Everything I Do-Chapter 15
Jax watched as she paced up and down in the living room. Something must really be bothering her. "V," he said placing his hands on her shoulders, as she was about to turn and pace again. "Now, are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?"
She sighed and moved to sit down. After he sat beside her, she leaned back against the cushions. "It’s Miranda. I don’t know, there is just something about her I don’t trust. You know what I mean. She hasn’t done anything, but I get the feeling that she just might."
"I really wouldn’t put it past her. You’ve talked to Mac about this?" he asked.
"I’ve tried to talk to Mac about this, is the more appropriate thing to say. He wants us to be friends, and will not really even hear anything negative about him. I don’t know what to do about her. She’s not up to anything good, Jax," she warned him.
He nodded. "I believe you, V. This whole time thing with her and Brenda is really nagging at me. I can’t help but think that there is some connection there. I don’t know, maybe it’s nothing."
"I wouldn’t dismiss that so quickly if I were you. She’s up to something. How are things coming along with the wedding?" she asked wanting to change the subject. She was glad that at least one of them was happy.
"Things are coming along well. It is very quickly approaching," he said smiling. "I wish that you could be just as happy, Venus. Is she still staying with you and Mac?"
She nodded and sighed. "Yes, I feel like I don’t have any privacy anymore. It seems as if she’s watching me. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it really does feel that way. I don’t feel comfortable there."
"Well, you know if you ever need a place to feel comfortable, you’re always welcome to stay with me. I’m sure that Keesha wouldn’t mind," he informed her.
"Thanks, Jax. I’ll keep that in mind. Speaking of places to stay, have you shown Keesha her surprise yet," she asked brightening.
He shook his head and laughed. "No, not yet. I haven’t really found the right time for that just yet. The funny thing is that she’s been dropping these subtle hints about it for a while now, and she doesn’t suspect a thing. I usually just steer the conversation in another direction."
"Very, very sneaky, Jax. She’s going to be upset with you for keep this from her, you know. Of course, then you’ll just look at her with those blue eyes of yours and flash her smile, and she’ll forget ever being angry with you."
"Why, Venus, are you implying that I will use my never falling charm to prevent her anger," he joked.
"I don’t imply, dear, I just say." She sighed as she stood. "I guess it’s betting pretty late, and I have to return to the old homestead."
"Don’t sound so enthusiastic," he said walking her to the door.
"I don’t know, I feel guilty. I love Mac, but I don’t necessarily like his friends. But, there is not much I can say about that, because he certainly is tolerant of you," she said teasing him.
"That’s because of that charm issue that Miranda most certainly lacks," he informed her.
"Yeah, right, Jax. I’m sure that’s it," she said giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Love you. Good-night."
"Love you, too. Don’t let Miranda get to you, and you have a good-night."
*****
"Did she say why she came back now?" Carly asked as they put up the groceries in the kitchen.
"She said she came for the wedding, but I don’t really believe that. Other than that, no, she didn’t say anything. I hope that it’s not a problem, her staying here," Keesha said.
Carly shook her head. "Of course it’s not a problem," she said smiling. "We’re going to be family soon, you know. I wonder what she’ll think of Jason in relation to the other Quartermaines. You never told me how she liked them."
"I really don’t know, all she says is that they’re nice people. Not very descriptive, I must say. I’ll have to do a lot of explaining about him before she meets him. I don’t know how she will accept his line of business given what’s happened with Justus," Keesha explained. The two of them rarely ever talked about Jason’s "line of business". It was an off-limits subject.
"What exactly are you going to tell her?" Carly inquired a little shortly.
She sighed. "Don’t worry about it, Carly. Only what she needs to know. I’m not going to say anything more about that, all right?" she asked trying to stave off an argument.
Carly smiled and nodded. "I’m sorry, Keesha. I was about to get a little testy, wasn’t I?"
She laughed. "Just slightly. No need to apologize, though. I understand. After spending the morning with Edward and his constant attempts to dissuade me from marrying Jax and his constant jabs at him, I can totally understand the need to be defensive."
"You would think that with all the things Edward has done in his past, that he would realize that he faults Jax and my father for the same things that he has done. And he’s probably done even worse." She laughed at the look Keesha gave her. "Okay, maybe not worse than Jerry, but still."
She nodded. "I see your point, and I agree. I don’t understand those types sometimes. You wouldn’t believe it, but Jax passed up a night with me just because he has an early flight somewhere tomorrow."
Carly shook her head and said with feigned outrage, "The nerve of some people. Speaking of early days," she said trying to stifle a yawn. "I have one. Faith must have been very tired, she went to bed rather early."
"I know; I really wanted to talk to her, but she seems exhausted. It kind of makes me wonder what she’s been doing for all these years." She smiled quickly. "I don’t know. Good night, Carly."
"Good night. Try to go to bed at a decent hour tonight, all right. We wouldn’t want the bride to have bags under her eyes from too many late nights," she warned her.
"Yes, mother, I will certainly try to get to bed early," she said laughing softly when Carly opened the door so that she wouldn’t wake Faith up.
*****
Miranda sat curled up in her bed reading a book. The phone startled her. Whenever she heard any unexpected noises, she always nearly jumped out of her skin. She calmed herself and willed her heart to stop racing. She would think that after so many years, she would have gotten over what happened to her.
"The phone is for you," Mac said knocking lightly on her door before answering it.
"Really?" she said. She wondered who was calling her at this time of the night. "I’m sorry that the phone woke you," she apologized.
"It’s not a problem," he said smiling. "I wasn’t asleep yet anyway. Good night, Miranda," he said before leaving.
She picked up the phone and waited until she heard the other line click. "Hello?"
"Ah, it’s wonderful to hear your voice again," the man answered her. "Did you miss me?"
She sat up straighter in the bed. "What are you doing calling me at this number? How did you know I was here?" she demanded.
"It wasn’t hard to figure that you would come here after you disappeared. After everything I’ve done for you, you could have at least said good-bye," he informed her. "But no matter, I see that you have worked your way into the Commissioner’s good graces. I have to hand it to you, Miranda, you are good."
She could keep herself from smiling at the complement. She was good; she knew that. With everything she had managed to accomplish, there was no doubt about that fact. "What do you want?"
"Oh, I just called to check up on you. You know, see how you were. Ever wonder where I am sometimes, Miranda?" he asked. "Do you ever wish I was there with you?"
"I don’t have time for your games," she told him.
"Well, that’s really a shame. I had so much planned for us. I think that you would have enjoyed it very much. But, that’s the way things go sometimes. Pleasant dreams, Miranda," he said before hanging up.
She sighed as she returned the phone back to the cradle. She thought that she was finished with him. Their business was brought to a conclusion. What could he possibly want now? She shook her head and returned to her book. She didn’t have anything to worry about. He would never come to Port Charles; he wasn’t stupid enough to do that. *Was he? * she wondered.
*****
"That woman makes me so angry," Lucy exclaimed forcefully pushing the disconnect button on the phone.
"Katherine, I take it," Jerry remarked smiling as Lucy returned to the bed. "You know, you shouldn’t let her get to you like this," he said rubbing her back.
"I know," she agreed. "She shouldn’t get to me like this because she’s not worth it, but she just knows which buttons to push, and she keeps on pushing. Now, that feels really good," she said commenting on the massage.
"I have been told I have hands to die for," he informed her.
She nodded, "I’ll say you do. I just want her out of my companies. They are my babies, and she’s going to ruin them."
"I know that Katherine cannot do half the job that you can, but I think that you have a more important job. This baby is more important than those babies, and it needs you more."
She sighed. "I know, but it’s hard sometimes to see her there prancing around like she owns the place. I never thought I would see the day when you would be telling me to live the straight and narrow. What has happened to the old Jerry?" asked leaning back against the pillows now.
"I’m still here," he said giving her one of his famous smiles. "You just let me take all the risks, and you stay on the straight and narrow. At least until the baby is born, anyway. After that, we will go on the curved and wide together," he teased her.
"I don’t know about all of that," she said rubbing her stomach. "I think that at least one of us has to stay out of jail to take care of the child."
"Who said anything about jail, Luv? I make a habit of not getting caught. That is the whole fun of it. Doing it and getting away with it."
"Really, and what have you done and gotten away with lately?" she inquired.
He shrugged. "A little of this, a little of that," he answered her giving her a kiss. "Now, do you really want to talk about this all night?"
She shook her head. "I should say not," she replied reaching over to turn off the lamp.


