Chapter 32 – The Blame Game
Morgan and Kiki were in the living room of their rundown apartment, about to start watching a movie, trying to take their minds off the tragic news about Spencer. Morgan, who had once been presumed dead in a car bombing eight years earlier, and who faced a long, painful rehabilitation once he was awakened from his medically induced coma, had hope that Spencer, who was his cousin via his aunt Courtney Matthews, might still be alive, as his body had yet to be recovered. Kiki, who knew how close Nelle had gotten to Esme, believed that somehow Nelle was responsible for what happened to Spencer. She was one of the few people in their organization who could see through Nelle's warm, motherly exterior. She felt that it was only a matter of time before it all unraveled, and everyone would see Nelle for who she was.
*Morgan sits down on the couch next to Kiki with a large bowl of popcorn. Right as he is about to hit the "play" button on the remote, there's a knock at the door*
Kiki: I'll get it.
*She opens the door to see Nelle*
Nelle: Hello sister dear. Is Morgan here?
*Kiki rolls her eyes and without saying anything, motions for Nelle to come inside. Nelle walks into the living room and stands in front of Morgan, blocking the TV from view*
Nelle: Hi Morgan.
Morgan: Hey.
Nelle: Are you ready to put your sniper skills to use?
Morgan: Umm, no?
Nelle: Oh, come on. Sonny would be proud! So would Jason! He'd be so happy to see the skills he taught you being put to use.
Morgan: Do you really think I'm going to have to do that?
Nelle: Do what?
Morgan: Put the skills to use?
Nelle: Well, unfortunately I am less confident that this meeting will go as smoothly as the last time, but as long as you keep a close watch, things should go our way.
Morgan: Are you meeting with the Pikeman guy again?
Nelle: Yes.
Morgan: Is this the guy who knows my mom?
Nelle: "Knows" is a bit of an understatement, but yes, it's the same guy. His name is Jack Brennan. He didn't bring any backup last time, but I'm not sure if this time will be the same. Which is why I'm counting on you.
Morgan: Alright, I guess I'll do it.
Nelle: Excellent. Would you mind turning off the TV?
*Morgan turns off the TV*
Nelle: So, let's go over the signals I showed you last time, to see if you need a refresher. When Brennan arrives, I will run my fingers through my hair…
Morgan: And I will watch him closely.
Nelle: Good. And when I tuck my hair behind my left ear…
Morgan: I will aim the gun at Brennan.
Nelle: Good! When I flip my hair over my left shoulder…
Morgan: I will prepare to shoot.
Nelle: Great! And if I then move my hair out from behind my left ear…
Morgan: I will lower the gun but continue to watch him closely.
Nelle: And if I instead flip my hair over my right shoulder…
Morgan: I open fire.
Nelle: Excellent!
Morgan: But what if I miss and hit you instead?
Nelle: Well I trust that you won't do that, given how hard you and Jason have been practicing.
Morgan: Really, I don't know.
Nelle: It's no different from taking behind-the-wheel driving lessons when you're a teenager and have zero driving experience. You get into the car knowing that you're about to do something that, should anything go wrong, could not only endanger your life but anyone in the car with you, and anyone on the road. You have someone in the car next to you, critiquing everything you do, and you are nervous as hell. In that moment, you have three options. You can either tell the driving instructor that you're too scared and that you don't want to do it, or you can deliberately crash the car and seriously injure or kill both yourself and the instructor, as well as anyone you might crash into, or you can be brave and-
*Morgan grows increasingly agitated as Nelle is talking*
Morgan: I don't want to talk about driving! That's how I almost died! I stole Julian's car, which happened to be rigged with a bomb, and the bomb exploded! That's how I lost my hand!
Nelle: Okay, that was a bad example, I'm sorry. But you have a new hand now, and you've been doing target practice as part of your physical therapy, and from what I hear, it's going really well.
Morgan: I'm just trying to stay alive.
Nelle: And you will! Trust me!
Morgan: I trust you. I guess I don't trust myself given everything I've done, and everything that happened leading up to my "death."
Nelle: Ava switched your bipolar medication for placebos. That's why you ended up doing the things you did. It was very cruel for her to do that…
*She glances over at Kiki, who rolls her eyes again*
Nelle: But you're back on your medication now. You're able to think clearly again.
Morgan: I hope so.
Nelle: I know so. And it's not like I haven't been in situations where I could have easily died. I had my kidney removed. I've been beaten up multiple times. I was in a car accident, and by the way I thought the car had been rigged with explosives. I've been stabbed. I was locked on the roof at GH and nearly died from hypothermia, and I fell off a cliff and into freezing water and had to fight the strong current while swimming to shore. All those things should have killed me, but they didn't! But if it makes you feel better, I came prepared.
*She opens her jacket, revealing a bulletproof vest*
Nelle: I trust you not to shoot me, but I don't trust him, or anyone else who may be with him.
Morgan: Alright, I'll do it.
Nelle: Wonderful! Meet me at Pier 55 in an hour.
Morgan: Okay.
*Nelle walks past Kiki on her way to the door*
Nelle: *Nods her head in acknowledgement* Kiki.
*She walks out the door. Kiki closes and locks it, and sits back down on the couch next to Morgan. She looks at him*
Kiki: I'm scared, Morgan!
Morgan: I am too.
*He puts his arm around her and holds her close*
Later that evening, Nelle and Morgan made their way to Pier 55. Morgan put on a ski mask obscuring most of his face and went up to the rooftop, where he saw Nelle make her way to the edge of the pier and gaze out onto the water. After a few minutes, Nelle heard footsteps approaching.
Brennan: You wished to see me?
Nelle: *Runs her fingers through her hair* Wished? No. Quite the opposite. Our deal is off. I asked for a simple favor in exchange for me helping you and your organization, but you didn't do what I asked!
*Morgan begins carefully watching Brennan*
Brennan: That's not true at all. We did exactly as you asked.
Nelle: I never asked you to kill Spencer Cassadine!
Brennan: Oh we didn't kill him. He fell into the water, but that wasn't a result of anything we did!
Nelle: He fell because Betty Rutherford didn't do her job correctly!
Brennan: She did everything you asked of us, and I mean everything!
Nelle: Well she didn't do everything correctly, and because of that, Spencer is dead!
*Nelle tucks her hair behind her left ear. Morgan raises the gun and points it at the back of Brennan's head*
Nelle: You had asked me the previous time we met if I was wanting you to kill Spencer, and I told you that I would never ask you to do that. Yet Spencer ended up dead because you didn't follow my instructions!
Brennan: That's where you're wrong. We followed your instructions to the T!
Nelle: Oh really? What did you do?
Brennan: You said that you needed Spencer Cassadine to come back home so that he could help Esme Prince care for Ace, and you asked us to have someone follow him and report back to you. So we tasked Betty with that responsibility. I had a feeling that she was the person best suited for the job, and when you told me you needed someone who wouldn't appear "sus," which I now know means suspicious, I knew I had made the right decision.
Nelle: And I had thought she was the right person for the job as well.
Brennan: Yes. You then said that Spencer was struggling to remember what happened the previous time he and Esme were together, and he was likely going to be asking his uncle Cyrus for a mnemeophrine tablet so he could remember, and Cyrus would likely refuse to give him one. You instructed me to have Betty follow Spencer to GH and listen in on his conversation with Cyrus, and if he refused, which he did, then she was to bribe the pharmacist at GH to give her a tablet, which she would in turn give to Spencer, which she did.
Nelle: That's right.
Brennan: You also had us plant a bug in Mayor Collins's penthouse so Betty could listen in on Spencer as he went thought what sounded like a very painful experience of re-living his memory of Esme. When you learned that Spencer decided not to get back together with Esme and instead was going to go to France with Trina Robinson, you said that Betty was to follow him to France and swap out the bottle of wine he had purchased for the cruise down the Seine with a bottle of grape juice which contained a sedative.
Nelle: That is correct.
Brennan: And that's exactly what Betty did! She put on her disguise, managed to sneak on board the vessel, made her way to the dinette, switched the bottles, then got off the vessel before it departed.
Nelle: But she was supposed to stay on board the vessel and make sure that Spencer and Trina got to the bedroom safely so that Cabot's guys would be able to take them to the clinic! But she didn't do that!
Brennan: That's because you never mentioned anything about her remaining on board! Once she switched out the bottles, she assumed her job was done, so she disembarked!
Nelle: And by doing that, Spencer and Trina were not in bed once the sedative took effect, and Spencer fell overboard. Everyone in Port Charles is grieving, and Esme, who has really been struggling ever since coming back from Pine Valley, and recently found out that she's pregnant, is absolutely devastated that her children will be without a father, which they wouldn't be had Betty done her job correctly!
Brennan: How was she supposed to know that she was supposed to remain on board when you never told us that was what she was supposed to do?! Like I said, we did exactly what you told us!
Nelle: No you didn't! Spencer wasn't supposed to die! He was supposed to come back to Port Charles, fully ready to be a father to Ace and his new baby, and have no memories of Trina, who likewise wouldn't have any memories of Spencer, and would be happily studying art at the Sorbonne. And yet, Spencer's dead, and Trina is devastated and will likely be too grief-stricken to focus on her studies, and I wouldn't be surprised if she decides to come back home to Port Charles, and deals with her grief by attacking Esme, who had nothing to do with any of this. So no, you didn't do exactly what I told you. Our deal is off!
Brennan: Our deal?
Nelle: Yes, our deal!
Brennan: I certainly don't remember ever making a deal with you!
Nelle: What do you mean, you don't remember? We stood here on this very spot a few weeks ago. I offered to help you take Sonny down so you could continue using his facilities to transport your bombs in exchange for you keeping tabs on Spencer. We even shook hands!
*Nelle flips her hair over her left shoulder. Morgan prepares to shoot*
Brennan: That's not how I remember it at all. I distinctly remember you telling me that you had a very generous offer for me, but in order for me to hear what it was, I first had to agree to do what it was that you needed us to do. So I agreed, you told me what you needed, I told you it wasn't worth our time, then you told me that you'd help me get Sonny Corinthos out of the way so we could continue using his facilities to transport our goods if I did this for you. You said you had people who could tell you where Sonny and his guys would be so we could make our move, as well as determine his backup location. I was more than a little skeptical about why the leader of a parenting organization would need our help, and be able to help us, but you told me that we had a "mutual enemy" in Sonny, only your reason for wanting to take him out was personal. I still was hesitant, and that's when you threatened to rat me out to Carly Spencer, who would, in turn, inform Sonny. You even admitted that you were blackmailing me. So I had no choice but to accept your terms!
Nelle: You're exactly right.
Brennan: That's not a deal! A deal is a mutual agreement, not blackmail! And now you're trying to back out of this "deal" you forced me to make! But it's too late. You forced me into this, and therefore, I'm going to see to it that you hold up your end of our so-called deal by helping me arrange a hit on Sonny!
Nelle: And what if I refuse to do so?
Brennan: Then I will inform Carly that Jan Clayton, the director of All Our Children, is actually the notorious Nelle Benson, her longtime enemy whom she's determined to protect her family from, and that your "charitable organization" is actually a cult!
Nelle: *Hesitates* Well…I see you've done your research about the person I used to be before I fell off that cliff, which was Carly's fault! I've used the time to do some reflection and, while I don't claim to be perfect, I have worked hard to change my ways. And All Our Children is not a cult by the way!
Brennan: It is a cult! It's a very cleverly disguised cult, but it's a cult nonetheless! You were married to the leader of Dawn of Day, and don't try to insist that he forced you into it, because we both know it's not true! So it's not surprising that you would start your own organization with more or less the same agenda! If you truly cared about helping people in need, you would not have them become "trusted members" of your organization, and instead welcome them freely! But that's not what you want! You don't want to help people. You want to constantly be the center of attention, and you want people to believe that you're right and they're wrong and put you on a pedestal! And what better way to do that than to start an organization where everyone raves about how wonderful you are, and why they should put their trust in you, and hand over their children to you, and saying that you're all one big "family" while luring people away from their actual families! That's a cult!
Nelle: Well I'm sorry to hear that you have such a negative impression of me, and what All Our Children is about. I can't make you change your mind, but I nonetheless encourage you to be open to new ideas. In time, you will realize that by seeing things through a different lens, your life will be more fulfilling.
Brennan: My point exactly! That's cult talk right there! I'm not buying it!
Nelle: It's your choice.
Brennan: And from what I've heard, you're claiming that you're some "miracle worker" who has the power to bring people back from the dead, when really you're trying to take credit for David Hayward's research despite the obstacle of not being a doctor.
Nelle: Believe what, and who, you want to believe.
Brennan: I will acknowledge that you seem to be running your organization reasonably well…for the time being anyway, but you know nothing about how we conduct business at Pikeman. There's no backing out of "deals" when things don't go your way, especially if it's a result of your own oversight. If anything, Spencer's death is your fault!
Nelle: No, it isn't!
Brennan: IT IS! The fact is that we did exactly what you told us, and what happened to Spencer was a result of you not being more thorough in your instructions. So, unless you want me to reveal to Carly that you're still alive, you'll do what you told us you were going to do!
Nelle: *Sigh* Okay, fine. I will have my people keep an eye on Sonny and let you know what he's up to so you can plan your attack.
Brennan: Excellent. Can I trust you to keep your word?
Nelle: I'm all about trust, as you know. So yes, you can trust me.
*Brennan eyes her suspiciously, then slowly walks away*
Nelle: One more thing.
*Brennan turns around and looks at her*
Nelle: When you decide to carry out your attack, please let me know.
Brennan: Dare I ask why?
Nelle: There's a certain person whom I need to make sure isn't caught in the crossfire, and makes it home safely.
Brennan: Let me guess, his name is Wiley?
*He turns and walks away, while Nelle brushes her hair out from behind her left ear, then nervously bites her nails while gazing at the water. Morgan lowers the gun. After a few minutes, Morgan climbs down from the roof and removes his ski mask*
Morgan: Well, I didn't have to end up shooting. I guess that means it went well?
Nelle: I guess so.
Morgan: You don't sound too sure.
Nelle: Let's just say that I don't think he and I can trust each other as much as we say that we can.
Morgan: I better get back to the apartment. Kiki is probably very worried.
Nelle: Okay.
*Morgan turns and leaves while Nelle looks out onto the water, waiting for the launch to take her back to Wyndemere. While she's waiting, she receives a text message*
Text message: We have Cassadine. His fate is in your hands.
THE NEXT DAY
Esme had spent most of the morning crying over Spencer, and her eyes hurt. She felt very hopeless. Spencer was dead, which meant that her baby would grow up never knowing their father, just like Spencer had grown up not knowing his mother, who had died shortly after he was born. Today was also a school day, and she was not looking forward to going. She knew that everyone at PCU had heard about Spencer's death, and that the suspect matched her description, even though the one picture they managed to take of her was very dark and blurry. She assumed that people would be talking about it, and wasn't in the mood to deal with it. In particular, she was hoping to avoid running into Richard Thomas Smith, as he no doubt would use it as an opportunity to try to hook up with her.
The deadline for dropping classes without a penalty was approaching. She initially intended to drop both of her classes, but decided to remain in her psychology class, as she was getting a lot out of it. She had, however, decided to drop her creative writing class, as the instructor was getting increasingly strict. She didn't bother doing the assignment the instructor gave for their homework, and instead wrote an essay on how the way in which the instructor taught the class didn't allow the students to express their creativity and instead conform to someone else's vision. She was tempted to use colorful language in the essay but decided against it. She also didn't directly mention the instructor, just her teaching methods. When the class let out, the instructor told Esme that it was the best piece she had written so far, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the essay was criticizing her, and that Esme had finally "gotten it." Esme responded that it would be the last thing she'd be "getting" from her.
Her psychology class went well, and surprisingly everybody was very understanding to how she was feeling. Although she still felt devastated over Spencer's death, she at least felt better that people automatically didn't assume the worst. Her instructor took it as an opportunity to discuss with the class why constantly assuming the worst of someone, as well as not giving them a chance to explain their side of the story was not a good idea, and the students took turns sharing experiences of when they were going through a difficult time and nobody tried to help them, which in turn made them angry and resorted to making bad decisions with their lives. Even though it was a difficult topic, it was comforting to know that she wasn't alone, and that the people she could relate to weren't confined to the other members of All Our Children.
She was walking out of the classroom at the end of the session, wondering why her rideshare driver hadn't texted her letting her know he was there like he usually did, when her phone rang.
Esme (on the phone): Hello?
Man: Hey Esme, it's Ernesto, your driver.
Esme: Hey, what's up?
Ernesto: Um, well...I'm...uh...I'm having some...uh...car trouble and I'm not going to be able to give you a ride today.
Esme: Are you okay?
Ernesto: I'm...uh...somebody slashed my tires, so I need to get new ones.
Esme: Okay, well I can wait for you. I don't have anywhere else I need to be. I have someone looking after Ace, so I'll be fine.
Ernesto: Oh no, I...uh...I was able to arrange for another driver to pick you up. His name is…hold on.
*Esme hears Ernesto asking someone what the driver's name is*
Ernesto: His name is Frank, and he'll be driving a…hold on.
*She can hear him asking what car Frank will be driving*
Ernesto: Okay, so his name is Frank, and he'll be driving a black Lincoln.
Esme: Okay, does he know where to wait for me.
*She hears Ernesto telling Frank where to wait*
Ernesto: Okay, yeah, his name is Frank, he drives a black Lincoln, and he'll be picking you up at the usual spot.
Esme: Okay. Are you sure you're okay?
Ernesto: Oh, I'm...I'm fine. My car isn't, but it could be worse.
Esme: Okay. I'll go to the parking lot right now.
Ernesto: Okay. I'm sorry about this. I'll pick you up next time though, I promise!
Esme: Okay. I hope they're able to get you new tires soon.
Ernesto: Yeah. Anyways, have a good day.
Esme: Thanks, you too.
*They hang up. Ernesto was her favorite rideshare driver, so much so that she no longer booked him through the app and instead called him directly, which he was happy to do, and based on how nervous he had sounded, she is worried that whatever was going on had nothing to do with his car. She turns around to go to the exit door and sees Richard Thomas Smith standing inches away from her. She assumes that he had been standing behind her the entire time she was on the phone*
Richard Thomas Smith: Hey Esme!
Esme: No offense, but I really don't want to talk to you right now.
Richard: I heard about Spencer.
Esme: Don't you dare mention him! Everybody thinks I somehow teleported to France, swapped the bottle of wine with the bottle of grape juice laced with sedatives, then teleported back to Port Charles.
Richard: Well, I know for a fact that you didn't do that.
*Esme can't help but feel scared*
Esme: Were you…in France when it happened? Did you kill Spencer?
Richard: No! I didn't kill Spencer! How could I when I was at home playing Minecraft?
Esme: Cool, well I'm glad you don't think I killed him, and I'm glad you didn't kill him either. But I don't want to talk to you right now. I need to get to the parking lot because I have a rideshare waiting for me.
Richard: I can give you a ride if you want. You wouldn't have to pay me. Why don't you call the driver back and tell him you don't need him to pick you up?
Esme: Because I want him to pick me up, and I don't care how much it costs! Now leave me alone!
*Esme runs away from Richard and makes her way to the parking lot, where the black car is waiting for her. She gets in the car and immediately hears the doors lock*
Esme: Um…hi? You're Frank, right?
*Frank says nothing and instead starts the car and pulls out of the parking lot*
Esme: Um, do you know where you're taking me?
*Frank says nothing and continues to drive. He reaches an intersection. When the light turns green, he goes straight, but Esme knew this was not the way*
Esme: Um, Frank, you were supposed to turn left there.
*Frank ignores her and continues driving, taking her much farther from where she was supposed to go*
Esme: Frank, are we going to the pier?
*He remains silent. Esme sits back and takes a deep breath, trying to relax, and breathes in the leathery scent of the car's interior. It smells familiar, and not in a good way. She had been in this car before. She then notices Frank's face, along with the curly wire of the earpiece he's wearing, and remembers who he is, and who he works for, as well as where he most likely was taking her. She swallows nervously. They eventually stop at Pozzulo's, which Esme remembers isn't actually a restaurant despite appearing as such. Frank opens the door, then grabs Esme by the arm and pulls her out of the car.*
Esme: Ow! Do you have to be so rough? I'm pregnant!
*Frank loosens his grip and doesn't pull her quite as hard, but still hard enough that she can't run away. He leads her inside the empty restaurant and through a door to the office, where a man is sitting at a desk with his back towards them, his dark hair neatly slicked back. Frank pushes her down into a chair in front of the desk and leaves the room, while the man behind the desk turns around in his chair to face her*
Esme: *Gulp* Hello Mr. Corinthos.
Sonny Corinthos: Esme, nice of you to join me…again.
Esme: Why am I here?
Sonny: You know perfectly well why you're here.
Esme: Okay, well I know I've done some pretty horrible things, which I deeply regret-
Sonny: In case you forgot, Spencer was my nephew!
Esme: No, Mr. Corinthos, I didn't forget. I know he was your nephew.
Sonny: AND YOU KILLED HIM!
Esme: I didn't kill him Mr. Corinthos!
Sonny: Then how do you explain this?!
*He pulls up a photo of the person on the boat. Esme can't see her face save for her chin, but she can see her long, brown hair*
Esme: That's not me, Mr. Corinthos!
Sonny: Well, who else would it be?! Everybody knows you came to Port Charles because you had an agenda! You were wanting to make life miserable for Nikolas and Ava so your father could have her all to himself! You never loved Spencer!
Esme: That's not true Mr. Corinthos! I do love Spencer, and I'm just as devastated as you are! But why would I kill him?
Sonny: YOU TELL ME!
Esme: I loved him, Mr. Corinthos! I'm just as devastated as you are that he's dead!
Sonny: I told you the last time you were here that I have very good instincts. And just like last time, your name's being tossed around!
Esme: And you told me that you're never wrong.
Sonny: That's right, I'm not!
Esme: Well, I hate to break it to you, Mr. Corinthos, but this time you are wrong! I swear to you that I had nothing to do with Spencer's death!
Sonny: Why should I believe you Esme? You already tried to frame Trina for revenge porn by secretly recording my stepdaughter and her boyfriend having sex, while you all were staying at a cabin which I own! Then you seduced Nikolas and got pregnant with his child with the goal of breaking up his marriage to Ava, under the insane assumption that she would immediately go running to your father and not look back, and then you jumped off the parapet at Wyndemere and lost your memory! Maybe that's when you realized your feelings for Spencer were real?!
Esme: Yes, losing my memory allowed me to see the world from a new perspective. I saw my father for who he was, and I hate myself for being so desperate to make him happy that I was willing to do whatever he told me to do. But he's dead now. Good riddance! I'm glad he's out of my life. I'm equally glad that Heather is locked up!
Sonny: I hope you're telling the truth!
Esme: I am, Mr. Corinthos.
Sonny: And yet somehow, I still get the feeling that you're not telling the truth about what happened in France. Spencer moved on, which made you jealous of Trina, you found out that Trina had been accepted into the art program at the Sorbonne and Spencer was going to France to enjoy a nice getaway with her before her classes started, you followed them there, and you swapped out the bottle of wine with a bottle of grape juice laced with sedatives! Then you got off the boat before it departed, hoping that both of them would drink the juice, then pass out, fall into the river and drown!
Esme: Mr. Corinthos, I'm as devastated as you are about what happened to Spencer! But why would I kill him? I need him, and Ace needs him even more! He may not be Ace's biological father but he has been a father figure to him nonetheless. I wasn't on that boat, nor was I anywhere near France that night!
Sonny: STOP! LYING!
Esme: You stop lying! Have you forgotten to take your meds this morning? Because your "good" instincts aren't good at all right now!
Sonny: SHUT UP!
*Esme is startled and stops talking. Sonny gets up from his chair and begins slowly pacing the room while talking*
Sonny: If you weren't in France...then where the hell were you?
*Esme remembers running into Willow, Wiley, and Amelia while she and Nelle were walking through the park, and decides not to tell Sonny that she saw them, figuring it would just add fuel to the fire*
Esme: I was out shopping with Jan. We were having a good time, and then afterwards we came home, and that's when I saw the article about Spencer. I spent the rest of the day crying. I've been crying a lot lately.
Sonny: If you're trying to get me to feel sorry for you…it's not gonna work! I don't care how much you've cried! I've seen plenty of crocodile tears. I've dealt with plenty of liars trying to look innocent and harmless when in fact they're some of the most dangerous people I've had to deal with!
*He walks over to Esme, kneels down, and rests his arm against the back of her chair*
Sonny: So I'm going to give you one last chance…
*He leans forward, his face uncomfortably close to Esme's, and speaks in a hushed voice*
Sonny: Admit that you killed Spencer!
Esme (also speaking in a hushed voice): If I said that I killed Spencer, I'd be lying. I can tell you the truth, or I can tell you what you want to hear.
Sonny: I want you to tell me what I want to hear, and what I want to hear is the truth!
*Esme looks directly into Sonny's eyes*
Esme: I did not kill Spencer! That's the truth!
Sonny: I want to believe you, but something tells me that I can't! You leave me with no other choice.
*He gets up, then pulls a gun out from underneath his coat*
Esme: No! No please!
Sonny: I refuse to let you hurt anyone in my family again!
*He raises the gun and points it at Esme, who closes her eyes in anticipation! Suddenly the door bursts open and Dex Heller, Sonny's enforcer, comes running in*
Dex: Boss, they've identified the person on the boat the night that Spencer died! It wasn't Esme!
Sonny: You sure?
Dex: Positive.
*Sonny is quiet for several seconds while Esme looks at Dex, hoping he will convince Sonny not to kill her*
Sonny: Who told you?
Dex: Brick. I just got off the phone with him.
Sonny: Is he sure it wasn't Esme?
Dex: Yes, he is.
*There are many seconds of tense silence. Sonny looks at Dex, then back to Esme, and slowly lowers his gun. Esme relaxes and breathes a sigh of relief*
Sonny: *Sigh* Well, you're off the hook...
*Esme is somewhat triggered by the word "hook"*
Sonny: But if you ever harm anyone in my family again, you will pay! Go on, get out of here!
*Esme gets up from the chair and makes her way through the restaurant to the exit. Once she's outside, she runs away as fast as she can. She eventually stops to catch her breath, and calls for a rideshare. Back at Pozzulo's, Sonny questions Dex about the suspect*
Sonny: So if it wasn't Esme, then who was it?
Dex: Betty Rutherford.
Sonny: Betty Rutherford was the woman on the boat?!
Dex: According to Brick it was her.
Sonny: And he's sure it was her?
Dex: Yes.
Sonny: Last time I saw her which was only a few months ago, her hair wasn't nearly as long as Esme's, and the suspect was described as having long hair!
Dex: She was wearing a wig. It was part of her disguise. After she got off the boat, she put the wig along with the rest of the disguise in a garbage can and set it on fire, but the fire was extinguished before everything got burned. They were able to trace it back to her.
Sonny: But she's supposed to be in Mexico! I had her sent there after she stole those fake Pikeman documents I had planted, remember?
Dex: She apparently was tracked down by the guy running Pikeman and was offered a deal to follow Spencer to France and plant that bottle of grape juice in exchange for being able to go back to life as she knew it before she began working for Gatlin.
Sonny: Find her and bring her to me! I'm going to make her pay!
Dex: There's no need Boss. She's dead.
Sonny: Dead?!
Dex: Yes. Brick said she was found on the floor of her hotel room in France.
Sonny: Do they know the cause of death?
Dex: Alcohol poisoning, according to the coroner's report.
Sonny: And how do they know she's the one responsible for what happened to Spencer?
Dex: Because the bottle of wine that Spencer had purchased was found next to her. It was completely empty, and it appears she drank it all, directly from the bottle. There was also a note where she admitted that she was responsible for Spencer's death, and that she was sorry for everything, or something like that.
Sonny: And they're sure it's the bottle that Spencer had purchased?
Dex: Yes. It had his fingerprints on it.
*Sonny sighs and looks down, head in hand*
Sonny: When did Brick tell you?
Dex: Less than an hour ago.
Sonny: Why didn't he contact ME?!
Dex: He tried to call you multiple times Boss, but you weren't answering, so that's why I came here.
Sonny: I was a little preoccupied.
*Dex is tempted to tell Sonny that he normally is on top of stuff like this and that hasn't been acting like himself lately, but chooses to stay quiet*
Dex: I know Boss, and I wouldn't have disturbed you if it wasn't anything important.
Sonny: No, you did the right thing. I'm assuming that since this is the first I'm hearing about this, the investigation is still ongoing?
Dex: That is correct.
Sonny: Alright. Stay quiet about this until the investigation is formally concluded.
Dex: Yes Boss.
Esme stepped off the launch and ran up to the mansion as fast as she could go while being mindful of the fact that she was pregnant. She entered through the front doors to the main living room, where Nelle was waiting.
Nelle: Oh my god, Esme, are you alright?
Esme (crying): No.
Nelle: Was it that creepy Richard guy you were telling me about?
Esme: No, it was Sonny! He kidnapped me and brought me to his office, and insisted that I was the one who killed Spencer! He wouldn't believe me when I told him I didn't kill Spencer, and was about to shoot me when that Dex guy came in and told me they identified the person who planted the bottle of grape juice. If Dex hadn't shown up when he did, I'm pretty sure I'd be dead!
*Nelle hugs her*
Esme: I feel at this point like I'm Port Charles's scapegoat. Everybody blames me for everything!
Nelle: That's not true.
Esme: How can you be sure?
Nelle: Grief can cause some people to act irrationally, and unfortunately this town is full of people like that. Once everybody processes what happened, things will be more or less back to normal.
Esme: I hope you're right.
Nelle: Did they say who it was, who planted the bottle?
Esme: If they did, I wasn't there to hear it. Once Sonny said I could go, I ran out of there as fast as I could.
Nelle: Good.
Esme: I don't understand why everybody raves about Sonny so much! I've heard people say that they trust him more than the PCPD when he runs a criminal empire!
Nelle: I know.
Esme: That man is already quite scary, but Spence told me that he takes medication for bipolar disorder, and he seemed to be much more…I don't know, murderous than I remember him from before.
Nelle: I suppose it's possible someone is screwing with his meds. You know Morgan, right?
Esme: I don't think I've talked to him, but I know who he is. He's Sonny's son.
Nelle: And he's bipolar as well and also takes medication for it. But someone switched his medication for placebos. That "someone" was Ava!
Esme: Oh my god, are you serious?
Nelle: Yes, unfortunately.
Esme: That gives me one more reason to hate that woman! Not saying that I don't hate Sonny too, but that's BEYOND messed up!
Nelle: I know. She should be in prison. She, Sonny, and Carly always find a way to get away with stuff!
Esme: I hope that someday at least one of them will finally go to prison where they belong! They can't get away with stuff like this forever!
Nelle: Oh they won't get away with it forever. Karma will be catching up to them very soon!
It was the day of Spencer's memorial service. Even though his body had yet to be recovered, they still had a headstone made with his full name (Spencer Stefan Nikolosovich Cassadine), dates of birth and death (February 17, 2001 – January 28, 2024) as well as the Cassadine family crest embossed on it. Esme assumed that most of his family and friends would be there, and even though she knew they wouldn't react well to her being there, she knew she needed to go in order to pay her respects to the one man she genuinely loved.
She put on a black dress fitting for the occasion, and was finishing applying her makeup when she heard the sound of the doorbell ringing, followed by Nelle calling out to her.
Nelle: Can you please get that Esme? I'm still getting ready.
Esme: Okay.
*She goes downstairs and opens the door to see Leora and Ian standing there*
Esme: Oh my god! Leann!
*The two of them embrace and hold each other tightly for several seconds. She then hugs Ian, who was wearing a dark suit and tie, his long hair neatly slicked back into a ponytail*
Esme: It's so good to see you! Both of you.
Leora: It's good to see you too, even though this isn't a happy occasion.
Ian: When we heard about what happened, we knew we had to come back to Port Charles so we could be here for you.
Esme: I'm so glad. Please, come in!
*They come in. Leora and Ian both look around the living room in awe*
Leora: Wow, this place is so beautiful!
Esme: I know. Jan had been looking to purchase a new home so we could have feasts again without having to find a venue that would be willing to host us. This is where Spence's family lived for many years. Unfortunately, the deed to the property was given to Ava after she and Nikolas divorced, and she made everything look all "modern," though she really didn't need to go to the trouble. But Jan wanted to bring it back to a more traditional style and was partially inspired by Wildwind.
Leora: Well, they certainly did a wonderful job!
Esme: They did. I enjoyed living here when Spence was here, and I kind of surprised myself by how much I missed being here, despite being locked up in that tower for so long. She turned it into sort of a study and it's a lot more comfortable now. I enjoy being here…
*She finds herself holding back tears *
Esme: *Sniffle* I just wish Spence was here with me.
*She and Leora hug again, then the three of them sit down on the couches near the fireplace*
Esme: I have something I might as well share with the two of you, since you're here. But I'd like to keep it under wraps for the time being. The only person who knows is Jan. So can I trust you two not to tell anyone until I'm ready?
Leora: Of course you can!
Ian: Absolutely.
Esme: *Sigh* I'm pregnant.
*Leora and Ian look unsure of what to say, which she understood, as the timing couldn't have been worse*
Esme: I'm pregnant, and Spence is definitely the father. But now he's gone!
Leora: Does he know?
Esme: No he doesn't. He thought he was being safe about it, and I thought we were too. It wasn't until a few weeks afterwards that I began noticing the signs, so I took a test and it was positive! I'm still not sure if Ace is Spencer's son or Nikolas's, but regardless, this new baby is going to grow up not knowing their father, just like Spence never knew his mother!
*And before she knew it, she had dissolved into inconsolable tears once again. Leora and Ian both get up from the couch and the three of them hug*
Esme: I'm sorry I'm such a wreck right now.
Leora: It's perfectly normal to cry at a funeral.
Ian: Don't worry about it at all.
Esme: I know. It's just, the last time I went to a funeral, I was happy. My adoptive parents, who treated me horribly, had died. I was still quite little, and I remember "paying my respects" by spitting on their graves. I've never been to a service where I'm actually sad that the person has died. I guess this shows how far I've come from the person I used to be, and that I genuinely loved Spence, despite what everybody says.
Leora: We believe you. I never doubted you love him.
Ian: We're here for you.
*They sit back down*
Esme: I see you're both wearing black. Are you coming to the funeral too?
Ian: Unless it's a private service, I don't see why we can't.
Leora: I never got to meet Spencer, but we're there for you.
Esme: Thank you both, that means a lot.
Leora: Of course.
*Nelle comes downstairs wearing a black dress and a hat with rather thick veil obscuring most of her face, though Esme can tell that she's wearing her "older woman" disguise underneath*
Nelle: Hi Leann!
Leora: Hi Jan! Thank you so much for allowing us to come. I know you're not allowing anyone over here without any sort of invitation.
Nelle: Which you of course have as you're a member of our group! Plus you're here to support Esme, which is important.
Leora: Of course. Oh, this is Ian Slater by the way.
*Nelle holds out her hand*
Nelle: Hello Ian, it's very nice to meet you! I'm Jan Clayton.
*She and Ian shake hands*
Ian: It's nice to meet you too Jan. I wish it were under happier circumstances.
Nelle: I know. We'll have time to talk more later. I'm curious to hear how things are going with your family research.
Leora: I'll be glad to fill you in on everything.
Nelle: In any case, are you ready?
Leora: I think so. Esme?
Esme: Yes, I am.
Nelle: Okay, let's go.
Nelle, Esme, Leora, and Ian made their way to the cemetery. After they arrived, and Esme saw everyone who was there, she felt that maybe they should have waited until later after they all went home. Among the people in attendance were Laura and Kevin, Sonny and his many children, including his oldest son, Detective Dante Falconeri, Carly, Alexis Davis and her three daughters, Sam McCall, Kristina Corinthos-Davis, and Molly Lansing-Davis, who was an assistant district attorney, Molly's partner T.J. Ashford and his mother, Commissioner Jordan Ashford, Cam (who had returned to Port Charles from Stanford to attend), Joss, and of course, Trina. Trina's mother, Portia Robinson, was also there, no doubt strictly to support her daughter, as she didn't entirely approve of Trina dating Spencer, and Esme got the feeling that Portia would not react well to her being there. They were taking turns leaving white roses on Spencer's grave.
*Esme, Nelle, Leora, and Ian wait by the entrance to the cemetery, Esme holding a rose*
Esme (whispering): I think we should leave and come back later.
Nelle (whispering): If you really want to, we can, but I think this would be a great opportunity for you to show everyone how much Spencer meant to you, and erase any lingering feelings of doubt in everyone's mind.
*Esme watches as Alexis leaves her rose on the grave, then slowly walks over, preparing to leave her own rose, when suddenly…*
Trina: How dare you show your face at Spencer's funeral?! You're the reason he's dead!
Esme: It wasn't me, I-
Joss: YOU BITCH! SPENCER AND I HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER SINCE WE WERE KIDS!
*Joss begins marching towards Esme*
Cam: Joss, no!
*Joss continues marching towards Esme, with Trina following behind her*
Cam: Joss! Trina! STOP!
*Joss reaches Esme first and punches her in the face, causing Esme to fall to the ground. Esme feels a sharp pain in her nose. She rubs her nose with the back of her finger and sees that it's covered in blood, and unlike when she was punched in the nose during the brawl at the Highsider, the blood steadily runs down her face, meaning most likely her nose was broken! She gets up just as Joss is preparing to punch her again and grabs both of Joss's wrists tightly, the way Ryan often grabbed Esme's wrist when she visited him in Spring Ridge. She knew the way to hold them so it caused the most pain while making sure that Joss wouldn't be able to fight her off*
Esme: Hit me again and I will put both of you in the hospital!
Joss: Try me! I'm the MVP on the volleyball team at PCU!
Esme: Oh yeah? Well I've taken boxing lessons, and when I was sixteen I beat up not one, but two adult men who were both trying to attack me, and they were much bigger than you! So bring it on, bitch!
Nelle: ESME NO! YOU'RE PREGNANT!
*There are many seconds of awkward silence. Esme slowly lets go of Joss, who rubs her wrists*
Joss: You're pregnant?
Esme: Yes, I'm pregnant!
Trina: Who's the father?
Esme: The father is none of your business!
Trina: It's Spencer, isn't it?
Esme: *Sigh* Yes, it's Spencer. But in my defense, I would like to point out that I was attending an event at the Savoy, and we happened to run into each other because Spencer was looking to talk to Curtis to persuade you to give him another chance, after you stupidly dumped him! So it's not like he cheated on you!
Trina: Did you ever tell him?
Esme: No, because I never got the opportunity to do so!
*Esme sees Joss frantically looking around. It seems everyone is looking at her with extreme disapproval, including Trina. Nelle smiles underneath her dark veil*
Dante: You do realize that you just assaulted a pregnant woman in front of multiple witnesses including the mayor of Port Charles, the police commissioner, an ADA, as well as a police detective, right?
*He pulls out his badge and shows it to Joss, clearly viewing her as a criminal rather than a family member, then turns to Esme*
Dante: Are you pressing charges?
*Esme glances at all the people giving Joss disapproving looks, then at Leora and Ian, both of whom look shocked as to what they just witnessed, then at Nelle, who gives a very subtle nod*
Esme: Hell yeah!
*Dante radios for assistance. Soon Harrison Chase arrives in a squad car and places Joss in handcuffs*
Joss: Ow, my wrists!
Chase: Josslyn Jacks, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand these rights as I've read them to you?
*Joss sighs*
Joss: Yes, I do.
*Nelle watches Chase leading Joss to the squad car, the satisfied smile on her face obscured by her veil. Justice had finally been served!*