“All right. Here’s the plan.”

“Oh, boy. Here we go.”

“Lizzie, you’re such a negative person.”

“Yeah? Well, Lucky, you’re biased. You keep forgetting–your plans never work.”

“That’s so not true. They work plenty of times.”

“Name one.”

“We don’t have time for this game.”

“Ha! You can’t think of one.”

“All right, smart ass. Think of one time when it didn’t go well.”

“Well, let’s see. Your anniversary with Gia?”

“We don’t have to bring that up.”

“Oh, no, no. You asked. You remember that night? I helped you set up a romantic dinner with candlelight, one of Sonny’s dinners and how do you repay me?”

“Lizzie?”

“You forget to show up. I have never met someone who sleeps through two alarm clocks, sixteen calls and someone pounding on the door. My god, you’re insane.”

“Look, Gia brings up that up every single time. You don’t need to do it, too.”

“And then there was the time where you tried to get rid of that guy.”

“Hey, that worked!”

“Worked? Worked? You must be on drugs.”

“I got rid of him didn’t I?”

“Right. And I think he just got out of the hospital.”

“How’s that my fault?”

“Who’s bright idea was it to tell that guy that Jason was single and wanted a date?”

“Hey! He kept hitting on me!”

“That doesn’t mean you give him Jason’s number! Jesus, Lucky. He kept hitting on Jason!”

“Well, you didn’t have to hit him.”

“I still maintain he kicked himself in the balls.”

“Ha! Likely story. Can we please get back to the point?”

“Which is?”

“The plan, Elizabeth. The plan!”

“I don’t know if it’s a good idea to let you help.”

“I am a very intelligent and sneaky person when I need to be.”

“Right. You also worship yourself.”

“Hey, nothing wrong with having your own religion.”

“There is when you’re the only one who practices it.”

“You’re not being fair. And we’re getting off topic.”

“Lucky, for the last time–you’re not planning my bachelorette party!”

“Give me one good reason why not.”

“You’re a guy.”

“Yeah? That has what to do with it?”

“If you need me to tell you, you’ve got much bigger problems than I thought.”

“Hey, I’m the reason you’re getting married.”

“Yes. That’s right. You did set me up with Jason.”

“See?”

“Well, Lucky, go ask him if you can plan his bachelor–you know what? I changed my mind.”

“No, hey, that’s a great idea!”

“I just thought of what your kind of bachelor party would entail. You’re not planning his party either. You’d end up hiring Courtney as the stripper and then you’d stop breathing.”

“Yeah. If I saw her naked, any man would stop breathing. Man, she’s got a large–”

“No–because I’d kill you.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“You know–maybe I should stick to photography.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

+3

“So if I asked you for garlic, would you think that’s weird?”

“Garlic? What kind of garlic?”

“Oh, the pink kind with the purple polka dots–you idiot–what kind of garlic–stupid question.”

“No need to get hostile, Liz. Geez, you’ve been in such a bad mood the last few days. And yesterday–you grossed me out.”

“Oh, you’re just being annoying now. There’s nothing wrong with ice cream.”

“Honey, you had chocolate marshmallow ice cream topped by some red hot chili peppers. That’s gross.”

“You know, their last album was really good. Did you hear it?”

“Yes. I like–stop changing the subject. What’s with the nasty moods and the weird cravings–ah, son of a bitch, Gia’s gonna kill you.”

“That’s all you can say? Gia’s gonna kill me? Some best friend you are.”

“She’s already irritated that you managed to get the guy to the altar first. If she finds out you’re…you know…she’s gonna knock your head off.”

“Can I help it if Jason’s swimmers are more motivated than yours?”

“Dude, I am not talking about Jason’s sperm. That’s gross.”

“Oh, for crying out loud–you have sperm too. Oh, ew.”

“You see what I mean? No more sperm talk. Besides, it’s not that they’re more motivated…they just have better timing.”

“Better timing? Maybe yours are as lazy as you are.”

“I am not lazy.”

“Ha!”

“I’m not. I just don’t feel like doing a lot of stuff.”

“Anyway, I haven’t told Jason yet. What do you think I should lead off with? The garlic bit? Speaking of which–do you have any garlic?”

“I repeat, what kind of garlic?”

“Lucky–”

“We’ve got powder and we’ve got the whole clove things. You want some garlic bread or something?”

“Ooh, yeah.”

“So how long have you known?”

“You promise not to yell?”

“No good can come from this.”

“No, Lucky. I’m serious. You really can’t yell at me.”

“The only way I might yell is if you already popped the kid out and have him in a closet.”

“Oh, God no.”

“So??”

“Threemonths.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite hear that. Believe it or not, when a person shoves a carrot in their mouth, takes a swig of juice and tries to speak all at the same time, it comes out kind of a garbled.”

“I said–three months.”

“I take back the non yelling agreement.”

“Lucky–”

“Dude, you haven’t told him and you’ve known for three months? Have you lost your mind? Eventually, you’re gonna get fat.”

“That’s real charming.”

“Whatever. Why the hell haven’t you said anything? And no, don’t shrug and give me those puppy eyes. I’m immune.”

“Look–we’ve been married for like five months. And we only got engaged because I think I accidentally guilted him into it. So excuse me for being slightly apprehensive about telling my husband he’s not a free man anymore.”

“Jason loves kids.”

“Yeah, and you know this how?”

“Well, it’s not like he’s ever told me but–come to think of it, I’ve never seen him around any kids–aw, hey, don’t moan like that. It’s not that bad.”

“I am so dead. I’m dead. I’m gonna tell him we’re having a baby and he’s just gonna look at me like I’m a horrible person.”

“How long have you been with Jason?”

“Eighteen months.”

“Jason loves you. He married you. He doesn’t do things he doesn’t want to do so even if you might have used a tiny guilt trip on him to get him to the altar, ultimately it wouldn’t have made a difference if he didn’t want to marry you.”

“No, no, see, I don’t really think Jason’s all that fond of being married to me. I think before, he was okay with the whole living together thing because he had, you know, an escape clause. But now the only way out is a divorce and that means alimony and hell, now it means child support.”

“Elizabeth?”

“Yeah?”

“You on drugs?”

“No.”

“What would give you the idea he wants an escape clause? Hey, no mumbling.”

“Because I sort of think he might have kind of–look can we just not talk about it? I’m pissed off about it and now I’m pregnant and I really just want my stupid garlic bread so I can curl up with it and cry.”

“Aw, hell, what do you think Jason did this time?”

“You always take his side. Why does it always have to be me that misinterpreting it?”

“Oh, shit. Lizzie, don’t cry. I didn’t–ah, crap, where’s Gia when you need a sensitive person?”

“Because I really did catch him kissing the magnificent whore at Jake’s last week and he wouldn’t have kissed her if he liked being married to me and I really think that I should have just left things well enough alone without having to shove engagement rings at him and drop hints about you thinking of proposing to Gia–”

“Whoa, whoa, let’s back up a second. Was he kissing her or was she kissing him?”

“I don’t know. I saw and I left. I’m not a glutton for punishment, y’know.”

“Couldn’t it be possible the magnificent whore kissed him? It’s not like it’s the first time.”

“Yeah, but why didn’t he just tell me?”

“Oh, I don’t know…because you tend to try and commit murder whenever her name is mentioned?”

“So he’s still protecting her. See, this is why I never should have gone out with him in the first place.”

“Aw, come on, he loves you.”

“Ha.”

“Lizzie, don’t make me beat you. Listen, go home. Talk to Jason about the blonde thing. When he explains it–and I have every faith that he will–tell him about the baby.”

“I don’t wanna.”

“Lizzie.”

“Well, seriously what if he does love me but he doesn’t want kids yet?”

“Then you should have been careful. You know, condoms and stuff. Kept his little swimmers out.”

“Good point. He’s gotta realize there’s a penalty right?”

“God help him.”

“So, about that garlic bread?”

+3

The penthouse was dark when he came home from the warehouse that night. It’d been a long day of hauling bags of coffee beans and he’d been looking forward to grabbing something to eat and then crawling into bed next to his wife.

Even if she wasn’t speaking to him.

Elizabeth was always mad at him for some reason–it’d started with one fight about a month after they’d started dating and it had continued during the last year and a half. He was almost always amused by the reasons behind her frequent bouts of silence and moody glares.

Her short temper was part of her and he loved her for it–but something had been different about her these last few weeks. She’d been nervous–jittery even. She never met his eyes anymore and during the last week, he’d even heard her crying in the shower.

It worried him but he knew she’d come to him eventually. Whether Lucky or Gia would prod her into it, she’d do it. Brenda had assured him of that. Brenda was almost his answer to Elizabeth’s friendship with Lucky. She’d always advised him to wait Elizabeth’s little moods out. That at the bottom of it all, she loved him and it would all be okay.

And even though this time was different, he believed Brenda because she’d never been wrong before.

He was halfway to the kitchen before he saw that the terrace door was open. He could see his wife’s dark hair hanging over the edge of one of the lawn chair/recliners she’d stuck out there.

By passing food, he headed towards her instead, intent on picking her up and taking her upstairs. It wasn’t the first time he’d come home to her passed out on the chair.

But Elizabeth was awake and staring out at the view between the wrought iron bars of their terrace. Her knees were drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped around him.

She turned to look at him and she frowned. “Did you need something?”

Jason matched her frown and sat on the matching chair. “No. I–it’s after midnight. I was coming to see if you were asleep.”

“And if I had been?”

Her voice sounded strange–almost detached and it made him look at her a bit more closely. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Elizabeth said listlessly. “I was just asking a question.”

“No…something’s wrong,” Jason protested. “Something’s been wrong for a while but I haven’t said anything because when something’s bothering you, you eventually tell me about it and I don’t press it but this time, you’re scaring me.”

She glanced at him before looking back at the view, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth briefly as she considered his words. “You’re right. Something’s wrong. Two things, really and I’m not sure where to start.”

“Just start at the beginning.” He moved to her chair and sat on the end. “What’s been going on for the last few weeks?”

“I’d rather start with the last few days,” Elizabeth told him. “Because one thing doesn’t have anything to do with the other.”

“Okay.” Jason clasped his hands between his knees and waited for her to gather her thoughts.

“Last Thursday night, you were at Jake’s with Jax and Ned and I stopped by to…” Elizabeth sighed. “I don’t even remember why anymore.”

Jason’s shoulders slumped. “You saw Courtney kiss me.”

Her eyes pricked with tears. “Yeah.” She heard the words–Courtney had kissed him. She tried not to let herself hope.

He exhaled slowly. Courtney Matthews had been a thorn in their relationship from day one. She was his boss’s sister and on occasion, he’d looked out for the slightly dim ex-stripper and once, he’d made the mistake of sleeping with her. He’d always been loathed to be harsh to other people so he’d always tried to gently brush off her advances. Elizabeth, however, hadn’t been able to deal with his treatment of the blonde and he couldn’t remember a month that had gone by without them fighting about it.

“She was drunk and she kissed me. I pushed her away and that was the end of it.” He looked at her. “Elizabeth, you’re my wife. Why can’t you just trust that?”

“Because I’m not entirely sure it’s what you want me to be,” she confessed in a tiny voice.

The statement rocked him and all he could do was stare at her. He blinked and looked away after a moment. He heard her breath hitch and he could feel her body tensing.

“Why would I ask you to marry me if I didn’t want you to be my wife?” Jason asked carefully. Elizabeth had some strange ideas sometimes — he wasn’t sure where she got them but she did and he wondered if it was something about their relationship that was lacking to her. He was never sure why she didn’t fully trust in it–in them.

But he loved her and he was willing to spend the rest of his life convincing her that it was safe to trust him.

“Because sometimes I think I guilted you into this,” Elizabeth told him. She rested her chin in the valley between her knees and looked at him through glossy eyes. “After Lucky and Gia got engaged, she kept asking me when you were going to do it and asking me what I’d want the ring to look like a-and I guess I started to think about it a lot. So…I started…leaving ads around the penthouse, business cards for wedding consultants a-and I talked about Gia’s wedding a lot–”

He sighed and shook his head. “Come here,” he told her, gesturing with one of his hands.

Elizabeth hesitated but ultimately scooted forward and he tugged her into his lap. “I have something to tell you.”

She bit her lip and looked down. “Okay.”

“I bought your engagement ring six months after our first date,” he admitted with a sheepish smile. She stared at him with wide eyes.

“But…we hadn’t moved in together yet,” Elizabeth said softly. “We hadn’t said I love you. We hadn’t slept together.”

“I didn’t need any of those things to know that I wanted to marry you,” Jason told her. “I fell in love with you the first time you fought with me.”

Her cheeks flushed and she rested her cheek against his shoulder. “How can you even remember that? It was something so stupid–”

“We’re probably not talking about the same fight,” Jason said. He fought a smile. “You were working at Kelly’s and I came in for a cup of coffee and I knocked it over. It completely soaked your red sweater and you just…blew it. You started yelling at me, I think there were a few threats in there–”

She raised her head from his shoulder and looked at him in complete and utter astonishment. “Jason, that was like the third or fourth time we’d met. That was months before Lucky set us up on the blind date.”

He pushed her hair out of her face and smiled at her. “It wasn’t a blind date–not really. Lucky was tired of me asking about you and tired of telling me to ask you out so he just took care of it himself.”

Elizabeth blinked and tilted her face up to the sky. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing.”

“I probably should have mentioned this a long time ago,” he told her. “But I didn’t and I should have. I love you Elizabeth. Not Courtney or anyone else. I don’t want anyone else to be my wife. Just you. I love you, okay?”

“Okay.” She sniffled and wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. “I promise I won’t get mad about her or Carly anymore.”

He snorted. “You will. You’ll get mad and then you stew about it, and you’ll glare at me until you can’t take it anymore and we’ll start yelling and it’ll end up like all of our fights.”

She grinned. “Yeah, with Sonny finding some lingerie somewhere in the couch.”

“You have a short temper, I know this. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t completely turn me on.”

Elizabeth giggled. “Okay, okay. So I will probably get pissed about them again.”

He smiled but he quickly sobered. “What was the other thing?” he asked her.

“Oh. Well, under the circumstances, I think this might end up as good news.” She bit her lip and looked at him hesitantly. “I…I’m pregnant.”

“Pregnant,” Jason had to repeat it for it to actually hit him.

“Yeah. I…I’ve known for three months but I didn’t tell you because I had that whole I didn’t think you wanted to be married to me hanging over my head and I was scared you wouldn’t want a kid because we haven’t really talked about it–”

He cut her nervous ramblings off with a hard kiss, cradling her head between his hands. “I love you so much,” he said softly, with a smile. “You’re right–we never talked about it but I very much want to see you pregnant with our child and I want a family with you.”

“Really?” Elizabeth asked tremulously. “Because Lucky pointed out that if you didn’t, your swimmers should have been more careful.”

Jason scowled. “You’re talking about my sperm with Lucky?”

She laughed and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “He wasn’t at all thrilled with the idea either, you should find comfort in that.”

He shook his head. “You and Lucky have the strangest friendship I’ve ever seen.”

Elizabeth snorted. “Like you and Brenda don’t?”

“Okay, fair enough.” He kissed her forehead. “So, you ready for this?”

“I think so. Are you?”

“Definitely.” He tightened his grip on her and stood. “Now, even though t his wasn’t a real fight, I’d still kind of like to end it the same way.”

“Mm…I could deal with that,” she murmured. Elizabeth pressed a kiss to his throat. “Come on, Daddy, let’s go upstairs.”

+3

“Do you think I bought too much?”

“Oh, I don’t know, Lizzie, why don’t you go ask the owner of Wyndham’s, whom you’ve just put out of business?”

“It’s Nicole’s first Christmas and I just want it to be perfect.”

“Lizzie, she’s like ten months old. She’s not going to remember this Christmas.”

“But Jason and I will and we’re a family and families are supposed to have good Christmases and I don’t care if Jason doesn’t care–I’m not going to let his stupid job interfere this time.”

“I know that tone.”

“And what tone would that be?”

“Ooh…and that one too. The first one was Jason’s Done Something Stupid and You’re Going To Hear All About It. The second was Lucky Is About To Die.”

“How about you get another pie in the face?”

“Put that down, Elizabeth Imogene Morgan, I still have nightmares from the last attack.”

“Ha…you think a lemon meringue pie was bad, just wait for Boston Cream.”

“Lizzie–”

“And for your information, you aren’t going to hear about it. I don’t know why I bother with the male species. You’re all about yourselves anyway. Especially Sonny Corinthos.”

“Okay…let me…give me the pie, Elizabeth. That’s it…slowly now–ah, crap. Don’t cry. Gia! Are you home? Damn it all to hell.”

“Jason missed Thanksgiving. Did I tell you that?”

“Yes. With lots of colorful words and violent adjectives. I believe you were going to cut off something Sonny would miss.”

“Well, that self-centered son of a bitch is sending him to Puerto Rico this week.”

“But…Christmas is next week. Will he be back?”

“That’s just it. I don’t know. Damn it, Lucky, why did you set me up with him?”

“Because I was tired of watching him sit in Kelly’s and drool over you and you needed to be kissed properly. None of that matters. Jason’s not going to go is he?”

“Hell if I know. It’s business and therefore it’s not up for discussion. I’m scared Lucky. I mean…before Jason was just a partner in the coffee business but over the last year, he’s been taking on more and more responsibilities and he’s been…he’s been pulling away from me.”

“You think he’s getting involved in Sonny’s other business?”

“Yeah. I think so.”

“Well. That would suck.”

“Thank you, Lucky Spencer, King of the Understatement.”

“Did you ask him? Or was it more of it’s business, I can’t talk about it?”

“He can’t talk about it. And it’s been happening more and more. I don’t know why he’d do this, Lucky. I mean, before it was just us but we have Nicole now and that should mean something.”

“Right.”

“And I think he’s being stupid. Just because Sonny’s his friend, it doesn’t mean he has to do whatever he tells him to.”

“Right.”

“And if Jason misses Nicole’s first Christmas, I’m not going to be at home when he does get back.”

“Right–what?”

“You heard me. I can only put up with so much but he’s not going to miss our daughter’s first Christmas. Someone else can go. Someone who doesn’t have a family. And if it’s just for the coffee business, it can wait until after the holidays.”

“Are…are you at least going to warn him about this?”

“Oh don’t be stupid, Lucky. Do I look like I’d just leave him without warning?”

“Well–”

“Shut up. And yes, I’m going to tell him. I just…I’m not quite sure how to.”

“I should think that’d be easy. Jason, if you go to that island, be prepared for an empty penthouse when you get back.”

“Just…lay it out like that?”

“Sure. Why not? You’ve never been a subtle person. I see no reason to start now.”

“How can you manage to insult me and give me advice at the same time?”

“It’s a gift. I think you taught me it.”

“Probably.”

“Anyhow, good news. My swimmers finally got some motivation.”

“Oh?”

“Gia’s pregnant. She’s due in the early summer.”

“Lucky, that’s incredible!”

“Yeah. Only, don’t tell her.”

“What’s this?”

“She doesn’t know.”

“I’m sorry…what?”

“Well…she thinks she might be but the doctor called when I was home and I’m saving it.”

“Lucky…she’s gonna notice. What did you say when I hadn’t told Jason after three months? Something about getting fat.”

“Oh, chill. Just saving it for a week. I’m wrapping the results and giving it to her as a Christmas present.”

“Wow, Lucky…that’s not a bad idea.”

“See…I’m not completely hopeless.”

“Now…I didn’t say that.”

+3

He found his wife and daughter in the nursery. She hadn’t spoken to him since he’d told her about the Puerto Rico trip he was leaving for in the morning.

A week. A week of her locking their bedroom door at night and of silent meals and tension-filled evenings.

Elizabeth didn’t realize he was standing in the doorway and he took the opportunity to watch her read a bedtime story to their ten-month-old daughter. She was smiling as Nicole patted the pages with her tiny chubby hands.

“And they lived happily ever after,” Elizabeth finished. She closed the book and set it aside on the table next to the rocking chair. She cradled the still very alert girl against her body and closed her eyes. “I wish all stories had happy endings, baby girl.”

Nicole started sucking on her entire fist, her eyes fluttering shut. Elizabeth smoothed her hand down Nicole’s back. “You’ll like it at Uncle Lucky and Aunt Gia’s house. And it’s really only temporary until I figure out what to do.”

Jason straightened, his chest felt tight. Why would Nicole need to go to Lucky’s? And what did Elizabeth need to figure out?

“This isn’t the way I planned it but I can’t…” Elizabeth took a deep breath. “I can’t keep doing this.” She rested her head against the soft downy blonde curls on her daughter’s head. “We’ll have to share a room…I hope you’re not attached to all these stuffed animals and toys–” her voice broke then and he heard a muffled sob escape her throat.

Terrified at the implication of her statements, Jason stepped into his room and cleared his throat. “What–where are you going?”

Elizabeth’s eyes snapped up and she turned her head to see her husband. “Howhow long have you been standing there?”

“From happily ever after on,” he confessed. He swallowed hard and was a little surprised to feel a little moisture in the corners of his eyes. “Are…are you leaving me?”

Elizabeth stood abruptly and stalked over to the crib. She placed a confused Nicole inside and spread the blanket around her. “No. You’re leaving us,” she replied softly.

“Elizabeth–”

“If you go tomorrow, we–” she struggled for composure. “We won’t be here when you get back.”

“No.” He strode towards her and grabbed her elbow, forcing her to look at her. “You can’t do that. You can’t ask me to choose between my family and my best friend. You can’t.”

“I’m just asking you to choose your family over your job,” she hissed, yanking her arm from his grasp.

A mask fell over his face and he stepped back. “I can’t…you know I can’t talk about that.”

“You’re in coffee, Jason,” Elizabeth said scathingly. “What about owning a coffee warehouse can’t you talk about?”

“Elizabeth, you know–Sonny has other interests–”

“You promised me–” Her hands were shaking as she started to straighten various things in the room. Put the book on the shelf, some stuffed animals in the toy box. “You promised me you’d never get involved in that. I told you that I wouldn’t–I wouldn’t do that…be that woman. Maybe Carly can do it but I can’t.”

“I’m just doing some favors–”

“It’s never just a favor with Sonny.” Elizabeth shook her head. “Before long, you’ll be right back where you were before we met. His right hand man. You hated that life, Jason and you promised me you were out of it.”

“He’s my best friend, Elizabeth,” Jason argued.

“And he’s got other men working for him–men who don’t have families, who didn’t promise their wives that no one would try to blow up their car or kidnap their daughter!” Elizabeth cried.

Upset by her mother’s voice, Nicole started to cry. Elizabeth took a deep breath and gathered her daughter back in her arms to soothe her. Keeping her voice gentle, Elizabeth continued. “I’m not telling you what to do. I’m just telling you that if I wake up and find out you’ve gone to Puerto Rico, ensuring that you will miss our daughter’s first Christmas, I will leave this penthouse. I will call Alexis and I will file for divorce.”

He shook his head. “No. Elizabeth–”

“There are some things I will deal with. Your friendship with Carly, despite the things she’s done to me. Your inability to walk away from Courtney when she’s in trouble. I can deal with those things because they don’t physically put me or my child in danger. But if you do this–if you go back to being Sonny’s enforceryou won’t leave me a choice.”

Nicole had calmed down and this time after Elizabeth tucked her in, she left the room. Jason was hot on her heels.

“I’ll never give you a divorce,” was the first thing he said as he followed her into their bedroom.

She paused in the middle of unbuttoning her shirt and stared at with him sad eyes. “That’s not what you’re supposed to say. You’re not supposed to refuse to give me a divorce, you’re supposed to refuse to give me a reason to leave. You’re–”

“Since when has this relationship been about what we’re supposed to do?” Jason asked pointedly. “You’re asking me to change who I am”

“I’m asking you to keep your promise,” she argued. She finished changing into her cotton pajamas and moved into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

“That’s not fair–”

“When I met youwhen Lucky set us up on that date…you were just the co-owner of the warehouse. You told me that you wanted a family some day–a real life and that’s why you’d gotten out of the business. Because you never wanted to put anyone through that.”

“That’s true,” Jason hedged.

“What’s changed?” Elizabeth asked pointedly. She sat on the edge of the bed and stared at her bare feet. “Don’t…don’t you love me? Don’t you love Nicole?”

“Jesus, Elizabeth, you two are my life.” He kneeled in front of her and took her hands in his. “You know that I love you.”

“Then why are you willing to put us in danger?” she asked softly. “Do you want Nicole to grow up like Michael has? With a guard posted at her classroom door? Do you want to have to send me out of the room like Carly? Give me a guard that will sweep all vehicles for car bombs before I’m allowed within ten feet of it? Is that the life you want for us?”

“No–I’m just–Sonny trusts me, Elizabeth. How do I say no to him?”

“If he were a real friend, he wouldn’t ask in the first place. He’d know how you felt and he’d get someone else. I want to know what’s more important to you. Sonny’s trust or our marriage?”

“Our marriage,” Jason said without hesitation.

“Then don’t go tomorrow. Stay with me. Stay with Nicole. Spend the holidays with us. Don’t break your promise.”

“It’s too late to pull out of this trip now,” Jason protested.

Her hands fell away from his and she squared her shoulders. “Fine. You know where the guest room is.”

“Elizabeth, I love you. After this…I’ll tell Sonny no–”

She stood, throwing him a little off balance. She opened their bedroom door. “Get out.”

He stood and approached her. “I promise that it’s over after I do this–”

“I’ll give your daughter your regards.” She tipped her head to wards the door. “Good-bye, Jason.”

He swallowed hard. “You’d really leave me, wouldn’t you?”

“I am going to leave you because it’s very obvious to me that you love your friendship with Sonny more than you love keeping us safe…keeping your marriage together.”

He hung his head and moved into the hallway.

Elizabeth sighed and shut the door softly before heading back for bed.

—

The smell of coffee and bacon woke her the next morning. A little disorientated, she looked at the clock on her nightstand. Jason’s flight was scheduled for three hours ago.

A little hopeful, she hurried out of her room and was almost moved to tears when she found her husband making breakfast in the kitchen.

Hearing her approach, he turned. “I…you were right. I got out of the life to have one. And keeping you and Nicole safe and happy…here with methere’s nothing more important.”

“That’s what you were supposed to say,” she said with a soft smile. She wrapped her arms around his neck and tilted her face up to him. “Better late than never.”

+3

“She threw a pie at me.”

“Understandably.”

“I mean–she just launched it at my face.”

“Well, when you insult a girl’s cooking, she’s liable to get violent.”

“It hit me in the face.”

“Since she aimed for her face, I’d assume so.”

“But it was like…lemon meringue.”

“Too bad she wasted it, that’s my favorite.”

“I don’t think you’re taking this very seriously, Liz.”

“I don’t think it’s something that needs to be taken seriously.”

“I nearly died–why are you laughing?”

“Lucky, it was a pie.”

“I almost suffocated from the meringue part of it!”

“It was a pie.”

“I couldn’t breathe!”

“Did you get it out of your nostrils? You know, use your hands for something other than–”

“Hey, we’re in a family establishment here.”

“Yeah, Chuck E. Cheese’s. Why am I here again?'”

“Because your kid loves it. Back to my near death experience.”

“Your near death experience?”

“You’re laughing again.”

“Are you even listening to yourself?”

“Why do you insist on ridiculing me?”

“Did you see a bright light? Because I’ve heard you’re supposed to stay away from the light.”

“You think you’re funny?”

“I think I’m hysterical.”

“Have you ever thrown a pie at Jason?”

“Not for him insulting me. We tend to use food for…other purposes.”

“Oh, ew. Forget I asked.”

“Lucky, come on, you know we have sex right? I mean we have the kid. Did you think it was immaculate conception?”

“Lalalala–I’m not listening.”

“Oh, for–take your fingers out of your ears and finish telling me about your near death experience.”

“Are you going to keep teasing me?”

“Hey, come on, Lucky, this is me. Lizzie. What do you think?”

“I think we should change the subject.”

“Sure. Hey, did you know that strawberries were natural aphrodisiacs?”

“Unless you caught that while watching television or something–I don’t want to know.”

“No, seriously, it was actually really innocent. We were having strawberry shortcake and I was trying to feed it to Nicole but she just kind of knocked the plate out of my hand and it landed on my face.”

“Ha, so you know what it’s like to have a near death by pastry!”

“You’ve lost it, you know that? Anyway, Jason was helping me clean it off my face and wow, the next thing I know, he’s insisting we plant the kid in front of the boob tube and lock ourselves in the kitchen because he wants to lick it–”

“Dude, Lizzie, we are in a family establishment. You want to stop this story now or what?”

“I’m just saying that food adds an interesting spice to your sex life. Not that my sex life wasn’t good before that–”

“Lalalala, I’m not listening.”

“Because, man, Jason is all about equal pleasuring. There’s got to be law against some of the stuff he’s suggested–”

“I think I’m gonna be sick.”

“Hey, Gia and I talk about your sex life all the time but she’s kind of forbidden me from talking about mine anymore.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because, well, she’s jealous.”

“She is not. I happen to be fabulous in bed.”

“Did you really just use the word fabulous?”

“She told me that once.”

“Well, I’m just trying to say if you want to add a little spice to your bedroom, try some strawberries. Ooh, and whipped cream. But not honey. It dries too fast and it can be a bitch to get off.”

“We are not having this conversation. I don’t even know how we got on this topic.”

“Something about death by pastry.”

“Hey, she nearly killed me. I could have her prosecuted for attempted murder.”

“Yeah, Lucky?”

“What?”

“She threw a pie at you, she didn’t give you cyanide or anything.”

“Wouldn’t put it past her.”

“It was a pastry. You did not almost die.”

“I couldn’t breathe.”

“You know what? I can’t believe we’re having this conversation either. I’d much rather being talking about this excellent position Jason suggested last night–”

“Lalala, I’m not listening.”

+3

“You’re nasty.”

“Take that back!”

“I won’t. That’s a filthy habit.”

“From the girl who inflicts pain herself for beauty.”

“You’re still not over that?”

“I will never be over that, Lizzie. You were torturing yourself.”

“I was plucking my eyebrows, Lucky!”

“It’s unnecessary torture.”

“We’re off topic. You’re nasty and you know it.”

“This is not nasty–”

“Ew!! Watch where you’re clipping!”

“Well, get out of the way!”

“I can’t, those things are huge!”

“Well…then go home.”

“I can’t.”

“What did Jason do this time?”

“I hate when you say it like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re just asking me what I think Jason did this time but clearly he did nothing because I’m the hysterical female and I’m overreacting.”

“I would never say that!”

“Because you like your fingers where they are and not ripped off.”

“Well…so do most people.”

“And anyway, Jason didn’t do anything, but I don’t appreciate your tone. I never overreact. I–I’m always perfectly rational.”

“You’re sniffling.”

“I am not.”

“Good God, you’re going to cry. Jesus, Lizzie, Gia’s not here and I’m no good at this. Do not cry! That’s an order!”

“I’ll cry if I want to.”

“I know, I know. Okay, so why the tears?”

“I’m pregnant.”

“Again?”

“As opposed to…?”

“Okay, okay, stupid question. So is this a good thing? Is it a bad thing? I can’t tell.”

“I told Nicole and she started crying and she was upset and she doesn’t want a brother or a sister and I was so upset by that I came over here. Jason doesn’t know yet.”

“Oh. Well, you know, Nicole’s seven. She’s been an only child for so long. If we told Markus that Gia was pregnant, he’d have a heart attack after six years of going solo.”

“She was just so upset and I wasn’t prepared.”

“She’ll get prepared. You give her the same speech my parents gave me when Lu was born. You get to boss her around, tell her what to do, be the big sister, etc. It’s fun, kids eat it up.”

“I guess.”

“You do plan on telling Jason, right?”

“No, I thought I’d go for six months and see if he noticed the extra pounds.”

“See…that’s the thing with you, Lizzie. I’m never sure if you’re joking with me or not.”

“Ow! It hit me that time!”

“Sorry–”

“You have the biggest toenails in the universe, Lucky. Christ, I’m going to need a shower after this.”

“Hey, they’re clean.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m just not taking your word for it. Didn’t your mother teach you not to clip toenails in company?”

“You’re not company, Lizzie. You’re family.”

“That’s not at all comforting.”

+3

“Okay, I usually take the blame when it’s deserved–”

“Yeah, or the credit when it’s not.”

“–but I think Gia is unreasonable.”

“Has there ever been a fight between the two of you where she’s been reasonable and you’ve been at fault?”

“Yes.”

“Name one.”

“That’s not the point here.”

“It never is when I ask you to provide me an example of anything and you can’t back it up. You’re a idiot.”

“I am not. As the godfather of your children–”

“Just the one. It’s Nikolas’s turn.”

“I cannot believe you’d choose him over me! I got you guys together–”

“Yes, but you and Gia are Nicole’s godparents. It’s Nikolas and Emily’s turn.”

“He’s never going to let me live this down.”

“You’re being ridiculous. It’s not like being a god parent is of any use except you know…the actual ceremony.”

“But Nikolas is the Dark Prince, Lizzie. I mean, he’s not any more suitable than Patrick.”

“Patrick’s not suitable at all. He’s a horndog and I don’t want him giving Sebastian any bad habits.”

“Sebastian? Sebastian?”

“It’s a classy name.”

“It’s a stupid name.”

“Says the man called Lucky.”

“It’s a nickname.”

“Right.”

“It’s a variation of Lucas.”

“Uh huh.”

“You know, Elizabeth Imogene–”

“Hey, Imogene is a very classy name with strong roots in history. Lucky is a dog’s name.”

“Oh, that’s just a low blow.”

“Well, it is.”

“If it’s so classy, why didn’t you name Nicole that?”

“If your name is so fabulous, why didn’t you and Gia name your kid after you?”

“Markus is a family name.”

“And there’s only a thousand Lucases in your family.”

“We’re off topic here.”

“Funny how that happens when you know I’m right.”

“You’re not right. Markus a good name and so is Lucas and Lucky is a good name.”

“Uh huh.”

“Anyway, Gia is being unreasonable. She accused me wanting her to get fat.”

“…”

“Ha! No response?”

“Why in the world would she say something like that?”

“I have no idea. She asked me for doughnuts, I brought her doughnuts and then she burst into tears–”

“Oh.”

“Oh?”

“Oh.”

“What does that mean?”

“Mood swings, cravings, this doesn’t sound familiar?”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, hell.”

“So I guess Nikolas and Emily are going to be godparents twice over.”

“Nah, it’s Robin’s turn. We promised her the next one when she found that flavor of ice cream Gia was craving.”

“Ha! So that means your kid gets the horndog for a godfather. Serves you right.”

“Hey, they are not a package set. She’s got time to come to her senses.”

“That’s what everyone said about Gia before your wedding.”

“You’re unnecessarily cruel.”

“Yeah, that’s me. Lizzie, the eater of puppies and children.”

“It would not surprise me.”

“Big baby.”

“Hey, you’re the one who said it. That’s why I gotta be careful with you, you’re unpredictable. I could say, okay, go kill someone–”

“And you’d think I’d do it? Real nice.”

“No, but you’d have a very wicked retort for me and somehow it would leave into a conversation about sexual positions and I just do not need to hear about that.”

“That’s fine. I’ll just stop giving Gia tips.”

“Well, let’s not be hasty.”

+3

Prompt: The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. ~ Clement Clarke Moore

Thanks Caroline!

“Can I just say the world is a better place now.”

“Lucky, you’re being overdramatic. I never said I was committed to the name.”

“You did, you so did. You had blankets made.”

“That….may be true, but it doesn’t mean anything.”

“What made you decide that Sebastian Morgan was a nogo?”

“To be honest, Jason.”

“Seriously? I didn’t think he cared about names.”

“Apparently, he has some strong feelings about certain ones.”

“We all do. It was a horrible name.”

“Shut your face. You of all people have no room to talk.”

“Hey, my name is Lucas. Lucky is a nickname, it’s not my fault. See? My parents did it to me. You could have inflicted that damage on poor poor David.”

“First, you introduce yourself as Lucky, so the time to blame your parents has passed. Two, Sebastian—again—is perfectly nice name.”

“Did you tell Jason why you picked it?”

“…No.”

“Ha. I knew it He doesn’t care that you read trashy romance novels, but he might care you’re naming your kids for them.”

“Let’s just discuss that you even knew Sebastian came from my books. Have you been dipping into the book stash Gia, Brenda, and I share?”

“You think Gia doesn’t tell me these things? You think I don’t know why you women read these books?”

“I know she doesn’t and you have no idea why we read them.”

“For ideas.”

“…for the kinds of men we should be dating…? Or sex ideas? Because both are wrong, and both are nasty. Lucky. Why are we friends again?”

“Something about not being able to fight fate. I hope you’re not looking for advice on men. Sebastian was the guy who kidnapped the one woman right? From those flower books.”

“I am so disturbed right now.”

“Don’t be mad because I know what women are thinking.”

“The levels of bullshit emanating from you at the moment are staggering.”

“I am the envy of all men.”

“I’m going to need a barf bag.”

“Lizzie, don’t mock what you don’t understand.”

“Oh, I definitely don’t understand you. But I can’t wait to tell Gia you read romance novels—”

“Whoa, wait, I never said I read them—”

“—because this is going to be so much fun. You can join our book club!”

“—let’s not be hasty—”

“We’re reading Courtney Milan next month, in honor of Christmas.”

“I’m afraid to ask.”

“Because Gia discovered her two Christmases ago, so we always read her for Christmas, but Brenda argued for Sabrina Jeffries’ Christmas book this year—”

“You’re just torturing me now—”

“Oh, this is going to be so much fun. We’ve never had a guy in the club before. Nadine brought her boyfriend once, but—”

“Lizzie, what can I do to make you keep this to yourself? What can I give you?”

“You can stop calling me Lizzie.”

“Um. How about something I can actually do?”

“You can admit you actually read some of the books.”

“…I like the spy ones. With the wars and stuff.”

“Don’t mumble, Lucky.”

“There was a good one. With some spies.”

“Good. And you can hang these stockings on the wall—”

“What, why? Can’t Jason do it?”

“Where’s my phone? Gia has to plan for one more—”

“All right, all right. I hate you.”

“Merry Christmas, Lucky.”

“Merry, Christmas, Lizzie.”

+3