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When Cassadines Fall
Making do
Nik slowly wakes. He glances around the room. Liz and Lucky were crashed out on the floor with one of Granny Sophia's crochet afghans over them. Maddy is cuddled up next to him on the couch both of them laying together with their feet in a tangle. With nothing better to do the night before and with no sign of the white stuff desisting they'd thrown themselves into movie night. Elizabeth had picked up a marathon of John Cusack movies: The Sure Thing, Say Anything, The Grifters, Grosse Point Blank, and High Fidelity. Maddy had fallen asleep somewhere in the middle of High Fidelity. A good movie but rather talkie.
Cinnamon sticks her nose in his face. "You want out, pup?"
Her tail starts going about a million miles an hour. Nik eases out from under Maddy making sure that she is covered by another of the afghans. Maddy sighs in protest, her forehead wrinkling up. Nik brushes a hand over her forehead smoothing away the tension. He walks with the dog to the kitchen, letting her out the back door. Nik flips the coffee pot to now rather than later while he is waiting for Cinnamon to come back in.
Maddy comes into the kitchen wrapped in the colorful afghan, she rubs the sleep from her eyes. "What time is it?"
"About 5am." Nik says quietly.
Maddy groans. She looks out the window. The snow had started again last night after dinner and looks like it kept up all through the night. The snow shimmers where the streetlights hit it. "Does this mean another snow day?"
"I doubt it." Nik tells her. "The first day is always a surprise. A day to work the bugs out. After that things go on as usual unless there is a snow emergency... white out conditions."
"I wonder if the tutor would be willing to teleconference?" Maddy yawns. The sound of coffee dripping is slowly waking her up. This was close to her normal workday waking hour anyway. Cinnamon scratches to get in. Maddy gets up from the table and lets her in. Cinnamon sits on the back rug and holds out a paw. "Youse a smart girl, eh?" Maddy grabs the rag and starts drying the dog's paws.
Lucky comes into the kitchen drawn by the coffee. He pours himself the first cup and takes a sip and then with a sigh pours everyone else a cup. "I built up the fire in the fireplace. You don't need it in here but it's kinda nice anyway."
"So what's the almanac got to say about this one?" Maddy asks him as she retakes her seat tucking the afghan around her so only her hand is exposed... and that is wrapped around her coffee cup.
"Is there a winter version of an Ark?" Lucky quips.
"No, no, no." Maddy moans. "I don't have time for this. I have things to do. The tutor is already doubling up on me and Emily because of taking time off to go to New Orleans and then her plans to go to Italy." She takes a deep breath. "Okay, pity party over. You're serious? It's going to be a long, cold one?"
"Yep. Great for the snowboarders and icefishermen." Lucky says cheerfully.
"Well I'm glad someone will be happy." Maddy looks out the back window. It really is beautiful. She'd love to just sit here all day and watch it. "Okay, you two are the experts. What do we do to get ready? For hurricanes we stock up on the canned foods, bottled water and toilet paper-- ice and bug block. What do you guys do?"
Lucky and Nik look at each other and shrug. "It never lasts that long." Nik tells her. "There is always a break in there somewhere to get stocked up."
"Yeah, and this is it. Today." Maddy reaches for her dayminder and finds a clean page. "A gallon of chili only goes so far." She starts off her list with 50 pounds of dog food.
Lucky reads from the other side of the table. "Add 50 pounds of cat litter to that."
"We don't have a cat."
"It's great for traction if you get stuck and to put weight in the back of vehicles. That's the problem with pick ups and vans. No weight in the back." Lucky tells her.
Maddy adds it to the list. "Okay, and I'll pick up extra coffee from the warehouse. What else?"
"Batteries." Liz says from the door. "To keep the radio going and any other appliances you can't do without." She goes over to the coffee pot and pours herself some and then comes over to sit on Lucky's lap. "The roofs are steep enough you don't have to worry about snow accumulating on them. Flat roofs..." She shakes her head. "Wasn't there a shopping mall that lost part of their roof from the weight of the snow a few years back? Larry insulated the pipes right?"
Nik nods. "And redid the roof and windows. The house is... tight. I'll contact Mrs Lansbury and have her fax me a suggested grocery list."
"I need to get going." Maddy glances at the clock. "It's going to take me longer on the route."
"Tell you what... why don't I go with you?" Liz offers. "I have to open Kelly's today. Tammy ran it solo yesterday. The curse of living where you work. You can drop me off. I have classes on campus from noon to three today."
"I'll pick you up at the PCU kiosk after your last class is done." Maddy makes a note in the dayminder. "I need to figure out how much propane each kiosk went through yesterday and the day before and get stocked up on that." She is still muttering plans to herself as she goes down in the basement to get showered and changed.
"That's my cue." Liz tells the guys. "Can't lose my ride." She bundles up in her winter gear to walk to the carriage house.
"They're overreacting, right?" Nik asks Lucky.
"Well Prince, you're flying solo this year-- sort of. No minions to take care of the details. Better to be safe than sorry. I'm okay with a gallon of chili and a subzero sleeping bag but somehow I don't think Elizabeth and Maddy will feel the same."
"Looks like we're going shopping today." Nik shakes his head. "You give me a lift out to see Sheba? I don't want to risk the jag when I can't see the ruts in Carly's road."
"Yeah, I can do that."
"Oh dear." Mrs Lansbury pauses in midpour of Stefan's morning tea.
"Is there a problem, Mrs Lansbury?" Stefan looks up over his half glasses from the morning faxes.
"No, sir. Just something that occurred to me." Mrs Lansbury completes her tasks and goes back into the kitchen area. This is not good. Not good at all. When Master Nikolas had requested a grocery list be faxed to him she'd faxed him her quarterly grocery list. A list designed for Wyndemere and the educated palates of those who reside within. A list designed for a gourmand chef! And while Master Nikolas has the palate, like Miss Alexis, his only skill in the kitchen is microwave popcorn. "This is not good-- not good at all."
First at the cottage and now at his new abode, Master Nikolas had refused any servants. "What am I going to do? Maybe the other children know how to cook." She wishes hopefully and then shakes her head. She wasn't familiar with Miss Webber but suspected that while Mr Lucky might not starve he'd be more interested in pizza or burgers. Master Nikolas told her that they'd been eating chili from the diner heated up in the crock pot. Chili!
Mrs L goes to her workstation back in the kitchen and grabs her address book. Constantly aware of the possibility of spies in the household, her book is in a cypher she learned fifty years ago while attached to the RAF in Greece. She tracks down the number she seeks. "Mrs Moriz, you don't know me. My name is Averille Lansbury; I work for...."
" ...those nice Cassadine boys. What can I do for you, Mrs L? And call me Miz Sophia; everyone does. I was just watching the weather channel. Y'all have a foot of snow?! My poor Maddy!"
Mrs L can hear the shiver in Miz Sophia's voice just thinking about it. "Twenty inches in spots... Miz Sophia, where it didn't melt from the day before."
"How can y'all stand it?"
"Years of practice." Mrs L quips wryly. "You're aware Miss Madeliene is staying at Master Nikolas' house?"
"Sure. Talked to them both last week."
"I might be asking out of turn." Mrs Lansbury hesitates.
"Sugar, there are no stupid questions just dumbass answers."
"It's just that Master Nikolas has requested my assistance in provisioning his household but he doesn't... cook and I doubt his brother does either."
"Well they are in a pickle, aren't they?" Sophia laughs. "And you want to know if Maddy cooks. 'Course she does. The question isn't can she-- but will she. If you know my Maddy at all you know she doesn't turn down meals. She's got the metabolism of a hummingbird. But the bloom of cookin' and cleanin' up after folks wore off years ago. I suggest you buy your boy a cookbook. She might teach him enough not to starve but she won't spoonfeed him. Those boys' mama ought to be shot for letting them out of the house not knowing how to fend for themselves."
"Well. It's not my place to say." Mrs L says coldly.
"Don't get me wrong." Miz Sophia tells her hurriedly. "Nikolas is a sweet boy to have around. And he's smart. He'll figure it out soon enough. You'll never hear a bad word from me about him. Fact is I'll give him a call tonight and talk him through anything he wants to fix. And you keep my number, hon, 'cause anything you feel it isn't your place to say I'll pass along quick enough and nobody will be the wiser."
Stefan stops at the nurses station to collect his messages. An earlier call from Nikolas had indicated that he wouldn't be into the hospital today since most of the volunteers either already knew their assignment or had cancelled due to weather. "Barbara."
"Stefan." Bobbie doesn't look up from her charting. Yesterday she'd ended up working twelve after being scheduled for only eight. Lucas and Jerry had hung out helping out where they could but sure enough she'd been up to her ears in fractures, dislocations and heart attacks. And the second shift had been slow to arrive not having the benefit of police escort. Today was looking to be the same.
Stefan picks up the rest of his files and steps away from the nurses station. "Dr Quartermaine."
Monica turns to look at the CEO of the hospital. "Stefan."
"I understand we're shorthanded and have been since this... gift from the heavens. Please instruct personnel to contact the temp agencies and have perdiem staff called in to cover the additional workload."
"Bobbie." Monica calls out.
"On it." Bobbie calls back already picking up the phone.
"Have you an additional suggestions, Stefan?"
"I suggest you postpone all your non surgical related commitments or refer them to me until this meteorological crisis has past. Your presence is needed where you can't be replaced." Stefan walks away.
"That sonofabitch." Monica fumes to Bobbie. She says in a snooty snotty voice. "Where you can't be replaced." Before returning to her own angry tones. "Who does he think he is?!"
"Someone who can't do heart surgery?" Bobbie quips. "Let him count beans. You hate the paperwork anyway."
Stefan enters his office and takes a seat in the big chair. He calls to the front desk. "Is Dr Collins in the building?" He hangs up after hearing the reply. He strokes his beard and narrows his eyes. This was a difficult situation, quite the quandry. It would be better for all concerned if Madeliene's friend's stay at the VA hospital is a lengthy one. She'd grown quite attached to the animal, Cinnamon. If he was to return then Madeliene would lose the one protector she allows herself. But he had no doubts that if Madeliene discovered any intervention on his part that reprisals would be swift. Perhaps the VA had already made their decision. Stefan picks up the phone and dials Kevin's extention. "Dr Collins, I would appreciate a moment of your time."
Mrs Lansbury hesitates at the entrance to the bookstore at the mall. She straightens her already perfect posture and takes a deep breath. The store manager sees her hesitating by the door and comes over. "Can I help you?"
In for a pence in for a pound. "Yes, You may. I would like to purchase a cookbook please. Suitable for an absolute beginner."
"A children's cookbook?"
"No. A young man out on his own. He has very sophisticated tastes but..."
"Has never stepped foot in a kitchen." The manager laughs. "I was that guy once. Come on I'll show you our selection." He leads her over to two banks of books. "There is something for everyone in here." He pulls out two hefty hardbacks. "These two are considered the bibles: Joy of Cooking and Betty Crocker. The Betty Crocker is easier to read and has more pictures but I like the variety of recipes in Joy of Cooking. About anything he could think of making would be in this book. If he discovers it likes cooking then there is a variety of speciality books." The manager runs a thumb along the shelf that has a variety of different cuisines and styles of preparation.
"I'll take these two please and..." Mrs Lansbury reaches around the manager to grab an interesting title. Crockpot Cooking "This one. I know he has a crockpot. Now if you could point me toward the Mysteries? Considering the weather I should probably stock up."
"What the hell is arugula?" Lucky looks at the faxed list as he pushes the grocery cart down the aisle. "And why would you want to eat it?"
"Salad." Nik tells him. There is a crush of people at the store all with the same idea. He checks out some of the carts to see what people are stocking up on. Seems that hurricane supplies and winter weather emergency grocery lists are very similar: Bottled water, TP, canned foods, batteries.
"Feta cheese? Isn't that like made out of goat's milk or something?" Lucky reads off another item. "Where is the velvetta? You can't make a decent grilled cheese sandwich without velvetta. Man, this list sucks. There isn't anything on here you need for emergency rations. Where are the cookies and crackers? The jerky? Chips? She didn't even put popcorn on the list. Brownie mix, a guy could live on brownies alone.... nope, not on the list. No Dinty Moore, no Spam, not even any Ragu."
"Lucky, get your own cart." Nik sighs. "I'm sure between your notion of emergency supplies and Mrs Lansbury's we won't starve." He takes the list from Lucky and control of the cart. "I'll meet you up front."
Lucky shrugs. "Sounds like a plan." He strides off to the front where the number of carts are diminishing rapidly as the day goes on and more and more people crowd into the store. He sees a pair of familiar faces as he nears the front. "Hey Cuz. Michael."
"Lucky!" Michael hollars.
"Looks like you had the same idea."
"You, me and the rest of Port Charles." Lucky says ruefully. "I'm surprised AJ isn't here. Liz and Maddy pushed this off on us."
"I knew I liked those girls." Carly tucks Michael into the cart and fastens him in. She goes for the frozen food aisle first. AJ still specialized in microwave on his nights to cook but had graduated to frozen pizza. Lucky trails after her grabbing similar items.
"Nik and I went up to the stables first thing this morning to check on the horses. You're going to have to do something about that road. It's fine for summer... even spring and fall. But I almost ended up in the pasture."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Carly rolls her eyes. Not admitting that she'd parked at the Spa and walked up to the stables for exactly the same reason. "I already heard about it from the feed delivery guy. He told me if I don't get the drive fixed I a) have to pay for his transmission that he almost left on the bottom of the hill and b) he'll start just dumping the stuff at the bottom and I'll have to get it up to the stables myself."
"Knowing how you feel about driving I'm surprised you're out."
"I borrowed a driver from ELQ. He left the limo at the house, and he's driving my SUV." Carly admits. They make the turn up the canned food aisle. Here the pickings are slim but more items are added to both carts. "So where is The Prince?"
"Around here someplace. He's working from a list Mrs Lansbury gave him." Lucky rolls his eyes. "Arugula and Feta cheese."
"Ew. Isn't that like goat cheese or something?"
"That's what I said." They'd made it to the breakfast food aisle. Lucky adds some poptarts and fruit loops to his cart. Carly adds a box of grits and packets of flavored cream of wheat that Michael likes for breakfast. They methodically go through the store picking out items to suit their individual tastes but adding when they see something interesting that the other picked up. Eventually they end up at the front of the store with mounded carts and meet up with Nik. The time in line might take longer than the actual shopping. Lucky and Nik let Carly get in line before them. Carly reaches for one of the tabloids.
"Well Virginia would be happier than heck about this one." Carly holds it up to the guys. "Elvis abducted by Aliens and fathering a generation for colonization of the stars." Michael starts reaching for candy right there by the check out. Carly gets to it first. She grabs a thing of Starburst. Ripping the package open she gives one to Michael, takes one for herself and then offers it to the guys.
Liz looks around the PCU kiosk. Class had let out a little early so she'd headed to the library to get the books she needed that weren't on reserve and grabbed a latte to wait for Maddy. The van pulls up on the access road next to the kiosk. Maddy climbs out of the van by the sliding side door. Cinnamon tails after her. She goes to the back and grabs a cannister of propane to swap out at the kiosk. "Hey! Howzit going?" Liz asks.
"Not bad. I think I'm getting good at this winter driving thing."
"Just takes a few days to get back in the habit." Liz agrees. "Anything I can help you with?"
"Sure, you find out what supplies the kiosk is running low on so I can get them stocked up?"
Liz does a quick conference with the attendant and then checks the back of Maddy's van. She grabs the necessary items. By the time she is back with them, Maddy has changed the propane cannisters, scanned the journal and done the money pickup. They are soon on the road. "You got anything special you have to do today?"
"Em wants to meet up at the mall after she gets done with Deception. Quick break to fill me, us, in on anything she didn't want to stay in front of Mr and Mrs Q. Also show off her new car."
"New Car?"
"Yep, present from her grandparents to celebrate the first snow or something. They want her off the Harley."
"Sounds reasonable to me. I never saw the appeal of picking bugs out of your teeth." Liz shudders. "Bugs period. And you know she was damn lucky that all she got out of dumping the bike was a broken ankle. She could have been serious road rash."
"You know we should make the girls put this stuff away." Lucky grunts as he hauls in bags and more bags of stuff dumping them on the dining room table before going out for another load.
"That would be fair." Nik agrees dumping his stuff on the counter. "But who knows when they'll be back." Soon all the groceries are in the house. The guys stare at all the bags. This was going to be worse than picking the stuff out. There is a knock on the door that delays their torture. Nik opens it up. "Mrs Lansbury."
"My apologies, Master Nikolas, after I faxed you the list I realized that it was my list. My list for Wyndemere. And the items on it are designed for a household with a fulltime chef."
"I told you so." Lucky rubs it in.
Mrs Lansbury comes into the house and sees the disaster of grocery bags. With a sigh she hangs up her coat then sets her pocketbook and bag from the bookstore on the dining room table. "I see you need my assistance."
Lucky reaches into one of his bags. "See this is emergency supplies." He holds up the box of brownie mix.
Mrs Lansbury shudders. This is worse than she thought. Go with it, Averille. She reminds herself. She takes the box from Lucky and reads the back of it. "Yes, But Mr Lucky did you pick up... eggs and vegetable oil?" She doesn't even want to look at the ingredient list of the powdered mix. Next time she goes to the mall she was going to pick up some nice multivitamins for the lot of them.
"Ah hell." Lucky realizes he hadn't.
"I did." Nik holds up both items. "They were on Mrs Lansbury's list."
"So you bought both lists?" Mrs L. starts poking through bags.
"Well I didn't exactly have a list." Lucky admits. "I was just going by memory."
Mrs L. starts reorganizing things. She holds a couple bags out to Lucky. "Freezer. Master Nikolas, you do have a freezer?"
"Basement." Nik tells her. Lucky takes the bags downstairs. He takes the next series of bags from Mrs L-- all stuff that needs to go into the fridge. Lucky comes back upstairs in short order.
"Mr Lucky, you need to sort through these and decide what is going out to the carriage house for immediate consumption..." Mrs Lansbury directs him. "... and what needs to stay in the house for storage." Lucky pulls out his poptarts, some of the chips, and sandwich supplies. Mrs Lansbury opens up all the cupboards to see how they were organized. Grabbing bag after bag she starts putting things away. Not wanting to get in the way of a good system, Lucky makes a pot of coffee and grabs a bag of imported shortbread cookies that were on Mrs L's list. He figures that since she had them on her list-- she must like them. Once everything is put away, he grabs Mrs Lansbury by the waist and seats her at the kitchen table. He pours her a cup of coffee and puts the bag of cookies in front of her. "I can get that..." Mrs Lansbury protests.
"Heck no. You put everything away." Lucky nudges Nik.
"You've been an incredible help, Mrs Lansbury." Nik agrees.
"Only one thing left to do." Mrs Lansbury holds out her hand. The guys look at her blankly. "May I have your receipts please?" Nik grabs them from the counter and hands them to her. With the skill of long practice, Mrs Lansbury takes the notebook that had been left sitting on the table and opens it to a clean page. Using the combined receipts as a guide she starts planning menus. The guys take seats across from her not saying a word just watching as she compares the receipts and writes furiously. Her concentration is total as she absently reaches out and takes a cookie. "There." She goes to take a sip of coffee and realizes the cup is empty. Nik grabs it from her and refills it. He gives it back and then takes his seat again. "These are suggested menus with the items you purchased. Each one is designed to make sure that dietary needs are met. That includes fruits and vegetables, Mr Lucky." Mrs L tells him sternly. "Man does not live by poptarts alone."
"They're vitamin fortified." Lucky says defensively.
Mrs L. just shudders. She opens up the book bag and sets the contents on the table between her and the boys. "The man at the bookstore told me this is all you'll need for a starting point. Master Nikolas, you know I do very little actual cooking at Wyndemere. It is not my function. However if you need my assistance in preparing any of these menus please do feel free to call either me or Miz Moriz. She has already volunteered to talk you through whatever you are fixing."
"You talked to Granny Sophia?" Nik wonders.
"This morning after I realized my error." Mrs L nods. "I was hoping that perhaps it would be mitigated if Miss Madeliene knew how to cook."
"Maddy doesn't cook anything that doesn't have alcohol in it." Nik grins.
"Yes, well there are a few such items in the menus. There are also a few meals in here that can be made up in the crockpot. You'll see the advantage of that soon enough." Mrs Lansbury rises to her feet and gathers her things. "You'll call me if you need assistance?"
"First thing. Thanks for this." Nik pats the menus. "Maybe you should do the same thing for Alexis. Just in case they can't get from the gatehouse to the Quartermaine Mansion."
Mrs Lansbury closes her eyes and sighs. She sees another trip to the bookstore in her proximate future. "Perhaps I should."