It had been a very busy couple of weeks for both Jax and Brenda. As Brenda had predicted, the Ashfords had chosen to fight the restoration agreement they had signed. Their decision made it necessary for both Brenda and Matthew to give depositions to the City Law Director concerning the terms of the contract between the Ashfords and Jacks Designs. They also were questioned about the restoration agreement signed by the Ashfords and cosigned by Brenda, as head of Jacks Designs. They had been required to furnish original copies of all documentation that were signed at the time they were contracted as decorators for the Ashfords. Also they were required to provide the original design sketches submitted by Jacks Designs for the decoration of the house according to the restoration guidelines, and those materials showing the modernization demands the Ashfords had made once they had taken title to the house.

A closed hearing that lasted for almost three days had just ended yesterday. When they had left the Law Director’s office, Brenda and Ben were both very confident that he would rule in favor of foreclosure. The Law Director’s clerk called later that day to say that all interested parties would be notified within the next five days as to what action he would take.

Prior to the start of the hearing, Ben had filed notice with the Clerk’s office of Jacks Designs’ intention to pursue purchase of the property, following the Law Director’s ruling in the matter. Ben had told Brenda this was necessary in order to prevent the Ashfords from claiming malicious intent on the part of Jacks Design to get title to the property when they filed the violation complaint. In preparation for a decision in their favor, Brenda had decided to begin working immediately on planning the decoration of the entire house. She had asked Matthew to do a thorough background check on the history of the house now, since the Ashfords had felt it was unnecessary at the time they hired Jacks Designs. Matthew had promised the research to her by the 25th.

Brenda was not the only one making progress during the past two weeks. As Jax had expected, a lawyer arrived at the main office of the Port Charles Community Bank early on the morning of the 16th with a cashier’s check to cover the full amount of the outstanding loans of J&J Jacks. As soon as the necessary paperwork was signed and the attorney gone, the bank manager called Jax to let him know that the loans were paid. He also told him that the attorney had left an envelope for Jax with the manager, asking that he personally deliver it to Jax. The manager had asked permission to bring the envelope over to Jax. After thinking about it for a minute, Jax instead decided to go to the bank to read it. He preferred to keep any dealings with either his father or his brother as far away from Jacks International as possible.

As Jax was waiting for the elevator, Thomas had come out of his office and stopped at his secretary’s desk. When he saw Jax standing by the elevator, he came over to talk to him. Jax wasted no time in telling him what had happened at the bank and also about the letter that was waiting for him. “Are you heading over there now?” Thomas asked.

“Yeah, I’m curious to see what the old man has to say. Want to come along?” Jax smiled at his friend. “After all, you were in on the beginning of this; why shouldn’t you be there for the end?”

When Jax nodded ‘yes,’ Thomas looked over at his secretary. “Betsy, I’m going out for a while with Mr. Jacks. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” His secretary smiled at him and nodded her head. She had become used to her boss’s sudden departures, especially when Mr. Jacks was involved. Just then the elevator doors opened and both Thomas and Jax got in.

It didn’t take long for them to get to the bank. As soon as they arrived, they went straight to the manager’s office. As they came through the door, the manager stood up and came over to greet them. “Hello, Mr. Jacks… Mr. Abenela.” The manager shook Jax’s hand and nodded to Thomas. “I’m sure this is why you’re here.” He handed Jax the sealed envelope that the attorney had left with him. “The attorney was very specific that I was to hand this directly to you. He also told me that the contents were to be read by only you.”

Jax looked at the sealed envelope for a minute before responding to the manager, “Thanks. Would you mind if I borrow your office for a few minutes? I’d like to read this now.” He looked expectantly at the manager.

Without blinking an eye, the manager headed toward the office door. “Of course, Mr. Jacks. Please feel free to stay as long as you want. If you need anything, I’ll be right outside. Can I get either of you anything before I go?” He waited by the door for an answer.

Jax looked quickly at Thomas, who held up his hand to indicate he was fine. “Thanks, but I think we’re okay. We won’t be long.” With that said, Thomas opened the door for the manager and then closed it again after he left. Jax sat down in the manager’s chair, and Thomas took the seat across the desk from him. After staring at the sealed envelope for a minute, Jax finally looked at Thomas. “Now, let’s see what the old man has to say.” Jax took the letter opener off the desk and slit open the envelope. There was a single, typed sheet of paper in the envelope. Jax unfolded it and began to read the note out loud:

“Dear Jax,

Since you are reading this, you are obviously aware that the outstanding loans of J&J Jacks have been repaid. I just wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate you on a job well done. You obviously learned much more from Jerry and me than you have been willing to admit. The speed and the ruthlessness with which you wreaked your revenge upon us were typical of something that I would do to an adversary. Good job!!

I know you don’t want to hear that, but it’s true. Had I not been on the receiving end of your wrath I’d have celebrated your actions! As it is, the best I can do is admire your skill. Just to let you know I have told your mother everything about our attempt to undermine your company and also your retribution. You’ll be pleased to know that she was most proud of your control in not destroying us outright. I have also assured her that neither Jerry nor I will do anything to undermine any possible reconciliation between your family and your mother. It is my sincere hope that some day in the future the same offer extended to her will also be extended to me. Until then I promise to abide by your wishes and hers when it comes to your family.

Sincerely,
John Jacks
(I didn’t think you’d appreciate this being signed by your father.)”

Jax slowly refolded the letter and let it drop onto the desk in front of him. He looked over at Thomas. "Well, what do you think?” Jax sat back in the chair, waiting for Thomas’s answer.

“What is there to say? The old man finally admitted someone bested him in business! Am I happy that you had to do that? NO! Jax, you know how I feel about family! No son should have to defend himself against his own father. He deserved everything that happened and more. My concern now is not for John or Jerry; they always seem to land on their feet. I’m concerned about you!”

Jax was startled by Thomas’s response. He had not expected it. “Why are you concerned about me?”

“Look – I know they made a run at Jacks International, and they tried to use your mum to get to you. But, Jax, you KNOW this is not the way you do business! I’m worried about what having to do this to them will do to you in the long run!”

Jax got up from his chair and came around the front of the desk to sit on the edge in front of his friend. He smiled slightly before speaking, “I appreciate your concern more than I can possibly tell you, but I really am okay with all of this. Brenda and I have talked about everything we did, and I realize that what I did to them is not the way to do business. The thing is, Thomas, sometimes it’s necessary to play by the opponent’s rules in order to get your point across. What I did to J&J Jacks is not something I would do to any competitor. This was strictly personal, and it ends HERE AND NOW!” With that said, Jax picked up the letter, put it back in its envelope, and put it in his jacket pocket. He intended to show the letter to Brenda before destroying it.

In the car on the way back to the Jacks International offices, neither man said anything for several minutes. Finally Jax broke the silence, “Remember that trip to London we were discussing before all of this started?” He looked over at Thomas, who was driving. When he saw him nod ‘yes,’ he continued, “Well, I think the time has come for you to make it. I want ALL of the problems in our lives resolved before our child is born! Right now, the biggest problem we face is Everett! Thomas, I want him GONE!”

Thomas glanced quickly over at Jax before turning into the underground parking garage. “That’s fine with me. I’ve got some people over in London working on it as we speak. When do you want me to leave?” Thomas pulled Jax’s car into his space and turned off the engine. The two men got out and headed toward the elevators, giving a slight wave to the guard as they went by.

“The sooner the better. Is there anything you have to finish up here before you can leave?” Jax slid his ID into the elevator slot and waited until the light came on to indicate that the elevator was on its way. He looked over at Thomas for his answer.

Thomas thought for a minute before answering, “There are a couple of final security checks I need to write up, but other than that I’m clear. I should have those done some time tomorrow.”

Just before Jax answered, the elevator doors opened and they got in. Thomas inserted his ID and pressed the button for the executive floor and the doors closed. “Okay then, why don’t you plan to leave on Friday, the 18th? I’ll have Allison arrange to have the plane waiting for you and make arrangements for your hotel stay. Any idea how long you’ll be gone?” Just then the elevator doors opened, and they walked out onto the executive floor. They stopped in the hallway to finish their conversation.

“I think I can be ready on the 18th. I’m not really sure how long I’ll be gone. A lot will depend on what my people have already accomplished in London. Why don’t we wait until I get there to make a guess on how long I’ll be there. Okay?” Thomas waited for Jax to answer before heading back to his own office. He could see his secretary holding a handful of messages for him.

“Sounds good to me. I’ll talk to you about this later.” With that said, Jax slapped Thomas softly on the shoulder and headed toward his own office. As he got closer he saw the huge stack of phone messages in Allison’s hand. “I know, I know – the world has been looking for me, right?” he said with a chuckle.

“Actually no, Mr. Jacks, most of these messages are from Mrs. Jacks. She was calling to remind you about her doctor’s appointment this afternoon. You have it marked in you planner as not to be cancelled, you know.” Allison couldn’t resist the urge to smile at the panicked expression on her boss’s face as he suddenly looked at his watch. “Don’t worry boss, you’ve got plenty of time. The last time she called, I told her where you were and she asked me to tell you not to worry. She’d have Benton drive her to the hospital and you could meet her there when you were finished.” Allison glanced down at the clock on her desk. “If you hurry back downstairs, you should be able to jump into the waiting security car and get to GH in just enough time.”

Before she had even finished talking, Jax was already heading toward the elevators, turning back only long enough to call out to her, “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Allison. Thanks!” Just then the elevator opened and Jax once again was on his way.

True to his promise to Brenda, Jax had managed to arrive at Dr. Meadows’ office just before Brenda was called in. Everything had gone perfectly at Brenda’s checkup. Both Jax and Brenda had gotten to hear the baby’s heartbeat. Dr. Meadows was slightly surprised to see how much the baby had already developed, but she assured them both that nothing was wrong. She repeated what she had told them the first time she had seen them: that because Brenda was so small, this was likely to happen. She emphasized that there was nothing to be concerned about. She also told Brenda that she was glad to see she had decided to start wearing maternity clothes, rather than struggle with squeezing into her regular clothes as long as possible.

After answering several of their questions, she had one more piece of information for them. She told Brenda that she was at the point in her pregnancy where she would start to feel movement at any time. She told Brenda what it should feel like and not to be alarmed when it happened. When she saw how excited both Brenda and Jax were at the prospect of feeling their child move for the first time, she decided to give them a few minutes alone. When she returned, she gave Brenda a new prescription for different pre-natal vitamins and reminded her to stop at the desk and schedule her next appointment.

Things had finally quieted down for them after Brenda’s doctor’s appointment. No new crisis presented itself at Jacks International, so Jax had been able to make it home relatively early every night. Since he had no work to bring home, Jax had purposely avoided the library, not wanting to take any chances where Everett was concerned until after Thomas got back from London. Instead, he and Brenda had enjoyed quiet evenings together, talking about everything and nothing, just like they had before all the turmoil had started in their lives.

Even though the Law Director’s office had promised his decision within five days, Brenda had still not heard anything from him on the status of the Ashfords and their house. Brenda was beginning to get a little nervous at the lack of a decision, but she told Jax she was still positive that things would go their way.

Thomas had finally called from London and would be returning to Port Charles on the 25th. He told Jax that he had found a great deal of information about Everett Stanhope and his life in London. Brenda and Jax were looking forward to seeing what Thomas had found out when he returned.

June 24, 1999

9:45 P.M.

Jax and Brenda had gone out to dinner to celebrate. Brenda had gotten notice today from the Law Director’s office that he would be filing foreclosure action against the Ashfords for failure to abide by the restoration agreement they had signed with the city. He had also ruled against the Ashfords in their counter claim that she and Matthew had manufactured their charges against them in order to get the property. He ruled there was no basis for their claims, since the Ashfords had not denied the charges of attempting to modernize the home over the objections of the staff of Jacks Designs. He had also notified her that he would allow Jacks Designs to participate in the foreclosure sale, based upon the documentation Ben had filed prior to the depositions.

Brenda had been ecstatic at the news. As soon as Jax had walked in the door she ran and wrapped him in a very tight ‘Brenda hug’: her legs clamped tightly around his waist; her arms around his neck; and a series of extremely passionate kisses, all before he even set his briefcase down. When they finally broke for air, Jax couldn’t help but chuckle as he brushed her hair out of her eyes. “Let me guess: you got news from the Law Director today right?” He had pushed her back slightly so he could see her face. The childlike glee he saw there only added to his certainty that he was right.

Brenda reached toward his face to wipe her lipstick off. “You got that right! Jax, it’s the best possible news! Not only did he find against the Ashfords, but he’s going to allow Jacks Designs to participate in the foreclosure sale!” Brenda’s face suddenly fell and she pulled herself off to stand in front of Jax. “You haven’t changed your mind about buying the house have you? I know it’s been a long wait…”

Jax put his hands on both of her shoulders before reaching over to lift her face with his finger. “Silly! I told you we would buy the house, and I meant it! Why would you think I would change my mind?” Jax smiled gently at her as he waited for her answer.

“Well, it has been a long time… And I just figured when you saw the estimate of the purchase price that Ben prepared, you might not want to invest that much additional money into a fledgling company.” Brenda tried to put on a brave face, but she knew she wasn’t doing a very good job. When she looked into Jax’s eyes, she wasn’t sure what she saw there, but the smile on his lips was very comforting.

Jax wrapped his arms around her before answering. “Brenda, I told you we’d buy the house as a corporate expense for Jacks Designs, and I meant it. I have no intention of changing my mind. You know I always keep my promises, especially to you.” He leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose to emphasize his point. “Now, what do you say we go out to dinner to celebrate the first part of your victory?”

Brenda finally smiled again. “Sounds like a plan to me. I’ll just go change. Will you tell Benton? Why don’t you tell Mrs. Kelly to go home early and give Benton the night off? We can have the house to ourselves tonight.” The mischievous twinkle in Brenda’s eyes was comforting to Jax, after the sad expression he had seen there a short time ago.

“Sounds like a terrific idea! I only wish I’d thought of it first. Don’t be long.” Jax started toward the kitchen, but stopped after a few steps and turned back to Brenda. “Where do you want to go to dinner?”

Brenda was about half way up the stairs when she answered. “Why don’t we go to the Grill? We’ve always gone there to celebrate. Do you think we can get a table?”

Jax smiled up at Brenda as he reached for the phone on the foyer table. “I don’t see why not. We’ve never had a problem before, and as far as I know I haven’t done anything to tick off the Quartermaines, so they shouldn’t have banned us. You go get changed, and I’ll call to make a reservation. Can you be ready if I make the reservation for 7:30?”

Jax looked up at Brenda for her answer, but all he got was a quick nod of her head before she raced up the stairs to quickly change her clothes.

They had enjoyed a leisurely dinner and a short walk along the riverfront before returning to the house. Since Jax had been able to convince Benton to take the evening off, they had the house to themselves. As soon as they got home, they decided to change into more comfortable clothes and spend the rest of the evening in their suite. Since Jax had changed much more quickly than Brenda had, he had decided to put some music on.

When Brenda still hadn’t come out of the bedroom after fifteen minutes, Jax began to get worried. He was just starting toward the bedroom door when he heard Brenda call out his name. As soon as he heard her, he started running the remaining distance. When he burst through the door, he was startled to see Brenda, standing in the bathroom doorway, wearing only her bra and panties. She had her hands tightly clasped together across her abdomen and a look of shock on her face. Jax immediately ran over to her and grabbed both of her shoulders. He shook her slightly to get her attention.

“Brenda? Sweetheart? What is it? What’s wrong?” Jax couldn’t keep the panic out of his voice. Brenda was just standing there holding her stomach. He immediately thought something was wrong with the baby. “Brenda! Answer me! Is something wrong with the baby? Should I call Dr. Meadows?” Brenda finally turned her face up to Jax, and he could see tears streaming down her cheeks. “That does it! I’m taking you to the hospital!” Jax reached toward the chair to grab Brenda’s robe. Before he left her, she grabbed his arm and pulled him back in front of her.

“Jax, wait! There’s nothing wrong! In fact, it’s just the opposite!” She was no longer able to keep the smile off her face, even though the tears continued. This combination of expressions only confused Jax more.

“What is it, Brenda? What’s going on?” Jax was very confused and very scared. “Is it the baby?” Brenda slowly nodded her head. “I knew it! Something’s wrong, isn’t it?” Jax started to panic again.

Brenda reached up and took both sides of his face in her hands. “Yes, it’s the baby, but not what you think! Jax, I just felt the baby move!” A huge smile crossed her face as she quickly nodded her head at Jax’s questioning expression.

“Are you sure?” Jax was stunned. He had been expecting something horrible not something wonderful. “What did it feel like?” When he saw the unending smile on her face, Jax quickly relaxed and the feelings of fear and panic quickly went away.

Brenda took a deep breath. “It was just like Dr. Meadows said. It was kind of this fluttering sensation. It was real quick, but then it happened again. Jax, it was the most amazing feeling! I can’t even begin to describe it!” She took his hand and placed it on her abdomen. “Here, maybe he’ll do it again so you can feel.” They stood like that for several minutes, but nothing happened. Just as Jax was going to take his hand away, Brenda looked up at him with a look of surprise on her face. "Did you feel it?” she sighed.

Jax slowly shook his head. “I don’t think so. It’s probably too soon for me to feel anything from the outside. I’m sure the baby is still too small for anyone but his mom to feel him moving around.” Jax wrapped his arms around Brenda as they continued to stand there. “You scared me, you know. When you didn’t come out for so long, I thought something was wrong. Then when you called out my name like that I was sure of it!” He pulled her closer to him. They stood like that for a minute before he pushed her back slightly from him and smiled as he looked down into her face. “You should have seen your face when I came in! Your eyes were as big as I’ve ever seen them, and you had a smile that lit up the room, but there were also huge tears running down your cheeks! You were a sight to behold, standing here in your underwear…” It wasn’t until he had mentioned it that both he and Brenda realized that she was still standing there in her underwear. Jax reached over for her robe that was on the bedside chair. He let go of her long enough to hold the robe open for her to slip into it. Once she had it on, he tied the belt snuggly and pulled her back to him. “Don’t ever scare me like that again! Promise!”

Brenda wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and snuggled her cheek against his chest. “I promise! What do you say we go sit on the balcony?” She looked up at him with a smile. “Okay, dad?”

Jax took a quick breath when he realized what Brenda had just said. For the first time since they had found out about the baby, Jax realized that he really was going to be a dad in a just a few short months. Until tonight when Brenda had felt the baby move for the first time, it had not seemed real. They had talked about it and started to make plans but he realized that it had not seemed real to him. Now that the baby was developed enough for her to feel movement, it made everything come into perspective. In a little over four-and-a-half months he was going to be a father! Jax smiled down at Brenda and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him. “Sounds like a good idea to me. As long as we don’t stay out there too long. It’s starting to get a little chilly.”

Brenda chuckled as she returned his smile. “Are you going to be like this with the baby, too?” she asked, with a chuckle. When she saw the confused look on his face, she continued her thought, “I mean, concern is great, but I hope you aren’t planning to smother our child.”

Jax’s expression changed from confused to hurt. “Is there anything wrong with caring about the well-being of my family?” Neither Jax nor Brenda said anything else until they got out to the balcony and sat down on the wrought iron chairs. “Do you really feel like I’m smothering you, Brenda?” He reached over and took her hand in his. “I don’t mean to, you know.”

Brenda smiled at him before answering, “I know that, Jax. To answer your question: no, I don’t feel like you’re smothering me. It’s kind of nice actually to have you so concerned about me. It’s just that I never had anyone do that for me, until you. Now, with the baby coming, I think I finally understand where your concern comes from. I mean, when we were together in the past I was always concerned about you and would do anything to help or protect you, but this is different. This baby is someone who will be totally dependent on us for years to come!” Brenda paused and looked down at their joined hands and gently rubbed her thumb across the top of Jax’s hand before she continued. “Sometimes I get scared and start to wonder if I can do this. Then suddenly you’ll do or say something like before about it getting chilly, and I realize that I REALLY CAN DO THIS! As long as I have you with me, there is no way I can mess this up.” Brenda took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She lifted Jax’s hand to her lips and gently kissed the top of it. “So, you go right on worrying about us. Just remember though that we’ll be doing the same thing for you.” She looked up at him without letting go of his hand or really raising her head. Jax immediately saw that twinkle in her eyes and knew exactly what she was thinking.

He quietly cleared his throat. “Um… don’t you think it’s getting a little cool out here?” He looked over at her with the very same twinkle in his eyes. When Brenda saw it she smiled and simply nodded her head. They both got up and headed inside. Jax closed and locked the balcony doors behind them. Once they were inside, Brenda reached her arms up around Jax’s neck, pulling his face to hers for a kiss. One kiss led to a second and a third and…

When they finally broke the kiss to breathe again, Brenda was the first to say anything. “Whew! Did you say something about it getting cool?”

Jax looked down at her without saying anything. When he saw the passion in her eyes, he quickly lifted her into his arms and walked over to the bed. He gently laid her down in the center of the bed. He stood looking down at her for several moments before Brenda held up her open arms to him. Jax immediately lay down next to her, pulling her quickly into his arms and holding her close to him. They began a slow, sensual exploration of each other that led them to their ultimate union.

After making love to each other until they were exhausted, Brenda and Jax lay snuggled together, totally satisfied; saying nothing, just enjoying the sensation of holding each other. Jax was gently running his fingertips up and down her naked back, as Brenda gently drew small, connected circles on Jax’s chest. They lay like this without speaking for a long time. Eventually Jax broke the silence, “Brenda that was amazing! How do you do that?”

When Brenda lifted her head from her favorite spot on his chest, just above his heart, to look at him she smiled. She brought both of her hands up together on Jax’s chest and rested her chin on top of them. “How do I do what?” she purred.

Jax lifted his head from the pillow and looked deeply into her eyes before answering, “How do you manage to keep surprising me? We’ve been together like this for some time now, and yet you have once again managed to give me an even more intense feeling of being totally loved than I have ever felt before. How do you do that?” Jax continued to look deeply into Brenda’s eyes as he waited for her reply. He had brought both of his arms around her to hold her loosely around the waist.

Before answering him, Brenda shifted her position so that she was now lying completely on top of Jax, her hips against his and her legs lying between his. She leaned down and softly kissed his chest several times before looking back up into his eyes. “It’s easy, actually. All I had to do is look in your eyes and see how much you love me. All I did then was try to show you how much you meant to me. I’m glad to know I succeeded.” She leaned down again to kiss his chest, moving her hips against him at the same time.

Jax quickly reversed their positions so that she was now lying beneath him. “Well, in that case, I guess it’s my turn to try to return the favor…” Jax never finished his thought. He leaned down to kiss her passionately on the mouth. It wasn’t long before they were once again making love with a passion that neither of them had ever experienced with anyone else.

It was well past midnight when the two exhausted lovers finally fell asleep. As they lay deep asleep and wrapped around each other, Madeline slowly came from the shadows. She walked over to the foot of the bed and looked down at them as they slept. She could feel a tear start down her cheek even though she was smiling. She had watched their joy at the first movement of their baby. She had heard their discussion of being parents and now saw the aftermath of their demonstration of love for each other. She vowed once again that she would do whatever was necessary to make sure that this young couple was safe and happy in her house. Even if it meant challenging Everett!

Of all the couples who had lived in her house over the years, Jax and Brenda were the first that Madeline ever felt truly belonged here. She had no intention of letting Everett do anything to destroy their happiness here. As she started to fade back into the shadows of the bedroom, she decided to talk to Brenda and Jax tomorrow to try to find a way to resolve the threat that Everett’s presence caused.