The Best Laid Plans, Chapter 85
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Alexis and Stefan were sitting on a bench in the garden.
“ Oh.”
“ Yes. Spencer and Barbara were the reasons why we were unable to succeed at our plans.”
” I see now why you are so angry. But, Stefan, what could be the point of revenge?”
” Because, they thwarted my efforts at securing Nikolas’ legacy.”
” Stefan, Nikolas’ legacy is already assured. You have dedicated your life to it. You need to think about the big picture, Stefan.”
” The BIG Picture.”
” Yes. You spend so much time scheming and plotting, that you don’t grasp what you have right within your reach.”
” Well, since I am so ignorant, Alexis. Please...enlighten me.”
” OK. Bobbie told you this huge secret. Why? Why, would she, after all this time, tell you something that she KNOWS will upset you. I believe I know the reason.”
” And?”
” It’s because she’s decide to try and build a life with you, Stefan. And, she wants no secrets between the two of you. I also believe that she was trying to gain some of your respect back.”
” My respect?”
“ Yes, Stefan. I believe it hurt Bobbie deeply when you threw her out. We now know that, due to her own moral code, she had no choice.”
” Yes, she did.”
” No, she didn’t, Stefan. If you would just think about it, you know she didn’t. There are only two things that mean the world to Bobbie: her children, and GH. You’ve read the file that I compiled on Bobbie. You know that her entrance into nursing school didn’t just indicate a chance at a career, it was a chance at a new life. A life she never thought she could have. Being admitted into the GH Program was the one break Bobbie had been looking for all her life. It was the first piece of good fortune that came her way...and even it, was hard fought. Because, her past almost prevented her from being admitted. But, the day was saved by Steve and Audrey Hardy, who took a chance on someone that they barely knew. They extended the lifeline to Bobbie, and I doubt she has ever forgotten that. Bobbie is a very proud woman, yet, her pride isn’t so large that she wasn’t willing to come to you, and ask you for help in reopening the hospital. She did that. So, surely, you knowing her, understand that in her mind, she had no choice but to punish you for compromising her life’s work. “
” So, you condone her drugging me.”
” I didn’t say that, and you know it. What I am saying is that Bobbie did what she had to do. She didn’t do anything that you wouldn’t expect of her. She was true to herself, Stefan. You got found out, and the punishment was done. I’m just trying to get you to see how her admitting it, means more for your future than you seem to be seeing at the moment.”
” How can I stay married to a woman I do not trust?”
“ Cassadine Men have been doing that forever. “ Stefan gives Alexis a glare. “ Fine. I want to ask you if you’ve really looked around Wyndemere lately.”
“ Alexis..”
“ Do you see Lucas and Nikolas joking at dinner? Do you see Sasha teaching Lucas how to fence? Did you bother going into the kitchen about a week ago, and watch Sasha, Nikolas and Lucas trying to make diabetic treats for Lucas while Mrs. Lansbury fretted around the kitchen? Do you see them almost every night, playing some sort of board game, with either Nikolas or Sasha losing to Lucas, but, making him learn more and more with each game? Do you hear the laughter at Wyndemere? And, into this, there will be a new life, Stefan. A child. A little baby, whose cries and yells will fill this house with even more joy. I go into the nursery, or into Lucas’ room, and I see the rooms of children. Rooms filled with a lightness that NEVER existed in Greece. Slowly, but, surely, this house, that imposing, gargantuan, tomb, is coming to life. This is YOUR home, Stefan. You can have that home. Bobbie told you the truth, because she wanted to meet you half way. I won’t say that it will be light and airy. But, I believe that you came to care deeply for Bobbie while you were married. You two have so much already. Or maybe, you just have enormous potential. Is revenge worth throwing everything else away?” Alexis gets up and leaves Stefan.
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Dara is sitting in the hospital cafeteria when Jane Jacks comes in.
” Hello, Ms. Jensen, may I sit down?”
“ Oh, sure.”
” We haven’t been formally introduced. I’m Jane Jacks.”
Dara extends her hand. “ Dara Jensen.”
” Yes, I know who you are.”
” Oh.”
” I must tell you that I was surprised to see you show up at the hospital.”
“ I know. I’ve kept in the background because I wanted to respect you and your family.”
” From what my son tells me, you should be family.”
” Jax told you that?”
” No, Jerry. But, I have seen the way Jax looks at you. The way he takes comfort from you so easily. I see the look in his eye when glances towards you. Ms. Jensen, why are you here?”
” I knew that Jax was close to his father, and that he could probably use some moral support.”
” He had family.”
” Sometimes, you need friends.”
” Is that all you are to my son?”
“ To be honest, Mrs. Jacks, I do not feel comfortable discussing my relationship with Jax with anyone. I just can tell you that Jax means a great deal to me, and that I wouldn’t hurt him for anything.”
” What would you call giving him false hope, Ms. Jensen...Help?”
Jane gets up from the table and leaves.
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“ Katherine!”
” Yes, Justus, may I come in?”
“ Fine. But, make it quick.”
Katherine comes into his apartment. “ You’ve done a lot with the place.”
” No time for small talk, Katherine. Spill it.”
” Fine. I have a proposition for you.”
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Sasha is sitting at her computer when Mai comes in.
“ Have you heard anything from....”
” No. Of course not. I don’t expect to hear from Grandmother until she knows that I’ve started doing what she wants.”
” And, what exactly is that?”
” I am putting back doors on all of Grandmother’s accounts. I have just finished marking the last of them. I believe within the next 24 hours, she will start her move.”
” And..”
” And, the end result will be that Grandmother will regain control of her portion of the Pegasus Group.”
“ Oh my God..”
” That’s right. She’ll have a little over a half a billion dollars with which to hatch her schemes.”
” What about the security of the rest of ...”
“ Protected. I won’t say that the loss of those funds won’t damage it, but, we will survive. I always structured the Pegasus Group so that we never depended on those funds. “
” But, your father...”
“ Will believe that it was Helena’s treachery, nothing more. I have designed it so that none of this can be traced back to me. “
“ I still believe if you told him..”
” What did I say on the subject? My father is NEVER to know. Am I understood?”
“ Yes.”
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Carly is sitting and playing with Michael when Jason comes in.
“ Hey, Michael, let’s see if Daddy wants to play.” They go over to Jason. “ Jase, Michael wants to know if you want to play with him.”
Jason smiles. “ Oh, he said that?”
“ Yes. I’m getting really good at telling what he wants.”
“ Why not, Carly? You’re his mother.”
” And, you’re his father. Jase, I think we need to talk.”
“ About what?”
“ Robin.”
” Carly..”
” NO, Jason. “ Carly puts Michael in the baby seat. “ I’m your WIFE. Do you GET that? Do you get what it means?”
“ It means I married you.”
” Yes. But, I thought it also meant that this was now my home, too.”
” It is.”
” Ok. Well, if it is my home, I ought to have the right to like or dislike anyone that I please. Regardless of your opinion.”
“ Uh-huh.”
” OK...you don’t like the Quartermaines. In fact, I think I could say that you hate them. Do I argue with you about them? Tell you that you’re wrong? Forbid you to say anything about them?”
” No.”
” Well, it’s the same situation with me and Robin. I hate her, she hates me.”
” Robin doesn’t hate you.”
” The hell she doesn’t, Jason. You have your Robin blinders on, and that’s fine. But, I can’t live anywhere that I don’t feel comfortable. I just can’t. I have to be able to speak my mind, Jason. I’m not saying that Robin will be this topic of converstions between us..”
“ Good.”
” But, when she gets in my face and my business, I am going to let her have it. I have that right. And, I have the right to do it, without fearing inteference from you. She’s not some China Doll that needs protection, Jason. Robin is a grown woman, who can fight her own battles.”
” I didn’t know you two are at war.”
” Then, that shows the difference in the male and female of the species. From the moment that you said, ‘I DO’, Robin and I were at war. If she pushes my buttons, I will respond in kind. If you can’t take me defending myself againt, ‘Poor Widdle Wobbin’, then, I guess Michael and I can hit the road.”
“ You don’t have anywhere to go, Carly.”
” Jason, I’ve been running most of my life. It’s the one thing in which I excel. I can take care of myself. I would rather be with you, though. Well, I’ve said my peace. It’s time you think about it. I can’t live in a place where I have to censor myself. That place isn’t worth living in at all.”
Carly leaves Jason and Michael and goes for a walk.
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Katherine puts down the prospectus.
“ So, what do you think?”
“ I think you have to be out of your mind if you think I’m going to go along with this.”
“ Yes, I believe you will.”
“ Katherine, did you hear nothing of what I said yesterday?”
“ Yes. And, the bottom line, is that none of it matters.”
“ None of it matters? I think it matters to my family. I think it matters to AJ and Jason.”
“ They each have new lives. Justus, you can’t live in the past. Live in the present. And the future. And the future is this new line of cosmetics. Justus, even you cannot deny the figures that I have presented before you.”
” I see the figures. And, they look good. Tell me Katherine, why should I back you for anything? Why me?”
“ Because, despite your anger, you know what I’m capable of business wise. I put this deal together. I designed the line. No one knows it better than I do. And, I know that I can make it a success. You need a deal like this, Justus.”
“ I do?”
” Yes, you do. You need something this good. You need something that will distinguish you independently of ELQ and Ned. I know that you have your eyes on the CEO position. Putting your mark on this project will distinguish you from the pack. Help me make this a success, and it’s a win-win proposition all the way around: you get a new, successful company, I get a job I love with the promise of something better and a way to further solidify my reputation in the industry, and let’s not forget Keesha.”
“ Keesha.”
“ Yes. This campaign is going to make her a star.”
“ I don’t know about that.”
” Well, I do. I’m certain of it. Actually, I’ll bet on it.”
“ No need to bet Katherine.”
” So, do we have a deal? Are you going to buy Deception and place me in charge of it?”
“ No. I’ll buy Deception, and you’ll be a Vice-President in charge of developing this new line. You’ll have to earn any other promotion.”
Katherine gets up and shakes his hand. “ Fine. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Well, I have to be going now. I have work to do.”
Katherine leaves the apartment beaming. “ That’s why they say Kat’s have nine lives.”
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Bobbie has been wheeled into the solarium for some afternoon sun. She is playing backgammon with Nikolas when Stefan comes into the room. He looks at Bobbie as if he is staring daggers at her. They have a silent standoff for a few moments, and then Stefan turns and leaves.
“ Bobbie, what was that all about?”
“ Oh, your Uncle and I had a discussion the other day. It’s still taking time to process it all.”
“ Bobbie, he looked like he wanted to shoot you.”
Bobbie laughs. “ No, that was yesterday. I think he’s working through it.”
“ Anything I can do to help?”
“ Honestly, Nikolas? This is between the two of us. We have to work out this if we are going to make this marriage work.” Bobbie sees that Nikolas has this look of wonder on his face. “ What?”
“ Listening to you speak of making the marriage work. I find it all still so incredible that you’re even here. And, you’re serious. You really want this baby, don’t you?”
“ Yes. “
“ I’ve never been around anyone who wanted a baby before. I mean, my Grandmother, from the way she treated my Uncle, made it clear that she didn’t want him. And, then there’s Laura....” Nikolas lowers his face to the ground.
” Nikolas, look at me. I can’t speak for Helena, nor Laura, but, I believe that she loves you. However you came about. As for wanting this baby, yes. More than anything. I marvel sometimes at the fact that I am having a baby.”
” A Cassadine baby.”
” Yes, Nikolas a Cassadine baby. But, this is just my child. Nothing more. Just like you’re ‘simply Nikolas’, and nothing more. I am so happy right now, Nikolas. I want for you to be happy too. About the baby.”
“ Sure I am, Bobbie.”
” Are you sure, Nikolas? I mean, I know that Stefan is your Uncle, but, he’s shown you more love and devotion than most parents out there. It wouldn’t be strange if you didn’t feel just a twinge of jealousy.”
“ Jealousy, Bobbie? I don’t think so. I think that, for the first time, I really have a family. I know that I thought I had one when you were married to my Uncle before, but, now, it’s deeper. I mean, back then, everything was so fragile. I was almost afraid to breath because I thought something would break. There’s something very permanent now to the situation. There’s something very lived in about us. We’re becoming familiar with one another. Getting to really know one another. Like one another. I’m not afraid now , like I would have been, if an argument like the one you’re having with my Uncle now, happened back then. And, I think that’s because of the baby. That child is like glue for us. How can I be jealous of something that’s giving me so much, and isn’t even here yet?”
Bobbie had tears in her eyes. She motions for Nikolas to come over to her, and she kisses him.
“ You know, up until this moment, I thought I was crazy and deluded in trying to make this work. I’m glad someone else shares in my bizarre vision.”
The maid comes in with the lunch and they enjoy themselves, laughing and talking all afternoon. Stefan is watching them from the outside.
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Keesha is sitting at the Outback when Alex comes in.
“ Hello, Keesha.”
” Alex. How are you? Meeting someone?”
“ No. I was just going to eat and look over the want ads.”
” So, Katherine’s told you about her problems?”
” Problems? Keesha, losing your job is a problem. Katherine’s gone belly up and a lot of people are out of work. I think it’s more than just a problem.”
” Maybe, you’re right. Well, if you don’t have a luncheon date, would you join me?”
” You’re alone?”
” Actually, AJ was supposed to be joining me, but, he had to work.”
The Fool, Garcia thinks. “ I would love to.”
Alex sits down and they have a very pleasant lunch together.
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Jax is drinking some coffee and sitting in the hospital lounge when Jerry comes by.
” Jasper.”
” Jerry. How is he?”
” Doing a lot better. The doctor says that the surgery was a rousing success and that he should make a full recovery.”
” Thank God. Does Lady Jane know?”
” Yep. She burst into tears, kissed the surgeon and said that she needed to go for a walk.”
” Where?”
“ Don’t know. Where’s Dara?”
” Back at her suite.”
“ I have to tell you, I’m very impressed with your Ms. Jensen. Smart. Plays chess, backgammon, othello and poker well. On top of that, knows not to pry or hover. She’s quite a dish.”
” A dish? “ Jax laughs. “ Do me a favor, don’t ever call Dara that again. She might belt you one.”
” And, a woman who’ll resort to violence? My..my....my... Dara’s getting more attractive by the moment.”
” Hands off, Jherico.”
” Relax, little brother. I remember our deal. Never go after the other one’s woman.”
” Glad you still remember.”
” Although...she’s not technically your woman.”
” She came when I needed her without asking.”
” That she did. So, when are the two of you going to get back together?”
” Who said we would?”
“ Jax. I see the way she looks at you. And, the way you look at her. You still love her, that’s obvious.”
” True. But, the question of race is still there.”
” And, will be there, until the end of time. Are you really going to have your life dictated by others? Are others THAT important that you’re willing to throw away some real happiness? Are you THAT stupid to think that you fall in love like this everyday of the week?”
” No. I’m not stupid.”
” You sound like it. You told me you were going for some education. Did you?”
” Yes.”
” And?”
“ It made me even more afraid of the possibilities.”
” I don’t care how bloody scared you are. Did it make you stop loving Dara?”
” No.”
” Then, you have your answer.”
“ For a man who doesn’t and has never had any special relationships with women, you sure are quick with the advice.”
” I have had a special relationship.” Jerry gets up and walks away.
Jax regrets what he said. In all the years since his divorce from Sasha, they had never spoken about what happened. Jax knew that it had to have been bad. How could it not have been. As wild as Jerry’s been most of his life, Jax knew what an absolute cesspool he was back then, and that he had been nothing but poison to Sasha. Jax also knew that his brother didn’t know what the word regret meant, unless it applied to her. Whenever he wanted to really hurt Jerry, he brought it up. He was sorry that he had been so callous with his brother.
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Justus is in his office when Sasha comes in.
” Sasha, hi.”
” Hello, Justus.” Sasha sits in a chair and Justus takes the one next to her.
” I suppose you need an explanation, Justus.”
” Explanation?”
” I’m not usually such an emotional mess.”
Justus laughs. “ No....you think?”
“ Don’t laugh.”
” Sorry.”
” Justus, thank you once again for what you did the other night. It meant a great deal to me. I’m sorry, but, I can’t tell you what it was about.”
“ It must have been very traumatic.”
” Yes. Family Business. You know, it’s not very easy living in powerful family.”
“ Something that I’ve been learning the hard way.”
” Yes. Well, I needed someone and you were there.”
” Glad to be of service.”
” Justus, I’m sorry. It came out the wrong way. I didn’t need someone. I needed you. I was wondering...”
At that moment there was a knock on the door.
” Peggy, what is it?”, Justus yelled at the door.
” Mr. Ward, I’m sorry. But, there is a Detective Taggert here to see Ms. Cassadine.”
Sasha looks at Justus with a bewildered face. She shrugs her shoulders but, gives the approval to Justus.
” Send Detective Taggert in, Peggy.”
Taggert comes into the office.
” Detective..”
” Ms. Cassadine. I have been trying to track you down for several days.”
” I’ve been out of town.”
” Well, when your secretary told me that you were here, I took a chance and came by.”
“ What is this about, Detective?”
” It’s about the person who ran you off the road and almost killed you.”
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