~~~~~~~~~~A Week Later~~~~~~~~~~
"Is Georgie alright?" Felicia asked as I slowly walked down the stairs.
"Yea, she fell asleep. She has been more and more tired lately. You don't mind that I was in there with her when she fell asleep, do you?" I asked cautiously as I sat down in the chair across from where she was sitting.
"No I don't mind Dillon. Georgie and I were talking the other day and she told me that when you lay down with her she feels more comfortable and safe. You doing that for Georgie really helps her and it helps me." She said as she put down the book she was reading and turned her full attention to me.
"She said that? Well I was just afraid you would get mad or well.....like Mac does." I said
"Mac is trying, he just needs time. He is having a hard time accepting that Georgie is growing up. Don't worry about him" She said laughing lightly.
"That reminds me. You know how Georgie is going to miss prom this year?" I asked as she nodded. "Well I know she really wanted to go to her senior prom tomorrow night, but she has already made up her mind that she doesn't want to go. So I was thinking about suprising her with like a mini version." I asked as I waited for her response.
"That is sweet, but how are you going to pull it off?" She asked as she leaned forward in her chair, focusing all her attention on the plans I had.
"Well Maxie has already said she'd help and she got Lucas, Kyle and even Mac to help." I said. I still don't know how she convinced Mac to help.
"I want to help, is there anything I can do?" She asked getting excited, causing me to laugh at her enthusiasm.
"We need someone to keep Georgie busy while we get everything ready. She'll know something is up if we are all gone, especially me because the only time I haven't been with her is when I have been at work. So I was thinking that maybe you two could go shopping for the day tomorrow while we get it ready. Then once you get back I'll take her over to it." I had everything already planned and in motion, all I needed was someone to distract Gerogie.
"Of course I'll take her shopping, if there's one thing that me and Georgie have in common more than anything else, it's that we both love to shop. We haven't gotten to do much together yet so this will be a good excuse." She said as she sat back on the couch.
"Let her get whatever she wants, I'll give you my credit card so don't worry about the cost." I was saying and she went to protest, but I stopped her with a wave of my hand. "Just take it. Spend as much or as little as you want. This is about the only good thing it can be used on." I was never really to much into having all the money I had at my grasp. It was nice, but it never really mattered to me, up until now. Being able to buy things for Georgie and the baby and not have to worry about the price was both exhilerating and scary at the same time.
"You are wonderful Dillon. Most other guys would have split in your situation. As much as you think Mac doesn't like you I really hope you understand how much we admire and respect you for what you are doing for Georgie. She has really needed you and I know you won't disappoint me." She said as smiled warmly at me.
"I don't know if I am all that great, but you have really been great to me. My mom was never around. Even when she was physically she wasn't mentally. It's been really great knowing I could talk to you." I said meaning every word. Felicia had in many ways been like the mother I never had. She worried about me and actually cared where I was and how I was doing, which was very ironic for what we are all going through.
~~~~~~~~~The Following Day~~~~~~~~~
"We only have three more hours before they are done." I said to who ever could hear me. We were in the park at the gazeboe decorating it with lights, balloons, streamers and anything else I could find.. We had been here for almost two hours and it looked like nothing had been accomplished besides making a mess. I had talked to Grandfather and he called the park manager and arranged for a whole section surounding the gazebo to be blocked off so no one would be walking by once Georgie was here.
"Will you chill out, we'll get done." Maxie said as she stood on a lader hanging white lights at the top of the gazebo. Kyle was steadying the lader so she wouldn't fall, Lucas and I were filling up balloons with the helium tank I had rented from the flourist, and Mac was on the outside of the gazebo hanging up more lights.
"Yea well everything has to be perfect." I mumbled to no one in particular. We finished putting up the lights and balloons all around the gaxebo and got everything in place with about an hour to spare leaving me plenty of time to finish tying up the loose ends for the night. We were all sitting around once we were done, Maxie and Kyle had steadily become more civil to each other eventually began joking around and I could see that Kyle had changed in the time since she cut all ties from him. Maybe he has changed as much as he claims to have.
"The three of us are going to Kelly's, ok Mac." Maxie asked as she stood up and brushed all the dust and dirt off of her pants.
"Ok, I'll see you later, be careful." He said as she came over and hugged him.
Just before she walked past me, she reached down and hugged me as well. "Good luck." She whispered as she let go and walked to where Lucas and Kyle were goofing around down the path.
"Well I am going to get all the scraps and put them in my car and leave. I'm sure you need the rest of the time to get ready." Mac said avoiding my eyes.
"Umm Mac there is something I've been meaning to talk to you about." I said as I stood up and helped him clean up the mess that was left.
"Listen, Dillon I.........." He started to say but I stopped him.
"Wait, just hear me out, ok.?" He nodded and I went on "I know that you never have liked me. That is no big secret. When I first got here I wasn't exactly citizen of the year and I can understand why you didn't like me then. But I have changed since then. We all have!"
"Dillon..."
"I mean, I haven't gotten into any trouble in the last two years because of Georgie. Which is ironic because she is the reason I did all those stupid things." I said as he looked at me confused. "Georgie had mentioned to me when we first became friends that she was tired of being the "good" girl, so I naturally figured she would only like me if I was a 'rebel'. So I did all those stupid things trying to impress her. At first she thought it was cool, but then she realized it wasn't what she really wanted. Plus she was tired of always being in trouble and yelled at because she was with me. So she told me that if I didn't stop she wouldn't see me again. So I did. I stopped for her like I started for her, and I know that what is going on now isn't the best thing, but I am trying to do the right thing. I really do love Georgie and I hate to see her hurt, and it hurts her that we don't get along. I know you probably won't forgive and forget but all I am asking is that when Georgie is around we at least act like we can get along. You can yell at me all you want when she isn't around." I said as he started laughing. It kind of caught me off guard and I stopped and tried to figure out what is so funny.
"Dillon, I don't hate you, contrary to popular belief, I don't. I just can't believe that all of this is happening. You have stood by Georgie this whole time and I respect that. You have been a tremendous help at the house and not just with Georgie. You have even helped Maxie to lighten up a little. Her and Georgie never really got along up until you showed her that she deserved better than Kyle. Now, I know that I haven't been the best person to you since.....well since you came to Port Charles, but that is going to change. Looking back at everything that has been going on it seems that you have been more of the adult than I have and I am sorry. This must be really scary for you. And just for the record, although I am not glad that Georgie is pregnant, I am thankful that it is with you, because you will do good by her." Mac said as we carried the boxes of balloons and lights out ot his car.
"You really mean that?" I asked feeling like the world had just been lifted off my shoulders. I knew that Mac was along way from being over all of this, but at least he was willing to drop the animosity. Whether it be for me or for Georgie.
"Yea, Felicia said something to me a couple days ago and off and on since this all started. She knew you would be good to Georgie, and she trusts you. I just wish I would have realized this earlier. Things would be a lot different if I had." We walked back to get the helium tank and the last few remaining scrap pieces out of the gazebo.
"Thanks, that really eases my mind, because I was so afraid that the rift betwen you and me would stress out Georgie and hurt her or the baby. I do have one more thing that I need to ask you. It is kind of a favor but on a bigger level." I said as I looked down at my hands that were shaking like crazy and then back up to Mac as he leaned against the side of his car, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I think I know what you are going to ask me, but go ahead." He said as he took in a quick breath and then slowly let it out.
"Ok, ummm.....well what I mean to say is.....I'd like to ask for your permission to ask Georgie to marry me." I said as I closed my eyes waiting for whatever words would come out of his mouth.
"Well I wasn't quite expecting to be right. Oh boy!" He said as he leaned his head back onto the hood of the car.
"I promise this will.....it will be a long engagment, like 2 years. I want to take it slow and just go day by day, but I really want to do this. We won't rush anything. Oh God this is harder than I thought." I said as I put my hands on my knees trying to regulate my breathing. It felt like someone had sucked the wind out of me
"This won't be for a couple years right?" He asked looking back at me. I stood up straight.
"Right."
"And you're not going to hurt my daughter and decide you don't really want to marry her are you?" He asked as he pushed off from the car and walked closer to me. All of a sudden he wasn't Georgie's dad anymore, he was Commissiner Scorpio. I was half expecting him to pull out a gun or something.
"No, of course not. I want to marry her more than anything in this world. I have never been more sure about anything in my entire life." I said as he took another step closer. He put his hand on my shoulder and started squeezing. It seemed like an eternity had passed before he said anything else.
"Ok, but if you back out of this and break her heart you had better run and keep running. You know what I mean? Sleep with one eye open." He said as he kept squeezing my shoulder tighter and tighter. With all the force he was using he didn't even flinch. Just like that he lifted his arm up and gently slapped me a couple times on my back.
"Oh God, that was the single most terrifying thing I have ever been through. No offense, but Sonny and Alcazar don't got nothing on you." I said as I let out a sigh of relief. He just looked at me and then slightly laughed before getting into his car.
"I mean it Dillon, don't hurt her."
"I won't" I said as he took off out of the parking lot. My heart was beating so fast it felt like it would tear out of my chest. I looked down at my watch. I only had 30 minutes to get ready. This night would determine the rest of my life. I wasn't about to screw anything up.