CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

	Lisa woke up and looked at the clock.  She was only going to lay
down for a few minutes, but that was three hours ago.

	She got up and walked into the kitchen.  Lucky and Lesley were
still sitting there talking, getting to know one another.

	The ringing phone startled them all.  Lisa grabbed it, “Hello?”

	Laura’s voiced greeted her at the other end.  “Hey Lisa.  Have you
seen Lucky?”

	“Sure Momma, he’s right here with me.”

	Lesley smiled, knowing it was her daughter on the other end of the
phone.  Lisa smiled at her.  Lucky reached out and squeezed her hand
reassuringly.

	Oblivious to what was going on, Laura continued talking, “I also
wanted to know if you’d like to come over for dinner.”

	“Dinner there.  Sounds great, what time?”

	“Sevenish?”

	Lisa smiled.  “Perfect, I’ll be there.  Bye.”  She hung up the phone
before Laura had a chance to say anything else.  She looked over at Lesley. 
“Well, now we just have to figure out how to tell her.”

	“I vote for the direct approach,” Lucky said, “Go over there and let
Grandma ring the doorbell.”

	Lesley shook her head, “That’s too sudden.  Too much of a shock.”

	“Grandma’s right,” Lisa agreed.

	“You got any better ideas?” he asked.

	Lisa nodded, “Yeah, we go over early, gently lead into the
conversation, then bring Grandma in.”

	Lucky made a face, then agreed, “Okay, we’ll do it your way.”

	Lesley smiled at the thought of seeing her daughter again after so
many years.  “I can’t wait!”

	Lucky stood up, “Well, I’d better go.  I want to take care of a few
things before we spring the news on Mom.  I’ll see you both soon.”  He
hugged Lesley and smiled at Lisa.

	As Lucky left, Lesley remarked to Lisa, “He’s a good boy, isn’t
he?”

	Lisa smiled, “Oh yeah, Grandma.  He’s the best.  Did he tell you
that my father would have never known about me if not for him?”

	Lesley shook her head, “No, he didn’t.”

	“I was in the hospital a couple of months ago.  Dad was the one
that got me there in time.  He saved my life without even knowing who I
was.  Lucky told him the truth afterwards.”

	There was another knock on the door.  Lisa crossed over to the
door while exchanging worried glances with Lesley.  She didn’t want to
explain her grandmother’s presence to anyone else until Laura.  “Who’s
there?” she asked nervously.

	“Leezia, it’s me,” Stefan voice replied.

	Lisa opened the door and let him in quickly.  But he wasn’t alone. 
He carried Andrea in his arms.  The little girl looked up at Lisa, smiled and
held her arms out for Lisa to take her.

	As Stefan handed the child to Lisa, he said, “This is Andrea.”
	
	Lisa took the little girl in her arms.  She first saw the girl’s wavy
dark hair, then the piercing blue eyes.  The girl reached up and touched
Lisa’s face, feeling her eyes, ears, nose and hair.  “Mama?” she asked
softly.

	Silently, Lisa handed the child back to Stefan, her body trembling. 
She quickly sat on the sofa to keep from losing her balance.  “She looks
like my baby!” she exclaimed through tears before she started rocking back
and forth as sobs wracked her body.

	Lesley sat down quickly next to Lisa, wrapping her arms around
her, smoothing her hair and generally trying to comfort her, “It’s okay,
sweetie,” Lesley said softly.

	Lisa looked up at Lesley.  “Just look at her, Grandma,” she said
through her tears.

	Lesley nodded.  “I know, honey, I know.”  Lesley stood up and
took the child from Stefan, silently indicating that he should take her place
on the sofa.

	Stefan took Lesley’s place on the sofa beside Lisa.  He wrapped his
arms around her and pulled her gently to him, rocking with her as she
sobbed into his chest.  “Leezia, I’m sorry,” he said quietly, “if I had known
how much Andrea was going to upset you, I never would have come.”

	Lisa looked up at him and then over at Lesley.  Andrea was playing
with Lesley’s hair, but Lesley was more concerned with Lisa and was
looking at her worriedly.  She wiped away her tears, “It’s okay.  I just
never expected her to look like that.  It’s unreal.  I’m sorry.”

	Lesley continued to hold Andrea while talking.  “You have nothing
to be sorry about.”

	Stefan kissed Lisa.  “I’m going to go now, I don’t want to continue
to upset you.  But I’ll check in on you later.  Alone, I promise.”

	Lisa nodded.  As Stefan stood up to leave and took Andrea, Lisa
remembered what she wanted to tell him.  “Stefan, we’re going to tell
Laura tonight.  She called here just a little while ago and invited me over
for dinner.  It seems like perfect timing.”

	Stefan nodded silently and left with Andrea.  

	“Are you okay?” Lesley asked.

	Lisa breathed a huge sigh, as if trying to clear her mind, before
looking up at Lesley.  “I think so.  I knew about the little girl, but Stefan
never said how much she looked like what I envisioned our daughter to
look like.  I think my brain just short-circuited.”  

	Lesley smiled at Lisa, but was still worried about what just
happened.  Maybe getting other things on her mind, like reuniting Lesley
and Laura would do her some good.

*****

	Alexander strolled along the docks, pulling his coat around him
tightly for warmth.  She noticed the middle aged, strawberry blonde
woman sitting alone, before she noticed him.  “Jessica?” he called to her.

	She stood up quickly, giving the older man a huge hug, “Daddy, I
was hoping I’d see you before I went back to Greece.”

	They both sat down, “Jessica, baby, what are you still doing in Port
Charles?  I thought you were going to bring Andrea here, then go right
back.”

	She nodded, “I am going back, Daddy.  I just wanted to see if you
knew how Andrea’s conditioning paid off.”

	Alexander smiled, “Well, let me tell ya, I took the child to
Wyndemere a week or so ago.  She toddled right over to Stefan and called
him ‘Papa’.”

	The woman laughed, “Perfect!  So, do you think it will work on
Lisa?”

	Alexander shrugged, “I’m not sure.  Andrea could have been pretty
attached to you.  I’m not sure that our simple conditioning exercises would
be enough for that.  But if it did, imagine the look on Lisa’s face when a
child, relatively identical to her own calls her ‘Mama’.  She’ll break faster
than if you dropped one of those expensive Cassadine vases.”

	Jessica smiled, “Good.  That is what Helena wanted, isn’t it?”

	“Helena wanted Stefan to be preoccupied.  Having Caroline bring
Lisa here was perfect to start.  Now, with him juggling Bobbie, Lisa and
the baby, it’s fun just to sit back and watch the fireworks.”  Changing
topics, he continued, “Do you have any desire to meet your brother and
sister?”

	Jessica shook her head, “I don’t think so, Daddy.  Luke and Bobbie
are from a completely different time in your life than me.  I really don’t
think that, other than you for a father, we have anything in common.”

	Alexander nodded slowly, “Jessica, baby, I think you may be right. 
Luke is a very bitter man.  I’m surprised that he took to Lisa as fast as he
did.  And as for Bobbie knowing about Caroline, she doesn’t.”

	“Maybe she ought to,” Jessica volunteered.

	“Not just yet,” Alexander conceded.  “But soon.  Very soon.”

*****






CHAPTER THIRTY

	Lisa stood at the front door of the Spencers.  She took a deep
breath and glanced back towards her car, where Lesley had crouched down
to avoid being seen.  “Give me strength,” she mumbled aloud as she rang
the doorbell.

	Laura opened the door and smiled warmly.  “Lisa, come in.  How
are you?” she asked pleasantly.

	Lisa entered quickly, “I’m fine.  I know I’m early, I hope that’s
okay.”

	Laura motioned her towards the sofa.  “Sure.  You know you’re
always welcome here.  Despite what Luke thinks about your husband.”

	Lisa laughed slightly as she sat down. Laura sat in the chair
opposite her, facing the fireplace.  “Yeah, well, my ‘husband’ as you put it,
is otherwise occupied right now.”  Lisa sighed, “I tell you, Mom, things are
absolutely nutty around there right now.”

	“Things stay ‘nutty’ don’t they?” Laura asked.

	Lisa nodded, “Yep, they do.  I’m really glad I have you to talk to.”

	Laura moved to sit next to Lisa and hugged her, “That’s what
Moms are for, right?”

	“I can’t believe you still let me think of you that way.”

	Laura sighed, “Oh Lisa, ever since we were on the island when you
were little, you’ve always been like a daughter to me.  I’m honored that
you would think of me like a mother, especially since I hadn’t seen you
since you were eight years old.”

	“You’re the only mother figure I’ve ever had,” Lisa said softly,
“Even if it was only for two years.”

	Laura wiped away tears, “I remember the first time you asked if
you could call me Momma.”

	Lisa nodded, “Yeah, I felt so lost and alone.  You were always
there for me when I needed you.”

	Shaking her head, Laura said, “Not always.  Not lately, anyway.”

	“That’s not your fault.  I wouldn’t let anyone near me for a while. 
Losing Anreya was just bigger than I could handle, so I bolted.”  Changing
topics, she asked, “So, what was your relationship with your mother like?”

	Laura thought for a moment before answering, “Like any mother
and daughter, I guess.  We had our disagreements, but I think we were
probably closer than most.”

	“So you miss her?”

	“Oh absolutely.  There have been so many times and situations
where all I’ve wanted was to talk to her and ask her advice or opinion.” 
Laura took a deep breath, “I loved my son enough to try and see him. 
Because of that, my mother is dead.  I should have known that Helena
would go through with her threats.  I blame myself for that.”

	“Helena was just blowing smoke.  There are some things that even
she can’t pay certain people to do.”

	“What do you mean?” Laura asked.

	“Stefan was the one Helena ordered to kill your mother.  He
couldn’t do it,” Lisa said softly.

	Laura’s eyes widened, “What are you saying, Lisa?”

	Laura couldn’t see Lesley standing behind her in the doorway.  Lisa
stood up, and taking Laura by the shoulders, turned her around to face her
mother.

	“Oh my...” Laura exclaimed, her hand flying up to cover her mouth,
cutting off the rest of the words.  She had to force herself to pull her hand
away.  She quickly turned back to Lisa, who only nodded.  Laura turned
back to Lesley, “Mother?” she mouthed, barely emitting a squeak.

	“My baby,” Lesley said softly through her own tears.

	Laura ran over and embraced her mother tightly, both of their
bodies shaking with sobs.  Laura pulled herself to arm’s length of Lesley. 
She reached out and touched her mother’s hair and face slowly.  “I can’t
believe this is real.  Is this real?  You’re really here?  You’re alive!  My
God, I can’t believe this!”  She hugged Lesley again.

	Lesley stroked her daughter’s hair lovingly, “I know, Laura, I
know.  It’s real, I’m here.  And I love you, my baby girl,” she said
soothingly.

	Both women cried with joy.  Lisa took a few steps back, then
walked slowly out the door.  She wanted to give Laura and her mother
time to reconnect on their own.

	Laura and Lesley walked over to the sofa, neither one taking their
eyes off the other, for fear one of them would disappear.  “What happened
to you?” Laura finally asked.

	Lesley explained to Laura about her reaction to the death
simulating drug that Stefan had given her to avoid Helena’s threats.  She
told her daughter about the Swiss clinic where Stefan had paid for all her
medical attention, until she recovered.  She also mentioned how close she
and Lisa had become because of all of Lisa’s visits.

	The part about Lisa bugged Laura, “So Lisa knew about all this? 
And she didn’t tell me?”  She could feel her anger rising.  “What right did
she have to keep you from me?” Laura hissed angrily.

	Lesley held Laura’s face in her hands, “Laura, sweetheart, it’s not
Lisa’s fault.  I asked her not to say anything until I could explain everything
to you, face to face.”

	Laura hugged her mother again, “Okay.  I don’t like it, but I have
to accept it.”  She smiled, “I just can’t believe that you’re really here. 
Really alive!”

	“Oh my precious baby girl, I have missed you so very much. 
Missed so much of your life, of your children’s lives.”

	Laura jumped up and went to the mantle, “Speaking of kids,” she
said, taking down pictures of Lucky and Lulu.  “This is Lucky, and this is
Lesley Lu,” she said as she showed the pictures to her mother.  “Luke
should be back with Lulu anytime now.  And Lucky said that he had an
errand to run after he left Lisa’s.”

	“Lucky’s a fine boy.  I met him earlier, while we were at Lisa’s,”
Lesley informed her.

	Laura just nodded, nothing surprising her anymore.  Then she
looked around.  “Speaking of Lisa, where did she go?”

	Lesley shrugged, “Outside, maybe?”

*****

	Stefan paced in the living room at Wyndemere.  Nikolas walked by
on his way out, but noticed him and walked into the room.  “Uncle, what’s
wrong?”

	Stefan stopped.  “Nothing, Nikolas.  I’m merely waiting for
someone.”

	Nikolas started to call him on the fact that the whole situation with
Bobbie and Lisa was getting to him, but Stefan’s ringing cell phone
stopped him.

	Stefan looked blankly at Nikolas while the phone rang.  “Leave me. 
This is business.”

	Nikolas turned and left the whole time wanting to mutter that his
uncle was lying, but there was no point in making Stefan angry.  As
Nikolas pulled the doors closed behind him, Stefan finally answered his
phone.

	“Stefan Cassadine...No, the DNA test must be done here...I’m
sorry, doctor, you will just have to rearrange your schedule...Tomorrow
will be too late, it must be done today, do you understand?...Very well, I
will see you in three hours.”  He hung up the phone and placed it back in
his pocket.  He walked over to the table and sat down at his chess board. 
He moved a couple of pieces around before turning towards the door as he
heard someone enter.

	Alexis walked in and shut the door behind her.  Stefan waved her to
the opposite chair at the game.  “What is it that is so urgent, Cousin?” she
asked him.

	He moved another piece, putting his unseen opponent in
checkmate.  “I need to know my options,” he said cryptically.

*****