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The Triumph Of AJ Quartermaine
Taking a Bite from the Apple
Carly pulls closer the to the warmth snuggling automatically. Her hand reaches out to draw it closer. Suddenly she freezes and her eyes pop open realizing that someone has been sleeping in her bed and they're still there! "My Gawd, Caroline, What have you done?!" Throwing off the covers, she jumps out of bed as if on fire.
"Shush, You'll wake Michael. I know that you like sleeping in in the morning and I was hoping that the kid would too."
Carly kneels on the bed ready to hit AJ. "You son of a bitch, how could you?"
"Look around, Carly; we're in my room. Nothing happened. You and Michael just both fell asleep at the same time. You both wore me out yesterday. After I got Michael back to sleep all I wanted to do was crawl into bed myself. Which I did. Did you know that you snore?"
Carly really hits AJ then. "I do not. You take it back."
AJ pulls the pillow around as a shield. "Fine, Fine I take it back. You don't snore." He then pauses gauging the distance to the bathroom. "But you sure are a heavy breather." He races to the bathroom and just gets the door shut before the pillow hits the door.
Carly turns hearing Michael starting to grump around. "Hey Mr. Man, you waking up? Did that mean ole AJ wake you up or was it your silly mama?" Carly goes over to Michael who is now sitting up and rubbing his face. Michael looks up at her and wrinkles his nose then smiles. "Oh you are mama's good boy, aren't you? Watcha wanna do to today, hmm.. I'm thinking breakfast... then we hit the town hmm." Carly leans over to whisper in his ear as she picks him up. "and then we'll call dada-- sound like a plan?"
"One week, Carly." AJ reminds from the bathroom doorway.
Carly jumps. "Don't sneak up on me like that. I could have dropped Michael!"
"Then don't do sneaky things." AJ walks over to Carly and Michael and putting an arm around Carly leans over to kiss Michael on the top of the head. "Well short stuff, you got any plans for breakfast? What sounds good... room service... a little cafe along the way when your mom and I take on the town... how about a hot dog vender?"
"Eww." Carly cringes. "No hot dogs this early, please. That's disgusting." Carly shrugs out from AJ's arm. "Well it's going to take me awhile if we're going out. I suppose I should let you guys get ready." Carly goes over to one of the bags on the floor and tips it over onto the table. Picking out what Michael can wear of yesterday's purchases, she bites the tags off.
"You know that's suppose to be bad for your teeth."
"Oh please, do you see an scissors around here?" Carly keeps pulling out the things that Michael will need to be ready for his day. Then she goes over to AJ's closet and opens it up.
"Um, Carly? I've been dressing myself for a few years now."
Carly flushes. "Fine. I was just trying to be efficient. What are we doing today anyway? I mean I have to know what I'm going to wear."
"Dress comfortable. I've got a house to furnish remember? I thought that we would hit a few warehouses... some rugs.. some furniture." AJ looks at Michael. "I think that we'll leave the lamps and breakables for another time."
Carly laughs. "That's smart."
"So go get dressed and let us men get busy too." AJ reaches out for Michael and Carly hesitantly hands him over.
"He's going to be hungry soon."
"Hey me too. We're in New York! I'm sure they have something to eat somewhere. We'll eat on the way."
"I hope you know what you're doing." Carly shakes her head and goes to her room.
"Me too. Hey Mikey... how hard are you going to make this on your old man? At least I don't have to worry about thunder and lightening this time right? How hard could it be?"
An hour later AJ and Michael are playing on the carpet of the suite while waiting for Carly.
"Okay, I'm ready." Carly looks Michael over checking that all his snaps are snapped and shirt is on right. She pulls the stroller out and tucks Michael's necessary bag into it. "Where do you want to start?"
"You're the one that wants to go pro. But I was thinking that rugs might be the safest place to start."
"Do you know what style you want?"
AJ winces. "Why don't we play it by ear. I know what I like. I've got a place on 5th avenue that is going to be open for us. If we can't find what we like there they can make a referral."
"Well if this trip is going to last any amount of time-- cafe first for a little breakfast for Mr. Man."
The Penthouse--
Jason is sitting on the couch. His head is tilted back and his eyes closed. Sonny comes down the stairs.
Sonny checks his watch. "What time did you get in?"
"A little before midnight. Were there any calls?"
"No. I've got our people checking the hotels. Nothing so far. Benny has hacked all of AJ's credit cards. As soon as he uses one we'll have leads where to find them."
"He's been planning this for a long time."
"Yeah, but he is a Quartermaine with certain standards to maintain. He isn't going to be hiding out in some flea bag hotel. Our guys will find him sooner or later."
"Later doesn't matter. The court date is in nine days; Carly said that they would be back in six. I have an appointment with the lawyer today. What do you know about this judge?"
"The guy is squeaky clean-- an honest to goodness good guy."
Jason winces. "What is AJ planning, picking a judge not in the Q's pocket? Is his case so good?"
Sonny gets a glint. "You know the old man has to be thinking the same thing. What if lackey boy is cutting him out too?"
The Mansion--
"Reginaldddddd!!!"
"You bellowed, Mr. Q?"
"Has AJ Called?"
"Not in the ten minutes since you last asked, Mr. Q."
"That's it! You're fired." Edward blusters in frustration.
"You can't fire me. I work for Mrs. Lila." Reggie leaves muttering under his breath. "Getting fired from this looney bin would be a vacation. That's why I keep playing the lottery."
Monica and Emily come downstairs together. Emily has obviously been crying. Lila is resting in her room. Ned walks in the front door as the two women reach the landing. "I take it that you've heard the news then." Ned softly says and gives Emily a hug.
"I can't believe it. Why would Jason lie?"
"Because he is a hoodlum! I want you to stay away from that gangster. AJ had the right idea getting my great- grandson out of there!"
"Well if it was such a good idea; where is he? Hunh Grandfather? Where is AJ? Where is Carly; where is my godson? You don't know, do you? This isn't fair. I need to see Jason. He'll tell me the truth." Emily looks over to Monica who nods. Emily runs from the room.
"You are letting that little girl run wild!"
"Did you have answers to any of her questions, Edward? Jason might. Last night was enough of a bombshell. I can't believe that AJ didn't give us any warning of what he was planning. I'm his Mother for heaven's sake."
Alan walks in shutting the door behind him. "You should have known, Monica. AJ told you."
"Are you back on drugs, Alan? There is no way that your wife could have kept this secret." Edward harrumphs while pouring himself and Alan a glass of orange juice.
"Alan, AJ did not tell me about any of this." Monica shakes her head in denial.
"It was over a year ago, Monica. AJ told you he slept with Carly, 'course he was drinking back then. And it was his excuse for waking up drunk in the courtyard. You told him that he was jealous of his brother. At least that's the way that he took it. At that point he decided he was on his own. He only told me the day that he had decided to confront Carly-- after getting the court order; he came to the clinic."
"He did tell me." Monica sags to the couch. "I just never put together the timing."
"Well he never told me. If I had the information then we could have had Michael here months ago. What is that boy up to?" Edward fumes.
New York at a discrete building with security doors. AJ pushes the intercom to tell the venders that their appointment is there.
Carly is freaked by the understated business. The subtle brass sign that simply states the name of the firm. "Are you sure that this is where we are suppose to be going?"
"They're the best." AJ opens the door at the buzz and holding it open allows Carly and Michael in his stroller to enter first. Enter the elevator he presses the pertinent floor and when the doors open they enter what appears to be Aladdin's cave. There are rugs everywhere: on the floors, on the walls, stacked around the edges.
"Mr. Quartermaine, how good to see you." A swarthy gentleman approaches them. "It is a pleasure to do business with you again."
"This time I'm shopping for myself."
Carly has looked around and the rich textures and sizes of the rugs almost overwhelms her when a thought occurs. "The study."
AJ picks up on her thought. " Right, we're looking for something for my study."
"It would be the focal point of the room." Carly breathes in unsteadily. "Gees how could it be anything else. You have a beautiful store."
"Thank you. Please feel free to wander around. If I can give you any assistance..."
"No, thank you." Carly says absently as she wanders around entranced by the rugs and tapestries on the wall.
"I think we've lost her." AJ laughs.
"A common affliction and a joy of my job. And who is this young man?"
"This is my son, Michael."
"A son, you are truly blessed."
"Yes, I think I am."
"AJ!" Carly calls out. The men make their way over. She is nibbling on her lip. "What do you think of this one?"
"You have excellent taste, Madame. This is an early 20th century Northwest Persian Tabriz carpet measuring 17'8" long by 10' wide with a powerfully drawn design on a midnight blue ground. It is hand loomed wool of course. Allow me to show you the back." The owner turns over a corner. "You can see the detail in the pattern, the care that was taken in both the making and the caring for this that has allowed this treasure to stand the test of time."
Carly shakes her head. "But could it withstand a 1 year old?"
The owner laughs. "Children are not a new thing. This carpet has been walked on for over eighty years." Some of our older pieces are more fragile and we suggest that they be used as wall hangings with careful instruction as to their care but this would be perfectly appropriate, as you know, for a man's study. Rather than a child's hands and feet we should be more concerned with the direct sunlight that can fade these brilliant colors."
"I can make that not a problem." Carly states confidently. Her hand brushes over the rug with a subtle greed that doesn't go unnoticed. Her face takes on a dreamy quality as she begins to put together the room in her head. What accent colors could she pull from the rug, the desk, the chairs, everything blinks into place. Reaching into Michael's stroller she pulls out a notebook that had been in his bag. Finding a clean page she begins to jot down notes.
"I believe we have business to discuss." AJ tells the store owner.
"We do indeed." The man smiles confident of the sale.
"Don't hurt me on this. I get the feeling you've just found a loyal customer."