Chapter 8: What a coincidence…
“Uh, you know this really isn’t what I expected for a first date,” Courtney claimed as she watched the jet landing on the launch a few yards away from her.
“Why? Do you get airsick? You look great by the way.” Brady said, standing next to her.
“No. And thanks. In that order.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Courtney shrugged maladroitly. “I don’t know. It’s just that I expected coffee, lunch, or dinner. Not a plane ticket to a foreign country.”
“I prefer not to be too original,” he claimed.
“Obviously.” Courtney put a hand on his arm. “Look this is really nice of you, but I can’t just hop on a plane and--.”
“Why not?”
“I hardly know you.”
“That’s supposed to be your good excuse?”
“No. It’s just the only one I can think of right about now.”
“Hey Courtney.” Tom came up from behind, with a load of baggage on his hand. “You two better start getting on the plane.”
“Tom, you’re coming too?” Courtney asked confusedly.
“Of course. I don’t trust Brady with my jet.” Tom grinned at his frowning friend.
“I don’t understand. I thought you offered me a job--.”
“As a personal assistant,” Tom finished. “Yes, and its good to know that you’re not late on your first day. Tardiness is an awful start; trust me, I know. Anyways, your probably very confused at this moment.” Courtney nodded. “Well,” Tom rejoined, “I have to get to Europe for business. During this time I want you to not only come along but also to handle my stocks, check how they’re doing. There all stored in a laptop, which is already stored inside the plane. You get off at 5 o’clock. But the time zone’s might change since we’re heading farther east. You do the math. I hope your intentions are to get all the work I’ve planned out for you completed. And don’t let Brady over here distract you. He has the tendency to do that.” With that Tom nodded at Brady and made his way towards the airliner.
“So you know my boss?”
Brady nodded. “We’re friends. But I’m not in this trip for him.”
Tom’s Jet
8:32 a.m.
Alexis continued to mumble to herself as she got on the plane. She looked around at the empty leather-interior seats; she saw Tom sitting next to Gia and called him over.
Tom walked over towards Alexis’s seat on the very back and kneeled his elbow on the seat in front of her. “Glad you could make it.”
“I hate doing this,” she alleged.
“Why? Because of Jax?” Tom rolled his eyes. “You told him you were going on a business trip, that’s not a lie Alexis. Plus you’re a certified lawyer, you have the right to lie if you wanted to.”
“Excluding me, are you and Gia the only other passengers?” She asked, ignoring his last comment.
“No. Three more people are going to tag along.”
“Terrific,” she said bluntly, “Is it safe for you to invite other people without protection.”
“You mean like body-guards?” Tom arched his temple. “Alexis what do I look like, Sonny Corinthos? Besides, Luke’s the target. No one’s after me. As long as I keep it that way, we’re safe. So just sit back, and don’t worry your pretty little head about a thing. That is unless I get arrested or something like that.”
Alexis wagged her index finger. “First off, my head is not little, at least not figuratively.”
Tom put both of his hands up. “Of course. Please forgive me.”
She ignored the amusement behind his voice. “And secondly, remember my circumstances. One week. That’s the only amount of time I’m agreeing to assist you legally on this case.”
Tom shook his head and began to head back to his seat. “And third,” Alexis called.
“Ah, third times a charm,” Tom grunted, turning around.
“I trust that you know what your doing, Tom. It’s most likely that many of my clients don’t.”
Carly’s house
“So any more lies you’ve been stashing away, or is this it?” Zander asked irately as he watched Carly get her luggage together.
Carly zipped up the last of her baggage. “Zander, I don’t have time for this. I have to catch the cab. I know you’re mad because I didn’t tell you about this whole Luke situation. What did you expect me to say? ‘Another Spencer faked their death.’ Besides, this doesn’t concern you and I didn’t want to put you in the middle of anything.”
“And this concerns you?”
“In a way.” Carly shook her head, hesitatingly. “Okay. I know that I lie to you. But that’s the kind of person I am, Zander. Alright. I told you that a long time ago. I can’t change. I can try to mature but---it’s a bad habit, but its part of who I am.”
Zander nodded negatively. “Lying is part of who you are?”
“Yes!” Carly screeched. “And if you can’t accept that about me, then--.”
“Then what?”
“Then maybe we should end this.”
Back at the Jet
8:44 a.m.
“Thanks for giving me a lift.” Gia said to the man sitting next to her.
“No problem,” Tom grinned. “What?” He asked at Gia’s curious face.
“It just seem too coincidental how we both are going to the same country at the same time.”
“For different reasons,” Tom reminded.
“That’s right. What kind of business are you doing in France? And you never told me why Hannah Scott was after you?”
“Hey,” Tom held up a hand, “What’s with all the questions?”
“There wouldn’t be any if you could just answer a few.”
“Gia,” he sighed, “Remember when we first met, we agreed there would be things about eachother that we would never discuss.” Gia nodded. “Well this is one of those times.”
“Tom, your not in trouble are you?” Gia asked in a worried tone.
“No. It’s not exactly me who’s in trouble.” Tom shook his head. “You’re going to meet Lucky and Daisy in France?” Gia nodded. “I guess he wants you back.”
“What?” Gia’s eyes broadened.
“C’mon Gia, isn’t it obvious. Lucky, that’s his name right? Wants you back and as more than just Daisy’s mother. And if I didn’t know better I’d say you might want him back.”
“You’re right. You don’t know any better.” Gia closed her eyes for a fast second and sighed as she looked out the window with a grimace.
“Still afraid of flying.” Tom grinned.
“No!” She scowled.
Tom let out a light burst of laughter. “Yes you are. That’s why your grimacing.”
“No.” Gia put back. “I’m grimacing at the thought of Dillon house-sitting.”
Tom’s drained his laughter. “Relax the plane hasn’t even begun moving yet.”
“Daisy was raving about you yesterday,” Gia interleaved into the conversation.
“Who wouldn’t?” Tom said coolly and detected Gia’s mouth opening. “Never mind, don’t answer that.” Tom tilted his head back and saw Brady and Courtney getting their seats.
“Everything okay?” Gia asked, noticing the fiddle in his hands.
“Oh, yeah. “Just waiting for one more person. Oh well, I’m sure we have a few more minutes.” Tom said, looking back at her. “You know, Daisy’s a wonderful kid.” Gia nodded. “But then again, with a mother like you why wouldn’t she be.”
“Oh please.” Gia said wearyingly but blushed in concord.
“Mr. Hardy.” The pilot called from the intercom.
“Yes?” Tom asked.
“I just wanted to inform you that we’ll lifting in approximately 11 minutes.”
Outside the plane
Brady took the stairway down the plane to pick up one of Courtney’s suitcases.
“You again,” said a feminine voice.
He looked up and smiled. “Me again.”
“What a coincidence,” Carly smiled, “I was just looking for someone to take my baggage.” She joked.
“Hey. You made it.”
“Were you expecting me?”
“Tom said you were coming,” he clarified.
“You know Tom?” Brady nodded. “Is this some kind of a set-up or something. If you know Tom why didn’t I meet you the same time I met him or why didn’t one of you tell me-.”
“Hold on now.” Brady said, trying to make her patient. “I didn’t even know that you knew Tom until this morning. So relax.” He said taking her baggage along with Courtney’s.
“Thanks. I’m sorry about that, my day hasn’t started off that great.”
“Its okay. I’ve been there. C’mon, their waiting for us.” He nudged towards the jet.
Back Inside
“Carly?” Courtney moped as she put down the paper and looked up at her brother’s ex-wife.
“Courtney?” Carly said in tone just as surprised as hers.
“You two know eachother?” Brady asked, in between the two women.
“Unfortunately,” Courtney pouted.
Carly sighed hoarsely. “Can this day get any worse?” She slammed her purse on the closest window seat and looked up.
“Carly.” Alexis said two seats behind.
“Alexis!” Carly exclaimed.
Feeling tension in the air, Brady stood in the middle as both woman looked at eachother with fiery and surprise.
“Hey Brady!” Tom called from all the way up front. “Move aside, man. This can turn out to be one hell of cat fight!”