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The Triumph Of AJ Quartermaine
Chapter Eighty Eight
music credit: Van morrison Wild Night remake by John Mellencamp
Games People Play
A large mansion at the end of a winding road early the next day. Cars line the drive already for the preview. Bobbie and Carly walk up the way taking in the cars and the different places represented by the plates. Carly gets a little nervous at all the BMW's and Mercedes. "Looks like we weren't the only ones that knew about this." She brushes her hair back.
"It doesn't cost to look." Bobbie says practically. "AJ and Jerry were going to meet us here before the auction actually starts. If we don't see anything we like or can afford we can either people watch or just head back to that fish market and pick up some fresh lobsters." Bobbie licks her lips greedily at the thought. "What is the story here anyway?"
Carly ducks her head close to Bobbie to confide softly. "Hassan says that the parents are getting old and are selling off everything to keep their son from stealing everything that isn't nailed down to pay for his out of control drug habit. The more I hear about these people the more I'm convinced that there is no way that I want Michael to go to any of those 'right' schools. The place that AJ and I are staying at is one of his old drinking buddies. The connections are made at too steep a price."
"That is so sad." Bobbie shakes her head then shudders.. "It makes this thing all sort of goulish."
Carly shrugs. "Not as bad as if the parents were dead and the son was snorting everything. What is that bumper sticker-- I'm spending my children's inheritence?"
Bobbie laughs. "Yeah, but the last time I saw that it was on a monsterous sized motor home that probably cost more than the brownstone." The both fall silent as they reach the front doors and sign in getting bidding paddles and the auction phamplets. Carly thumbs through it to find the stuff that she had been faxed from Hassan and highlights the items. Bobbie and Carly go through the house from top to bottem making notes in the program by the lot numbers.
"Miss Benson." Hassan calls out. Carly and Bobbie walk over to him where he is talking with a competitor. He takes her hand and kisses the back of it graciously. "And who is this lovely lady?"
"My Mother, Bobbie Spencer." Carly performs the introductions.
"Enchanted." Hassan nods his head. "You must be very proud of your daughter. She has a fine eye. And is a very quick and talented pupil."
"Carly's always been quick on the uptake." Bobbie confirms. Carly just rolls her eyes and mouths an 'I love you too, Mama.' to Bobbie. Hassan demands Carly's program from her and studies her notes in the margins. He frowns and taps one lot number.
"Lets examine this one together." He suggests walking off with Carly's program in his hand. Carly follows Hassan and Bobbie, rolling her eyes, follows Carly. Hassan examines the tapestry that Carly had made a note by. In a voice loud enough to be overheard he starts tearing it apart: questioning it's authenticity, the handwork, the colors. With a snort of disgust he walks away. And pauses in an empty hallway, he makes a notation in the program.
"You hated it." Carly says in dismay.
"Au contraire." Hassan disagrees. "Once again you have picked the best here. But there is no need for others to believe so. There is a... strategy to gatherings such as this." Hassan hands Carly's program back to her. "You should go no higher than the figure I've noted."
"Oh I get it." Carly nods biting her lip. "Could you look at some of the other stuff too? Maybe show me some of the stuff you are picking up for the store?" Hassan smiles and offers an arms to each of the women and makes his way again throughout the displays.
Tennis Anyone?
In a nearby town, members only country club. Jerry and AJ are done warming up and are ready to get down and dirty. Well dirty is a figure of speech, considering their tennis whites. Lucas is at the net ready to race for tennis balls that don't make it over.
"It's been a while since I played." AJ calls out.
"Quit with the excuses, mate." Jerry calls out. He is already at the ready, bouncing on to his toes, the muscles in his powerful legs bunching and ready for action. AJ bounces the ball once then twice. He casts it up to the air and with sure stroke slices it across the net. Jerry returns the ball smoothly. The volley is swift but easy as the men probe for weaknesses and work the kinks out of their game. Long stokes of increasing power, pretty evenly matched. Jerry makes his move; charging the net, he catches AJ off guard and slips a ball past him. "Love - fifteen."
AJ shakes his head and laughs catching his breath. Getting back in position he rips off a serve that hits the net. Lucas runs out and grabs the ball racing back to the sidelines. AJ lofts another ball into play and the volley is on. This time AJ is ready when Jerry charges the net and slides a ball along the baseline. "Yes!" AJ waves a quick fist in the air.
"We're just getting started." Jerry reminds taking his place back at the baseline. He wipes his palm on his shorts and then readies himself for the next serve. The sweat was already starting to drip down the middle of his back glueing his shirt to him, but he noted with relief that the pup was in the same situation wiping the sweat from his eyes before he went into his serve. The men are oblivious to the gathering crowd women that are watching the players rather than the play with lusty interest.
At the auction, Carly and Bobbie had seen all they needed to see and where walking the grounds finally settling on a bench that looked out over the ocean. Bobbie takes off her jacket to reveal the sundress below. She notices that Carly is looking a little hot in her sweater set. "Honey, why don't you take your sweater off? It's turned into such a nice day."
Carly bites her lip and reluctantly slides out of the fine gauge cotton sweater that she was wearing over a matching tank top style sweater. She keeps her weak side from Bobbie but her mother's eagle eyes pick up the bandage immediately. "Carly, what happened?" Bobbie demands.
"Mama, You don't want to know; I don't want to ruin today-- we'll talk about it later." Carly says in a rush.
"But... But it looks serious. Did you have someone look at it?" Bobbie insists.
"Look, I cut myself okay? Dr Alan gave me some stitches; everything is fine."
"Excuse me, but it doesn't look like a place where you'd cut yourself shaving." Bobbie pushes it.
"You aren't going to let this go, are you?" Carly says furiously. "I'm flat out telling you, YOU don't want to know and getting into this is going to ruin our day. I'm not saying I won't discuss this with you just that I won't discuss this NOW. Change the subject, Mama." Carly jerks her sweater back on.
Bobbie falls silent and looks at her daughter. This had something to do with Ferncliffe. Something that Jerry had seen in Carly's file. She takes a deep breath. " That Hassan is quite a character."
"And a ladies man too." Carly forces a laugh. She also takes a deep breath. "Spending time with Hassan is like the best part of school. Jerry was suggesting that I take a design course but I think I can learn more in 30 minutes with Hassan than I could taking some stupid class."
"I know I learned alot..." Bobbie says ruefully. "and feel like I've been taken to school. All the people he knows and introduced us to..." Bobbie shakes her head. "Is there anyone that man doesn't know?"
"When it comes to textiles? I don't think so." Carly confirms. "Once I got back in Port Charles I started researching Hassan in the trade magazines and on the net. He is THE expert. That's why it was so great that he ripped on that tapestry; he really did me a favor there."
"He had me going."
"Me too." Carly's face takes on a dreamy expression. "Can't you picture that tapestry in the living room? And did you see that old sea trunk? That would be perfect for Michael's room."
Back at the country club, Lucas looks down at his watch and pops up like a little jack in the box, "TIME!"
"What do you mean-- time?" AJ complains. "We're tied here!"
"Jerry said that if we were suppose to meet Carly and Mom that you had to stop playing right now." Lucas insists.
Jerry growls. "He's right. Rematch?"
"Definitely." AJ wipes the sweat from his brow with the front of his shirt and walks to the sidelines where a couple of women wait holding towels for him and Jerry. They hand the towels over and make a quick perusal for rings before preening and bringing out the big guns. They flirt and push and one even slips AJ her phone number having recognized him from the business pages. While AJ and Jerry are momentarily flattered by the attention Jerry reaches over and grabs Lucas' wrist and swears softly.
"We got to get going, or we'll be dead men by nightfall." Jerry packs his gear and AJ does the same. They extract themselves graciously from the women and head to the club house showers. Rushing through the showers, they hit the road within 20 minutes and the last five where waiting for Lucas to test his sugar levels. Out in the car Jerry tosses Lucas a snack in the back seat of the car. "Here you go, kid. We had you racing out there. Can't have you go shocky on us, or your mum will kill me." Lucas peels the orange and offers a section to Jerry and AJ.
"Thanks." AJ accepts the offering. "Jerry wiped my sugar out too. Guess it's true what they say. I may be younger and faster but you're older and sneakier, Jerry."
"It was pretty even. Course I don't have the benefit of your years of training. Tennis wasn't exactly a priority when I was growing up. It was something I picked up later." Jerry glances back in the rear view. "Riding either. Carly's taking good care of you there, making sure that you learn proper and take good care of Thunder."
"She's bossy." Lucas complains. "And she always makes me wear my helmet."
"Hmm. Your sister has clear ideas of the way things should be." AJ admits.
"Not that most would agree with her." Jerry says softly to AJ.
"Oh I don't know. I think I agree with her most of the time. I just hate the way that she gets from here to there."
At the auction Carly and Bobbie have secured good seats and have thrown coats and purses onto the three in between them. Bobbie gives a sigh and looks at her watch and then over at Carly. "I know, I know, they'll be here."
"Or I'll kill them." Carly mutters under her breath as she shoos away another person looking for a seat. She looks over her shoulder. Carly catches Hassan's eye and smiles at him even as she continues in a low tone to Bobbie. "If I have to buy that damn tapestry it is seriously going to cut into my property fund."
"I thought that the property was on hold until the analysis comes back." Bobbie says calmly.
"Mama, it was so nice up there. Green and peaceful, and Michael loved the squirrels." Carly says wistfully.
"And then you found a meth lab." Bobbie reminds.
"Do you HAVE to bring that up? If the analysis come back okay on the water I want that property. This has nothing to do with Katherine Bell. Jerry has shown me how I can ruin her whether the water comes back tainted or not."
"Oh Honey." Bobbie shakes her head. "Are there enough people in the world for you to destroy to keep you happy? And does it ever last for long?"
"Hey taking out Evans is going to last me a good long time. Katherine Bell is just the icing on the cake. Do you think that either of them don't deserve it?" Carly crooks her finger at Bobbie to draw her close. "Do you know who Katherine is sleeping with? Nikolas. And you know how I know? EMILY walked in on them doing it on her BIRTHDAY. Tell me she doesn't deserve it, Mama. Now I know you, Mama. I was the exception that proved the rule or MADE the rule-- You get rid of the husbands but keep the kids-- Nikolas is one of yours."
"Take her out." Bobbie says with narrowed eyes.
"Thank you. I thought you might see things my way." Carly nods. She catches sight of AJ and Jerry with Lucas at the back of the room and waves an arm getting their attention. Lucas sees Carly first and races up the aisle despite the frowns and comments of bystanders. Carly gives each an evil eye until they look away minding their own business. Carly stands up allowing Lucas to sit next to Bobbie and fill her in on his day. Jerry moves into the center saved seat. He runs his arm along the back of Lucas's seat to touch Bobbie's shoulder. AJ gives Carly a quick hug and has her slide over a seat and he takes the aisle.
"Sorry, we're late."
"Oh you weren't late-- yet. Late would have been me having to buy the tapestry Hassan and I picked out. THEN I would have been ticked." Carly gives him a quick kiss on the cheek. You are going to love it. It's perfect for the living room."