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When Cassadines Fall
Family Style
Stefan and Nikolas come back to the kitchen showered and polished to find everyone else already at the table. "Miss Quartermaine. It is a pleasure to see you again."
"Hi Mr Cassadine. I'm afraid I invited myself to dinner."
"Not true, Em. I invited you and we've got plenty. Especially if Mr C and Niknik don't get over here and get their share." Taking the hint from Maddy, Stefan and Nik join them. Maddy hands Stefan a white take out carton. He looks at it and then quirks a brow at her. "Is there something I should know about this dish?"
"I stocked up on the ice water?" Maddy grins at him. "Don't eat the little red things."
Liz is already reaching for her water and exhaling over and over, tears streaming down her face. "Now you say something." She gasps.
"It's just a little red pepper." Lucky dismisses confident of his cast iron Spencer stomach. He passes a carton to Nik who dishes up some and then passes to the right. Soon the selection of dishes are circulating. The more brave of the party eating with chopsticks while those not wanting to make a mess and knowing their limitations use the forks provided.
Nikolas holds up a spongy square with a pair of chopsticks. "What is this, Madeliene?"
"Tofu. It's good for you. Okay, Em, you had two questions. I believe the first one was... when did Niknik buy the house." Maddy points to Nik who is carefully tasting the tofu vegetable dish. "The floor is yours, Nik."
"It's all your grandmother's fault."
"My Grandmother? Lila?!"
"Yes." Nikolas nods chewing and then swallowing. It actually wasn't too bad. "The day after the theater had the grand opening I was running in this part of town and stumbled literally in front of this house. After seeing what she had done with the theater... I was well aware of the possibilities. I had considered moving from the cottage for quite some time. There were too many ghosts out there."
"And there are no ghosts here?" Liz asks her eyes widening. She hadn't even thought of the possiblity of spirits.
"Well if there are they have all been friendly, quiet and patient with the renovation. This place is centrally located close to the hospital, university, the docks, and also your grandmother's theater. The cottage was out of the way which was both a blessing and a curse. This works much better for me. Although there is one thing missing... Monroe's."
Madeliene starts nodding everyone else is looking at them blankly. "A corner store where you can get everything and not have to leave the neighborhood." She explains.
"Ah yes, the store across from your house in New Orleans." Stefan remembers. "I never did go in, but they had a lovely seating area outside to watch the neighborhood it was very similiar to places I've seen in Europe."
"Maddy, your house down in New Orleans was beautiful. I can't believe you left." Em compliments.
"Like Nik said... lots of ghosts."
"oh sorry." Emily winces. She reaches out a hand and gives Maddy's hand a squeeze.
"Nothing to be sorry for or about. I know I'll go back to visit Granny Sophia."
"Oh my gosh, Lucky, Elizabeth, you would not believe this woman she was so cool. So tiny she made Brenda looks like a giant but nobody was messing with her, not even Poppi who could have made like four of her."
"You never diss the woman who twisted your ears as a child." Maddy smiles. "Granny Sophia was tight with Poppi's mom. She used to babysit him. She'd tell stories about Poppi skipping school to go play with the hoodlums in the park. She'd see him and go stomping over there and bring him back to the school by his ear-- literally. I think he still has one ear that droops lower than the other."
"Okay, I can see where that would work with a kid Lucas' age but a teenager. No way would he take the embarrassment in front of his friends." Lucky shakes his head.
Nikolas waves Lucky off. "You do if she has a pistol and isn't afraid to use it."
"Oh wow-- you're kidding right?" Em and Elizabeth's exclamations blend into one.
Nik shakes his head no. "I would not... mess with Granny Sophia."
"Perhaps we should invite her up her to meet with your father." Stefan tells Lucky wryly.
"Oh no. Bad idea." Maddy interjects. "They would totally get along. Although she could probably drink him under the table. But if your Dad ever cheated at cards around her..."
"The woman holds a grudge." Nik remembers. "One of the grannies got kicked out of the mahjongg game for that."
"Granny Sophia never spoke to her again." Maddy grabs the carton with the broccoli beef and adds a bit to her plate. She sneaks a piece to Cinnamon under the table.
"Okay second question how did you end up staying here?"
"Well Lucky and I are here because of the press was all over the bike shop but you knew that one already."
"And Niknik got me put in Saturday school for talking to him on the cell phone in the library... it was while you were missing-- actually the day you were rescued. Aunt Dara freaked and started saying things like quit working, while you're under my roof blah, blah, blah..."
Liz and Lucky both wince at that one. "Been there, done that-- got the tshirt."
"Haven't we all." Em shudders. The Qs specialized on that line when they were in the mood to be parental.
"So I said fine-- easy solution I won't be under your roof. I told Nik he owed me... in fact you suggested it, Em. You asked me back when it happened if there was anyone who owed me a favor. Nik had no problem with me staying here..."
"Other than her providing a distraction to the graveyard crew."
"Well other than that. And you threatened to have them all beheaded if they got out of line so they backed right off. His only condition was that nobody could see his project until the grand unveiling at Halloween. I could live with that."
Stefan eases back in his chair a bit and looks around the table. Here were five animated young people exchanging ideas, gossip. Sharing laughter over a meal out of cartons and he glances over at Nik. Guilt strikes him. Nikolas had missed out on this being raised on the island in isolation. Lucky normally so angry and wooden in his presense was joking and... witty. Emily and Elizabeth so american and outgoing. And then there was Madeliene. The tragedy in New Orleans had created a bond between her and Nikolas. Now they have their own inside communications, shared memories. There had been many times over the years in Port Charles when he'd regretted bringing Nikolas and exposing him to the pain of the family history but he couldn't regret tonight.
"Mr C, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Madeliene. Just... wool gathering and enjoying this fine meal."
"One of my customers recommended the restaurant. It's a hole in the wall place that doesn't deliver outside of Chinatown."
Lucky pops off with the name.
"Yes. From the looks of the place I didn't think that anyone who wasn't chinese knew about it?!" Maddy leans in.
"Robin Scorpio had a lot of ties down in Chinatown but that was ages ago. I didn't know the place was still open. I was just guessing." Lucky explains.
"Who is Robin Scorpio?" Maddy looks around the table.
"She is the police commissioner's niece. She is studying medicine in France." Nik explains.
"She comes back to town now about once a year... just for the Nurses ball." Liz adds. "She is normally the keynote speaker. Her first boyfriend died of AIDS."
"How awful." Maddy says.
"General Hospital and Lucy Coe have done very good work raising funds for research and the care of people suffering from HIV." Stefan says quietly. "Finding a cure is an obsession to Ms Coe, and not being a doctor or a scientist, she does what she can and does it well." Stefan looks over at Nik. "In fact it wouldn't surprise me if she were contacting us soon." Nik nods.
"Why?" Maddy looks from Stefan to Nik.
"Every year Lucy finds someone to underwrite the cost of the ball so that all the money raised can go to the places where it's needed. The Cassadines have backed it before as have the Jacks, The Quartermines."
"You know who hasn't yet?" Emily looks around the table. "Amanda Barrington. Her crew shows up and acts like they're hot snot and looking down their nose at everyone but I swear that woman is so tight she squeaks. Amanda drives Grandmother nuts. Grandmother gets a headache after five minutes with her."
"Really." Maddy's eyes narrow. "I can fix that." Nikolas chokes. Lucky slaps him on the back. "I told you to watch out for the red peppers." Maddy says absently her mind racing and correlating the information she already has on Barrington Industries. "Em, we need to bring Carly in on this one. She has all the ammo from when she was doing time in the Guild."
"I like it." Em's eyes glow. "And Carly will love it. I'll talk to her tomorrow when I take Michael home from church."
"Actually I have some other things I need to talk to you about-- Liz, you want to come with?" Maddy rises to her feet. "Since I set the table that means you guys have to do clean up. We'll be back in a bit for coffee. Lucky, you make it. Nik's is too weak." Emily and Liz don't mind ducking out of KP and rise to their feet too. The three of them go down to the basement.
"Anyone afraid right now?" Nik says as the door shuts.
"Be very afraid." Lucky agrees. Stefan decides to hold his own counsel. Lucky sees the dog dish on the floor that he'd missed when he came in earlier. Gathering up the cartons he dumps the leftovers into the dish. Cinnamon who had been under the table is at the dish before he's dumped the first carton. "There-- I took care of the leftovers. You guys get to do the dishes."
Jerry is out on the back patio of the Brownstone. He takes a deep breath and then another one. He really was going to have to go biblical on his brother. Cain and Abel came to mind. "I wonder what the schools are like in Iceland?" He mutters. He and Bobbie had, had a good time there on their honeymoon but like every vacation sooner or later you had to come back to real life. But if this was real life his parents would be long gone to Alaska or camping on Jax' doorstep not his.
"Jerry?"
"Yeah, mum."
Jane gathers her sweater about her against the evening chill in the air. "We aren't trying to drive you crazy truly." She hesitates. "It's just that your father isn't getting any younger and... I have grandchildren here-- a great grandchild-- a new daughter. I want to be able to enjoy them while I still can."
"You don't have a chance in hell of enjoying the great grandkids and you are setting yourself up to think you will. You're setting me up. Putting me in the middle of this one. I've retired from being your front man."
"Edward seems to have worked his way out of the doghouse. Please Jerry..." Jane pleads. "Jax knows he stepped in it. But don't your father and I deserve a chance?"
"It's too risky. I love you, Lady Jane and Dad too. But you know what? I respect Carly's decision on this one. She has sound reasons for the way she feels even if she takes it to extreme."
"I respect it too, believe me, Jerry, I really do. I remember the time when we were in the opal fields in Australia and Jax wandered off with that abo boy. He was just a little boy and he could have so easily...." Jane realizes that Jerry is staring off into the distance not listening. She bites her lip. "I just did it again."
"You want to know what I was doing while Jax was going on walkabout?" Jerry says quietly his voice eerily calm. "I was in town, or what passed for one in that hellhole, stealing licorice and matchbox cars for the golden boy so he wouldn't have to do without. That sounded bitter, didn't it? And I'm not. I'm really not. I'm resigned, mum. I'm used to it. But Carly isn't. She hasn't heard all the old stories... every one of them would be fresh to her. Have you ever talked Monica about AJ? Carly's husband? They've had their rocky road-- leveled out some after they got married. But AJ didn't get his stuff together until he found out he was a dad. The man you saw at the horseshow is very different from the boy that went before. But I bet you don't hear Monica talking about AJ. It's always Jason this and Jason that. Carly hears that too. She tolerates it better cause she cares about the brain damaged thug but you've seen the relationship she has with Monica."
Jane winces. She'd been at the mansion the night that Carly had decked Monica in the foyer. And John had a checkup the day after Carly and Monica had gotten into it at Wyndams. While Monica had been the perfect physician with John when they'd gone for coffee later Monica had been vitrolic in her hatred of Carly. "Can't Monica see how counterproductive she is being?"
"Can you? Stay or go as you like, Lady Jane. But leave Carly out of it. Leave me out it. Someday Carly may trust... no... test you, but she'll do it on her own schedule and pushing her will only set her heels in harder. That's all I'll say on the matter." Jerry goes back into the house. John is sitting with Lucas listening with interest about his riding exploits. Jerry goes into the kitchen where Bobbie is transferring the dinner to serving plates.
"Is everything okay?"
"Lets just get this over with, please." Jerry says impatiently. He exhales and rubs a hand over his forehead. "I'm sorry, Red. I didn't mean to snap. It's just... nothing ever changes."
"They're trying, sweetheart."
"They're trying too hard. I feel like the bad seed yet again for not giving them what they want. But they want the impossible and they want it now." Jerry picks up the platter with the roast on it and brings it into the dining room where Bobbie had set a pretty table. Jane comes in from the back. Bobbie brings in the side dishes and call everyone to the table. After everyone is seated and compliments given to Bobbie all begin to dish up. Jerry decides to get the conversational ball rolling. "So Dad-- How do you know Sophia Moriz?"
John who'd been reaching for a pat of butter for his roll (the one little luxury that he sacrificed to have on his diet) instead sends the pat of butter flying across the table. "Who did you say?" He asks in a strangled voice.
"Sophia Moriz. She remembers you." Jerry gets a glint in his eye.
John clears his throat and growls low. "That's really not suitable dinner conversation."
"Really?" Jerry pushes it. "She seems like a grand old broad to me. Not an advocate of married life, is convinced it ruins a man."
"Sophia Moriz... why does that sound familiar?" Bobbie wrinkles her forehead. The memory is on the tip of her tongue. "I know I've heard that name before... oh. OH. Nevermind." Bobbie decides to change the subject right freaking now. "So, Lucas, when will your boots be ready?"
Maddy is the first one up from the basement followed closely by Liz and Em. She is careful when pushing the door open, Cinnamon groans and gets up away from the door. "Sorry pup." Maddy scratches behind the dog's ears. Maddy looks around the kitchen, it's put to rights not perfectly but good enough. There was no way she was going to clean up after these guys. Pick up once and you're picking up after them forever. Lisette had given her that piece of advice and since she'd been the one who'd ended picking up after Lisette and her various boyfriends Maddy knew exactly how that one worked. Lucky, Nik and Stefan all have their heads together and that stops Maddy in her tracks. Liz and Em stop behind craning around to see what the deal is. "What is wrong with this picture?" Maddy whispers to them.
Liz's eyes go wide. "Too many things to count. Luke would freak."
"We should take a picture..." Em suggests in a whisper back. "'Cause nobody would believe this."
Stefan looks over. "Ladies, your timing is fortuitious."
Maddy goes over to the kitchen counter and pours herself a cup of coffee offering to Liz and Emily. The guys already had their own covered. "Should my ears be burning?"
Lucky pulls out a chair for Liz next to him. Em and Maddy slide into their own chairs. "Yep."
Stefan looks around the table. "Let me keep the unpleasantness brief. If Madeliene decides to go into detail it is her choice. Madeliene came to Port Charles because there was agent attempting to leverage her into giving information about an associate of hers. This agent has come to Port Charles. As far as we know, he has no knowledge of of her whereabouts and the longer it remains that way the better..." Stefan looks around the table and sees that he has everyone's full attention.
"Cute kid."
Jason looks up at the man standing in the doorway of the motorcycle shop. "Can I help you?"
"I saw a sign outside... said there was a room for rent."
"It's nothing special." Jason says honestly.
"I don't need anything special. Just a place to crash."
"For how long?"
The guy shrugs. "Depends on the job prospects around here. Could be a year, could be month, could be a week. Not what a landlord likes to hear I know but I'm just being straight. I got enough to put a couple months down."
"Let me show it to you. If you don't like it, we've got nothin' to talk about." Jason goes over to the bank keys on the wall and grabs the one for the upstairs apartment. He piggy backs Michael up to the second floor. The prospective tenant follows behind them. Jason unlocks the door and steps out of the way. The guy walks into the room ducking through the doorway. The furniture would have made the spartans proud; they were so basic.
He whistles. "Let me guess, the last tenant was an artist."
"His girlfriend is. If you don't like it I don't care if you paint over it. Elizabeth has plenty more." Jason says from the door.
"It'll work. How much?" Jason names off a price. The guy peels off some bills from a wad in his pocket offering it to Jason. "I'm Jason Morgan. I'll be your landlord."
"I'm Richard Roberts. I guess that makes me your tenant. People call me Rick." Ricky extends a hand.
"Welcome to Port Charles.... Rick. Don't apply for a job at the coffee warehouse. Because if you do then you're going to have to explain what you're really doing here. And why you didn't check in with Sonny the first thing when you hit town." Jason tosses Rick the keys.
"It's got nothing to do with business. It's a family matter." Rick says flatly as he one hands the keys in midair.
"Yeah, I've heard that before... fairly recently." Jason shuts the door and leaves back down the stairs.
Ricky pulls out his cell phone and calls his father. "You could say I'm batting about .500 up here. The investigator for the Cassadines' lawyer got the info on the fed. And Jason Morgan made me in about 30 seconds. I guess it wasn't total BS about him being the human polygraph. Where do you want me? On Larkin or on Maddy? Really? That might take a couple of days. I'll check in." Ricky shuts the cell phone and looks around the room. "Gees what a dump." Next stop was going to have to be some kind of supercenter for the biggest damn space heater he could find.