The Prodigal Daughter-Chapter 12

 

"You’re leaving today, right," Jerry asked drinking his orange juice.

"As soon as I get off the phone with you," he answered him. "I think this trip will answer a lot of questions, or at least I hope so anyway. So, is Helena still trying to find out where we’re going."

"That she is. She is a very persistent woman. So, do you want me to make it possible for her to find out, or keep it a secret."

"Let’s make her work for it. She’s going to find out eventually anyway, but let’s not make it too easy for her. Why should we do her job for her?" Jax saw Keesha coming down the stairs. "Well, my lady has finally awaken so, I will talk to you later. Listen, Jer, stay out of trouble while I’m away," he advised him smiling.

Jerry shrugged, "I’ll see what I can do. Have a great time," he said before hanging up the phone.

"Did we sleep well?" he asked.

"As well as I could, I suppose. I heard what happened when you and Alexis went on your little adventure last time, anything like that going to happen this time you think?"

"Hopefully not. But, I can’t make any promises. You know how it is some times; you can never predict the actions of madwomen. I don’t know why, they are just so irrational."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Are we ready to go?" she asked pulling out her body spray to give herself a quick spray before returning it to her carry-on bag. "You don’t know how great it is to be able to use this again," she said thankful that her morning sickness was all but over.

"No, I can honestly say that I do not. Yeah, I’m pretty much ready to go. Onward to adventure," he said smiling and opening the door for her to leave.

*****

Keesha was lying down on one of the couches in the jet while Jax worked at his laptop at the desk across from her. He looked over at her; she had been asleep for almost the entire flight, and they were about thirty minutes from Greece. She looked peaceful. He saw her waking up, and he turned his attention back to his computer. He knew she would probably be upset if she caught him staring at her.

"How long have I been asleep?" she asked sitting up rubbing her eyes.

"Since we took off, and now we’re about twenty minutes from our destination. At least you won’t have bad jet lag now," he said.

"Jax, how could you let me go to sleep?" She stopped rubbing her eyes and rose to get her carry-on bag. She searched for her toothbrush and make-up bag. "I’ve probably ruined my make-up, haven’t I?"

"You always look beautiful to me," he offered.

"I don’t think your opinion is unbiased," she said disappearing into the bathroom. She came back and set up her make-up kit on the other side of the table where Jax was working. She shifted a little uncomfortably as she touched-up her face. "What are plans for today?"

Jax stretched and stifled a yawn, "If it’s all the same to you, I think that I’m going to catch up on some sleep."

She closed one eye as she applied her mascara. "Why didn’t you join me in slumber land?" She lowered her hand and shifted again.

"Because I can never sleep on planes. I caught up on a lot of work though. At least I won’t have to worry about any of that while we’re in Greece. What’s wrong with you?" he asked seeing her how uncomfortable she looked.

She finished her other eye and then recapped the tube. She tossed her hair back from her face and smiled. "I don’t think that you really want to know. But, Jax, you will have to excuse me of all propriety," she said as she reached behind her and unclasped her bra. "Now, that’s much better."

He stared at her for a long moment before laughing. "I’m sorry, Keesha, but sometimes the things you do are hilarious. Thank you."

She smiled at him. Why did she think that anything she could say or do would surprise him? "Why are you thanking me?"

"For making me laugh. It has been a long time since I’ve really done that on a regular basis. Where were you when I first came to town?" asked leaning on the table closer to her.

She smiled, "I was in Port Charles; I was there. And, for a while there, I was single. You just didn’t take advantage of that opportunity. I think that you were so caught up with other women, that you just didn’t notice my blinding beauty," she teased him.

He sighed. He knew that she was joking, but what she didn’t understand was that she was blindingly beautiful. "I know you don’t really mean what you are saying about yourself, but you are blindingly beautiful. Of course you say that my opinion is biased, but I’ll bet anybody will tell you that. Keesha, imagine how different life would be for us now had I noticed you and had you noticed me. I have a feeling this baby would not be our first, and we would be Mr. and Mrs. Jacks right now."

She placed her elbow on the table and supported her head with her hand and stared at him. "Jax, why are you doing this now? We can’t change the past. There is no way to go back and change any of that. We were both in love with other people most of the time. We didn’t run in the same circles. There was no way that could have happened."

He shook his head, "That’s not totally true. What about my almost wedding to Brenda? You were there, and I was there. You were beautiful, now that I remember. You helped my father; you were a good person. You thought about someone’s well being outside of your own. Why couldn’t I see how wonderful you were then?"

She smiled, "You only had eyes for one woman that day, Brenda. Are you trying to tell me that you would’ve traded your life with Brenda for what could have been with me? That’s what you’re doing, you know, with this little ‘what if’ game."

"I would for happiness with you," he said seriously. He had thought about this ever since he saw her in the PC Grille her first day back in town.

She shook her head; "You can’t mean that, Jax." She started thinking. Would she have done the same thing? Would she have traded sadness with Jason and AJ for happiness with him? Were those experiences necessary to make her the person she was today. And, what kind of person was that? One who couldn’t allow herself to ever fall in love again or be truly happy again, when the obvious key to that was sitting right in front of her? "Jax," she said shaking her head again, "you have to stop this. We can’t do this anymore. I can’t do this anymore."

He nodded as he sat back. "Fine." He had his answer; she wanted to be with him just as much as he wanted to be with her. He wanted to form a relationship with her, and if she needed time, he would just have to give it to her.

"That’s it, just ‘fine’?" she asked. "You will let this alone?"

"That’s what you want; that’s what I’ll give you. Are we going to be okay?"

She nodded. "We have to be," she said gently patting her stomach.

*****

Carly came home and found the penthouse completely dark. Johnny told her that Jason was home, but there was not a light on anywhere. She placed her bags on the floor near the door, and removed her coat and hung it in the closet. This was strange.

"Jason," she called out. "Are you here, honey?" She ventured forth and turned around in the living room. She saw him standing over by the window. "There you are. Why didn’t you answer me?"

He reached out a hand for her, and she went forward to take it. He was being really quiet, and she noticed that he had been for a while now. She caressed his face as he continued to stare out of the window. "What’s the matter, baby?" she cooed. "Just tell me."

He shook his head; "It’s nothing." He was lying to her. When he saw Keesha in the park, something happened, something had changed. He actually went up and talked to her because he wanted to, because he needed to, and he just didn’t understand why. Maybe Carly would understand. He thought about it. She wouldn’t understand. But, somebody had to. He needed to talk to somebody about this, and that somebody was definitely not Carly.

Deciding not to bother him anymore about that, she pressed herself against him and looked up into his face trying to meet his eyes. He was avoiding eye contact with her. Why? Was she losing him already? "I saw Michael today. He’s really enjoying time with his grandmother. Bobbie’s begging me to let him stay with her for a few more days. I’m tempted to let her, so that I can spend some more time alone with my new husband," she said placing her head against his chest.

"If Michael’s happy there, I don’t see anything wrong with that. I want to spend some more time alone with you, too," he said reassuring her. There was not reason to make her feel insecure in his love for her. He did love her, but he just couldn’t understand what was going on with him right now.

She smiled, "I’ll tell her tomorrow, but right now, I just want you to hold me." She would never lose Jason, never.

*****

Jax tipped the bellhop and joined Keesha in the bedroom once he had left. She was unpacking her things and carrying her toiletries into the bathroom. Jax all but collapsed on the bed. He had not gotten any sleep in along time. Life was just too busy for sleep.

Keesha looked at him on the bed when she came out of the bathroom. "Tired?" she asked.

"Very. I think I might be too tired to sleep. That has to be the worse feeling in the world. What about you?"

"I’m always tired and sleepy," she said laughing. "It doesn’t really matter that I get about ten hours of sleep a night; I could always go for twenty four," she said stretching out next to him.

He smiled at what she said. He looked down towards her stomach. In the stretch beige pants, he could see a tiny bulge of her stomach. "You’re starting to show," he said almost in awe of her.

She smiled and nodded. "I almost couldn’t get into these pants this morning or rather yesterday morning," she said "It’s a great thing that they can stretch a little more. It’s almost a little hard to believe, isn’t it?"

He could feel his eyes slowly closing. He nodded, "Yes, sometimes it is, but, I’m glad it’s real. I’ve always wanted a child, that’s why I laughed when you told me. That was the best news I had ever heard. Thank you again, Keesha," he said before falling completely asleep.

She looked over at him and smiled. "You’re welcome, Jax," she said softly and closed her own eyes in turn.

 *****

"Hi, Stefan," Alexis said as she looked up and saw him standing in front of her desk. She must be too busy if she didn’t notice that he came in. With threats from Helena every couple of days, she never was off her guard. She must be working too hard. She took off her glasses. "What can I do for you?"

"Hello, Alexis," he said sitting down in the chair in front of her desk. "I have learned that Mr. Jacks has left town. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you, Alexis?"

She tossed her hair back from her face. There was no way that she would be able to lie to Stefan about this; he would see right through her. He always did. "Yes, actually, I did know that he was leaving town. He is my friend you know. He gave this trip to Keesha as a present. You know that the two of them are together now."

He nodded, "So, I have gathered. What is the extent of their relationship? It is nothing serious, is it?"

Well, she thought, she might as well tell him. Everyone would know soon. "Keesha’s pregnant, Stefan, and Jax is the father."

He was definitely not expecting that. "She is going to have his baby. Are you certain about this, Alexis?"

She nodded, "I got it straight from them. I assure you, I had no idea that they had a relationship like this. It seems, though, she has no wish to get married right now."

Stefan nodded. "I am sure that she is strong-willed and can take care of herself. But, against someone like Jax, I am not so sure. Whatever he wants her to do, I am sure that she will do it. She will not be able to withstand his charms forever."

Alexis knew that Stefan was right. She had almost fallen under them herself, and he wasn’t even trying to get her. Even Helena was a sucker for him. Keesha didn’t stand a chance, and she was glad of it. They both made each other happy even if one of them wasn’t ready to admit it. She couldn’t let Stefan know she was happy though. "I don’t know about that. She’s a Cassadine, and she was raised by the Wards. I think that it will be very difficult for Jax to get to her, if that is what you think he is trying to do."

"Don’t you, Alexis?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I don’t know what he would seek to gain by doing this. I think he genuinely cares about her. But, don’t worry, Stefan, I will look after her and make sure she is not hurt by him."

Stefan nodded. That is exactly what he expected Alexis to do. "Good, Alexis. Make sure no harm comes to her or her child. Good day," he said leaving.

Alexis slouched back in her chair and sighed. Law school was paying off more and more everyday. She shook her head. What would happen when all this came out? She really didn’t want to know.