Ch 22
Ned looked startled. He had heard stories about Jerry being intimidating. However, up until now he had never really believed them. Why did Jerry Jacks feel he could push Ned around? "He wants to be alone." Ned informed Jerry.
"That wasn’t going to stop you from knocking." Jerry answered amused but slightly annoyed.
Ned didn’t have an answer for that. "We should both go then."
Jerry laughed. "Now you are Jax’ keeper?" How ironic was that? "I doubt he would have hired you for the job. Now scam." Jerry gave Ned a dismissing wave.
Ned didn’t budge. First their pre ball party was called off, then V ran off, then Chloe ran off, then Alexis ran off and now he was being dismissed? That wasn’t going to happen.
Jerry would have stayed to irritate Ned more, however, he was wasting precious seconds. He needed to talk to Jax, before the ball. He knocked once and used his key to unlock the penthouse. After quickly opening the door, he entered, closed the door, locked it, dead bolted it and closed the chain. Nobody was getting in until after he was done with Jax.
"What are you doing here?" Jax asked from across the room.
Jerry hadn’t expected a warm welcome. "We need to talk." He answered simply.
"About?" Jax asked sure that he knew the answer.
"V." Jerry answered.
The answer didn’t shock Jax. Had he been right all along? One evening with V and Jerry already had feelings for her? "What about her?" Jax asked hoping he was wrong.
Jerry wasn’t exactly at a loss for words. That never happened to him. However, he didn’t exactly know how to ask the question. He thought for a moment. How could he ask the question without being glaringly obvious? "What are your feelings for her?"
Jax didn’t blink. Jerry had no reason to ask that, unless… "What are yours?"
---
Chloe took Simon to the bar. "What are we going to do now?" She fumed.
"About what, Chloe?" Simon asked more than a little confused.
"Jax is in love with her. At least he thinks he is." Chloe answered. How did she end up befriending an imbecile like Simon?
"She isn’t speaking to him." Simon reminded Chloe.
"Why aren’t you taking advantage of that? You should be with V trying to win her over. You should be trying to pick her up off the rebound." Chloe tried to shoo Simon away as she spoke.
Simon shook his head. He wanted V, however, he wanted her to be interested in him for the right reasons. "She has been hurt. She needs some time alone."
Chloe glared at him. Why did she trust him in the first place? "Fine. Give her some time alone. She might think you were pushing if you went to her now. In the mean time, we need to find a way to make Jax notice me."
Simon almost laughed. It seemed like she had tried everything in her bag of tricks since the moment she first met Jax. "I imagine you have some sort of plan."
Chloe smiled. "You know me so well. I do." She became increasingly bubbly as she reviewed her plan in her head.
"Are you going to tell me about it?" Simon asked almost afraid the answer would be yes.
"Well of course. How would you know what to do if I didn’t tell you?" Chloe shook her head in amusement.
Simon groaned. "Tell me."
---
After leaving Ned, Alexis went down to the lobby. If V were upset, crying, where would she go? After a moments thought she headed straight for the ladies room. "V, are you in here?" She asked softly as she entered the room with the stalls.
V tried to remain as quiet as possible. She didn’t want to see anybody. Alexis was no exception. She sat staring at the door of her stall as silent as possible. However, she couldn’t control her sniffles.
Alexis heard the evidence of the crying woman. Lowering her head to look underneath the stalls, she spotted a pair of red high heals. "Nice shoes, V." She said softly. "Come out and we can talk."
V groaned. She should have put her feet up. "What good will it do?" She sobbed. "You would have more fun upstairs with Jax and Ned." Nobody wanted to be around her, why should Alexis by any different?
"Jax isn’t accepting visitors and Ned can hold his own for a while." Alexis replied.
"Just go." V said in the firmest tone she could muster.
"I am more stubborn than that V. Come out and talk to me." She said in a much firmer voice. She lightened her tone a little before continuing. "You know the really neat thing about the restrooms in expensive hotels? They have lounges with couches and coffee. Why don’t you come join me? It has to be more comfortable out here than it is in the stall."
"And have the better half of Port Charles walk in here and see me crying, no thanks." V said stubbornly. Sure the stall was uncomfortable but it was much better than humiliation.
Alexis considered her statement. "It also has a dead bolt. I will lock the door."
V wished Alexis could see the incredulous look on her face. "You can’t lock the public restroom in this hotel."
Alexis smiled. "Sure I can. I know the owner. Come out, V." Alexis pleaded.
God that woman was stubborn, V thought. She slowly opened the door and walked to the next room with the couches. "What?" She asked as she sat down and found a pillow to hold close to her body.
Alexis sat next to her on the couch but turned her head so she could see V’s eyes. "Why don’t you tell me?"