”Why Miss Barrett, isn’t it obvious? You’re being kidnapped!”

They rode for a long time in silence. Brenda remained snuggled close to Jax with his arm wrapped securely around her shoulders. She looked out the side window at the buildings going past, trying to figure out where they were going, but she had no clue. She did notice though that the snow had finally slowed to just flurries. When the limo slowed and turned sharply to the right, Brenda finally realized where they were – the Port Charles Airport.

“What are we doing here?” Brenda pulled back from Jax and turned in the seat to face him.

Jax only smiled at her. When he saw the confusion in her face he couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re being kidnapped! Remember?”

Before Brenda had a chance to say anything, the limo came to a stop in front of one of the outlying buildings. The driver got out immediately and opened the door for Jax. He got out, and, along with the driver, walked quickly around to the other door. The driver opened it and a cold wind blew snow in. Jax leaned in and lifted Brenda out, holding her close to him. “Snuggle down,” he said as he turned and walked quickly to the door of the building, which opened automatically as they approached. Once inside, he carried her into the private lounge area before setting her on her feet in front of a plush sofa. He helped her remove the blanket she was wrapped in and handed it back to the driver, who bowed slightly and quickly left them alone.

“Jax, what are we doing at the airport?” Brenda asked. “I thought you were going to take me home.”

Jax smiled at her as he helped her get comfortable on the sofa and then sat down next to her. “I never actually said I was taking you home, Brenda. I said I would pick you up in a limo – which I did!” He tapped her lightly on the tip of her nose. “Why don’t you just relax and enjoy yourself? I can promise you it’ll be a lot more fun than lying around that little room of yours at Kelly’s!”

Before she could say anything he got up and walked over to talk to the person seated at the desk near the door they had just come through. When he came back he could see a look of total confusion on Brenda’s face as he held out his hands to her. It was obvious, at least to him, that she wasn’t sure about what was happening. “Everything’s ready. Are you game?” He smiled at her as he waited for her answer.

Brenda wasn’t sure what to make of all this. One thing she realized as she looked up at him was that Jax would never do anything that would harm her. She didn’t know why she felt that way; she just knew that she did. Slowly she reached out her hands to take his and stood up with his help. As she stood facing him, she couldn’t resist the urge to smile. “I guess so.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she wrapped hers around his waist as they slowly walked through the gate onto the boarding ramp.

Brenda was surprised when she found herself entering a very luxurious private plane. In place of the standard airplane seats there were long couch-like seats that were covered in soft velour-like fabric. In the center of the plane was a leather-covered loveseat. Jax led her to the loveseat and helped her sit down.

“Jax, I’m not sure this is such a good idea. I mean I just got out of the hospital with a concussion. I don’t think I should be flying so soon.” Jax could see the confusion and also a little fear in her eyes.

“Brenda, don’t you know I wouldn’t do anything to endanger your health? I checked with Dr. Jones and Dr. Quartermaine before I planned all of this. They both said that as long as you followed their instructions they didn’t see any reason why you couldn’t make this trip. In fact, considering the weather in Port Charles right now, Alan thought it would be good for you!” Jax reached over and buckled her seat belt. “Why don’t you just sit back and relax? We’ll be taking off in a minute.”

Now that her last excuse was gone Brenda realized she had no choice. “Okay, you win!” When she saw him buckling himself in next to her she was confused. “Aren’t you flying the plane?”

Jax smiled. “No, I have a pilot on call at all times. In fact, he brought the plane here from New York for us. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me for the duration of the flight.”

As Brenda was getting ready to respond, she heard the engines start up. Before she realized it, they were in the air, on the way to who knew where, to do who knew what! Brenda looked over at Jax. She could not figure this man out. He was different than any other man she had ever known. He actually put her needs before his own! Why else would he have spent so much time with her in the hospital? Why would he have sent her all of those amazing flowers? Why would he be taking her on this trip? Suddenly Brenda felt a stab of fear. What if he expected something in return? What if it was something she wasn’t ready or able to give?

Jax could feel her tense up. “What’s wrong, Brenda?”

At first she couldn’t look him in the eyes. When he reached under her chin and lifted her face to his she could see his concern. “I’m just not sure this trip is such a good idea. I mean, no one knows where we are! What if something happens?”

Jax slowly smiled as he realized what she was really worried about. “Don’t worry, Brenda. The people that need to know already know where we’re going. Besides, nothing is going to happen on this trip. At least nothing that you don’t want to happen, that is. All you’re expected to do is relax and heal. Nothing more!” He then reached over and unbuckled her seatbelt.

Brenda smiled as she looked into his eyes and saw that he was telling her the truth. There really were no strings attached! “Thank you,” was all she could say; somehow though it seemed enough for Jax.

Jax put his arm on top of the seat, and without realizing she was doing it, Brenda snuggled against his side and lay her head on his shoulder. Jax brought his arm down and wrapped it gently around her shoulders. When she didn’t object, he tightened his hold on her. He rested his cheek on top of her head and smiled softly. Neither one of them said anything for a long time. It wasn’t until the steward came in carrying a large tray that either of them even moved. Jax took his arm from around her shoulders. “Oh good, lunch! I hope you’re hungry, Brenda!” Jax said expectantly, as the steward set the tray on a table and then brought the table over in front of them.

Brenda was amazed at the emptiness she felt when Jax took his arm away. Once the table was in place in front of them she leaned forward to see what was on the tray. She was surprised to see many of her favorite luncheon foods. “How did you know?” she asked as she turned and looked at Jax. “These are my favorite foods!” she said with a huge smile, and then quickly turned her attention back to the tray and its contents. “There’s even mango!” Brenda exclaimed as she popped a piece of fruit into her mouth and chewed, savoring every bit of it.

Jax sat back and smiled as he watched her. He couldn’t shake the image of a small girl standing in a candy shop, trying to decide where to start. They finished the rest of their lunch without discussion. When he realized that Brenda had eaten very little, Jax became concerned. “Are you okay?”

Brenda slowly nodded her head. “I’m fine. I just don’t have much of an appetite yet.” She looked at all of the food left on the tray. “I’m sorry. All that food…”

Jax smiled at her. “Don’t worry about it. There’s nothing here that won’t make good leftovers or can’t be used in something else.” He reached up and pushed her hair back behind her right ear. He was glad to see that most of the bruising had faded away and there was only a slight tinge of green still remaining. Seeing her try to stifle a yawn, he asked, “Are you tired? Would you like to take a nap?”

Brenda put her napkin down on the table. “I don’t know if I can sleep, but I would like to rest for a while,” she said. “How much longer will it be before we get to wherever it is we’re going?” she asked with a smile.

Jax looked at his watch before answering, “It’ll be about another hour before we land. Why don’t you lie down on the couch? I’ll be sure to wake you before we land.” Jax got up and held out his hands to help her up. She took both of his hands and let him help her up. It wasn’t until she tried to walk on her own that she realized how tired she really was. She wrapped her arm around Jax and let him help her over to the couch. He got her a pillow and covered her with a blanket before going back to his seat. It took less than fifteen minutes for Brenda to fall sound asleep.

Several times over the next hour Jax glanced up from the work he had brought along to see that she was still sleeping. Realizing that he had been a little overeager in his planning, he quickly started revising his plans for the rest of the day. At one point he got up and went to the other end of the cabin to make a phone call, giving new instructions to the people at the end of their journey. When the intercom buzzed to let him know that they were approaching their destination, Jax put his files away and went over to wake Brenda.

He gently stroked her hair. “Brenda, wake up. We’re getting ready to land.” It took a minute or so for her to open her eyes. He smiled at the image he saw of a little girl waking from a nap. He could see in her eyes that she was not yet awake, even though her eyes were open. He gently shook her shoulder. “Come on, sleepy head. Time to wake up!” This time he could see her forcing herself to focus on him, so he smiled. “That’s it! Come on; time to buckle you in. We’re about to land.” Jax lifted the blanket off of her and helped her sit up. She slowly moved her legs around to the floor so that she was in a sitting position on the couch. Jax reached over and buckled her seatbelt, before sitting next to her and buckling his own.

It only took a few minutes for them to land and taxi to a stop. Brenda reached for the buckle on her seatbelt and tried to stand on her own. She quickly sat back down when she was hit with an attack of dizziness. “Whew! I guess I got up too quickly!”

Jax got up and reached down to help her up. When she was standing again, he gently wrapped his arm around her and they walked toward the door. By the time they reached the end of the ramp, Brenda felt her strength returning. She had tried to figure out where they were but up until now had been unable. Now that they were in the private plane terminal she knew where they were. “Jax! I know this place! I’ve been here several times with my sister! This is LAX!” she said in astonishment.

Jax simply smiled. “I wondered if you were going to figure it out!” he said. “Are you ready for the next part of your kidnapping?” Jax took his briefcase from the steward, who had followed them off the plane, and then extended his free arm toward the door. “Your chariot awaits, my lady!”

Brenda could not believe he had done this. A huge smile came across her face as she nodded her head. Jax held the door open for her and then followed her out into the bright California sunshine. Once they were outside, Brenda’s attention immediately went to a shiny convertible parked in front of the terminal. She realized that it was waiting for them when she saw the steward from the plane holding the passenger door open for her. She looked quickly up at Jax, who simply nodded. Brenda did a little dance to show her excitement and walked quickly over to the car, all trace of her exhaustion completely gone.

As soon as they were both seated in the car, the steward nodded politely and went back into the terminal. After they buckled their seatbelts, Jax reached into his pocket and pulled out two pairs of sunglasses. He handed one pair to Brenda and put the other pair on himself. “Ready?” he asked.

“Let’s go!” was all Brenda said, as she put the sunglasses on. It was all she really needed to say though, and they both realized it. She was ready for whatever came next. In fact, she was looking forward to it!

They drove all over LA and Beverly Hills, including Rodeo Drive, before finally getting onto the freeway. It took almost no time (at least it seemed that way to Brenda) for them to get to their exit. Brenda finally noticed a road sign saying ‘Welcome to Malibu’ as they were driving along a beautiful stretch of coastal highway. After about two miles, Jax turned right into a private road. When he started to slow down Brenda began to look around again. It was then that she saw it – the house! Actually she realized it looked more like a palace built into the side of the hill. It was a huge, white structure with walls of crystal glass on what appeared to be all sides.

As soon as Jax pulled to a stop in front of the house, a very dignified looking man in a uniform came to open the car door for Brenda. He extended a hand to her to help her from the car. After she was out, he closed her door and ran quickly around to Jax’s side of the car. By the time he got there though, Jax had already gotten out and was looking at the front gardens of the house with a critical eye. “You’ve done a great job with the gardens, Charles. Thank you.” Jax tossed the keys to him as he came to stand beside Brenda.

“You’re very welcome, sir,” Charles replied. Before getting into the car to take it to the garage, he looked back at Jax. “Everything is ready as you requested.” He then got into the car and drove it away, leaving Brenda and Jax standing on the front step.

Brenda seemed to be in shock. She could not imagine herself ever leaving this house if she lived here! Seeing her reaction to the house caused Jax to smile. He held out his hand to her. “Ready to see the rest?” he asked. Brenda simply nodded and took his hand. He opened the door and they headed inside.

The last stop on their tour of the house was the sunroom. As they walked into the room Brenda came to an abrupt stop and just stared out the wall of windows. Outside was a huge in-ground swimming pool with a series of smaller pools next to it. As she walked closer to the windows Brenda could see the far ends of the patio. At one end was a large fireplace, surrounded on two sides by a low wall. On the other end of the patio was a very lush hedge, in the center of which was a stairway leading somewhere she couldn’t tell.

Jax reached around her and opened the sliding door. Brenda stepped tentatively through the door and walked slowly out onto the patio. She stopped at the edge of the pool to look around. Jax waited a minute, enjoying the look of awe on Brenda’s face. Finally he came up quietly behind her and put his hands on her hips. She leaned back against his chest and closed her eyes. “Jax, this place is amazing! Is it yours?” She turned around to face him, suddenly feeling nervous at his closeness and not sure why.

Jax smiled at her. “Yes, I built it about two years ago.” Jax took his hands from her hips and walked around the pool to stand on the ledge between the swimming pool and the row of smaller pools. He looked off toward the skyline before continuing, “I don’t come here very often anymore though.” Remembering why he had brought Brenda out to the house, he directed his attention back to her. “Would you like to rest for a while before dinner?”

“Are you kidding? Who could rest in a place like this?” Brenda walked around the patio, running her hand gently on everything as if to make sure it was all real. When she got to the hedge she stopped and turned back to Jax. “Where do these stairs lead?” she asked.

Jax was surprised by the amount of energy she suddenly seemed to have. He suspected that it was merely the excitement, but he was enjoying himself so much that he didn’t want to stop her. He came up next to her. “They lead down to the beach. Would you like to see?”

“Oh, yes!” she said. Jax extended his arm toward the stairs, and Brenda started down with Jax close behind. Just as they reached the landing halfway down, Brenda slipped on the last step and started to fall. Jax quickly wrapped his arms around her from behind to keep her from falling. She turned and looked up at him without breaking his hold on her. “Thanks,” she said softly. She couldn’t believe how handsome he looked in the afternoon sun. His hair seemed to have taken on an even golder tone – if that were possible – and she noticed for the first time the deep tan of his skin, where it showed in the open neck of his shirt. She found that she actually enjoyed the feel of his arms around her waist, and she had no desire to be released from them. Considering all she had been through in the past few months, this surprised her. She had not intentionally slipped, but since it had caused him to wrap his arms around her, she was actually glad she had.

Jax smiled down at her. He couldn’t escape feeling as if she was looking right through him to a place where no one had been before. He found himself enjoying the feeling, even though it frightened him a little. They stood staring at each other for several seconds before Jax finally broke the silence. He pushed the loose strands of hair from her face before turning her around to face the ocean. “What do you think?” he asked.

“It’s the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen! How can you ever stand to leave this place?” She intentionally leaned back against him. She felt comfortable knowing he was with her. She realized that she liked the feel of him close to her.

The sincerity of her question touched Jax. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist before answering, “At first it was really hard to leave. In fact, I even considered moving my base of operation here to LA, so I could stay here permanently. But eventually I started to feel isolated out here. The nearest neighbor is more that a mile down the road. Since this is a private beach, there isn’t anyone out jogging or swimming, so I just started spending more and more time away from here.”

Brenda turned around to look at him again. She wanted to try to read the expression in his eyes. She couldn’t help but notice a touch of sadness in his voice. "When was the last time you were here?” she asked.

Jax looked off into the distance. “It’s been almost a year.”

Brenda put her hand on the side of his face to get him to look down at her. “What made you decide to bring me here? I get the feeling that you don’t usually bring people here. It seems to me that this is a very private place for you – kind of a hideaway.” She could see by the expression on his face that she had been right. She smiled at him. “What are you thinking?” she asked.

He looked down at her and slowly shook his head. “How could you possibly have known that?” he asked. He put his hand up to cup the side of her face. “You’re right though. I can’t remember the last time I brought someone here for the day, let alone to stay over.” He chuckled at the sound of his own words. He sounded like a little boy having a friend for a sleepover. He cleared his throat before continuing, “Anyway, to answer your question, I brought you out here because I thought it would be the perfect place for you to heal.”

Brenda suddenly felt uncomfortable. She found herself starting to feel much too comfortable with this man. She desperately needed to put some distance between them, so she pulled out of his arms and started up the stairs. When they got back to the patio, she walked over and sat on one of the lounge chairs. “But why here, Jax? Why not some hotel?”

Jax came over and sat on the chair next to her. He had noticed her discomfort almost immediately, but decided she would probably be more at ease if he didn’t mention it. He decided instead to act as if everything was the same. “I actually got the idea right after your accident. When Alan was telling us about how badly that you were injured, he mentioned that your hip fractures probably would not require surgery but that because of the cold damp weather in Port Charles you’d be pretty uncomfortable for a while. I figured you’d heal a lot faster out here in the warm California sunshine, instead of the cold and snow of Port Charles.”

Brenda smiled at him for a moment, but the smile quickly faded. “I understand that, and I happen to agree with you. But what I want to know is why here? Why at your hideaway?”

Jax leaned back in his chair. He thought for a minute before answering, “I honestly don’t know! It just seemed like the right thing to do.” It had never occurred to Jax not to bring Brenda here. He had not even thought of taking her anywhere else. Jax’s mind began to race as her question kept repeating itself in his mind. He couldn’t remember feeling like this before about anyone. He had never brought any of the women he dated to this house. No woman he had dated had seemed to belong here. As he looked at Brenda relaxing in the lounge chair, he was stunned when he realized that she did! It seemed to him that Brenda and this house belonged together – and that scared him!

Before either of them realized it, the afternoon was quickly making way for evening. About 6:00 they heard the sound of someone clearing their throat from a discreet distance. Jax looked up to see Charles standing in the doorway. “Yes, Charles?”

“I was just wondering, sir, if you and Miss Brenda were ready for dinner?” Charles asked. He couldn’t help but be pleased to see his employer so relaxed. He was delighted that Jax had finally brought a young woman to the house. He had to admit he had been surprised when Jax had called to make the arrangements for their stay. Jax very seldom brought guests to the house, and as far as he could remember, he had never brought a young lady before. In the five years he had worked for Jasper Jacks, first at his home in Los Angeles and then out here at Malibu, he had become very protective of his employer. He often wondered why Jax never seemed to want a long-term relationship. Charles had realized a long time ago that the women Jax dated were strictly casual acquaintances. He seemed to purposely avoid dating any woman who might stimulate him enough to pursue a relationship.

Something about this woman was different though. Charles could see it as soon as they drove up to the house in the way Jax looked at her and seemed to want – no, need – to be close to her all the time. He had watched them several times during the afternoon. Even though they didn’t seem to say much to each other, they both seemed to enjoy the other’s presence. Charles had an idea there could be more to this relationship than either Jax or Brenda realized at this point.

Jax looked over at Brenda. “Are you hungry?” He pulled his sunglasses down his nose slightly so he could look at her over the top of them. When Brenda saw him looking at her like that, she burst into giggles, which in turn made him laugh as well.

When she was finally able to control her laughter she answered him. “Actually, I am hungry. I don’t think I even realized it until you mentioned food.” She looked around the patio and saw a beautiful antique wrought iron table and chairs near the fireplace. “Do you think we could eat out here? It’s so beautiful that I hate the idea of going inside.”

Jax couldn’t resist the little girl look that he saw on Brenda’s face. He turned to Charles, “You heard the lady, Charles. We’ll have dinner out here.”

“Very good, sir. I’ll bring it right out.” Charles smiled as he looked first at Jax and then Brenda. Yes, he decided, there were real possibilities with this young woman. All he had to do was make sure that Jax realized it.

Jax and Brenda took a long time with their dinner. Jax was pleased to see how well Brenda was eating. It was the most he had seen her eat since the accident. When they finished dinner, they sat quietly at the table for a long time, watching the sun move slowly down toward the horizon. When it began to get cool, Jax lit a fire in the outdoor fireplace. While he was up, he looked over at the setting sun and then back to Brenda. “Would you like to go for a walk on the beach before the sun goes down?” Realizing she had already had a very busy day for her first day out of the hospital, not to mention the time change, he didn’t want to push her. “If you’re too tired, we can do it another night…”

Without saying anything Brenda got up and came over next to him. “I think a walk on the beach would be the perfect way to end this evening,” she said softly. She held out her hand to him. They headed down the stairs, still holding hands.

They walked quite a distance down the beach, holding hands the entire time, before turning back. They reached the top of the stairs just as the sun was going below the horizon. Brenda stopped and turned to watch the sun disappear. She turned to look at Jax who was standing next to her. “Thank you. This has been the most amazing day of my life!”

Jax smiled and put his arm around her shoulders. When she put her head on his shoulder, Jax realized she had said exactly what he was feeling. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed himself so much doing nothing! “You’re welcome!” When he saw her reach up to cover a yawn, he realized that they had overdone things. He looked at her closely and could see she was exhausted. “I think it’s probably time you called it a night.” He glanced at his watch that was still set on Port Charles time. “It’s nearly 11:00 Port Charles time, you know.” He wasn’t surprised when he didn’t get an argument from her.

“I think you may be right. I am pretty tired.” Brenda suddenly pulled away from him, obviously very nervous. “Umm… There’s one little problem though. I don’t have anything to sleep in. Remember, you kidnapped me from the hospital, so unless you or Lois thought to pack me some clothes, all I’ve got is what I’m wearing!”

Jax chuckled softly. “I already thought of that. You are right about one thing though: I didn’t bring any of your clothes from Port Charles. But you will find something to sleep in on your bed. We’ll take care of the rest of your clothing needs tomorrow, if you feel up to it!” Jax was glad to see her relax slightly, but he could also see she was uncomfortable about something. When he looked in her eyes he knew immediately what it was. He smiled and put his hands on her upper arms. “Relax, Brenda. I told you on the plane that nothing will happen here that you don’t want to happen. Your bedroom is across the hall from mine.” He was relieved to see a smile come across her face.

“I know I keep saying this, but thank you.” Brenda quickly put her hand over her mouth to cover a yawn. “I’m so sorry!” she said with a slight touch of embarrassment. “I guess I’m more tired than I thought.”

“Don’t worry about it, Brenda. I know you must be exhausted! You’ve had an awfully busy first day out of the hospital.” Jax thought for a minute before continuing, “Why don’t you go ahead and get ready for bed? I’ll have Charles bring you your medication when you’re ready.” Jax started to turn away when he felt Brenda’s hand on his arm.

“What medication?” she asked with a slightly frightened look on her face.

Jax smiled reassuringly at her. “Didn’t Alan tell you that he was prescribing some medication for you to continue taking after you left the hospital? At least for a few days?” Jax could see her trying to remember what Alan had said when he discharged her. She had been so eager to leave the hospital that she hadn’t been paying too much attention to him. “Dr. Morris also prescribed some pain medication for you in case your hip bothered you.”

It was all coming back to her now. She vaguely remembered Alan telling her he would be prescribing the same medications she had been taking while in the hospital. She remembered him saying he wanted her to take them exactly as prescribed for the next five days. She also remembered him telling her about the pain medication. He was very specific though that she was only to take it if she really needed it. “I remember now. He did tell me I was supposed to take it for the next five days. I don’t need the pain medication though. He said I was only supposed to take that if I needed it. Which I’m happy to say I don’t!” she said with a smile.

They stood staring at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Finally Jax cleared his throat. “Why don’t you go ahead and get ready for bed? Just press the intercom button on the phone next to your bed when you’re ready. Charles will bring you whatever you need.” Jax bent down and kissed her softly on top of the head. “I’ll say good night now. Get some rest.” He walked her to the patio door and watched as she walked in. “Your room is the one on the right at the end of the hall,” he called after her when he realized that he had forgotten to tell her.

Brenda walked slowly down the hall. When she got to the end, she opened the door on the right. The lights were already on and the bed was turned down. She hadn’t seen this room when Jax had given her the guided tour of the house. Come to think of it, he had not shown her any bedrooms! The room was beautiful, just like the rest of the house. The walls were painted a very pale yellow with cream trim. The bed was covered with a cream colored spread that matched the draperies that hung open on the windows. She walked slowly around the room, running her hand softly across the furniture and stopping to smell the flowers that were on just about every piece of furniture. She stopped when she got to the sliding doors. She stood staring out at the night, her mind racing over all that had happened in one day and what all of it meant. Finally, when she couldn’t come to any decisions, she decided to call it a night.

She turned back into the room and walked toward the bed. She laughed out loud when she saw what Jax had meant about something to sleep in. There was a beautiful pair of light blue satin pajamas laid on the bed. When she checked the label, she saw they were her size. She could easily tell that they were brand new as well. The new pajamas made her curious. She walked over to a door just to the left of the bathroom and opened it. She found a completely empty closet. There were about a dozen empty hangers and nothing else. Either he had removed all the evidence of any other woman staying at the house or her suspicions when they first got here were correct: she was the first woman he had brought here!

After showering and changing into the pajamas, Brenda got into bed, picked up the phone and pressed the intercom. “Charles, would you please bring my medication and a glass of orange juice? Thanks.” It seemed like only a minute before she heard a soft tap at the door. “Come in,” she called.

Charles came through the door, carrying a small silver tray. “Here is the juice you asked for, Miss Brenda.” Charles came over to the side of the bed and extended the tray. There was a glass of what was obviously fresh-squeezed orange juice and a small glass cup containing two pills. Brenda took both the glass and the pills from the tray. She quickly downed the pills and most of the juice. She put the remainder of the juice back on the tray, obviously finished. “Can I get you anything else, Miss Brenda?”

Brenda smiled at him. “No, thank you, Charles.” As he turned to leave, Brenda decided to confirm her suspicions. “Charles? There is one thing I’d like to know.” When Charles turned back to her, Brenda could feel herself loosing her nerve but she decided to ask anyway. “Has Mr. Jacks brought a lot of women here?” When she saw the smile on Charles’s face, she felt she shouldn’t have asked the question. “Never mind!”

Charles walked back toward the bed. “I’ll gladly answer your question, Miss Brenda. You are the first woman, other than his mother, that has stayed with us in this house.” Charles nodded slightly and left the room. Yes, he decided as he closed the door, things were definitely moving forward for these two. All they had to do was realize it! He chuckled as he walked back toward the kitchen.

March 14, 1996

6:45 a.m.

The sun was not even up yet when Jax came out of his bedroom. He stopped for a moment outside Brenda’s door before he quietly opened it and looked in. What he saw there caused his heart to flutter. Brenda was lying curled up in the center of the bed in just the pajamas Jax had bought her, having kicked her covers off some time during the night. Jax walked silently into the room and over to the bed. He gently pulled the covers up over her and stood silently when she started to stir. When he was sure she was not going to wake up, he left the room as silently as he had come in, closing the door behind him. He stood in the hall for a minute or two before he left to start his morning exercise. As he was heading down the steps to the beach, he couldn’t help feeling that he would need this time alone to try to figure out just exactly what was happening to him. Right now he wasn’t sure about anything!

8:15 a.m.

Brenda rolled over in bed and opened one eye. She was surprised when she saw the time on the bedside clock. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d actually been awake at this hour when she wasn’t doing a photo shoot. She rolled over onto her back and stretched. She had slept like a log. For the first time in months, she had slept straight through the night without one bad dream! As she sat up in bed and looked around her room, she decided that her initial opinion had been correct: this place was magical!

Brenda slowly got out of bed and walked over to look out the terrace doors. It was a beautiful morning outside. She couldn’t wait to go out and enjoy it. She turned back into the room and started for the bathroom. She stopped suddenly when she realized that she had no clean clothes to wear. Her good mood quickly faded as she walked into the bathroom to at least wash her face and comb her hair. As she looked at her reflection in the mirror she was amazed at what else she saw. There, hanging on a hanger, were her clothes from yesterday freshly washed and pressed – even her lingerie!

Brenda quickly showered and dressed, eager to find Jax to see what he had planned for today. She finished showering and dressing in less than twenty minutes. She decided not to wash her hair this morning, hoping to wait until she had an opportunity to try out Jax’s pool first! As she reached for her shoes, Brenda decided to surprise Jax instead. With shoes in hand she ran over to the door and opened it quietly. She was extremely disappointed when she looked out and saw that Jax’s bedroom door was already open. She walked out into the hall and looked in. His bed was a mess, but he was nowhere to be found!

Brenda walked slowly into the living room, hoping to find a cup of coffee. When she looked out to the patio she saw a coffee service set up on the table, which had been moved over by the pool. As she walked out the door, she saw a thick, white terrycloth robe flung across the back of one chair. She picked it up and without even seeing the monogram knew that it belonged to Jax. Suddenly she knew exactly where Jax was. Holding the robe tightly to her chest, she headed for the stairs to the beach.

When she reached the landing, she came to an abrupt halt. What she saw took her breath away! Brenda couldn’t remember ever seeing anything so amazing in her entire life as the sight of Jax walking out of the surf carrying his ocean kayak! He was wearing nothing except a very revealing Speedo suit. As she was watching him walk toward her, she found herself thinking that he looked much better than she had ever allowed herself even to fantasize that he would!

After he finished his morning exercise, Jax headed back toward the beach, sure that he would have plenty of time to shower and dress before Brenda woke. She had been sleeping so soundly when he had checked on her earlier that he was sure she would sleep for a couple of hours yet. He was shocked when he looked up and saw her standing on the stairs. He quickly waved to her and dropped the kayak on the beach. He jogged the rest of the way to the stairs and started up them two at a time. It took only a minute for him to reach her. “Good morning!” he said. “I didn’t expect to see you up so early! I thought for sure you’d sleep for at least a couple more hours!”

Brenda gave him a big smile as she handed him his robe. “How could you think I’d be able to sleep in a place like this?” She quickly glanced away from him before she said anything else. “You know, when I saw you walking out of the ocean just now…” Brenda stopped and looked down. Getting up her courage she continued, “I was reminded of a character from a mythology class I once took."

Jax toweled off quickly with the robe before putting it on. He didn’t bother to tie the belt, instead letting it hang open. “Really, what kind of mythology! Greek or Roman?”

“Greek.”

He smiled at her. “Let me guess, Poseidon, god of the sea.”

Brenda returned his smile and shook her head. “No, Adonis.”

Jax put his head down and blushed. “Thanks.” After what seemed like an eternity of uncomfortable silence, Jax finally looked up at her. “What do you say we go get some breakfast?” he said, quickly changing the subject.

Grateful for the change of subject, Brenda eagerly nodded her head and started up the steps. She could feel Jax close behind her as they climbed the stairs.

When they got to the patio, Brenda was surprised to see that their breakfast was already set up on the table. There were two covered trays on the table, along with the coffee service she had seen earlier. “Oh good, coffee!” She exclaimed, as she walked quickly over to the table and poured herself a large mug full. After taking a sip, she curled up in a chair as Jax sat down and took the cover off his breakfast. Brenda sat up when she saw what he was about to eat. “What on earth is that?” she asked.

“My breakfast! Come on, Brenda, don’t tell me you’ve never seen yogurt and granola before!” Jax said with a chuckle. He couldn’t believe the look on her face. “What do you normally eat for breakfast?”

“You’re looking at it! I usually have about two mugs of coffee, and I’m set!” When she saw him staring at her, she couldn’t help feeling defensive. “What’s wrong with that? It’s what I’ve always called breakfast! Look, Jax, I’ve been taking care of myself most of my life, and so far I’ve managed to do just fine!” she declared.

Jax held up his hand. “I don’t doubt you have! But I did promise Dr. Quartermaine that I’d take care of you, soooo…”

Brenda suddenly felt challenged. “What?”

“Oh, nothing. It’s just that I had planned a little trip into town today, but I doubt you’ll have the strength for it with nothing in your system but coffee!” Jax finished slicing the banana into his granola and reached over to pick up the paper that was next to his breakfast tray. He started eating his cereal and reading the paper, not saying anything more to Brenda. Every once in a while though he glanced around the edge of the paper to check her reaction. He couldn’t help but smile when he saw the confusion on her face. He could tell she wanted to go into town, but she also didn’t want to relinquish her independence. Finally he could see her weakening.

After about five minutes Brenda broke the silence. “It’s really kind of a moot point anyway. I can’t go into town. I don’t have anything to wear!” She set her cup down on the table and flopped back in her chair.

Jax put his paper down and continued eating. Between bites he looked up at her. “I’m sure we could take care of that while we’re in town. I WAS thinking of taking you on a little shopping excursion, but I don’t want to jeopardize your health. Dr. Quartermaine would have my head if he found out that I wasn’t taking proper care of you!” Jax tried his best to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

The mention of shopping immediately got Brenda’s attention. “Not that it matters or anything, but where were you planning to shop?” She hoped she sounded as unimpressed as she wanted him to believe she was. She desperately hoped Jax would not figure out how eager she actually was to go.

Jax put down his spoon and leaned back in his chair. “Oh, I don’t know. I thought we could try a few of the shops in Beverly Hills.” It took all the self-control he possessed not to burst out laughing at the shocked expression on Brenda’s face. Instead of laughing, he simply rested his elbows on the chair arms and tented his fingers in front of his face. He had her now; he was sure of it! All he had to do was keep it together long enough to get her to eat something!

Brenda was stunned. There was only one place to shop in Beverly Hills – RODEO DRIVE! Reluctantly, she reached forward and lifted the cover from the tray in front of her. Under the cover, she found a breakfast similar to the one Jax was eating, only much smaller. Slowly she dipped her spoon in the granola and yogurt mix and brought it up to her mouth. Just before putting it in she looked over at Jax with a look of surrender on her face. “Did I ever tell you that yogurt and granola is my FAVORITE breakfast?” As Jax watched she put the spoonful of food into her mouth. She knew she was making a terrible face but she couldn’t help it. The idea of actually eating yogurt almost made her wonder if shopping on Rodeo Drive was worth it! Just as she started to take her second bite, Jax reached over and cut some banana into her bowl. Just what she needed – BANANA! SHE HATED BANANA! Every once in a while she glanced over at Jax. Once or twice she thought she saw a slight smirk on his face. As she was taking her last spoonful of yogurt, she decided that this breakfast was going to cost Jax – a lot!

When he saw her finish her breakfast, Jax got up from his chair and stooped down next to her. “Now was that really so bad?” he asked innocently. When all he got in answer to his question was an evil look, he couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, I know when to quit! Tell you what: why don’t you enjoy your coffee in peace while I go dress?” He had to laugh again when he saw how eagerly she nodded her agreement. He stood up and brushed her bangs behind her ear. “I won’t be long. We’ll go into town as soon as I’m dressed. Okay?”

Brenda’s sullen expression lightened noticeably. “Okay.” As Jax turned to leave, Brenda couldn’t help warning him, “You do know, Jax, that this breakfast is going to cost you big time, don’t you?”

Jax never turned back when he answered, “I figured it would.” He turned slowly back toward her with a gentle smile. “I won’t be long.” He turned and headed into the house.

Brenda stared at the empty doorway long after Jax was gone, not moving until she saw Charles come out carrying a tray.

“Are you finished with your breakfast, Miss Brenda?” he asked politely as he approached the table. He set the tray down and handed her a small glass cup. “Your medication.” Brenda looked at him with a quizzical expression. “According to the orders from your physician you are to take it twice daily, once in the morning and again at bedtime.”

Brenda took the pills. “Oh, right. I forgot.” She reached for the cup he was holding and took the pills. When she saw him standing politely, she realized that she had not answered his question. “Oh, sorry. Yes I’m DEFINITELY finished with breakfast.” With a nod and a smile, Charles began clearing the table. As he was finishing, Brenda couldn’t resist the urge to satisfy her curiosity. “Charles, may I ask you a question?”

“Of course, Miss Brenda, what is it?”

She pointed at the tray of dishes on the table. “Does Jax always eat THAT for breakfast or was this some kind prank?”

Charles couldn’t help smiling. “Actually, he doesn’t eat yogurt EVERY morning.” When he saw the look of anger start to cross Brenda’s face, he quickly continued, “He only eats it every other day!”

Brenda could feel her face fall. She had the very sick feeling that whatever he ate on the other days was far worse than what she had just eaten. “What does he eat on the other mornings?” she asked meekly.

Charles picked up the tray before answering, “Oh, he doesn’t eat on those mornings. He drinks a protein shake that he created.” Charles leaned over to whisper. “If you ask me, it’s far worse than this. He actually got me to taste it once and…” Charles didn’t finish the sentence because he saw Jax coming through the door. “Um, if there is nothing else, Miss Brenda, I’ll head off.”

Brenda didn’t answer. Her attention was focused completely on Jax as he came out the door. Charles headed toward the door when he realized Brenda hadn’t heard a word he had just said. She was too busy looking at Jax as he came through the door. He nodded to Jax as he walked past him and stopped and looked back when he was sure that neither Jax nor Brenda could see him. There was definitely something going on between these two! He could only hope that they would realize it before they let it slip away.

Jax smiled at Brenda when he reached the table. “Sorry I took so long. I got caught on a phone call as I was walking out of my room.” He put his sunglasses on and extended a hand to her. “Are you ready to go?”

Brenda smiled at him as she got up. She reached up and fixed his shirt collar before answering. “I’ve been ready ever since I ate that ‘yummy’ breakfast!” Jax laughed when he saw her shudder slightly. She took his extended hand and the two of them headed off on their excursion.

11:45 A.M.

Their shopping trip had gotten off to a rather slow start. Brenda had been very reluctant to actually buy anything. They had been in three different stores before Jax realized that the reason Brenda had not purchased anything had nothing to do with her claims that she didn’t see anything she liked. She was afraid of spending too much money! Even though he had assured her that price was not a consideration, it wasn’t until they got to the third store and he saw the look in her eyes as she looked at a cream-colored knit pantsuit that he figured out the problem. He could tell by the look on her face that she loved the suit. He even heard her sigh softly as she walked away from it. As she turned to look at another outfit, Jax came up behind her and took the suit off the display. “Why don’t you try this one on?” he asked as he extended the suit to her. “I’d like to see how it looks on you.”

Brenda’s eyes lit up briefly but only briefly. “I… I don’t think so, Jax. It’s not really me.” She started to turn away again when she felt Jax’s hand on her arm. When she turned back to look at him she saw a strange smile on his face. “What?”

Jax handed the suit to the sales associate, who had been helping them. “Would you take this suit and this one and that outfit over there,” he said, handing her the cream-colored suit, a three-piece black suit, and pointing to a light gray dress and jacket that was hanging on the wall, “into the dressing room? Miss Barrett will be right in.” The girl immediately did as Jax had instructed, leaving them alone. When Brenda started to protest, Jax held up his hand. “Look, Brenda, I appreciate the fact that you don’t want to spend my money, but I told you before we started this that money was not to be a consideration. I want to do this for you. Call it a get well present from me, if you want.” He smiled at her as he took her hand. “I brought you on this trip so you could relax and have fun. You don’t look like you’re having much fun to me.” He rubbed the top of her hand with his thumb.

“But, Jax, these clothes are so expensive! I’ve modeled for these designers and I know what their clothes cost. I can’t let you do this. It isn’t right!” Brenda protested.

Now he understood! She was afraid of the strings! He chuckled softly before he responded. “Brenda, you don’t have to worry. There are no strings attached to any of these clothes, except for the ones holding the extra buttons!” He gently cupped the side of her face. “I told you before we got here that nothing was going to happen that you didn’t want to happen, and I meant it. I just thought you could use a little pampering, that’s all. Besides, you can’t spend the rest of your vacation in that one outfit, can you?” He could see that he was finally getting through to her. “Now, will you go try those clothes on?”

Instead of an answer Brenda gave him a smile that lit up the room. She stood on her toes and kissed him quickly on the cheek before running off to find the girl with her clothes.

A few minutes later Brenda came out of the dressing room wearing the cream-colored suit. Jax couldn’t get over how beautiful she looked in it. He could tell as she looked at her reflection in the mirror that she loved the suit as much as he did. When she turned back to him, he nodded his agreement. He then signaled to the fitter, who was standing off to the side. She came over and pinned the necessary adjustments on the suit. When she was finished, she followed Brenda into the dressing room area to take the suit to be altered after Brenda took it off. She did the same thing with the black suit. When Brenda came out in the gray dress and jacket Jax decided this outfit was a mistake. It wasn’t Brenda, at least not to him. He would abide by her judgment though. The fitter again stood off to the side as Brenda looked at herself in the mirror. Jax could immediately tell by the expression on her face that she wasn’t thrilled with it either. Worried that she might not say anything since he had picked it out, Jax figured he had better speak up.

“I don’t know, Brenda. I’m not sure I like this one. What do you think?” He could see the relief flood into her face.

Trying not to act too eager, Brenda took one more thorough look at herself in the mirrors. “I think you may be right. I don’t really like the way this one feels.” She turned to this fitter. “I don’t think I’ll take this one.” She headed back to the dressing room to change into her own clothes. When she came back out she didn’t see Jax at first. After looking around a little, she saw him looking at a display of shoes. She walked up next to him and touched his arm. “Do you know how long the alterations will take?”

Jax smiled down at her. “Oh, they should be ready in about an hour. While we’re waiting, why don’t you pick out some shoes to go with what you bought?” He handed her the cream suede boot he was holding. “What do you think of these with that cream suit?” When he saw her start to protest again, he held up his hand. “We have a deal, remember? I get to pamper you!”

When she saw the smile on his face, she couldn’t resist. “Okay, you win! Actually, I do like these.” She looked over the display and found a pair of black calfskin sandals as well. “These will look great with that black suit, too!” Before she even had a chance to look around, the girl who had helped her with the clothes was standing next to her. After handing her the shoes and giving her the size, Brenda and Jax took a seat. It was only a minute before the girl was back with the shoes. Both pair fit as if they had been custom-made for her. She told the girl to add them to the purchase. Before the girl even wrote up the sale, the fitter came out carrying Brenda’s clothes. After trying them on again to make sure everything was right, Brenda came out, followed by the fitter, who was carrying the clothes in two garment bags. She handed the bags to Jax and immediately went back to work. Since she had been in the dressing room trying on the clothes, Brenda had no idea what these outfits had cost, but she knew that they had cost a lot!

Their next stop was a lingerie store. This time Jax insisted on waiting outside while Brenda made her selections. “I think I’ll leave this one up to you. Just be sure to get enough to last you for the next several days. You might also want to get something else to sleep in. You can’t spend every night in those same pajamas, you know!” He handed her his credit card “Just sign my name. If there’s any question, just wave and I’ll come in.” When she looked at him with a strange expression, he smiled. “It’s okay, Brenda. You can spend as much as you want in there. Honest!” He kissed her on the forehead and pushed her toward the door. Once she was inside the shop, he decided to look around for a bench. He quickly found one almost directly opposite the door so that he would be able to see Brenda as soon as she left the shop.

Jax took advantage of the time Brenda was in the store to check in with Charles. He got the messages that had accumulated while they’d been out and even returned a couple of phone calls. Just as he was hanging up from the last call, he saw Brenda coming out of the shop, carrying several bags. He walked quickly over to help her with the bags. He was surprised by the expression he saw on her face as he got closer. If he hadn’t known better, he would have said she looked guilty about something. Once he was standing in front of her, he quickly put his phone back in his pocket and reached for the bags. Now that he was close to her, he realized that his initial feeling had been right. She did look guilty. “What’s wrong, Brenda?”

Reluctantly, Brenda handed him the bags. Without saying anything, she walked slowly over to the bench he had just left and sat down. “I saw you on the phone when I came out and realized that this isn’t fair to you.”

This confused Jax. “What do you mean, this isn’t fair to me?”

“I know you must have neglected your business obligations while I was in the hospital. You had to have! You were sitting in that big chair next to my bed every time I woke up!” Jax started to say something, but Brenda stopped him. “No, please, let me finish. Now you’ve brought me out here for a vacation. Jax, you must be getting so far behind in your work!” She sat up straighter and looked him straight in the eyes. “That’s why I think we should pack up all this amazing stuff you just bought me and head back to Port Charles – tonight! You can be in New York by start of business tomorrow!”

The conviction in Brenda’s voice and the firm set of her jaw was almost more than Jax could take. He sat down next to her and cupped the side of her face in his hand. “You’re a silly one, you know that. Haven’t you figured out yet that I don’t do anything that I don’t want to do? I have no intention of taking you back to Port Charles tonight, let alone going to New York!” He looked rather sheepishly at her before shifting his gaze down to his hands. “I guess it’s time for me to admit something to you. When Lois walked into my office in New York that day to talk to me about helping her get L&B back, I was so bored I was ready to run. I had just finished everything I had been working on and had no interest in starting another project. When she burst in with her ‘proposition,’ I jumped at it because it would be a distraction.” He looked up at Brenda and realized that she had taken that statement wrong. “I don’t mean to say that you are a distraction, Brenda! I meant…”

Brenda interrupted him before he put his other foot in his mouth. “I understand what you’re trying to say, Jax. But that still doesn’t change the fact that you’ve been away from your office for an awfully long time. Seeing you on the phone made me realize that there are only so many things that you can accomplish by phone. You can only keep putting things off for so long before it starts to affect your business.”

Jax could see the beginnings of tears in her eyes. He tried desperately to think of what to say next. As he looked into her eyes, he decided that this was not something to be discussed on a public bench. "Tell you what: why don’t we call it a day?” When he saw her eager nod, he reached up and held her chin between his finger and his thumb. “I didn’t say this discussion was over. I simply want to take it to a more private place. Besides, I think you’ve had quite enough activity for your first day out!” It wasn’t until they had sat down that Jax had taken a good look at Brenda’s face. Regardless of her protests, he could see how tired she was. He got up from the bench and held out his free hand. “Come on, let’s go home.” Brenda slowly nodded her agreement and got up. Jax wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they walked back to the car. Once he had put the packages in the trunk and helped Brenda in, he came around and got in. He would need the ride home to figure out how to explain things to Brenda. He wasn’t sure how to do that though, because he had just realized he didn’t understand them himself!

5:30 P.M.

Neither Jax nor Brenda had said a word all the way home. As soon as they pulled up in front of the house, Charles came out to help bring Brenda’s purchases in and then left again to put them in her room. Before sitting down to what obviously was going to be a very serious talk, Jax suggested that Brenda lie down and rest for a while. He promised her that they would talk everything out before dinner. Reluctantly Brenda agreed, finally realizing how tired she really was. Her head had barely hit the pillow before she dozed off. She slept soundly for almost two hours. When she woke up she felt refreshed and eager to finish the discussion she and Jax had begun on the bench.

She started her search for Jax in the living room, but there was no trace of him. She finally found him when she came into the sunroom. She saw him sitting on one of the lounge chairs out on the patio. She stood watching him for several minutes before going out to join him. She could see him reading what looked like a business file as she came out. When he heard her approach he looked up at her and closed the file. Brenda sat down on the chair next to him, ready to finish what they had started in town.

“I’m glad to see you’re getting some work done.” She pointed at the closed folder on his lap. “Do you want me to leave you alone so you can finish your work?”

Jax smiled at her. “I think it’s time I explain the J&J Jacks method of doing business to you.” Jax picked up the file from his lap. “This is a report on a possible new acquisition for our company. I received it by messenger while we were out this morning.” He could see by the look on her face that Brenda was feeling guilty again. “Before you say anything, let me explain a few things to you. We are not like most other companies you may have heard of. We don’t have specific job responsibilities or specific work hours. Sometimes weeks or even months will go by before I find a prospect that interests me, but then I may find three or four at a time that I want to pursue.

“My brother is the same way, as is my dad. Since we all operate at a different speed, there is a constant influx of business and capital, leaving us all free to pursue whatever else we want, whenever we want.” Jax could see that Brenda was becoming more and more confused by his explanation. He held up the file again. “This particular prospect is one that my brother Jerry is interested in. He sent me the prospectus to get my opinion on it. This is NOT my deal, it’s his.” He could see that Brenda was starting to slowly understand what he was saying.

“I guess what I’m trying to tell you is that it’s not unusual for me to be away from that office in New York for weeks – or even months – at a time. I always keep in touch by phone, so that if either my dad or brother need me for anything, they’ll know how to reach me. They do the same.” He could finally see Brenda starting to relax.

“So you’re not neglecting your business?” she asked, looking for confirmation from him.

“Not at all! In fact, if the truth be told, I’ve probably checked in more in the time I’ve been with you than I have in months!” He smiled at her. “You must be a good influence on me or something.” He chuckled when he saw a smile come to her lips for the first time all afternoon.

Brenda felt as if a load had been lifted from her shoulders. For some reason she believed what Jax had told her about his family’s way of doing business. Maybe it was the fact that it was so ridiculous it had to be true, or maybe it was just that feeling she had deep down that Jax would not lie to her. Either way, she was relieved to know that they would be able to stay in this magical house for a little while longer.

Brenda reached over and put her hand on top of Jax’s. “I seriously doubt that!” she said with a chuckle. She quickly got serious again. “Seriously though, Jax, I want you to promise to tell me if something ever comes up where you need to get back to work. Promise!”

The sincerity of her expression made Jax’s heart flutter. He put his free hand on top of hers and looked into her eyes. “I promise, Brenda, if that time ever comes, I’ll tell you.” He smiled softly at her as a mischievous twinkle came into his eyes. “Now can we get back to the business of having fun around here?” he asked, as he suddenly lunged forward and started tickling her.

The sound of their laughter filled the late afternoon breeze. Charles stood in the sunroom doorway, watching his employer and his young lady. For the first time in all the years he had worked for Jax, Charles felt that Jax was beginning to let down that wall he had built around his heart. It was obvious to anyone who looked at these two young people that they cared very deeply for each other, and he suspected that they were beginning to realize it as well.

8:15 P.M.

Port Charles, New York

Ned and Lois were just finishing their dinner when they heard a loud pounding on their front door. They looked at each other without saying anything. They had been expecting this visit for the past two days. Ned reluctantly got up from the table and headed for the door, with Lois close behind. Just as Ned reached the door, the pounding started again. He only had the door open a few inches when he was shoved backward by the person on the other side, as he forced his way into their home.

Lois looked at the intruder in their home with as much contempt as she could muster. “Sonny! What the hell do you think you’re doing? What business could you possibly have at this hour?” She stood up close to him with her jaw firmly set and her clenched fists resting on her hips.

Sonny seemed to ignore her anger. He was in no mood for one of Lois’s temper tantrums. “Drop it, Cerillo! I’m in no mood for one of your tantrums! What’s he done with her?”

Ned and Lois looked at each other, both trying to keep from smiling. “What’s who done with whom, Sonny?” Ned asked innocently.

Sonny was quickly losing what little self-control he still had. “You know EXACTLY who I’m talking about! PRETTY BOY! What’s he done with my woman?”