Dream a Little Dream

Chapter 32

Maxie Jones furrowed her brow as she looked over the Port Charles University course catalog.

She was sitting at a picnic table outside the Pizza Shack, a popular hangout for PCU and local high school students. Maxie used to waitress here, but had skipped working this summer outside of an occasional babysitting job to concentrate on some summer courses. And there was the summer fun, like Diego Alcazar's pool party.

Maxie stopped reading for a moment as she remembered the party. Diego had tanned to a gorgeous bronze. And his hair, lush and thick, invited stroking. She remembered his kindness and sympathy towards Zander, and the easy way he made friends with everyone, welcoming TJ into their midst.

No, she thought. I can't go there. Diego ... it's too real. That's when people make promises and break them and end up hurting each other. Travel fast, travel light. She picked up her course catalog with a sigh.

Just then, Jesse Beaudry wandered into the picnic area.

Jesse had a reputation as a playboy, but not as a partier. He grew up in Syracuse, the son of a raging alcoholic. While his older brother had shielded Jesse from the physical blows, nothing could stop the old man's verbal abuse. His mother rarely stood up for him, except when his father's rage threatened to turn physical. She took on the role of long-suffering wife, and played it up with the air of a martyr. But she instinctively knew she'd lose sympathy if her youngest child showed up at school with welts and bruises.

Jesse survived his teens by focusing on school, the only way he knew that would get him out of that house. He earned a full scholarship to PCU, and was majoring in law enforcement. He kept his grade-point average near perfect through intense self-discipline. After seeing what booze had made of his old man, Jesse was a complete teetotaler. He played the field in dating, but never let a woman get too close to mess with his study time, or his plans. After he got his degree, he'd enter a police academy somewhere far away from Syracuse. He liked Port Charles, but wasn't sure it was enough distance from his parents.

Spotting Maxie, he watched her for a few moments as she read. Maxie was a great girl – he liked her as a friend, she was funny and smart, and she was hot to boot. His only concern was her stepfather. It wouldn't do to get off on the wrong foot with the local police commissioner. But what Mac didn't know...

Jesse walked over to where Maxie was sitting.

“Hey there,” he said. Maxie looked up and smiled. Just the diversion I need, she thought.

“Jesse, hi,” Maxie said. “How've you been?”

“Doing okay,” he said. “Getting ready for registration. I'm staying a friend here this summer and working a construction gig. Stuff for a job didn't come, so I have a day off. Which sucks because a day off is a day without pay.”

“I thought you were on scholarship,” Maxie said.

“I am,” Jesse replied. “But that only covers tuition, room and board during the school year, and books. The money I make now pays for my car insurance for the next year, and spending money. I have to keep my grades high for the scholarship, so I can't work during school. Every cent helps.”

Maxie nodded. She didn't have to worry about bills – Frisco had always generously contributed to the college funds set up for her and Georgie. There was enough to live on-campus during the school year. Mac had worried about that at first, but Felicia sided with Maxie – she needed to be independent and responsible for herself, and living in a dorm was a good start. Any money Maxie made during the summers was for her own spending.

“Have you looked over the courses?” she asked.

“Yep, I'm pretty well set as to what I want to take,” Jesse said. “Hopefully I can arrange my schedule the way I like it. I want to have as many Tuesday-Thursday classes as I can, and have Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays free for long study sessions.”

“Good idea,” Maxie said. “I'm probably weird, but I like to make sure my classes are all around midday. Nothing earlier than 10, nothing getting out later than 3. If I do that, I don't have to rush in the mornings, and I have a few hours before dinner to study.”

“Makes sense,” Jesse said. “So what courses are you looking at?”

Maxie showed him – all of them were in forensic science.

“Pretty strong courseload,” Jesse said. “Sure it's not too much?”

“I'm sure,” Maxie said. “There's only one lab, so it'll be good. Now it's just wait and see if we get what we want. What are your plans for today now?”

“Nothing urgent,” Jesse said. “I figured I'd head back to the house and do some reading, or watch TV.”

“Where are you staying?” she asked.

“A friend of mine from law enforcement classes invited me to stay with him and his family this summer,” Jesse said. “It's rent-free, which made the decision easy. Him and his parents are out of town for the next two weeks, so I'm paying them back in a way by housesitting. What are you up to?”

“Nothing, really,” Maxie said. “Just going over the courses, and hanging out.”

“Want to come hang out with me? There's HBO,” Jesse said.

“Sounds like a great idea,” Maxie said. “Let's go!”

They got up and left, Jesse's hand lightly on her shoulder. Maxie turned to Jesse with a brilliant, flirtatious smile. Diego Alcazar walked into the picnic area on the other side just in time to see them leave.

No, he thought, feeling like he'd been punched in the stomach. You're too good for him, Maxie. Diego turned and left, his throat tight and his eyes smarting.

* * *

“Well, Lesley, what do you think of this year's crop of interns?” Alan asked, sitting at his desk in his chief of staff office.

Across the desk, Lesley smiled.

“It looks like a good group,” Lesley said. “After talking with them all, they're all eager to get started. Just a few more weeks and they'll be here. They've all got their living arrangements worked out. I had my assistant mail out the informational packet last week – their insurance paperwork, personnel forms, information about Port Charles. The orientation is all arranged, too.”

“Excellent,” Alan said. “There's one I'm particularly curious about – Gordon Drake.”

Lesley hesitated.

“Is everything all right with him?” Alan asked with concern.

“In terms of the job, yes,” Lesley said slowly. “By the way, he goes by his middle name, Patrick. It's his personality I'm worried about. One of his professors warned me he can be quite arrogant – a side effect of his brilliance. His bedside manner is definitely lacking. And there's something wrong between him and Noah. I got a definite 'off-limits' vibe from him on the subject. But if he's coming here, he's going to have to face a lot of people who remember Noah. He says he can handle it. We'll see.”

Alan furrowed his brow.

“I wonder what the trouble could be,” he said. “From what I hear Noah is a top surgeon down in Atlanta. Maybe it's following in the old man's footsteps.”

Lesley shook her head. “No, it's something deeper,” she said. “Just a feeling I got from talking with him. But outside of that, he looks to be an outstanding addition to the staff. His professor also said that while Patrick may be arrogant sometimes, he's also very generous. He makes sure that nurses get their due, and is quick to praise a colleague.”

“Sounds like things could get interesting,” Alan said. “Have you told Bobbie yet?”

“No,” Lesley said. “I've been meaning to, but I keep forgetting. I'll make sure to see her today.”

* * *

Nikolas Cassadine steered his Jaguar towards his aunt Alexis' home. He had a hard job ahead of him – telling Alexis that Cesar Faison was out there accessing Helena's money for God knows what. Alexis' weak spot was fear of the old Cassadine poison touching Kristina.

He'd kept his word to Luke and not said anything to Emily about what was going on. Nikolas knew it was for the best, and he and Emily were so happy together, he couldn't stand the thought of introducing the fear of Faison into it. Besides, he owed Luke and his mother his silence.

Nikolas had always liked coming to Alexis' and Cameron's home. He was glad to see how Alexis had made it her own, free of the past. But now he worried that Zander would pressure Alexis to make him feel unwelcome. He parked on the tree-lined street in front of the house, and got out.

Just as he was coming around the car, Nikolas noticed Zander walking down the front walk to his car in the driveway. They both stopped cold upon seeing the other. Looking through the sidelight next to the front door, Alexis' eyes went wide with concern for both her boys.

* * *

Sunlight flooded the wide main drag of the waterfront district. Jeremy Logan stood on the sidewalk and looked around, trying to get used to the surroundings.

This would be his neighborhood now. He'd just signed a purchase contract for the penthouse unit in the loft building where Stefan Cassadine and Justus Ward lived.

It was quite a change from his old home, which had been a large, rambling Northwest-style Craftsman on a quiet island near Seattle. There, his neighbors tended to have fur and feathers, and a trip to the store was a carefully timed excursion to make the ferries. Now, everything he needed was right at his feet.

Jeremy looked to his left. Across the street and down a block was the beginning of Steve Hardy Park. Further down that way were some more loft buildings, and the Haunted Star casino.

Looking to the right, Jeremy saw shops – a large bookstore, clothing stores, gift shops, a small food market – a movie theater, and restaurants, including Vagabond on the water. The sidewalks were very wide, to allow for restaurants to offer outdoor dining in the summer without impeding pedestrian traffic.

Since the penthouse had been empty and Jeremy was paying cash, the deal would be closed the next day as soon as the final paperwork was drawn up. The penthouse itself was quite a different look than his old house. He was looking forward to the change – the house and its look brought back the painful memories of his mother Anne's final months. This would be a new beginning.

Jeremy had taken down all the room measurements while he was there, and drawn up a rough floor plan. The rest of the day would be spent furniture shopping, or maybe hiring an interior designer.

Turning to head back to his car, Jeremy saw Courtney Matthews coming down the sidewalk, Rosie leading the way.

“Hi!” he said, crouching down to give Rosie some pats.

“Hi!” Courtney replied. “What brings you down here?”

“A transaction,” Jeremy said. “I bought the penthouse in this building, here.” Courtney stared up at it.

“Wow!” she said. “Welcome to the neighborhood! When do you move in?”

“As soon as I can,” Jeremy said. “The deal will close tomorrow, so it's just a matter of getting the place set up. I'll probably hire someone to handle the furnishings and décor. And I have a few things from Seattle in storage. I'll probably stay with Aunt Audrey while this place is being made ready. It's gorgeous, Courtney. A wall of windows looking out over the river, three bedrooms, a den, a gourmet kitchen with marble countertops, and my own rooftop pool and entertaining area.”

“I'm drooling,” Courtney said. “Does Mrs. Hardy know about this?”

“Not yet,” Jeremy said. “I didn't want to say anything until it was a done deal. But she's been flying since she found out I was coming back here. Having all of us – Elizabeth, Steven, TJ, me – around is really good for her, I think. TJ will be living there while he goes to med school.”

“Sounds like it'll be good for you, too,” Courtney said.

“It will,” Jeremy said. “I hadn't realized how lonely I'd been since my mom died. I worked so much, that I didn't have the time to realize it. But since I came back here, I know I don't want to go back to the way things were. I have family here, and friends, present company included. It's nice to belong.”

“I'm really happy for you, Jeremy,” Courtney said. “And I'd love to help you settle in in any way I can.”

“I'm glad you said that,” he said with a twinkle. “Come see the place tomorrow. I have some ideas, but I'd like a second opinion before I run them by a designer. Is noon good? I'm closing tomorrow morning, then I can pick you up and we can look over the place, then I'll take you to dinner. And we can make arrangements for those cooking classes with Heather. Sound good?”

“Sounds great,” Courtney said. “See you then!”

“See you then!”

* * *

After a few moments of awkward silence, Zander took a breath and spoke.

“Alexis is inside,” he said.

“Thanks,” Nikolas said. Zander continued down the walk towards his car. Nikolas watched him pass, then headed up the walk.

“You know, what you did hurt almost as much as what Emily did,” Zander said. Nikolas turned around, looking humbly at Zander.

“We were friends, man,” Zander said. “We hung out, played basketball, partied – all those good times. I told you how much I loved her, and everything I wanted for our future. You took that from me. And all those months, you continued to look me in the eye, knowing none of it was going to happen. Did you have no idea that friends don't do that to each other?”

Nikolas' eyes shone with unshed tears. This is what his mother meant when she spoke of what he'd lost. Nothing could ever make him and Zander friends again. He'd grown up on the Cassadine island friendless, and had not made many close friends in Port Charles. And now he'd lost one.

“I ... I can't make any excuses, Zander,” Nikolas said huskily. “I was wrong. And my regret over what I did to you will stay with me all my life. I wish I could say or do something to make it right ... but there's nothing that would do that. All I can say is, I'm sorry. I hope someday you don't hate me.”

Zander stared angrily at him. His right fist clenched. Alexis sucked in her breath, hoping he wouldn't follow through. Then Zander's expression changed to disgust, and he turned and walked to his car, and drove away. Alexis exhaled in relief, and opened the front door.

“Are you all right?” Alexis asked as Nikolas walked up the wide front steps.

“As well as can be expected,” Nikolas said. “Mother warned me there'd be consequences. I was so wrapped up in love, I didn't believe her. I see now she was right. I don't regret loving Emily. But I wish I'd done things differently.”

“It's a hard way to learn a lesson,” Alexis said as they walked inside.

“Is Cameron around?” Nikolas asked. Alexis looked puzzled.

“He's upstairs packing,” she said. “We're taking the train to Boston tonight then driving from there to Maine. I had Ida take Kristina out so I could finish packing her stuff without a fuss. She always wants to take everything she owns with her. What's going on?”

“There's something I need to tell both of you about,” Nikolas said.

“I'll go get him,” Alexis said and hurried upstairs. Nikolas heard low voices talking earnestly for a few moments, followed by footsteps on the stairs. Cameron looked at Nikolas with a mixture of distrust and contempt.

“Before we go any further, Cameron, I want to apologize to you for what I did to Zander,” Nikolas said. “I never meant for it to happen, but that is no excuse. I hope you can forgive me someday.”

Cameron nodded, but said nothing.

“Alexis said you had something to tell us,” Cameron said formally, sitting down on the sofa. Alexis sat next to him. Nikolas faced them in a leather easy chair.

“This isn't easy,” Nikolas began, and told the story of the bank account from the beginning. He hated seeing Alexis turn pale, and grab blindly for Cameron's hand as her wide eyes did not leave Nikolas' face.

“Caesar Faison,” Cameron said. “He's the one who took Lucky for your grandmother, right?”

Nikolas nodded.

“Is she out there?” Alexis asked in a small voice.

“The WSB hasn't heard a thing to make them think it,” Nikolas said. “As Luke pointed out, the withdrawals wouldn't be enough to keep her going. Faison had been making these withdrawals for years before Helena died. There were some deposits made by Helena through the '90s, but nothing since she died. And none of her other accounts were active. They're thinking whatever he's up to, it was something he and Helena started years ago. And now that Helena's gone, Faison can have everything for himself.”

“God, her evil just won't die!” Cameron said. “So Luke has no idea when or where he's going?”

“Faison has to be tracked down by the WSB, first,” Nikolas said. “When that happens, Luke's leaving quietly. We're keeping this very quiet. I haven't told Emily, and Amy's not being told for obvious reasons. Just Spencers, Scorpios, Cassadines, and a couple of associates of Luke's. We have to treat his going out of town like just another trip for him, so nothing looks suspicious. Who knows if Faison is keeping tabs here?”

“Oh, my God,” Alexis said. “Kristina. Is it safe to go, Cameron?”

“I don't see why not,” Cameron said. “It's a quiet place, one of us will always be with her. If we cancel, that would look strange. And Nikolas and Luke are right, we can't draw attention right now. We have to carry on.”

“I don't think Faison is anywhere near the U.S.,” Nikolas said. “The WSB would have picked up on him. I bet he's only coming out from under his rock to get Helena's money, then slinking right back.”

“Well, I hope they find his trail of slime,” Cameron said. “Thank you for telling us this, Nikolas. I think I'll go see Luke before we leave, in case he gets the call while we're gone. I'll see you later, Honey. Don't let Kristina pack everything in her toy chest.”

After Cameron left, Alexis slumped down on the couch.

“Are we ever going to be free of Helena's legacy?” she asked. Nikolas came over and put his arm around her.

“We're already free, in a way,” Nikolas said. “You have this home, a family of your own, work you love and a lot of fun. And have some more fun on this trip, Alexis. That's the best way to stay free of Helena.”

* * *

Maxie pushed her sweaty bangs off her face as she and Jesse cooled down on the bed in the house where he was staying.

They'd never even turned on the TV. As soon as the door closed behind them, they were all over each other. It had been great, Maxie thought. Just what she needed.

“Whoa,” Jesse panted. “That was ... awesome.”

“Same here,” Maxie said. She rolled over to face him. “What happens now?” she asked.

Jesse carefully masked the fear in his eyes. “What do you want to happen now?” he parried.

“Jesse, I like you,” Maxie said. “You're a great guy. But I don't want romance or courting. I'm not looking to fall in love, or 'go steady,' as my great-grandmother would say. I just want to have fun and keep it casual, with no strings. I – I hope that doesn't hurt you.”

Jesse felt his whole body relax in relief.

“It doesn't hurt me, Maxie,” he said. “So, how about we just ... get together once in a while?”

“Friends with benefits,” Maxie said, laughing. “It's perfect. Like I said, I do like you, and I'd hate to have this mess up our being friends. Just be honest with me, Jesse. If you can't handle it, let me know and we'll back off. Okay?”

“Okay,” Jesse said. “Can you stay for a while?”

“Definitely,” Maxie said, leaning down to kiss him.

* * *

The outbox on Reese Marshall's desk was filling up at a brisk pace. She'd worked steadily all day, not stopping to chat in the break room with her FBI colleagues. She was all business, from her hair pulled back into a severe chignon to the black pinstripe suit with a silver-gray shell under it.

After her conversation with the stranger in the next stall at Luke's, Reese had paid up and gone straight home. She thought about what the woman had said, and other things. Jason Morgan, or Quartermaine, whoever he was, was not worth her time. She'd get her revenge, and after that, focus strictly on work and herself.

Reese had started that plan in the morning, getting up early for some calisthenics in the living room. Her all-business look was a way to remind her of her new focus. After work, she'd go straight home and not go out, instead going to bed early to be sharp for the next day's work.

Analyzing data from reports was Reese's strength. Even John Durant admired her eye for detail, and the ability to connect dots others didn't see. She jotted notes furiously; they'd be typed up later in her own report to field office chief Peter Dobbs. Reese wanted to be in the field when the mob-backed gangs were brought down – it could be enough to score a promotion, maybe a transfer to a bigger city.

Reese noticed the quiet in the office. Everyone else had left. She looked at the clock – 12:15, time for lunch. She pulled her insulated lunch sack out of her drawer. But first, she'd take advantage of the empty office to make a phone call. She hit the button on her cell phone that would render the call untraceable, then dialed the direct line to AJ's office that she'd found in the database that morning.

The phone rang in AJ's office. He reached for it while reading some earnings projections for one of ELQ's subsidiaries.

“AJ Quartermaine,” he said.

“Mr. Quartermaine, I'm glad I reached you,” Reese said.

“Who is speaking, please?” AJ asked, puzzled.

“My name doesn't matter, my message does,” Reese said.

“I don't have time for games, ma'am,” AJ said impatiently. Reese cut him off.

“Neither do I, sir,” she said. “But someone close to you does. He's playing a game designed for you to lose.”

“I'm not a big fan of riddles, either,” AJ said.

“Your brother, Jason, is after your wife,” Reese said bluntly. AJ went white with fury, and an unadmitted fear.

“Who are you?” AJ said. “And where do you get off calling and saying this crap? I don't think we have anything else to say --”

“He and I have been together more than once, and each time he asked me to wear a blonde wig that looks exactly like your wife's hair,” Reese said. She told AJ the date of the first encounter, and then mentioned the night after the Nurses' Ball.

“Your brother's out for what's yours, Mr. Quartermaine,” Reese said. “Your wife, maybe your kids. Watch your back.”

She hit the “end” button on her phone, and sat there breathing hard for a few minutes from the excitement. She'd done it; she'd gotten her revenge. She just hoped it worked. Then she opened her lunch sack and pulled out the turkey sandwich, yogurt and iced green tea.

* * *

“Bobbie, do you have a minute?” Lesley asked, approaching the nurses' station where Bobbie Spencer was working. Bobbie looked up and smiled.

“Sure,” she said. “The waiting area over there looks empty.”

They walked over and sat down. Bobbie looked over at Lesley.

“Is this about Luke's plans?” Bobbie asked in a low voice. Lesley shook her head.

“No, it's something else entirely,” she said. “It's about the class of interns coming in this fall. There's going to be a little blast from your past, Bobbie.”

Bobbie raised an eyebrow.

“Really?” she asked.

“One of the interns is a young man by the name of Patrick Drake,” Lesley began. Bobbie's eyes went wide.

“Noah?” she asked. Lesley smiled and nodded.

“Yes, it's Noah's son,” she said. Bobbie smiled.

“Wow, I hadn't thought of him in a while,” Bobbie said. “It'll be something to see his son here. How is Noah?”

“This is where it gets tricky,” Lesley said. “Something's wrong between Noah and his son. I'm not sure what, but I got a definite feeling of estrangement from the way Patrick talked.”

Bobbie looked sad.

“It's hard when parents and children pull apart,” she said. Lucas sprang to her mind. He'd been so reserved that summer, then he took that last-minute counselor job at the diabetic camp. After camp wrapped up tomorrow, he'd be going to Cape Cod as the guest of one of the other counselors, whose family had a house on the water. He hadn't asked permission, just announced it. She could feel the distance growing between them, but wasn't sure why or what to do about it.

She put on a bright face for Lesley.

“Well, I'm looking forward to meeting the young man,” she said. “If he's as talented as his father, he'll have a bright future. And some of the younger female nurses and doctors could be in for a fun time!”

* * *

Lorenzo Alcazar walked into his home, carrying his briefcase. He'd spent the day at his office at PCU, getting ready for the fall's history courses. That evening, he and Skye would be going to sample wedding cakes.

It was hard to believe that before the year was out, he would be married. For so long, he thought his chance for love had been buried with Sophie. After all those solitary years, first he and Diego found each other, then Skye came into his life. Out of a prosaic friendship, the poetry of love had flowered.

He set his briefcase in his den by the front door, and walked towards the kitchen. He was surprised to look through the French doors and see Diego sitting at the outdoor dining table, staring into space. Looking closer, he saw a despondent look in Diego's eyes. Lorenzo walked outside.

“Son, what is it?” Lorenzo asked. Diego shook off the fatherly touch, and assumed a stoic expression.

“Nothing,” he said flatly.

“I saw your eyes, Diego,” Lorenzo said. “Whatever it is, it's not nothing. I'd like to listen, if that'll help.”

Diego laughed bitterly.

“You've got an 'I told you so' moment, Dad,” Diego said. “You told me, 'don't think about girls, focus on your school.' Shoulda listened.” He laughed mirthlessly again.

“I'm so sorry,” Lorenzo said. “What happened?”

Diego turned dull eyes to his father.

“I fell hard,” he said. “For Maxie.”

“I can see why,” Lorenzo said. “Does she know how you feel?”

Diego shook his head. “I wasn't ready to tell her,” he said. “I could tell she only thought of me as a friend, and that it was too soon to ask for more. But I was thinking, this semester, maybe it could start being more. I'd ask her to my frat's semi-formal, but keep it casual, no pressure. And we'd go from there.”

“So what went wrong?”

Diego told Lorenzo of how he saw Maxie leaving the Pizza Shack with Jesse earlier in the day. He could see how they looked at each other. He knew they weren't going to the library.

“Jesse's not a bad guy, Dad,” Diego said. “But he's a real player, you know? He's not going to treat Maxie like a lady, give her flowers, or remember her favorite flavor of ice cream. He's probably not even going to stop seeing other girls. She deserves better.”

Lorenzo sat in silence for a few moments.

“Maybe she doesn't want that, Diego,” he said. Diego flared up.

“What, you think she's all about having flings with a bunch of guys?” Diego demanded. “She's not that kind of girl!”

“She's only 21,” Lorenzo said. “You're talking about big romance, hearts and flowers, and a serious relationship. Girls here aren't like where we come from, where they get married practically right out of high school or college. Maxie may not be ready for a serious relationship. She has pretty big career ambitions. The whole love-and-marriage thing, she probably sees that as something for the future, not for right now.”

Diego nodded.

“Still hurts, though,” he said. “What do I do, Dad?”

“Continue being her friend,” Lorenzo said. “But take care of yourself first. Concentrate on your schoolwork, and doing things for yourself. Understand that you may have to wait a while before Maxie's ready for a relationship. Don't let it get you down.”

Diego smiled faintly.

“Thanks, Dad,” he said. “I feel a little better now.”

* * *

Jason came home from his rescue squad class late in the afternoon. It was too nice a day to be sitting indoors studying. He went up to his room and quickly changed into swim trunks, a t-shirt, and sneakers.

Walking out to the pool area, he saw someone running on a field beyond the house. He walked closer, and saw it was Michael, in shorts and a t-shirt, running towards a lacrosse goal set up on one side of the field. Jason watched him dodge and spin around invisible opponents, cradling the ball, then shooting for the goal. It missed, and rolled onto the little rise of land behind the goal. Michael went and picked it up, then, cradling the ball in his stick, ran around the back of the goal for a few moments before making a sharp turn to the front, shooting and scoring.

Michael did a few more of those maneuvers before noticing Jason. He waved, and kept going. Jason walked closer. It was a good chance to talk with Michael alone, and re-connect with him.

Finally, Michael stopped. He ran over by Jason, where a bottle of water was on the ground. Michael wiped the sweat off his face with his shirt sleeve, and took a long drink.

“Getting ready for fall lacrosse?” Jason asked. Michael gulped, and nodded.

“Tryouts start next week,” Michael said, panting a little. “They're not really tryouts – anyone who signs up gets to play. They just sort us so it's a good mix.”

“How long does the season run?”

“Through the end of October,” Michael replied. “There's no playoffs or anything, we just practice twice a week and play on Saturdays.”

“Sounds like fun,” Jason said. “Maybe I'll come watch you play sometimes. I've missed the game.”

Michael looked away.

“Did I say something wrong?” Jason asked. Michael looked down at the ground.

“You can tell me,” Jason said. Michael looked at him.

“I want to like you, Uncle Jason,” Michael said. “But I can't if you're mean to my dad.”

It was Jason's turn to look down. He was torn – angry because AJ was being defended, but also ashamed that Michael was in the middle. He looked back at Michael.

“Look, Michael, your dad and me? That's going to be a while before everything's figured out,” Jason said. “I don't know what's going to happen there. But I don't want it to spill over onto you, or your mom. I'd like us to be friends.”

“Okay,” Michael said. “But you can't say anything bad about him to me, or we can't be friends.”

Jason nodded. “Fair enough,” he said. Michael gravely extended his hand. He and Jason shook hands. From a distance, Carly watched with a smirk of satisfaction. I've still got a hold over him, she thought.

Michael handed Jason his stick. “Show me how you play,” he said.

Jason looked down at the stick. “Feels good to hold one of these again,” he said. “I'm a bit rusty ...”

“So? Have fun!” Michael said. Jason laughed.

“Okay, I will!” he said. “Only don't laugh.” He ran out, loving the feeling of cradling the ball again. Michael was momentarily forgotten as Jason ran, dodged and weaved, and shot. The ball went into the goal.

“Whoa!” Michael said. “That was cool!”

Jason smiled at Michael. He retrieved the ball, and began running again. He charged towards the goal, and made a perfect bounce shot into the net. Michael stared at him wide-eyed.

Jason walked back over to Michael.

“Why didn't you play in college?” Michael asked.

“I was pre-med,” Jason said. “I had to focus on school. No time for playing on a team.”

“Too bad,” Michael said. “You would've been great.”

“Thanks,” Jason said. Looking up, he saw Carly approaching.

“Hi, boys,” she said. “Having fun?”

“Did you see him, Mom?” Michael said. “That's what I wanna do!”

Carly ruffled Michael's hair. “Guess that'll come with practice,” she said. Jason handed Michael back the stick. Michael charged out and began running around cradling the ball again. Carly and Jason watched him.

“Have a good day?” she asked. Jason looked at her and smiled.

“Yeah, it was okay,” he said. “Michael and I had a little talk. We agreed that we'd be friends, as long as I don't drag what's going on with AJ into it.”

Carly nodded. “Sounds like a good deal,” she said. “I'm glad he's giving you a chance.”

“Me, too,” Jason said. “Thanks, Carly.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

What none of them knew was that AJ was up in his and Carly's suite, watching. He'd done his best to put the mysterious phone call out of his thoughts. But there was Jason, all chummy with his wife and son. The woman's words echoed in his mind.

Your brother's out for what's yours.

AJ slumped onto the bed. Carly and the boys were everything to him. Without them ... all he could see was a howling, black abyss. How can I stop this, he wondered. How do I get them out of Jason's reach?

Then the idea came. The house on Martha's Vineyard was out of Jason's reach. A few weeks away would be great. He'd talk about it with Carly that night.

That decided, he leaned back on the pillows and opened his Big Book.