Dream a Little Dream

Chapter 13

AJ Quartermaine sat in the parlor, reading the Wall Street Journal and sipping a cup of coffee.

He'd gotten up early, to take Michael to the bus for his youth lacrosse camp, letting Carly sleep in. Then he came home, showered and dressed, and came downstairs for breakfast with Carly and Morgan. After he ate, he took his paper into the parlor for some quiet reading time before work.

Alan and Monica came in, each with their own cup of coffee.

“How are you guys doing this morning?” AJ asked. “Sleep okay after yesterday? You got home pretty late.”

“Yes, we did, thanks,” Monica said. “It was a hard day. A lot of painful memories were brought up.”

“It made the papers,” AJ said. “Pretty straightforward account of what happened. There's an editorial praising the efforts of everyone involved. They said that GH and Mercy showed 'extraordinary skill and remarkable compassion.' Stefan ought to be pleased. By the way, have either of you talked with Bobbie or Tony? I wonder how they're doing with this. It really hit home to me this morning, seeing Michael off to camp. BJ was his aunt. I wonder what she'd make of her nephews.”

“I spoke with them this morning,” Alan said. “I gave them both the day off. They need a day to recover, more if they want it.”

AJ nodded.

“Carly said she'd go over to see Bobbie today,” he said. “She wasn't sure about bringing Morgan, it depends on Bobbie's mood.”

“Morgan might be the best thing for her,” Monica said. “But Carly's right – wait and see.”

“So what's on your agenda today, Son?” Alan asked, turning to AJ.

“There's that meeting at ELQ that Stefan set up,” AJ said. “I offered to postpone it after yesterday, but he said Florence can handle things at the hospital. Jason's coming in with me. Ned and I will give him a brief rundown on his investments and finances before the meeting.”

“That's good,” Monica said. “Well, I guess it's time for us to be heading in to the hospital. I've got surgery at 1, and patients I need to see before that. We'll see you tonight?”

“See you at dinner,” AJ said.

* * *

The cemetery had just opened. Tony Jones was waiting when it did.

He put the fresh daisies in the vase by BJ's grave, and sat there a long while. So many things he'd missed these years. Braces, proms, graduations. She'd be in college now, like Maxie. What would she be studying? Who would her friends be besides Maxie and Georgie? Would she have a boyfriend? Where would that lively spirit lead her? What sort of young woman would be blossoming out of the sweet daughter he had lost?

The memories of that day flooded him. Catching Bobbie and Damien in the stairwell. Seeing that he'd lost his little girl. Knowing she could save his niece. The horrible time when he and Bobbie made their decision. And the moment where he gently bent his head to a sleeping Maxie's chest, and heard BJ's heart beating inside her.

Tony slowly fell apart afterwards. He and Bobbie tried to reconcile, mostly for the sake of avoiding loneliness on top of grief as well as for Lucas, but it wasn't working. Then Carly came to town with her agenda of destroying her mother. Nothing stopped her, not even learning about BJ. She lured Tony into an affair that blew apart his marriage with Bobbie, who had no idea the man-eating home wrecker that tore apart her family was the baby she'd given up back in Florida. Soon after, Carly dumped Tony cruelly. While she was ostracized – Luke tried to run her out of town – she ended up pregnant by AJ. Soon after, her connection to Bobbie was revealed.

A nervous breakdown followed Carly's leaving. He didn't miss her – he realized there was no love on either side. He'd used her as she had used him. She was what booze or drugs or food or gambling could have been – a way to stuff down the howling grief. But her departure, and her caustic words, brought everything to the surface in a torrent. He ended up in the psychiatric unit, sobbing for three days straight.

Since then, he'd pulled himself together and resumed his career. He'd dated infrequently, devoting himself to work and to Lucas, who had just finished his senior year of high school. He tended to avoid Quartermaine family events – he'd turned down their invitation to Jason's welcome home party – because while he and Carly had reached a truce, she was still too much a vivid reminder of the darkest time of his life. He still secretly wished Luke had succeeded in running her out of Port Charles, even though Michael and Morgan had become Bobbie's delight. Carly was Bobbie's daughter and, thus, Lucas' sister, so he had to run into her from time to time. But he kept it to a minimum.

The daisies he'd set beside BJ's tombstone evoked the old childhood game of “he loves me, he loves me not.”

“No matter what the flower petals say, I love you to the end of time,” he whispered.

He heard footsteps approach, and turned around to see Maxie.

“Mom told me what happened,” she said. “I thought I'd find you here. Would you like to spend the day together, Uncle Tony? We won't be alone, you know.”

She held her hand up to her chest, where, under her shirt, BJ's heart beat strong and true. A bit of her faint scar was visible above the top of her pink v-neck t-shirt.

“I'd like nothing better,” he said. They sat together at the grave for a moment, each with their own thoughts. Then Tony stood up and held out his hand.

“Ready for breakfast? My treat,” he said. Maxie took his hand and stood up, leaning against him for a moment. He could feel her heart – BJ's heart – beating. He closed his eyes to hold back any tears that would come. Then they turned and left together.

* * *

Jason had always hated business. So when AJ and Ned presented him with a small folder of paperwork, he grimaced.

“It's not much,” Ned said. “Just a summary of your investments, their growth in the last nine years, and where you are financially. Your trust fund information is in there, too. The money in it is all available to you; Grandfather set it up so it would be when you reached 25. It hasn't been touched, so it's been growing nicely. All in all, you're in pretty good shape.”

“Thanks,” Jason said. “I was wondering, is ELQ involved in defense contracting? With the war and all.”

“Grandfather founded a small plant out near Albany decades ago,” AJ said. “It makes some basic supplies for the troops. Any other deals we have with the government aren't part of the Defense Department. He was always strict about that place. It never overcharged, just enough to keep the place going, pay the employees decently, and turn a small profit. As a veteran, he was adamant about doing right by the soldiers. No corners were cut. We follow his wishes in the matter, although certain past board members thought we were stupid.”

“Who was that?” Jason asked.

“Sonny Corinthos,” Ned said with a grimace. “During the economic boom of the late '90s, he was on the board for a while. Thought he could buy himself respectability. He was always after us in board meetings to turn a bigger profit on the plant. He thought it was stupid that we weren't slurping at the government gravy train. As if he wasn't wasting enough of the taxpayers' money, with law enforcement on his tail all the time. We just shut down his idea every time he brought it up. Finally, he pushed too far on it, and tried to bring some other board members around. Grandfather smacked him down with one of the most fiery, eloquent speeches I ever heard him make – by the time he was done, the rest of us were ready to sing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' and make an apple pie. Sonny was humiliated. Soon after, he sold out his shares to Amanda and Allison Barrington. The finest sight in all the world was seeing that slime bag slink out of here. Well, the second finest after seeing Grandmother run over his feet with her wheelchair.”

He and AJ laughed remembering Lila's face – first shock, then disgust, then imperial dismissal – when Sonny tried to smoothly kiss her hand. Jason was surprised to see them kind of chummy.

“So where do I go from here?” Jason asked.

“That's up to you,” AJ said. “You can let things be for now, if you like. You have complete access to it all, so if there's something you have in mind, you can do it.”

Just then, Rhonda Wexler entered the office. She'd already given Jason a huge hug of welcome, and left a bright pink mark on his cheek with her lipstick. Ned had wiped it off after Rhonda went back to her desk.

“AJ, I have some papers you need to look at before the meeting,” she said.

“I'll look at them over in my office,” AJ said. “Ned can handle anything Jason needs for now, right?”

“Sure, Junior,” Ned said. AJ went out of Ned's office with Rhonda.

Jason turned the pages of the folder.

“There's something in here that's puzzling me, Ned,” Jason said. “My money hasn't been touched at all. Mom and Dad have been paying my medical bills? I have to pay them back right away.”

“No,” Ned said. “AJ has been doing it all along, out of his own trust fund. He wouldn't let Monica and Alan pay a dime. It was part of making amends, which is part of the Twelve Steps of AA. It's also the reason I worked with him on your investments. He wanted to do absolutely right by you. He was terrified at first he'd screw up again.”

Jason's face darkened.

“So am I supposed to thank him for this?” he asked, with a tinge of bitterness in his voice.

“Not at all,” Ned replied. “Junior didn't do it for your thanks, or to be praised. It was the least he could do.”

“Oh,” Jason said. “Well, at least he did that.”

“Something's bothering you, Jason,” Ned said. “If you want to talk about it, you know I'll be glad to listen and help in any way I can.”

“I'm just feeling restless today,” Jason said. “I should be doing something with my life. And I feel like a little high-school kid sent back to repeat third grade or something.”

Ned looked at him sympathetically.

“You lost a lot, that can't be denied,” he said. “And you have to make a new life for yourself. That has to be scary. What can I do?”

Jason shook his head impatiently. There was so much he wanted, but he didn't know where to start. So he decided to start small.

“Can you help me find something to wear to this party?” he said. “God, that sounds stupid, doesn't it, with everything else I should be thinking about? Mom and Dad got me some jeans and basic stuff when I got out of the hospital, but everything else I have ... I feel enough of a refugee from the 1990s without looking like one, too, even if it did fit. I put that damn reindeer sweater in the trash.”

“Now that's something easy,” Ned said, scribbling on a note pad. He tore the sheet off and handed it to Jason. “Go here. Ask for Christophe and tell them who you are. Christophe is a bit ... over the top, but he can hook you up with a custom-tailored suit in time for the party. Luke Spencer tried to keep him a secret, but no luck. Christophe can take care of anything else you need, too. If you like, I'll call there and let Christophe know to expect you in the early afternoon.”

Jason nodded. AJ came back in.

“Stefan's here,” he said. “The others will be here in a few minutes. Ready?”

“Sure,” Ned said. “I'll be interested to see what mysterious plan he has cooked up.”

* * *

Bobbie sat at BJ's grave. She saw the daisies, and knew Tony had already been there. She placed her little bouquet of pink peonies in the vase with the daisies.

Like Tony, the memories were always close. She never could get through a day without thinking of that long-ago one. And the longing for what they had missed was like a needle through her heart. She and BJ had an incredible bond, and it would have made for an amazing adult friendship. She pictured lunches and shopping trips with BJ and Carly, her two girls, and how BJ would have loved being an aunt to Michael and Morgan and a big sister to Lucas.

“Oh, my darling,” she whispered. “We shouldn't be here. We should be together, laughing and living. We should be doing things like talking about your future plans, or arguing over curfew or boys. Anything but this.”

She buried her head in her hands for a long while. Then she raised her face, shining with tears, kissed her hand and pressed it to the tombstone.

Bobbie felt a gentle touch on her shoulder. She turned around, and there was Luke, crouched behind her. Laura stood beside him, her face gentle.

“Robin called us,” Luke said before she could ask. Bobbie reached up and squeezed his hand.

“Did she tell you about Lucky?” she asked.

Laura nodded. “We stopped at his place before we came here,” she said. “He wasn't home, so he's probably at the restaurant already. We'll go there in a while.”

Bobbie looked away.

“I couldn't believe it,” she said. “I got one glimpse of the girl, and all of a sudden, I was right back ... there. Tony looked like he'd been flayed. We got through the worst of the rush; with all the kids coming in we were able to set it aside. But when things quieted down, and we found out she didn't make it ...”

Her face twisted in pain. So did Laura's, remembering the dreadful time when Lucky was thought to be dead. Luke's eyes blurred, he shook his head to clear them. He turned to see Felicia Jones-Scorpio and Lucy Coe approaching.

“Hi,” Felicia said. Lucy nodded, too choked up to speak.

“Maxie came down here this morning,” Felicia said. “She called me and said she met Tony here, and they're spending the day together.”

Bobbie smiled silently. She was guiltily glad not to be seeing Maxie today. That would have been too much.

Lucy laid a gorgeous bouquet of sweet peas and forget-me-nots on the grave.

“I miss her so much,” she said. “I think about Serena, and how they could have been friends...” she stopped, seeing Bobbie's face. She knelt and kissed the stone. Felicia placed a small potted geranium on the side opposite the vase. This could so easily have been Maxie's grave, she thought. Could she have survived being in Bobbie's place today?

“Come on, Barbara Jean, let's get you home,” Luke said. “Carly was pulling up when we stopped there to look for you. We told her to wait there. I think you've done everything you came here to do.”

“I think so,” Bobbie said. “Just leave me for a minute. I'll meet you at my car.”

“By the way, where's Lucas?” Laura asked.

“He stayed with me until I left to come here,” she said. “He doesn't like to come here much. He's still young – the reality of this scares him more than he cares to admit, I think. So he left to go spend some time with Tony.”

Felicia, Lucy, Luke and Laura left. Bobbie lay over the grave for a minute.

“I know I don't have to come here to be near you,” she whispered. “You're always with me. But I'll be back soon, darling.”

She got up, brushed the grass off herself, and walked away.

* * *

Ned, AJ, Jason, Stefan, Skye, and Tracy were waiting in the boardroom. Justus came in a few minutes later, chatting with Faith Rosco. Nikolas didn't show. His absence was explained away by Stefan as “Cassadine business.” Everyone thought he meant Cassadine International. Stefan said nothing to dissuade them. At least any public ugliness was avoided.

Scott Baldwin was last to arrive, and was talking on a cell phone.

“No, I don't think you have no options, Coleman,” he said. Tracy's ears pricked up. “Dealing with the government and all their regulations is hard, but I think I can help you out.”

Scott looked at the assembled group and held up a finger to indicate he was almost done.

“Listen, Coleman, I'm going into a meeting right now, but I'll think on your situation today and come into Vagabond tonight and talk things over. We might be able to solve things tomorrow. See you then.”

He turned off the phone and faced the group.

“Sorry,” he said. “You know me, always caring about the concerns of my constituents.”

He sat down. Tracy burned with curiosity over Scott's discussion with Coleman, but said nothing. Everyone looked at Stefan expectantly.

“Thank you all, for coming,” he said. “I hope you will react favorably to the plan that I have for the continued revitalization of the waterfront neighborhood. This plan is something I've been mulling over for a few years now, and I think the time is right to move forward with it.”

He turned on his computer, and a map of the waterfront appeared on the large boardroom screen.

“The city has done well in reclaiming the waterfront as a place for living, working and playing,” he said. “But we're not quite done.” He pointed at a spot on the map on the far end of the neighborhood.

“This is the old ball bearings plant,” he said. “It has been sitting, vacant, for a long time. And there is a lot of deserted space around it. That's a lot of land wasted and tax dollars lost. If we develop it right, we can expand improvements in the city into neighborhoods that haven't been touched by revitalization yet.

“My proposal is to bring a minor-league baseball team to Port Charles, and build a stadium on the site of the plant.”

The effect was electric.

“Do you think a team would come here, Stefan?” Ned asked. “After all, there are minor-league teams in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.”

“True,” Stefan said. “But how many people in Port Charles are going to regularly make the long drive to any of those cities, especially on a weeknight? Not many families with children, that's for sure. A short drive or hopping on a bus, that they will do. They could come, see a game, and still be home in time for a reasonable bedtime. And while there are plenty of dining and entertainment destinations in the waterfront area, we could do with adding something family-friendly to lure families down to the neighborhood.”

Faith Rosco interjected.

“Is the site big enough to hold a stadium, as well as parking?” she asked. “And can the area handle the traffic?”

“My idea is to bring a single-A team into town,” he said. “They generally don't require stadiums as large as the AAA teams. If we can buy up some land around the old plant as well, there will be ample space for parking. Cayuga Street can be easily expanded. Also, it can be a mass transit stop, so people can get in and out even easier. I've made inquiries with the New York-Penn League, and they sound very interested in bringing at team to Port Charles.”

“The New York-Penn League plays a short season,” Justus said. “That's a lot of time for a facility to be sitting vacant.”

“It wouldn't be vacant,” Stefan explained. “If we build the stadium right, it can be a multi-purpose facility. Port Charles University can use it for some baseball games. Concerts could be held there. Also, don't forget high school sports. If the stadium's configured properly, we could hold sectional, regional and state championship games there in all sorts of sports – baseball, soccer, lacrosse. The state boys basketball championships bring a huge shot in the arm to the economy over in Glens Falls – people come from all over the state and stay in the hotels, eat in the restaurants, see the sights. If we could get a fraction of that, it would help the whole city.”

“They might have a problem with the Haunted Star,” Jason said. “Baseball doesn't like gambling much.”

“Yes, the Black Sox scandal and Pete Rose,” Stefan said. “But if Las Vegas can get a minor-league team, I doubt the Haunted Star would be an insurmountable challenge. Besides, the Haunted Star is anchored at the other end of the waterfront neighborhood. And Spencer is not allowed to do sports betting there.”

Scott had been taking notes.

“I think it's a great idea,” he said. “You've done your homework, Stefan, and you would have no problem selling the idea to the community. But there is one issue. I don't think the city's going to come up with much in the way of funds, beyond improvements to public works and mass transit. Between city projects and school budget issues, the taxpayers would have a really hard time swallowing public funds for this.”

Stefan nodded.

“I guessed as much,” he said. “That's why I brought you all here today. I'd like all of us to work together financially on this. I can bring my own money to the table. I cannot speak for Nikolas, but I have a feeling he may not want be involved. But the rest of us can do it, and we could also get some outside investors. Spencer is out because of his gambling ties. The Barringtons, maybe. And we can get other, smaller, investors. But thank you all for coming and hearing me out. Think it over and call me with any questions or ideas.”

* * *

Sam was surprised when Anna drove into a neighborhood on the fringes of the Asian Quarter. She'd been expecting she, Robin and Anna would be going to the mall.

Sam had been a little shy around Anna at first. But Anna's vivacity – it was easy to see where Robin got Sher's – soon coaxed Sam out of her shell. Anna found a spot on the street, they all got out and Anna fed the meter.

“Ready, girls?” Anna said.

“Where on earth are we going to go shopping here?” Sam asked.

“This is a great shopping neighborhood,” Robin said. “Lots of little import stores and thrift shops. You can score things you'd never find at the mall. Everything from bedding to bustiers. You won't believe the bargains.”

They first hit a store that sold vintage items from the 1930s through '70s. Anna scored a mini dress in a Pucci print, and a vintage Fiestaware vase in “radioactive red.” Robin went to the back, where the formal wear was. A few minutes later, she was spinning in front of a mirror wearing a strapless red dress from the '50s, with a ruffled and crinolined skirt.

“That's perfect for the party!” Anna said. Sam was stunned. Wearing vintage clothes to a high-class event like a Quartermaine party?!

Sam found some classic bell-bottom, hip-hugging jeans in her size. One had a peace-sign patch on one knee, a patch of daisies on the other. The other pair was studded down the outside seams. The prices were so low, she bought both, along with a sleeveless top in a vivid pink-and-green stripe. She saw some men's shirts on a nearby rack, but after she'd told Danny about the excursion, he'd made her promise she would shop only for herself, not him.

“You got me nice clothes already, Sammy,” he said. “You deserve nice things, too.”

Off to the next store, a charity thrift shop. “This is the place where families like the Quartermaines and Barringtons sell their cast-offs,” Anna told Sam. “You can find some real steals here.”

Robin found a houndstooth suit that would fit perfectly with some alterations, two pretty skirts, three silk sleeveless sweaters and an Hermes scarf. Anna got a pair of stiletto-heeled black patent-leather boots and a Diane Von Furstenburg wrap dress in plum silk. Sam looked through the sweaters.

“This would be perfect for you, Sam!” Anna cried, holding up a curve-hugging, one-shouldered sleeveless dress in a deep garnet red. Sam burst out laughing.

“Where on earth would I wear that?” she asked.

“Obviously, not to work,” Anna said dryly. “Although I'd love to see their faces if you did. But it'd be perfect for going out with the girls, or a date.”

Sam snorted and rolled her eyes. “What, are we going to find Prince Charming at the next store?” she said.

“You never know when he comes,” Robin said, thinking of Stone. “So be ready for him. Go, try it on.”

Sam was stunned when she saw herself in the mirror. The dress fit like it was made for her. She looked ... not feminine in the delicate sense but pure female. And it was 40 percent off! Goaded by Anna and Robin, she bought it, along with a couple of pretty peasant-style blouses, a golden yellow twinset with pearl buttons and beading, a blue striped button-down shirt, two pairs of pants – one in black with white pinstripes and the other a plain brown – and a black leather jacket.

“Time for lunch, ladies!” Anna said. “We need some refueling. My treat.”

She took them to a cozy Chinese restaurant, owned by relatives of Yank's who remembered Anna. After lunch and tea, the three took off for some more shopping.

Robin led them to an import store that had furniture and other home goods. Sam's eyes gleamed as she glanced at the price tags. I could furnish my future house here, she thought. Sam picked up some colorful throw pillows for her bed, a table runner that would fit the future dining room she had in mind, and a jasmine-scented candle. She looked longingly at a simple dining room set done in an espresso finish with seats padded in tan faux suede. Soon, she though. Soon.

After a few more stops, including one import clothing store where Anna ordered a custom-made suit, they dropped Sam off at Kelly's.

Sam set out her pretty new pillows in the room, and put the candle in a saucer on the dresser. The table runner went in the trunk at the foot of her bed, where she kept her few keepsakes and small things she'd bought for her future home. She put her new clothes in a bag to be taken to the laundromat or the dry cleaner's. She counted her cash. She had a lot of money left over. She decided to do a little more shopping, and treat herself to supper.

* * *

After Jason left ELQ, he went to see Christophe. The slender blond man fussed over Jason, taking his measurements and chatting amiably. He helped Jason select something for the party – a navy pinstripe suit in a summer-weight fabric, along with a pale blue shirt.

“No tie?” Jason asked.

“No, wear an open collar for the party,” Christophe said. “It'll be perfect. A tie would be way too old and stuffy for you.”

He pinned the ensemble to get the right fit, then helped Jason select more clothes – khakis, casual knit and button-down shirts, and shoes. “This should be enough to see you into the fall,” Christophe said. “We can do winter things next time.” Jason paid for everything, and Christophe said to come back Friday morning to check the fit for the party outfit. Everything else would be ready next week.

It was mid-afternoon when he returned home. None of the family was there, except for Morgan, who was napping as Leticia folded some clothes. He wandered up to his room, and went online for a while. But the angry boredom wouldn't leave him. Maybe a swim before dinner would help. He put on his trunks, a t-shirt and sandals, and went downstairs.

Carly was just walking in the door, her face solemn.

“Hey,” Jason said. “How's your mom doing? Mom and Dad told me about yesterday.”

“She's doing a little better,” Carly said. “Luke and Laura came up from New York early to be with her. Robin called them. We spent the afternoon together. Mom talked a lot about BJ. Since I never knew her, it's weird hearing about this stranger who was my sister. But just talking about her helped Mom a lot. I left Morgan at home. She needed some quiet time, and he wouldn't have been quiet for long. Heading for a swim?”

“Yeah, I was,” he said. “Want to come out there with me?”

“Sure,” Carly said. “Just let me check on Morgan and change. I'll see you out there.”

Jason was swimming laps furiously when Carly came out. She took off her beaded thong sandals and waited for him to stop. He looked up at her. She was wearing a gold metallic bikini. Jason swam over to the edge.

“Come on in,” he panted. Carly went to the diving board. But instead of another smooth dive, she ran and did a cannonball. Jason burst out laughing.

“Wow, this is great!” she said. Then she felt her bikini top wrapped around her neck. “Oh my God!” she shrieked, and yanked it down. Jason laughed again to cover his reaction.

“Wanna race?” he asked. Carly took up his challenge. They swam ten laps of the pool. Jason won easily, but was impressed by Carly only being a half-lap behind him.

“Swimming's what helped me get back in shape each time after I had the boys,” she said. “I bet it's good for you, as physical therapy and all.”

Jason nodded.

“Not like I have anything else to do,” he said, surprising himself with the bitter outburst. Carly's eyes widened.

“I didn't think about that, I'm sorry,” she said. Jason got out of the pool and flopped on a chaise. Carly took the one next to him.

“You've been thinking about it a lot,” she said.

“Yeah, but I don't know what to do,” he said. “Medicine was all I thought about ... before. Now, I can't do that anymore because some damage from the crash affected my fine motor skills. So now ... what? The idea of going to ELQ like Ned and AJ ... I'd rather stick forks in my eyes. I want to do something that would really help people. And I don't want to spend years at school studying law or something. Kevin Collins said to take my time, I'll figure out what I want. But I hate sitting around and doing nothing, waiting for everyone else to come home! I feel useless ... left behind! What do I do until I figure out what I want?”

That last part lit a light bulb under Carly's head.

“I have an idea...” she began. Then hesitated. Jason pounced.

“What?”

“It's not something permanent if you don't want it to be,” she said. “But it'd at least give you something to do while you're figuring your life out.”

“I don't even have straws to grasp at, Carly,” Jason said impatiently. “If you've got something in mind, spill.”

“Did you ever consider rescue work?” she asked. “It'd be a way for you to help people, and be involved in medicine in a way, if it's not too painful. My cousin Lucky volunteers a few times a week with the county squad. I could take you to him and you could talk it over with him anytime. Think about it.”

Carly lay her head back, thinking she'd done her good deed for the day. A moment later, Jason startled her by asking, “Tonight?” She sat upright.

“Um, yeah, sure,” she said. “I think he's at Vagabond tonight.”

“I'll take you to supper there, my treat,” Jason said. Carly laughed.

“You're on,” she said. “What time is it?”

Jason looked at the watch he'd put on the table between their chaises. “A few minutes after six,” he said. “I'll find Alice and tell her to tell the folks not to expect us for dinner. You'll call AJ?”

“He should be home any minute,” Carly said. “He's picking up Michael from his lacrosse camp bus. I'll go up and change and tell AJ when he gets home. He won't mind – some male bonding time for him and the boys.”

They walked towards the house. Alice came out.

“Mrs. Quartermaine, Mr. Quartermaine called...” she began.

“What is it?” Carly asked. Jason looked over and saw a fleeting panic in her eyes.

“Michael tore a strap on his pads today,” Alice said. “It can't be fixed, so Mr. Quartermaine and Michael are going to the store to get some new pads. They'll be running about a half-hour late or so, so he asked if we could hold dinner for them. He said he tried to call you, and left a message.”

“Damn,” Carly said. “I left my phone in my bag. Okay, thanks, Alice. I'll call him back. Jason and I are going out to dinner tonight, so you can tell Alan and Monica when they get home.”

She turned to Jason.

“I'm going to run up and check on Morgan, then I'll go change and call AJ,” she said. “Meet you in the front hall in about a half-hour.”

* * *

Tommy Hardy finished unpacking his bags and looked around what had once been his father's room. A framed photo of his grandfather, Steve, was on the dresser. Tommy added a few more pictures, setting the one of his dad beside the one of Steve.

The bookcases were already filled with his yearbooks and medical textbooks. A woven blanket his dad, Tom Sr., had sent from Africa lay folded on a chair.

His grandmother, Audrey, walked in, carrying clean sheets. Tommy helped her make the bed. She covered it in a patchwork quilt that was an heirloom from her side of the family. Tommy laid the African blanket at the foot. Audrey smiled.

“I hope you feel at home here, Tommy,” she said. “You know how happy I am that you're here.”

Tommy hugged her. He had to lean down a bit because he was tall and Audrey had shrunk a little with age. “So am I,” he said. She ruffled his hair, worn in a short Afro.

“I know it's for the best, with everything your mother has going on,” Audrey said. “But it's really nice for me, having my grandson here. All I ask is that you don't leave food lying around up here. Your father was so bad with that, we had to call in the exterminator once. After your grandfather made him work off the bill painting the house, he never did it again.”

Tommy laughed. “Yeah, he told me about that one,” he said. “And I'll help you out a lot, Grandma. I can mow the lawn, and snowblow the driveway, and –”

“And wear yourself out to a frazzle with your pre-med classes?” Audrey said with a smile. “Don't worry about those things, dear. I have a service come to mow the lawn and take care of the snow. Of course, I won't object to you doing the dishes.”

“Speaking of which, when's dinner?” Tommy asked with a grin.

“In about 45 minutes,” Audrey replied. “I'm making just what you like – pork chops.”

“Yesssss!” Tommy said, pumping his fist.

“Is there anyone you want to call?” Audrey asked. “There's time before dinner.”

“I called Maxie, but her mom said she was out with her Uncle Tony today,” he said. “Mrs. Scorpio sounded kind of sad when she said it.”

Audrey told him about what had happened yesterday at the hospital.

“That must've been brutal,” he said. “Glad Maxie's there for him. No, there's no one else to call right now. Guess I'll just read the course catalog until dinner.”

Audrey gave him a kiss and went downstairs to make supper.

* * *

Carly hummed a little tune as she quickly rinsed off in the shower and washed the chlorine out of her hair. She dried off quickly, then went to get dressed.

She smirked a little as she stood looking into her underwear drawer. She'd seen Jason's reaction to her losing her top. While that had been accidental, she also saw it as providential. It was something she could use to her advantage. She knew she'd never cross the line. AJ, the boys, and her life here were too precious, and she wasn't stupid. But if a little boob helps keep Jason in line, then she's got a card to play. Carly knew to be judicious with it. Over the top would be too obvious. She picked out a pair of panties, not glancing once at the bras.

Jason was waiting when Carly came down, wearing a pair of khakis and a shirt with wide stripes of blue and yellow.

Carly had put her wet hair into two low pigtails behind her ears, tying them with a pair of elastics with big pale blue beads on them. Platinum hoops swung in her earlobes. She wore a silk camisole in silvery blue, and, as Jason noticed, nothing under it, and a fitted jacket in slightly faded denim. Her glen plaid pants were in gray and blue, and her low-heeled sandals were also in silvery blue, with beads and sequins. The outfit was her, Jason thought – classic Quartermaine with a splash of balls-to-the-wall Spencer.

“You look great,” Jason said. “Ready to go?”

“All set,” Carly replied. “Can you drive? Or should we get the driver. I don't drive at night anymore.”

Jason wondered, but didn't ask.

“I got my license back on Monday,” he said. “I'll drive.”

Carly directed him down to the Waterfront District. Jason marveled at the changes. His dream had been receding, but now it came back, contrasting what he saw with the dark, dangerous, deadly waterfront of his dream. They parked in a garage near some of the warehouse loft condos and apartments, and walked two blocks to Vagabond.

“I forgot, your relative Heather Webber also has a business down here,” Carly said. “If you want to drop by after dinner, that'd be good.”

“No, thank you,” Jason said emphatically. “I'm not quite ready for that.”

“You'd be surprised,” Carly said. “She's been really low-key since coming back to town – totally focused on her business, and the classes she teaches to at-risk kids. She really seems to have found her calling. She hasn't even made a play for Scott Baldwin.”

“Another time,” he said. Carly nodded. They walked into Vagabond. For the middle of the week, there was a good crowd.

“Good evening, Mrs. Quartermaine,” the hostess said. “Table for two? Or is Mr. Quartermaine and the family coming?”

“No, just two,” Carly said. “This is my brother-in-law, Jason Quartermaine. Jason, this is Summer. Is Lucky in tonight? We'd like to see him before being seated.”

Summer nodded.

“He's in the back with Coleman,” she said. “If you like, you can wait at the bar and I'll get him for you.”

“That'd be fine, thanks,” Carly said.

“Good meeting you, Mr. Quartermaine,” Summer said, and left to find Lucky. Carly and Jason sat at the far end of the bar. Carly got a Manhattan, while Jason ordered a beer. A few minutes later, Lucky stepped out from the back.

“Hey, Cuz!” he greeted Carly. “And Jason! Wow, it's great to see you!”

Jason was stunned to see the strapping man when he'd last seen Lucky as a gangly teenager. They shook hands.

“Good to see you, too, Lucky,” Jason said. “How are your folks doing? Carly said they came to town a little early to see Bobbie. I'll see them Saturday night. Will you be there?”

“No, I've got a short rescue squad shift in the morning, and then I have to be here at night,” Lucky said. “Business picks up huge in the summer, and I just can't leave Coleman with it all.”

“Actually, Lucky, the rescue squad is what brought us here, besides me wanting to show off the family establishment,” Carly said with a grin. Lucky looked perplexed.

“Okay ... shoot,” he said. Just then, Summer approached.

“There's a table available outside if you want it,” she told Carly and Jason.

“You guys go on,” Lucky said. “I'll be out after you have dinner. You've got me curious.”

Carly and Jason had a delicious dinner, sharing a bottle of white wine. Jason had the special of the day, a Moroccan chicken, while Carly had the scallops and field greens. Jason was again reminded of his dream, where Carly had been a junk-food junkie, her fingers perpetually stained orange from Chee-tos. He loved looking out over the water, seeing the lights twinkling, seeing people walking about, or sitting and eating.

Lucky came out as they ordered coffee and dessert. Carly got the strawberry tiramisu, while Jason got Key Lime pie. Lucky sat between them.

“So, what can I do for you to that has to do with the squad?” he asked. Carly and Jason took turns telling him of Jason's restlessness, and a desire to do something, and to help people.

“I thought of what you do, Lucky,” Carly finished. “It might be just the thing for Jason.”

Lucky thought it over for a minute.

“I think you'd be great for it, Jason,” he said. “You've got some medical experience both from school and your family. You're familiar with the ways of a hospital, and the hierarchy. You've got the compassion. The only thing is ... It's pretty physical work. Are you sure you're up to it? You haven't been out of the hospital long.”

“I've been doing physical therapy since right after I woke up,” Jason said. “And I've been working out. It may be a few weeks, but I think I'll be up to a physical test.”

Just then, something caught Lucky's eye. He stood up and waved. “Hey, Sam! Over here!” he called. Jason stared. Sam? He saw the petite brunette amble down to their table, shopping bags in both hands.

“Sam, this is my cousin Carly Quartermaine, and her brother-in-law Jason,” Lucky said. “Guys, this is Sam McCall. She's a full-time employee with the rescue squad, and is a shift supervisor. Sam, Jason is thinking of volunteering with us.”

Sam looked Jason over appraisingly. He seemed to be fit. But a Quartermaine in the rough-and-tumble world of rescue?

“Good to meet you both,” she said.

“Please, join us,” Jason said.

“I can't sit long,” Sam said. “I still have to have dinner and get home for a 7 a.m. shift.”

“That's okay,” Lucky said. “Just stay for a few minutes. Do you think there's an opening for Jason?”

“There's always a need for dedicated volunteers,” Sam said. “The key part is dedicated. It's months of training, both physical and in the classroom, then there are tests you have to pass. If you do pass, you start at the bottom. We're not looking for gung-ho white knights looking to save damsels in distress. We want team players.”

Lucky was used to Sam's blunt speech. Carly and Jason, however, were not. This little chick is throwing cold water on the idea, Carly thought resentfully. She's not even giving him a chance.

“I can handle it,” Jason said shortly. “I was a pre-med student years ago, so I'm used to how things work.”

Sam knew about Jason, so she said nothing about his academic history.

“That's true,” she said. “Well, there's no harm in trying. Best bet is to stop by the main headquarters, downtown on Onondaga Avenue. They have the paperwork you need, and the course schedule. I think the next class starts in a week, with the next one after that not until October. So if you really want to do it, now's the time. Good meeting you both. See you inside, Lucky.”

Sam picked up her bags and walked into the restaurant. Carly let out a whistle.

“Boy, is she a piece of work!” she said. “And you have to work under that?”

“Aw, Sam's okay,” Lucky said. “Ask Robin – they've gotten to be friends. She's just tough when you first meet her. Kind of like you used to be, Carly. She hasn't had the easiest of lives, and tends to put up a wall.”

Carly rolled her eyes. Jason sat, thinking.

“I think I'll go downtown tomorrow,” he said.