After her initial shock and early morning haze wore off, Alexis remembered the events of the night. They left late the night before and flew to his Alaskan home. Of course, because all of the Jacks believed their marriage to be real, they had to share a bedroom. Jax insisted that he sleep on the floor. He had no intention of making the trip any more uncomfortable than it had to be.
Alexis smiled as she recalled the image of Jax trying to find a comfortable position on the floor. She never planned to let him sleep there, but she enjoyed watching him squirm. Dealing with a little discomfort was the least he could do for dragging her to Alaska in December. When she started to feel herself drift off, she invited Jax to share the bed. They were adults. They should be able to easily engineer a few nights in the same bed.
They were both so exhausted that it wasn't a problem. Each drifted off to sleep within five minutes. However, now Alexis wasn't so sure that it was a good idea. She had no great desire to get up and see what sadistic activities Lady Jane had planned for the day. With any luck her grand surprise would be that she had upped the morning run from five to ten k. However, she didn't really want to wake Jax up by tossing and turning either.
Reluctantly she got up and dressed for the day. She would have to face her mother in law eventually. She might as well do it sooner rather than later. Besides she was pretty sure she wanted Jax well rested so he could help her survive any future family activities.
Entering the kitchen she saw Lady Jane sitting at the dinette enjoying her post run morning coffee. Alexis smiled. Things were looking up. "Good morning. Nice run?"
"Oh yes darling. You should come next time. It is so refreshing to run when the weather is brisk like it is this time of year." Lady Jane beamed as she sipped her coffee.
Brisk? What did she consider cold? Antarctica? Alexis wondered as she looked out the window and studied the frozen landscape. The snow and ice certainly provided a stark contrast to her Christmas memories from her childhood on the island. There would be no visits to the beach this year.
"I hope you don't mind that I went without you. You and Jasper arrived so late last night, I didn't want to wake you."
Thank God! Alexis thought relieved. She wondered what possible excuses she could come up with to be too tired to run for the rest of the mornings she was here. "What are your plans for this morning?" She hoped none of them involved mountain climbing.
"Jax said that you needed to do some shopping. I thought you would like to come with me. I know where all the best stores are. Besides it will give us a nice opportunity to bond." Jane beamed at the idea of spending a day participating in one of her favorite activities with her favorite daughter in law.
Shopping, how bad could that be? "I would like that." Alexis smiled. When her mother in law wasn't trying to turn her into Laura Croft from tomb raider, she truly enjoyed the woman's company. "When do we leave?"
"No time like the present." Lady Jane said as she got up from the table. "We can leave the men notes telling them where we are. I am sure John has big plans for his son today, as well."
Alexis looked puzzled. "I thought you had some big surprise that everybody had to be together for this morning."
Lady Jane smiled. "Well of course, I needed you here today to make sure you were here and ready in plenty of time for the surprise. I didn't say that the surprise was for today." She hoped Alexis and Jax wouldn't mind terribly when she sprung it on them.
"And when is this surprise?" Alexis wanted to be prepared for it. The more she knew the more prepared she would be.
"All in good time, Alexis." Jane smiled.
Within an hour the pair had arrived at the mall. "I do not know what you are looking for. Is there any place in particular you would like to stop?" Jane asked Alexis. She had no intention of completely dominating the trip.
Alexis shrugged. Ordinarily she hated shopping without a plan, especially amongst the holiday crowd. However, not being familiar with the mall and not really knowing what gifts she should buy she had no opinion to offer. "I will let you know if I see something."
"Very well." Jane said as she hurried off to the first shop she saw. She disliked the holiday crowds as well and with in a few hours they had efficiently covered all the promising stores and with each others help had found perfect gifts for everybody on their lists. "Now that we have done for others I believe it is time that we did for ourselves." Lady Jane announced with a triumphant smile as she reached the car.
The idea sounded promising. However, Alexis had no idea what the other woman had in mind. "What do you have planned?"
"I will tell you over lunch. I for one am famished." The car pulled up to her favorite restaurant and the pair went inside. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" Jane asked after they had taken their seats and ordered drinks.
All in all it wasn't. Alexis thought. They managed to get everything done in record time, even in crowded holiday stores. Aside from Lady Jane's look of longing every time they passed a pregnant woman or a baby, the trip was painless. "I had a good time."
"Not nearly as good a time as you will have this afternoon." She passed a brouchure to her daughter in law.
Alexis read the material she had just been handed. "We are going to a spa?"
"There is nothing like a mud bath, a seaweed wrap, and a massage to make the season's stresses melt away."
Alexis smiled. She couldn't agree more. "When do we leave?"
"We have one stop to make first." Jane announced as their food arrived.
"And that is?" Alexis dreaded what the next plan was. The day had been so perfect.
"We are going to do a little shopping for ourselves. I love my husband. However, he has never quite figured out what I like. The man can make a million dollars in an afternoon. However, he cannot buy a decent Christmas present for his wife. You would think that after so many years together he would have the hang of it, but no. Last year I received a new bathrobe and golf shoes. Both of them were nice, but they lacked flair. So, every year I treat myself to one or two new holiday dresses, a new piece of jewelry and a day of relaxation at the spa. I do hope you agree to join me. It will be so much fun doing this with somebody else for a change. I love my boys; but they just don't appreciate a good girls day out."
Alexis laughed. Knowing how much Lady Jane loved to shop she could just imagine the woman hoping for a daughter to take with her. "How are we going to get that done and still have time for the spa? The mall is only going to get more crowded as the day progresses." Alexis loved the idea of treating herself to some new things. However she dreaded going back to the insanity that was holiday shopping.
"Of course, darling. That is the reason we are avoiding the mall." She smiled.
"That explains everything." Alexis answered sarcastically as she finished her meal.
--
Soon the pair were shopping in a row of shops located in the historic section of the next town over. Only a few customers browsed in each of the lovely upscale shops. "How do these places stay in business? This is one of the busiest shopping days of the year. This place is deserted."
"Of course it is dear. My ladies club rents this strip out for today. We pay a handsome fee to be able to treat ourselves in peace. Now, let's get to it." She answered as she began sorting through the racks. We will have many people dropping by tomorrow, and we have a few drop-ins to go to. Don't even look at the prices. Simply find something that is elegant, graceful and comfortable. Looking and feeling great is the only way to survive the holiday rounds." Jane pulled out several dresses for herself and a few more for Alexis.
After the women each picked out a pair of dresses the shops seamstress marked the dresses for alterations. "I thought you said at least one of these dresses was for tomorrow. How will we wear them if they are being altered?" Alexis asked curiously. She loved that the shop provided the service. However, it seemed impractical for dresses that had to be ready in less than twenty-four hours.
"Have no fear dear. The dresses will be delivered by breakfast. Both of the ones you picked out were lovely. I especially love the evening gown. You must have Jasper take you someplace exotic for New Years. Now, for jewelry." She announced as she went off to the shop next door. After trying on several rings and a few diamond necklaces, Lady Jane insisted upon buying her daughter in law a diamond and sapphire tennis bracelet. "It will match the dress splendidly." She glowed. "Now to the spa."
--
While relaxing in their individual mud baths thetwo had time to talk. Lady Jane told Alexis of the Jacks family traditions. John always hired somebody to make reindeer noises on the roof, even long after the boys stopped believing. In turn the boys always went downstairs and moved things around so their parents would bump into things and make noise while they were putting out the gifts.
Alexis marveled at the amount of love she heard in the older woman's voice as she spoke of the exploits of her mischievous oldest son. In the Quartermaine and Cassadine families, when one member was incapacitated due to imprisonment, illness, or anything else the other family members worked to cut ties with the member who needed them most. It became obvious to Alexis that like Jax, Lady Jane and John would do anything to help their son.
Not only would they give up everything they had to help Jerry. They would do the same for her. Lady Jane had spent the entire day and a countless amount of money trying to make Alexis feel like part of the family. Her brother, on the other hand, stopped speaking to her for nothing. The contrast was striking.
Alexis sighed. Soon the marriage scam would be over. After a quick uncontested divorce she and Jax would be free to be with Ned and Chloe. However, for the first time, she wasn't in a hurry for that day. She found herself dreading the day she would leave the family. Trying to enjoy the time she had left, Alexis began trying to figure out Lady Jane's surprise.