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The Quintessential Q
Chapter Thirty Six
Edward
Monica pulls into the garage and looks around. Em's motorcycle is gone. "Damn that girl." She strides into the house Calling out for Reggie to no avail. She searches the study, Lila's room but no one seems to be home. "She waited until everyone was gone and decided to ditch restriction. So much for getting off early for good behavior. Monica reaches for the phone on the desk in the study and calls Alan at the clinic. "Alan, Emily isn't home."
"Do you know where she is?" Alan asks concerned.
"Nobody is home!" Monica replies disgustedly. "And there were no notes left by anyone: Edward, Lila... Reggie!"
"Let me call my service. If there is no message from her there I'll head to the mansion. I don't think there is any reason to panic yet. The fact that Mother and Reginald aren't there is a good sign. She could be with them."
"Alan, the damn motorcycle is gone too. That was my first clue."
"I'm on my way."
Emily and Edward sit companionably on a bench at the Elm Street pier. Emily digs into the brown bag that Johnny had sent out with her and hands Edward his coffee first. "Here."
Edward takes a sip and snorts. "Decaf."
"You know Grandmother doesn't like you drinking coffee after six. It keeps you up at night and then you're grumpy the next day." Emily lectures even as she pulls out the desserts. She mutters under her breath. "Although I have no idea how she could tell."
"I heard that." Edward reaches into the bag for the fork Johnny had sent along and takes a bite of the apple cranberry strudel. He moans and then covers it with a cough and a disparaging comment. "Not as good as his mother's." Edward leans back against the bench and stretches his legs out. He looks out over the docks project. The cranes were going 24/7 now. Profits were up. He'd torn AJ a new one over that land sea crane. The damn thing was too big for all but the biggest of ships. And the biggest of ships didn't come here, they went to Newport, Rhode Island or down to the shipyards in Norfolk, Virginia. Well they used to go there. Navigating the Charles River was tricky for the bigger ships but the pay off was no wait to offload. Something the big companies thought they were keeping secret from each other. Ha. Edward relishes another bite. Success fed his sweet tooth just as much as the confections.
Emily looks over the lights of the waterfront. It was good to be free. She sighs and takes a deep breath of the fall crisp air. She breaks the silence with an offer. "Do you want a bite of this one, Grandfather?"
"Maybe just a taste." Edward accepts greedily. Emily offers the container to Edward and he takes a small bite. "Hmm what's that?"
"Pumpkin cake with cream cheese." Emily rolls down the brown bag to save the extra dessert. Edward would be craving something sweet later. They enjoy the night air and the prominade of people down at the waterfront. Already the makeup of the people was changing. There were more couples, fewer bums. Grandfather didn't need to know that Sonny and Jason policed the docks better than the PCPD ever could. They didn't want any activity down on the docks that might draw attention to Sonny's business. Emily and Edward finish their desserts and Emily throws away the containers. She and Edward rise and walk the prominade sipping their coffees as they go. The site is closed down for the night. Emily keeps up a running dialogue of the shops that have expressed interest and tries to picture where they would fit in to the project. She strings her free arm through the crook of Edward's.
"I talked to Carly tonight." Edward says gruffly.
"Oh." Emily says basically as a filler as a million things flood her mind. What did Carly say?
"You should have told me you and Katherine weren't getting along."
"Grandfather, the only person Katherine has ever gotten along with is you." Emily says flatly. "And that is 'cause she says what you want to hear."
"I didn't want to hear that you assaulted her and trashed her Mercedes."
Emily shrugs. "To quote Bart Simpson-- I didn't do it, nobody saw me, you can't prove it."
"Well two out three isn't bad." Edward retorts sharply. "Emily, it was inappropriate. You can't take things into your own hands that way."
"Grandfather, I'm done being a push over." Emily finishes her coffee and throws the cup away in a nearby container. "I know you want to protect me. Everyone tries to protect me: Ned, Carly even Alan and Monica. I'm growing up. I have to start fighting my own battles. And that means making sure that people who think of crossing me know there will be payback."
"But taking the law in your own hands..." Edward starts reprovingly
"Is a Quartermaine family tradition." Emily interrupts. "You were proud of the way I used the information Carly gave me to take a piece of Deception. But that set things in motion. Katherine wasn't happy to lose. Anymore than you were happy when she sold you out to AJ. But at least it got ELQ back into the hands of the family."
"True." Edward admits falling silent. "But I still don't like it. Damnit Emily, if you're getting into fights I want to know about it. There's a pattern here I don't like: Dorman, that Tom fellow, now fighting with Katherine. I understand why your mother is concerned about your friendship with Carly and your hoodlum brother."
"Grandfather, you've taught me it is better to have power than be powerless. Dorman and Tom could use me because I was powerless--young, trusting, naive. Katherine thought she could get away with what she did, what she said, because she was dealing with a kid. Well I might still be young but I'm not so trusting or naive anymore. I'm growing up."
"I suppose it sounds hypocritical to tell you to not grow up too fast considering all the things that have happened in the family since you became my granddaughter?" Edward asks almost wistfully.
"You're having a weak moment." Emily squeezes Edward's arm. "You love it when I play rough."
"Yeah, but I don't like it when you get hurt. I hate it when you get hurt."
"Taking my lumps now and then has gotten me where we are tonight-- strolling along a project we're working on together." Emily waves her free arm to encompass the prominade. Then she continues in a teasing voice. "And you trying to get me on the board of ELQ finally, even if you already did give Michael his stock in the company."
"That was AJ." Edward admits reluctantly.
"I know. He and Ned are the only ones who are really interested in the company. Alan and Monica are more invested in GH and the clinic. It wouldn't have occurred to them, until you gave the stock to Michael."
"Well that turned out to be a huge mistake." Edward admits.
"What was your first clue? Carly threatening to skin you alive?" Emily teases.
"That too." Edward mutters.
"I'll tell you what, Grandfather. If you still want to give me some shares when I turn eighteen, I'll do what I think is best for the company. But... but you have to know going in-- it's going to be what I think is best for the company. I'm not going to be anyone's puppet: not yours, Ned's nor AJ's. Can you live with that?"
"But you'll listen to what I have to say."
"Yep, And I bet that 90% of the time, I'll vote with you. But the other 10% of the time we're going to go tooth and nail."
"I'll look forward to it."
"Me too." Emily turns up the collar of her jacket. It is starting to pass cool into cold. "I think we should get home. I didn't have time to leave a note for anyone that we were going out."
"I'm going to talk to Alan and Monica about lifting your restriction." They turn around at the end of the prominade to make their way back to the motorcycle. "But I want your word ... if Katherine gives you any more trouble or puts a finger on you-- you tell me about it."
"I don't think that's going to be a problem." Em dismisses Katherine's ire.
"Your word." Edward insists.
"Okay, I promise." Emily hands Edward the spare helmet and puts a leg over on the bike. She starts it up and then slides forward allowing Edward to climb on behind her. He wraps an arm around her waist and she puts the bike in motion.
Reggie and Lila return from the theater. Reggie parks the Bentley in front of the house and comes around to help Lila from the car and into her chair. He holds the door for her as she sweeps into the foyer. They are greeted by a concerned Monica. "Is Emily with you?"
"No Dear. She was in her room working on homework when we left for the theater. Why?"
"Because she is not in her room now and her motorcycle is missing. I'm calling Taggart."
Reggie quirks an ear to the drive. "You might want to wait on that, Mrs Quartermaine, I think I hear her now."
"That girl is in so much trouble." Monica mutters. She waits in the foyer ready to ambush her wayward daughter as she enters. Emily strides in. She runs her hand through her hair to get rid of the helmet inprints. "Where have you been?" Monica demands. "I was about to call the police! Is this the way that I can trust you?"
Edward walks in after Emily running a hand over his own disheveled thinning hair. "Oh Monica, put a sock in it. The girl was with me."
"On her motorcycle?!"
"Why is everyone so surprised by that?" Edward mutters.
"Oh it doesn't surprise me, dear." Lila's eyes twinkle. "I have fond memories of you, picnics in the country and a sidecar."
"Lila!" Edward blushes. He puffs up and throws his shoulders back turning to Monica. "Emily is off of restriction as of tonight. She didn't do it, nobody saw her, and you can't prove it."
"How dare you!" Monica fumes at Edward's interference.
"You have a problem with Carly take it up with her. Don't take it out on Emily and use Katherine as an excuse."
"Father has a point, Monica." Alan says from the open doorway. He embraces Emily giving her a quick hug before stepping away to talk to his wife. "Carly makes AJ and Michael happy; she wasn't your first choice. She might not be in the top million but you aren't married to her-- AJ is and I don't see that changing in the foreseeable future."
"This isn't about that witch. It's about Emily."
"Is it?" Alan asks quietly.
"Et tu, Alan? Why am I not surprised? Fine. Emily, restriction lifted but if you ever leave this house without letting someone know where you are going don't expect that your father or grandfather is going to be able to sway me." Monica stomps off. Emily hugs Alan again, Edward, Lila and then Reggie.
"Free at last!" Emily races up the stairs.