Thomas had walked over to the window to watch the private plane taxi to the gate. It was already dark in Port Charles by the time Jax and Brenda arrived, so the reflection of the terminal lights on the shiny surface of the plane was to be expected. As he saw the door of the plane open, Thomas started out the door to meet his friends. When he saw first Jax and then Brenda come down the stairs and wrap their arms around each other, he couldn’t resist the urge to smile. The young couple coming toward him looked nothing like the couple he had seen just three weeks ago. They were totally relaxed and deeply tanned. Obviously they had put their time to good use. He also noticed something different about them as they got closer to him. There was a definite air of purpose about them. He quickly realized that not only had they taken time to rest and relax while they had been away, but they had obviously decided it was time to take action.

Thomas opened the door for Jax and Brenda as they got to the terminal. “Hello, you two. I don’t even need to ask how the trip went. You two look terrific!” Thomas hugged Jax and then Brenda. When he hugged Brenda she stood up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. “What was that for?” He looked startled by Brenda’s kiss.

“That was for everything you did to get the house ready for us! Thomas, I don’t know how you did it, but everything was perfect! There is no way we can ever thank you for what you did!” Brenda hugged him again. When she pulled away and went back over to Jax she quickly wrapped one arm around him again. When he looked down at her he could see the beginning of tears in her eyes. Jax pulled her closer to him but didn’t say anything, giving her a chance to regain control of her emotions.

“She’s right, mate. Everything was perfect – not just the house. I have been meaning to ask you though, how did you get everyone to come back to work for us? After all, they did find themselves suddenly unemployed the last time.”

“Actually, it wasn’t all that hard. I got in touch with Charles when I first got out there, and he was eager to come back to work for you two. He gave me the list of previous employees and even volunteered to make the calls. He came back to me about an hour later and said that everyone was eager to come back, and they all gave notice to their current employers that they were leaving immediately. I have to tell you, Jax, you have a very loyal staff at that house. Not one of them had any qualms about returning to work for you. They are an amazing group of people.”

“No argument from me about that! I tell you, Thomas, it was like nothing had happened! Everything looked and felt just like it did the last time we were there. Right, Brenda?” Jax smiled as he looked down at Brenda.

Brenda looked first up at Jax and then over to Thomas. “Absolutely! Thomas, we had such a great time! We walked on the beach in the early morning and again at sunset, and we went shopping, and…”

Thomas started to laugh before Brenda finished. Just as she mentioned shopping, the ground crew personnel came toward them, pushing a cart with all the boxes and bags. “I can see you went shopping! It’s a good thing that Benton sent a separate van to bring your luggage to the house. There is no way that stuff will fit in the car. Tell me, Brenda, is there anything left in the shops on Rodeo Drive?” Thomas quickly ducked away from the slap Brenda sent his way.

“You sound just like Jax! I’ll have you know that not all of that is mine! We bought a bunch of stuff for Jax, too! Would you believe that at one point he was complaining that I wasn’t buying enough?” She looked triumphantly at Thomas as she spoke.

Jax blushed at Brenda’s comment. “Actually, that’s true. The first day we went shopping she wasn’t buying much, so I was worried. She had this logical explanation about not buying too much because it wouldn’t fit long because of the baby and being the wrong season to bring back here. She snapped out of it though when we got to a shop called Rebecca’s. The old Brenda was back. With a vengeance!!” Jax laughed at his last remark. Brenda elbowed him sharply in the ribs. “Ouch!”

Thomas could only laugh at their actions. “Are you guys in a rush to get home, or do you have some time to talk first?” Jax and Brenda could both see that Thomas had suddenly turned serious.

“Sure we can. The van can take our things back to the house. Why don’t we go into the lounge? We’ll be more comfortable there.” Jax led the way into the owner’s lounge. Once they were inside, he locked the door so that they would not be disturbed. He also called the flight desk to tell them that they were in a meeting in the lounge and were not to be disturbed. “Okay, so tell us – what have you heard from your grandfather?” Jax sat down next to Brenda on the couch. Thomas sat down in the chair facing them.

“Quite a bit actually. He has had several meetings with the elders’ council and they have come up with some ideas. The primary thing that they all agree on is the fact that Madeline is the key to this entire situation. Before we can do anything, we need to have her cooperation. Brenda, do you have any way of contacting her?” Thomas looked directly at Brenda for her answer.

“Not really – she just seems to appear whenever she wants, especially when I’m upset. I mean it’s not like I can walk around the house calling her name and expect her to answer me. Why is she so important?” Brenda was not comfortable with the idea that Jax’s safety lay in the hands of a ghost.

“According to my grandfather she is our only link directly to Everett. The fact that she cannot be in the same room as him is something they are still working on. For right now though they recommend that we do whatever is necessary to appease him. That basically means that, Jax, you need to start bringing some work home.” Thomas could see the panic in Brenda’s face. “Don’t worry, Brenda; as long as he only brings home small amounts at first and he finishes it before leaving the study, there shouldn’t be any problem.”

“I wonder about that, Thomas. I mean if Everett is as work obsessed as Madeline told Brenda that he is, then isn’t he going to get suspicious if I only bring a few things home to work on and finish them quickly?” Jax knew the reason for the fear on Brenda’s face. He squeezed her hand tightly in his as he looked to Thomas for his answer.

“I don’t think so. After all, you are just recovering from a very serious accident, so common sense would tell him that you are not ready to take on a full workload yet. No, I think he’ll buy it, for a while at least.”

“That’s all well and good, Thomas, but won’t he get suspicious if Jax plays weakling in the library when it comes to work, but he’s fully recovered in other parts of the house?” Brenda gave Jax a wink, letting him know the real meaning of what she was saying.

Thomas knew what she was referring to as well. “I doubt it. As far as we can tell, Everett has only been out of the library once and that was to push someone down the stairs that night, right?” Both Brenda and Jax nodded their heads in agreement with what he had just said. “According to my grandfather that means that he is tied to something in the library. The only reason he was able to go to the stairs that night was because whatever he was planning was tied to something in the library – kind of like an extension cord if you will.” Thomas could tell by the looks on their faces that they were having a hard time believing what he was saying. “Come on, guys; give me a break! I’m not making this up!”

Jax chuckled at the expression on Thomas’s face. “I know, mate, but you have to admit that none of this makes any sense. I had a hard enough time accepting the fact that there were ghosts in the house at all, so give me a chance to digest the fact that one of them is stuck in my library and able to move around on an extension cord!” Jax just shook his head as he spoke, unable to resist the urge to chuckle.

Brenda patted Thomas’s hand, “Don’t listen to him, Thomas! He’s just messing with you. Now, can we get back to the subject at hand? Anyone have any ideas on how we approach Jax’s family?” Brenda felt Jax tense up at the mention of his family. She moved closer to him on the couch and wrapped her arm around his waist as they sat there. “Honey, are you okay with this? If you aren’t, we can find another way!” Brenda looked closely at her husband, trying to let him know that she would do whatever he wanted.

“It’s okay, really. I just think we should do this slowly that’s all. I suggest that we approach my mother first, as we agreed. Maybe I should have Allison call her and set up a meeting at some neutral place, like the Grill. That way I can let her know the ground rules about any possible reconciliation before she sets foot in the house or near Brenda. What do you think?” Jax looked first at Brenda and then at Thomas.

“Good! That way it won’t look suspicious to the rest of your family. I think if you guys take it slow with her, we may be able to avoid even bringing the others back into your lives until you are ready – if you ever are. Besides, I think your mum is the only one that we can trust at this point. I think she may actually be willing to make peace with you two. What do you think, Brenda?” Thomas was very concerned about Brenda’s feelings in all of this since she was the target of Jane’s last attack. He knew that if Brenda were not comfortable with it, Jax would never make the effort to reconcile with this mother.

“I think you’re right; maybe we should make a real effort with her. Do you guys think that I should be there as well? I don’t really like the idea of Jax having to do this alone. I’d like to be there with him.” She looked expectantly at Thomas and then at Jax, as she thought back to the ugly incident at the penthouse after Jerry’s arrest.

Jax looked at Thomas before speaking, “I think it would be better for me to meet with her alone first, honey. I appreciate the fact that you want to be there for me, but I think it might be easier for me to talk to her if she’s not trying too hard to be nice around you. Are you okay with that?” Jax wrapped his arm around Brenda’s shoulders and squeezed.

Brenda thought for a moment before answering, “You’re probably right. She probably would be more comfortable with just you.” Brenda lay her head against his shoulder as she tried to stifle a yawn. She hoped that Jax wouldn’t notice how tired she was getting.

As soon as he felt Brenda’s head on his shoulder Jax looked over at Thomas and then up at the clock on the wall. It was nearly nine o’clock. “What do you say we call it a night? I don’t think there is anything else we can do until Madeline makes contact with Brenda and I have a chance to talk to mum. What do you say, sweetheart? Ready to go home?” Jax gently rubbed his hand around Brenda’s back.

Brenda slowly lifted her head up from his shoulder and looked at him, her eyes half closed from exhaustion. “Sounds good to me. I guess I am a little tired, must be the time change.” Brenda put her head back on Jax’s shoulder and quickly fell asleep.

Thomas smiled when he saw how quickly she fell asleep. Without saying anything, he pointed to her sleeping form and quietly got up from his chair. Jax looked down at Brenda and just shook his head, marveling at how quickly she seemed to be able to doze off lately. He gently lay her back against the couch and slowly got up. He bent over and picked her up in his arms. She never woke up; she simply wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled her head against his shoulder. Jax bent his head to place a gentle kiss on top of her head as he carried her toward the door. Thomas went ahead of him to hold the doors open and to open the car door. Jax got into the back seat of the car, holding Brenda’s sleeping body securely in his lap the entire drive home.

When they pulled into the drive, Thomas stopped the car by the front walk. After turning off the car, he got out, leaving his door ajar, and came around to open the door for Jax. Jax easily got out of the car without letting go of Brenda. He carried her up the steps to the front door, which opened just as he got there. When Benton saw Brenda’s sleeping form, he opened both front doors to give Jax plenty of room. Thomas patted Jax on the back of the shoulder and signaled that he was leaving. He quietly went back to the car and drove away.

Jax brought Brenda into the foyer and paused for a minute to talk quietly to Benton. “Is Mrs. Kelly still here?” Jax asked.

“No, sir, she left a while ago. She did leave some dinner for you though. Would you like me to heat it up?” Benton looked at the sleeping Brenda.

“If you wouldn’t mind, I think just a couple of sandwiches would be better. I’m going to take Brenda up to our room and wake her. Would you mind bringing the food up when it’s ready?”

“Certainly, sir. Do you need any help?” Benton wasn’t exactly sure what he could do to help. Jax seemed to have everything under control. “I took the liberty of opening the bedroom door and turning down your bed when your luggage arrived. I’ll take care of the unpacking tomorrow, if that is acceptable.” Benton stepped aside to allow Jax access to the stairs.

“No, I can handle everything, Benton. Thank you. As to the unpacking, I wouldn’t worry about that tonight. I’m sure we’ll be calling it a night after we finish dinner.” Jax started up the stairs, holding Brenda tightly against him. He snuggled her head tightly into his neck as he walked.

Benton followed Jax up the stairs. Once Jax walked into the suite, Benton closed the hallway doors behind him. Jax walked over to the couch and gently laid Brenda down. He crouched next to her and gently brushed her hair behind her ear. She stirred slightly but did not awaken. Jax smiled as he continued to gently stroke her hair. When Brenda still didn’t wake up, he bent down and kissed her softly on the tip of her nose. Slowly, one eye and then the other finally opened.

When she was finally able to focus her eyes, Brenda smiled up at Jax. “Hi, there.” She reached up and clasped the side of Jax’s face, pulling him to her for a passionate kiss. When they broke the kiss, Brenda slowly sat up, realizing that they were home and not in the airport terminal. “Wow! How long was I asleep?” She looked around the room and then back at Jax, who couldn’t resist the urge to laugh.

“Oh, you dozed off about an hour ago. Are you hungry?” Jax continued to crouch next to her.

“Actually, I am kind of hungry. Do you think it’s too late to ask Benton to fix us something to eat?” Brenda got up slowly from the couch and stretched.

Jax stood up and wrapped his arms around her. “I already asked him. He’s going to bring up some sandwiches. Why don’t you go get changed? By the time you’re finished, the food should be here.” He kissed her on the top of her head and gave her a gentle swat on her behind.

“Jax! That wasn’t very nice!” Brenda pulled away from him with a pouting expression on her face.

Jax came over to her and wrapped his arms around her again. His hand slowly drifted down to where he had swatted her and caressed it gently. “Does that feel better?” he asked with a twinkle in his eyes and a smile on his face.

Brenda snuggled deeper into his embrace and exhaled slowly. “It sure does” was all she said. Jax looked down at her and saw that she was starting to doze off again.

“Hey, come on, sleepyhead! Go get changed before Benton brings the food up.”

Brenda reluctantly pulled out of his embrace and headed toward the bedroom to change. Just as Brenda came out of the bedroom a few minutes later dressed in her nightshirt, she saw the hallway doors closing. She glanced over to the table by the window and saw their dinner waiting for them. Benton had fixed them a couple of roast beef sandwiches, along with a pitcher of iced tea and Brenda’s favorite dill pickles. There was also a small bowl of Mrs. Kelly’s homemade potato salad.

Jax was standing, looking out the window, when he heard her come into the room. He looked back at her and smiled. “Perfect timing; Benton just left.” Jax pulled out the chair for Brenda to sit at the table. He sat down opposite her. They didn’t say much during the meal, both suddenly realizing how hungry they actually were.

When dinner was finished, Brenda leaned back into her chair, her thoughts drifted as she stared out the window into the night. Jax noticed her distant expression. “A ruby for your thoughts…”

Brenda looked over at him with a slight smile on her face. “I was just thinking about our trip. Jax, I don’t think I can ever thank you for what you did for me the past two weeks. I don’t think I have ever felt so relaxed or so loved in my entire life.” She sat forward and took his hand in hers. She got up and came around to his side of the table and gently sat down in his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

When they finally broke the kiss to breathe, Jax raised one hand to cup the side of her face, “That was the purpose of the trip, Brenda. I wanted to show you how much I love you and appreciate the things you have done and continue to do for me. Besides, the trip never would have been possible if you hadn’t used your savings to buy the house back for us in the first place.” He pulled her face back to his and kissed her again. Without breaking the kiss, Jax got up from the table and started toward the bedroom with Brenda still in his arms. As they walked through the bedroom door, Jax reached over and turned off the lights in the sitting room. Without turning the lights on in the bedroom, Jax walked over and lay Brenda down on the bed. He quickly removed his clothes and lay down beside her. As soon as he was next to her, Brenda wrapped herself around his body, placing her ear against his chest so she could fall asleep to the sound of his heart beating. Before either of them realized it, they had drifted off to sleep, totally exhausted from their trip.

Both Jax and Brenda slept in late the next morning. It was nearly 10:00 when Jax awoke slowly, realizing that Brenda was still wrapped tightly around him. He gently lifted the lock of her hair that had fallen across her face during the night to look down at her. He tightened his arms around her and bent his head to lightly kiss the tip of her nose. She stirred slightly at the kiss but didn’t waken. Jax rubbed his hand softly on her back and kissed her nose again. Brenda stirred again and slowly opened one eye to look up at him. Suddenly the color drained from her face as she jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom, leaving a startled Jax behind. Jax quickly picked up the intercom and asked Benton to bring Brenda’s tray up as soon as possible and then rushed to the bathroom to see if he could be of any help.

When Jax and Brenda returned to the bedroom, they found her tray sitting on the bedside table. Jax helped Brenda get back into bed, sitting propped against the pillows as he pulled the covers back over her. He sat down on the bed next to her and handed her a piece of toast. “Here you go. Why don’t you try a little of this?” he said softly. When she meekly took the toast, he softly ran his hand along the side of her face. “I guess our little one has decided to make up for being so good while we were in Malibu, huh?” He smiled as he looked into her eyes.

“I guess so. I’m sorry about this. It’s not exactly how I had planned to start our first day home! I can’t wait for this part of the pregnancy to be over!” Jax could see the tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes as she started to take small bites of the toast in her hand.

He gently rubbed the side of her face with the backs of his fingers as she chewed the toast. When she finished the entire slice, he picked up the cup of tea and handed it to her. He smiled at her as she took the cup. "It’s okay, Brenda. This isn’t going to last forever. Dr. Meadows said it usually passed by the end of the first trimester – remember? That isn’t too much longer. We can make it, can’t we?” He took the side of her face in his hand again and smiled at her.

Brenda felt the tears disappear from her eyes at his look. He always managed to do that for her. Whenever she felt the lowest, he would say something and make whatever the problem was go away. When she felt her stomach start to settle, she found herself able to return his smile. “Sure, that’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one throwing up in the mornings!” She gently punched him in the shoulder as she spoke.

When Jax saw that she was feeling better, he got up from sitting next to her and walked around to his own side of the bed and got back in. He crawled over so that he was sitting next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Brenda snuggled into his embrace as she continued to eat her toast. Neither one of them said anything for quite a long time. Once Brenda had finished all of her toast and the entire cup of tea, she cuddled close to him, just enjoying being there. Jax slowly ran his hand up and down her back as she gently drew small circles on his bare chest.

Brenda was the first to break the silence. “What do you want to do today? I know your appointment with Dr. White isn’t until tomorrow afternoon, so we have the entire day today to ourselves.” She sighed deeply as she wrapped her arms more tightly around him.

“I know. I was thinking we would just spend a quiet day here at home. No one expects us back until tomorrow, so we can spend the day together just going over the mail and doing whatever we like. How does that sound?” He looked down at her for an answer.

Brenda looked up at him with a smile on her face, “Sounds like a plan to me.” Just then Brenda heard the rumble of Jax’s stomach and she started to laugh. “Well, finally! For once it’s not MY stomach growling! I think now might be a good time to head down to breakfast, don’t you?” She pulled herself up from Jax’s embrace, the twinkle back in her eyes and a smile on her face.

Jax had started to laugh as well, “I guess you may be right.” He got out of bed first and put on his robe. He picked Brenda’s up from the chair beside the bed and brought it over to her. Brenda got up slowly and let him pull the robe up her arms. As he wrapped it around her from behind, he wrapped his arms around her as well. He snuggled his face down into her neck and kissed her several times. “I’m going to miss this when I go back to work, you know. These past several weeks have spoiled me, having you around all the time. Maybe we should move your design office into Jacks International! What do you think?” He looked at her with that glint she knew so well in his eyes.

She swatted his hands and pulled away from him laughing, “Right! You know darn well that neither one of us would get any work done if we did that! Come on, let’s go eat!” She grabbed his hand and led him out of the room.

After they had left the suite, Madeline came out from the shadows by the fireplace. She smiled at what she had seen between them this morning. She knew there were still problems to be worked out, but she was sure that these young people would stand together to solve them. She decided that when they came back up she would talk to them both to see how she could help.

It was almost 11:45 by the time Jax and Brenda came upstairs to get dressed. They had taken their time eating breakfast, talking about everything they had done in Malibu and how they had enjoyed everything so much. Brenda brought up the fact that she needed to have Charles contact some reputable decorators there to see about having the bedroom next to theirs converted into a nursery. When Jax seemed surprised, Brenda had told him that once the baby was born she would want to take trips out to the house as a family so that their child could learn to love and appreciate it as much as they did. She hadn’t meant that they would bring the baby EVERY trip! Jax signed deeply at her reassurance and chuckled at the expression on her face as she explained, just as she had chuckled at his look of surprise.

After finishing breakfast, they had picked up the morning papers off the foyer table and headed back up to the sitting room to read them. They had been sitting in the chairs by the window reading for about a half-hour when Jax noticed the smell of roses drift into the room. He looked up from the business section of the New York Times and saw that Brenda was looking up as well. Before either of them had a chance to say anything, there was a voice from across the room.

“Hello, you two. It’s good to see you both looking so well.” Jax and Brenda looked over by their bedroom door and saw Madeline Stanhope approaching them. Jax could not believe what he was seeing. He had believed Brenda when she told him about her conversations with Madeline, but seeing her now in front of them was something entirely different! Madeline smiled at the expression on Jax’s face. “I’m sorry if I startled you, Jax. I presumed that Brenda had told you about me.” She waited silently for Jax to respond.

He got up from his chair and walked over to her. “She did, but I have to tell you it’s very different to be told about your existence and to see you standing in front of me. I don’t mean to stare at you, but you have to understand that this is going to take a little getting used to…” Jax just shook his head slightly. Brenda came up beside him and wrapped her arm around his ribs. He pointed to the chair opposite the couch for Madeline to sit down, as he and Brenda took a seat next to each other on the couch.

“I’m glad to see you’ve recovered from your injuries, Jax. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to do more to prevent them. I figured that since you are a much larger man than my Everett was that you would not be injured if he pushed you because he would not be able to move you. I had no idea you were already starting down the stairs when he pushed…” The look of apology on Madeline’s face caused a twinge in Jax’s heart.

“Brenda told me, Madeline – do you mind if I call you Madeline?” Jax looked at her, not sure what to say to a ghost.

“Of course not; please do. I’m sure Brenda told you about our last conversation, as well. I meant what I said to her. I will help in any way I can to protect all of you in my… er… I mean your home.” Madeline looked down at her hands slightly embarrassed by her mistake, for this truly was the home of Brenda and Jasper Jacks now; she felt it in her heart.

Brenda spoke up quickly, “Madeline, this is still your home. It always will be. You put so much of yourself in this place. I’m just grateful that you allowed me to decorate it for us. I know this is going to sound silly,” she looked at Jax before continuing, “but I was wondering if you would help me with the nursery when the time comes. I’ve already purchased the furniture, but I’d like your suggestions on how to do the room.”

Madeline was startled by Brenda’s request. She had never expected it. Madeline was even more surprised to see that Jax had no objection to her helping. Madeline looked at both of them before answering, “I had no idea that you would allow me to help. I just want you both to know that there is nothing I wouldn’t do to help you all enjoy your life here.” She smiled at both of them.

“I’m glad you said that because there is something we wanted to talk to you about,” Jax said as he looked quickly around the room. “First off, are we alone in here? I mean, there is no way that Everett can hear what we say here, is there?” Jax suddenly thought about the absurdity of what he had just said.

Madeline was surprised by the question. “No, he cannot leave the library, and for some reason I cannot enter it when he is there. I haven't figured out how he got out that night on the stairs, but I do know that he’s not now nor has he ever been in here.”

“Good!” Jax chuckled softly. “I can’t believe this is all happening! I’m sitting here talking to a ghost about another ghost!” Jax just sat shaking his head. Brenda understood how he was feeling; it had happened to her the first time that she had talked to Madeline.

“I know, honey, but why don’t we tell Madeline our plan and see if she can help us?” Brenda squeezed Jax’s knee gently and rested her head briefly on his shoulder.

For the next half hour Brenda and Jax took turns telling Madeline what Thomas had found out from his grandfather and what the three of them had come up with to distract Everett. When they finished, Brenda looked over at Madeline, “Well, what do you think?”

Madeline was stunned by what she had just been told. Ever since this had all begun, she had no idea what Everett’s motives might have been. It had never occurred to her that it was something as simple as work ethic. She looked first at Brenda and then at Jax before answering. “I think you are probably doing the right thing. Bringing Jax’s mother into the house will probably give Everett the impression that his plan was a success, and he will not attempt any more ‘lessons.’ Hopefully, by the time he starts to get wise to the fact that you are not bringing your father and brother into the house, your friend, Thomas, or his grandfather will come up with a way for me to talk to him and get him to stop this senseless obsession.” Madeline rose from her chair and Jax and Brenda got up as well. “I’ll do my best to keep watch on you both. I promise you, Jax, that whenever you are not around I will keep watch on Brenda and the little one at all times. Nothing will happen to them, I promise!” The look on Madeline’s face did a great deal to convince Jax of her sincerity.

“Thank you for that, Madeline. I will be returning to work next week, so I will rely on you to keep an eye on my family when I’m not here.” Jax wrapped his arm around Brenda’s shoulders and squeezed. “We’ll wait to hear from you again, and in the meantime, I’ll start making contact with my mother to see where we stand.” Jax looked down at Brenda for a moment and they looked briefly at each other. Their gaze was interrupted when Brenda noticed that the rose smell fading away. Both Jax and Brenda looked around and saw that Madeline was gone. Jax pulled Brenda close to him and looked down into her face. "“Does she always do that? Just disappear like that?”

Brenda slowly nodded her head. “Yep, she suddenly appears and just as suddenly disappears.” Brenda snuggled back into Jax’s embrace as they stood like that for several minutes, not talking, just holding each other.

April 29, 1999

12:15 P.M.

Obstetrics Department of General Hospital

Jax and Dr. Meadows were waiting in her office for Brenda to finish dressing. She and Jax had decided it would be more practical to schedule Brenda’s checkup for the same day as Jax’s final checkup with Dr. White, rather than making two trips to the hospital. It had only been a few minutes when Brenda came through the door from the exam room. She was finishing up with her buttons as she came through the door. “Sorry I took so long.” Brenda gave Jax a knowing look to let him know that one of his smart remarks about the time that it took her to dress would not be a good idea. Jax saw the look in her eyes and decided against saying anything.

Jax and Brenda sat in the chairs in front of Dr. Meadows’ desk, while she sat behind it. Brenda’s file was open on her desk and Dr. Meadows referred to it several times before saying anything to them. “All the tests show that both you and the baby are doing great. You’ve only gained about three pounds since your last visit, which is good. How’s the morning sickness?”

Jax squeezed Brenda’s hand when he saw the expression on her face. “Well, it seems to come in spurts. Sometimes I’ll go several days in a row with nothing, and then – BAM! The little one makes his presence known, sometimes several times in one day! How much longer is this going to last?” Dr. Meadows could see Brenda’s frustration. She could also see the concern on Jax’s face.

“In most cases the morning sickness fades by the end of the first trimester.” She looked briefly at Brenda’s file. “Judging by your estimated date of conception it should start to slack off in about two or three weeks. Have you been having a light snack before getting out of bed in the morning?”

“Yes, I have a couple of slices of dry toast and a cup of herbal tea before I get up. Some mornings though, I no sooner open my eyes than it hits! I have to admit though that once it’s over and I get something in my stomach, I’m usually okay for the rest of the day.”

“Well, since your preliminary bloodwork came back normal, I don’t think there is anything to worry about. Just keep doing what you have been. If the nausea doesn’t start to taper off in the next couple of weeks give me a call. Have you used any of the nausea medication I gave you?”

“No, I didn’t want to take it because I didn’t want it to affect the baby. I know you said it was safe, but I didn’t want to take the chance. I can handle it for a few more weeks. Besides, I usually felt a lot better once I got sick and then put something in my stomach.” Brenda sat back in her chair. “I do find myself sleeping a lot more though. Is that normal?”

“Definitely! Most expectant mothers find they tire much easier. You might want to start taking short naps in the afternoon – not long, maybe just thirty minutes. You don’t even have to sleep. You’ll be amazed at how rested you’ll feel just by giving yourself thirty minutes with your feet up and your eyes closed. You could even do it at the office. I presume that you are planning to continue working for a while?” She looked at Brenda for an answer, not Jax.

“Yes, I do. My office is in the house and my partner does most of the on site work, supervising deliveries and arranging furniture. Most of my work is on the phone with suppliers. I usually only go to the site a few times to check samples of linens and accessories. I’ll be spending less time in the field though once the baby starts showing. How much longer do you think I’ll be able to work?”

“Well, considering what you’ve just told me, I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t continue right up until your due date. Of course, we may revise that once we see how the baby positions itself and how your body handles the fetus. You have to realize that you are a very petite woman, Brenda, and Jax is a rather large man. If this child develops to an average size, you will become more uncomfortable the larger the baby develops. How about if we play this by ear? We’ll wait until the time comes to worry about your work schedule. Do you have any other questions?” She looked at Brenda and then at Jax; neither of them seemed to have any other questions so she stood up behind her desk. “Well, in that case, I’ll see you in a month. We’ll do an ultrasound then to see how the baby is doing.”

Jax and Brenda looked at each other when Dr. Meadows mentioned the ultrasound. She knew immediately what they were thinking; the same thing all expectant couples thought the first time that ultrasound was mentioned. “Don’t worry. It’s too soon to tell the sex of the baby, if that’s what you’re thinking. Do you two want to know ahead of time?” She looked at them as they looked at each other.

Brenda finally answered the doctor’s question, “I don’t think so. I’d think we’d rather be surprised when the baby is born. Besides, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a boy or a girl. This baby being born healthy is all that matters.” She took Jax’s hand in hers and squeezed it.

“Well, in that case I’ll see you in a month. Just continue as you have been and get plenty of rest. Remember, if your nausea doesn’t start to fade in about two weeks, give me a call.” Dr. Meadows extended her hand to Brenda and then to Jax. As they left Dr. Meadows’ office, they stopped at the front desk to schedule Brenda’s next appointment.

As they were walking toward the elevators Jax glanced at his watch. “We better get a move on. It’s almost 1:00.” Just then the elevator doors opened and they got in. Jax pushed the button for the Neurology floor. Hopefully, this would be his last appointment with Dr. White. He had never been a big fan of doctors and hospitals, but he had to admit that Dr. White was not bad.

2:45 P.M.

Jax and Brenda were sitting in the Port Charles Grill enjoying a late lunch. Things had gone very well with Jax’s checkup. Dr. White had given him a clean bill of health and agreed to let him return to work. He did advise him though not to push too hard at first. He had suggested that Jax start out working only half days but quickly figured out that Jax was not the type of man to be able to do that. He had finally agreed to let him go back to work, after extracting a promise from Jax that he would stop when he felt himself getting tired.

They had talked about everything and nothing during lunch. They talked about Brenda’s checkup and about Jax’s. They discussed how they would begin putting their plan in motion to stop Everett. All in all, it had been a very productive lunch. As they waited in front of the restaurant for their car to be brought around, Jax glanced over at the parking lot across the street. He caught a glimpse of his parents getting out of their car and heading up the street.

Brenda could feel him tense up immediately and looked around quickly to see what had upset him. It wasn’t until they were almost out of sight that she spotted Jane and John walking down the block. She quickly squeezed Jax’s hand in hers, drawing his attention from the disappearing figures to her face. “It’s going to be okay, Jax. I promise.” That was all she needed to say. Jax relaxed again and squeezed her hand.

“I know it will. How can it not? We’ll be doing this together, and nothing can stop us when we’re together.” He bent down and kissed the top of her head, just as the car pulled up.

May 3, 1999

Jax arrived for his first day back in the office at about nine o’clock. He was greeted by a round of applause from his staff. After thanking everyone for their help and extra efforts during his time away, he suggested everyone get back to work, including him. It had taken him over an hour to just read through all of the messages Allison had put on his desk. Just when he was getting ready to start returning some of the calls, there was a knock at his office door. “Come in,” Jax called, expecting it to be Allison. Instead he found Thomas standing in front of him.

“Just wanted to see if the rumor that you had FINALLY decided to come back to work was true! I was beginning to think you had abandoned us for the life of leisure with that beautiful wife of yours.” Thomas couldn’t resist the urge to chuckle at the expression on Jax’s face.

“Very funny! You could blame yourself if I had decided to stay at home. If you hadn’t done such a wonderful job getting the Malibu house ready, I never would have been able to spend such a fantastic vacation there with Brenda. I’m going to admit something to you that I will deny if you tell anyone. I could really get use to spending all my time with Brenda. The woman is addictive, and I’ve got it bad!”

Thomas laughed at Jax last remark. He quickly turned serious though. “I’m glad you decided to come back, Jax. I really came in here for another reason though. I was wondering if Brenda had been contacted by Madeline yet?”

“Funny you should mention that. The day after we got home, Brenda and I were sitting in our room reading the newspapers when she appeared to both of us. Thomas, I have to tell you it was the weirdest feeling talking to her, knowing she was a ghost, but she looked solid as you and me.” Jax shook his head as he remembered their conversation. “Anyway, we explained everything to her, and she agreed to help us. She thought it was a good idea to contact my family as a means of placating Everett. She also asked that if your grandfather or the elders could come up with a way for her to talk to Everett, she would be willing to do whatever it takes. She’s sure she can get him to back off if she can just talk to him.

“She also promised to look after Brenda when I’m not there. She didn’t think that Everett would hurt her though, since it doesn’t seem that he has any grudge against her personally, just the time she takes me away from work.”

Thomas nodded his head slowly as Jax talked. “Good! I’ll get in touch with my grandfather tonight. In the meantime, when are you going to contact your mum?” He looked nervously at Jax. Thomas knew how hard this was going to be for Jax. He wished there was some other way to do this, but no one had any other suggestions.

“I was just about to do that.” Jax walked over to his desk and picked up the intercom. “Allison, would you come in here please?”

A moment later there was a light tap at the door. Allison came quickly through the door, carrying her pad and a delivery that had just arrived. She was carrying a single pink tulip in a crystal vase. Attached was a card that made Jax smile when he read it. Not saying anything to either Thomas of Allison, Jax set the vase on his desk, next to the picture of Brenda. Both Thomas and Allison knew immediately who had sent the flower.

Jax cleared his throat and turned his attention to Allison, “I need you to make a couple of calls for me, Allison. First, I want you to call the Port Charles Grill and make a lunch reservation for two for 1:30.” Allison quickly made a note on her pad to ask for an intimate table, thinking the reservation was for Jax and Brenda. “Then I want you to call my mother. You can get her number from Thomas and ask her to meet me there. It will not be necessary for you to give her any details. Simply ask her to join me for lunch.”

Jax looked to Thomas to see if he had forgotten anything, but Thomas just nodded his head. “Do you have any questions, Allison?” Jax could tell by the expression on Allison’s face that she was confused.

“Well… not really. Do you want your usual table?” she asked, trying to cover her confusion. In all the time she had worked for Mr. Jacks, she had never heard him mention his mother or any other member of his family in a kind way. His sudden decision was confusing, to say the least.

“No, that won’t be necessary. I think we’d be better off with a booth, out of the way of the rest of the guests. Okay?” He looked to Allison, hoping that she would not ask any questions he couldn’t answer.

“Certainly, Mr. Jacks. I’ll make the calls right now.” Allison got up and headed out the door.

Thomas closed the door behind her and came back over to Jax’s desk. He sat down on the edge of the desk near Jax. “Well, here we go. Are you sure you’re ready to meet with her alone? Do you want me to come with you?” Thomas’s concern for Jax’s well being was obvious in his face; something that Jax appreciated more than he could tell his friend.

“No, I think I should do this alone. I wouldn’t mind if you were there though. Just in case I can’t pull this off, you could step in and help me out. Okay?” He looked at Thomas for his support.

“Of course. I’ll stop by Allison’s desk on my way back to my office and have her make a reservation for me at a table next to yours.” He got up from the desk and put his hand on Jax’s shoulder. “I know this is going to be tough, mate, but just think about why you’re doing it – to protect Brenda and the baby – that should make it a lot easier to handle. Besides, as soon as this mess with Everett is resolved, you can tell the Jacks family to take a hike again, if that’s what you and Brenda want. I promise you I’ll be glad to help when the time comes.” Thomas chuckled slightly as he left the room, thinking of the prospect of getting the chance to tell off both John and Jerry Jacks.

After Thomas left the office, Jax sat silently, staring at the flower on his desk. He slowly picked up the card that had come with it to read again: “Just to let you know that we are with you. All our love, Brenda and little ?” Jax smiled as he read the card. He gently kissed the card and placed it in his shirt pocket. He was going to make it through this lunch because of not only the card but also the love and support it gave him. He was ready for this now…