People Will Say We’re in Love-Chapter 9

 

"What are you doing here?" Carly said opening the door.

"Hello, to you, too, Carly," Esmerelda said coming into the brownstone. "I trust you are doing well."

She sighed and shut the door. She really didn’t feel like dealing with this today. "Yes, I’m fine. Did Sonny send you here to check up on me? If he did, you can just go back now and tell him I’m fine," she told her crossing her arms across her chest.

"Please, Carly," she said walking into the living room and sitting down on the couch. "I’m not Sonny’s spy. Actually, I have a mind of my own, and I do so like to use it. No, I’m here to get to know you better. I don’t think that we started off on the right foot."

"Why would you want to get to know me better? What do you want?" she asked sitting down as well.

"Well, that baby you’re carrying will me my family, so I just want to know you better. I think that it would be best that we got along. Don’t you want to be my friend, Carly?" she said sweetly and with a smile.

"I think that you are patronizing me, and I don’t like to be patronized," Carly told her.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "You know what, Carly, I’m trying, I really am. You have to give a little, too. Whether you like it or not, you will be connected to Sonny as well as his family by this baby. So, you might as well get used to that and to me."

"So, you’re going to push yourself on me whether I like it or not," she surmised.

She laughed. "You got it. So, make it easier on yourself. Accept my concern and my friendship, because my will is strong, and I usually get my way."

"Okay, I’ll relent, but only because I think that I kind of like you."

"Great, being kind of liked is always my goal," she said smiling.

*****

"Can we talk?" she said entering the house.

Jax closed the door behind her and turned to face her. "What do you want to talk about? The weather was really nice today."

"Jax, please. I really need to talk to you about everything that’s happened, about why you came to see me," she pleaded.

"There’s nothing to talk about, Chloe. I should not have went by to see you that day. That was a mistake, and I apologize for that," he said still standing near the door.

"Can we sit down, Jax? This is really important, and I really need to explain things to you. Please, Jax."

He shrugged and relented. "All right. Speak, Chloe," he said once she sat near him.

"Alexis told me you left town for a couple of days to clear you head. Did it help? I know that being alone for these past couple of days helped me to put things into perspective."

"I never said I was alone, did I Chloe, but unlike you, I did not jump into bed with the first woman I saw," he said simply. "You know what, though, I shouldn’t have said that. We aren’t together anymore, and we weren’t then, so I shouldn’t even care. Actually, I don’t care."

She nodded; she was more than a little hurt. "You said you weren’t alone. If I may ask, who went with you?"

"That really doesn’t matter, Chloe. Alexis told me that you were quite inebriated that night. I think that the last place you should look for comfort would be a bottle. You saw what that did to AJ," he advised her. Although he wasn’t in love with her, he did care about her, and didn’t want to see her in trouble.

"I want to seek that comfort from you, Jax. I love you; you know that I do. I’m sorry for everything that went wrong in our relationship. I know we can make things right again, if we just worked at it. I can’t believe all your feelings you had for me are gone."

"You’re right, Chloe. All the feelings I had for you are not gone. I still care about you; I care what happens to you, but that’s about it. I’m not in love with you, Chloe. I realize now that there were some problems from the beginning of our relationship. You didn’t trust me from the very beginning. I may never have said it, but I was upset and hurt that you would choose Ned’s help over mine. It may have been petty, but that’s how I felt. Then, there were little things, but you betrayed me with AJ."

"I explained that to you," she said letting her tears fall now.

He nodded. "I know you did. I’m sorry, but that explanation was not enough. You still choose somebody else over me. I don’t like being second, Chloe. Maybe it’s selfish, but that’s just the way I am. You said that the Quartermaines were your family, but I was the man you loved. And, it’s beyond me how you can consider Edward your family after all he did to hurt you and help Gertrude take you company away from you. You said you would choose being with me over keeping you company, but you risked throwing us away for some unfounded loyalty to a man that wanted to destroy you because of a stupid grudge that had nothing to do with you."

She thought about what he said. "Why didn’t you tell me any of this before?" she asked wiping away her tears now, remembering a time when he did that for her.

"There was really never a good time to talk about that. So many things kept happening. I can’t say that our time together wasn’t uneventful," he said smiling. "I think that this is the best thing for us, Chloe."

She shook her head. "I don’t agree with you there. But, I will let you think about this for a little while, until you realize that you want to make things work. I won’t say good-bye, Jax," she said standing. She bent and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. "I know that we will be together, Jax. I have to believe it."

*****

"Helena’s out," Stefan said without even looking up when Alexis entered the room.

She nodded and sat in the chair in front of his desk. "I know. Well, we knew they couldn’t keep here there forever. What do you plan to do now?"

He smiled. "I intend to deal with her before she becomes a problem. The young Spencer will be found before she has the chance to get to him again, and he will prove that I had nothing to do with his disappearance."

"So, this has nothing to do with his mother?" she asked. Stefan said he was over Laura, but she really didn’t know if that were entirely true.

"I have told you that my little obsession with Lasha is over. I have no intentions of reliving that part of my past."

She nodded. "Yes, that’s what you’ve said."

"How are you, Alexis?" he asked referring to her condition and her situation with Ned.

She smiled. She was glad that they were finally being a little more than civil with one another. "I’m fine, really I am. Ned hasn’t called since he left, so I figure that pretty much says everything about that situation."

"It seems that we are both undergoing some changes in our lives. Actually, tonight, I am attending a jazz concert tonight."

"Really," she said. "You’re going to a jazz concert, Stefan. Wow, I should say that you’re undergoing a lot of changes."

"I have a deep appreciation of all forms of music, Alexis. Surely you know that," he said with a touch of humor.

"Okay, sure, I know that. So, who are you going to this event with. I hardly think that you would be going on your own. Are you going with a woman? Come on, tell me who she is."

"I assure you this does not warrant your anxiousness. Dara has asked me to attend with her."

"Dara? Well, that’s a surprise. I hope you two have fun. Since she still is the ADA, at least for a little while longer, we will have to be certain to keep you out of jail. It wouldn’t look right for a member to the District Attorney’s office to be out with a convicted kidnapper, now would it?" she joked.

"No, Alexis, that would not do. Helena should be returning shortly, and I think that you should be on your guard," he advised her.

She nodded. "Between all the over-protective men in my life, I hardly think that Helena will be able to get to me now. Thank you for the guards, Stefan."

He was not surprised that she noticed that. "You are quite welcome. But, the fact still remains, you must be careful, guards can be bought."

"I know, but Sonny’s watching me, and so is Jax. I tell you, I’m beginning to think that I’m no longer able to take care of myself. But, I will let go of my independence for now because there is a baby in the picture. I wonder how dear old Helena would react if she knew that I was pregnant."

"That is exactly what I’m afraid of. I don’t think that it is safe for you to be living alone, Alexis. It might be a good idea to reconsider moving here to Wyndemere."

She looked around and shook her head. "I think that I’m pretty safe for now, but if that should ever change, I’ll be sure to tell you." She stood to leave. "I should leave now so that you can get ready for you hot date tonight. It’s great that at least one of has one," she joked.

"I assure you, this is not a ‘date’. She merely asked me to accompany her because she did not want to go alone. I would hardly refer to that as a date, Alexis."

She shrugged. "Where I come from, that’s called a date, but what do I know. At any rate, Stefan, have fun," she said giving him a quick hug. "I’ll see you later, and I expect you to be in a decent time," she teased him once more before leaving.

*****

"I live for the weekends," Hannah said sighing as she settled into the couch.

Marcus brought in the popcorn and drinks for a night of movie watching. "You look like you do, too. Are you sure you’re up for this tonight? We could just save these for another time."

"No," she said reaching for a hand-full of popcorn. "We planned this, so I want to spend some time with you. I miss this, you know, just being alone and watching movies. I promise I won’t fall asleep," she said holding up her hand.

"Well, you’d better not," he said settling in next to her.

"You know, I know that you’re disappointed that your mother and sister had to postpone their trip here," she said. "I know how much you were looking forward to seeing them." She was sorry that he was disappointed, but she was a little relieved on her own part. This would give her even more time to prepare for meeting his family, if that would help, anyway.

He nodded. "Yeah, I was, but this way my brother can come with them. So," he said giving her a kiss. "You can meet all three of them at once. You look worried."

"No," she lied shaking her head. "I’m not worried. I can’t wait to meet them. You’re family sure must be a lot more stable than mine was."

He smiled at her. "And that’s not saying a lot, I’m afraid. Are you sure you’re okay with meeting them right now? I could just go there for a visit instead."

"No, don’t be silly, Marcus. Of course I’m okay with meeting them. Why wouldn’t I be? Listen to me, I love you, and I want to meet your family and make you happy. Okay," she waited for him to agree, and he nodded. "Okay, now what shall we watch first," she said looking through the videos they had rented.

*****

"One is the loneliest number, Mr. Jacks," Helena informed him as she took the seat next to him at the bar.

He smiled at her before taking a drink from his glass. "You’re out of jail, I see. Did they let you out on good behavior?"

She smiled at him. "They realized that I was innocent. Where is Ms. Morgan? Did you realize that she was out of your league, and let her go?"

"And, who, dear Helena, is in my league, as you say?" he asked turning to face her. He had to admit, playing with Helena was fun. Her games forced her to give herself away.

"Why, Mr. Jacks, I think you already know the answer to that question. You met with my son," she said bluntly. "I did not know that you and Stefan were on such good terms."

"Yes, we’re thinking of throwing a party, in your honor of course. Sort of a welcome home for you, but you surprised us, and everything isn’t quite in order yet."

She sighed. "Really; I knew that you cared. That is no matter, though, I will know what you are planning with Stefan. Keep in mind, having me as your ally can come in very handy for you."

"I will keep that in mind. You should also remember that having me as an enemy is not a good thing for you," he said standing up. "Have a good night, Helena," he said before leaving.