Chapter 4 Emily opened up her locker and removed Mario’s leather jacket. Even though it had been very warm that morning Emily couldn’t resist wearing it to school. It was too hot to wear it now so she threw it over her arm and slammed her locker closed. She nearly jumped when she saw Lucky standing behind her. “Lucky! You scared the crap out of me!” Emily smoothed down her hair nervously. She knew that Lucky was going to talk to her about last night. She had avoided him all day but she knew she couldn’t any longer. “What’s up?” “What were you doing last night?” Lucky started off. “Hmm, I had dinner, studied for today’s test, took a little motorcycle ride, and went to sleep. That’s about it.” Emily flippantly said. “What about you?” “Quit being a smart aleck, Emily, it doesn’t suit you. You know what I meant.” Lucky folded his arms and glared at her. “Look, Lucky, I know you’re my friend and all and you’re just doing the ‘worried friend’ bit but I’m just going to say this once: stay out of my private life.” “Your private life?” Lucky laughed. “Do you have any idea how old Mario is?” “Twenty-five.” Emily shrugged. “So?” Lucky gaped at her. “Does he know how old you are?” “Yeah, and?” Emily shook her head. “Lucky, I don’t know where you’re going with this but just stop it okay?” “Emily, I…” Lucky started to say. “If you see Liz tell her that I’m going to be a little late to rehearsal today. Lucy’s fittings might take longer than expected. Later!” Emily walked off quickly. ~*~*~ Emily rushed into the dressmaker’s place and wasn’t surprised to see that Lucy was already there in her dress standing on a small platform. Three mirrors surrounded her. The dressmaker was kneeling in front of her hemming the dress and holding a handful of stickpins in her mouth. “You are late.” Lucy muttered. “Sorry, Lucy. I got held up a bit.” Emily apologized as she laid down her purse and Mario’s jacket on a chair. She sat down on a nearby armchair. She withdrew a small notepad from her purse. “It’s okay. We’re still on the first dress. *Somebody* is being extra slow today. Ow, Elise!” Lucy squealed. “That was skin!” “Sorry.” Elise mumbled around the pins. “Do you want it any tighter?” “Oh yes, please.” Lucy sucked in her stomach as Elise came up behind her and grasped the material tightly in her hands. “I talked to Jason.” Emily told her as she watched Elise work. “And what did he say?” Lucy asked breathlessly. “He is coming and he is promising there will be absolutely no scenes made this year. I just wish I could speak for the rest of my family.” Emily muttered underneath her breath. “Good, good.” Lucy nodded vigorously. “I don’t think I can handle anymore scenes.” “Will Robin be there?” Emily asked curiously. She wanted to know so she could… warn Jason? Lucy shook her head. “No. I called her but she declined to come back for it. Okay, enough with the chitchat, we need to move on to the important things. The T-shirts?” Emily consulted her notepad. “I called them yesterday morning and they are ready to be picked up. I’ll send someone over for them.” “Could you do it, Emily? I don’t think I could trust anyone else with this.” Lucy pleaded. Emily rolled her eyes. She was used to Lucy pushing extra work on her and it wasn’t going to work. “Actually no, I’m too busy this week. I can stop and get one for you and me on my way to rehearsal but that’s it. I will get someone I trust very much to do it for me. How about that?” Lucy rolled her eyes and wiggled impatiently, causing Elise to frown and tug harder on the dress. “All right, all right. How are the rehearsals coming?” Emily smiled broadly. “Couldn’t be better. Everyone’s showing up on time and everything. I have two dress rehearsals scheduled for next week.” “Two?” Lucy frowned. “I don’t think we need two.” Emily took a deep breath and started to explain herself. “I’m trying to fit the rehearsals around everyone’s schedules. I divvied them up into two groups that way one group can go one day and the other can go the next and we wouldn’t…” Lucy waved a hand in front of her. “Okay, okay. I understand two dress rehearsals. What’s next on the list?” “I signed you up a dresser.” Emily checked that off her list. “Who?” Lucy eyed at her suspiciously. Heaven help her if it was Nurse Amy Vining again. “Well it was pretty hard to find someone after the horror tales Amy Vining has spread about you. I mean just about everyone laughed in my face when I asked. Actually Amy did laugh in my face…” “Who is it?” Lucy asked as she checked her figure in the mirrors. “Gina Cates? I don’t know her that well. She said that she used to work for Kevin?” Lucy swallowed hard at the mention of Kevin’s name. It still hurt to think of the way he ran two months ago with Eve Lambert. “I remember her.” Lucy closed her eyes. “Okay, good choice. Next.” “Um, I need to know the order of the dresses.” Emily glanced over her notepad. Lucy cheerfully responded to this, anything to get her mind off of Kevin. “Alright, the one I’m wearing right now, this is the opening intro outfit. The pink and green swirl is after that. Next is gray silk, followed by the black taffeta…” Lucy began to prattle on and on about her favorite subject—clothes. Emily frantically tried to jot down what she was saying. She sighed. This was going to be a long fitting. ~*~*~ Carly walked into the living room of the penthouse and dropped down on the couch. She placed the baby monitor on the coffee table and propped her feet up on the table beside it. She grabbed a discarded fashion magazine and lazily flipped through it, not paying any real attention to it. Every few seconds she would glance at her watch and then at the door. Just when Carly thought she was going to explode there was a light knock at the door and then it was opened. Johnny had started to say, “Mrs. Corinthos…” but Carly interrupted him by jumping up and exclaiming, “Sonny, you’re home!” Carly’s broad smile faded when Jason strode through the door. Johnny smiled apologetically. “Sorry, Mrs. Corinthos.” Carly shrugged and smiled at Jason. “Hey, Jase. What’s up?” Jason looked around. “Sonny’s still not back yet?” “No.” Carly flopped back down on the couch. “He told he’d be back by Wednesday and that was yesterday!” “He’ll be back today.” Jason nodded knowingly. He came and sat next to Carly on the couch. “Well it’s nice to know he told someone the truth.” Carly sighed. She looked over at Jason and frowned at what she saw. “Hey, are you all right?” “What? I’m fine. I’m okay. Is Michael up?” Jason started to get up. He was anxious to get away from Carly before she started in on him again. Carly grabbed him by the arm. “He’s taking a nap. Don’t try to avoid me. Are you taking care of yourself?” “Carly, I’m fine. I eat. I work. I see Michael. I’m fine.” Jason said slowly. “You are not fine. You can’t be fine alone in the cottage in the woods. You should move back into the penthouse.” Carly said. “No.” Jason shook his head. “It wouldn’t work out.” “Then move into the one across the hall. Sonny can always get the people there to move out.” Jason had to smile at that but he said firmly. “No. I want to stay where I am.” “It’s doing you no good!” Carly exclaimed. “All you do is mope around missing Robin. I know you… love her but she left you and she’s not coming back. It’s time for you to move on. I worry about you.” “You? Worrying about me?” Carly punched him in the arm. “I worry about a lot of people, not just myself. I worry a lot about Sonny, especially when he goes on these ‘business’ trips.” For the first time since he came into the apartment, Jason saw fear in Carly’s eyes. “Hey.” He lightly touched her on the shoulder. “He’ll be okay. It’s just a business trip.” “Right.” Carly nodded. “I just wish he would call that’s all.” She started to nibble on her lower lip. “But enough about me and my silly worries. We were talking about you.” Jason sighed. “Carly, I’ll say this again. Don’t worry about me, please.” “But it’s my new favorite thing to do. Second to shopping of course. Now like I said I know you love Robin but she’s gone and you’re still here. And if you’re not going to go after her then I have no other solution but to fix you up.” Jason groaned and covered his face with his hands. “No.” “But wait! She’s a great girl. Her name’s Layla. I’m decorating her apartment. I met her through the Lattermores, you know that couple who I met at Wyndhams and I ended up redecorating their house on Long Island?” “No.” Jason repeated. “She’s a great girl. She works at the hospital, she’s in administration or something. She’s tall, long black hair, light blue eyes, and a great figure. I told her all about you and she’s intrigued.” Carly wiggled her eyebrows. “What do you say?” “I say no.” Jason said. He looked into Carly’s eyes. “Don’t do it Carly.” “Alright. I understand.” Carly leaned back. “But Layla’s thinking about going to the Nurses Ball and she doesn’t have a date and I was just thinking she could sit at our table and…” Carly trailed off when the door opened again and Sonny walked in. “Well, it’s about time!” Carly stood up and marched over to him. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting?” “Hey baby.” Sonny smiled at her. “A day late and no call and all I get is a ‘hey baby’?” “I picked you up something pretty.” Sonny offered. “Thanks.” Carly rolled her eyes. “I got something pretty. My life is now complete. Look, Michael is sleeping, Leticia is upstairs, and the monitor is down here. I have to get going because Layla and I have to meet and decide on whether we’re going with an area rug or a carpet.” Carly grabbed her jacket. “Ah, yes. The great Rug vs. Carpet debate. Tell me how it turns out.” Sonny laughed as he started to shrug out of his coat. “Whatever. I’m taking Carlos with me, okay? And give Michael a kiss when he wakes up and tell him I love him.” “Hey, what about me?” Sonny opened his arms. Carly came back up to him and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. “You’ll get more later… if I decide to forgive you.” Sonny’s arms wrapped around and he deepened the kiss. “I know you will.” He smirked as Carly walked out the room. Sonny turned to Jason. “That woman.” “She worries about you.” Jason pointed out. “Keeps her from getting into trouble and what can I say? I like it.” Sonny shrugged. “You look like hell. Have you been getting any sleep?” “First Carly and now you. How many times do I have to tell you that I’m fine?” “Okay, you’re fine. If Carly’s already gotten to you I won’t subject you to any more… for today that is.” “I think you better talk to Carly. She’s trying to fix me up with that Layla woman.” “Just tell her you don’t want to.” Jason just stared at Sonny. “This is Carly we’re talking about.” “Right. I’ll see what I can do.” ~*~*~ Mario dropped the wrench he’d been holding. He couldn’t concentrate on his work. He kept thinking about Emily and that ride last night. This whole thing was getting out of hand and he shouldn’t see her anymore. He nodded to himself. Right, the next time he saw her he would tell her so. The door to the bike shop opened and Emily walked in. Mario couldn’t help the smile that came to his face at the sight of her. She had on black jeans and a T- shirt with the words “Nurses Ball ‘99” printed on it. She was carrying two shirts and his leather jacket. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail and Mario thought it made her look very cute and young. He had to remind himself that she was young and there was the problem. “Hi.” She smiled. “This is the Nurses Ball T-shirt for this year. What do you think?” She twirled around. “It’s… cute.” He started to wipe his hands on his grease rag. “Very cute.” “It’s for this charity talent show General Hospital puts on every year. It raises money for AIDS research. Have you heard about it?” Emily asked. “Yeah.” He squatted back down in front on the motorcycle and started messing around with things. Emily came in further into the shop. “I’m involved in it this year. Well, I’ve always been involved sorta. But this year I’m the organizer’s assistant. Lots of responsibilities.” “Good for you.” Mario said noncommittally. Emily nodded and stopped in beside him. “It’s a lot of fun but a lot of work. I’ll be happy when it’s over and done with.” “Could you hand me that wrench?” Mario gestured to the one he dropped. “I brought back your jacket.” Emily told him as she picked up a wrench from by her foot. She squatted down next to him and handed it to him. Mario glanced at it. “Not that one, the other one.” He tossed the other on the floor. Emily handed him the right one this time. “Is something wrong, Mario?” “Nothing’s wrong.” Mario shrugged. “I’m talking to you.” “Well, you’re not talking to me at all and so I think something’s wrong.” Emily stood and walked away. “Look, baby girl, I’m trying to work here, okay? Your brother doesn’t pay me to talk to you and keep you entertained.” “You don’t have to be mean.” Emily folded her arms. “Are you still weirded out about last night because I said I was sorry. I was a little freaky I admit it. I confused myself. I was going through a lot of things that didn’t have to do with you.” “Baby girl, it isn’t just that…” Mario started to get up. “Is it the age thing because we’re just friends right? And there is no age limit on friendship.” Emily said before he could start. Mario sighed. “Right, we’re just friends.” Emily smiled. “Okay then. Is it okay for two friends to get together and get something to eat? Because I do it with my friends all the time and I didn’t know we were doing something wrong.” Mario smiled. “You still trying to get that free meal out of me?” “And another motorcycle ride.” Emily grinned. Mario laughed. “If you’re going to work so hard for it then I guess so. I could close up now and we can go, if you like.” Emily was tempted. Very tempted. But she still had a rehearsal to go to. “I can’t right now.” She said regretfully. “I have a rehearsal.” “Okay, after rehearsal then.” Mario said. Emily pulled out her notepad and scribbled something down. “Here’s the address.” She handed him the scrap of paper. “Rehearsal should only take an hour and a half. Maybe less if no one messes up or is late like me. I gotta go! See you later.” “Yeah, you will.” Mario said as she rushed out the door. “Cause I just can’t help myself.”