GH2017.37 They Aren't Just Under The Bed

Jerry and Nik are playing chess as the flight comes within an hour of the
destination. From the back of the plane come a whimper and the sounds of a
restless sleeper in the midst of a nightmare.
Jerry: ( checking his watch and unbuckling his seatbelt) Excuse me. ( He
walks to the sleeper) Georgie? Georgie . . . Darlin', it is time to wake
up. Come on, you got him . . . no worries now. There is a good girl.
Georgie: (mumbling) What time is it?
Jerry : Time for you to jump into the phone booth darlin' You slept most of
the trip. Not even one Margarita.
Georgie: ( Rubbing her eyes) Interest. . . Jacks . . . Compound
interest. ( Grabbing him by the beard she pulls him down to her to give him
a quick kiss on the nose) By the time I collect, you are going to have to
buy me an island. ( She stretches and looks over at Nik who is focused on
an unknown point outside the plane. Rising, she grabs a small suitcase to
take in the back with her.)
Nik: (his face pale and jaw clenched waits as Georgie shuts the door) She
was having nightmares the whole trip. How can you possibly place her in this
situation?
Jerry: Not that it is any of your business, she is having fewer nightmares
than she was. You really are a slow learner where she is concerned. I
think I heard her screaming at you in a couple of different languages to
stay out of her business. Frankly Nikolas Cassadine, I would rather she
were with me than trying to do this solo. She has been in the business for
thirteen years now. Do you really think she would stop?
Nik: Her father should be shot.
Jerry: Consider the timing of what Frisco did. He may not have known about
Saunders but he gave her the skills to know that she will never be abused
again. Before you start mothering Georgie, take a look at your own little
girl. Can she protect herself? My Cari is the same age as yours and I
worry about her even though I know her mother raised her to be independent
and quick witted.
Nik:( insulted) My daughter is protected. I am sure that Georgie is
capable, but right now she is emotionally unstable.
Jerry: Once again, if it were any of your business; I would tell you that
she would prefer to be hunting real monsters rather than the ones under her
bed. Nik, she is ice when things get sticky. Leave it to the pros, okay.
( Just then Georgie enters the cabin she is covered from wrist to ankle in a
loose cotton dress that flows around her. The neckline of the dress is
barely scooped giving only a hint of her collar bone. Her hair is pulled
back in a tight french braid without a stray hair exposed. In contrast to
the almost nunlike appearance, her eyes are startling big. Expertly made up
and outlined in kohl, they are the focal points of her face. Over her arm
is a black robe.)
Georgie: Gloves or no?
Jerry: Wait until you see the hands of the other women.
Nik: Gloves?
Georgie: Depending on the culture, Henna'd tattoos on the hands tell about a
woman's place in society.
Jerry: Are you ready for your old ball and chain? ( Georgie holds out her
left hand and Jerry places a gold band on it)
Nik: (shaking his head) No one would believe that she is married to you.
Jerry: All the men would and consider me a lucky man. This way we can
stick together without questions. Darlin, how many offers did your dad have
for you when he brought you here before?
Georgie: I don't know. It was Saudi. They have this thing for blond hair.
Not as many as Cari would get if you brought her. Her eyes would send them
into a bartering frenzy. (The three buckle up for final approach. As the
plane begins to taxi into the terminal, Georgie puts on the robe and
headdress of the chador. When she is done only her eyes are exposed. As the
cabin doors are open Nik reaches out to Georgie)
Georgie: Don't touch me. Not when they can see everything. ( Nik looks
over her shoulder to where the Arab maintenance workers move around the
plane and to the car and driver that await. His hand drops to his side)
Nik: I apologize for talking to Gina about you. I won't do it again. (
Georgie inclines her head not saying a word. She follows Jerry from the
plane maintaining a proper distance. As Jerry is seated in the front
passenger seat of the car; she takes her place in the backseat. Nik
watches as the car drives away before closing the plane door and waiting for
clearance to go back to Greece.)

In the launch docking at Spoon Island. Lu, Brooke and Cari prepare for the
fight before them.
Cari: Nik won't be there. Georgie said he was giving her and dad a lift.
Lu: It is a good thing that I had the day off; I wouldn't have missed this
for the world. ( The three walk up to the house and near the door)
Brooke: How bad can it be? Laura will be on our side. ( Just then the
door opens and Laura comes running out hugging Cari as if she hasn't seen
her in a million years)
Laura: Let me look at you! You have grown so much since I last saw you,
Cari. Are your bags still in the launch? I called your mom to find out all
your favorite foods so we are having a big dinner to celebrate your first
night here!
Brooke: (in an aside to Lu) I spoke too soon; there is not going to be any
help from your mom.
Cari: Tante Laura! I brought some pictures of your mom and notes from
everyone. My luggage is over at Lu's. I'm going to stay in Georgie's room
while she and Dad are on vacation.
Laura: (dismayed) But there is a room ready for you here . . .
Lu: Since she is new in town, Mom, we thought it would be easier for her to
get around on the mainland.
Brooke: Her dad told her to find them a house while he is gone. Since we
are on a tight time frame there, we'll be starting early looking at all the
possibilities.
Laura: (straightening with a small knowing smile) Why am I suddenly getting
the feeling I am the practice target? Cari, do you want to stay at my
daughter's?
Cari: (nodding her head) Tante Laura, I am going to live with Dad and go
to the university. It is important to get things set up the way they will
be. Mom thinks that Dad has lived in a suitcase long enough working for
J&J. She wants me to create a home base for him. He wouldn't be happy if
the base was Cassadine Central, no matter how beautiful it is. But dinner
sounds great. Georgie told me I should check out Lu's sewing room while I
am here?
Laura: (smiling) Why am I seeing Georgie's fingerprints all over this?
Alright. I won't fight you on this, but you have to come see me often since
we will be living in the same town. Maybe now that you are in Port Charles,
I will see my daughter more often.
Lu: MOM! (Stone having heard the voices have come to the front hall)
Cari, let me introduce you to Stone Corinthos.
Cari: I think I met Stone before but I was just a baby. I think you tried
to bash my head in with a doll? Don't think you'll get away with it now.
Does your mom live here too?
Stone: Mom lives in town. I am being grounded right now, long story, and
it is more easily enforced out here. I should be going home anytime now.
Did I hear that you were going to be living in Port Charles now?
Cari: Yes, I plan on registering for some classes at the university. (
Stone looks at Laura)
Laura: Don't even look at me. Take it up with your parents.
Stefan: (from the doorway of the study where he had been standing unnoticed
since before Stone arrived) Yes, that would be the best course of action.
Lu: Hi Daddy. ( She moves over to kiss both his cheeks and receives his
kisses in return) I hear that you have killed the fatted calf for Cari's
welcome dinner.
Stefan: Yes, but dinner will not be for a few hours yet. Welcome, dear
one. ( he kisses both of Cari's cheeks then turns to Brooke) Brooke,
perhaps we should work on your portrait?
Brooke: That would be great. Grams' birthday is coming up soon.
Stefan: Lu, will you show your cousin around? Lasha, Are Alexis and Tom
coming for dinner? (Laura nods) Good, Good. (Looking at Cari) We will
have a chance to talk later; I am sure. (He closes the door behind Brooke
returning to his paints and plots.)
Laura: Stone, you should be with your tutors. Staci should be home from
school within the hour probably with more assignments from Ms. Jones
Lu: ( to Cari) Georgie's sister teaches at the high school. (Stone groans
then returns to his studies.)
Laura: I need to check in with Mrs. Lansbury. Let me know when the tour is
over and then you can fill me in on how your mom is doing. ( Smiling at
them both she leaves)
Cari: I thought you said this was going to be hard. There hasn't been
anyone putting up obstacles.
Lu: My father prefers to pick his own battle field. He heard everything
and knew that we were setting an ambush. The way he greeted you was a clue;
he is waiting for his moment. Don't drop your guard. Come on I'll show you
the sewing room Georgie was talking about.
Cari: ( muttering to herself) I feel like I am in an old Rambo movie . . .
Ambushes . . . battlefields . . . guards

In the den Brooke is reclining on the couch.
Brooke: Grams' Birthday is in two weeks.
Stefan: ( absently) It will be done long before then. Fully dried, wrapped
and ready to be presented. Have you thought how you are going to get it to
Bensonhurst? It is a little awkward for one person to carry?
Brooke: Why do I suspect you have a suggestion? No, no-- don't say
anything. I already have it set up for my uncle Dylan to drive down with
me. He is missing the family as I am.
Stefan: I hadn't realized he was so close to your family.
Brooke: My Pop basically adopted Dylan when it became clear that Pop would
be surrounded by females. You did know that I am one of five girls?
Evidently pop didn't have a boy in him . . . some men don't. I'm sure you
know that sex of a child is decided by the male.
Stefan: Now why do I get the feeling you are telling me something?
Brooke: You're pushing and you know it. Worse than that everyone around us
knows it. You will never get what you want. He'll fight you just to prove
that you are not pulling his strings.
Stefan: True. But I am proof that you can't fight destiny. I loved Nik's
mother for over thirty years but we have only been married for just over
half that time.
Brooke: How do you know that Gina is not his destiny?
Stefan: I don't know for sure; but then, neither do you. Do you want to
know, Brooke?
Brooke: What are you talking about?
Stefan: Lucy Collins. Her Chemist at Jacks Cosmetics has come up with a
matchmaker. Colorless, odorless it works on the molecular level to enhance
the chemistry of two people. For people who are meant to be together, the
smell is intoxicating. If you are not-- you smell nothing or worse are
repelled.
Brooke: Sounds like magic.
Stefan: Chemistry, Just chemistry. Perhaps you could try it tonight on him.
Brooke: Nik isn't in Port Charles. According to Cari, he gave Georgie and
Jerry a lift out of town. Cari said Georgie called from the Cassadine Jet.

The "sewing room"
Lu: It looks like something out of a historical romance novel doesn't it?
Cari: Wow! I feel I have stepped back about a thousand years. Is that a
spinning wheel? And loom for heaven's sake! But . . . you do quilts?
Lu: Over here (Lu walks to one wall where there appears to be a large
scroll like device. As she pulls it out and arranges the tension, a pieced
together fabric in the process of being quilted appears.) This is for the
larger projects: bed quilts and wall hangings. This is a present for my
brother Lucky's birthday.
Cari: But why the loom and spinning wheel?
Lu: Daddy heard me complain that I couldn't find something that I needed to
finish my room. I had been taken some weaving as part of a textiles class
and I could picture exactly what I wanted a tapestry but I had no way of
making it. Like the tooth fairy the next day the loom appeared.
Cari: And the spinning wheel?
Lu: That I had to have a tutor for. Do you know how hard it is to find
someone who hand spins these days? Never mind. I was working on a tapestry
and the colors were not right, the yarns were not right it was making me
crazy. This way I could make my own.
Cari: You mean you dye your own yarns? (Lu nods and opens what used to be a
bathroom but that now has a series of deep sinks and hooks on the walls
where skeins of yarn are hanging ) This looks almost like a darkroom set up.
Lu: Keep your voice down or we will have a developer and chemicals here
tomorrow. I have never had an interest in photography. Photos are flat and
shiny; you can't touch them like this. (She hands Cari a skein of alpaca
yarn dyed to a deep forest green)
Cari: (petting the yarn) It is so soft, like the fur on a kitten. My father
is right; you are an artist. This should be your full time job.
Lu: Don't you think that is what Daddy wants? Staci was kidnaped when she
was ten and since then Dad and Nik have gone from protective to smothering.
Daddy started making me this room even before we got Staci back. I was
sixteen and scared. He didn't have to try very hard. It took me a while
to start feeling like a character in a fairy tale; the Princess Leslie Lu
locked in a turret. Then I had to fight very hard for every freedom--
things most might take for granted. Staci is fighting that fight now. We
love them both so much, you know. I didn't want to hurt them, but I like
being around people. I can't be afraid of what might happen.