Chapter 34:
With butterflies in her stomach, Carly follows Reginald into the empty Quartermaine living room. Today was the day. The child psychiatrist would be here in a few minutes to evaluate her interactions with Michael. If only she didn't have to do it here, in the home of a family who despises her.
Seeing her discomfort, Reginald gives her a sympathetic smile. "I'll let Leticia know you're here so she can bring Michael down. Make yourself comfortable."
Carly gives him a tense smile back. "Thanks."
Once Reggie leaves, Carly paces the living room, a bundle of nervous energy. Each second stretches on like an eternity. She's so tightly wound, she feels like she's going to snap from the pressure.
"Why did you even bother showing up, Carly?"
Hearing Monica's voice behind her, Carly whirls to face her nemesis.. "I would think it would be obvious," She answers through gritted teeth. "I'm here to see my son, and to prove that I am a fit mother."
"You aren't fit to take care of a hamster, much less that fragile little boy," Monica retorts, advancing on Carly. "After the con you pulled on Bobbie and your history of neglecting your son, you're lucky you even get to see him. All your visits serve to do is upset that little boy."
Carly forces herself to take a deep breath and resist the urge to wipe that self-righteous look off Monica's face. She juts out her chin in defiance. "You really should try and come up with a more original speech, Monica, because I can recite it line and verse.. Let's see.. what comes next? something like.. 'There isn't a court in the country that will let a lying mentally unbalanced slut like me have custody'... That about sums up your opinion, doesn't it?"
"If the shoe fits..."
"Think what you like, Monica, I don't much care. And fortunately for me and my son, the court is more interested in the psychiatrist's opinion." Carly straightens her spine and squares her shoulders. "This room is getting a bit stuffy, I think I'll get some fresh air." Turning on her heel, she strides out to the adjoining terrace.
Before she can even take a breath of the crisp air, she comes face to face with Emily. Carly lets out a hysterical laugh. "Oh, this is just great. Did you and Monica plan this?"
Emily regards Carly with disdain, her arms crossed in front of her, her head tilted to the side. "What are YOU doing here? I really must tell Reggie to fumigate more often."
Carly stalks past Emily to the far edge of the terrace. "Fine, Emily. You hurl your insults, make your threats and then go. I don't have the energy to deal with you today."
"Excuse me, but this is MY house, and that means I get to go where I please. You do NOT order me around, Carly." Emily walks up behind her and whispers over Carly's shoulder. "You're nervous, aren't you? Don't think you can pull it off? I'd be worried too, if I were you. If this doctor sees you for the lying nutcase you are, you'll lose visitation. And then what will you have?"
Her control snapping, Carly turns and takes a threatening step towards Emily . "Shut the hell up, Emily! Or I'll..."
Knowing she's pressed all the right buttons, Emily smiles triumphantly. "Or you'll what? Tell me what you'll do, Carly."
Carly's face twists into a snarl of pure hatred. At this precise moment, she would like nothing more than to smack the superior little sneer of princess Emily's face and shove her into the nearest bush. The only thing holding her back is Michael and the realization that this is exactly what Emily wants.
Nikolas appears at the edge of the terrace and sees the murderous look in Carly's face as she stands toe to toe with Emily. His heart drops into his stomach: Emily is no match for the kind of dirty fighting Carly would use. He had to stop them now, before Emily got hurt.
Nikolas steps in between the two women. "Lay a finger on Emily, and there won't be a safe place for you to hide. . . .Father's protection or not."
Carly steps back from them and mentally counts until her temper is back under control. She's not the least bit surprised when she reaches fifty. Giving them both a brilliant smile, she says in her most saccharin voice. "Okay, Children, this has been most entertaining, but I have an important appointment that I really must keep. Run along and have fun now."
Emily watches with impotent rage as Carly walks serenely past her into the living room. Once Carly is inside, Emily smacks Nikolas on the arm. "Damn it, Nikolas! I almost had her and you had to rush in and ruin it!"
Nikolas gives her a wounded look. "She was going to hurt you! I couldn't stand by and let her hit you."
"That was the whole point!" Emily huffs. "One look at what Carly would have done to me and the psychiatrist would have to tell the court to keep her away from Michael. Now my family will never be rid of her."
"You provoked her on purpose? To keep her away from her son?" Nikolas is shocked, and profoundly troubled. "A son needs his mother."
"You don't understand what she's done to my family, Nikolas," Emily explains. "She's a one woman wrecking machine. AJ, Jason, Michael. They've all suffered because of her. She put my brother in jail so he'd lose all rights to Michael. She took Michael away from the one person who mattered to him, and now he's this miserable little kid. And to top it all off, she manipulated AJ into destroying Jason. I will NEVER ever forgive her for what she's done to Michael. Ever."
Meanwhile, in the living room, Carly finds herself face to face with AJ. After her run-ins with Monica and Emily, she decides there is nothing AJ could say that would throw her off balance. "Hello, AJ."
AJ gives her a kind smile. "Hello, Carly." He gestures to her injured arm. "How is it? Is it healing okay?"
Carly touches her upper arm protectively, remembering their altercation on the steps. "It's fine. Sore sometimes, but better every day." She walks towards the door to the foyer. "Where's Michael? Reginald said Leticia would be bringing him down."
AJ follows her. "She will in a few minutes, he's getting up from his nap. And I wanted to talk to you first. Alone."
Carly turns to face AJ, her expression guarded. "I didn't think we had anything to discuss."
"We're Michael's parents, we will always have that in common," AJ replies sincerely, opening his hands in an entreaty. "We both want what's best for him."
Carly cocks her head to the side in curiosity. "Okay, You better make your sales pitch quick, because the psychiatrist will be here any minute."
"Michael doesn't need any more upheaval," AJ pleads. "We both must agree on that point. He needs a routine, people he can count on. He doesn't need another lengthy court battle between his parents. He needs us working together, for his best interests."
"Just spit it out, AJ," Carly demands impatiently.
"Drop the court battle, Carly. Let our son heal. Give us all time to heal."
Carly crosses her arms protectively. "What? Drop the custody battle and walk away from Michael so he can be raised to be a weasel like his daddy?"
"Carly!" AJ protests. "Just hear me out, Okay? Drop the custody case and work with me to come up with a visitation schedule that will benefit Michael. I'm not an unreasonable man. I'm sure we can come to some sort of compromise which will make us all happy."
Carly pretends to consider his words. "Just for the sake of argument, what kind of visitation are you offering?"
AJ shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know. It depends on Michael and how he responds to your visits. It would have to be supervised, of course... maybe once or twice a month..."
"You want me to settle for less visitation than I have now?" Carly rolls her eyes derisively. "You have to be kidding! Never, AJ. I will never agree to anything less than joint custody."
AJ's friendly facade dissolves. "That will never happen, Carly. I will never allow my son to be alone with someone as irresponsible and mentally unbalanced as you. You will learn soon enough how lucky you are to have the visitation you have now. Walk away from my offer now, and I'll fight you to the end."
"Must be nice to be so sure of yourself," Oh if AJ only knew, Carly muses, he would wet his pants. She fights the smile that threatens to creep over her face: the power of knowledge was heady. She could understand why Stefan sought it so religiously.
"Stefan might find you interesting for the moment, he might even be entertained enough to pay for the custody bills for a while. But eventually, like everyone else in your pathetic life, he's going to get tired of you and then where will you be?" AJ leans in so his face is just inches from hers. "You will be at my mercy, again."
Before Carly can respond, they hear discreet cough from the doorway. They look up to see the court psychiatrist behind an embarrassed Reginald. "Excuse me, we didn't mean to interrupt. This is Dr Schilbach. She's here to see Ms Benson and Michael."
Carly sits on the lawn with her arms wrapped around her knees, watching Michael. He sits with his pudgy legs straight in front at the edge duck pond, looking at the ducks. In Carly's mind, this visit is turning out to be sheer agony. Dr Schilbach had insisted that she meet alone with Michael and Carly so she could assess their relationship. And so far every minute seemed like hours as Michael avoided anything to do with Carly or the doctor. Carly had become used to it, but up until now Leticia had always been there to help keep Michael interested.
He had cried for a moment when Leticia left, but he'd quieted down quickly and crawled towards the pond. At first, Carly had worried that he'd get wet and chilled, but Michael had stopped at the waters edge, and for the last fifteen minutes had watched the ducks go by. At the beginning, Carly tried to sit down next to him, but he had crawled away from her.
Carly glances over at the doctor who is sitting on the grass with a pad of paper, her brow furrowed with concern. There had to be something Carly could do to turn this disastrous situation around. Her usual approach of sitting back and letting Michael be was making her look bad in the eyes of the doctor. She needs to do something.
Carly spies one of Raoul's stray tennis balls in the lawn and picks it up. Making her way to Michael, she sits down a few feet away from him. "Hi there, Mister Man. Look what I have." She extends her hand to show Michael, and once she has his attention, she rolls the ball towards him.
Michael pounces on the ball and sticks it in his mouth. Carly cringes, the thing is anything but clean. When Michael makes a face, She chuckles. He looks up at her with curiosity, as if he's not used to people laughing. "It doesn't taste very good, does it? Yuck--eeee."
Michael throws it at Carly, who scrambles for it. "Good throw, Michael! Want me to throw it back?" Michael just looks at her, his face serious. Carly takes it as a yes and rolls it back towards him. After a few seconds of pondering it, Michael picks it up and throws it at the ducks, causing a big splash. The ducks squawk and swim out of reach. Michael squeals in delight.
Carly takes off her shoes and rolls up her pants. Wincing at the icy cold water, she wades out to get the ball. "I'd only do this for you, Mr Man." As she reaches it, Carly's feet go numb. She sucks in her bottom lip as she plucks the ball and quickly makes her way back to the edge. "Ok, Michael," She announces brightly, hoping her teeth don't start chattering from the cold. "Are ya ready?"
"Thanks, Leticia," Carly says as she leans over to give Michael a kiss goodbye. He turns his face away and Carly places a light kiss on his forehead. "I'll see ya next week, Michael. I love ya, Honey. Be good for Leticia."
Dr Schilbach reaches over to touch Michael's foot and gives him a warm smile. "It's sure been fun to meet you, Michael. I'll see you later, Okay?"
After Michael is gone, the doctor turns towards Carly. "Is there a place outside where we can talk? I have a few questions."
"Sure," Carly answers. "We can sit on the terrace."
Once they are seated on the terrace, Dr Schilbach begins. "I had been warned that Michael was having some difficulties, but I wasn't expecting him to be mute."
Carly fidgets with her hands. "He's been that way since he moved into this house. Being taken away from Jason, the man who raised him for his first year, has been really hard on him. You probably noticed that he isn't walking, and except for Leticia, he really doesn't like being held either."
The doctor makes some notes. "This obviously distresses you. Have you discussed your concerns with his father?"
Carly shakes her head. "AJ and I, we don't exactly get along and he's not really interested in what I have to say. Most our conversations turn into arguments. AJ thinks all Michael needs is time to adjust, and that seeing me only upsets him."
"Do you think that's true?" The doctor asks.
"I don't know... I don't think so." Carly fights the lump in her throat. "It hurts to see Michael like this, when all I want to do is hug him and play with him like I used to." She looks down sadly. "To think I might be harming him.. I just don't know what I'd do if that were true."
"What was he like before he moved in with the Quartermaines?"
"Michael was happy," Carly begins. "He was learning to walk, he was chattering like a monkey, and he loved to be held. He was stubborn though. The sun rose and set on his Dadda, Jason. If Jason was in the room, Michael would cry until Jason held him. No one could give him a bath but Jason."
"Losing Jason has obviously been difficult for him," The doctor says softly.
"It has." Carly swipes away a tear. "My life hasn't been easy the last few months, but I'm an adult. If I make a mess of my life, and believe me, I have on more than one occasion, it's my responsibility to fix it. But Michael is just a little kid, you know? He can't fix it himself, and I'm afraid that he'll never be the same, even if I do find a way to fix things for him."
"What do you think in Michael's life needs to be fixed?"
"Oh gosh, do you want me to make a list?" Carly starts ticking them off. "I think Michael needs to live in a home that's familiar to him, that he feels safe in. He should be surrounded by people who he trusts and loves. People who will love him back and stay with him even if he's having a hard time. He needs family who will be patient, who will pay attention to him, not push him to be a certain way. And he needs a routine that takes his needs into an account, not a routine that he's forced into to fit someone else's needs."
Dr Schilbach makes some notations on her pad. "It's obvious that you don't think this house is where Michael should live. Do you have another place in mind?"
Carly nods. "Actually, I do. I just purchased a house where Michael lived for several months before he moved into the Quartermaines. He was happy there, Dr Schilbach. It's where he learned to walk. I'm hoping if he can spend some time there, maybe it would help him feel more secure." Carly looks at her hands again. "I can't erase what's happened, but I'm hoping it will help." She looks up at the doctor hopefully. "Would you like to see the house?"
Dr Schilbach looks at her watch, and starts to pack up her things. "It's a bit unorthodox, but I do think it will help me fill out my report. I have about an hour right now, will that be enough time?"
Carly beams at her, sensing that she might have an ally. "More than enough."
.
Chapter 35
A room at the Port Charles Hotel
Sitting on the bed with Nikolas rubbing her back from behind, Emily groans and lets her head roll back. "A couple more minutes and I'll be in heaven, Nikolas."
"What has you so tense?" Nikolas asks as he continues to massage her upper back and neck. "You're not concerned about your parents finding out about us?"
"No, I'm not worried, I took the back stairs to be sure no one saw me. I tell you, I feel like more like a Quartermaine every day, the way I've perfected sneaking around...." Emily winces when Nikolas puts pressure on a particularly tender spot. "Oh! that's the place... right there.. perfect."
"So what has you in knots?" Nikolas asks again, his mouth hovering over her ear. "Something is surely upsetting you."
Emily lets out a soft sigh and the knot works itself out. "Michael."
Nikolas pauses in his massage to take in the information. "Your argument with Carly is still weighing heavily, isn't it?"
"I just can't shake the feeling that she's going to get her claws deeper into Michael." Emily shakes her head sadly. "I saw her with the court pyschiatrist out on the terrace this afternoon. Carly had the doctor just where she wanted her."
Feeling her start to tense again, Nikolas redoubles his efforts to help her relax. "It is so like you to worry about your family, to feel it's your responsibility to fix this."
"But it is my responsibility." Emily pleads, turning to face Nikolas and ending the massage. "I gave my promise to Jason that I would look out for Michael. I'm his Godmother, I'm supposed to protect him. And here Carly comes, poised to take Michael away from the only chance he has at a somewhat stable life. And there's nothing I can do about it."
Nikolas brings her hands to his lips. "I have every confidence you will find a way to help Michael. In all the years I've known you, I've never known you to give up, even when the odds were against you."
"True. I didn't give up on you, did I?" Emily grins. "Even though everyone told me it was a lost cause." The memory causes her grin to turn suggestive as she runs her forefinger over his lips, letting him draw it into his mouth. "It took me throwing myself at you in Paris to get you to take me seriously."
Nikolas fondly tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "Which you would not have done if the ambassador's son hadn't spiked your drink. If I hadn't had you to worry about, I would have throttled him myself."
"My protector," Emily remembers, a flash of pain crossing her eyes. "You had your hands full with me that night. I still think there must have been more than just alcohol in that drink... I kept undressing and you kept putting my clothes back on. It wasn't until I started undressing you..."
Nikolas ends her train of thought with a deeply erotic kiss that has her falling against the covers of the bed with him on top of her. When the kiss ends, he brushes his hand against her cheek in a tender gesture. "I remember quite well what happened after that. It was not one of my finer moments as a gentleman. But with it all said and done, I have no regrets. I would not be with you here tonight if I had found a way to resist you then. And once you put me under your spell, I became defenseless to your womanly wiles."
"Have I told you lately how special I feel when we're together?" Emily's fingertips stroke his lips causing him to nip at them before covering her mouth for another mind-numbing kiss. When he finally releases her mouth to trail kisses down her throat, an enchanted Emily closes her eyes. "God, you are too good at that. Keep it up and I don't know if I'll be able to stand you going back to Oxford."
Nikolas halts his foray into the cleavage of her blouse so he can nibble on her earlobes. Just as he expects, he feels her arch her body against his more fully. "Maybe I don't want to go back to Oxford."
Emily suddenly stills underneath him. "Don't say that unless you mean it. Don't."
Nikolas kisses each eyelid with infinite care. "I meant every word I just said, Emily. How can I consider going back to my dreary life at Oxford after tasting pure happiness again?"
Emily feels the hot tears at the back of her eyes, and she's not sure if it's from fear or happiness. Framing Nikolas' face, Emily draws his mouth down to her again. "Make love to me, Nikolas. Please."
"Your wish is my command."
"I thought you would never arrive," Stefan scolds goodnaturedly as his hands linger while removing Carly's coat. His eyes rove down her body, appreciating her simple dark green velvet dress that accentuates her curves. "You were due quite some time ago." He briefly nuzzles a sensitive spot on her neck and smiles when she leans into him.
"I"m sorry I'm late, my meeting with the court psychiatrist took a lot longer than I expected." Carly turns in his arms, but holds him slightly apart from her. "Nikolas?"
"Is gone for the evening and won't be back until quite late," Stefan assures her, pulling her close so that her body melds to his. "My patience is wearing thin, kiss me properly."
Carly chuckles before being drawn into a deep and thorough kiss that has their hands roaming over each other. After a long time, Carly pulls away reluctantly. "What happened to the ever-so-proper Stefan Cassadine?"
Stefan runs a finger over her swollen lips and finds himself drawn to her again. "Irredeemably corrupted by your influence." Mentally shaking himself, he steps away and takes her hand to lead her to the dining room. "I promised you an elegant dinner, and you shall have it."
Carly's breath is taken away but the exquisite table that is laid out by candlelight. Crystal goblets and fine bone china are set against an ancient lace tablecloth. "It's beautiful," She whispers. "Every meal here is elegant, Stefan. You didn't need to go to all this trouble."
"You have had a trying day and you deserve a special meal. Besides," He continues with a wink. "It was no trouble for me, I have servants as you recall. Nothing is too special for a woman as exquisite as you."
Blushing, Carly takes the seat that Stefan holds out for her. "Remind me to thank Mrs Lansbury."
"It is her job, there is no reason to thank her." Taking the seat nearest her, Stefan folds her hand between his. "Now tell me about your visit with Michael."
As Carly starts her story, an unobtrusive Mrs Lansbury pours the wine and sets out plates of salad. "The visit with Michael and the psychiatrist went better than expected, though only time will tell if she was swayed by anything I said. But the real fun was earlier, when I had to run the Quartermaine gauntlet. Starting with Monica, then Emily, and then AJ."
Stefan scowls with disgust. "Have they nothing better to do with their lives than harrass you? It is past time they learned to treat you with respect."
Carly takes a bite of salad, and closes her eyes to savor the light mint viniagrette. "Gosh, this is delicious..." She murmurs. "Actually, Nikolas helped me out today. Not intentionally of course."
At Stefan's look of surprise, Carly continues. "Emily was in rare form today, let me tell you. She was so snotty, she got me to the point of wanting to slug her, but Nikolas stepped in between us. You would have been proud, he threatened me in true Cassadine fashion. I think he's sweet on Emily."
"Emily Quartermaine...." Stefan takes a sip of wine as he considers the information. "A bit young for him, but as a choice she is a considerable improvement over his previous liaisons. Do you have any idea if she returns his feelings?"
"You're thinking of meddling, aren't you?" Carly teases.
"I would do no such thing," Stefan disputes. "I have learned long ago to 'steer clear' of Nikolas' romantic pursuits. It would only serve to push them apart and drive him back to England." He sits back so that Mrs Lansbury can clear the salad plates.
Carly murmurs her thanks to Mrs Lansbury when the main course is placed in front of her, roasted rack of lamb with artichokes, red onions and garlic cloves. On the side are red and white new potatoes, and steamed broccoli. Gazing at the feast of her dreams, Carly is deeply touched. "How did you know lamb was my favorite?"
"There is very little about you that I don't know, Caroline," Stefan whispers in a confidential tone. "For instance, I know you loathe fish."
Carly takes a bite of tender lamb and as the flavor bursts on her tongue, she moans with pleasure. "This is truly a sensual experience... you know, when AJ was pretending to woo me, I ate fish until it was coming out of my ears. If I ever eat another bite of fish, it will be too soon." She takes another bite and in sheer bliss, closes her eyes
Stefan smiles indulgently while Carly savors each bite, recognizing the look on her face as one she has while making love. "This is why I enjoy spoiling you, Caroline. You are so expressive, so carnal in the way you experience life."
Carly opens her eyes, only to be caught in Stefan's smoldering gaze. A warmth suffuses her body starting with her gut. Carnal went both ways. She pushes her chair back, causing it's feet to scrape loudly across the floor. Matching the heat of his gaze, Carly takes his hand and pulls him to his feet. "Actually, your information is a little out of date. Lamb isn't my favorite."
His eyes never leaving hers, Stefan turns her hand in his and plants a soft warm kiss in her palm while keeping it against his cheek. "And what would be your favorite now, Caroline?"
Carly steps closer so their bodies are just touching. "You. And only you."
Stefan places his hands on either side of Carly's head and tips her head back. "Caroline... you intoxicate me." The kiss begins slowly, reverently, as he brushes his lips against hers again and again until her mouth opens and she seeks to deepen it. The feel of her tongue sliding between his lips inflames him and within moments his tongue enters her mouth and all pretense of a leisurely pace evaporates.
He devours her mouth thoroughly, robbing her of the ability to breathe while his hands dig into her hair, clamping her head in place. He won't be satisfied until he has all of her. On and on he kisses her, until they are both dizzy from lack of oxygen.
Overwhelmed by the onslaught of raw passion, Carly loses her balance. Not missing a beat, Stefan lifts her easily and carries her to the rug in front of the fireplace, the place where he first touched Carly. Laying her on her back, he kneels over her with his hands on either side of her head. He kisses her cheeks, her chin, her eyelids, every inch of her face. "Tonight," He whispers raggedly between kisses. "Tonight I will make love to you...." He pauses while he dark eyes rake down her body, already envisioning her naked under him. "The way I wanted to on that first night."
Chapter 36 Outside the court room.
The hall bustles with pre-court activity as lawyers meet with their clients on last minute details. Among the bustle is AJ Quartermaine and his lawyer, who are at the far end conferring quietly. Carly comes out of the elevator and glances around for Margo Renfield. Before she can catch sight of her lawyer, a man steps forward brandishing a camera. Instantly two large men in black coats materialize and forcibly remove his camera before grabbing the man by the collar and hauling him away.
"Good riddance," Carly mutters under her breath.
Margo approaches and takes Carly by the elbow and gently leads her to a quiet corner. "I thought we agreed that you would be distancing yourself from Stefan in public, to enhance your image as independent."
"Did you see that jerk try to take a picture of me?" Carly is indignant. "I thought the press wasn't allowed inside the court room. If Stefan's men hadn't been here...."
"This is true, but don't you see how it might look to AJ and his lawyer? Those men are very conspicuous." Margo points out. "The less we have to explain to the judge, the better. I'm not saying you shouldn't have some security, I'm just saying if you don't want to risk jeopardizing this case, it can't be Stefan's men."
"Okay, point taken." Carly glances nervously around, and finds her eyes drawn to AJ and his lawyer, their heads together. AJ notices her attention and smiles smugly. "You think AJ has something up his sleeve? He looks so sure of himself."
Margo puts her hand on Carly's back and turns her away from AJ and into the courtroom. "Of course he's smug, Carly. He has no idea we're going to blow him out of the water. With the information Stefan dug up on him, he'll be lucky if he doesn't spend some time in jail."
"All Rise. Court is now in session. The Honorable Judge Walker presiding."
After the judge motions for everyone to be seated, Margo addresses the court. "Your Honor, in addition to the reviewing the issue of visitation for my client, Caroline Benson, I would like to petition the court to reopen the case regarding the custodial care for Michael Quartermaine."
Startled by her request, Judge Walker looks up from the paperwork in front of him. "On what grounds?"
"It is our contention the information brought against Caroline Benson's character was fraudulent and served to prejudice the court and deprive her of access to her child."
AJ's lawyer is on his feet in a flash."Your Honor, we object! This is blatant extortion! Ms Benson and her lawyer are hoping to wear down my client by heaping lawsuit upon lawsuit until he becomes so weary that he'll sign away rights to his son just to give himself and his son some peace."
"Counsel, approach the bench." The judge waits until both counsels are standing before him. "Ms Renfield, I want to make it clear to you I have zero tolerance for frivolous law suits. You are making a serious allegation, do you have hard evidence to back this up?"
Margo's answer is firm as she hands him some paperwork. "Yes I do, Your Honor. This is a list of witnesses I plan to call. They will present evidence which has direct bearing on Ms Benson's character."
AJ's lawyer starts to protest. "Your Honor, you can't seriously be considering...."
Judge Walker cuts him off. "Yes, I am. Ms Renfield, you may proceed, but be advised that if I find this to be a case of harassment against Mr Quartermaine, it will not bode well for your client. Counsel, you may step away from the bench. " He raises his voice so that everyone in the courtroom can hear. "We will take a short recess so that I can review the psychiatrist's report. Be ready to present your first witness, Ms Renfield."
After a brief recess, court convenes.
Margo rises. "I would like to call Mr Peter Peyser to the stand."
Just as Margo expects, AJ's lawyer breaks in. "Objection, Your Honor, the court has already heard from this witness. It's obvious Ms Benson and her lawyer are intent on wasting our time."
"Your Honor," Margo counters smoothly. "My purpose in calling Mr Peyser is to impeach prior statements made by him. It is our contention that these statements bore heavily on the decision to revoke my client's parental rights to her son."
The judge responds. "Objection overruled, you may continue for now, Ms Renfield."
Peyser is brought in and takes his oath on the witness stand. Margo stands before him. "Mr Peyser, it was your testimony during the initial custody hearing that Caroline Benson was not Barbara Spencer's daughter, is that correct?"
AJ's lawyer rolls his eyes in a display of boredom, while AJ fidgets in his seat. "Objection... what is the relevance of this line of questioning? This has already been established and has no direct bearing on the case."
Margo maintains her cool though it's obvious to even the casual observer that she is irritated by the interruptions. "Your Honor, what Mr Quartermaine's counsel is trying to distract us from is a fraud perpetuated on this court, not by my client, but by Mr Quartermaine. The decision in the last custody hearing was based on perjury. If I am allowed to question this witness and present my case, the miscarriage of justice will become quite clear."
The judge nods. "Overruled. Mr Peyser, please answer Ms Renfield's question."
Peyser looks at Carly and then at Margo. "Yes, that's what I said."
"To refresh this courts memory, can you please tell us exactly what you said?"
Peyser coughs nervously, but continues to answer. "I said that Carly and me set up a scam to con Bobbie Spencer Jones into believing Carly was her biological daughter, when she wasn't."
"But that wasn't the truth, was it, Mr Peyser?" Margo urges.
Peyser clears his throat again as he avoids AJ's piercing gaze. "No, Ma'am. When Mrs Jones, er Bobbie Spencer, came to me asking to find her daughter, I did the research myself. Carly Benson is her daughter."
The court room is so quiet as the spectators lean forward to listen, a pin could be heard dropping. Margo walks up to the judge's bench and hands over a folder while in the background AJ and his lawyer are whispering with their heads together. "I would like to present the court with documentation of a blood test run not only by General Hospital, but by several independent labs as well. It proves without a doubt that Caroline Benson is indeed the biological daughter of Barbara Spencer."
Gasps of surprise ripple through the courtroom as AJ's lawyer jumps to his feet. "Your Honor! On the behalf of my client, I request an immediate recess to review this alleged evidence."
The judge slams his gavel. "The court is now in recess. We will reconvene in three hours."
Stefan stands in the back of the courtroom on Carly's side, smiling smugly. Before everyone begins to file out of the courtroom, he steps out and takes a back exit to avoid the press hounds.
Carly turns to Margo and the women hug warmly. Tears stream down Carly's face. "Thank you, Margo! Thank you so much. God, you were amazing! You didn't let AJ's lawyer rattle you one bit." Wiping her face, she looks around for Stefan. He promised to be here. "Where's Stefan?"
"It's important that he keep a low profile, for the sake of the case," Margo reminds her. "But I did notice him in back a few minutes ago. He will meet us at your place." She pats Carly on the shoulder. "You should congratulate yourself, you did the hard part before we came in here. The judge has seen the child psychiatrist's report, he knows you are good for your son. He also knows AJ threatened you before your last visit."
Carly beams. "I know, I couldn't have set that up better if I had planned it."
AJ approaches Carly, his face screwed up with an ugly snarl. "I wouldn't plan the celebration just yet, this is just a temporary victory, Carly. It's not over by a long shot."
"Yeah, it won't be over until I have custody of my son!" Carly shoots back. She steps forward, her voice a low hiss. "You messed with the wrong woman, AJ. I would have thought you understood that after the little incident with the laundry cart. You should be worried about what I'll do, after what you and your family have done to me and mine. I'm not the same pathetically impulsive girl I used to be. You can be sure whatever retaliation I decide on, it won't cost me my kid."
AJ's lawyer urges AJ to step away. "Mr Quartermaine, we need to confer immediately." He nods to Margo. "We will be in touch before court reconvenes."
Carly's Cottage.
"Isn't it wonderful, Stefan?" Carly exclaims as she launches herself into his arms. "I can't believe it.. I really have a chance at getting Michael!"
"It is no less than I expected," Stefan replies as he reluctantly pulls away so they can join Margo around the dining room table.
"You have more than a chance of getting Michael, Carly," Margo adds. "It's almost assured. Once the judge hears the evidence that AJ Quartermaine paid Peyser to lie on the stand, he'll not only lose custody of Michael, he's likely to be looking at jail time."
Teeming with excitement, Carly reaches over and squeezes Stefan's hand. "I still can't believe this is happening so fast."
Even with having the case all but in the bag, Margo doesn't allow herself to relax and savor the moment. Instead she is all business as she pulls out a note pad. "You have to consider what your next move will be, Carly. It's very likely that AJ's lawyer will be coming to us to settle the case. He won't want the evidence revealed, it's just too damaging. The question is, what kind of deal would you want to consider?"
"It is ludicrous for Caroline to entertain any sort of compromise, Ms Renfield," Stefan cuts in. "The information I have provided you is sufficient to bury him and eradicate him from Michael's life for the foreseeable future. All that remains is to present the information to the court. The judge will see the merit in the case and award Caroline sole custody of her son. Any compromise would only weaken her position and give AJ Quartermaine an advantage."
"You bring up a good point, Stefan, and if Carly's wants and needs were the only issue in this case, I would recommend letting things run their course," Margo reasons. "However, Michael's welfare is the most important issue at stake. Carly, you need to decide what is in Michael's best interest. It's my recommendation that you find the quickest and most private way to resolve this matter. Publicly humiliating his father and putting him in jail isn't necessarily in Michael's best interests."
Before Carly can answer, Stefan breaks in again. "Mr Quartermaine demonstrated no such scruples. He has not hesitated in humiliating Caroline, nor would he hesitate in the future if an opportunity presented itself."
Margo's cell phone rings. Before she answers it, she addresses Carly. "I urge you to give this some careful thought. You're the best one to gauge what this might do to your son. If you're seriously concerned that AJ is out to harm his son or presents a kidnapping risk, then by all means we should see this through to the bitter end and do our best to ensure that AJ has nothing more to do with Michael..." She opens her phone. "This is Margo Renfield... Yes, Adrian, I was expecting your call...."
Carly and Stefan recognize the name of AJ's lawyer and sit at attention as Margo listens to Adrian. "Unacceptable and you know it, Adrian. Go back to your client and call me back when he has a serious offer on the table. I'll tell you, though. If this is the spirit in which Mr Quartermaine plans to negotiate, I'm going to recommend to my client that we press forth in laying out all the evidence in public view."
Margo's serious expression breaks into a small smile. "Before I can consider recommending a continuance to my client, I would insist that Carly have her son unsupervised over the weekend. In addition, I want it understood that if she chooses to entertain any offers to settle it will only be for the next few days. After Monday at 5pm, all bets are off and we prepare to go back to court...." Margo's eyes take on a hard glint at his response. "Don't be ridiculous, Adrian. Unnecessary delays will only serve to harm their son. We all want a swift resolution for his benefit. As it is, I'm not even certain Carly will be interested in settling this out of court. Her reputation in this community was destroyed because of the Quartermaines, I wouldn't blame her in the least if she wants a little payback.... Okay, have an answer for me in an hour regarding this weekend."
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