Mr. Immigration Man II, Chapter 30
It’s been a few weeks since Grace’s birth. Bobbie has taken a leave from the hospital. She spends all her time with either Grace or Carly. She and Virginia trade shifts. She is barely at Wyndemere. And when she is, she doesn’t do any talking with Stefan. Bobbie is trying to figure out what she should do.
She is sitting in Carly’s room, when a gentleman walks in.
“ Are you Barbara Cassadine?”
“ Yes, I am.”
He hands her some papers. “ Then, consider yourself served.”
Bobbie looks at the papers.
“ Custody papers? For Drs. Alan and Monica Quartermaine vs. Barbara Cassadine.”
Bobbie rips out of the room and heads directly towards Alan’s office. She finds Alan there.
“ What the hell are these, Alan?”
“ Exactly what they seem to be, Bobbie. We are going for custody of little Grace.”
“ Why you? Why not AJ?”
“ Well, of course, we are supporting AJ, and we think that this is best.”
“ You KNOW that I am going to fight you on this. NO ONE is going to take Carly’s little girl away from her.”
“ Well, Grace will be leaving the hospital soon. And she will need a home. And Monica and I believe that it would be best if that home was with us.”
“ I don’t agree. So, I will see you in court. Goodbye.”
Bobbie goes back to the Brownstone to think. After awhile, she picks up the phone.
“ Alicia Warburton.”
“ Hello, Alicia. This is Bobbie Cassadine.”
“ Bobbie. What can I do for you?”
“ I need you for a custody case.”
“ For your son?”
“ No. My granddaughter.”
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Nikolas is in the pediatrics playroom.
“ Hello, Nikolas.”
“ Bobbie, hi. I didn’t think you left Caroline or Grace’s sides.”
“ I usually don’t. But, I had to discuss something with you.”
“ Ok. Shoot.”
“ Nikolas, I am leaving Stefan.”
“ Oh.”
“ You don’t seem surprised.”
“ I’m not.”
“ Nikolas, I know what I promised you. And I had every intention of keeping those promises...”
“ Bobbie , please. You don’t owe me an explanation. I know how difficult life has been with my father.”
“ It’s just that I don’t want to lose you once again.”
“ Bobbie, you won’t. You couldn’t. Your priorities have to be Grace and Carly.”
“ Yes. You know...if there was any way that I thought Stefan was serious, I would stay. But, due to recent events, I now know, that this marriage isn’t what he wants. And I have to concentrate all my efforts on Grace and Carly. Did you know that Alan and Monica are suing me for custody of Grace? “
“ No.”
“ Yep. I just came back from my lawyer’s office. I was going to see you first. And then, Stefan. I want you to come by the Brownstone Nikolas. As often as you want. Lucas and I would love to see you. And I bet you’ll make one great babysitter.”
“ Call on me. Anytime.”
“ I love you, Nikolas.”
“ I love you too, Bobbie. Bye.”
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After her meeting with Nikolas and Alicia, Bobbie comes back to Wyndemere. She has the servants pack up her and Lucas’ things. They are coming down the stairs with the luggage as Stefan and Alexis come in.
“ Barbara, what’s going on here?”
“ Isn’t it obvious? I’m leaving you, Stefan.”
“ Why?”
“ Stefan, please. Whatever you are , you are no fool.”
“ I see no reason why you should be leaving me. I mean, the marriage was going so well.”
“ Don’t you get it, Stefan? The Game’s over. I don’t have the energy not the inclination to be battling with you. Yes, you are a bastard, a SOB, and a miserable one at that. Yes, I love you. But, to be frank, none of that matters a damn. I have a daughter in a coma and a granddaughter on a respirator. That’s REAL . That’s reality. That is MY life.
You, this so-called marriage, and this pathetic excuse for a life that we have been living is no longer worth any kind of effort. I go everyday. Five times a day, to visit with my granddaughter. They say that human contact is good for babies. Her mother can’t do it. So, I will. Because she is my posterity, Stefan. She is the future. Like me, this seems to be the only child that Carly will ever have biologically. The demons of fate seem to continue with me. But, I’ll survive. I always have. I always will.
You want your Blond Princess. Got get ‘em, Stefan. Go get ‘em. And when you have had that Katherine or Laura fantasy that you so desire, forget my telephone number. I am THROUGH taking Laura Webber’s leftovers.
I am Barbara Jean Spencer. I may not be a Princess. But, even if only in my own eyes, I am a Queen. And I deserve the best. Laura knows you? I doubt that Stefan. Neither Laura nor Katherine know you. Oh, once upon a time, Laura knew who you were. And if you had caught a break, who knows? Katherine? No, she NEVER knew you. She knew the fantasy that helped her get out of that wheelchair. Beneath that smooth veneer and the tailormade suits, isn’t some romantic figure. It is a very scarred individual. You are like a tree, Stefan. The years have added rings and rings to you. Your problem is that you don’t understand that Laura doesn’t know those rings. And Katherine never got deeper than the bark.
What we have isn’t flowery or terribly romantic. And Harlequin would never buy it up as a Book of the Month Selection. I thought that we were each other’s chance to be. Without pretense, without hiding, just be. To be able to sleep through the night without interruption. To get peace in our mutually ravaged souls. And enjoy ourselves in the meantime.”
Bobbie leaves Stefan standing there in the Conservatory.