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The Triumph Of AJ Quartermaine
Unpacking
Bobbie holds curtains while Carly stands on a chair to hang them. "So are you planning on staying in one place long enough to actually put in a change of address card to the post office?"
Carly glares at Bobbie. "I told you this is my house."
"Half yours." Jerry and AJ carry a desk in from the living room where the caretaker had all the downstairs furnishings stored.
"Yes, well.. fine.. This room is AJ's. But other than that-- half the house is mine."
"Which half?" Bobbie teasingly asks.
"Oh I'd say whatever half she happens to be standing on." Jerry quips gallantly.
"Thank you, exactly." Carly smiles at Jerry. "I knew I liked you the minute I saw you. Bobbie thought you were a snake, of course."
"You're no help." AJ says to Jerry. "I thought that us guys had to stick together."
"A choice between siding with you or making a lovely lady smile..." Jerry weighs the choice dramatically. "Hmmm You lose." Jerry advises.
Carly and Bobbie laugh together. Carly finishes up the last hook. And jumping off the chair stands back to see the effect. "Finally!" Her eyes glow in anticipation. AJ moves over to the rug rolled up against the wall.
"Decide where you want it. I'm only doing this once." AJ says. (yeah, right mate from Jerry.) Carly decisively points out exactly where the rug will go.
"I've been dreaming of this from the time I saw it." Carly rubs her hands together.
"Honey, It's an area rug." Bobbie shakes her head.
"Hush, Mama. It's an experience." With a shrug the two men line up the carpet and roll it out where Carly had insisted.
"Oh my gawd." Bobbie exclaims dumbstruck.
"Well that had to put you back a pretty penny." Jerry looks it over critically.
"Not as much as you might think. Carly made a conquest at the store." AJ replies. "I think that she got the store owner's home number. And he knows a repeat customer when he sees one."
"Don't exaggerate, AJ. Hassan said I could beep him anytime but he only gave me his pager number. That reminds me he was going to give me a list of interesting estate sales coming up; I need to call him. What are you doing next weekend?" Carly looks up to AJ from where she is now kneeling on the rug.
AJ groans. "Next weekend is pretty open right now. This week is going to be a bitch."
Carly glows. "Great! I want to get one of those Chinese carved rugs if we can find one for Michael's room." Carly turns to Bobbie. "Michael loved the store. He was playing on all the rugs but he seemed to like the carved ones best. Hassan says you can get good deals at the estate sales."
"The kid says something that sounds like pretty and Carly is on a mission." AJ tells Jerry who nods.
"I'm the same with Lucas. It drives Bobbie nuts. She thinks I'm going to spoil the lad." Jerry replies.
"Jerry gives the best presents." Lucas interjects. "Thunder is my best friend now. I'm going riding tomorrow."
"I haven't been riding in ages, not since Florida." Carly hesitates. "Any chance of me tagging along?"
"The stable rents a few horses if you want to join us?" Jerry suggests. "We could make an outing of it."
Carly gnaws on her lower lip. "AJ..." She hesitates and then continues softly. "I'm going to call Emily tomorrow and ask her to take Michael to Mass with her."
AJ considers briefly. "Then I think that you should definitely go riding. You'll have fun. I'll let you know when the coast is clear for you to come home."
Jerry pulls AJ aside. "Coast is clear? You expecting trouble?"
"If Emily takes Michael to mass then she'll make sure that Jason is there. And if I know anything about Jase he'll be on the doorstep directly after Mass to talk to Carly-- demand that she move back to the penthouse. If Emily is there too the discussion might stay civil. If not..." AJ shrugs. "Then there's the added complication of the rest of the family--my family. They birddog Emily to find out where Michael is. Before it was to Jason now it will be here. Carly can handle the family, better than I can actually. Probably with both hands tied behind her back but Jason-- not yet."
"You really think that Morgan has her brainwashed, don't you?" Jerry inquires.
"You never met Carly before she had Michael. If I have my way she'll never be in the same room with him again." AJ grinds out between clenched teeth. Jerry takes in the air of hostility emanating from AJ and an idea occurs to him something that needs to be chewed on a bit. AJ shakes off his mood. "There is something I wouldn't mind you talking to Carly about tomorrow."
"What's that?"
"Carly has an income now from some ELQ stock... non voting shares so don't get any ideas, Jacks!" AJ grins. "It's hers to do with what she wills. I'm not going to advise her. But if someone that was business oriented were to steer her to some investments for her, for Michael...."
"Enough said. Got my eye on a nice sound little company with potential. I still can't invest because of that damn agreement with the feds but I can't help but looking. It's a habit." Jerry shrugs. "And if Morgan shows up at the riding arena tomorrow?"
AJ shakes his head before replying grimly. "If he shows up tomorrow watch out. It means that things haven't gone as he wanted here and he's planning on snatching them both up and taking off for parts unknown somewhere beyond the reach of the court system. My brother doesn't like to lose."