Straight From the Heart
Chapter 7
Jess waited
expectantly for Caitlin's response upon entering the Port Charles city limits.
She didn't know the city at all, and she suspected Caitlin didn't either, not
the way she wanted to. "I think it would be a good idea if we held off
until the morning, don't you, Cait? Maybe we can find a motel around here to
stay in until then."
Caitlin nodded
mutely. Nothing was familiar, but that was probably because it was dark and she
couldn't see much. She tried not to be disappointed at not remembering
anything. As she continued to look out the window, she sighed deeply. It was
going to be so frustrating, she could tell.
Jess pulled into
the parking lot of a nearby motel. She left her friend in the car while she
checked them in and got a room for the rest of the night. They got out of the
car and went inside. It was cheap and decorated in retro style, but it would
work for the night. Practically forcing Caitlin to lie down, Jess soon turned out
the lights and they went to sleep.
It was a perfect
summer day and Caitlin awoke at the crack of dawn, unable to sleep any longer.
She dressed quickly and tried to wait for Jess to wake up. Patience was a
virtue, but not this morning, not for Caitlin this morning. After ten
agonizingly long minutes, she left the room quietly. She was really only going
to take a walk around the motel and the surrounding area.
The motel was
set somewhat in the woods and the leaves were a perfect green on the trees. She
inhaled deeply as she left the room, leaving the must of it behind and enjoying
the crisp early morning air. She glanced at her watch. It was 7:15, she would
be back by eight o'clock so that she and Jess could do this together.
She wandered
aimlessly for a few minutes before realizing she was walking along the Port
Charles River. And, inadvertently, she was headed for the center of town. She
was beginning to pass more and more houses, then buildings and office
complexes. She knew she should go back and not do this until she had Jess, but
she couldn't help herself. She stayed along the river and the docks. Every
building she passed, she tried to remember, but there was nothing.
She stopped in
front of a large apartment complex. As she stared at the front doors, for no
apparent reason, she tried to figure out what had possessed her to stop here.
There was nothing. A large, burly man came through the front doors and she
involuntarily shivered as a feeling of coldness and fear came over her. A part
of her said don't be ridiculous, this man won't hurt you. But another part of
her told her she could just as well be hurt by this man, or someone who knew
this man. Maybe the person he works for, she thought. She shook her head
quickly to rid of the thoughts. She had other places to go now.
She began
walking along the docks again. There was a very vague feeling of familiarity to
everything she passed, but nothing came to her. She began to observe the people
who were walking along the docks, as well. Maybe someone knew her. Maybe she
knew someone. Maybe she would recognize someone. There was a tall blond man
walking in front of her. He limped slightly, favoring his right leg. She
briefly wondered how he'd been injured. He paused momentarily to talk to a
petite brunette before falling into step with her and walking with her.
Before she could
stop herself, Caitlin had followed them all the way along the docks. She realized
they had made it to their destination when she saw them stop at a restaurant
and he opened the door for his companion. As he turned toward her, Caitlin felt
another feeling of familiarity pass through her. She might have known this man.
She watched him usher his friend through the door and then turn to go inside.
She wanted to run up and stop him and ask him if she knew him, or if he knew
her. And if he did, maybe he could tell her who she was.
Jax whirled
around in surprise when someone grabbed his arm. "Jen!" he exclaimed.
"What are you doing here?"
Jerry's
girlfriend smiled when she responded, "I'm just picking up breakfast for
my daughter and me. I'm not much of a cook in the mornings, or at anytime, I
guess."
Jax held the
door for her while she stepped through. He led her over to where Robin was
sitting with Ned and Alexis. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Jen Cross,
Jerry's girlfriend." He motioned for her to sit with them, but she shook
her head politely and declined.
"I really
do have to go back to the house. My neighbor is watching my daughter while I'm
here. I told her I would only be a few minutes. But thanks for asking. It was
good to see you, Jax. Nice meeting you all," she acknowledged the others.
She turned and went to the counter where Tammy had her order waiting for
pickup. She waved again as she passed the table on her way out the door.
Ned was asking
Robin about school and what she was doing now while Jax and Alexis looked
through the menu. When Robin mentioned the cottage and that she was living
there again, Ned glanced at Jax.
Jax could tell
he was looking for some sort of response on the matter. "Ned, I still own
the cottage, it's mine to do what I want with it. Right now, I think it is a
good idea for Robin to be there again."
If he was
surprised to learn that Jax owned it, Ned covered it well. He turned back to
Robin and continued the conversation. Jax remained silent until the
conversation reached a point for him to participate.
After they had
eaten, Jax looked at Ned and asked, "How is L&B doing, Ned?" Due
to a business deal just over a year ago, Jax now owned 12 percent of the
business. Ned and Alexis shared the remaining percentage. Jax felt it was somewhat
of his duty to keep some connection to it.
"We're
doing great. We've finished recording a new CD for Miguel and we're trying to
talk Dara into another one, as well. Her last CD sold so well, it shouldn't be
too difficult to get her to agree. For some reason, though, she keeps claiming
that her other job comes first."
"Gee, I
wonder why, Ned," Alexis said. "Ever since Justus was indicted for
his connections to Moreno, she has been swamped as the new DA. It's not like
that's an easy job. I'm sure when things calm down, she'll start another record
for you."
"Wait a
minute, Justus was indicted?" Robin asked, confused. "What did he
do?"
Alexis began to
explain what had happened to him and how he'd been caught. The whole
conversation wrapped around, inevitably, to Sonny Corinthos.
"How is
Sonny, does anyone know?" Robin asked.
Does anyone
care?
Jax thought silently. "He's not in jail, I can tell you that much,"
he said instead. But he should be. Jax knew the anger he still harbored
for Sonny wasn't good for him or his memories of Brenda. It was all he wanted
to do to forget Sonny had ever existed. But he couldn't. It seemed that
everywhere he looked, Sonny or his influence was there.
Ned was telling
Robin that Sonny and Jason had been running their coffee importing business
successfully for the last two years. They hadn't been investigated for over a
year, not since the FBI's investigation failed miserably when an agent turned
on the organization and married the boss himself. Hannah Corinthos was Sonny's new
wife and she was apparently becoming a new partner in the coffee business.
Everyone near and dear to Sonny swore he was out of the business. But everyone
who wasn't under his influence knew he was still the head of it, with Jason at
his right hand. No one really knew what the truth was, just as Sonny always
wanted it.
Jax tuned back
into the conversation as Robin was saying that she should be going. She still
had to move into the cottage that day. Even though Mac, Felicia, and the girls
were helping her, it was still going to be a big job. Jax offered to help, but
Robin turned him down. He walked her to the door of the restaurant.
"So what
are you going to do today, Jax?" Robin asked before she left.
"Probably
look over some business contracts. Maybe I'll get with Jerry over a deal we've
got closing this week."
"When was
the last time you took a day off?"
"What do
you mean? I didn't work at all yesterday."
"OK, how
about a series of days off? Like a vacation?"
"I don't
need a vacation, Robin."
"I'm just
concerned about you, Jax, that's all. I think you should take a couple of days
off and not think about work at all."
"There's
only one problem with that."
"What?"
"When I
don't think about work, I think about Brenda." Between his comment and his
expression, Robin took the hint. She gave him a quick hug and smiled at him.
Then, she left for the cottage.
Jax stood
outside for a few minutes before he stuck his head back in the door to tell Ned
and Alexis he was leaving. He began to walk slowly back to his apartment
building. He never noticed the beautiful brown-haired woman when she turned and
walked the other way.
Caitlin found
herself walking along a slightly different path than she had come into town on.
She could tell she was just on a parallel street, so she knew she'd get to the
motel eventually. As she headed out of the main part of town, she began to take
note of the houses and homes that were in the trees and wooded areas along the
side of the road. She came to a street that looked like it ended in a sort of
cul-de-sac. Just to get a feel for it, she began to walk down it. This was more
familiar to her than anywhere she had been so far. She kept walking along the
road, noticing the houses were getting further apart from each other and most
of them were further back from the road.
Finally, she
reached the driveway at the end of the rod. There was nothing else, just the
driveway, no real ending to the street. On impulse, she walked up the path to
see what a house this far out of town would look like. The trees were dense for
the first few feet, but they soon gave way to a cottage in the short distance.
She walked to the front porch and noticed the wicker swing.
I used to
have one like that, she thought. It took her a few moments to realize she had thought
that. Wait a minute, I don't have one now, how would I know I had one
before? Do I know this place? She didn't know what to do.
She could hear a
car approaching from the road. It actually sounded like it was coming up this
driveway. The owners must be coming back. She couldn't be standing on their
doorstep when they got there, how would she explain that one? Quickly, she
walked around the back of the house, hoping to find a small backyard and lots
of woods where she could circle back around front and leave inconspicuously. No
such luck. The expansive deck on the back of the house led down to an equally
expansive backyard.
She ran for the
woods bordering the property. At the edge, she turned and looked again. She
wished she didn't have to leave. She wished she could ask the owners if she
could see the inside. How possible was it that she knew this place? Was it even
possible that maybe she knew the owners themselves?
Caitlin turned
and walked along the property back to the front of the house. She paused
momentarily at the edge of the front woods. She looked back up at the white
cottage set against the trees. She could tell one thing from this place. She
knew it was a place like where she would love to live someday. It looked so
peaceful and safe. Safe? Since when do I judge things on how safe
they are? Actually, it looked like a place to get away from the every day
pressures of the city and knowing people. A place to forget about everything
they could do to you. A place to stop running from their abandonment.
Without
realizing it, a tear ran slowly down her face. What was it about this cottage?
Just as she turned to walk back up the road to the main street, a voice stopped
her.
"Excuse me?
What are you doing here?" the voice called out. "Who are you?"
Cautiously,
Caitlin turned to face the voice that had called out to her.