Everything I Do-Chapter 4

 

"Keesha," A.J. said coming toward her. "I’ve heard that you’re engaged to Jax, is that true?"

"Well, hi, AJ," she said sarcastically. "Yes, you’ve heard right; we’re engaged. Why do you care, AJ? You made it perfectly clear that I didn’t have a place in your life."

He shook his head, "I never said that, but it seemed to me that you were obviously more interested in Jax than you were in me, and it seems that I was right."

"Please, AJ, don’t even try it. If there were more than friendship between the two of us back then, I don’t think that it would have taken a year for us to get together. I don’t think so. You broke us up, and I’m not bitter about that, not in the least. I’m happy, and hopefully you will be, too."

"Sure, Keesha, whatever you say. You don’t seem very happy. For someone who’s recently engaged, you don’t seem ecstatic."

She sighed, "What are you talking about, AJ?"

He shrugged, "You just don’t seem that happy about it. Are you sure that you’re doing the right thing? Now is the time to think about it before you marry him."

She rolled her eyes at him, "I have someplace to be; bye, AJ," she said walking off.

*****

"Keesha, are you all right?" Jax asked looking over at her across the table. She had been somewhat sullen all evening and had barely touched her dinner.

"Hmm?" she asked still absently twirling her fork in the pasta on her plate. "What did you say?"

He smiled, "If I didn’t know any better, I would think that you haven’t been paying attention to anything that I’ve said."

She put her fork down and smiled. "I’m sorry, what were you saying? My mind just doesn’t seem to be here tonight."

"So I’ve noticed. All right, what’s bothering you? Don’t you dare tell me nothing is, because I know that something definitely is."

She sighed, "Okay. Are you sure that you’re doing the right thing with Brenda? I think your reaction to her is a little odd."

"Why, because I didn’t break down and cry and beg her to come back into my life? I can see where you’re coming from, but I assure you that I have made the right and best decision concerning her. She no longer has an active role in my life."

She nodded. "Jax, that’s all well and good, but surely you can’t really believe that she will not have a part in your life."

"Where is all of this coming from? I know that we haven’t really discussed this, but it seems that you’ve been doing a lot of thinking on your own."

"I guess it’s because I’ve been in this situation, and I know what you must be feeling." She was silent for a minute as she collected her thoughts. "When I lost Jason, that was the hardest thing for me. It didn’t make matters any better when I had to see him walking around town leading a life without me. He was dead, Jax, but I could see him."

"Keesha, I understand that, and I know that it was difficult for you. But, it is hardly the same thing. Brenda made the decision not to come back. She was not secure in my love for her, and I have moved on, and so have you. You put Jason in your past."

"That, I did, but not at first. Right after the accident, I had hope that Jason would remember and love me again. I would have given anything for that to happen. Even when I was with AJ, I knew that if Jason got his memory back, I would go back to him. I don’t know what that says about me, but I would have done it. I loved Jason that much."

"What about now, would you go back to him now?" Jax asked seriously.

She shook her head, "Too much time has passed for me to feel anything for him. Sure, I’ll always love Jason Quartermaine, but that will just be a pleasant memory for me. But, Jax, you have the chance to welcome the love of your life back into your heart, are you sure you don’t want to take it?"

"I already told you that I wouldn’t. I have grieved Brenda and that part of my life is behind me now. I cannot revisit the past; I won’t let myself do that. I want to look to the future, and I want you there with me. Will that be a problem for you?"

She shook her head and got up and joined him on the other side of the table. She took his hand in hers. "I want to look to the future with you, and I want to be in that future with you. Whatever comes our way, we will conquer it together, because I’m sure, as much as I would like for it to be, there won’t be smooth sailing ahead for us."

"And I’m afraid you’re right. But, I think we can manage it. Together we can do anything."

"Yeah, we can. Let’s just hope we always remember that."

"How could we ever forget," he said kissing her hand.

 

Carly’s eyes widened when she looked across the room, "Is that who I think it is?"

Keesha turned around to see who Carly was talking about. She rolled her eyes and turned back to face her. "Yes, that is exactly who you think that is. Didn’t you know she has returned from the dead?"

"Wow," Carly said sitting back in her chair and staring at Brenda a moment longer before turning back to Keesha. "What does Jax have to say about this?"

She shrugged, "Not much. He says that he is over her, and I believe him. The problem is that I don’t think that she’s over him."

"Yeah, I don’t think that she will be. Uncle Jax is quite a catch, and I don’t think that she will let him go that easily. What are you going to do about it?"

Innocently she asked, "What do you mean? Brenda has done nothing to me; I’m not going to do anything. I am going to keep the peace."

Carly gave her a look to say that she didn’t believe her. "Yeah, okay, whatever you say. I know that if I were in that situation I wouldn’t ‘keep the peace’."

"Like if a certain Robin Scorpio were to return to town, right. I would tell her to watch out." Keesha rolled her eyes. "I just had a terrible thought. Now that Brenda is not dead, I’ll bet that Robin will probably return to town."

"Yeah, she will. I don’t think that she’ll be a problem though. And," Carly said leaning closer to the table, "I don’t think that Brenda will be a problem either. I saw what she put him though, him and Sonny. It was horrible. Hey, I’m a big believer in family. I’ve never seen him so happy as when he is with you. Besides, Jerry doesn’t like Brenda either, and he’s usually a good judge of character."

Keesha nodded. "All right. We will protect him from her. I won’t give him up, and you and the Jacks family won’t let me, so, if it becomes necessary, we will deal with Brenda. Only then, Carly," Keesha said warning her friend. She knew what Carly was capable of doing.

Changing the subject, she asked, "So, when are you planning on moving out? It’s not that I want to get rid of you; Michael and I love having you around, but I’m sure you’re anxious to move out."

"About that, I don’t want to live with Jax until we’re married, and I think that I’m going to have to cut back on my spending the night time over there."

"Keesha, you rarely stayed home when the two of you were just, or so you say anyway, friends. I can hardly believe that you will be spending more time at the homestead when there are a lot better things offered over at Casa Jacks," Carly said giving her a knowing smile.

"Carly," she said admonishing her, but her smile gave her away. "I think that you want me to stay away so that a certain Mr. Morgan can spend more time at the apartment, right?"

At first Carly felt a little guilty about her relationship with Jason once she had learned who he was before. By then, it was too late to back away. She was completely in love with him and pregnant. She was glad that Keesha didn’t have a problem with their relationship. "He likes to spend time with Michael. Who am I to begrudge him that?"

"Yeah, right. That’s all he comes by for, I’m sure."

"And you and Jax just talk," she countered before they both erupted in peals of laughter that attracted a look from the woman sitting near the wall.

 

Carly left Keesha at Kelly’s. She had some things to get ready for tonight. Jason was coming over, and she was going to cook dinner, or rather attempt to cook dinner, with Keesha’s help. She smiled to herself when she thought about how great her life was now. She was a far cry from the young woman she had been when she first arrived to town with a vendetta.

Her start in Port Charles had been rocky at best. Sure, she did set out to destroy her mother’s happiness by taking Tony away. But, in the long run, that had been the best thing; Bobbie was much happier with Stefan. Although the Spencers and Cassadines would never be best friends, the relationship wasn’t as volatile because of the union.

The one thing she never expected to find out upon returning to town was her father. That really threw her for a loop when she found out that her father was none other than Jerry Jacks. The Jacks family welcomed her with open arms. She had never felt so loved before or so happy. She finally felt as if she belonged.

She had family, and she had Michael and Jason. She had everything that she could possible want. She had friends. She had happiness. "What more could a girl want?" she said out loud laughing. Her laughter was cut short when she saw a man standing in front of her. She checked her step hastily. Her good mood was gone.

"Why, if it isn’t Caroline Benson," he said. "Never expected to see me again, did you?"

This was not happening now; it couldn’t be happening now. Everything was going too well for this to happen. "What do you want?"

He shrugged, "Nothing, at least not yet, anyway. I’ll let you know when I do need something." He started to walk off.

"What are you doing here?" she said grabbing his arm to stop him.

He carefully removed her hand. "I’ll see you around, Caroline," he said leaving her.

Carly shook her head. Whoever said that the past always comes back to haunt you was certainly right. But, she would not allow her past to ruin her present or her future. Her life would never be sullied again by her past; she would make sure of it.

 

"What are these?" Keesha asked as she was opening one of the boxes that Jax dumped on the table.

He sat across from her. "Invitations, my lady. They are to your liking, right."

"They’re beautiful," she said running her fingers over the raised black letters on the sample invitation. The others, she found, were already stuffed and banked. "How did you get these done so fast?" she asked in awe.

He smiled, "I told you what you want will be done, and done quickly. I don’t want another month to pass that you are not mine."

"But, I’m already yours, you know that," she laughed. "I understand, though. Yes, send them out as soon as possible. They’re perfect," she said reaching across the table to give him a small kiss. "Lucy and I are working on the dresses. She is being so very helpful, and she’s not taking over, which is a great feat for her. Have you seen her?" she asked a little seriously now.

"Seen who?" he asked taking her hand. He didn’t want to discuss Brenda with her. She got upset whenever they did, although she would never admit that.

"Jax, please, you know who I’m talking about. The two of you have things you need to discuss. You need to go to her and clear all of this up. I’m not one for hurting people, but you have to let her know where the two of you stand."

She was right, he had to talk to Brenda. But, why was he so reluctant to do that? "You’re right. You have that habit, you know, of being right." He shook his head, "It’s just not something I’m looking forward to doing."

"You don’t want to hurt her," she said nodding, "I can understand that. I don’t want you to be hurt either, which is why you have to do this. You have to break all ties with her as cleanly as possible. I don’t want her thinking that she has even a tiny smidgen of a chance with you."

"Wow, is this possessiveness in your character peeking out?" he teased her.

She shrugged, "What if it is? Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, none at all. What are your plans for tonight?"

"Well, Carly is planning dinner for Jason, and since she doesn’t know a frying pan from a pot, I’m going to help her cook. And, we’re baby-sitting Michael."

"‘We’re baby-sitting Michael’", he repeated.

"Yes, Jax, am I not speaking clearly today?" she joked. "Yes, we are. I don’t know about you, but I plan to have children one day, and this will give us, or rather you, a little practice. I’ll bet you were never around little children that much, were you?"

He shook his head, "No, not really. Okay, we will baby-sit him."

She smiled, "You’re saying that like the decision wasn’t already made before." She laughed at the look that he gave her. "Don’t be upset, Jax. I knew you would’ve said yes. Carly and Michael are out shopping for some last minute items, and they won’t be back for awhile," she said getting up and joining him on the other side of the table. "Until then, we’ve the whole apartment to ourselves. Why don’t we use the situation to our advantage."

"I do love your decisions," he said rising from the table to join her.

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