When Cassadines Fall ~ The Detour

Nik snuggles in close to Maddy. "You’re very quiet."

"I’m sleeping. Can’t you tell?" Maddy retorts. She rubs her hand over his arm that drapes her waist. Her alarm would be going off soon enough. Weekend or not in addition to her normal schedule she is going to go over to the Quartermaines to have a sit down with Mrs. Q. Emily’s birthday is tomorrow and the only thing that Em seemed to want is a little peace and quiet with her guy. If Mrs. Q went along a late dinner over at the mansion would be a good compromise point.

"Yesterday started so well then went downhill so quickly." Nik sighs. He raises his head from the bed and tucks one arm under so he is looking down at Maddy. "I’m almost afraid to get out of bed." Specially if you remember why you’re mad at me and move back down into the basement.

"Oh yeah, I can tell you’re scared stiff." Maddy turns around so she is laying on her back. "It was actually a relief to see you go Cassadine on someone else for a change."

Was that the reason for the freeze? Em had said it was something about Lisette. "You didn’t seem to have a problem with it yesterday."

"Eh. The principal deserved it." Maddy shrugs. "Just because it wasn’t Dr. Jones or Granny Helena this time doesn’t mean that the school wasn’t totally lax. Carly and Luke didn’t hang around long after the kids called. They were taking care of the them. Someone had to stick around and let the school know they screwed up. Just because the kids were fine doesn’t change the facts that your sister is eight and Lucas has diabetes. It’s winter for goodness sake. Anything could have happened to them. They were supposed to be safe at school."

"I think that was Carly’s point." Nik reminds but he frowns. He doesn’t think it’s possible for the school to protect his little sister from someone motivated. He forgives Stefan a little bit for the years of isolation on the island. “Lucky and I will have to have a little chat with the Princess today.”

"You think Lulu is going to be here today?" Maddy asks. "After what happened yesterday?"

"I think my sister has proved after yesterday that she will do as she likes." Nik shakes his head. "This is all your fault you do realize?"

"Excuse me?"

"Lulu has been hearing stories about the "Grannies" since she moved in with us. I believe she is starting a collection of her own."

"I’m not talking to you." Carly says flatly and continues filling the kettle for tea. The Happy Family house is feeling the strain this morning.

"I said I’m sorry." Lucas protests yet again.

"For what?!" Carly demands turning around and planting her butt right against the counter. If he gave the wrong answer she was going to fling the kettle right at his head.

Lucas looks at the kettle suspiciously and knows exactly what his sister has in mind. At least it’s from the tap and not from the stove. Carly had been too furious to go into it the night before. Not to mention she didn’t want to say anything in front of her. "You want me to say I’m sorry for going over to Lady Jane’s house but I’m not. And I won’t say it. I am sorry I didn’t call you. You would have just tried to talk me out of going. Jerry would have wanted me to go! Mom would have wanted me to go."

"Oh bull." Carly snaps back and then she takes a deep breath. "Mom would have wanted you to call. You’ve been doing this every day haven’t you? It’s not checking the mail and picking you up at the brownstone. It’s going over to her house."

"Carly, she’s not so bad." Lucas doesn’t deny it.

"And now she’s in my house."

"Lady Jane offered to let me stay with her until Mom and Jerry get back." Lucas counters. There is just a hint of threat in his voice.

"Don’t try that crap with me." Carly retorts. "It’s just until her husband gets back and you’re just lucky Michael isn’t here or I would have. I swear I would have."

Outside the kitchen and up the stairs, AJ is walking down to the main floor when he sees their house guest hesitating outside the kitchen door. He suspects what is up. Eavesdropping is often times the only way you could find anything out but it would also drive his wife out of what is left of her mind. He sneaks up behind Jane Jacks and whispers softly in her ear. "Good Morning, Mrs. Jacks."

Lady Jane knows she’s caught and looks guiltily over her shoulder. "Good Morning, AJ."

"Shall we?" AJ pushes open the swinging door into the kitchen. "So what is the plan for this morning?" He announces in a voice intended to carry.

Carly looks from AJ to Lady Jane and rolls her eyes. She puts the kettle on. "Lucas is going to be cleaning out stalls. It’s the only thing he’s going to be doing up at the stables."

"Carly, that isn’t fair! The show is coming. I have to be riding."

"I don’t care." Carly retorts. "I’m Rita’s coach, not yours. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll get dressed." Carly stalks out of the kitchen.

AJ takes over watching the kettle on the stove. "You ready for round two?"

Lucas winces. He shakes his head and puts it down on the table. "Go for it." His voice is muffled against his arms. Lady Jane sits down at the kitchen table and gives him a sympathetic glance.

"You may be too young to really remember when Michael was kidnapped. Not so much that he was kidnapped although that was bad enough. But the way your sister reacted to it. It happened while Carly was watching him." Lady Jane winces at that. "But Lucas, you were front and center when Rita and Emily went missing."

"I wasn’t kidnapped!" Lucas protests defensively. "I walked home. I’ve been doing it for years."

"Lucas." Lady Jane shakes her head.

"Alright, alright I get it. I should have called. Called Lady Jane. Called Carly."

"Good. Glad to know it. Because I think I saw one of the vet’s videotapes up at the stables. All about installing microchips. It didn’t look that hard. I think I could do it. Tea anyone?" AJ suggests cheerfully.

Maddy knows Edward is away from the mansion. She called ahead. Miz Lila had let her know that her husband was out with Ricky. Probably getting a birthday present for his granddaughter. Emily had made her wishes known. This birthday wasn’t going to be like the last or any of the ones before. Maddy knocks on the door and because she is expected Reggie is right there to open the door. “Hey Reg. Where is she?”

“Front room.” Reggie nods in the direction of the French doors.

“Thanks.” Maddy gives him a quick smile over her shoulder as she crosses the foyer to the French doors.

Lila looks up at the sound of the door opening. “Maddy, darling! The house is too quiet without you and Emily around every day with your tutor.”

Maddy shudders. “Love you, Mrs. Q, but I’m not going back.” She comes over and gives Lila a kiss on the cheek. I’m here to assist as needed for Emily’s birthday dinner tomorrow. Late tomorrow.”

Lila allows a small smile. “I’m sure her grandfather was planning on giving her, her birthday presents right when she woke up.” Lila teases.

Maddy looks over at the closet that is reputed to be loaded with a shotgun, complete with buckshot. “I hope you’re kidding.”

“Is this the compromise, Darling? No family over at Porter’s or the apartment and Emily and Johnny will be here for dinner.”

“Johnny will bring the cake?” Maddy adds hopefully. “Mrs. Q, the only thing that Emily told me she wanted for her birthday was... quiet. I think she’d really rather ignore the whole thing. She really doesn’t have a great track record with birthdays and she’s trying to break her record.”

“I thought year before last went rather well.” Lila says with just an element of hurt in her voice.

“Oh you guys were great from what Em said.” Maddy leans in. “Katherine Bell ruined that one.”

Lila sighs. “The promise of cake will ensure Edward’s compliance– with much protest.”

“He wouldn’t be Mr. Q if he didn’t.” Maddy shrugs and grins. “Just like he wouldn’t be Mr. Q if he didn’t get a present for Emily that is totally over the top and is going to drive her absolutely nuts.”

“You understand my husband so well.” Lila smiles at the young woman who does have a talent for distracting Edward.

Maddy pulls out her book and opens it to a clean page. “So this is going to be a family gathering... chance for you to get everyone together. Did you want me to write out the notes so Reggie could deliver them?”

“Oh that would be lovely. There are some notes in the middle left drawer of Edward’s desk.” Lila indicates toward the corner. “AJ with Carly and Michael.”

Maddy starts writing names down in her book. “Lucas is still staying with them with Jerry and Bobbie out of town.”

“Yes, Lucas as well. Reginald will have to talk to the new cook. Jason.” Lila continues with her list.

“And he’ll probably bring Li.” Maddy makes another note. When there is a pause in the list of people from Ms. Lila she looks up. “You haven’t met Li yet?” Realizing that she has spoken out of turn, Maddy backs off quickly. “She’s the daughter of the missionaries that Queen of Angels was sponsoring over in China. Em and Jason have been looking out for her while she’s here in the US.”

Lila studies Maddy carefully and then slowly nods. “Make sure that Jason’s invitation has Li on it as well.” She would have to check out this Li despite the emphasis that Maddy had put on Emily in her explanation. She guessed that the first reaction had been truer. She would have to have a chat with Edward before dinner so that he would put his best foot forward.

“I thought you already got Emily her birthday present. Voting stock in ELQ and that little modeling agency.” Ricky declares. He can’t believe he’s here driving Edward Quartermaine around again. On a Saturday when he should be planning his own funeral cause Cookie is going to kill him. He’d called the prof straight away but it was already too late.

“Paper. That’s all paper. Haven’t met a woman yet that was happy with paper. Just the things they could get with it.” Edward studies the glass of the jewelry counter at Wyndams. “Not jewelry. Lila takes care of the jewelry in the family. She’ll probably give Em something personal. My wife knows our daughter, Tracy, too well. Lila’s not going to wait and leave her wishes to be implemented by anyone else.”

“You gave Em a SAAB for the first snowfall, man.” Ricky counters. “You’ve already set the bar too high.”

“That’s the other thing about women you need to understand. It’s not the price, Ricky. It’s the thought. Took me long enough to figure that one out.” Edward mutters. “I’d give Lila a gorgeous pin with the perfect stone in it that would set me back a pretty penny and she was more preoccupied with the bouquet of flowers I gave her at the same time. The ring didn’t get a mention until after the bouquet was long gone.”

“Besides the voting stock and the modeling agency are actually presents for you, Old Man. And Emily will know know it and probably call you on it too.”

Edward gives Ricky a blustery glare but doesn’t defend his gifts. That’s why he was here the day before Emily’s birthday shopping. Ricky was right. The same way he was right about the candy making kit he’d given Maddy for Christmas. “Maddy still hasn’t made me any pralines.”

Ricky keeps up with the seeming out of the blue comment and nods. “Told you so.”

“Nobody likes a know it all, Ricky. And speaking of know it alls you’ve got a little bit of shopping to do as well.”

Ricky groans. “She’s going to kill me. There isn’t a present in the world that is going to save me from her wrath.”

“A Book!” Edward snaps his fingers. “Em is always scribbling in her journal. A book of poetry perhaps.”

“You can’t get a book for someone that loves books, Man. If they want it they’ve already got it.”

“True. If you’re talking about new books. And this will soften your blow too– if you find Cookie the right cookbook.”

“If it’s such a brilliant idea why didn’t you buy Cookie a cookbook when you blew up her microwave?”

“That wasn’t her microwave. It was mine!” Edward protests. “She just got to use it. I could blow it up if I wanted to.”

Ricky nods but then he grins. “I can see that cept for the whole it’s your daughter in law’s house. That pretty much makes the microwave her’s too.”

“Damn Alan.” Edward mutters then he clears his throat and speaks in a more normal tone. “We’re not going to find it here. We need to go to the bookstore.”

Ricky gets the door for Edward as they head back out to the car. “So... you own any stock in Enron?”

“Why do you ask?”

“You’re going to love this one.” Ricky looks around. “But lets wait until we’re in the car.”

After the Saturday lunch rush is over at Porter’s, Mei and Cookie pick Rita up at the restaurant. Cookie had brought along a change of clothes for when she gets to the stable for her riding lesson. Rita slides in to the front seat of Cookie’s car and pulls the seat belt around her. Luckily the car is so old that there is no air bag on the passenger side and she didn’t have to sit in the back seat. Rita twists in her seat. “What did I miss?”

“My grandmother called from Hawaii.” Mei announces and then adds automatically with Rita saying it with her. “When the rates were cheaper. Uncle is doing a lot better. Auntie’s English is almost as good as Grandmother’s.”

“You tell her about the math test?” Rita starts digging thru the bag of clothes to see if there is anything she could change into now so she could spend more time riding when she gets out to Carly’s.

“Not in the front seat.” Cookie declares reading her stepdaughter’s mind.

“I told her about all the tests. Leilani, the lady that they are staying with is going to throw a big Luau for Mr. Jerry she’s just waiting until Uncle Harry can be there. He’s already off the tube stuff and taking pills instead. So he should be coming home soon.”

They come up to a stop light. Rita unbuckles her seat belt and crawls over the seat and back by Mei. She buckles back up. Cookie just shakes her head and throws the bag of clothes in the back seat. The girl is horse crazy with emphasis on crazy.