When Cassadines Fall ~ The Detour

All Grown up

“Happy birthday, baby.” Johnny whispers in Emily’s ear.

Emily doesn’t open her eyes but instead smiles. She turns her head toward the clock and opens one eye. “I’ve been official for hours. Now you’re telling me happy birthday?”

“Well I’ve got one of your present here.”

“I thought I got my present at midnight?” Emily leans up in bed and draping an arm around Johnny’s shoulder pulls him closer to her and into a deep kiss.

Johnny groans. “Oh no, that was definitely my present.” But he allows himself to be distracted. He’d just have to make her another breakfast in bed.

Over at the Quartermaine mansion the preparations are already beginning as the house gets a party polish. Reggie, Sally and some extra hired help have their lists and have been at it since long before a decent hour. It’s going to be a long day. But to make sure that it’s going to go smoothly from an Under the Staircase standpoint– Reg has made sure that all the Quartermaines have outside appointments. Edward had an early tee time at the country club driving range. Monica is working a dayshift at the hospital to make sure that there is no way in heck that she is called into work later. Lila has an appointment over at the Deception Spa to get her hair done. They would hopefully all be cleared out by the time Cook arrived to construct the cake. Maddy’s original plan had been tweaked by Lila and Cookie for Cookie to make the cake so that Johnny would have all possible time before the Dinner with Em and only distractions of their making.

“You’ve got everything here covered?” Reggie asks Sally.

“Oh please... to finally get a chance to just supervise?” Sally rolls her eyes. “I think I can hold the fort down until you get back from dropping off Miz Lila.”

“Cook is going to be arriving with the everything she needs for the final preparation of the cake.”

“And she’s got a separate space away from the new cook. So no worries about them killing each other. There is a clear division: New cook makes the dinner and Cookie makes the dessert.”

“They’re going to kill each other.” Reggie predicts. “Nobody is going to eat the dinner cause they are going to be saving room for the cake.” He glances down at his watch. “I’m going to pull the car around.”

“I’ll get Miz Lila.” Sally nods. She doesn’t question Reggie’s prediction; it sounded like a sure thing.

At the L&B building, Ned and Alexis are actually working on a project together in their official capacities. A major portion of Emily’s trust becomes available today and they are getting all the paperwork together to arrange the transfer to Emily’s control on the next business day.
Ned and Emily had touched base on it earlier to determine which part of the assets would be shifted to her direct control and which would still be under the trust that didn’t release until she was twenty five. Having Ned the administrator of both had made the shifting around easy even if it was rather gray in the legal area. Something that had Alexis cringing.

“Emily needs to incorporate.” Alexis mutters. “Did Edward really buy the modeling agency?”

Ned gives her a look.

“She really needs to incorporate.” Alexis mutters again rolling her eyes this time. “She’s going to have the core to build from if that is what she wants to do: Deception, this agency.”

“Right. And now that she has that foundation can start working the rest of the trust to balance and integrate with it.” Ned agrees with a nod. He’d have to talk to Em after her birthday about the assets of the balance of her trust. Might have to change things up a bit if Em did decide to go the mogul route.

“When is V going to be back?” Ned demands rubbing his eyes. He’d constructed this maze of investments because of the need to keep Edward’s sticky fingers out of things but it didn’t mean it didn’t give him a headache. V was actually about the only one that could straighten things out into a tidy format. It’s just her organizational skill to make order out of chaos.

“Tomorrow. Course if she broke the bank she’ll probably be handing in her notice.”

“Was that supposed to be a joke?! Because if it was, it wasn’t funny.” Ned retorts.

“Good Morning, Mrs. Quartermaine.” Lila is greeted cheerfully by the staff at the Deception Spa. Normally she had someone come out to the mansion to do her hair and such but when Reggie had suggested getting out of the house it has seemed like such a delightful idea.

“Good Morning.”

“I’ve got everything lined up for you: massage, hair, facial, manicure, and pedicure.” The manager escorts Lila to the deluxe salon area where rather than moving from one room to another all the staff would be brought to her. “The works. People are going to be wondering if you’re Emily’s mother rather than her grandmother when we get done with you.”

Lila laughs. “I’ll be satisfied with feeling Monica’s age again. Other than that the perks are much better in being a grandmother.”

The manager assists Lila in getting ready for the massage. Right on time the massage therapist enters the room. “Good morning, Mrs. Quartermaine. You ready for me?”

“All set.” The manager is the one that answers. “I’ll be back to check on you, Mrs. Quartermaine.” With that the manager goes out to the front desk and per her earlier instructions from the owner, leaves a message on the cell phone that Lila has arrived.

“You eat your wheaties today or what?” Ricky asks after a particularly good swing from his companion.

“Good Living, My boy.” Edward says cheerfully. All is right in his world.

“I don’t know why I’m talking to you let alone hanging out at the driving range with you in February.” Ricky smoothly sends a ball flying out into the distance.

“It didn’t work?!” Edward looks up from setting up another ball from the bucket.

“Totally didn’t work. It might have worked if I would have stuck with that cookbook. The truffles were definite overkill. I’m on probation.”

“Excuse me?!”

“Yeah, it’s a Judge Porter thing. After his first wife died and he took over parenting the girls he went with what he knew. So I’m on probation until end of term.” Ricky decides to get forthcoming and shrugs. “I really don’t think it would have mattered what I gave... the fix was already in on the sentence before I ever showed up for dinner.”

“Judge Porter is hardheaded.” Edward grumbles. “And impossible to buy off.” Edward speaks from experience since that is one of the first things he’d tried to get the Judge to leave Cook alone.

“Well that part of your advice did work.” Ricky admits. “Using the Enron information to get the Prof to give me a make up exam is the only reason why I’m here rather than moving into the Porter’s house.”

“I knew it.” Edward says smugly. “It might be insider trading but who can resist good information. Whatever the source. After you take a little summer vacation, you should come work at ELQ for the rest of the summer.” Edward is practically rubbing his hands together in glee. He is definitely a rule by fear type manager. And there is nothing that would make the different divisions more stressed than being audited. He’d have to talk to AJ about it. “Even better... if AJ won’t go for it then set you up for a little job over at Barrington Industries.”

“You thinking a little industrial espionage?” Ricky perks up at the thought.

“Would I do something like that?” The impish glint in Edward’s cagey eyes reveals more than the slightly hurt tone he’d put in his voice.

“Well that would make a hell of a paper for next year’s What I did over Summer break essay.”

Sally meets Cookie at the back door. “I’ve got you set up in the butler’s pantry. That should give you plenty of room for the cake.”

“Great.” Cookie hands over a box of supplies to the maid. “Show Rita where it is. I’ll get the rest.”

Rita follows Sally to a galley style room that has great counters and is bigger than the kitchen over at Johnny’s apartment. Sally looks over her shoulder at Rita. “So what is it going to be?”

“It’s for Em.” Rita answers but really doesn’t since she has been sworn to secrecy. It was the only way that she’d been allowed to help out.

“Chocolate then.” Sally knows Emily’s taste well. There is no denying the birthday girl is a chocoholic of epic proportion. Then she blanches. “Oh Gawd! There isn’t going to be something disgusting like Grape Pixie stick frosting or something right?”

“Get your skinny ass out of my space.” Cookie demands. “We’ve got work to do. Even if you don’t.” Now that she’s got everything that she needs in one place, Cookie gives Sally a gentle shove in the direction of the door. Once the maid is outside the room, Cookie shuts the door in her face and locks it.

“It’s really mean to make her think you’re going to do the pixie stick thing.” Rita starts unpacking everything and lining it up just the way it had been planned back at the house. The cake itself has already been baked. It’s just the frosting and the construction of the cake that has to be completed.

“None of them need to see the cake before it’s presented.” Cookie declares flatly. “Now lets get this thing put together.

Em didn’t know if she should count it as a strike against her birthday that she didn’t get the breakfast in bed. By the time they’d really got out of bed it had been a mad dash around the apartment to get ready to go to church. But since she felt so good who can complain?
Johnny is going to church with her rather than having to work at the Restaurant this morning. He used to go all the time back when he was working for Jason and Sonny full time because Jason and Sonny didn’t miss a Sunday. She tucks her hand into Johnny’s after he parks his van and he comes around to give her a hand out of the vehicle. “This counts as one of my presents right?”

“Me coming to church with you today?” Surprised at the comment, Johnny looks down at Em. “I hadn’t planned on it. Emily, if you want me to start coming to church with you I’m willing but it’s going to have to be the early mass.”

“I know you work late the night before.” Em shrugs. She wouldn’t ask him to do it. The weekends are crazy for Johnny between opening and closing. “This is nice though. Besides I think Father Frank would give you a special dispensation from coming to early service since he likes coming to your place for brunch after mass!”

Once they are inside the doors, Emily is greeted by various members of the congregation. She glances into the room where Michael plays with the other children. Mei is also in there giving assistance to the nun that is supervising the children. Mei sees Emily and runs over to the door. “Happy Birthday!”

“Thanks. How did the sleepover go over with Li?”

“We got a lot done.” Mei nods. “I think we’ll have the apartment ready when her Mom and Dad get here. Last night was all about the plan today we’re going to go shopping. It’s supposed to keep Li and Mr. Morgan busy until they go to your party over at the Quartermaines.”

“Li’s coming to the party?”

“Your grandmother invited her specifically.”

“Okay.” Em grins. This was going to be interesting and hopefully distract from her. “I have to get going. See you after.” Mei waves but then she sees one of her charges starting to try to put a barbie shoe up his nose and races across the room to stop him.

Em finds her favorite pew and brings down the kneeling bar. There are plenty of things to be thankful for this Sunday. So far it’s been a great birthday. Johnny takes the spot next to her. It’s been an amazing birthday.

Monica settles back into her office chair at General Hospital. She didn’t normally work Sundays but it’s handy to do every once and awhile if only to catch up on paperwork. This Sunday has a couple of extras to it. This way she wouldn’t give in to temptation and go over to see Emily before the party at the mansion and she could enjoy the fact that Stefan Cassadine is out of the country.

Her party dress is hanging on the back of the door. Emily’s present is carefully wrapped and tucked away. It’s nothing like Edward’s present was sure to be. Something over the top and with strings attached to it. Shares in ELQ without a doubt. The Old Goat had been making noises ever since Emily participated in taking over Deception. Emily would hate it. Doesn’t take into consideration at all the things that Emily loves.

Monica is distracted from her thoughts when the phone rings. “Dr. Quartermaine.”

“Hello, Dr. Quartermaine. This is the other Dr. Quartermaine.”

Monica leans back in the chair. “Alan.”

“Just making sure you remembered to bring your dress to work so I can pick you up there... or if you get off work early you can always come over to the hotel to change.” Alan suggests slyly.

“If I came over to your hotel to change we’d never make it to the party on time.” Monica purrs.

Alan laughs then he gets serious. “I can’t believe our baby is 18. It seems like only yesterday she was a little coltish girl with big sad eyes.”

“I know it hasn’t been perfect. Not by a long shot. I hope Paige would be happy how Em turned out.”

“She’s a strong woman, Monica.” Alan answers reassuringly. “So what did we get her for her birthday?” Alan teases.

“Alan!” Monica protests. “You had better be kidding.” Just in case she changes the card that goes with her present.

Carly shows up at the Spa just about the time that Lila is getting her hair combed out and set into its usual style. Lila’s fingernails and toes are a delicate shade of shell pink. There had been a little break in the days schedule. After the massage and facial they’d taken a break for lunch and then moved on to the shampoo, set and manicure and pedicure. “Everyone treating you right, Lila?”

“Carly darling! I was hoping that I’d run into you today. How are you doing?”

Carly gives a terse laugh. “She just couldn’t wait to call you could she? I will be so glad when Mama and Jerry get back and Lucas can be their problem again.”

“Boys will be boys, Darling.”

“Saying things like that, Lila, is the reason they’ve been getting away with murder for generations.”

“It was really rather sweet of him to clear Jane’s walk so that she wouldn’t be housebound.”

“She lives in Alaska.” Carly purposely uses the present tense and hopes that it will soon be true again. “I don’t think a little snow is going to slow her down. She isn’t going to be at the party tonight is she?”

“No.” Lila shakes her head and gets a look from the hairdresser. “Tonight is going to be family only. Maddy told me when we were doing the invitations that Emily’s friends are going to have a separate celebration later. It sounded as if there are actually going to be quite a few parties. There is something being planned for Monday by Emily’s friends at work too.”

Carly grins at that. “I wonder what the geeks are going to come up with. The last great invention was that hair depilatory.”

“Carly.” Lila says reprovingly knowing exactly what Carly is thinking about. But she can’t hide the twinkle in her eye.

The hair dresser not knowing the whole story adds her two cents. “That is turning into Deceptions number one seller. It’s already on back order.”

Carly and Lila exchange a look. Carly bites her tongue and for Lila’s sake decides to be discreet. “So what are you getting Emily this year? You gave her the pearls for her sixteenth.”

“Oh and that pin that you brought her back from Australia was a perfect compliment.” Lila agrees. “I have this pin that Edward gave me. I think it would be a nice change from the pearls. Something with a little sparkle. I know if Edward could get away with it he would probably give Emily deed to one of the new condos down by the promenade.” Lila plants a little seed.

“Oh that would go over well– NOT.” Carly shakes her head.

“Darling, I do try not to be too old fashioned. And Johnny has been very patient with the family really but they are living in his bachelor pad.”

Carly winces. “Monica will kill me.”

“Darling.”

“Okay. Okay. I’ll take care of it. I’ve got time to make a few phone calls. You do know I’m supposed to be taking it easy.” Carly rubs her belly significantly.

“With Lucas being on punishment I’m sure you’ll rope him into the heavy lifting.”

Carly’s grin gets even bigger. “You have a point.” She leans over and gives Lila a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you tonight. And there will be pictures.” She is gone before Lila can say goodbye.

Lila looks at the hairdresser in the mirror. “Have you ever known my granddaughter in law to take it easy?!”

The hair dresser thinks about it for a moment. “I think I saw her take a power nap once. Twenty minutes asleep in her office and then bam back in high gear.”

Back in her office, Carly is already on the phone. “Hassan, it’s Carly and I need a favor. A big one.” As soon as she is done with that phone call it’s on to the next one. “Elaine? It’s Carly Quartermaine. Have I got a rush order for you.” Then the final tough one. “Maddy? It’s Carly. Don’t hang up! I’m on a mission from Lila and I need your van. Oh by the way... do you want to go shopping?”

Edward looks at the country club lunch. He’d gone easy knowing that he is going to have a huge dinner and a cake made by Cookie. It doesn’t stop him from looking over longingly at Ricky’s monster sized burger. “So tell me about this Li Chow.”

Ricky coughs and then slowly finishes chewing the bite of his burger that had been so rudely interrupted. “Why do you want to know?”

“Lila invited her to this dinner tonight as Jason’s date. Now I know she’s the missionaries daughter. I know she arrived early. I know she’s been taking care of Michael on the weekends when he is with Jason.”

“So what do you want to know from me? You seem to have the bases covered.”

“Is she Emily’s friend, Michael’s nanny or Jason’s date?” Edward demands bluntly.

Ricky winces. “I think so, yes and yes.” He takes a second. “You’re going to have figure this one out for yourself. They were at the Porters thing last night. Cookie wanted Mei and Li to get some things straight. Li didn’t have to do much with Michael. With both Mei and Rita there the kid didn’t have to ask for anything before it was provided to him. And yeah, Morgan was real protective of Li. I don’t think he liked the idea of Li being there. Of her being out at all.”

“Oh?”

“She arrived early.” Ricky emphasizes the last and keeps his voice low. “I wouldn’t be starting any big conversation about illegal immigration.”

“Oh! Well. Really.” Edward has a bite of his grilled chicken breast with a side of greens.

“Don’t get any ideas, Old Man.” Ricky warns. “You mess with this chick and you won’t just be ticking off Jason Morgan, but also the FBI and the church. Your life and afterlife wouldn’t be worth living.”

“The FBI?!” Edward isn’t going to touch the afterlife with a ten foot pole.

“Yeah, Evidently Li is going to turn evidence on the importers.”

“And my grandson is going along with this? I don’t think so.” Edward sniffs in disgust. His opinion of the FBI had changed after Emily’s kidnapping. Sorry to say it has aligned itself more with Jason’s point of view. Edward’s eyes narrow. Ricky is paying too much attention to the burger. “Ricky? What did you you have to do with this?”

“Rita overheard something. Brought it to me because she knew she couldn’t take it to her father– conflict of interest. I knew we needed a pro so I brought in Dara Jenson. She’s the one that involved the FBI. She’s got leverage. Everything goes right and Li Chow will never see or speak to an FBI agent. Because you’re right. Morgan would never go along with it.”

“That Rita is a pistol.”

“I can’t believe I let you rope me into this.” Maddy bitches from down the street at Porter’s. Carly is seated in the front passenger seat of the van and is watching the same window. Maddy made sure that they’d parked away from the street lights. Nobody looking out the window would think anything of the van parked down a ways. Or of the truck that is parked in an adjacent parking lot.

“I don’t know why you are complaining.” Carly says absently. “I’m the one that has to be at the same party they are going to.”

“Johnny is going to hate it.”

“He’d hate Edward giving Em her own apartment more.”

“Good point.” Maddy agrees with a nod. “There they go.” Maddy and Carly watch as Em’s SAAB pulls out of the parking lot at Porter’s with Johnny in the passenger seat.

Carly flips open her cell phone. “We’re on the clock, people. We have to be at that party. And we can’t be too fashionably late.”

Maddy takes her clue from Carly and pulls up to the back entrance to the restaurant. Just inside that back door is the service elevator that would go up to Johnny’s apartment. “How you figure you’re going to get in?”

“Rita’s key.” Carly holds it up.