Written in 60 minutes.

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“Where’s Grandfather?”

Ned tossed aside the newspaper, smiled broadly, rising to his feet. “Emily! I didn’t know you were coming in this morning—”

“I wanted the element of surprise.” Emily Quartermaine dropped her purse on the sofa, planted one hand on her hip. “I have a list of people to yell at, and I didn’t want anyone hiding from me. I’m starting with the most guilty and working my way down.”

Ned made a face. “Lois said you were angry on the phone—”

“Angry isn’t the word. Apocalyptically furious. I was so mad that I called Elizabeth on the phone and said a bunch things I have to apologize for because—” Emily shook her head. “No. No, I’ll deal with that later. First. Grandfather.”

“He’s at ELQ—”

“Then that’s where I’ll go—” Emily turned on her heel, then bumped right into her father. “Oof—Oh, okay, you know what? You’ll do—”

“Emily!” Alan embraced his daughter before she could stop him. “We didn’t think to expect you for another week! How was the flight—”

“Don’t act like this is a happy visit,” Emily bit out, and Alan’s smile faded. “What did you think, Dad? That I’d be in California and that was another universe? Or did you count on Elizabeth not telling me because she never puts me in the middle of the bullshit you people pull—”

“I don’t think much about what Elizabeth does or doesn’t do,” Alan said carefully. “Do I get a chance to defend myself or have you made up your mind—”

“There’s a defense, Dad? Really? For getting a conservatorship? For making sure Jason was practically homeless and ready to beg on the streets? And don’t tell me that I have Elizabeth’s side—that’s what you always do. You always act like she’s lying, and she never is—”

“So you’ve made up your mind without hearing all the facts.” Alan pressed his lips together. “You’re not even going to give me the benefit of the doubt—”

“Because you’re wrong,” Ned offered helpfully, as he sat back down, reached for the paper. “You know you are. That’s why you kept it a secret for so long.” He shrugged, flipped to the business section.

“Since the second Jason brought Elizabeth into this house, you and Grandfather have lost your freaking minds,” Emily said flatly. “She’s been my best friend for ages and I never did enough to defend her. But you always acted like she wasn’t good enough for me, and I don’t know why Jason ever put up with the same attitude from you guys. You put Jason into a conservatorship, Dad! And you were going to evict Elizabeth from her home!”

“I—” Alan took a deep breath. “Look, it started as a way to protect Jason. You don’t understand. He doesn’t remember what it was like at the end. He wanted a divorce—”

Emily stepped back, her eyes wide. “What are you talking about? Jason never wanted—no. You’re wrong. You’re absolutely wrong—”

“Honey—”

“I’ve been trying to tell him that since the hearing,” Ned said. “But somehow your mother convinced him that’s what Jason wanted.”

Emily shook her head, bewildered. She looked from her cousin back to her father. “Mom says this? Why? When did Jason even come here to say that? He was barely talking to you guys before the accident. And don’t blame Elizabeth for that. She’s not the one that told the paper she’d hadn’t had her blood tested for alcohol. Jason was so mad, Dad, and I just know it was Mom or Grandfather—”

“Is that why he stopped coming around here after the funeral?” Ned wanted to know. “Because of that story?”

“I don’t know why he’d think we’d want that story out there,” Alan said. “You must have misunderstood—”

“Jason never would have divorced Elizabeth, so whatever Mom’s cooked up this time, you can tell her to forget it. I’m so mad at you, Dad.” A tear slid down Emily’s cheek and Alan looked away. “So mad. You actually had me questioning my own best friend because I started to ask myself why didn’t she just tell me all of this was going on — why does she never ask me for help with any of you? I would have taken her side, she has to have to known that—but after Jason yelled at me, and I hung up on him, I started to think about it. I started to think about he never really defended her either. And I didn’t do enough. We let you and Mom and Grandfather torture her.”

“I never—”

“You made sure she never felt good enough to be in this family. Because now I know why Elizabeth never told me. She didn’t think I’d support her. Well, she’s wrong about that Dad. Because I’m home, and I’m going to make it my life’s mission to make sure my best friend and my brother are free of this lunatic asylum, so when you see Mom and Grandfather, you’d better tell them that. You are done playing games with other people’s lives.”

Emily shoved past him, and a few minutes later, they heard the front door slam.

Alan exhaled slowly, dragged a hand down his face. “She just—she’s too young to understand—”

“Understand what?” Ned set the paper aside again, looked at his uncle. “Because I don’t get it either. What crime did Elizabeth Webber ever commit that made you go to this much trouble to be rid of her?”

“Jason was going places until he met her,” Alan said, though his voice lacked some conviction. “He could have gone to one of the best medical schools in the country, been matched to any hospital—”

“But he didn’t want that. He wanted to be here, and he was happy with his choices.” Ned got to his feet. “You know, the only way I could see Jason divorcing Elizabeth if he’d convinced himself she was better off without him. If he could see what you’ve done in his name—well, he’d be as mad as the man who woke up with his face is.” Ned just shook his head. “I don’t know if you’ll ever be able to admit you were wrong, Alan. It’s a shame.”

—

Elizabeth set the last box by the sofa, then looked  back at the second bedroom — it was empty now. Clothes had been packaged up for donations, the nursery furniture had been taken to storage—on its way to a thrift store. Even if Elizabeth had children again, she wouldn’t want to use Cady’s things.

Photos had been carefully packed into shoeboxes, waiting to be put into albums. Some of the frames had been moved back into the living room — including the one Jason had barely been able to put down — one of her favorites of Jason napping on the sofa after a long day at medical school, Cady curled up on his chest.

She looked at it now, wondering what about this photo had inspired him to ask about videos. To want to know more. It seemed almost fantastical that somehow he’d been able to develop a connection to their little girl — that he’d been able to love her, even a little.

She jolted at the knock on the door, setting the frame back down. When she peered through the window and saw Emily, she almost considered pretending not to be home. But that was the coward’s way out, and too often, Elizabeth had let the Quartermaines walk all over her.

“I know you’re mad at me,” Emily said, her voice muffled through the wood. “I’d be mad at me, too. I’m a horrible best friend who for, like five minutes, let myself believe the worst. But I want to apologize.”

Elizabeth bit her lip, then pulled the door open. “This isn’t a trick, is it?” she asked, stepping back. “Because I’m not in the mood.”

“No, I get that.” Emily shuffled, wrinkled her nose. “I’m awful, Liz. I don’t even have a good reason for that freak out other than I wanted to blame you. It was easier to do that,” she added, “than admit that I’d run away to California and I wasn’t asking questions.”

She stepped inside the apartment, saw the second bedroom door open. “Oh. You—you’ve been in Cady’s room?”

“We cleaned it out last week,” Elizabeth said, closing the door. “I thought it be a fun way to celebrate our one year anniversary.”

“You and Jason?” Emily set her purse down. “How did he, I mean, how’s he doing with all of this? When I left, he was running from everything that made him Jason Quartermaine, but Lois said you guys were living together. That you’re still married.”

“For now,” Elizabeth said, nervously twisting her ring. “It’s supposed to help get him out of conservatorship. If we’re married, I can petition to be co-conservator. And make it go away.”

“Oh.” Emily paused. “Is that—is that why you cleaned out…the bedroom? For him?”

“No.” Elizabeth folded her arms. “It’s…” Her cheeks heated. “We’re…I guess we’re together. Though it’s hard to really…explain.”

“You and—” Mystified, Emily followed her into the kitchen. “You and Jason? But he didn’t want to even call me  his sister, and I was one of the people he liked. Well, until a few weeks ago,” she admitted with a grimace. “And Grandmother—he likes her, too—”

“It’s not…it’s not like that. I mean, it is—” Elizabeth leaned against one of the counters. “That part of is it separate. We’re together, but we’re not married. I mean we are, but it’s—it’s separate.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” her friend said. “You’re married. You still have the rings on. Does he?”

“No. I don’t know what happened to his—I figured it got lost in the hospital—” Elizabeth shook her head. “The marriage part of it — it’s just legalities. We’re not calling each other husband and wife or anything. And I have his last name because, well, I’d already changed my name. But what we’re—we’re separate. It’s just for us.”

“Oh.” Emily pursed her lips. “No, I still don’t get it.”

“I don’t really know how to explain it. I know a lot of people would just think I’m taking advantage of him. I worried maybe I was, too. Like you said — he was out of options when Luke offered the job,” Elizabeth said, and Emily made a face. “But I didn’t know that. I was avoiding everything to do with him. Luke forced me to face it, and I did. He’s…I know he’s Jason. I know that. But he’s not Jason, you know? He’s different.”

“I guess. I mean, I only got to know him a little bit before I went back to school.” Emily chewed on her bottom lip. “But aren’t you worried after he gets out of this conservatorship and doesn’t need you anymore, he’ll just…leave you?”

“Well, if you believe your family, he was going to leave me anyway,” Elizabeth muttered, looking towards the wall. “So, what’s the difference?”

“I don’t believe them,” Emily said, and Elizabeth looked back at her. “You couldn’t see Jason. You know? You were grieving so hard, I think you were both a little blind to each other those last few weeks. He wanted to help you, but you…I don’t know if you were ready to be helped. And I’m not judging you,” she added hastily. “What happened—it was so awful. And it kept getting bad, and Jason was just killing himself trying to come to terms with all of it. But he was never thinking about leaving you. You know that, don’t you? You didn’t really believe it?”

“I—” Elizabeth sighed. “I don’t know. We argued after that last story was in the papers. I just wanted to be left alone, and I knew it was from your family. I just never told you that. I knew all the leaks — I knew it was from them. They knew where we lived, when I was getting out of the hospital, where the funeral would be — Jason never would have sold me out. Neither would Luke or Sonny.”

“But my parents might have. Or Grandfather. Yeah, Jason was almost sure of it, too,” Emily said. “We talked about it, and he was so angry, Elizabeth. At them.”

“Maybe. I don’t know. I just—I can’t keep thinking about it, Em. I just can’t. Whatever Jason wanted to do—it didn’t happen. And that version of him is gone. He won’t ever come back. The man who woke up from that coma? He didn’t know me, he didn’t remember our daughter.” Elizabeth closed her eyes. “That really hurt for a while, and I thought I needed to be away from him. But Justus came up with this idea, and it needed me and Jason to be together. So I agreed.” She rubbed her fist against her chest. “Do you know he was angry with me after that phone call with you?”

“He was mad at you?” Emily asked. “What? Why? You didn’t even do anything, except not tell me what was going on, and I figured out why eventually. I really so sorry—I know I have to stop just freaking out and slow down before I hurt people.”

“He was mad because I didn’t fight back. I let you yell at me, Em, and I barely defended myself. Your family? I barely fought back there, too. And I never stood up for myself.  I never expected you, too. I never thought Jason would take my side. So I never asked him to.”  She smiled faintly. “But I got angry with Jason, and I stood up for myself when he was asking questions I didn’t want to answer, and he liked me better for it. I liked myself, too. I was able to look at photos and videos of Cady again. To pack up her room with love, and not avoid her like she never existed.”

“Because of Jason?” Emily asked, her eyes shimmering. “He did it with you, you said. I’m glad. I’m glad he could help you. That you were ready for it.”

“Me, too. I don’t know what’s going to happen with Jason, but right now, I’m almost happy. And I never thought I’d get back there.”

“I’m so glad.” Emily stepped forward, pulled Elizabeth into a fierce, tight hug. “I’m sorry my family sucks so hard and I won’t wait for you to ask for help next time. I’m going to just be there. I already yelled at Dad. Mom and Grandfather are next.”

“I don’t want you to be in the middle—”

“I know. But they’re the ones putting me there, not you.” Emily stepped back. “And it’s time I took a side.”

Elizabeth started to respond, but the door opened behind them, and Jason stepped in, his expression cooling when he saw Emily.

“Jason. Um. Hey.” Emily took a hesitant step. “I came…to apologize. About the phone call. To both of you—”

“Elizabeth is the one you owed the apology to,” Jason said shortly. He tossed his jacket aside, looked at Elizabeth. “Are you okay?”

“I’m good. I really am. Emily and I cleared everything up.”

“Okay, then that’s all that matters.” Jason came into the kitchen, opened the fridge and removed a beer. “Justus called while I was at the club,” he told Elizabeth. “He got a court date with probate court. Next month.”

“That’s so far away.” Elizabeth wrinkled her nose. “But I guess it could have been worse.”

“Yeah.” He popped the cap off the bottle. “He said he got the financial audit back. The money in the bank account was yours. All of it.”

“Bank account?” Emily asked, looking back and forth between them. “What’s that about?”

Elizabeth sighed. “Edward and Alan closed our bank accounts — and I found out Luke and Sonny had been paying my full salary even though I was on maternity leave. According to Justus, the money that was in the account—that was taken — it was mine.”

“They stole from you?” Emily clenched her jaw. “That’s ridiculous—”

“Justus said you were supporting me,” Jason said, and Emily’s jaw dropped as Elizabeth made a face. “All the trust fund money went to tuition and savings. You were paying the day to day.” A wry smile. “He says he can’t wait to tell Alan and Edward that I was the freeloader in the marriage.”

Elizabeth snorted, rolled her eyes and took the beer when he offered her a drink. “You were not. I don’t care that I was paying the bills right now. It would have evened out eventually.”

“This is insane,” Emily said, touching her forehead. “All this time, Mom’s been bemoaning all this money you supposedly took from Jason, but—”

“I apparently never took a cent,” Elizabeth said. She handed the beer back to Jason. “You know, Justus is right. It’s going to be amazing when I get to shove that proof in their judgemental faces — I was the one putting their kid through med school, not them. Sorry, Em,” she added, almost as an afterthought.

“No, I’m completely on your side. I just wish I could be there when they found out. Their heads are going to explode.”

“If only that were actually true,” Jason muttered. Emily choked back a giggle, then Elizabeth snickered, and they both started to laugh.

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