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Mr. Immigration Man, Chapter 20





" I need to see you."

Frisco had been awakened by the telephone ringing.

(whispering) "Felicia?"

" Yes. It's me. Will you come and see me?"

" Now?"

" Yes."

" Where?"

" I'm calling from the Lobby. I checked the hotel restaurant. There's no one there. I'll be at a table."

" OK. I'll be there in a few minutes."

" Thanks"

Frisco hangs the phone up. Gets dressed quietly, so as to not disturb Florentyna. He leaves. But he need not have been that worried. For Florentyna was awake the entire time.

" So. What was so urgent that you got me out of bed."

" I'm going back to Port Charles later today."

" I know that."

" There are things that have been left unsaid. At least by me."

" Oh?"

" Frisco, just shut up and let me talk. I admit, when I found out about Florentyna, a part of me died. There was always a part of my heart that thought that we would get back together. A silly dream of mine, I guess. What threw me so much wasn't the fact of Florentyna, but what I saw in you when you looked at her. It wasn't what you had in your eye when you looked at me. It was deeper. That threw me. For the first time since we met, I knew that I was no longer the number one woman in your life. That you had found someone...not for "right now", but for "always." And my ego had told me that I would forever be that "always" for you. How's that for narcississm? Over these past few days, I see that she makes you happy. That she is happy with ALL of you, that she doesn't want you to change a thing, and that the compromises that I wouldn't make for you, she would. And I can't blame her for the choices that she would make for her own life. She thinks well on her feet. Nothing flusters her, and I can see her kind heart, behind that sharp mind. She's exactly what I would have chosen for you...if I were choosing. I guess what I want to say, is that, I am happy for you. And that I hope that you and Florentyna see the girls as often as possible. Although they love Texas in the summer, I think that they will look much cooler in front of their classmates if they can say that they spent the summer in Italy."

" Thanks, Felicia. Do you think the girls will like Tyna?"

" I want to say no....but yes. I think she'll charm the pants off both Maxie and Georgie."

" I had written a letter to give to the girls. Will you make sure that they read it?"

" Yes."

" Is that all? I'm not all that hungry, but I am tired. Luke is still crazy after all these years, and we were up for hours talking about the old days. About Robert and Sean mostly."

" Those were fun times, weren't they?"

" Yes. But now, as I recall them, it's like high school war stories. Know what I mean?"

" Yep. For the first time, I know exactly what you mean. Well, I am hungry, so I'll sit here, with my yesterday's New York Times and try to get the crossword puzzle. See you later."

Kisses Flea. " See you later."

Frisco goes up to the room. He undresses quietly and gets into bed. Frisco leans over and kisses Florentyna.

" She thinks the kids will love you."

As Frisco turns on his side to go to sleep, a peaceful smile crosses Florentyna's face and she drifts off to a peaceful slumber.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Cassadine Jet came to a perfect landing at the Santiago International Airport. Lucas, Nikolas, Stefan and Bobbie all got through customs just fine. They found a man holding a sign with the name of Cassadine who was there to pick them up.

" Senor Cassadine?"

" Yes."

" I am Manuel Dejano. Senor Maliz sent me. Is this your party?"

" Yes."

" Then on behalf of The Carreras, I would like to welcome you to Santiago. Let's get your luggage, and we will be on our way."

The four of them were loaded into a Van and were on their way. The 30 mile trip to the mountains was fascinating. You saw the clash of cultures. On the one hand, the roads were being crowded with the development of the country: Factories and plants with International Namebrands were everywhere. And near them, were housing developments where children were playing soccer on dirt fields with makeshift balls. The people literally walking on the road was also a change. As the van made its way to the top of the mountain, Bobbie could see the city of Santiago below. She was struck by how large the city was. How it was as spread out in between the mountains as possible. The traffic, once approaching city limits was hectic and heavy. But finally they arrived at the finest hotel in all of Chile: The Carreras. The manager met Stefan personally and attended to all their needs. Lucas and Bobbie were in one suite, Nikolas and Stefan were in another. Each suite was assigned a personal valet to accomodate to all their whims. Bobbie and Lucas got settled in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" Deception. Katherine Bell speaking."

" Katherine. How are things going?"

" Stefan? It's so nice to hear your voice. Things are going terribly. This fire is really awful."

" There was extensive damage?"

" No, more smoke than anything. But the cleanup...I will have to supervise it, so I will not be able to come to Chile at all. How are Lucas, Nikolas and Alexis?"

" Alexis is not here. There was a problem with a business of ours in Canada."

" Alexis not there? So, are you telling me that you and Nikolas are taking care of Lucas all by yourselves?"

" No, we have help with Lucas. Actually Lucas has the best help of all. Barbara."

" BOBBIE is down there with you? How did that happen?"

" Well, Nikolas invited her. And when we went to pick up Lucas this evening, she was there, luggage ready. I did not know how I could say no to her coming, considering all that she had just been through with Lucas. I thought it would have been in poor taste."

" Yes, I guess it would have. So, what are your plans for this evening?"

" I thought that the four of us would go out to dinner. But we have to be in early considering that the transportation to the skiing chalet will be here almost at dawn. That is why I have to go Katherine. Early dinner and all."

" Well, I have work that I have to do. I miss you."

" As I do you. Goodbye."

" Goodbye."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After a couple of hours, Nikolas came to Bobbie and Lucas' Room.

" Hi, Bobbie. Are you sleepy?"

" No. Not at all. Lucas and I were wondering if you wanted to go exploring with us."

" That would be great. I have not been to Santiago in a couple of years, but I doubt that it would change that much . Let's go. But my Uncle says that we have to be back and changed for dinner in a couple of hours."

Bobbie, Lucas and Nikolas take to the streets of Santiago. There is an old world charm, fighting with that modernization. You have numerous street vendors and small mom and pop cafes, intermingled with cash machines, McDonalds. Old men playing a form of bache ball, interspersed with young men, in suits, with their cell phones. The center of town is a pedestrial commercial walkway. It was the overwhelming precense of families shopping together, enjoying each other that struck Bobbie. She, Lucas and Nikolas shopped. Lucas would pick out things, and Nikolas would barter for them, in Spanish. Bobbie had been throughout the heart of the financial district and the only people who had spoken English to her were the proprietors of the only kiosks in town that sold English speaking magazines. Nikolas explained to her that Chile was probably the most solidly Spanish-speaking country in South America. That, unlike Peru, Argentina and Brazil, that they did not go out of their way to learn English. Bobbie took in the sights, and they hurried to get back and change for dinner.

Lucas, Nikolas and Stefan were all waiting for Bobbie when she came down to the Lobby.

" Sorry, that I am so late."

" No problem at all. Not when the results are so astonishing."

" Stefan...."

" He's right, Bobbie. You look wonderful."

" Amazing, Mommy."

" Shall we go?"

" Where exactly are we going, Stefan?"

" To the best view in town."

Stefan had the driver to take them to Santo Cristobal, the highest point in all of Santiago. They had to take three cablecar Trams in order to reach the top. As they got off the last car, Bobbie stepped out onto the deck of the restaurant. It was dusk, and the combination of the colors in the sky, the setting sun reflecting of the Andes Mountains took her breath away.

" I told you it was the best view in town." Stefan almost whispered in her ear.

Bobbie was startled by Stefan's voice. Maybe startled is not the right word. She felt herself being drawn again to it. The depth, the melodicness, the way when Stefan said certain things, in certain tones, that it could....well, arouse her in certain ways.

Bobbie walked away from Stefan, not responding to hit statement. " So. Is our table ready? Aren't you hungry, Lucas? I am famished. Nikolas, did Lucas tell you..."

The four of them settled into a table, right at the window, with a view of the entire city. After dinner, Lucas and Nikolas went out on the deck, where there were telescopes. Stefan and Bobbie were left alone.

" Did you enjoy dinner, Barbara?"

" Yes. I thought it was excellent."

Silence between them.

" Have you heard from Alexis?"

" No. I thought that I would give her time to assess the situation , so that I would get a more thorough report."

" Oh."

" Do you think that Lucas is doing too much?"

" No. He's having the time of his life, so far. He's so excited. This is the first time that he has left the country, and tomorrow will be the first time that he will be skiing at a real resort."

" Well, I hope that he enjoys the trip. What about you? Are you enjoying the trip?"

" Yes, I am. "

" I am pleased, then. I knew that you had apprehensions. And I am happy that your fears have been allayed. Would you like to dance?"

" Pardon?"

" There is a band playing over there. The dance floor does not seem crowded. Would you like to dance?"

" No thank you. I am not up to it at this time.......I think I'll go check on the boys. If you'll excuse me..."

Bobbie got up and left the table. Stefan was trying to tabulate whether this evening was a success or failure. He finally decided to place it in the success column. Bobbie and Lucas did indeed have dinner with him, and he had had more time alone with Bobbie, without interference. He would have to check in with Alexis, if only to have something to report to Bobbie.

Stefan paid the check, and they all went back to the hotel, to rest before their trip to the ski lodge in the morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They were at the Rome Airport.

" Well, Jones, seems as if we've gotta go."

" Luke Spencer, you take care of yourself. And I hope that you get this Cassadine fellow, in whatever he's doing."

" Don't worry, I will. And Florentya..... You take care of him, yourself, and little Robert there."

" I will Luke. You, indeed, are an original."

" Yep. They broke the mold when they made me."

" Frisco, Florentyna. I hope that you will come visit soon. And bring the baby. The girls would love it."

" Thank you Felicia. Knowing what you and the girls mean to Frisco, you saying such good things, means everything. Godspeed."

Florentyna kisses Felicia.

" Take care, Felicia. And make sure you give the girls extra hugs from their dad."

" I will."

"Hey, I hear our flight being called. Let's go, boys and girls."

They say their goodbyes and board the plane.

" Are you OK, Felicia?"

" Yes, Mac. I'm fine. I really am."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Having been ready at dawn, our four travelers are in the van on the way to the airport. Bobbie, seeing the heights that they are traveling, is a bit scared. She pretends to be asleep, but Stefan knows better. Lucas and Nikolas are playing games, and Stefan is reading. After a 2 hour drive, they finally arrive at La Domingo, the most exculsive of all ski resorts in Chile. Nestled into the mountain, the views and skiing facilities look wonderful. The group is settled into condo. It has six bedrooms. Lucas and Bobbie take 2 on the East end and Nikolas and Stefan are set up on the West End. They have cooking facilities, even though room service is but a phone call away. Everyone gets unpacked and decides to go on some new runs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Luke?"

" Yeah, babe."

" Where are you?"

" Somewhere over the Atlantic. Just wanted to call and check in."

" Well, we're all fine. And we all miss you. Can't wait for you to come back."

" Come back? Woman, by the time this is all over, I expect for you all to be coming home."

" Well, we'll talk about that later. Lulu was so wonderful today. You should have seen her. And my Mom is almost back on track."

" Glad to hear it."

" Have you been able to get in touch with Bobbie?"

" Nope. No answer. But I promise, whatever Steffin's up to, he won't get away with it."

" Well, be careful. And know that I miss you."

" Same here, darlin'. Same here."
September 6-Hamil. Author.W8BNMSWDlE  )OService- Who to call\W8BNMSWDpL,1z,1{f