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The Triumph Of AJ Quartermaine
The Way to Carly's Heart
"Hassan says that I'm a natural. That I picked out the best stuff he had. AJ, he showed me everything-- how to judge the carpets, how to take care of them, all the different styles, how to tell the Russian influences from the Turkish influences, all the different fibers, how to tell machine loomed from hand loomed, how to tell the close but no cigar fakes, by the way, if you ever let Luke into your study-- I'll have to kill the both of you. Hassan says that there are auctions and estate sales where you can get super rugs at a fraction of the price! It's like an investment."
"Well I can't believe he told you about the auctions and estate sales. I thought he would never let you out of the store."
"I can explain that. Michael was having such a good time with the rugs. He was petting them like one of his picture books and calling them pretty. Don't worry I made sure that his hands were clean. I told Hassan that I would like to get something for his room but know that it might very well get destroyed. I wouldn't want anything like that to happen to one of his rugs. Hassan says that he'll look over any carpet that I'm interested in or buy. That way he can tell me if I got ripped off or how I could have done better. Michael seemed to like the carved rugs the best-- the Chinese ones. You know the ones that have different height threads. But that might be hard for him to start walking on." Carly considers that thought as she automatically strings her hand through AJ's arm. "Hassan explained how he inventories his rugs so that I could write down the ones I liked at the store today. I told him I'd have to look at the house again, see if I can find the perfect spot for some of his other ones. Hassan is going to send me a catalogue. Can you believe that-- he has a catalogue?"
AJ laughs. "Has Hassan created a monster?"
Carly impulsively kisses AJ on the cheek. "Nope, you did that. What's next?"
"Well while my two sleeping beauties were out of last night I saw the name of this place over in SoHo in that Attractions in New York book..."
"SoHo." Carly drools.
"I take it that's a yes?" AJ teases.
Carly makes an assessing look at Michael who is wide awake and checking out all the sights from his stroller. "Okay, hell Yes, but only a couple more hours, then Michael is going to need a nap. I don't want him be too tired like he was yesterday."
"Then lets catch a cab." AJ waves down a cab that miraculously is not only available but that also stops. "You're in for an adventure now."
The penthouse--
Emily has been announced and enters where Sonny and Jason are both on the phone trying to track down Carly and AJ. Sonny sees Emily first and draws Jason's' attention to her. Sonny takes his cell phone into the kitchen with him leaving Jason and Emily alone.
"Is it true?"
"Yeah, AJ has Carly and Michael. I'm trying to find out where. AJ let Carly call home yesterday but she hasn't called since. I know that they're somewhere in New York. But AJ's been planning this awhile, he's covered his tracks. When Carly tried to tell me where they were, AJ hung up the phone."
"Is it true that AJ is Michael's biological father? And that you knew all along?"
"Yes."
"How could you! How could you swear before God that he was your son. It was a lie!" Emily starts to cry again. "You were the only person that never lied to me.... the only one."
Jason puts the phone down and leads Emily over to the couch sitting down next to her. "How many moms do you have?"
"What?" Emily considers Jason's question that appears to have come from left field. Then she replies hesitantly and quietly. "Two."
Jason nods. "Carly too, She had the mother that she was born with, Bobbie, and the one that raised her, Virginia."
"But Jason..."
Jason interrupts. "And Michael has two fathers: the one that he was conceived from, AJ, and the one that's going to raise him-- me. I didn't lie; Michael is my son, and I won't allow AJ to use Michael as a pawn to get his way with the family or with Carly."
Emily considers Jason's declaration. "Something is different this time."
"What do you mean?"
"AJ isn't involving the family in this. Grandfather has no idea where they are either. And I overheard AJ tell grandfather that he was planning on moving out of the mansion. That was the day before AJ left with Carly and Michael. Everything is so up in the air, I don't think that Grandfather even remembers AJ said that."
"Do you know where? Where AJ was planning on moving?"
Emily shakes her head no. "He didn't say. Only that he was planning on having Carly decorate the house for him. Then they went into the study and I didn't hear anything more."
"Sonny!"
Sonny pokes his head out from the kitchen. "Yeah Jason?"
"Real estate agents here in Port Charles. AJ bought a house."
New York--
Carly catches her breath on the curb after climbing out of the cab. She grabs a laughing Michael and hugs him close as AJ pays the cabbie and pulls out the stroller and unfolds it.
"I'd heard stories, who hasn't? AJ, that was the scariest thing that I've ever done. Ohmigawd I thought that we were going to die at least a dozen times between there and here. I never want to do that again-- never. Especially with Michael."
AJ laughs and shakes his head. "Told you it would be an adventure. Don't worry I'll have the hotel send a car to pick us up or we could risk the subway if you want?"
"A car please, Oh my, people get paid to drive that way?" Carly shudders. Placing Michael in the stroller she finally looks at the building behind her. "Iron beds? Isn't that awful institutional? Sounds like something out of Oliver Twist or something."
"Let's go in and check it out." Opening the door AJ makes a half bow as he motions Carly in. "After you, madam."
"Oh why thank you kind sir." Carly flutters her eyelashes with an overt flirt. She pushes Michael's stroller through the opened door and then stops abruptly as she enters the store. AJ almost runs into her as he follows. "Did I say institutional? They had nothing like this at Ferncliffe."
"Should I get out the check book?"
"Don't rush me." Carly says absently wandering over to the first display with the stroller. "Michael, baby, don't touch anything here. Some of it looks breakable."
A salesperson comes over to AJ and Carly who are checking out the display. "May I help you?"
Carly looks around the first floor. "You have some beautiful things here but this Art Noveau stuff is so delicate and romantic looking-- feminine. AJ likes things with a clean line but not as airy, you know."
The sales person considers and then nods. "If you'll follow me I think that I have something that you'd enjoy up on the second floor." The salesperson leads over to the elevator.
"How do you know what I like?" AJ whispers in Carly's ear as they wait for the elevator to come to a halt.
"Am I wrong?"
"No, but I still want to know how you know."
"You furnished your apartment." Carly shrugs. "It said a lot about you and what you like." AJ falls silent considering her words. They follow the salesperson to a different display that has an lavish iron bed. "Oh much better."
"Hmm I don't know." AJ stage whispers in Carly's ear. "Darling, Why don't you try it out so I can get the full effect." The clerk smiles knowingly. Carly rolls her eyes but kicking off her shoes walks over to the bed and sits on it.
"Don't start anything in front of the baby that you can't finish... Darling" Carly taunts reclining on the bed leaning back on her elbows as AJ grins.
"We'll take it."