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The Triumph Of AJ Quartermaine
Chapter Twenty Three
Extended Family.
"Does Emily have a private line?" Carly asks AJ the next morning at the breakfast table. She is dressed in low heeled boots, jeans and a turtleneck ready for the riding outing later.
"Yeah, she does." AJ reaches to the phone on the wall and dials a number then hands the phone to Carly. "Here you go."
"Emily, Hi-- it's Carly. Are you going to Mass today?" Carly rushes to ask.
"Carly, where are you and Michael. Jason has been going nuts; we all have..."
"Because I was thinking that Michael hasn't been to church since I got back from Ferncliffe. I know that he's still too young to understand but he should at least get used to going right? I know that most people think I'd be struck dead if I stepped foot in the doors of Queen of Angels... and since you're his godmother....?"
"Yeah, I can go. You want ME to take Michael to mass? What about Jason?"
"Well you're his godmother right? It's your job? I called Queen of Angels and they have a service in about 90 minutes. Will that be all right? Do you have a way to get over here if Reggie has any plans for today? Does he get a day off? I'm sure he would love to get out of the madhouse. IF it were only you and Reggie then I'm sure that AJ would have time to give you a quick look see on his new house."
"Don't tell the family where I'm going--even Jason?"
"Oh you are a bright girl!" Carly laughs. "It's no wonder that Jason picked you to protect Michael. So is it a date? Or can you call taking your godson/nephew to church a date?"
"It's a date; what's the address?" Emily demands grabbing a pen and her journal to write down the particulars. "I'll be there even if I have to walk!"
"Oh Don't do that. It's still too cold outside. Although you might bring a change of clothes for after church. AJ said something about building a snowman with Michael today. We have all this lawn and nobody has touched it so the snow should be great. If Reggie is off call a cab. AJ will pay when you get here. Are you old enough for driver's lessons yet-- nevermind we'll talk later. Bye!" Carly hangs up quickly.
"So she's on her way." AJ says munching on a piece of toast then offers a piece to Michael who sits in a high chair decorating the drop cloth beneath his chair with pieces of banana and gobs of oatmeal. "I thought is was the silliest thing you buying the extra shower curtain but it sure has come in handy. I think our son is artistic."
"Yeah, he's a genius. A genius who needs a bath before he goes to church. I figure I'm already going to ..."Carly drops her voice to a whisper. "H-E-L-L. But it's not going to be for having my son looking trashy in God's house. Come on Mister Man, you've finished up here-- time to get you ready for Auntie Em." Carly laughs rolling her eyes. "I can't believe I just said that. Oh just shoot me now."
AJ laughs. "You are going to have to learn to say that with a straight face. And don't worry about the mess here... I'll take care of it."
"Oh I wasn't worrying." Carly wrinkles her nose at AJ. Before shrugging and walking away with Michael in tow.
AJ looks around the destroyed kitchen. "I think there's a fire hose in the laundry room." Sighing he figures out where to start making his dent.
Bobbie and Jerry are in the car. Lucas sits in the back with his headphones on. They are on their way to pick up Carly for the morning ride at the stable where Thunder is kept.
"Well you and AJ seemed to hit it off last night?" Bobbie opens the topic glancing back to make sure that Lucas is preoccupied.
"He seems like a likeable chap and he's got his ducks in a row with this caper." Jerry replies with a grin.
"This CAPER as you call it is hijacking my daughter and grandson." Bobbie retorts sharply.
"So it's a HUGE caper-- TITANIC even." Jerry looks over to Bobbie and gives her a quick wink before looking back to the road before them. "Doesn't change the fact that he has a year to plan this all out and I haven't found the detail that he's missed yet. Unless you've seen somewhere where he's missed? Something that you'd be doing differently if you were in Carly's spot?"
"I wouldn't be in Carly's spot." Bobbie sniffs.
"Better knock on wood, luv. Here's the scenario. Tomorrow Tony shows up with papers giving him full custody of Lucas. And he tells you that he won't interfere with you and Lucas as long as you drop me like the bad habit that most of Port Charles thinks I am. What would you do?" Bobbie is stricken silent. "Course you and I both know that Tony has fouled his nest too badly for that to happen as easily as I laid out. And you could protest on the fact that I haven't done anything illegal in oh what am I up to now... how long ago did I do that little job for Stefan? I'm sure Morgan has been a lot tidier. He's been suspect in many more crimes than I, but then I was the one that got caught."
"Stop it, Jerry-- Just stop." Bobbie whispers. "What am I suppose to do?"
"Stand for Carly and Michael when this blows up. And it will sooner or later. Morgan may be the best dad so far but AJ treats Carly better."
"Jason gave Carly anything she wanted." Bobbie protests
"Really and what has AJ given her?"
"A house." Bobbie sneers.
"Her own home where she doesn't have to answer to another woman or their memory." Jerry parries smoothly.
"Money, but Jason did that too." Bobbie retorts.
"Independence. AJ told me that he wants Carly to start thinking about investing the money so that she will be secure whatever happens but that he isn't going to be the one telling her what to do with HER money."
"Jerry, I know you don't like Jason but you're not being fair." Bobbie protests.
"And I'm getting the feeling that you don't like AJ. I'm not saying that he isn't a secretive, manipulative bugger. But I think this is going to come down to AJ and Jason and how they treat Carly. You get in the middle and you're going to lose. Like Jason all you want, but remember if AJ gets his way then your grandson will be with AJ five out of seven days. Now I think it's time to change the subject." Jerry pulls up the driveway to the house. Carly who has seen them pull up waits on the front porch with a bag. She climbs into the backseat with Lucas.
"This is a heated arena right?" Carly shivers as she buckles up.
"Only the best for Thunder." Jerry quips. "Can you believe that the IRS didn't touch his trust fund? Guess they didn't want the bad press of taking a pony from a little boy."
"And they say the IRS doesn't have a heart." Carly teases as the car pulls away. Tapping on Lucas's headphone to get his attention. "You forgot this last night."
Lucas rips into the package. "Jerry, look! It's a Knicks starter jacket! Thanks Carly."
"AJ picked it out when we were at the game. Well he had an idea what you would like and I guessed the size. He is going to give Emily hers today when she shows at the house. He got you this too." Carly hands Lucas a palm sized sandwich of plexiglass.
"An autographed PATRICK EWING! This is the best." Lucas checks it out from all angles.
"Better than that, it's his rookie card. You need to have mom hang on to it for you. If you ever decide you want to sell it it might pay for a year of college one of these days."
"I'm NEVER going to sell this." Lucas gushes before hugging Carly.
"If you're so cold why didn't you wear your fur coat?" Bobbie asks.
"To go riding? I don't think so. Horses are great and all but they smell. AJ and I had a discussion about the coat. I think it's going in the closet for a few years maybe a decade. I can't look at it right now."
"Why's that?"
"Can you believe it? He told me he thought that Katherine Bell had one just like IT!"
Jerry quips as he chuckles to Bobbie in a low tone. "Told you he was a manipulative bastard."
At the mansion. Edward is looking for Emily. "Emily, are you coming down for brunch?" He asks before realizing that her room is empty. Looking on Emily's bed he sees the open journal with an address in it along with AJ and Carly's name. "REGINALD!!!!! Get the Bentley out!"
"Reginald isn't here. He took Emily to church." Monica tells Edward as he comes downstairs in a rush. "Where's the fire?"
"Church my eye! The girl has gone to see my great grandson!" Edward exclaims
"What? How do you know that?" Monica asks.
"There was an address for Carly and AJ in her journal."
"EDWARD! How could you?!" Monica fumes.
Edward waves his hands in the air. "Nevermind that now-- I'm going to see my great grandson. Are you coming with me?" Monica grabs her coat.
"Where's Carly?" Emily asks holding her godson for the first time in over a week.
"You just missed her. She's off mending fences with Bobbie and wanted to give me time to mend fences with you. But she's hoping that you'll stick around when you get back so we can build snowmen with Michael."
"That's all you have to say? You spring this on everyone and act like nothing's happened?" Emily asks confused.
"What did Jason tell you? Did he admit that I'm Michael's father?"
"He said that Michael has two fathers just like Carly and I had two mothers."
"Okay." AJ nods. "I can live with that. Can you?"
"What are you doing? Is it that easy for you? A nod and a shrug and all is right with the world?!"
"You're Michael's godmother, Emily. IF I would have gotten a shot at being Michael's dad when he was born that still wouldn't change. Whatever I have to say to Jason has nothing to do with you. I won't put you in the middle of this and the only way that you can put yourself in the middle is by taking sides. I suggest you don't. Carly's fine with the arrangement and so is Michael."
"But what about Jason?"
"Carly's made sure that Jason will be involved in Michael's upbringing. He'll get a hell of a lot more time with Michael than Ned takes with Brooke Lynn. And a HELL of a lot more time than he gave me for the last with his lies." AJ catches his breath and tamps down his fury. "Jason and I will deal with each other but on my timetable now."
"You're too calm. I don't like this." Emily shakes her head.
"Well then lets just take this day by day. And today you are taking MY son to a CATHOLIC mass just like CARLY insisted. And when you get back from church we're going to make snowmen and drink hot chocolate and tomorrow can take care of itself."
"Day by day." Emily repeats.
"Right." AJ looks down at his watch. "I guess the grand tour will have to wait until you get back. Do you have everything that Michael needs?"
"Yeah, I guess." Emily looks at AJ still bewildered by his calm. "I'll see you in a couple of hours." Emily snuggles Michael close and makes her way out to the car where Reggie waits with the motor running.
"Where to: the mansion, Jason's...?" Reggie asks.
Emily replies thoughtfully. "Queen of Angels. Reggie, you got a phone on you?" Reginald hands Emily the cell phone over his shoulder as he pulls out of the drive. Emily rings Jason's penthouse. "I'm going to mass this morning; I think that you should go too."
(Jason replies distractedly. "I don't think so, Emily. AJ and Carly were suppose to get back to town last night. I know they were on a flight out of New York. The only reason I don't have the address is because the clerk's office has been closed for the weekend but I have people working on it.")
"Jason, I know the address. I think that you should go to mass TODAY." Jason is silent for a long pause.
("I'll meet you there." Jason hangs up the phone.)