Bensonhurst 1998 Chapters 1 & 2
BH1998.1 It's Time
''Daddy?''
Ned Ashton rolls to his side, his little girl's voice penetrating the
thin veil of sleep that was still with him. His eyes open slowly,
focusing on the face of his two year old daughter.
She smiles sweetly at him, her voice that whispering tone she always
uses in the bedroom. ''Mommy needs you.''
''Where is she?'' Ned asks.
''Downstairs, in the living room.'' Brooke answers. Ned rolls out of bed,
scooping Brooke up with him, delighting in her giggle. He walks
downstairs to find Lois, sitting on the sofa, packing her overnight bag.
She glances over to him. ''Hey baby. It's time.''
Ned's confused for a moment. Then it clicks. ''You mean time to go to the
hospital?''
She smiles, nodding her head. ''Now you're gettin' it. I started havin'
mild contractions an hour ago. They're gettin' worse, and closer
together.''
He looks at her, eyes wide with shock. ''Why didn't you wake me up?''
She smiles indulgently at him. ''Honey, it takes hours to have a baby. I
wanted to let ya sleep as long as possible, before we had to go to the
hospital.'' She tries to pull herself up from the sofa, letting out a
small grunt as her considerable middle prevents it. Ned sets Brooke
down, and pulls Lois up, keeping an arm around her back until he's sure
she's standing steady.
''So you're okay Lois?'' Ned asks worriedly.
She pats his cheek gently. ''I'm fine. It's time to get to the hospital.
It's really okay. I've been through this before. Women have babies every
day. I see absolutely no reason to fuss about it. Is that okay with you,
Nedly?''
Sighing deeply, he shakes his head at her in amusement. ''Only you would
try to manage giving birth. Okay, fine, we'll do it your way.'' He
pauses, a gleam in his eyes. ''Until you're no longer rational. Then
we'll wing it.'' He smiles at her glare, kisses her cheek gently, and
moves to the phone.
''Who ya callin'?'' Lois asks.
''Gloria and Carmine. We'll take Brooke to the hospital with us, but I'd
like them to meet us there, so they can watch her while we're in the
delivery room. I know they're just next door, but it'll still take them
time to get dressed, and ready to go. I'm also calling Brenda. She has
to hop on a plane, before she can get here.'' Ned begins dialing the
phone.
''Okay.'' Lois looks down at her suitcase, hoping she hasn't forgotten
anything. She feels a rather nasty contraction hit her, and she puts one
hand over her stomach, breathing in and out deeply, while her other hand
clutches the arm of the sofa convulsively, as the pain wracks her body.
Brooke scrambles up onto the couch cushion, laying her hand lightly
against Lois' hip. ''Is the baby finally gonna get born, Mama?''
Lois smiles, running her fingers through Brooke's wavy locks. ''Sure is,
baby.'' She speaks through gritted teeth, trying to concentrate on
Brooke, instead of the pains wracking her body.
''When?'' Her childlike need to know everything makes Lois chuckle, the
sound a little gritty.
''When! Soon. By this time tomorra', you'll have a new little brotha' or
sista'.'' Lois states as calmly as she can.
Brooke's eyes get really wide, and she smiles, her small dimples peeking
out. ''I got work to do.''
Lois laughs out loud, not even noticing when Ned comes back into the
room. He looks at both of them, giggling, and smiles, his eyes narrowing
in suspicion. ''Hey, what's so funny? Both my girls, laughing like this,
can't be good.''
Lois gets an indignant look on her face. '''Scuse me, yours? Possessive,
*and* condescending! Not the best mix, Ashton!''
He rolls his eyes at her teasing, and picks Brooke up from the couch.
''This,'' he says holding Brooke up. ''Is a girl. She is my little girl.
You,'' he points to Lois. ''Are my wife, and are about to have our second
child. You are mine, just as I am yours. Is that a more acceptable
phrasing for the independent woman of the nineties in you?''
She smiles impishly. ''Much. Now, get ova' here, and carry my suitcase.''
He laughs, picking her suitcase up with one hand, holding Brooke
securely to him with the other. ''At least we have a way to get through
tonight easier.''
She looks at him, incredulity written all over her face. ''How?''
He smiles wryly at her disbelieving tone. ''Simple. All we have to do is
remember the last two years, and tonight will seem like a walk in the
park in comparison.''
She smacked his arm lightly. ''Easy for you to say. I'm the one goin'
through the pain.''
He smiles, situating Brooke in the car, then moving around to settle
Lois in the passenger's seat. ''Yes, but I'm the one you're going to
blame for the pain, while you're going through it.'' He slams the car
door before she can say a word.
A ten minute drive, several colorful words from Lois, and a few frayed
nerves later, they arrive at the hospital. A nurse meets them at the
door, orderly driven wheel chair at the ready. Lois is settled in, while
Ned walks beside her, Brooke's head lying sleepily against his shoulder.
The nurse turns to Lois. ''Mrs. Ashton, I need you to fill out these
forms, as well as give me your insurance card, and...''
Ned puts his hand up to stop her. ''Nurse...'' He searches for her name
tag. ''Owens. Give everything to me. Once Lois is settled, I'll deal with
it gladly.''
Nurse Owens shakes her head slightly. ''But Mr. Ashton...''
''No buts.'' His tone is final. ''As soon as my wife is settled, I'll make
sure all paperwork is in order. We arranged for a private room to be
waiting for her, when she went into labor last week. Now just let us get
in there, or I'll...''
Lois' scream cuts off Ned's words. ''Ahh. Nedly! My water just broke!''
Ned ignores Nurse Owens, rushing to Lois' side, awkwardly crouching down
next to her, without disturbing Brooke. ''Sweetheart? I'm getting you
into a room, right now.''
A moan of distress escapes her lips. ''Hurry. Just hurry, okay?''
He smiles, kissing her gently. Ned looks pointedly at Nurse Owens.
Nurse Owens throws her hands up in defeat, and starts walking down the
hall. ''Fine. Forget about protocol. What the hell. Follow me, and we'll
get you to the room you reserved.''
Lois, still a little disoriented from the pain, looks at Ned in
confusion. ''Why's she so aggravated?''
Ned looks at her, shrugging his shoulders innocently. ''I have no idea. I
guess she's just in a bad mood. Come on, let's get you settled.''
The orderly in charge of the wheelchair begins moving Lois down the
hallway, Ned follows with Brooke still happy, having slept through it
all.
Ned sets Brooke down gently on the second bed in the room, and walks
over to Lois. He helps the orderly lift her out of the chair, while
Nurse Owens pulls down the covers on the bed. She is gently but firmly
lifted out of her chair, and set on the bed.
Nurse Owens begins hooking up the fetal monitor. ''Okay Dad, what you're
gonna wanna do here is just generally take all of her abuse, all of her
pain, and not say one single little word to make her feel bad about it.''
The formidable woman, looking to be somewhere in her sixties turns her
gaze on Ned. ''I've always thought men in the delivery room were useless.
They don't do anything, but annoy the doctors, and try to soothe the
mothers, who don't even recall their presence, in the first place.''
With a snap to her step, her work in the room concluded, Nurse Owens
leaves in a flourish, Ned and Lois stare after her. Lois regains her
power of speech first. ''Who the hell does she think she is? I'm havin'
this kid, and if I want my husband with me, what right does she think
she's got to tell me it's a stupid deci... Ahhhhh!'' She clutches her
stomach in pain as another contraction hits her.
Ned feels her squeeze his hand, her pain obvious. ''Lois, breath Sweetie,
remember your Lamaze breathing, hee-hee-hee-hoo.'' Lois breathes with
him, her brow sweaty with the effort. He smiles at her, as he brushes
the hair back from her face. ''That's right baby, you're doing so good.''
They both turn as the door opens.
Lois tries to formulate a hello for her parents, but finds the pain is
much too severe to speak coherently, settling instead for small grunts
as acknowledgment of their presence.
''How's my baby girl?'' Gloria sits in the chair on the other side of the
bed, lightly stroking Lois' face.
''I been betta' Ma,'' Lois says through gritted teeth.
''Of course she's been betta'. What the hell kinda question is that?''
Carmine walks to the end of the bed, looking down at her. ''Can I get ya
anything, Lois?''
''Nope Pops, nothin', thanks. I got everythin' I need.'' She smiles,
squeezing Ned's hand.
''Okay.'' Carmine laughs a little under his breath. ''I still don't
understand havin' the father in the delivery room. I mean, the way it
used to be...''
Ned's eyes widen with impending doom and a little pain as Lois' hand
squeezes his with an irritation that has nothing to do with physical
pain. ''Carmine, you know how you could help immensely?'' Not waiting for
a response, Ned plunges on. ''Would you mind giving Sonny and Alexis a
call? They asked to be notified when the big event was here. Thanks.''
Conversation closed, Ned turns his attention back to Lois.
Carmine furrows his brow in irritation at having been dismissed when he
catches a look from Gloria. The one that told him not to argue. ''Sure
thing. Where's the number?''
''It's in my purse Carmine, wait a minute.'' Gloria roots around in her
purse, until she produces her address book. She hands it to him. ''Under
Corinthos.''
''I know what their name is. I was at the wedding y'know,'' Carmine
grouses.
''Yes, Carmine, I know, I was there with you.'' Gloria turns back to her
daughter. ''How's the pain, baby?''
Lois looks at her like she's nuts. ''Ma! You had five kids! How the hell
do ya think the pain is?''
Gloria places a hand over her heart. ''Pardon me for bein' concerned
about my little girl.''
Ned watches as a potentially bad situation gets worse. He touches
Gloria's arm lightly, causing her to turn his way. ''Gloria, I just
remembered something very important.''
Gloria looks at him, concerned. ''What? What is it?''
''I forgot to bring Brooke's favorite stuffed animal from home.'' He looks
at her gravely.
Gloria looks a little disgusted. ''You mean that little rat with the
guitar she carries around with her?''
Ned sighs at the old argument. ''It's a teddy bear, the first one I ever
bought her, and Lois added the little guitar to it a few months ago.''
''What about it?'' Gloria asks.
''Brooke's going to be very upset if it isn't here when she wakes up.'' He
tries to gauge if Gloria is buying this or not. ''She might even start
screaming here, in the hospital, while Lois is trying to have the baby.''
Gloria's face takes on a worried expression. ''We can't have that. Okay,
if she wants the rat, I'll get her the rat.'' She walks over to Lois,
kissing her gently on the forehead. ''I love you, baby. Mama will be back
soon.''
The look on Lois' face tells Ned she's anything but happy about that
statement. Ned strokes her cheek lightly. ''Just try to remember what I
said before, Sweetheart.''
Lois looks at him cynically. ''What?''
He smiled. ''No matter how bad this gets, it's nothing compared to the
last two years.''
BH 1998.2 Fairy Tales
Ned wipes the sweat from Lois' brow, knowing that while he can't take
her pain away completely, hopefully he can at least ease the suffering a
little. "Baby, can I get you anything?"
Lois smiles wanly at him. "No." She grimaces in pain, closing her eyes,
trying to regulate her breathing. "No, just please don't leave. I need
ya here so much."
Ned squeezes her hand, his eyes communicating all the strength he has in
him to give to her. "I ain't goin' nowhere, no how."
Lois laughs at his bad impression of her. Her laughter turns to pain as
another contraction hits. "Ahhh Nedly, please just talk to me. Tell me
a story or somethin' ahhh . Anything! Just the sound of your voice, it
relaxes me.."
"Okay Sweetheart, what do you want to hear?" Ned kisses her hand gently.
"I don't care! Anything. Just talk ." She screams even louder, almost
crushing Ned's hand in her own.
"How 'bout I tell you a story? A fairy tale with a happy ending?" He
gently brushes the hair from her forehead.
Lois takes a few deep breaths, the pain having subsided for the moment.
"Sure. What kind of a fairy tale?"
Ned smiles a widely, dimples flashing. "Well, it's about a rich and
ruthless King, with a good heart underneath it all, who had lost his
Queen, his heart, his very reason for living."
Lois' smile gets a little wider. "Oh really? And what about the Queen?"
"Oh, she was utterly lost without him, too." He skillfully dodges her
teasing slap. "But," he pauses for effect. "She had a fair Princess to
keep her company, to fill the lonely hours of the days and nights."
Lois frowns slightly. "I'm sorry they were like that Ne "
Ned places a hand to her lips lightly. "Excuse me, but this is my story.
Get your own."
Lois smiles, tears of joy and pain, both physical and emotional, in her
eyes. She takes hold of his hand, and kisses his palm lightly. "Then get
goin'. I wanna hear how the story turns out."
Taking her hand, and letting it rest over his heart, his own covering
hers, he speaks slowly, intimately, his voice washes over her like a
caress, calming and loving. "Like every good story, this begins with a
'Once Upon a Time'. The only difference being this did not happen in a
land far, far away. It all began in a little town over the Brooklyn
Bridge, a hundred miles due north, give or take a few ."
Nine Months Earlier
Ned Ashton walks through the airport terminal in agitation, speaking
intently into his cell phone. "Yes Bren, I'm waiting for the plane." A
pause. "I know I have my own jet, but it has to be checked over every
once in awhile. You know, safety and all." A long suffering sigh passes
his lips as he listens to the same running commentary he's been
listening to once a week ever since they moved to Alaska. He's had
enough. This has to stop. "Brenda, stop. I'm happy you're so happy with
Jax and Sonni. I'm thrilled the baby was born, happy and healthy. I'm
happy you don't care that your modeling career is over. I'm happy that
you think Lois and I should get past all this, and just be together.
Even though Lois disagrees with you. And, most of all Brenda, little
sister, I'm happy to be on my way to spend my daughter's first birthday
with her, thus ending this conversation with you. Goodbye." He shuts the
cell phone, roughly shoving it into his inner breast pocket.
"Mr. Ashton, we're all checked out, fueled up, and ready to go now."
Ned's pilot walks through the terminal to the gate leading to the
private jet.
Sighing, Ned follows him. He tries to look on the bright side. He's
finally going to see Brooke again. Unfortunately, he's also going to see
Lois again. That thought doesn't bode well. Not after what had happened
before. Not after Valentine's Day. A bitter chuckle escapes his lips.
Valentine's Day. How utterly, beautifully, sadly ironic it all turns out
to be in the end. Shaking off his morose thoughts, Ned settles into his
seat on the plane, and waits for take off.
Lois rushes around the kitchen, glancing occasionally at Brooke while
trying to make an edible dinner. "Why did I eva' agree to do this, huh?"
Lois asks Brooke desperately, almost a little surprised when she doesn't
receive an answer. "I'll tell ya how. I could hear that damn longing
little boy voice of his even ova' the phone. Your Daddy could charm the
birds outta the trees, baby." Brooke giggles, kicking her feet in the
air. Lois smiles wryly at her. "Well, at least we know where you get it
from." Tickling her daughter lightly on her stomach, Lois looks around
the kitchen again. She had set a modest table in her parent's kitchen .
pasta, salt, pepper, and a bottle of red wine being the only things on
it. Her eyes get wide. "Silverware!" Rushing to the cabinet, she almost
runs over Gloria. "Oh, Ma, I'm sorry."
Gloria grabs hold of Lois' forearms, trying to steady her. "Slow down
baby. At the rate you're goin', you'll collapse before the cake is
served!"
Lois blows a breath out, the air fluffing the hair on her forehead. "Are
you sure ya can't stay for dinner Ma?"
Gloria smiles, patting her daughter's cheek affectionately. "I told ya,
your father's waitin' for me. We're playing cards with friends and I'm
not cancelin' so you can have a chaperone with your husband."
"He's not my husband, Ma." Words spoken quietly, almost in-audibly.
"Then why haven't you signed those papers?" Gloria stares at her hard.
She doesn't enjoy making her child squirm, but she's worried. Lois
either had to take the weasel back or finish things. She wouldn't allow
this state of limbo to go on any longer. "Just promise me you'll at
least talk to him tonight? That's all I ask, baby."
Lois smiles slightly. "I promise we'll talk. Ya happy now Ma?"
"Far from it." Gloria kisses her cheek, then turns to Brooke. "And you
my little angel, have a very happy birthday. Grandma and Grandpa will
have so much fun with you tomorrow, all to ourselves." Gloria plants a
kiss on Brooke's head, and closes the door behind her.
Lois sighs after her, then turns back to the table. She looks at the
pasta. It looks horrible. It is inedible. She couldn't serve that to
Ned. It would be rude. But what now? What was she supposed to suggest?
That they go out? That he wait while she makes something else? It was
Brooke's first birthday, and for her they were committed to spending the
night with one another.
"Hello? Anybody home?" Ned bangs lightly on the kitchen door.
"Come on in, it's open." Lois breaths deeply, trying not to listen to
anything running through her head. "Hey, how was the drive?"
"Actually, I flew." He walks over to Brooke, staring at his little girl
intensely.
"How Quartermainy." Lois bites the inside of her bottom lip. "Sorry.
Scratch that."
"Consider it scratched." He looks at her mouth. The sight of her lip
pulled into her mouth like that doing uncomfortable things to his
nerves. "Don't do that."
Her eyebrows furrow together. "What?"
"Bite your bottom lip. You shouldn't do that." He clears his throat,
turning back to Brooke. He smiles radiantly at her, lifting her out of
the high chair, delighting in the giggle she gave him. "Hello Princess
Brooke-Lynn. How is my beautiful girl?" He kisses her cheek, holding her
tiny body close to his.
Lois coughs and speaks around the lump suddenly in her throat. "So how
was the flight?"
He glances at her, a rueful smile on his face. "The flight was
wonderful. The phone call before the flight, I could've lived without."
Lois' eyes roll heavenward. "Brenda?"
He smiles sardonically. "She sends her love."
"In other words, she wants to know why the hell I'm still in
Bensonhurst, or at the very least, why you're still in Port Charles."
Lois bites the words out.
"That's about the gist of it." Ned resists asking the same question.
"I'm starved, what's for dinner?"
Lois' eyes widen, mental gears shifting from ways to kill Brenda to what
to do about dinner. "Uh I was gonna serve pasta, but it didn't exactly
turn out the way it was originally envisioned to. So I was thinkin'
maybe we could go out."
Ned nods his head amicably. "Great. Do you have a place in mind?"
Lois frowns. "No, actually I have no clue."
Ned's eyes brighten, his smile widening. "I have an idea, if you're
willing to take me on faith." His eyes implore her to do so.
"With food? Ashton, you've more than proved that you've got good
culinary taste. Hand me my coat, pick up Brooke's diaper bag and
stroller, and lead on." With a smile, they bundle Brooke up, and head
out the door.
