I hope it works out!
With tears in her eyes, Esme went to the bank to deposit the check, then angrily headed back to Bobbie's and marched through the door. All eyes were on her as she passed by Carly and made her way to the stairs.
Esme: Well Carly, you got what you wanted. I'm moving out! Right now!
*She runs up the stairs to her apartment, stuffs all of her belongings into her suitcase, and goes back down the stairs, dragging her suitcase behind her.*
Esme (to Carly): How much did you pay Alexis Davis to fire me?! I'll bet it was 1,000 times the amount I owe you in rent!
*She takes out her checkbook and writes a check for her rent, then slams it on the counter in front of Carly, and is happy to see the startled expression on Carly's face.*
Esme: Here's your payment!
*She makes her way to the front door, then looks back at Carly*
Esme: Just so you know, I hated living here!
She headed outside and sat down on a bench. She looked on her phone to see who the new owner of the Invader is and was stunned to see that it's Valentin Cassadine! She didn't know Valentin all that well, but seriously considered contacting him and making her case for Alexis to rehire her, but changed her mind knowing that, since he was a Cassadine, he would no doubt try to take Ace away from her, and she couldn't let that happen.
Esme went over to Nelle's house, the only place she felt she was still welcome. She wasn't sure whether Nelle would allow her to spend the night, but she hadn't seen Ace all day, and at the very least, needed to see him, and make sure Nelle was looking after him like she had promised. She walked up to the door and knocked.
*The door opens.*
Nelle: Hi Esme!
*Esme had thought she had no more tears to shed, but hearing Nelle sounding happy to see her, in contrast to everyone else she had encountered during the day, makes her break down once again.*
Nelle: Esme?
*Esme continues to sob.*
Nelle: Aww, Esme!
*She hugs Esme tightly.*
Nelle: What happened?
Esme: Everything that shouldn't be happening! *sniffle* First I had a nightmare about Kiki, then Carly knocked on the door telling me that my rent was overdue, IGNORING the fact that I still was recovering from *sniffle* what happened in Pine Valley, and then I get a call from Alexis which I thought was her asking if I could come into work but *sniffle* when I got there, she told me she was *sniffle* letting me go! So I packed my stuff, gave Carly the rent money, and *sniffle* told her that I was moving out. So now I'm both homeless and jobless, and have no means of caring for my son! *sniffle* It's all over!
Nelle: No it isn't.
*She hugs Esme again, and Esme sees Ace on the living room floor, happily playing with his toys.*
Nelle: Everything's going to be okay!
*Esme buries her face in Nelle's shoulder, unaware of the triumphant smile creeping across Nelle's face.*
Esme was now exactly where Nelle needed her to be. Nelle, for once in her life, had hope that things would work in her favor.
COMING UP
With nowhere else to go, Esme makes a deal with Nelle regarding her living arrangements, and with nothing else to lose, takes a big risk. Can she trust the mysterious man she encounters at a certain bar, or will he end up hurting her further?