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The Triumph Of AJ Quartermaine
Layover
Oahu, Hawaii at the Honolulu airport--
The Quartermaine Jet has just pulled in. AJ wakes both Carly and Jerry who had napped all the way from Australia. Everyone's internal clocks are screwed.
"Where are we? What time is it? What day is it?" Carly mutters brushing her hair out of her face.
"Good questions." Jerry asks not opening his eyes.
"Hmm. Hawaii, about noon Monday local time." AJ answers having already asked the pilot the same things.
"I don't think I could do this too often." Carly protests. "Monday for two days running-- isn't that most people's definition of hell?"
"It's one of mine." Jerry sighs and then rises. "Didn't you say something about getting some presents for Lila and Bobbie?"
"Yeah. Orchid leis for Lila and Bobbie. Maybe something for Lucas and Emily but I got them something in Australia. Got Michael that stuffed kangaroo, koala bear and that travel guide on the Northern Territories -- What's Hawaii got?"
"No snakes for one thing." AJ states.
"State bird is some goose or something but the funniest thing I've ever seen here was a red footed booby bird." Jerry replies.
"You're kidding right?" Carly looks at Jerry like he's high.
"I couldn't make something like that up." Jerry makes a boy scout hand sign.
"Like you were ever a boy scout." Carly grabs her purse and heads for the door. "Anyone coming with me? Come on... the fresh air will hopefully wake us up." AJ and Jerry sigh and then follow Carly out of the plane. The airport smells nothing like the airports back home. Plumeria trees are everywhere and the smell permeates covering the smell of fuel. The sunshine hits the tarmac causing a glare that has Carly reaching for her sunglasses. "Oh my-- welcome to paradise." As they near the base of the stairs they are met by a friendly face in a colorful shirt.
"Aloha! Welcome to Hawaii. Do you have anything to declare? Any plants or animals? Would you like to do your customs/agricultural inspection now or at your final destination?"
"What difference does it make?" Carly asks curiously.
"If you do it now then you won't be asked again in either... " The man looks down at his clipboard. "San Francisco or Port Charles, New York."
Carly looks at the man then at her traveling companions. "Now but is it okay if we go into the terminal and get some souvenirs?"
"If you'll just fill out these forms first." The man hands each of them a half sheet of paper with a check off list on it and pens. The trio lean up against the man's golf cart and quickly check the relevant portions. "Why don't I give you a lift to the terminal? I'll do my inspection of the plane and then pick you back up when the plane is ready to leave." All climb aboard and are quickly dropped off in the air conditioned terminal.
"Wow. I think I like Hawaii." Carly says.
"They make their money off the tourists." Jerry says flatly. "And they aren't going to interfere with us dropping as much money as possible in as short a time as possible. The only places in the states that suck money up faster are NYC and Las Vegas."
Carly punches Jerry in the arm. "You are such a cynic." She says cheerfully already looking toward the gift shop. "Where is that flower stand that you were talking about? You think maybe we could get one of those Aloha shirts for Luke Oh even better how about for Stefan Cassadine. Lucas could give it to him... That way he'd have to wear it." Carly starts giggling at the thought. "I think I'd want a picture of that; it would be good for blackmail later."
"Baby, I think that you've gone loopy from lack of sleep or something." AJ grabs Carly's hand and walks into the gift shop with her. Once inside he stands against the wall and lets her loose. Jerry heads off to the flower stand to get the leis and renew an old friendship.
"Hey Leilani." Jerry sneaks up behind the woman and swings her around then sets her back on her feet and kisses both cheeks.
"Jerry Jacks! You bad boy! What are ya doin' Why you not call-- let me know ya comin'?" The hefty Samoan woman pats Jerry on the cheek affectionately. "How long ya stayin', bra?"
"Just passing through on my way back to the mainland-- New York."
"Why you wanna do that, bra-- it's cold back there." Leilani shivers dramatically. "All the haoles coming here instead, lookin' like shark bait when they come and cooked lobsters when they leave. Stick around, Uncle Louie will roast you a pig. Throw you a big luau."
"It sounds good, really good. But I've got appointments." Jerry says glumly. "Leilani, I need two of your best to take back with me."
"OHHH!" Leilani's eyes glint knowingly. "You finally find a couple of wicked wahines that can keep up with ya?" Leilani reaches into her secret stash and pulls out two perfect orchid leis. She packs them for travel with care.
"Worse. A good woman." Jerry replies with a grin taking the package gingerly and handing Leilani a wad of cash.
"Hearts are breaking all over the world." Leilani reaches to her stand and pulls out a plumeria and pikake lei. Reaching up she strings it over Jerry's head and kisses him again on both cheeks. "Aloha Jerry. Bring your wahine with ya next time; ya stay with me. I need to check dis one out."
"Mahalo, Leilani. And I will. As soon as I can arrange it." Jerry turns around and walks back to the gift shop where as he had feared Carly had gone nuts: macadamia, coconut and kukua. Throw in some feathered gourds, kona coffee, pineapples, aloha attire, t-shirts, a stuffed goose, travelogue on the islands, some traditional Hawaiian music and even a grass skirt. "Gees Carly, leave some for the next person."
"Why?" Carly reaches out to AJ who places some plastic in her hand which she in turn offers to the clerk. "These are all presents." She picks up the feathered gourds and rattles them experimentally. "I think that Lucas will go nuts for these."
"And Bobbie will kill you for buying him another noise maker. She's already hidden the kazoo."
"See-- then he needs another." Carly states firmly.
"Are you going to be like this in San Francisco too?"
Carly looks over at AJ who answers. "Yeah, I think that she is." Carly gathers up her packages letting AJ have some room to sign the credit card slip. Then she hands off half the bags to AJ and they make their way back to the waiting plane. On their way to San Francisco Jerry relieves the pilot. AJ crashes in the back and Carly takes the copilots seat up front with Jerry. She looks at all the gauges but is soon bored. Grabbing the Hawaii travel book she starts reading.
"I thought you were kidding." Carly exclaims looking up from the book that she had been skimming.
"About what?" Jerry asks.
"The Red Footed Boobie Bird-- it's right here! They even have a wild life preserve for it on the windward side of Oahu in some place called..." Carly stumbles over the name.
"Kaneohe. That'll teach you to doubt me."
"Never again, oh swami!" Carly teases shutting the book. Carly rises from her seat.
"Where are you going?"
"Going to get online-- find out what's good in San Francisco." Carly pats Jerry on the shoulder as she leaves the cockpit area.
"I'll call ahead and warn them." Jerry mutters.