It was almost 10:30 by the time Brenda came through the front door of the gatehouse to start work. Lois was waiting for her when she came through the door. She barely had a chance to get her coat off and get a cup of coffee before Lois started asking questions.
“Okay, girlfriend, what happened last night before Ned and I got to Luke’s?” She could tell that Brenda’s defenses were up by the expression on her face. “Don’t even try to tell me that nothing happened! I saw the look on your face when we walked in, not to mention the way you were hanging on to Jax’s hand for all you were worth! So spill it! What happened?”
Brenda could see that Lois was not going to let this go. If she had any desire to put last night behind her (most of which she had to admit she didn’t want to forget) she would have to answer Lois’s question. “Okay, if you must know, Sonny…”
“I knew it! I figured he must have done something! What happened?” Lois reached over for Brenda’s hand, but she wasn’t fast enough. Brenda got up and started pacing.
“Actually, it wasn’t anything big. When Jax and I first got to Luke’s, I introduced him to Mike and we were standing by the door talking.” A sadness came over Brenda’s face as the details of their encounter with Sonny came back to her. “Anyway, just as Mike was getting ready to show us to our table, I looked over his shoulder and saw Sonny and Lily come through the door. I guess I got scared because I felt myself wrap my arm very tightly around Jax’s waist. There must have been a change in my expression, too, because I could tell by the look on his face that Mike knew immediately that Sonny had come in.” Brenda took a deep breath before continuing, “Before we had a chance to move, Sonny came up to us and said something to Mike about them getting seated or something. Then he looked right at me and told Mike to send the waiter over to his table when he was done seating the trash and then just strutted away from us with that smirk on his face!” Brenda shuddered at the memory.
Lois gasped. “What did Jax do?” This was the part she was afraid of. Even though she had made Jax promise not to do anything, she was afraid that Sonny’s mouth might have provoked him.
Brenda smiled as she thought back to Jax. “Actually, he was very sweet. He didn't say anything. He just reached down and wrapped his arm around me very tightly and walked me over to our table. When Mike pulled my chair out for me, I realized that I didn’t really want to let go of Jax, so he just stood there holding me until I was ready to sit down. Lois, he was so great! He just totally ignored Sonny! It was like Sonny wasn’t even there!”
Lois finally let out the breath she had been holding. She had to remember to call Jax later and thank him. “Did he say anything? – Jax, I mean!”
Brenda continued to smile as the pleasant memories of last night continued to flash through her mind. “He was really great about it. He asked if I was okay and if I wanted to leave. Imagine that, Lois; here’s a man I hardly know, who is so concerned for me that he was willing to cancel his plans just because of how I was feeling!” Brenda came back over and sat next to Lois. “Then he asked me something really strange. He asked if that was him?” She looked directly at Lois before continuing, “What do you think he meant by that Lois?”
Lois was delighted to hear how Jax had supported Brenda last night. She had somehow known that he would. She returned Brenda’s intense stare before continuing, “Well, he probably meant that he knew about your relationship with Sonny.” When Brenda quirked her eyebrow, Lois jumped at the chance to continue, “Don’t look at me like that, Brenda! You knew I’d tell him – not everything, of course, but enough so that he’d know what to expect – especially with you guys going to Luke’s and all!” She found herself needing to stand her ground on this point. “Anyway, aren’t you glad he did know?”
Brenda thought for a minute. “Actually, I am glad.” She jumped up again and started pacing. She finally stopped in front of the fireplace and turned back to Lois. “I’ve never met anyone like him, Lois! You know, when he talks to me, he actually sees me and listens to what I have to say! I think he’s the first man I’ve ever met who actually thinks of me as a person and not just the Face of Deception!”
Brenda came rushing back over and plopped down on the couch again. “You want to hear the most amazing part? Ruby likes him!”
“What do you mean: Ruby likes him? How does she know him?” Lois was beginning to get as excited as Brenda. Ruby was a very good judge of character. After all, she had figured Sonny out long before any of the rest of them had. “Come on, tell me!”
Brenda smiled, “Jax and I had dinner at Kelly’s before the show last night." When she saw the startled expression on Lois's face she started to explain, "When I asked him to come to see Ned’s show with me, we decided to have dinner first. As we were leaving, Ruby suggested we eat at Kelly’s and Jax agreed!”
“You’re kidding! Jax had dinner at Kelly’s!” Lois's surprise was evident in her voice. Jax had struck her as the type that would have thought the Outback slumming. She was having a hard time picturing him eating chili at Kelly’s. “Go on!” She found herself wanting to know the details.
“It was great! He let me pick the table and even order the food! We spent the whole time talking about nothing in particular and everything in general. When it was time to leave, he asked Ruby for the check and she said there was none. Then she bent over and said something to Jax, and he whispered something back to her and we left!
“When I was leaving this morning, she asked me how the evening went, and when I told her what Jax did, she just smiled and said that was about what she figured he would do. She also said that he was welcome at Kelly’s any time I wanted to bring him!”
Lois was stunned! Getting an open invitation to Kelly’s from Ruby was pretty much the same thing as being adopted - at least to the people of Port Charles! In a way, she was stunned that Ruby had accepted Jax so quickly, but in another she wasn’t because somehow she knew that Ruby would approve of him. Lois was grateful that her initial impression of Jax and the influence he would have on Brenda had been correct. She hadn’t seen Brenda smile this much in months! If she had to lay money on it, she would bet that Brenda had slept soundly last night as well. It was written all over her face.
Before they had a chance to continue their conversation, there was a knock at the door. Lois got up to answer it and was surprised to see Jax standing there. “What are you doing here?”
When Jax saw the startled expression on Lois’s face and glanced over her shoulder and saw Brenda sitting on the couch, he smiled. “Have you guys been talking about me?”
Brenda jumped at the sound of his voice. “Jax! What a surprise! What brings you by?” She was trying her best to hide how delighted she was to see him again so soon.
Lois stepped aside and let Jax in, closing the door behind him. “I just came by to tell you guys that Edward’s check cleared and the ownership papers have all been recorded. L&B Records now officially belongs to you, and J&J Jacks of Alaska has made a tidy profit on a quick investment!” Jax smiled broadly as he handed the final ownership papers to Lois.
"I read them over and everything is as it should be." Jax had taken his jacket off while talking. He walked over and sat next to Brenda on the couch, as Lois was looking over the papers. "How are you doing today?"
“I’m doing pretty well thanks to you.” Brenda gave Jax a smile that he quickly realized was a combination of gratitude and flirtatiousness, a combination he found very appealing.
When Lois finished reading over the papers, she came over to sit with them. As she refolded the papers, she looked up at Jax and then over at Brenda. She smiled when she realized that there was definitely something going on between those two. At this point though she wasn’t sure if either one of them even realized it. Before she had a chance to say anything, the phone on the desk started ringing. Brenda started to get up to answer it, but Lois put her hand on Brenda’s arm to let her know that she would get it. Brenda seemed quite willing to let Lois take care of the call, Lois thought, especially since it would give her more time to talk to Jax. When Lois answered the phone she found that it was one of the company’s distributors. She excused herself to take the call in the studio, since that was where she had left the information she needed.
Once they were left alone Jax and Brenda both felt a little uneasy – a feeling that quickly passed as they started talking again. “What did you mean before when you said you were doing pretty well thanks to me?” Jax asked. "I didn't do anything."
Brenda smiled, "That's exactly why I'm thanking you. See, Jax, all my life people have felt it necessary to run my life. First, my father who didn't think I was capable of making a decision, then my sister who didn't trust my decisions, and then Sonny…" She paused for a second and took a deep breath. "You just automatically let me make the decisions. You agreed to have dinner at Kelly's, even though I'm sure you would have preferred to eat somewhere else." When Jax started to say something, Brenda held up her hand to stop him. "That wasn't the main reason though. When Sonny made that scene last night, you didn't do anything. You let me decide how I wanted to handle it, and then your first concern was that I was okay, not that you were embarrassed or that you had to get even! That meant a lot to me. In fact, it wasn't until you asked if I wanted to leave because of what happened that I realized how much I actually wanted to stay!"
The smile left her face, and Jax could see that she was very serious about what she was about to say. "That was the first time that I've had the courage to stay in the same room as Sonny since we split up. He usually manages to upset me so much that I run out crying! So for giving me the courage to stay and enjoy an evening with my friends, I thank you."
Jax nodded to acknowledge her thanks. "In that case you are very welcome! I'm glad I was able to help."
Before they had a chance to say anthing more, Lois came back into the room. "Sorry about that! I can't believe it took that long!" When she looked at the two of them sitting on the couch, she was sure that things were starting to move forward for them. "Have you guys managed to find something to talk about while I was gone?" Lois smiled when she saw the expression on Brenda's face at her remark.
Just as Brenda was getting ready to respond, Jax looked at his watch. "Hey, what do you guys say we go out to lunch to celebrate?" He looked first at Lois and then at Brenda.
"What are we celebrating?" Lois asked.
"Take your pick: you getting back ownership of L&B; J&J Jacks making a huge profit; or Brenda…"
"Sounds like a great idea to me!" Brenda jumped in before Jax had a chance to finish his sentence. "Where should we go?"
This time it was Lois who spoke up first. "How about Kelly's?" She smiled when she saw the exasperated look on Brenda’s face.
"Fine with me. Is that okay with you, Brenda?" Jax asked.
"Sure, let's go!" Brenda jumped up and grabbed her coat off the back of the chair. She reached for Jax's jacket and handed it to him. "Lois, can you drive? I don't think the three of us will fit in my car."
"That won't be necessary. We'll take my car." Jax opened the door for them and waited until both Lois and Brenda were out before following them out and closing it securely. He put his hand in the same spot on Brenda's back as last night, as the three of them walked over to where he had parked his car. "I decided since I'm going to be in town for a little while I might as well have a car, so I rented this at the hotel. Jax opened the passenger door and the back door of the four-wheel drive vehicle. Lois quickly got in the back seat, leaving the front seat for Brenda to sit next to Jax.
It didn't take long for them to get to Kelly's. After parking the car in a nearby lot, they walked the short distance to Kelly's. As soon as she saw them come through the door, Ruby came over to talk to them. "Hello, you three! How nice to see you!"
"Hiya, Ruby! How ya doin'?" Lois said, as she started taking her coat off. Jax quickly reached over to help her with the coat and then did the same for Brenda. While Jax took their coats over to the rack and took off his own, Ruby showed them to a table.
"I'm doing very well, Lois. Thanks for asking. Are you guys here for lunch?" Jax came over to sit down. “Hello, Jax!”
“Hello, Ruby, how’s the most beautiful restaurant owner in Port Charles today?” Jax smiled his most flirtatious smile, as he took a seat between Brenda and Lois.
“You can just put the charm away, Mr. Jacks. It’s wasted on an old broad like me! Why don’t you save it for someone who will appreciate it?” She shifted her look over to Brenda, who had her back to them as she read the specials board. She quickly turned around when she heard the others start to laugh.
“What?” was all that Brenda had a chance to say before they all started laughing again. Ruby took their lunch orders and headed back to the kitchen, leaving the three of them to amuse themselves until their food came. It was becoming obvious to everyone in the diner that the three young people sitting at the table were definitely enjoying each other’s company.
Unnoticed by anyone else, a man came into the dinner and took a seat at the next table. He picked up the menu and appeared to be reading it as he discreetly moved his chair closer to where Jax, Brenda and Lois were talking. He had been following them ever since they had left the Quartermaine estate. He had been very careful not to follow too closely so he wouldn’t be spotted. The last thing he wanted to do was to have to report back to Sonny that he had been caught. As it was, he was already nervous that he had nothing to report. The three of them had come straight from the estate to Kelly’s and now seemed to be doing nothing more than having lunch and telling really stupid stories. He had really been hoping to be able to report something significant to his boss. He knew that if he went back with nothing Sonny could use against Brenda or this Jacks guy, he was going to get the blame for it.
Just when he thought he was going to have to report no progress he heard something that caught his attention. Maybe this day wasn’t going to be a total waste after all. He leaned a little closer to their table.
“Lois tells me you flew your own plane to Port Charles.” Brenda looked over at Jax before continuing, “Have you been flying long?”
Jax put his fork down and tented his fingers in front of his chin. “I’ve been flying for about ten years. I got certified for multi-engines and for jets about two years ago. Why? Do you like to fly?”
A huge smile came across Brenda’s face. “I love to! I’m not sure though whether it’s the idea of flying itself or just getting somewhere fast. I mean in a commercial jet you don’t exactly get to experience the real thrill of flying!”
“Well, in that case I’ve got an idea. Why don’t I take you flying with me? That way you can experience the real thing and decide for yourself if it’s the speed or the idea of flight! What do you think?” Jax glanced quickly at Lois and gave her a wink before turning his attention back to Brenda. “Well?”
Brenda looked at Lois, who just smiled at her, and then at Jax. “I’d love to! When?”
Jax chuckled as he pulled out his pocket calendar. “Well, I have a meeting this afternoon and a couple of conference calls tomorrow. How about Thursday?” Jax looked up from his calendar as a huge smile crossed his face. “I’ve got an idea! Do you like oysters?” He was looking directly at Brenda when he asked the question.
Startled by his sudden change of subject Brenda didn’t answer right away. “Actually, I love oysters! Why?”
“I was just thinking that we could go to my favorite oyster bar when we go flying Thursday. Are you up for it?” He waited for Brenda to answer before he told her where they would be going. He was hoping she wouldn’t change her mind when she found out.
Brenda looked at Lois again and saw her smile. “Sounds great to me. Where is this oyster bar anyway?”
There was the question he had been waiting for. “Well, actually it’s in Gallway, so you’ll probably have to bring a change of clothes with you. We’ll spend the night at the inn and fly back the next day. What do you say?”
Brenda and Lois were stunned. Jax had just suggested Brenda go to Ireland with him as if it were a trip to the corner store. Lois got an even bigger shock when she heard Brenda’s answer. “I say let’s do it!” The smile on Brenda’s face as she answered Jax scared Lois. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. It seemed like things were moving awfully fast here.
Before Lois had a chance to voice her concerns, Jax started talking, “Great! I’ll pick you up about 9:00 Thursday morning. That way we should be in Gallway by dinnertime! I’ll call and let them know we’re coming and ask them to have our rooms ready for us. It’s a small inn, but we should be able to have nearby rooms, even at last minute notice.” Jax winked at Lois. He wanted her to know that he understood her concerns for Brenda, and he had no intention of taking advantage of the situation.
The rest of their lunch was spent making plans for the trip to Ireland and listening to Jax’s stories about the inn and the family that owned it and the oyster bar. By the time they finished lunch, Lois was as enthusiastic about their trip as Jax and Brenda were. In fact, they were so absorbed in their discussion of the trip that they didn’t notice the man at the next table quickly pay his check and leave the diner.
Sonny had been in a foul mood all morning. The news of Lily’s sudden trip to visit her father had not helped matters any. She had been very quiet ever since they had gotten home from Luke’s last night. Sonny figured that she was upset about Brenda having the nerve to show up there. After all, Brenda knew full well that he was part owner of the club and that meant that she had no business ever being there. She had probably come just to create a scene (which he felt she had) and to embarrass Lily. Before Lily came down for breakfast, Sonny had called his jeweler to order a present to try to make up to Lily for Brenda’s bad manners.
They had not spoken much at breakfast. After she finished eating, Lily had spent the entire morning upstairs, either moving around in their bedroom or on the phone. When Sonny saw the suitcase she was carrying as she came down the stairs, his stomach lurched.
“What’s with the suitcase? Are you going somewhere?” he asked, as Lily set the suitcase by the front door.
“Yes, I’m going to see my father for a couple of days. I talked to him earlier and he’s expecting me. In fact his plane should be at the Port Charles Airport in about an hour, so I’d better get going.” Lily came over and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “I’ll only be gone a couple of days. I should be back on Thursday.”
As Lily turned to leave, Sonny grabbed her arm and turned her back to face him. “Is something wrong?” Sonny wasn’t sure if he was concerned for Lily or himself. His deal with her father had been very specific. He had to marry Lily and make her happy! He thought he was doing a pretty good job of that. Now he wasn’t so sure. “It just seems like this trip came up kind of suddenly, that’s all.”
Lily gently pulled her arm from his grasp. “Nothing’s wrong. I just haven’t seen my father in a while, and I miss him. He told me he had a few days free, so I decided to jump at the chance to visit him.” She glanced at her watch again. “I really should be going Sonny. I don’t want to keep daddy’s pilot waiting.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek again before turning to open the door. As soon as she opened it, she held her bag out to the guard. “Would you mind taking this down to the car for me?” The guard looked at Sonny before doing anything. When he saw Sonny’s nod of approval, he took the bag and went to the elevator. Sonny walked her to the elevator and waited until the doors closed between them. Something about this trip didn’t feel right; he just couldn’t put his finger on what.
Not long after Lily left, there was a knock at the door. “Yeah?” Sonny was in no mood for visitors.
The man he had assigned to watch Brenda came through the door. “What are you doing here? I told you to watch Brenda and that guy!”
“I know. Boss. That’s why I’m here. I found out something that I think you’ll want to hear.” The man told Sonny exactly what he had heard about the trip to Ireland. When he finished he looked nervously at Sonny. “Is that what you wanted to know, boss?” The grin on Sonny’s face gave him his answer before Sonny even said anything.
“That’s exactly what I wanted to know. You were right to come here. Where are they now?”
“I waited until they left Kelly’s before coming to report. I followed them back to the Quartermaine estate. As far as I know, all three of them are still at the gatehouse there. I’ve got one of the guys watching just to make sure.” He was waiting for Sonny to say something. When he didn’t, the man excused himself and started for the door.
“Wait! Find Jason and tell him I want to see him. I have a job for him.” Sonny waived his hand to signal the man to leave. After he was alone, Sonny started to pace back and forth. Just who did this guy think he was, taking Brenda – his woman – on a trip like this? A smirk came to his face as his mind raced. Well, he was just going to have to show this guy that he was messing with the wrong woman! Sonny’s thoughts were interrupted by another knock at the door. Sonny turned toward the door, but before he could say anything, Jason came in without waiting for Sonny’s response. “Good, I’m glad you’re here. I’ve got a job for you!”
Thursday, 8:45 A.M.
Brenda came rushing down the stairs, carrying a small suitcase. When she saw Ruby behind the counter, she went over and took a seat, setting her bag on the floor next to her. “Good morning, Ruby!”
Startled to see Brenda up this early, Ruby immediately came over and poured her a cup of coffee. “Good morning to you! What on earth has gotten into you this morning? It’s not even 9:00 yet and not only are you actually awake, but you’re dressed, and by the looks of that bag on your way out someplace!”
Brenda smiled. “You’re right! I am on my way out. Jax is taking me flying this morning – TO IRELAND!” Brenda laughed at the shocked expression on Ruby’s face.
When she was able to talk again, Ruby didn’t know what to ask first. “IRELAND! What on earth for?” Ruby set the coffeepot she was holding down on the counter as she waited for Brenda’s answer.
“Jax is taking me to his favorite oyster bar in Gallway!” Brenda’s excitement was becoming contagious. “Oh, did I tell you that he flies his own plane?” When Ruby shook her head Brenda continued, “Well, he does. In fact, that’s how he and Lois got here!”
As Brenda started giving Ruby more details about the trip, Ruby’s attention was drawn to a man in a black suit and dark glasses, who had just come through the door. “Can I help you with something?” she asked him.
The man nodded his head slightly to her before answering, “I’m looking for a Ms. Brenda Barrett. I’ve been sent to bring her to the airport.” He looked directly at Brenda. “Are you Miss Barrett?” When Brenda nodded, he leaned over and picked up her bag. “Is this the only luggage?” Again Brenda nodded. “I’ll put it in the car.” He glanced at his watch as he shifted the bag to his other hand. “We should get going. There’s still quite a bit of rush hour traffic, and I don’t want to be late.” He headed toward the door and held it open for Brenda.
Brenda looked quickly at Ruby. “Boy, does Jax know how to do things or what?” She kissed Ruby quickly on the cheek and headed out the door with the driver.
Something about all of this didn’t feel right to Ruby. Admittedly, she had only just met Jax, but this kind of display of wealth did not strike her as something he would do. He did not strike her as the type who liked to flaunt his wealth, and sending a driver to this neighborhood was DEFINITELY flaunting your wealth!
Just as she reached for the phone to call Jax at the Port Charles Hotel, she was stopped by the sound of his voice. “Hello, Ruby. Is my date ready yet?” When Ruby looked up and saw the huge grin on Jax’s face as he walked toward her, it made her heart stop. She was right! He obviously had not sent the car. When Jax saw the expression on her face, his smile immediately faded. “What’s wrong, Ruby?”
“What are YOU doing here? Didn’t you already send a car for Brenda?” Seeing Jax standing in front of her suddenly set off every alarm her senses had, especially when she saw the look on his face. “You didn’t send a car, did you?” Her rapidly increasing fear was now obvious in her voice.
“No, I didn’t! Why would I? I hate limos and drivers! Brenda knows that! How long ago did they leave?” Jax was already buttoning up his jacket as he asked the question.
“It couldn’t have been more than five or ten minutes!” When she saw the anger on Jax’s face, she knew immediately whom he suspected of doing this. “Jax, are you sure it was him?”
Jax slowly nodded his head. “You didn’t see him last night, Ruby. I’ve never seen a man take such pleasure in hurting another human being!”
Jax was beginning to get an idea. “I’d better get going.” He took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. He could see the concern written all over Ruby’s face. He smiled slightly. “Don’t worry, Ruby. I’m sure Brenda will be okay.” Jax put his hand on Ruby’s arm and squeezed it slightly in an attempt to reassure her, before he turned and walked out the door. As soon as he got outside, he looked around. He noticed a man standing a short distance away, reading a newspaper. When he reached his car, Jax looked in the door mirror as he was unlocking it and saw the same man walking a short distance behind him. Jax could not resist the urge to smile. He had been right; Sonny was behind this, which meant that Brenda was not in any danger. As he started the car and headed out into traffic, he again noticed the man with the newspaper. This time he was getting into a car that was parked on the street nearby. The car pulled out into traffic a few cars behind Jax.
Jax drove directly to the Quartermaine estate. As he pulled into the driveway, he saw the car that had been following him continue down the street. After parking the car just inside the gate of the estate, Jax got out and walked back to the gate. He carefully looked around the edge of the brick wall and saw the car coming back toward the estate. It parked about twenty yards down the road, facing the gate. Jax smiled as he walked over to the gatehouse, relieved that his theory was being proven correct. As he got closer to the gatehouse, he saw a car parked nearby; the driver was still in it. He knew immediately who the car belonged to.
Jax knocked at the door but did not wait for anyone to answer it; he just walked in. He was not surprised when he saw Lois’s visitor – Sonny Corrinthos! “Hi, Lois!” Jax smiled at Lois and looked directly at Sonny. “Mr. Corrinthos” was all he said, but it was enough to unnerve Sonny. He had expected Jax to be frantic looking for Brenda, but here he was calm as could be, standing in Lois’s living room.
Lois jumped up from the couch. “JAX! What are you doin’ here? You and Brenda are suppose to be on your way to Ireland right now!”
Jax chuckled. “That was the plan, but a slight complication seems to have developed – Brenda has disappeared!” Jax came over to the couch and looked down at Sonny, who was thumbing through a magazine. “Lois, how long has Mr. Corrinthos been here?” Sonny had been trying to look uninterested in the conversation, but when Jax asked about him, he looked up and saw the expression on Jax’s face for the first time.
Lois quickly figured out what Jax was getting at. She came over to stand next to him, facing Sonny. “Oh, I don’t know: somewhere around 8:45 or 9:00. He said he came over to explain why he sold us out to Edward and to find out why I went to you to get the company back instead of coming to him. Why?”
Sonny was surprised to see the smirk that had come to Jax’s face. “Oh, no reason. It’s just that at about that time a car and driver showed up and Kelly’s and picked Brenda up. She and Ruby thought I had sent it, so Brenda went with the driver. Unfortunately, I got there about ten minutes later; too late to stop Brenda. Ruby is pretty worried about her. I promised her I’d call as soon as I found Brenda.” Neither Jax nor Lois had taken their eyes off of Sonny while he told Lois what had happened.
“Sonny, do you know anything about this?” Lois was sure he did, otherwise he would not have been calmly sitting reading a magazine. His early morning visit made sense now. He needed to establish an alibi for the time Brenda disappeared. Who better to provide that alibi than Brenda’s best friend and business partner? She also knew that he would lie to her about his involvement.
Sonny looked up at Lois with his most innocent expression. “Why would I know anything about it? I don’t give a damn what that tramp does or who she does it with! I just came by to explain what happened with L&B and to find out why you thought you had to go to some outsider to take care of a ‘family’ matter. I’ve got my answers, so I’ll leave you now.” The smirk that Sonny gave Jax as he walked past was all either he or Lois needed to confirm their suspicions. When Sonny leaned over to kiss Lois on the cheek, she backed away from him. He just smiled and finished putting on his gloves. Once he got to the door, he turned back to Jax and Lois, “Since it means so much to you, I hope you find Brenda real soon. Personally, I think you’d be better off if she never comes back!” He tipped his head to Lois and went out the door, closing it loudly behind him.
Lois looked at Jax, her fear evident on her face. “He took her, didn’t he?” Jax simply nodded his answer. “Oh, God! Do you think he’ll hurt her? He was really angry the other night when he saw her with you!” Lois started to wring her hands and pace back and forth.
Jax came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. He turned her around to face him. He smiled reassuringly at her. “He’s not going to hurt her, Lois. I’m sure of that! This was all done to get his point across to me.” When he saw Lois’s expression, he led her over to the couch so they could sit down. “I saw it the minute we were introduced. He still thinks of Brenda as his property, and now I’m trying to ‘steal’ what belongs to him. This is his way of telling me to back off; that Brenda is his private property!”
What had started out as fear and concern for Brenda was quickly turning into anger toward Sonny. “That jerk! He was the one who threw Brenda away! What makes him think he has any claim to her now?” Lois suddenly realized that Jax was not saying anything. She put her hand on his arm as she spoke to him. “You aren’t going to let him do this, are you, Jax? I haven’t seen Brenda this happy and relaxed in months!”
Jax smiled at her and put his hand on top of hers. “I have no intention of letting Sonny get away with this. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do for Brenda until he decides to return her.” Jax got up and picked up Lois’s coat and her cell phone. He handed them both to her before he finished. “However, there is something we can do about Sonny.” As Lois was putting her coat on, Jax opened the door. He looked around briefly before they went outside, convinced that there was no one on the estate watching them. He took Lois’s hand and led her to the front gate. They stopped at the edge of the wall, and Jax looked around to make sure the car was still there.
Lois was totally lost. She had no idea what Jax was up to or how he could be so calm. “Jax, what the heck is going on? What are we doing out here in the cold?”
Jax turned back to Lois and held a finger to his lips. He pulled her around in front of him and showed her the car parked down the street. “That car followed me here from Kelly’s, and one of the guys in it has been following me since I left the hotel this morning. My guess is that they work for Sonny. Now, if I call the police, they probably won’t do anything very quickly because I’m a stranger in Port Charles. But if…”
Jax didn’t need to finish his idea. Lois caught on immediately. She opened up her cell phone and called the Port Charles police. She identified herself as Lois Ashton and reported a suspicious car parked near the Quartermaine estate. She asked if an officer could come by and find out what the men in the car were doing there. She then called the private security firm that patrolled the neighborhood and reported the suspicious car to them as well. When she finished her call and closed the phone, she looked up at Jax with a satisfied grin. “The police and the private security company will be here in a few minutes.” Lois’s expression turned serious again. “What do we do about Brenda?”
Jax took Lois’s hand and led her back to the gatehouse. “There’s nothing we can do for now, Lois. We just have to wait until he decides we’ve suffered enough and returns her. My guess is that he’ll drop her off here – a car and driver dropping someone at one of these estates wouldn’t be noticed as much as they would be at Kelly’s. Do you mind if I wait here with you until then?” Lois gave Jax a quick hug and shook her head to let him know that she would appreciate him staying.
It was almost 3:00 before they finally heard the sound of a car door slam and a car speed away. Jax and Lois were just getting to the door, when it burst open and Brenda came in, throwing here suitcase on the floor and pulling here coat off. “I cannot believe he had the nerve to do this! Who does he think he is anyway, my keeper?” It wasn’t until she slammed the door and turned back into the room that Brenda realized she was not alone. When she saw Jax and Lois standing there, she began to calm down; her anger being quickly replaced by embarrassment – especially where Jax was concerned.
“I am so sorry, Jax! I had no idea this was going to happen! Honest!” She slowly ran her fingers through her hair and took a slow deep breath in an attempt to calm down.
Jax smiled at her without any trace of anger in his face or his voice. “There’s nothing for you to apologize for, Brenda. I know you had nothing to do with this. It was Sonny, wasn’t it?” He could see the storm cloud building in Brenda’s eyes. “We figured as much. By the way, he showed up here this morning.”
While he had been talking, Jax walked over to where Brenda was standing and gently cupped the side of her face. “He was very careful to make sure that he couldn’t be connected to this, in case you decided to make a police report. I checked with all the car companies in Port Charles and none of them rented a car to Sonny or any of his corporate interests, so there’s no tie there. The driver made sure that Ruby could not see the car so there is no way to tie it to him, unless you saw the plate number.” He looked at Brenda who glumly shook her head. “I didn’t think so.”
Brenda couldn’t hold in her frustration any longer. She pulled away from Jax and walked over to the fireplace, staring into the fire. “You mean to tell me he just walks away from this?” She was surprised when she turned back and saw the smiles come to both Jax and Lois’s faces. “What? Okay, spill it. What did you guys do to him?” She suddenly had this uncontrollable urge to smile. They had obviously done SOMETHING to get even with Sonny, and she wanted to know what it was!
“Well, actually it wasn’t to him, but to a couple of his men.” Lois’s small smile had turned into a large grin. “Sonny had these jerks following Jax this morning, so when he came into the estate, they parked out in the road, watching the place. After Sonny left here, Jax and I went out to the edge of the gate and saw the car was still there, so I called the PCPD and the neighborhood security watch and reported a suspicious car parked in front of the Quartermaine estate. When the authorities showed up a few minutes later, they busted the guys. Guess who their car was registered to?” Before Brenda could answer Lois did it for her. “You got it – Sonny Corrinthos! And to top it off, the two jerks were armed and neither of them had a carry permit! I bet Sonny and his high-priced lawyer are still down at police headquarters, trying to keep him out of jail, not to mention getting his goons out!”
Brenda couldn’t help but laugh. Suddenly she found herself feeling drained. She had been hoping to have a peaceful trip with Jax and have some fun for the first time in – she couldn’t remember how long – and Sonny had managed to ruin it yet again. Why did he keep doing this to her? When was he going to leave her alone?
She had been so involved in her thoughts that he did not realize that Jax had come up behind her. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and slowly turned her around. When he saw the abject misery on her face, he reached his hand up and cupped the side of her face. “I’m sorry about all of this. Today was supposed to be an adventure for you – a fun one, not this!”
Brenda smiled weakly up at Jax. “It’s not your fault. Sonny did this!”
“I realize that, but if I hadn’t invited you to go flying with me, he never would have done this to you. I really want to make this day up to you. What can I do?”
“I have the perfect thing for you guys to do!” Lois said as she came over to them. “Why don’t you guys come to Luke’s with us Sunday night for the Ward House Benefit?”
“Lois, I don’t know about that. I’m not sure it’s such a good idea for me to go to Luke’s again – especially after today!” Brenda started to walk away, but Jax stopped her.
“What’s Ward House?” Jax asked.
“It was a children’s home down on Courtland Street that was destroyed in a fire a few months ago” Lois explained. “The neighborhood committee is holding the benefit to raise money to rebuild it. Ned’s band is one of the groups performing.” Lois shifted her attention from Jax to Brenda. “Come on, Brenda! Don’t let Sonny win again!”
When he saw the confusion on Brenda’s face, Jax put his hands on her shoulders again. “What do you say? It sounds like a very good cause.”
Brenda looked up at Jax. “Are you sure you want to see Sonny again? He’s already ruined our plans for today…”
Jax smiled at her. “I really have no intention of seeing Sonny – anywhere. Listen to me, Brenda. Sonny did this to you today to send me a message – stay away from his property! I think it’s about time he learned the lesson that people are not property!”
Brenda could feel tears starting to fill her eyes. “Is that why you want to go with me? To teach Sonny a lesson?” She was suddenly shaken by the thought that Jax might be no different than Sonny.
Jax smiled softly at her and ran his hands up and down her arms. “Absolutely not!” Jax led her over to the couch and sat down with her. He took her hand in his and gently ran his thumb across the top of hers. “I want to take you to that benefit because I like the idea of spending the evening with you. I want to take you because, from what Lois said, they are raising money for a good cause, and let’s face it, I definitely have the money to help them.” He smiled when he heard her chuckle at that remark. “But most important, I want to take you to that benefit so that YOU can show Sonny that he cannot control your life. So you can show him that you’re free to make whatever choices you want, to see whomever you want, without his approval.” When Brenda looked up into his eyes, he smiled at her. “So, what do you say? Do we go to the benefit Sunday?”
Brenda took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “When you put it that way, how can I refuse?” She smiled as she looked from Jax to Lois and then back to Jax again. “Yes, I’ll go to the benefit with you. Thank you for being so understanding about today. I was afraid you might think I ditched you on purpose.”
Jax smiled. “No way! I still owe you a flying lesson, you know!”
“And an Irish oyster dinner!” Brenda added.
“Ah, but that has already been taken care of.” Jax looked over at Lois. “Do you and Ned have any plans for dinner tonight?” When Lois shook her head Jax got up from the couch and grabbed his coat. “Good! Don’t make any! I’ll be back in about two hours with dinner for all of us.” Suddenly remembering the stressful day Brenda had, he turned his full attention to her. “After what you’ve been through today are you up for it tonight, luv?”
Brenda and Lois looked at each other, trying to figure out exactly what Jax was planning. When she saw Lois shrug her shoulders, she turned back to Jax. “Sure, why not? Do you want me to come with you?”
“Sure, if you want to. I have to arrange for something at the airport. We should be back here around 5:00. Lois, would you give Ned a call and ask him to be home, if he can?” Jax winked at Lois, as he picked Brenda’s coat up off the floor and helped her put it on. Lois shrugged again and nodded her head.
PORT CHARLES AIRPORT
Lily was surprised to see Brenda and that man she had been with at Kelly’s, Mr. Jacks, when she came through the private plane gate. Considering Sonny’s actions that night, she had expected Mr. Jacks to be long gone by now. Somehow she took comfort in the fact that he was not only still in Port Charles, but he was still with Brenda. Obviously he was not the kind of man to be intimidated by the likes of Sonny Corrinthos! From what her father had been able to find out about him in the short time she had been in Puerto Rico, he seemed to be just what she needed to convince Sonny to leave Brenda alone. Sonny no longer needed to claim he had to protect Brenda from his enemies. Jasper Jacks had more than enough influence and power to do that. Brenda’s association with him, not to mention his continuing presence in Port Charles, had impressed even her father.
As Lily waited for her luggage to come from the plane, she stood watching Brenda and Jax (she thought she remembered Brenda introducing him to Mike by that name). They seemed to be totally at ease with each other, to the point of not even noticing her presence – something she could not remember Brenda being able to do since her wedding to Sonny. This was a very good sign. Just as Lily’s luggage came through the gate, she saw the pilot from another private plane escort an older man over to where Brenda and her friend were waiting. When Jax saw the man, he immediately hugged him and introduced him to Brenda. The three of them stood talking for a few minutes, bursting into soft laughter several times before heading off toward the customs office. As she was walking to her waiting car with her guard, she felt an overwhelming sense of peace. It looked to her like Brenda was finally out of her life. There was no way that Sonny would have any reason to see her anymore. Brenda had finally moved on with her life. Lily seriously doubted that anything Sonny did from this point on would have any affect on Brenda. When she got to her car, she settled comfortably into the back seat, her mind totally occupied with plans for the future she wanted to build with Sonny; a future no longer threatened by Brenda.
5:15 P.M.
As requested, Ned had gotten home from work just after 5:00. Since Lois did not have any details about what exactly Jax was planning for dinner, they both decided to wait and see what came through their door. Whatever it was didn’t really matter to Ned. When Lois had told him about what had happened to Brenda today, he was just grateful to Jax for sticking with her. It was becoming more and more obvious to him that Lois’s impression of Jax was correct; he was good for Brenda, especially since he showed no signs of walking away - even after what happened today. Ned was beginning to realize that Jasper Jacks was actually two totally different people; the ruthless business shark, who had bested ELQ (with a little help from Lois); and the gentle caring man who was taking an increased interest in Brenda.
Ned and Lois’s peaceful time was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a delivery van, pulling up in front of the gatehouse. By the time they got to the front door and opened it, they were shocked by what was heading toward their door. There were several very large crates being rolled up the walk by the delivery truck crew. Jax, Brenda and an older man, that Ned did not recognize, but who seemed quite friendly with both Jax and Brenda, followed the crates. As they got to the door, Ned and Lois stepped aside so the crates could be placed in the middle of their living room. As the crew was leaving, one man stopped next to Jax, waited for him to sign something, and then handed him some kind of pry bar. Jax, Brenda and the older man finished coming up the walk and stood waiting in front of Ned.
“Hi, Ned, ready for dinner?” Jax asked with a laugh. When Ned stepped aside, Jax let Brenda and the man enter the house before him. Once they were inside, Ned closed the door. Seeing the confusion on both Ned and Lois’s faces, Jax started to explain what was happening.
He never got a word out of his mouth before the front door burst open and Edward Quartermaine came charging into the room. “What in heaven’s name is going on down here? What was that delivery truck doing in our driveway? Don’t you know deliveries should use the back entrance?” When he saw that Ned and Lois were not alone, he tipped his head slightly to Brenda and looked suspiciously at the stranger standing next to her. When he saw Jax standing next to her as well, he exploded. “Ned! What on earth is this swindler doing on Quartermaine property? I’m calling security to have him arrested for trespassing!”
“Oh, pipe down, grandfather! Jax is not trespassing! He was invited!” Ned could not resist the urge to gloat when he saw the stunned look on his grandfather’s face. “If anyone is trespassing it’s you! Remember, Monica and grandmother gave this house to Lois and I for a wedding present. You have no business here, so if you don’t mind… our dinner is waiting!” Ned walked over and stood by the open door. When Edward showed no sign of leaving, Ned went over to the desk and picked up the phone. He quickly dialed the main house. When Reginald answered the phone, Ned gave him a very short message: “Reginald, this is Ned. Would you tell grandmother and the others that grandfather will not be there for dinner tonight? He’s about to be arrested for trespassing.” Ned was still on the phone when he heard his grandfather stomp out of the gatehouse, slamming the door behind him. “Never mind, Reginald. He’s on his way back to the house now.” Ned paused, listening to what Reginald was saying. “Yeah, I know; maybe next time.” Ned chuckled as he hung up the phone. “Okay, so what’s for dinner, and who is this?” Ned looked directly at the stranger standing in his living room.
“Ned, Lois, I’d like to introduce you to Paddy Moran. His family owns the finest oyster bar in all of Ireland!” Jax and Paddy both couldn't resist the urge to laugh at the shocked expressions on everyone’s' faces. “Since Sonny messed up our plans to go to the oyster bar, I decided to bring the oyster bar to us!” Before anyone had a chance to say anything, Jax took off his coat and walked over to the first crate and pried the lid off of it. For the next half-hour he and Paddy went about setting up the most phenomenal oyster dinner any of them had ever seen. The rest of the evening was spent enjoying the food and the Irish beer that Paddy had brought along with the meal.
Ward House Benefit
Luke's Place
Mike was surprised when he saw Brenda and Jax walk through the front door of Luke's. After what had happened with Sonny the last time they were here, he had not expected to see Brenda again, at least not at Luke's. He had not seen her name or Jax's on the reservations list, but he did remember seeing a reservation for Lois and Ned Ashton for a party of four. Unfortunately, he also remembered seeing Sonny's name in the book. He said a silent prayer that Sonny would leave them alone this time.
Mike walked up to Jax and Brenda, as Jax was handing their coats to the hostess. "Well, hello. It's nice to see you two again." Mike immediately noticed that, unlike last time, Brenda was not the slightest bit nervous at being in Luke's. She looked absolutely beautiful, as always, but there was something different about her tonight. At first he couldn't put his finger on it, but then it came to him. She looked happy! He could not remember the last time he had actually seen her this happy and relaxed. He just hoped things stayed that way for the rest of the evening.
"Hello, Mike, it's good to see you, too," Brenda answered. "We're joining Lois and Ned at their table. Are they here yet?" Brenda did not even bother to look around the room, which pleased Mike to no end. Obviously she was not concerned about Sonny's presence, as she usually was. Just then Lois caught site of them and started waving. "Oh, I see Lois over there. We'll seat ourselves, Mike." Brenda smiled at Mike and reached for Jax's hand as they walked over to where Lois was sitting. As they walked past him, Mike couldn't help but worry that Sonny would do something to ruin this evening for Brenda. He promised himself that he would keep an eye on things to make sure that didn't happen.
About a half-hour later, Sonny and Lily arrived. Mike greeted them at the door and quickly showed them to their table. Luckily, Mike thought, Sonny's view of the Ashton party was pretty well blocked by the large crowd. He hoped, for Brenda's sake and Lily's, that Sonny would not see them. He couldn't help feeling that Lily deserved to have a good time tonight.
The evening went flawlessly. Several local and national bands performed for the sellout crowd. Ned's group was the last to go on stage before the grand finale, in which all the performers came on stage to sing one last song. It was nearly 1:00 in the morning by the time they finished. Just as they finished, Laura Spencer, the director of Ward House, came on stage to let everyone know how much money they had raised. Including the substantial check from Jax (which he specifically told Laura he wanted listed as an anonymous donation), they had raised almost $125,000.00, more than enough to begin reconstruction of Ward House. Everyone was thrilled at the success of the benefit, especially when Luke announced that the club was going to absorb all costs for the benefit so that all the money could be used for Ward House.
It wasn't until the end of the evening, when the crowd was thinning out, that Sonny noticed Brenda. He started to get up to go over to her table to let her know that her presence was not appropriate at this function, when he looked over at Lily and saw how happy she was. He realized that she had been much more relaxed ever since she had come back from visiting her father. He decided that tonight was not the time to say anything to Brenda. He'd wait until he got the information on Jasper Jacks before confronting her. He just sat watching, as Brenda and the pretty boy got up to leave. When he saw them putting their coats on he turned to Lily. "Are you about ready to call it a night?" he asked. He was glad he had decided to leave Brenda alone tonight. He now realized that Lily needed his full attention for awhile. Brenda and her 'stud' could wait. When Lily nodded her willingness to leave, he got up and held her chair for her. He put his arm around her shoulders as they walked to the door and waited for their coats.
Jax and Ned had given their claim tickets to the valets, and the four friends were standing around joking as they waited for the cars to be brought around. Brenda suddenly felt her bracelet come loose so she excused herself from the others to go over under a nearby light so she could see both halves of the clasp to rehook it. As Brenda was standing under the light, Lily and Sonny came out of the club. They waited silently next to the others for their driver to bring their car around.
Lily looked over at the group next to them and realized that Brenda was not with them. She looked around and finally noticed her standing under the light fidgeting with something. As she was turning her attention back to Sonny, she saw a car approach out the corner of her eye. It wasn't until she realized that the driver had turned off the headlights and was accelerating toward them that she reacted. As soon as she saw the direction the car was heading, she started running, which caught everyone's attention. Just as the car reached them, Lily pushed Brenda out of the way. Unfortunately, it was not soon enough. Although she did not take the full force of the car, Brenda did take enough of a hit to send her flying about five feet across the parking lot. The car also grazed Lily as it sped past, knocking her to the ground.
When they had heard the sound of the car accelerating, everyone standing by the door turned to look. Lois screamed when she saw the car. The sound of her voice caused Brenda to look up from her bracelet just as the car came at her. She suddenly felt a hand shove her to the side but it was too late, the car was coming at her at high speed. The last thing she remembered was flying through the air.
Jax and Sonny were the first to move. Both came running over to where Brenda lay unconscious. Sonny knelt next to her and reached over to turn her over. Jax grabbed his arm and pulled him back to his feet. “Keep your hands off of her, Corrinthos! Go look after your wife!” He pushed Sonny off in the direction that Lily had fallen. It wasn’t until Jax mentioned Lily’s name that Sonny even realized that she could have also been hurt. He rushed over to her side just as she was sitting up and looking around.
The valet, who had already called 911, told them that an ambulance and a police car were on the way. He ran inside the club to let Luke know what had happened and to get something to keep Brenda warm. When he came back out with a blanket, he found that Jax had taken off his heavy topcoat and placed it over her like a blanket.
Jax knelt next to Brenda, talking to her softly, encouraging her to wake up and gently stroking her hair with his fingers. He was surprised when he looked down to see that his hands were shaking. It was then that he realized that he was scared – more scared than he could remember ever being before!
The ambulance arrived within minutes, but it seemed like hours to Jax. When the paramedics arrived, they insisted that Jax and the others back away so that they could do their job. Ned, Lois and Jax stood off to the side, unwilling to move too far away from an unconscious Brenda. None of them paid any attention to Lily and Sonny, who were back under the lamp, until Sonny came over to one of the medics and told him that Lily was hurt as well. They looked over at Lily to see her standing with Sonny’s bodyguard. She was leaning against him slightly, holding her wrist. Seeing that his partner was still doing his evaluation of Brenda’s condition, the medic went over to check on Lily.
It only took a few minutes for the paramedic to complete his evaluation. He went back to the ambulance and with the help of one of the police officers brought back a backboard and the stretcher. His partner came back to help him move Brenda. Jax immediately came over to help. When they told him he would have to back away, Jax told them he was a certified lifeguard and ski patrol member, trained in trauma stabilization. The ambulance crew gladly accepted his help in log rolling Brenda onto the backboard. Once she was secured to the board, he helped them lift her onto the stretcher.
After helping lock the stretcher in place in the back of the ambulance, Jax started to get in to ride to the hospital with Brenda, but he was stopped by one of the paramedics. “I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t let you ride with us. We need the space to transport the other patient.” Jax was about to argue with him when he saw the police officer and Sonny helping steady Lily as she walked slowly toward the waiting ambulance, holding her splinted arm. He immediately stepped aside for them. He watched as Lily carefully climbed the step into the back and was buckled into the side seat by the medic. Once they were in, the police officer closed the doors and knocked twice to let the driver know they were clear to leave. The ambulance pulled slowly out into traffic; the driver turning on the flashing lights and siren as they entered the road.
Jax stood watching the ambulance drive away, not moving. It wasn’t until Lois came up and put her arm around his waist that he even realized what was happening. “Come on, Jax. We’ll drive to the hospital together.” Lois was shocked when she saw Jax’s face. There were tears flowing freely down his cheeks.
“Did you see her face, Lois? She looked so pale! So still!” Jax could not believe what had just happened.
Ned came up on his other side and gently squeezed his shoulder. “Come on, Jax. Let’s go. We should be at the hospital when she wakes up. If I know Brenda, she’s going to be really pissed when she sees what happened to her dress!”
Jax smiled weakly at Ned and nodded his head slowly. The three of them walked over to Ned’s car and got in. As they drove slowly out of the parking lot, Jax closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the headrest. He couldn’t wait to get away from here and to the hospital. He realized as they were driving that he wanted – he needed – to be there for Brenda! He also realized that this had not just been a freak accident. Someone had just tried to kill Brenda, and he intended to find out who it was and to make sure they didn’t try again!