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When Cassadines Fall ~ The Detour
Lila is comfortably ensconced in her chair in her suite. Reginald made sure there is a carefully banked fire that is just warm enough. There is a lovely darjeeling in the teapot and the jam on the homemade bread is just tart enough. Reggie had brought up the Herald, without the front page which is just depressing anyway, and her magnifying strip. Those editors have the annoying habit of making the type smaller as the story went along. Incredibly frustrating.
“Good morning, Lila.” Edward leans over and gives Lila a gentle kiss on her powdered cheek and puts a bouquet of flowers on the breakfast table.
“Oh Darling! They are lovely.” Lila reaches for the flowers and takes a moment to enjoy the colors and scents and then actually looks at it. With a sigh she rests the flowers on her lap. Reginald would put them in water later. “How bad is it?”
“I think it’s been contained.” Edward sits down next to Lila. There was no way he was going to admit anything last night. Lila might have sent him to the spare room. Better to come clean in the morning.
“Contained. Charming. Honey bear, you need to start at the beginning and not leave anything out. But wait just a second please.” Lila rings for Reginald and only once he has cleared the table and taken the flowers to be put in a vase does she give Edward her full attention. She takes a deep breath. “I’m ready.”
“It’s that damn movie’s fault.” Edward begins. “With that fat french guy.”
“Gerard Depardieu. Green Card. Oh no. Oh Edward. What did you do?!”
Edward mumbles. “I sort of told the FBI about the Chows. I just thought it would push things along with Jason and Li. I hinted to Jason when he brought Li to see you but he didn’t pick up on the clue. Should have rented a damn billboard.”
Lila shakes her head. “That isn’t all of it.”
“We met at the coffee kiosk in front of the courthouse.”
“So Maddy knows.”
“And Maddy told Ricky. And Ricky filled me in on what happened after I talked to the FBI.”
“This is the part I’m not going to like.”
Edward is heartened by that. Lila isn’t too upset so far– maybe even approved in her own way. He nods. “It should have worked, Lila. If I was dealing with professionals it would have worked.”
“No dodging, darling, just give it me straight.”
“Ricky explained to me Li isn’t just keeping a low profile from the police but also her parents who would not understand about her living with Jason. Even as Michael’s nanny. And those fumble fingered FBI agents made it all worse. They said horrible things about the girl to her parents. Ricky says her mother went to bed and hasn’t come out since! Idiots! They’ve probably ruined everything now. Li’s parents won’t accept her let alone Jason!”
Lila sighs and reaches a hand out to Edward. He takes it and presses a kiss to the back and then pats her hand. “Tell me now how it is contained.”
“Maddy isn’t going to tell Jason or Emily what she knows. Ricky is keeping an eye on the Chows– making sure they have everything they need.”
“Darling, I love Maddy and Ricky. But Maddy doesn’t do anything without balancing everything carefully before she makes a decision, and Ricky... Ricky is a scoundral just like you. Which is why you two get along so well.”
“Maddy wants a favor to be redeemed later. Ricky wants me to buy the Queen of Angels a new bus.”
“They let you off incredibly lightly, Honey Bear.”
“I know.” Edward sighs.
“And when you get the bus for the Queen of Angels you can tell... oh what is his name...”
“Father Frank.”
“Right. Tell Father Frank it is repayment for the lovely time you’ve had this season watching the girls play basketball. You’ve been going every Thursday night since Rita joined the team.”
Edward nods agreement. That would work.
“Darling, you know the bus is not going to be Ricky’s... repayment. That’s for Emily even if she doesn’t know it.”
“Especially if she doesn’t know it.”
“Exactly. I have no idea how Emily would react to this.” Lila sighs.
“Monica is going to kick me out of the house.”
“She’s tried before and it never sticks.” Lila pauses. “Why?”
“Ricky says if Li gets deported because of something I said to the FBI and Jason goes with her....”
“Oh dear. That is a difficulty. I have to think about that. You leave it to me.”
“But Lila....”
“I think you should go to Washington DC. Talk to our representatives or better their staff... normally people who are hungry pay better attention and you pay the senators too much.”
“I know.” Edward grumbles.
“Don’t mention Jason, or Li, or anything.”
“But.”
“No, only what we’ve given them. Not what we want, because we don’t know what it’s going to be yet.”
“The money to the campaigns.”
“Yes, and the taxes that ELQ pays. And AJ’s sea crane that’s been such a boon to the shipping industry in the NE. All the revitalization you’re doing down at the docks. Money in the community. Keeping the unions working.” Expecting Edward to keep the unions happy is a longshot that even Lila can’t say with a straight face even to get the support of the junior senator from New York who happens to be a democrat.
“I think I should mention what I heard about industry in China. Prison labor and the inspection we just did of our plants over there.”
“That is brilliant, Honey bear!” Lila nods enthusiastically. “If we have to intervene for Li with the government later it’ll be good for them to know how concerned we are about China now.”
“I’ll take care of the bus this morning and have the pilot fly me down this afternoon after a few appointments are made.”
“See if Jerry can fly you down. He was there for that inspection and it will make AJ and Carly feel better about your trip without really knowing what you’re doing.”
Before Edward had started having Ricky drive him around he might have been offended by that. But Jerry has been at the basketball games too and is in the know about the Enron scam. “Fine. But I’m taking my plane.”
Li pulls the hood of her sweatshirt up over her hair. It keeps her ears warm while she’s listening to her language tapes at the bus stop. And it kept her anonymous on the bus. The time on the bus is good study time. Anyone looking at her would see a student on their way to class. Course she looked like a student off to the middle school. Only by losing some of the layers and taking a close look at her face does it become apparent that she’s old enough for just about anything.
Ever since she saw the massage parlor busted by the police on TV she’s been keeping an even lower profile. And it just kept getting lower and lower as more information became available. First Dara Jensen had been right there to reassure Jason but she’d also informed them that the FBI had been at her parents’ apartment. She’d said in English what the FBI agent had said to her parents thinking to spare Li’s feelings. Dara Jensen is sweet and probably a very good attorney but even Jason had realized as soon as Dara said it. The vocabulary of a whore house is different. And it is what Li learned before English.
If there was ever a door back to her old life– it’s not there anymore. Her parents would never forgive her for this shame. She would be a taint on their new life. She isn’t going to kill herself; this is the path God put her on and she must follow it. But it is better for her parents to believe their daughter dead.
Seeing her stop she pulls the wire and gets off the bus.
Nikolas is already behind the Stefan’s desk at General Hospital and hard at work reviewing everything Stefan had accomplished in his absence. The system is in place. Everything that could be handled without being discussed is still there. While anything that Stefan didn’t want him to know is in his uncle’s briefcase under lock and key.
If you know the rules going in, it’s a workable system. Things have eased some since his handling of the kidnaping of Emily and the Judge’s daughter. And Nik having his own projects has forced Stefan to be more forthcoming. Stefan has taken protecting The Cassadine to a paranoid degree but he always has. Since before Nikolas was born. Maddy would probably quote some cliche about old dogs and new tricks.
The estate paperwork is quickly sorted and packaged for the messengers. There are a few birthdays and anniversaries coming up in the extended family. Probably should hire Maddy to take care of that. The family would have no clue what to do with something Maddy would get them. Nikolas grins at the thought of one of the cousins in the Baltic receiving a package from Maddy and then thinks better of it. He wouldn’t put it past Maddy to add another copy of Discourses to the mix. And controlling Cassadines is too much like herding cats already.
The paperwork for the hospital is actually more involved as there are fewer layers between the workings of the hospital and The Cassadines, but Nikolas focuses on the volunteer schedule for the next few weeks and updating it on the computer and then sending out an email to all of the volunteers to verify the schedules. Which meant that in about 45 minutes he is going to have to do it again as everyone started emailing back all the reasons why they couldn’t work their regular schedule. But that is 45 minutes from now.
Nik leans back in the chair. The house is as done as it can be until the spring thaw. Lila Quartermaine had provided a plan for the landscaping as well as a promise of cuttings for a rose garden if he wanted. It would have been easier to implement prior to Mir’s coming to stay but Larry had put forth a few names who could do the job quickly and correctly. The bids are already in place and appointments set for interviews so everything would be ready to go as soon as the earth let loose of the ice and snow.
The corner store is also out of his hands. Maddy would take care of the gas tanks once the thaw happened but that would be for the Chows, not him. He definitely needs another project. But what?“You’re here early, Nikolas.” Stefan arrives and sets down his briefcase. He hangs up his scarf and overcoat and then adjusts his suit jacket.
“Not really, Uncle.” Nikolas replies with a small smile. “You’re... on time.” And because Stefan is on time rather than the first one there, Nikolas pretty much knows that Stefan stayed the night on this side of the water instead of Wyndemere.
Stefan faintly flushes. On time is damning with faint praise. “What time did the gathering wind up last night?”
Nikolas shrugs as he hands Stefan a folder. “Everything broke up about the time you and Dr Ryan left to take Mrs Lansbury back to the launch. Maddy has put me on notice that I’ll be in charge of putting away all the souveniers I brought back from New Orleans so I would like to be out of the hospital by 11:30.” To meet Maddy at Kelly’s at noon.
Stefan looks at Nikolas over his reading glasses that he’d just put on so he could read the materials. “Right.” Stefan says dryly. “Maddy managed to transfer the furnishings from the cottage to your new house in an afternoon but you are on your own with some... shopping.” He is distracted by the contents of the folder. “Is this true?!”“I’m still working on verifying some of it.” Nikolas shrugs. “This is the kind of information Maddy gave Emily when they were taking instruction together. That Emily uses to keep Jax and Ned on their toes over at Deception.”
“Has Madeliene decided what path she will be taking at University? She would appear to have a career waiting for her in espionage.” Stefan shakes his head. People accuse him of being an information... junky but that hadn’t come about until after Nikolas’ birth. He’d always believed in books and learning but Information had taken on a new value when he’d been gathering it to protect first Lasha and then Nikolas. Before Stavros death, yes, and then it had been critical after Stavros’ death– to protect Nikolas from Helena’s influence, take over the estate and keep the relatives at bay. Madeliene is too young to be this skilled.
“I didn’t put it quite that way.” Nikolas gets up from the seat behind the desk so Stefan can take it. “But she wouldn’t be surprised if you came to her with the idea of putting coffee kiosks around the world.”
“Some of them would have to be tea houses.” Stefan says absently as he scans thru the materials.
Nikolas just shakes his head. Stefan and Maddy have definitely been spending too much time together playing chess. They are starting to think the same way. “So now you’ve seen what I’m working on. And you, Uncle?” Nikolas glances toward the briefcase that is sitting on the desk.
“It’s all routine.” Stefan dismisses as he reluctantly hands the folder back to Nikolas. He really wants to look at it in more detail.
“Great. So hand it over.” Nikolas suggests. “So I can review it and be gone before the calls start on the volunteer schedule.”
Stefan sighs. The days of Nikolas just leaving things in his hands are over. “There is one thing. I was planning on reviewing it with you after Alexis had done some research.”
“I can drop it off to her.” Nikolas offers. “If Ms Jensen is at the L&B building I can drop off the presents sent back for her from Granny Sophia at the same time.”
There is just no getting around it. Stefan opens the briefcase and hands Nikolas a letter.
Nik eyes the spidery writing on a thin envelope. “Uncle Victor?”
Stefan nods.
Nikolas takes a seat to read the letter. This isn’t going to take as long as the last one. “Thank goodness he switched over to Greek. Letters in Latin take too long to translate.”
“Alexis would agree. If it isn’t a legal concept she isn’t interested in latin.” Since Nikolas appears busy with the letter, Stefan opens up Nikolas’ report again and begins to read in more detail. If he could get information like this in Europe where so much of the Cassadine Estate is still based....
Jerry turns around as the door is opened behind him. “Good to see you too.” He walks into the penthouse Morgan shares with Li. “Is Li here?”
“No.” Jason says tersely. He wasn’t thrilled with calling Jerry but he’s worried about Li and Jerry seems to be the middle ground. “She’s already left for school.”
“Good. Then she’s keeping to her schedule.” Jerry releases the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. After everything had gone down with the FBI, and gotten back to Li he’d been worried about the girl. “How is she doing?”
Jason gives him a glare.
“Right. Stupid question.” Jerry shrugs. “I’ll rephrase. How bad is it?”
“Li thought it would be better if her parents thought she was dead. Now she’s acting like a ghost. She won’t take Mei’s phone calls anymore. She won’t go to church because she’s afraid of running into her parents. She won’t take communion.”
“What’s that got to do with anything?!” Jerry demands.
“Means she’s thinking about things she isn’t confessing. No confession, no absolution, no communion.”
“Father Frank get hazard pay for hearing yours?”
“It was a mistake to call you.” Jason starts walking back over to the door.
“Wait a minute.” Jerry sighs. “How badly do you want to fix this?”
Jason glares at him again. Jacks is just filled with stupid ****ing questions.
“This might take awhile.” Jerry shrugs. “Is there anymore of that?” He refers to the dishes that are on the table. It looked like a lunch spread even though its breakfast time. But good food is good food whatever the time of day.
“I’ll get you a bowl.” Jason goes into the kitchen and grabs a bowl and a pair of chopsticks. He slams them down on the dining room table and then takes the seat across from Jerry.
Once Jerry has dished up and takes his first bite only then does he begin. “You want to hear about sin or God or something talk to Father Frank. You want to know what to do about the FBI or the INS then I figure you’d be talking to Dara or Alexis. You want to know what’s going on in a woman’s head then don’t be asking a man because we’re clueless down to the last of us.” Jerry takes another bite.
“So what can you tell me.”
“For them it’s all about family. Not just family but where you are in the family pecking order. Girls are good for increasing someone else’s family not yours– so they don’t count. It’s all about sons. For example if Carly, AJ and Michael were over here for dinner, Li would serve AJ, you, and Michael before anyone else. Carly would come next because she’s the mother of Michael and then herself. And as Michael gets older, it would probably be AJ, Michael and then you– Michael is the first son of the first son. And you’re just the second son.”
“What does this have to do with Li and her parents?” Jason demands impatiently.
“Women have their own pecking order. Who are they married to? Have they popped out that first son? It would be kind of a toss up, but it would be better to be a poor man’s wife and the mother of his sons than be a rich man’s whore. I might have said the poor/rich thing but actually the richer the better.
Li wants to get back in good with her folks then she needs to be married. Her parents have to be able to say my son in law is so and so and who the guy is connected to. Not my daughter is the whore of a gangster taking care of another woman’s son. You see the difference there?”“She’s better off without them.” Jason says tersely throwing down his chopsticks.
“Maybe. But Li doesn’t think so. The way she is acting proves she thinks the exact same way. She is just the whore of a gangster taking care of another woman’s son. She doesn’t deserve any more than what she has. Her parents are better off believing she is dead.”
“So how do I fix it?” Jason cuts to the bottom line.
“Provide the Chows with a son- in- law they can brag about when someone asks about their daughter. Ideally he’d be Chinese, rich, never married before, no kids, pretty high up in his own family’s pecking order. But because Li is a scandal she’s got about zero chance of marrying a Chinaman with that kind of juice. He’d set up Li in an apartment like this and marry a nice Chinese girl instead. And they’re living here now. So Rich American, richer the better, well connected, high in his family pecking order, preferably not married before but definitely no kids.”
“Why the no kids thing?” Jason demands.
“It’s not going to happen...” Jerry glares at Jason. “... but lets just say for kicks and giggles that AJ divorced Carly. Then turned around and married Li. He’s got the qualifications: rich American, first son, well connected. It wouldn’t matter how long they were married one year or a hundred, Carly would still be higher in the pecking order because she provided AJ with his number one son.
Everything is a balance. If the guys isn’t chinese then he better be rich and connected. If he isn’t the first son then he better be rich, connected and no kids. If the guy has sons then he better be rich, connected and a widower.”“Li would never go along with it.”
“Yes, she would. Because it would make her parents happy. And it’s all about keeping the ancestors happy. You want me to talk to Jax for you?”
“Excuse me?”
“Rich, well connected, no kids. Second son but hey nobody’s perfect.” Jerry keeps his poker face on. He isn’t lying. He could suggest it to Jax. And V would kill him for even going there as a prod to get Jason moving.
“No.”
“Then marry her yourself. I have no idea if it would help Li with the government but it would get her off the hook with her parents and probably the church too.” Jerry states flatly. “Throw the biggest damn wedding banquet this town has ever seen inviting everyone that owes you, or that you’re connected to. Quartermaines, GH, the church congregation, the unions, anyone connected to Li thru chinatown, school or her family. Because the party is proof that you are rich, powerful, connected and honor their daughter. Thanks for breakfast.” Jerry gets up and walks out the door not expecting any answer from Jason. He’d given Jason plenty to think about. While he waiting for the elevator, the cell phone rings. He winces when he sees who is calling but answers anyway. “Good Morning, Lady Jane.”
Jane Jacks hangs up the phone after finishing her call. She looks over at Lila who is with her in the backseat of the Quartermaine’s Bentley. “He’ll do it. He’s on the way to the airport now.”
“Excellent.” Lila nods. She manages to catch Reggie’s eye in the rear view mirror. “Maddy’s corner store please, Reggie.”
“On our way, Mrs Q.” Reggie knows something is up and puts up the glass between him and Lila. She’d tell him later but it would probably loosen Mrs Jacks tongue to not have anyone listening even a driver.
“It was my suggestion that Jerry fly Edward down to Washington. Jerry did go on that ELQ junket and is familiar with the conditions at our warehouse in China. And there is the other thing.”
“Other thing?” Jane prompts.
“Jerry did manage to ease the negotiations back in Jakarta when AJ first took over as CEO and Carly was so upset with the various ministers. He does have a deft hand with the political brinkmanship.”
Lady Jane knows about Jerry helping AJ but it’s the first she’s heard it that compliment about Jerry’s skills. Normally Jax is the one with finesse and Jerry worked behind the scenes. She’s about to say something but then tilts her head to the side. This isn’t about Jax. And Lila’s mentioning Carly is a reminder. This is about Jerry. “Jerry has always been my rock.” She agrees. “And I appreciate you intervening for me with Maddy. I know that there has been a thaw since she and her friends started the Ladies night on Thursdays but...”
“You’re impatient.”
“I’ve already lost 18 years with my granddaughter.” Jane counters. “And I know Jerry is backing off after talking to Sophia Moriz down in New Orleans but he already has so many connections to Maddy through her friends. He was at her birthday party even before he knew that Maddy is his daughter. I’m not getting any younger. John isn’t getting any younger. And Lila, the Cassadines!”
“Have been very supportive of Madeliene.” Lila’s voice is soothing. “Jerry has been very good with AJ and Carly and I’m sure he’ll be good for Maddy too– when she lets him. Perhaps building a relationship with Maddy’s Aunt would be less... emotionally charged. And Alexis is a Cassadine too and a lovely addition to my family. Those two, Dara and Alexis, do seem to spend a lot of time together now that Dara isn’t working at the DA’s office any longer and is trying to start a private practice.”
Jane nods slowly. Then she recognizes the van on the corner of the lot that Lila Quartermaine’s driver is pulling into. As soon as the car pulls along side the van, Reggie stops the car but keeps the engine running so that the heat is maintained. Maddy jumps out of the van and climbs into the front seat next to Reggie. Reggie drops the glass to the back so Maddy can twist around and talk to Lila. There is a brief pause when she realizes that Lila isn’t alone. “Morning Mrs Q, Mrs Jacks.”
Jane winces. Lila smoothly eases into the gap. “I do appreciate you meeting me, Darling. I wanted to let you know that Edward is going to be going out of town for a few days. Down to Washington, DC.”
Maddy straightens at that. “Mrs Q....”
“Better for him to be working his way out of the doghouse down there than getting on my nerves. Jane was able to convince Jerry to fly Edward down there and keep an eye on him so he won’t say anything... inappropriate. Between the two of them I’m sure that what ever damage Edward inadvertently did will be... contained. And Edward does appreciate your discretion, Darling.”
Maddy looks over at Lady Jane and then back at Lila. She breathes a little easier when Lila shakes her head in a nonverbal no. Lady Jane is not in the know on this one. Which is a good thing since she’s already proven she’ll just keep poking at things. “That’s pretty much what Ricky said too. Mrs Q, this could have all been handled on the phone, or I could have come out to the mansion. There is no reason for you to be out in this cold.”
“I thought it was time I met the Chows since I’ve heard so much about them from Emily and I was hoping you would make the introductions. I know you’ve been the laision between Jason and the Chows getting the store ready. Jerry was so instrumental in getting the Chows here, helping Jason the way he did and then translating all the paperwork.”
Maddy looks at Lady Jane again. “Right. But I didn’t ask him to do that. Carly and Jason asked him. Not me. It was strictly business. I was very well paid to get the corner store ready for the Chows.” Maddy looks at Lila. “Which is why whatever is going on between the Chows and Emily or the Chows and Jason is none of my business.”
“Thank you, Darling. But I’m afraid I’m going to have to impose on you further. Edward is so grateful for the time he’s spend on Thursdays when I’ve been at Ladies night to be able to watch Rita play basketball over at Queen of Angels that of course when Ricky told him about the girls needing a new van he knew he had to step up. But with Edward out of town on business...”
“Of course, Mrs Q. I’ll arrange everything.”
“And now I’d like to meet the Chows but it’s getting late and I’m sure you’ve already made plans for your day. So will you make sure Mrs Chow is at Ladies night. Ricky told me she’s feeling unwell now but hopefully she’ll be feeling better then. Even if she’s still feeling a little under the weather I’m sure making supportive friends will be just the tonic she needs.”
