Ruby watched as Lucky called Spoon Island to try to get up with Lisa. She frowned as she saw Alexander come in. He smiled and winked at her before sitting at one of the tables.
Ruby walked around quickly to Lucky, “Come here, I need you to help me with something.”
The urgency in Ruby’s voice and the look on her face confused Lucky. “Sure, Ruby,” he said, quickly hanging up the phone.
Ruby hustled Lucky back into the kitchen, then came back out and kept a watchful eye on Alexander.
Alexander sat back, relaxed, talking on his cell phone. “Hello Jessica, it’s me. I need you to bring Andrea to Port Charles.”
“Why?” the female voice asked. “And what about Helena?”
“Let me worry about Helena. Andrea has been conditioned her whole life for this. The time is finally right.”
“Where will she be staying?” the voice asked.
Alexander smiled, “I’ve made all the necessary arrangements. You’re gonna love this, Jess, Andrea will be staying at Wyndemere with my daughter and Stefan.”
Jessica laughed, “That’s perfect. I’ll gather her things and we’ll be on the first plane out.”
“Phone me when you arrive,” Alexander said before hanging up. “Let the games begin!” he laughed to himself.
Ruby continued to glare at him from behind the counter. Alexander stood up, crossed quickly to her, took her hands in his, kissed them briefly, then hustled out the door. He had preparations to finish.
*****
Lisa stood in her new bedroom and ran a comb through her wet hair. She had just taken a nice relaxing shower and was getting ready for bed when the phone rang. “Hello?”
“Sis, are you crazy?” Lucky demanded.
“Lucky, I don’t know what you mean.”
Lucky sighed, “Living on the Cassadine island.”
Lisa rolled her eyes. She didn’t want to be in the middle of the Spencer/Cassadine feud, but now it seemed that she had no other choice. “There’s a lot you don’t know.”
“Oh yeah?” Lucky challenged. “I know about you and Cassadine being married. And I know you had his kid.”
“Your parents tell you all of that?”
“Yeah, we’re all open with each other.”
Lisa nodded, “So I’m learning.” She paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts. “I moved out here so I wouldn’t be an easy target.”
“Easy target for who?” Lucky asked.
“Helena Cassadine. She sent one of her minions to find me. She knew that I was staying at Kelly’s, so I had to move. This was the safest place available on such short notice.”
“What about staying with us?” Lucky asked.
“Lucky, my problems with Helena are just that, my problems. I’m not going to put you, Lulu or your parents in danger just because Mama Cassadine is pissed at me.”
Lucky sat there in silence for a minute, “Sounds weird,” he finally admitted.
“It’s a long story, Lucky. We’ll get together tomorrow and I’ll explain. Okay?”
“Sure Sis. See you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight, Little Brother.” She hung up the phone slowly and sighed.
“That was very sweet, Leezia,” Stefan said from the bedroom doorway.
Lisa jumped as she wheeled around to face him, “Geez. Scare a person into next week, why don’t you?”
He laughed slightly, “I’m sorry.”
“I wondered if I’d see you today,” she said blankly as she sank into one of the overstuffed chairs.
Stefan smiled as she sat down, her robe gathering and gaping in all the right places. “I had to see if you were okay. Alexis told me that she convinced you to come here.”
Lisa sighed, “Well, I’m not going to let Alexander kill me.”
He changed topics, “Did you talk to Laura today?”
Lisa shrugged, “Some, I guess. You told her about Anreya.”
“I did.”
Lisa shifted nervously, “I told my father.” She looked at him expectantly, “Is there something else I can do for you? I’m here, and I’m safe. For now.”
Stefan just stared back. There were acting like strangers and it bothered him. “Alexis suggested that we spend some time together today.”
“When did you start taking her advice?”
“When she’s right. Leezia, we need to talk.”
Lisa shook her head, “Is this about last night? ‘Cause if it is, I really don’t have anything to say. Yes, it was nice, but it was a mistake on my part.”
“How can spending time with your husband be a mistake?”
Defiantly, she argued, “My husband claims to also be married to my own aunt. You caught me at a weak moment, and you did it on purpose. You’ve used this whole situation and my feelings about our daughter to manipulate me like you try to manipulate everyone else. I won’t do that anymore, I can’t do it anymore. It’s not fair to anyone. Now I have nothing more to say about the matter.”
“Leezia, we should be together today,” he said simply.
She stood up quickly. “Today is not about you and I, but about Anreya. I won’t let our differences tarnish what precious few memories I have of her.”
Stefan spoke softly, “Without you and I, there would never have been an Anreya.”
Lisa began to pace slowly, “I know that,” she replied just as softly. “And what you and I had was wonderful.”
Stefan walked up behind her. He put his hands on her shoulders to stop her pacing. Without saying anything else, he turned her around and pulled her into an embrace. She didn’t resist, but she didn’t respond either. He reached down and began kissing her neck before whispering, “And it can be again.”
She just stood there as he kissed various parts of her face and neck. She slowly started to speak, but he was affecting her. “I...uh...shouldn’t, we shouldn’t do this.”
He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her longingly before saying, “Leezia, don’t push me away tonight.”
She shook her head slowly and allowed Stefan to lead her to bed. As he laid her gently down on the bed, she smiled contentedly and kissed him deeply.
“I love you, Leezia,” he said before kissing her again. He helped her out of her robe before joining her on the bed.
*****
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The morning sun shone brightly in Stefan’s eyes. But it wasn’t the sun that woke him, it was Lisa’s tears. He pulled her closer to him and kissed the top of her head, “Leezia, what’s wrong?”
She refused to look at him, “This is,” she said softly.
He took one hand and lifted her chin so she looked at him. “Are you going to tell me again how we shouldn’t do this?”
“I can’t do it anymore. You said something last night that worries me.”
He closed his eyes and stroked her hair lovingly, “Oh Leezia.” Stefan looked at her, really looking in her eyes. “I said that I loved you.”
Lisa put her head down on his chest. “You only ever said that one other time. Did you say it last night because of Anreya too?”
Stefan shook his head, “No, my sweetheart. I said it because I meant it.”
Lisa started crying again. She really wanted to believe him, but she didn’t know if she could. She regained some of her composure. “What about Bobbie?”
“My relationship with Barbara is complicated.” Lisa shook her head and started to pull herself out of bed. Stefan reached out and stopped her, “Leezia wait.” She sighed silently and waited for him to explain. “When you returned your pendant the other night, I saw the look of pain in your eyes. I realized that I don’t have to compete for your feelings. You have been more than loyal to me and my family.”
“You make me sound like a prized puppy, Stefan,” she fussed.
He sighed, “That wasn’t my intention. Our relationship grew from one of necessity to one of love. You learned to love me, despite my family. But because of my family, you were willing to give up everything the other night. It was in that moment, I realized that yes, I love you.”
She couldn’t help but cry. As he wiped away her tears, she asked, “Did you hear Anreya cry when she was born?”
He shook his head, “No, I didn’t.”
She laughed slightly, “I always had this mental picture of what she’d look like, you know? I pictured her with your dark hair, except it would be wavy like mine. I also saw her having my blue eyes.”
Stefan smiled, “She would be beautiful, just like her mother.”
They both laid there in silence for several minutes, imagining what their daughter would look like if she were alive. After a while, Lisa said, “You have a decision to make.”
Stefan shook his head, “I’ve already made it. The marriage to Bobbie is invalid, and I’m going to tell her it’s over.”
Lisa smiled quickly, but then her expression became serious again. “Please be easy on her. I may not like this farce of a marriage the two of you have, but she’s still my aunt.”
Stefan smiled and kissed her forehead. “I’ll do my best. But for now, you and I are together and I intend to take every advantage of that.
He started kissing her face and neck. Lisa moaned softly and said, “I won’t argue that.” He pulled her closer and they began to kiss passionately.
*****
Nikolas was pacing when Alexis arrived back at Wyndemere. He looked up as she walked in. “I just realized that Anreya’s birthday would have been yesterday.”
“Yes. When I saw Stefan yesterday, he was in the chapel at the hospital.”
“What about Leezia? Was she okay?”
Alexis shrugged, “I don’t know, she wasn’t there. Stefan said that he asked your mother to watch out for her.”
Nikolas was surprised, “Laura? Why her?”
“That was my question too. I guess it’s because Lisa is Luke’s daughter.”
Just then, Bobbie came in. She was smiling. “Hello Nikolas, Alexis.”
Nikolas looked intently at Bobbie’s expression. “You seem very happy.”
“I am. I have some news, but I want to tell Stefan first. Is he here?”
Alexis shook her head, “No, he had a meeting first thing this morning,” she lied.
Stefan walked in. “Did I hear someone say my name?” He nodded to Nikolas and Alexis as they looked at him. He walked over to Bobbie and nodded. “Barbara, you look well.”
Bobbie reached up and felt his forehead as if checking for a fever. “Are you sick? ‘Look well’ indeed,” she said jokingly.
Right on cue, Nikolas and Alexis walked out of the room and pulled the doors shut behind them. “What’s going on with Bobbie?” Nikolas asked softly.
Alexis looked at Nikolas and whispered, “I don’t know. I just hope she’s not pregnant.”
Back in the living room, Bobbie looked seriously at Stefan. “What’s wrong?”
“Barbara, we need to talk.”
“I agree, I have something to tell you.”
Stefan looked at her expectantly, “What is it? You seem excited.”
“I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of asking my father to stay here with us.” Her look became serious, “He’s got cancer and he’s not going to be around much longer.”
Stefan nodded, “Then he will get the best of care here. But I don’t see why that would make you so happy.”
Bobbie took a deep breath, “He will be bringing my late cousin’s daughter. My father is her legal guardian and he wants her to be raised by family after he’s gone.”
“He wants you to raise this child.”
Bobbie nodded, “He wants US to raise her. There isn’t any other place for Andrea to go.”
Stefan nodded again, “Andrea, yes, of course.”
Then Bobbie remembered that Stefan had wanted to say something. “What was it that you started to say earlier?”
Stefan shook his head, but inside, his heart was breaking. “It was nothing important. Just that I got called out of town on business for a few days,” he lied smoothly.
“That’s fine. I thought it was something serious,” Bobbie said. “Fortunately, you’ll be able to meet my father and Andi before you leave. They’ll be here in an hour or so.” She reached up and kissed him.
Stefan nodded blankly. “I look forward to it, then.” He turned and walked out of the room without another word to Bobbie. Leezia had been right earlier. He was going to have to make some decisions.
*****
Stefan had used the time between Bobbie’s revelation and the expected arrival of his new houseguests to pack a suitcase and make all the necessary phone calls. Since he told Bobbie that he was going out of town, he’d better do just that. Besides, it would give him time to think.
But the thinking had to be put off for a while. Right now, he was downstairs in the hallway waiting for his guests to arrive.
They were just getting off the launch. Bobbie was waiting for them at the door. Alexander walked in, carrying a small child.
Andrea had dark wavy hair with piercing blue eyes. Spencer eyes, Stefan noticed immediately. He was distracted from his reverie by Bobbie’s words to him. “Stefan, you’re lurking back there.”
“I’m sorry, I was distracted,” he said as he walked towards the group.
Alexander put Andrea down. Bobbie bent down to talk to her, but the child toddled around her and ran to Stefan. “Papa!” she cried joyously.
Stefan smiled, surprised, as he picked up the little girl and spun her around. “Hello there, Little One.”
The child laughed. Alexander walked up and put his hand on Stefan’s shoulder. “She really likes you, Son. She’s never called anyone ‘Papa’ before.”
“Yes, so it would seem.” Stefan replied. Then he turned and looked at Alexander. There was something disturbingly familiar about him.
He turned his attention back to the child. Glancing at Bobbie, he said, “Why don’t I introduce Andrea to Nikolas while you show your father to his room.”
Bobbie nodded and Stefan took Andrea in the living room. It felt so right to be carrying Andrea, but yet so wrong. It should be his daughter he doted on. His Anreya. With Leezia by his side. Not Bobbie.
He looked down at the child in his arms. Andrea looked up and him and grinned. Stefan smiled back, slightly. He couldn’t help but think that her smile was something he had seen many times before. “What’s your name, Sweetheart?”
The child smiled again, and said, “An-re-a.” She was trying to say Andrea. But the way it came out sounded just like ‘Anreya’ to Stefan. Andrea hugged Stefan tightly around his neck and nestled her head against his shoulder, “Love you, Papa.”
*****
