Risk

Chapter LXXVI

There are some that actually like sleeping in the nude. Oftering up the rationalization of the egyptian cotton or the silk sheets being the only bedclothes they needed. Alexis is not one of those people. No matter how many times Jax would fling her nightgown across the room before she could get back to sleep she'd slide it back on. Many a morning since that night on the plane flying to Greece though she'd woke with her nightie up around her waist and a hand, not her own, between her thighs. She stretches sliding her hand down Jax's arm and presses his hand harder and deeper to her.

"Good Morning." The gravel is in Jax's voice. He presses a kiss to the back of her shoulder. Her only answer is a low moan as his fingers go to work.

"Oh horrors! Horrors! Horrors!" Elton exclaims as he steps off the elevator. The chaos of the previous day is sorta out of sight but he knows where to look so he sees the elements of stash and dash.

"I did the best I could." The temp rises to her feet from behind Elton's desk. Her voice is a little defensive. "Mrs Corinthos seemed okay with my work."

"Honey, if Mrs C didn't burn the place down then you know you did just fine. But I'm back now and we're going to do much better than okay. Oh Good! The coffee is on." Elton pours himself a cup and brings the pot over to the secretary to top off her cup. "Now lets see what we can push on out of here before Mrs C ever hits the door, shall we?"

"Mrs Corinthos made a point of setting this aside for you." The secretary pulls a folder out of the in box. "It's something that Lucky found. It's the result of that audit that Mr Cassadine requested but there is no result in it."

"Well isn't that just a puzzle." Elton opens up the folder to peruse the skimpy contents. "I'm sure that accounting has another copy. We'll take care of that as soon as they get into the office. Should be just a phone call and a fax." He shrugs one shoulder and then gets down to work.

Over a cup of coffee and while still in her robe, Elizabeth goes thru The Herald want ads. She reluctantly circles a few here and a few there. Everything is paid for at the house... well mostly paid. There's no rent but there are expenses. She'd never realized how much. Gram sent some money of course, but since Gram doesn't know about the job situation; it was enough to keep the lights on and keep Gatsby in cat chow. If she's going to dine on anything other than Ramen noodles morning, noon and night then a job is definitely in her future. And then there are the school loans...
She has a bit of grace period but why wait for something to sneak up and bite her in the butt?! Been there and done that and am still paying for it. Elizabeth thinks and then winces. Am I going to be able to use Bobbie for a reference? And if I do will I even get to an interview? So many of the places hiring were out automatically. Not a chance in hell of getting the data entry job at the Morgan Corinthos warehouse for example. She puts an X thru that ad. Trying to get on at the hospital is kinda iffy. Grandpa would get her foot in the door despite the fact she has zero inclination and talk about a hostile working environment: Gia's mom works admin, Cassadine run the place and Bobbie is a powerhouse on the nursing services side. Liz Xs thru those ads. Here is something-- receptionist for an interior design firm. Hopefully she could forget all about putting Kelly's down and just go with her work for Chloe. That decided she puts the paper down and starts racing around the house to get ready to get the great job. "It's not the first time you've started over, Elizabeth. You can do this."

Lucas races off the launch with a wave and a "See ya!" toward the school bus stop nearest to the landing above the Elm St pier. Stefan is next off the launch and reaches back to offer Barbara a hand steadying her as she steps onto the pier. Together they walk to the waiting car that will take them to General Hospital. Stefan wonders yet again at the changes in his life since his brother's return. He makes no effort to deceive himself. This is not what Stavros had in mind. Just because things appeared to be going well didn't mean that they couldn't change at any time. All it would take is the destruction of Caroline's and Stavros... laison and havoc would insue rippling out to take down most of Port Charles.

"It was good to have Michael this weekend." Bobbie interrupts Stefan's thoughts. Then she adds wryly. "I don't know how long I'm going to be able to keep Lucas in public schools though with all the stories that Michael tells."

"That would be no loss." Stefan sniffs his distain of the public school system in Port Charles well known.

"Don't be a snob." Bobbie rebukes him mildly but winces since gradually she is coming around to the same point of view. She frowns.

"What is it?" Stefan notices immediately that Bobbie is troubled.

"Something is going on at school. Lucas used to love going to school and I think this whole thing with Michael is more a symptom than anything else. He's been distracted. His grades..."

Stefan frowns as well. "Barbara, the boy works on his school work every evening. He works on it instead of viewing television or those inane videogames since that is the compromise we made so he could ride while it was still light outside."

"I think I'm going to schedule a conference with his teacher." Bobbie glances down at her watch. "I'll call her once I get to the hospital."

There is a soft rap on the door then Andreas enters the master suite. He sets up the coffee service and small breakfast with the local and Ugandan newspaper and Alexis' current folder of projects. The quiet bustle brings Alexis out of her half doze. Sitting up in bed she reaches for her robe making sure she is covered before leaving the bed to go over to the table. Andreas pours her a cup of coffee and doctors it the way she prefers and then steps back to straighten the room while Madam has her first cup of coffee. Once the coffee is consumed, only then would the plan for the day be formulated.

Alexis opens her projects folder. If Andreas brought it then it meant that Jax is not in the house. "Where is Jax?"

"Your husband left this morning in his running attire. I believe he intended to meet a Mr Thaao Pappas at the gym and then breakfast with his brother out."

Alexis nods. "What did Stavros have to say?"

"Nothing of signifcance, Madam. I informed him that your marriage..."

"Was consumated." Alexis suggests with a raised brow.

"That you have fulfilled your obligation to the family." Andreas counters.

"That's one way of putting it." Alexis mutters. She can tell that Andreas has something to say. "Yes?"

"When will Madam wish to go thru the house to assess what it needs. And there are menus..."

Alexis groans. "This is such bull.... look you do the menus. If Jax wants anything special we'll let you know or go out. And as for the house..." Alexis sighs. "After I've had my coffee."

"Of course, Madam." Once the bed is remade, Andreas sets out the clothes that Alexis will be wearing. Then he leaves with the soiled linens. As soon as possible he'd be taking on staff so that these chores would be left to the maid.

Kristina glances down at her watch. Right on time The instructions that the new client had given her were excellent she'd found the house easily. She rings the doorbell and then turns around on the front step to look at the view of Port Charles below them. It must look amazing at night. She hears the door open and turns around to greet her customer but it isn't who she is expecting. It is who she should have expected. "You." Kristina shakes her head. "I was wondering when you were going to get around to me."

"Then you should have your accounting ready."

"I don't owe you anything-- let alone an accounting." Kristina counters throwing her straight red hair back behind her shoulder.
"As long as you are using the name Cassadine we disagree." Stavros steps back from the door. "Come in."

Said the spider to the fly Kristina winces at the automatic thought but then steps across the threshold. Stavros shuts the door behind her. "Nice place." Kristina comments. "Do you actually need an interior designer or was that just a subterfuge? Bait for the trap."

"Caroline may avail herself of your services... or not." Stavros leads the way to the study and takes a seat behind the desk letting Kristina find her own seat or stand. It is of no interest to him. He opens the folder sitting on the desk and starts reading aloud. "Kristina Carter..."

"Cassadine." Kristina interrupts.

"That has yet to be proven to my satisfaction." Stavros continues on with the dossier which includes everything from her adoptive parents on. Kristina realizes this is going to take awhile and with a sigh takes a seat across from the desk.

Alexis looks over her shoulder and then sighs with relief. She's lost him. Andreas had driven her to Wyndams to pick up a few things for the house but if she didn't get some real clothes she was going to go insane. She feels her hands tighten into fists as she feels it again. This is something she is not used to. Something she didn't like. It brings back too many memories of that Eddie's Angel fiasco. She can feel guys staring at her. Of course that is Andreas' intention. Well maybe even Stavros-- who knows? A constant reminder that she is female and how base men are. She couldn't blame it on her marriage to Jax cause Andreas had started back on the yacht when the clothes she'd been provided could only be considered... girly.
The heels are a little too high, the dresses and skirts a little too short, just a smidge tight. Not tight really but fitted to her form. The outfit Andreas picked out today is the perfect example. A sweater wrap dress. Sounds innocent enough. Perfect for the early spring weather. But no... no matter how much you adjusted-- it shows off a little too much cleavage, a little too much knee... although it isn't so short she has to worry about showing off the tops of her thigh highs. The clothes aren't slutty just... girly.

She gathers some jeans, sweats and casual clothes in her size and takes them to the checkout. She looks over her shoulder again wondering when Andreas is going to show up. After everything is rung up the clerk requests her credit card that she'd been tapping impatiently on the counter. The clerk swipes the card and waits for approval. She smiles at Alexis. "Sorry the system is a little slow today." Then she looks down at the screen. "I'm sorry... " She reads the card. "Ms Davis. This card has been declined."

"That's impossible!" Alexis protests. "I don't have time for this."

"Perhaps another card?" The clerk suggests.

Alexis digs thru her purse and comes up with another card and hands it over to the clerk. They repeat the approval process and Alexis has a feeling even before the clerk shakes her head. "I know what is going on. I apologize for wasting your time." Alexis walks away. "And I'm going to kill him."

"Elton?" Carly comes out of her office to verify something fast. She could have called but she actually wanted to stretch her legs those few steps from her tiny office to the spacious foyer. "Where's Elton?"

"Elton had to go down to accounting on that folder you gave him. He tried to deal with it over the phone but didn't have any luck." The secretary fills Carly in.

"Oh." Carly frowns. "Weird." The she shakes her head. "I really didn't need Elton. Could you take care of these for me?" Carly hands over a folder. "They all need to be faxed to Nikolas." She looks down at her watch. "Best bet would be the hotel in Detroit. You might want to check their itinerary to get the number. Ten cities in fourteen days. They are both gonna be so worthless the first day back."

"I'll take care of it."

"I'm sure they are at a gig so I'm not expecting a reply right away. Fact I'd prefer if I didn't-- that way I can find out how it went." Carly grins.

Kristina stops by her brother's office at General Hospital on the way back from the lab. She knocks on the door. "You busy?"

"Too busy for you? Never." Stefan comes to his feet and then around the desk giving Kristina a kiss on both cheeks. "How was Alexis? I tried to call her but there was no answer at the house. I was going to stop by today."

Kristina grabs a corner of Stefan's desk and hops on top of it. "You still should and she looks good." Stefan looks at her disbelieving. "No, I mean it. She looks good. She and Jax honeymooned on an island in the Aegean off of Greece." Kristina makes a face. "Something that Stavros pulled out from under Jax."

Stefan nods ruefully. "Ah. Yes, I'm familiar with that holding. I should have guessed. It shows what passes for Stavros' twisted wit."

Kristina nods her head consideringly then tilts her head to the side. "Does anyone tell Stavros no? I mean really?"

Stefan straightens and walks over to Kristina grabbing her by the upper arm and staring into her eyes. "He's made contact with you."

Kristina slowly grins and laughs knowing that the joke is on her. "Yeah, and I walked right into it."

"Did he hurt you?"

"Oh no. He was very polite, very regal-- really. If I hadn't heard stories from just about everyone in town... I'd think he was sane."

"What did he want?"

"An accounting."

Stefan winces. Another thing he should have known. He'd been too busy with Barbara and Lucas. It shouldn't have been at Kristina's expense. Stefan goes around to the other side of the desk and pulls out his checkbook. "Anywhere you want to go. Money is no object. I will have papers made for you."

Kristina shakes her head. "He's not going to come after me."

"Kristina, you can't..." Stefan says impatiently.

She holds up a hand to stop him from going any further. "He made his position super clear, Stefan. He has no beef with Kristina Carter."

Stefan's eyes narrow not believing a word of it. "And..."

"So I was just down in the DNA lab giving them a cheek swab. If I want to be a Cassadine then I have to prove it."

"You don't have to prove anything!"

"He did." Kristina says flatly. "In order to reclaim the estate. He had to prove that he was a Cassadine, the Cassadine, to the lawyers in Switzerland." She pauses and then reaches out to touch Stefan's face. "I love that you and my sister took me on faith. But what he is asking for isn't unreasonable."

Stefan reaches for the phone. "Don't do it." He starts to call the lab to cancel the test. Kristina stays his hand. "You are my sister. You have nothing to prove-- to me, to Alexis, to Nikolas. Be Kristina Carter. Alexis would advise you the same."

"Probably perfectly good advice." Kristina agrees.

Stefan closes his eyes. "And you aren't going to take it."

"Nope."

Andreas runs into Alexis as she is heading out the doors of Wyndam's and barely has time to open the door for her before she storms thru. "Is there a problem, Madam?"

"Take me to see Stavros. Now." Alexis says flatly.

"Madam...."

"Now, Andreas." Andreas again rushes to open the door before Alexis reaches it and climbs into the car.

Andreas climbs in behind the wheel. He starts up the engine and then looks in the rear view mirror to where Alexis sits. He feels like he should try one more time... "Perhaps I could be of assistance, Madam." He says hesitantly not moving the car from park.

Alexis glares at him and then out the window. She admits then. "He cancelled my credit cards."

"Madam... The Prince doesn't know anything about your credit cards."

Alexis snorts. "Yeah right."

"Madam, I closed your accounts.... they no longer match your change in status. I've requested your new cards. They should be arriving any day."

"You did what?!" Alexis shoots him a glare that could immolate.

Andreas feels the flames around him and shifts uneasily. "I apologize if I overstepped, Madam. I had no idea you wanted to purchase any personal items today and hope you will forgive me for any embarrassment you've suffered because of my error." Andreas abases himself with the skill and ease of long practice.

Alexis eyes narrow. "Exactly what change of status?"

"Your marriage, Madam. All your identification was under the name of Davis. While the Price had yet to notice, I believe..."

"Enough." Alexis holds up a hand in a halting motion and closes her eyes and rests her head back against the plush upholstery.

"Home, Madam?"

"No, I still want to see Stavros."

Now what y'all think about that?! Hmm I think that maybe Jax would want to know what his wife is up to. But that is just me. Or is it? Let me know what you think... here or at dswanson97123@yahoo.com

Deb

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