Chapter 23
Very early morning, before sunrise.
Carly stands by window in Stefan's suite, wearing one of his discarded shirts after leaving the bed. She stares out at the stars, marveling at the unusually clear sky as she contemplates the day ahead
Stefan joins her at the window, slipping a hand around her waist and kissing her neck just below her ear. "Have I told you how much I like seeing you in my shirt when I wake up? The only thing I prefer more is waking up with you beside me."
"Mmm, it is nice," Carly murmurs huskily. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. You get precious little sleep as it is."
"You're thinking about your visit with Michael tomorrow," Stefan guesses.
"I'm worrying to be more exact." Carly bites her lip nervously. "What if he doesn't remember me, Stefan? What if he screams when he sees me?"
"He won't," Stefan assures her.
"You don't know that. I'm the reason he doesn't have Jason anymore, the only person Michael has ever wanted or needed in his short life. And while he might not know it was me that cost him Jason, he doesn't really know me. He's spent more time without me in his life, than with me. He has no reason to give me a second look." Carly's voice gets small. "I want him to love me, Stefan. He's the only family I have now, and he's my son. I love him so much..."
"He won't hate you," Stefan voices her worst fear. "Children know when they are loved, Caroline. They can sense it instinctively. Sit with him, just let him come to you, explore you. Young children are naturally curious. This is not a test you can fail, Caroline, it is a process..."
The corners of Carly's mouth turn up. "You don't have to say it.. like Tai Chi."
Stefan tightens his hold on Carly slightly. "Have I already become boring and predictable?"
Carly chuckles. "Not a chance."
The Quartermaine Mansion
Carly is let in by Reggie to find AJ and Edward waiting for her. Reggie glances around nervously, the tension in the room palpable. "Ms Benson, I'll take you upstairs to the nursery where Michael is..." Edward stands further back with his face in a deep angry scowl muttering about infernal judges who don't have the sense they were born with.
Carly proceeds to follow Reggie, but AJ blocks her path upstairs, his arms crossed in front of him. "Just a minute, Reggie. I have something to say to Carly." AJ's tone is flat and cold.
Carly tosses her hair back impatiently. Now that she's here, she's anxious to see her son. She's not in the mood for any of AJ's threats. "Can we do this later, AJ? I just want to see Michael."
Just then Emily and Monica walk in from the living room so that Carly is effectively surrounded by Quartermaines, causing the hair on the back of her neck to go up. "You have a lot of gall coming here, Carly," Emily bites out. "If you had a shred of decency, you'd go crawl under a rock and leave Michael alone. After what you did to Jason, you aren't fit to breath the same air. Why don't you do Michael a favor and just DIE."
Carly whirls to face her. "Listen, EMILY," she says between clenched teeth, her eyes shooting daggers. It takes every bit of her newly acquired self control to keep herself from going off completely.
But before she can say anything further, Monica steps forward, right into Carly's face. "Some day that poor innocent little boy is going to find out what a lying tramp you are and he'll refuse to have anything to do with you. I will see you destroyed for what you've done to my sons and grandson!"
Standing eye to eye with Monica, Carly itches to smack the self-righteous look off her face. But instead, she takes a deep breath and forces herself to relax and remember the goal in coming here. When she speaks, her voice is falsely polite and the smile is pasted on. "I don't want to fight, I just want to see my son. I have a right to see him, so we'll just have make a date to do this some other time."
After turning her back to Monica, Carly maneuvers around AJ to follow Reggie upstairs, but AJ steps in front of her again. His eyes are threatening. "You're not going anywhere just yet."
"Please get out of my way, AJ." Carly's voice drips with sweetness that hints at the harm she wants to do to him. "This is my visit with Michael. I'm not going to waste a second of it fighting with you."
AJ juts his chin out imperiously. "You do anything to hurt Michael, ANYTHING, and I'll make sure you never see him again."
After running the Quartermaine gauntlet on her way to Michael's nursery, Carly stands outside the door and takes a moment to forget everything that just happened. This is it. For the first time in two months she's going to see Michael. She remembers Stefan's words about it not being a test, but somehow at this moment, they don't calm her very much. So with butterflies in her stomach, she knocks lightly and opens the door.
Leticia stands at the changing table with Michael, finishing a diaper change. "Hi Carly."
"Hi Leticia," Carly replies politely, but she only has eyes for Michael. He's already grown so much, his face is thinner, a little less babyish, but he's still gorgeous beyond words. "Hi Mister Man!" She coos.
After she's finished, Leticia picks him up off the table and stands him on the floor. Carly sits Indian style next to him, remembering Stefan's advice about letting Michael come to her, rather than forcing herself on him. All the books she read in the last few weeks have said over and over, don't invade a child's space, so even though she wants nothing more than to hug and kiss Michael, she holds herself back. Michael sits down and crawls across the room, more interested in the pictures on the wall than the people in the room.
Carly furrows her brow with concern. "Why is he crawling?"
"He hasn't walked since the third day after he came here." Leticia shrugs helplessly. "I've tried to get him to walk any way I can think of... hold his hands to help him walk, I dangle things out of his reach, but he refuses to have anything to with it. He won't even take my hand anymore." Leticia looks at Michael sadly as she continues to speak. "He used to be so loving.. now, he just doesn't seem to care if someone's here with him or not."
While the women talk, Michael crawls to the far corner where there is a bucket of soft toys. He gets on his knees, grabs a toy in each hand and throws them as hard as he can across the room. He picks up one toy after another and throws them, then turns, and for the first time since Carly arrived, he looks her in the eye and throws a toy right at her face. Carly catches the toy. "Wow, what a throw." She smiles at Michael and rolls it back at him. He looks at her blankly, not smiling. After a moment he goes back to looking at the wallpaper.
"He's a bit lethal with his throwing arm," Leticia explains. "So we only have soft toys in here. Those are Edward Quartermaine's orders after he got beaned with a plastic dump truck."
Carly busts out laughing. "Oh, Mr Man, I bet you were in serious trouble THAT day!"
Michael turns to study her for a moment, but still doesn't smile or say a word. Leticia smiles at Carly's joke. "Believe me, I was tempted to laugh."
Carly reaches out a hand to Leticia and touches her shoulder. "This can't be easy for you, but thank you for staying with Michael."
"It hasn't, especially seeing how much this hurts Michael," Leticia admits. "But I just remind myself that it would hurt Michael more if I left. Even though he hardly notices me."
"He'd notice if you weren't here, Leticia, believe me. How about we go to the park?" Carly suggests, getting to her feet. "It's a nice day out."
"I wish we could," Leticia laments. "But I was told I can't go off the estate with you and Michael during your visits."
"Oh right, I forgot for a sec... Well, then let's explore the estate," Carly replies, refusing to let all the upsetting news get her down. She would have time to cry later, this time was for Michael and doing what was best for him. And that meant being positive and keeping things interesting. "This room is cute, but it's driving me nuts, and I remember how much Mr Man loves the outdoors. Shall we?"
Leticia bites her lip, but then nods. "Okay, If you're game for all the Quartermaine blustering, I am. Let me get Michael's jacket and we'll go."
Standing outside the nursery after saying good bye to Michael, Carly swipes away a lone tear. "Hold it together, Carly. Just another minute in this nuthouse and you're free...." She pushes herself off the door only to run smack dab into AJ's chest. "AJ!" She exclaims. "What are you doing, Stalking me?"
"In my own house?" AJ gives her a look like she's a loon. "Give me a break."
"Then what the hell are you doing, lurking around corners." Carly shakes her head and she walks around AJ and heads for the steps, with him close behind. "You were watching me with Michael, weren't you? How disappointed you must be that everything went fine."
"Fine?" AJ scowls. "Michael hasn't been fine since you single-handedly destroyed his life by letting him believe that Jason was his father. And he won't be fine until you are gone from his life for good and Jason is a distant memory." Once they reach the landing at the top of the steps, Carly turns around to face him as he continues to rant. "You need to rethink this romantic dream you have of raising Michael. Face it, You aren't capable of taking care of a goldfish, much less a little boy. As for Michael, it must be obvious to you by now that seeing you only upsets and confuses him. Best thing you can do for our son is walk away from him now and never come back."
"You'd like that wouldn't you? Have me disappear so you can raise Michael to be a carbon copy of you," Carly's eyes are filled with fire as she gestures. "I will never, EVER let him grow up to be a spineless arrogant twit like his biological father!"
Infuriated, AJ makes a grab for Carly to shake her but she wrenches out of his grasp. Carly realizes her mistake too late to catch herself and she loses her balance at the top of the staircase. Her arms flail wildly as she tries to regain her footing to no avail. Just as she's about to go toppling down the steps, AJ seizes one hand, effectively saving her from the fall and wrenching her arm. The next second she hears a loud POP followed by a sharp wrenching pain in her shoulder.
AJ hauls her back up the steps, his heart in his stomach at what almost happened. "Are you okay?"
"Let go of me!" Carly hisses through her pain. The pain is so searing, she has a difficult time focusing. Fighting back the tears that threaten, the blood drains from her face while she holds her useless arm at her side.
"Maybe I should call my mom or dad to take a look at your arm...." He reaches out for her when she starts to descend the steps. "Carly, let me help you..."
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Carly stumbles down a couple steps while barely holding on to the banister with her good hand. "You've done enough, you jerk, you almost killed me! You think I'd give your insane family another chance? If I need a doctor, I'll find my own."
AJ follows helplessly behind, at one point lunging to catch her when it looks like she might fall. "Well at least let me drive you to the hospital..."
"I have my own driver, but even if I didn't, I'd rather walk than let you drive me anywhere." By some minor miracle, Carly reaches the bottom of the staircase without losing her balance, with AJ close on her heels. The dizziness and nausea almost overwhelming her, she lurches for the front door only to have AJ block her path. "Get the hell out of my way AJ or I swear I'll toss my breakfast on your shoes!"
AJ has no answer to that, so he opens to door and watches Carly stumble past him and down the walk to the waiting driver.
Chapter 24
A couple hours later, Carly sits on the edge of a hospital bed in the ER, waiting as the nurse finds a sling for her arm. A dislocated shoulder. At least it wasn't a broken bone and the pain medication was finally kicking in. Explaining it to Stefan when she got back to Wyndemere might take some doing. He certainly wasn't going to like this...
Just then the curtain around her hospital bed opens and a livid Stefan appears. "Exactly when were you going to tell me about this?"
Carly sighs heavily. "I suppose the wrong answer would be when I got back to Wyndemere?"
"You would be correct. I shouldn't have to hear about this from your driver," Stefan scolds sternly. "The only thing worse would be to hear about it from a Quartermaine."
"It's no big deal. Really. I'll be fine in a couple weeks. The pain isn't that bad."
"I will decide what is a big deal." He sits beside her on the bed, his tone softening along with his eyes when he sees that her body is still tense from the pain. His hand reaches out to gingerly cup the back of her head. "I am relieved to know that your injury isn't more serious. Have they given you anything?"
Carly lays her head on his shoulder and closes her eyes. "Yeah, I got a shot a few minutes ago, it's better."
"Tell me what happened," Stefan asks gently, smoothing her hair. "Which one of them hurt you?"
"None of them," Carly evades. "It's stupid. AJ and I were fighting and I lost my balance at the top of the steps."
Stefan starts, breaking the soothing mood he was just trying to create. "YOU WHAT?"
Feeling the floor shift under her at the sudden change in Stefan's demeanor, Carly rushes to explain. "AJ caught me, I didn't fall."
Like a scab which has been ripped of an old but deep wound, Stefan's rage bubbles to the surface until he's shaking "If they touch another hair on your head, I will see them all destroyed."
Carly is completely baffled, he was acting like she was almost killed. "I'm really alright, Stefan. Ask the doctor, he'll tell you."
"But your injuries could have been much worse. A fall from those steep steps...." Catching himself just as his voice cracks, Stefan puts a firm clamp on his emotions and forces the image of the Quartermaine staircase out of his mind. "Promise me you will be particularly careful in the future?"
Before Carly can answer, the nurse returns with the sling for her arm. "Okay, Ms Benson. We're ready."
Stefan rises, taking a shaky breath. He needs perspective. "I have some urgent hospital business to attend to this afternoon, but I will see you at home and you can tell me about your visit with Michael." He kisses the top of her head and leaves without another word
The first face Stefan sees as he exits Carly's hospital room is AJ Quartermaine's, who is standing right on the edge of the ER waiting room. The rage he has only gained marginal hold on, breaks free. So much for getting perspective. Shaking with fury, Stefan stalks over to AJ.
As Stefan comes within a few feet from him, AJ notices his approach. "Is she okay?"
"You are fortunate man, Mr Quartermaine," Stefan says through clenched teeth, his hands crossed in front of him. "Both that her injuries are not more serious and that she is willing to pardon your part in her 'accident'. I, however, am not so willing to forgive."
AJ gulps. "What are you talking about? It WAS an accident!"
Stefan leans closer to AJ and speaks in a low whisper that only they can hear; it's plain from the icy glint in Stefan's eyes that he's serious, deadly serious. "Heed this warning, because it will be the last one you get. If you or any of your family harm her again, I will destroy you."
Carly sits Indian style out on the bluff of Spoon Island, her hair blowing about her face as the sun warms her. The walk out had done a lot to clear her head. This is one of her favorite places... a serene place. The right place to be when you're raw and trying to hold it together.
Foremost in her mind is Michael. She can't escape the fact that she's failed him. Because of a whole set of stupid mistakes she made Michael was miserable and emotionally scarred. There was no one else to blame for this but herself. Hot tears spill from her eyes as she lets the self loathing wash over her.
Stefan rides up on his stallion, and knowing she's nearby, dismounts and releases his horse. Then he spies her on the bluff, looking small and forlorn as she looks out over the water. He approaches her carefully. "Caroline, are you alright? I got word you were here. Your arm is not giving you any further trouble?"
Carly brushes the hair out of her eyes with her free hand. "The arm's fine... and I'm okay, for someone who just realized I've ruined my son's life." She lets out a hysterical laugh. "And I thought things couldn't get worse? Oh, they have. My dear sweet innocent son, who is 17 months old, who I love more than anything..." Carly stops to choke back a sob. "Isn't walking, isn't talking, isn't laughing. All he does is throw toys and avoid people. He bristles when anyone tries to hold him. It's worse than him hating me, he hates the whole world. And I have no one to blame but myself!" Carly buries her face between her knees and weeps.
Stefan sits beside her and rubs her back soothingly, his heart aching for her and her small son. "I'm sorry, Caroline. This wasn't the news you were hoping for ..."
Carly brutally swipes her wet face with the sleeve of her jacket. "You know, I don't deserve to have this pity party. It's just wasted energy anyway. I need to focus on doing what I need to do to help Michael.... those jackals are tearing Michael up every day by locking him up in that silver spoon nursery. They stifle him, they don't care how he's doing, only that he's their prize possession and that he doesn't make any noise! The only good thing they've done for him in all this is keep Leticia as his nanny. Thank God for that."
"We will not stop until he is out of that house, Caroline," Stefan vows. "And they will be made to pay for their crimes, I promise you."
"All I care about, Stefan, is seeing him smile again. To see him running and laughing and learning like little kids his age do. Then I'll know I've done right by him." She stands and offers her good hand to him. "And the first step is for me to get my own home. I've put it off long enough. Will you go with me to look at houses?"
Stefan smiles approvingly, pleased that the day's upset has served to strengthen her resolve, not weaken it. "I would be honored to accompany you."
A pretty middle aged woman greets them when they walk in through the door of the real estate agency. She gives them a bright smile and offers her hand in greeting. "I'm Vicki Vandyke, you must be Carly Benson. We spoke on the phone." She looks at Stefan expectantly. "And you must be her husband?"
Carly blushes. "No, he's just keeping me company while I look."
Stefan smiles stiffly back as he shakes the realtor's hand. "Stefan Cassadine. I am merely a friend, here to offer moral support and advice, should she need it."
After doing a double-take on his name, Vicki ushers them into a private office. "I pulled some listings after our brief talk on the phone, based on what you said you were looking for... a house with plenty of yard and trees, good quiet neighborhood, lots of sunlight and safe for small children..." She hands Carly a binder. "I tabbed the houses that seem to fit most of your needs."
Carly flips through the book page by page, with Stefan sitting beside her. The first few she discards because they are too pricey or need too much work. Then she stops at one description that fits her needs to a T. "This one sounds perfect.... nice long driveway, set back in the woods.. lots of light, garden in the back, well tended... oh it even has a creek in the backyard. Michael will LOVE that.." Then she sees the picture of the house and the address, and she screws up her face. "Damn, too good to be true."
Stefan stops her from turning the page. "What is wrong with it?"
Carly starts to answer, then remembers that Vicki is watching attentively. "Would you mind giving us a few minutes alone?"
Vicki rises to leave. "Certainly, just call me back in when you decide what you'd like to take a look at."
After the real estate agent is gone, Carly continues. "It's Robin's old place. I lived there with her and Jason when I was first released from Ferncliff. And I can't tell you how much I hated living under her roof. I can't see myself living there knowing it was Saint Robin's... Robin and Jason's to be exact." Carly shakes her head unhappily. "Which is too bad because it would be perfect for Michael. He lived there for several months, and he loved it. All the trees.. the creek. He missed it when we moved back to the penthouse." She begins flipping through the book again.
Stefan is quiet while Carly continues scanning the book, discarding house after house. Finally he stops her. "If the house had never been Robin's, would you consider it? Could you be happy there?"
Carly shrugs. "Yeah, sure. But what difference does that make? It was Robin's."
"I urge you to seriously reevaluate your prejudice to this house, Caroline," Stefan presses. "Consider this from Michael's point of view. Would he prefer a strange new house or a house he is familiar with which holds good memories for him? You said yourself he would love it. Your priority has to be Michael's comfort, especially in light of what you learned today."
Carly frowns as she ponders his advice. "I hate that you're right about this, but I can't discard the house just because of Robin. Michael would be comfortable there..." She nods, her mind made up. "I guess I should at least take a look at it."
|