Chapter 5 At The Rehearsal Studio Mario checked the slip of paper that Emily had given him and guessed that he was in the right place. But it was bigger than he thought. He had to grab some kid to ask him if he knew where they were rehearsing for the Nurses Ball. He came up to the door that the kid had directed him to and knocked lightly. There was no answer but the door was already cracked open. He could hear someone singing inside. He poked his head in to see who it was. A smile came to his face when he saw the singer. He came further into the room, leaned against the doorjamb, crossed his arms and began to enjoy the show. Emily was standing in front of two girls and a guy singing her heart out. Her hair was out of its ponytail and it was hanging in her face. He watched as she flipped it out of the way and continued to sing low and throaty. “Captain Smith and Pocahontas had a very mad affair. When her daddy tried to kill him, she said, ‘Daddy oh don't you dare. He gives me fever with his kisses. Fever when he holds me tight. Fever, I'm his missus. So, Daddy, won't you treat him right?’ Fever, when you kiss them. Fever, if you live and learn. Fever, 'til you sizzle. What a lovely way to burn.” He struggled to control his smile as she did a little wiggle, tried to keep herself from laughing and repeated the last line. “What a lovely way to burn.” A tall dark-haired girl jumped up and clapped loudly. “Now *that’s* the way you should sing the song at the Nurses Ball! All low and sensual and sexual like.” Emily giggled. “Oh yeah, Lark. I can see how that’ll go over big with Lucy and Grandfather! Me sing anything sexual like? They’d have a fit or worse a heart attack. Heaven forbid a teenager knows anything about sex.” “Sex?” Lark faked a gasp. “What’s sex? Liz, do you know what sex is?” Liz shrugged from her spot on the floor. “Sex? I don’t know. Sly?” Sly looked up from the sandwich he had been devouring during Emily’s impromptu concert. “What?” Lark groaned. “You’re hopeless. Utterly hopeless.” She shook her head. Sly shrugged and went back to his snack. Liz gathered up her things and stood. “I have to go, guys. I told Lucky I would meet him before work and I’m late for that also! Tammy’s tolerant but only up to a point.” Liz went over to Emily and whispered. “Lucky told me to tell you that…” Emily held up her hand. “I already know what you’re going to say, just tell Lucky to stay out of my business.” Liz backed up. “Okay, okay. I don’t know what this is about and for some reason I don’t think I want to. I’ll give Lucky the message. Later!” Liz said as she left. Mario politely stepped out of her way. Lark came over to Emily. “What was that about?” “Nothing important.” Emily said. “Uh, Lark could you and… Sly? Do me a favor?” “Me and Sly? Sure.” Lark grinned. Emily knew of Lark’s mission to get Sly to acknowledge the fact that she was alive and a female. So far all he saw her was as a buddy and Lark hated that. “I need you two to go pick up the T-shirts for me. Could you do it?” Emily asked hopefully. If they didn’t do it then Emily would be stuck asking Reginald to do it or worse… having to do it herself instead. Lark beamed. “Sure! The place is like halfway across town right?” Emily nodded. “And you want me to bring them all the way out to your place?” “Well, you don’t have to bring them there…” Emily began. “You want me to bring them all the way out to your place.” Lark repeated, staring dead into Emily’s eyes. Emily slowly nodded. “Well, it might take me and Sly awhile but… I think I can handle it.” Emily laughed. “Yeah, I think you can ‘handle it’. Go easy on the guy, he doesn’t have a clue.” Lark licked her lips and grinned evilly. “By the time I’m through… Who’s that?” Lark pointed to the doorway where Mario still leaned against the door with his arms crossed. When he saw them he immediately stood up straight. Emily couldn’t help smiling. He came! She had thought that he wasn’t going to show but he came after all. But now that he was here she was unsure about whether or not he should here at all. “That’s Mario.” “No, that’s extra fine.” Lark said looking him up and down. “Sly who?” Emily grabbed her by the arm. “No, that’s mine. So eyes off! Keep working Sly.” “Okay, jeez. I can’t appreciate a sexy guy when I see one?” Lark muttered. “Don’t worry, I’m not giving up on Sly. And I thought I was the only one who was into older men. Come on Sly, we’ve got work to do!” She nudged him with her knee. “Huh?” Sly asked blankly. Lark rolled her eyes and mumbled to herself. “Unbelievable. I’m stuck on *this*.” She raised her voice. “We’ve got a mission. T-shirts to pick up.” “Okay.” Sly said. He crumpled up the paper his sandwich had been in. “Hey, could we stop and get something to eat on our way? I’m starving.” “Anything you want. See you, Em.” Lark said as she hustled Sly out. She didn’t even stop and talk to Mario even though she was dying to. Mario waited until she was gone before walking over to Emily who had knelt down and turned off the radio. “Hey, baby girl.” “Hey.” She said quietly. “I didn’t think you would come.” She grabbed the boombox by its handle and stood. “How could I not? You made such a big deal about it?” Mario shrugged. “And you made such a big deal about not wanting to. If you don’t want to be here, you shouldn’t. I don’t want to force you into doing something you…” “Hey.” Mario reached out and touched her chin. “I’m here because I want to be here, all right. You might have noticed that I didn’t put up that much of a fight, okay?” Emily nodded. “Yeah, but…” “So where do you want to go eat at again?” Mario interrupted. He didn’t know why he was stopping Emily from ending this now but all he knew was that he wasn’t ready for it to end. Emily scratched her head. “I thought we were going out for… Chinese? Or was it Mexican?” “It’s your call.” Mari placed the decision into her hands. “Well, if it’s *my* call…” Emily grinned. “I have a ‘hankering’ for chili.” “Chili? Kelly’s chili?” Mario asked. “Is there any other?” Emily countered. “You want to go to Kelly’s?” He asked unsure. “Is Kelly’s too public for you? You don’t want to be seen with me or something?” Emily asked. “No, that’s not it. I just want to know if *you* want to be seen with *me*? Miss *Quartermaine*.” He emphasized her name. Emily cocked her head to the side. “Why wouldn’t I? Great looking guy… maybe I should keep you all to myself…” “Put it that way…” Mario grinned crookedly. “Ready to go, baby girl?” “Yeah, I just have to…” Emily was interrupted by a loud knock on the studio door. Seconds later Nikolas came striding through. “Emily? We need to talk.” Mario could see Emily stiffen next to him. What was with these young guys and their *need* to talk with Emily? Emily nervously wetted her lips. She didn’t want to go into her behavior last night in front of Mario. “Uh, Nikolas? Now’s not a good time.” Now it was Mario’s turn to stiffen. This was the infamous Nikolas? The guy who unknowingly broke Emily’s heart? Mario glanced at him. He couldn’t see what Emily saw in him at all. “Baby girl? You ready to go?” He ignored Nikolas’ prescience. Nikolas arched his eyebrow. “‘Baby girl?’ Who’s this? An uncle?” “*No*, this is Mario and we were on our way out. So… see you at the Nurses Ball?” Emily faked a bright smile and grabbed her purse. Nikolas started to reach out for her arm but Emily quickly darted out of reach. She didn’t want a repeat of last night. “Nikolas, can we just talk about whatever it is that you feel we must talk about some other time?” Nikolas dropped his hand to his side. “But Emily, I…” “Can’t you hear? She said some other time, alright?” Mario finally said. He was could see that Emily was uncomfortable with the whole situation and he just wanted to end it now. Nikolas glared at Mario. “Excuse me but this has nothing to do with you.” Mario folded his arms. “Well, Emily’s with me so yeah it has a little something to do with me.” “Tell your… bodyguard? To stay out of this, okay? I just want to know how you’re doing.” Nikolas said softly. “I’m doing fine and he’s not my bodyguard.” Emily snapped. She turned to Mario. “Let’s go. I’m famished.” She fished the keys to the studio out of her purse. “I’m locking up and leaving, Nikolas. You can stay or go. I don’t care.” Nikolas gaped at Emily. This Emily was someone he was not used to. He’s never seen her so… so cold. She’s never acted that way towards him before. Emily arched her eyebrow, tossed the keys into air and caught them. “Well?” “I guess I’ll just stop by the mansion later?” Emily shrugged. “Whatever. I don’t think Katherine’s going to be there though.” Nikolas shook his head before leaving. Mario turned to Emily. “Kinda mean there.” Emily shrugged. “I didn’t feel like being nice.” ~*~ Emily paused outside of Kelly’s and turned to Mario. “Hey do you mind if we get that chili to go?” She asked hopefully. Mario surprised her by saying, “I was just going to suggest the same thing.” “Oh, were you?’ Emily asked with a half smile. “What’s your reason?” “What’s yours?” He quickly countered with a small smile of his own. “I asked you first.” Emily immediately answered. “Well, I asked you right after you did.” Mario barely got the words out before he started to laugh. Emily laughed also. “The thing is, Liz is working tonight and Lucky’s usually around when she’s working at night. I just really didn’t want a repeat of last night. I want to eat in peace.” “Now here I was thinking you just wanted to get me alone.” Mario smiled gently. “No, that was just a small part.” Emily nudged him in the side. “Wait here and I’ll go pick up our order.” Mario pulled a chair out from a nearby table and sat down. “I’ll be waiting. I know a great place where we can go and eat.” “I should introduce you to my friend Sly. He would love you. He loves to eat. How do you know all these places?” Mario shrugged. “I’ve been around.” ~*~*~ Later Johnny let Carly into the penthouse. He looks also as tired as I feel, she thought. She lazily tossed her jacket onto the table by the door and flopped down onto the couch. A few minutes later Sonny came down the stairs. “You in a better mood now?” He asked warily. Carly nodded. “Yeah, I’m exhausted though.” He sat down next to her. “Poor baby. Here will this help?” He turned her sideways on the couch, moved her hair out the way and started to rub her shoulders. “Mmmm.” Carly moaned slightly. She dropped her head down. “Yeah, that feels good. You wouldn’t have believed Layla today! She just couldn’t make up her mind and she wouldn’t let me do it for her!” “And you just love being in charge?” Sonny asked. “Well just with the decorating.” Carly smiled. “And with her love life and Jason’s.” Sonny said. Carly twisted around. “I just want the guy to be happy!” “He is happy.” Sonny insisted. “I just want him to have someone. I don’t like seeing him… waste away in that little cottage paying homage to the memory of great Robin.” Carly made a face. “You may not mind it but I do!” “I do mind it, Carly, but I’m not going to push other women on him.” Sonny said. “If he’s not going to go after her then he should have someone.” “Leave it alone, Carly.” Sonny demanded. “But…” “Leave it alone. No more match-making from you, okay?” Sonny asked. “But… I think I like match-making.” Carly smiled up at him. “Can I just do it this once please? And if it doesn’t work out I’ll leave it alone.” “No. Jason doesn’t want you meddling.” Sonny was insistent. “I’m not meddling… I’m helping!” Carly protested but Sonny wasn’t going to back down. “No, alright?” Carly sighed. “All right. I won’t meddle anymore. Are you happy?” “Yes. I’ll be right back. I’m going to check on dinner.” Sonny got up and went into the kitchen. The second he was gone Carly grabbed up the phone and quickly dialed. “Bobbie? Hey, could you help me with something? You know Layla right?” Carly grinned evilly. Sonny didn’t say anything about Bobbie playing matchmaker.