Stefan was sitting alone and silent in the chapel at the hospital. Alexis walked in and saw him sitting there. She came up beside him and kissed him on the cheek. He motioned to her to sit down.
As she sat down, she said, “Somehow, I knew I’d find you here. Have you been here since last night?”
Stefan shook his head, “No, only for a few minutes.” Stefan sighed.
Alexis put her hand on his shoulder. “Then where were you last night?” Stefan just looked blankly at her. “Oh, nevermind.” They sat there in silence for a few moments, then Alexis continued, “There’s something on your mind other than Anreya. What is it?”
Without saying anything, Stefan reached in his pocket and pulled out Lisa’s pendant. He dropped it in Alexis’ hand. “She wants it to be over.”
Alexis had a funny feeling that this was coming, but she had hoped that Lisa would put it off until after today. Leezia and Stefan needed each other today.
Stefan continued, “She’s tired of playing second fiddle to Barbara. I guess I can’t really blame her.”
Alexis had to voice her earlier thought. “You and Leezia need to be together today.”
Stefan shook his head. “I can take care of myself, and as for Leezia, I asked Laura to look after her.”
“Laura Spencer? Why her?”
Alexis looked as if she was going to protest more, so Stefan lifted up his hand to silence her. “Leezia needs someone to confide in about Anreya, and Laura is the most obvious choice.”
Alexis shook her head, “There are times Cousin, when I don’t understand anything you do.”
“Isn’t that best?”
*****
Laura was walking up the steps to her house when she heard Luke exclaim, “What!?!” She rushed in the house to see Luke standing in the living room with Lisa sitting quietly in one of the chairs, staring at the floor.
Luke calmed himself some. “A baby? You had Steffin’s kid? You’re just a kid yourself.”
Laura walked over and stood by where Lisa was sitting and put her hand on Lisa’s shoulder.
Looking up at Laura, Lisa continued. “Her name was Anreya.”
Luke looked at Lisa, “Was? What to you mean ‘was’?”
Lisa stood and turned away from him slightly. She was crying. Softly she said, “She died right after she was born.”
Luke took a deep breath and walked over to his daughter. He wrapped his arms around her and let her cry on his shoulder. “Oh darlin’, I’m so sorry. I really am.”
Laura wiped away more tears. Tears of sadness over Anreya and tears of joy that Luke was being so supportive of his daughter.
*****
Later that night, Lisa sat, alone, in her room at Kelly’s. She thought about everything that was going on and what she was supposed to do now.
Both her father and Laura knew about her marriage to Stefan and the child they lost. Alexander, her own grandfather and one of Helena’s personal employees, had threatened to kill her if she didn’t divorce Stefan. Alexis thought that she would be better for Stefan than Bobbie and encouraged her to fight for her marriage.
Lisa had decided that no matter how strong her feelings for Stefan, she wanted to live, and had told Stefan that their marriage was over.
Lisa sighed. She didn’t know what to do from here. Everything had been building to a climax and now, here it was, what would have been her daughter’s third birthday, and she’s sitting alone in a darkened room.
A swift knock on the door interrupted her reverie. “Who is it?” she asked.
“Lisa, it’s me, Alexis. Can I come in?” the voice from beyond the door asked.
Lisa hopped up and let Alexis in. Silently, they each crossed the room and sat in chairs, facing each other. “What are you going to do now?” Alexis asked.
Lisa shrugged, “That’s what I was just thinking about.”
“Are you going to fight for Stefan, or not?”
“I want to, Alexis. I really want to. But I want to live, too,” Lisa said.
Alexis nodded, “The guest house on Spoon Island is still available,” she said simply.
“Do you think that’s a wise idea?”
Alexis countered Lisa’s question with one of her own, “Do you have any other suggestions?”
Lisa sighed, “Help me get my stuff together,” she said softly.
*****
After Lisa left, Luke and Laura were sitting on the sofa. Laura reached over and kissed Luke. “I’m so proud of you.”
Luke smiled at her, somewhat confused, “What for?”
“For being so supportive of Lisa. I know how much the thought of her with Stefan bothers you.”
“Damn right it bothers me baby, but when I thought Lisa was dead...I know exactly how she feels about her kid.”
“She’ll never get over it completely.”
Luke shook his head, “Nope. Even twenty years later, Ruby and I would get together on Lisa’s birthday, even if it was just for a few minutes.”
Laura looked at him and sympathized with how difficult it must have been. She always thought of Nikolas on his birthday. True, he wasn’t dead, but they were separated by enough. She took a deep breath. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about Lisa?”
Luke shrugged, “I thought about it, every day. But I kept putting it off. I mean, I thought she was dead. What would one more day change? And it just went on from there.”
Laura held his hand. “I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t do anything.”
“Exactly. I should’ve told you Lisa was alive.” Laura smiled. “You would have stormed the place to rescue her.”
Luke smiled slightly at that thought. “If I could change things, I would. Lisa’s an adult now and she has to live her own life. I can make suggestions to her, but I did that for Barbara Jean, and look where she ended up.”
Laura just looked at him as the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it,” she said as she stood up and walked towards the door.
*****
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Laura stood back from the door and let Bobbie in, “Come in, Bobbie.”
As Bobbie walked in, Luke stood up from the sofa, “What are you doing here?”
Bobbie walked over to him, “We need to talk, Luke.”
Laura interjected, “I’ll be in the kitchen.”
As Laura made a discreet exit to the kitchen, Luke said, “Barbara, you and I have nothing to talk about.”
“I talked to our father earlier today.”
Luke glared at her, “A few days ago it was ‘old man Alex’, today it’s ‘our father’. What’s it going to be next time Barbara, ‘Daddy’?”
“He and I reached an understanding.”
Luke shrugged, “So? What’s it to me? I don’t have a damn about him.”
“He’s getting old and isn’t going to live much longer.”
“Ain’t we all. Get to the point, babe, or don’t waste my time.”
“He and Andi are going to be living at Wyndemere with Stefan, Lucas and I.”
Luke looked at her, confused. “Andi? Who the hell is Andi?”
“Uncle Joe’s granddaughter, Andrea.”
Luke nodded as if that explained everything. He didn’t want to tell Bobbie that he never remembered an ‘Uncle Joe’. “I don’t see why you’re telling me this.”
Bobbie sighed, her brother was being rather thickheaded today, “He wants Andi to be raised by family after he’s gone.”
Luke nodded, it was her problem, not his. “So what does your hubby think about his new houseguests?”
Bobbie looked at the floor in silence.
Luke smiled slightly, “He doesn’t know.”
“I haven’t seen him for a couple of days. Our schedules conflict.”
Luke walked to the door and opened it, “All I can say is good luck, Barbara Jean.”
She walked out the door. Just after she got out, she turned back and said sarcastically to Luke, “Thanks, big brother.”
Luke grinned great big, “Anytime.” He then slammed the door.
Bobbie stood on the porch for a second and couldn’t help but overhear Luke’s laughter.
*****
Alexis and Lisa carried Lisa’s suitcases into the guest house on Spoon Island. “Welcome home,” Alexis said.
Lisa dropped her cases onto the floor and flopped on the overstuffed sofa, “Yeah, well, it’s bigger than my room at Kelly’s.”
Alexis smiled, sitting in one of the chairs, “Fully furnished, and it has direct access to Wyndemere.”
“Is that such a good idea?” Lisa asked. “Bobbie is going to get really suspicious.”
Alexis raised an eyebrow, “More suspicious then if Stefan doesn’t show up all night, like last night?”
Lisa raised a hand in defeat. “You’re right, Alexis. I’m sorry. I’m just a bit nervous about this whole thing.”
“I know, and that’s understandable.”
Lisa sighed, “I told the Spencers about Anreya.”
Alexis smiled slightly, “Are you okay with that?”
Lisa shrugged quickly, “I don’t know. Do I have a choice? I thought they deserved to know. Not like I can do anything about it now, can I?”
“I know that Laura was probably very supportive. How was your father?”
“Remarkably contained, probably best describes him.”
Alexis stood up, “I’d better get going and let you unpack. If you need anything, you know where to reach me. Or you can reach Wyndemere just as easily. Mrs. Lansbury knows that you’re here, but other than that, no one does.”
Lisa stood up and gave Alexis a quick hug, “Thanks, Alexis. For everything.”
*****
Lucky, Luke and Laura sat around the kitchen table. Lucky listened to what his parents had to say. “Whoa, Lisa’s married to Cassadine and had his kid?” he asked disbelievingly.
Luke nodded, “That’s what she said. Apparently the kid died right after she was born.”
Lucky whistled, “Lisa must really be upset, huh?”
Laura added, “The baby would have been three today.”
“Is Lisa okay?” Lucky asked.
“She stopped by here earlier and told us about it, but we haven’t seen her since then,” Luke admitted.
Lucky stood up, “Then I’m going to see how she is.”
Luke interrupted, “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea, Cowboy.”
“Why not, Dad? She’s my sister, whether she’s married to Cassadine or not.” He headed quickly out the door.
Luke attempted to stop him, but Laura grabbed his arm, “Luke, wait.”
Luke turned and looked at her, “I don’t know where Lisa’s loyalties are, Laura.”
Laura slammed her hands on the table, “Dammit Luke! She’s YOUR daughter. I could understand a little better when it was MY son, and his father was a Cassadine. But Lisa didn’t want to be on that island all her life any more than I wanted to be there for two years. She left after Anreya died, she told you that. What more do you want from her?”
She quickly stood up and left the room, leaving Luke just to stare after her.
*****
Lucky quickly bounded up the stairs at Kelly’s. Ruby met him by Lisa’s door. “She’s gone, Lucky,” Ruby said quietly.
Lucky’s eyes widened, “What happened? Where is she?”
Ruby sighed as they both walked downstairs, “She went with Alexis Davis. Apparently, Ms. Davis convinced her to move to Spoon Island.”
“WHAT? Dad’ll flip when he hears this.”
Ruby shook her head sadly, “Lucky, I wouldn’t tell him. Lisa made her decision. You know as well as I do that Luke won’t have anything to do with her if he thinks that she’s siding with the Cassadines.”
Lucky punched the wall absently, “We just have to make him understand, Ruby. We just have to.” Lucky thought for a second. “I bet she just feels guilty today, because of her kid’s birthday.”
Ruby shrugged, “It’s possible, Lucky, but without talking to Lisa first and finding out what’s on her mind, I think your father will be better off not knowing this. Think about it.”
Reluctantly, Lucky agreed. “Yeah, you’re right. Did she give you a number where we could call her?”
Ruby nodded and walked behind the bar, then wrote down a number and gave it to Lucky. “Thanks, Ruby,” he said while crossing to the phone.
*****
