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Chapter 3

Florence Campbell’s heels tapped purposefully on the white tile of General Hospital’s third floor as she made her way to the elevators.  Her mission to install herself in the hospital’s administrative staff had gone smoothly and she’d been reporting to her new office for the better part of a week.  On this day, her schedule was filled mostly with meetings but she’d set apart a generous block of time to meet Gia for lunch at Kelly’s.  Waiting for the elevator, she checked the clock over the nurses’ station and made a small adjustment to her wristwatch.  She was on time, of course, although she didn’t know why she bothered.  She had no doubt she’d end up waiting at least ten minutes for Gia who had inherited her grandmother’s tendency toward tardiness. The elevator doors opened and she noticed Helena Cassadine among the people getting off.  Florence greeted her with a smile as she hurried onto the elevator and the older woman nodded absently. 

As she walked to Kelly’s, Florence reflected on her last conversation with the, apparently, not easily diverted Mrs. Cassadine.  As before, Nicholas’ grandmother approached Florence, presumably to discuss hospital business.  Soon, however, she’d turned the conversation to Nikolas and Gia.

“Can I assume, Mrs. Campbell, that you’ve discussed your daughter’s current living arrangements with her?”  Helena had begun.

“As a matter of fact, I have,” Florence had replied.  “I visited your grandson’s home recently and confronted them both.  I made it very clear to Gia her recent lifestyle choices have been inappropriate.  It was not a pleasant conversation, I’m afraid, and I left there feeling discouraged.  They both seem very determined to stand their ground in this matter.”

“Nikolas is a headstrong young man,” Helena remarked in response.  “However, I want to help you and your daughter, Mrs. Campbell.  I cannot, in good conscience, stand by as my grandson indulges himself in a temper tantrum and jeopardizes your daughter’s reputation.

“My daughter is a bit stubborn herself,” Florence responded bristling a little at the other woman’s insistence on the subject. “I discussed the entire situation with her brother last night.  He believes we may have to just ease up on pressuring Gia right now.  I’ve resolved to let the matter stand as it is and speak with her again in the near future.”

Helena’s pursed lips and shuttered gaze belied her disapproval but her words were neutral.  “I wouldn’t presume to advise you on your relationship with your daughter, Mrs. Campbell.  My concern is that she is exposing herself to a certain amount of … distress by involving herself with my grandson at this time.  My intention is to help you.”

The conversation had ended amicably but Florence had been left with an uneasy feeling that she couldn’t quite get a hold of.   

Kelly’s was in the midst of a lunch-hour rush but a table near the back of the diner was available and Florence sat down and proceeded to review for her afternoon meetings while she waited for Gia. 

“Hi, mom,” her daughter’s voice took her by surprise. 

“You’re early, Gia,” she said returning the girl’s kiss.  “I’m so glad, it means more time to spend together.  How are you?”

“Actually, I’m feeling quite happy right now.  I registered this morning for the Winter session at PCU and I have an interview tomorrow that I’m very excited about.”

“What classes did you register for?” Florence asked.

Gia looked over Florence’s shoulder toward the counter and took a deep breath before replying.  “A music course, an introductory course to early childhood education, marketing and French,” was the baffling response.   Gia smiled at her mother and sipped her water.  “Please don’t let her have a fit in public,” she prayed inwardly, keeping the smile fixed and bright on her face. “Please, oh please let her just nod and move on.”

“So, mom,” she said out loud, “how is your job so far?  Are you getting too tired working so soon after being ill?  Have you met my friend Emily’s parents, the Dr.’s Quartermaine?  How is Marcus?  He canceled dinner on me last week and I haven’t seen him yet?”

Florence watched her daughter turn verbal cartwheels to keep from discussing her hodgepodge choice of courses and bit back the words she’d been about to speak.  She proceeded to do the majority of talking and decided to let the matter of school lay for now.  Eventually, she checked her watch and picked up her purse.

“I have to get back, darling,” Florence told her daughter and smiled inwardly at the relief visible on Gia’s face.

“Ok, I’ll walk you out.  I’m going home to get some rest and read.  I also have to prepare for my interview  tomorrow and since I have the house to myself tonight I think I’ll just take advantage and enjoy a quiet evening at home.”

“Where is your landlord?” Florence asked, keeping emotion out of her voice.

“He’s in Manhattan until tomorrow, on business.”

Florence left money on the table to cover their bill and followed her daughter out of Kelly’s where they kissed good-bye.

“I’ll see you soon, Mom,” Gia said as Florence walked away.  Turning, she headed back toward the bus stop only to come face to face with Emily.

“Hi,” Gia said.

“Hi,” Emily replied, her face guarded and a little distant.  After an awkward pause, Gia continued hesitantly.

“I’ve been meaning to get in touch with you, Emily,” she said, the words coming slowly.  “I’d like to speak with you privately if you have a moment.”

Emily swung her gaze away from Kelly’s door and looked at Gia, wary now.

“Gia, I have a lot going on right now.  I don’t know what new game you want to play but I don’t have much to say you.  Nikolas may have forgotten how you came into our lives but I haven’t.” 

“All I said was that I wanted to talk to you,” Gia snapped back.  “I didn’t ask you for anything nor do I plan to but I see that nothing I did to help you and your friends counts for anything among certain people, especially little Miss Perfect Liz and you.  Forget it.”

Gia turned quickly on her heel, the tears in her eyes surprising her.  She wasn’t about to let Emily see her vulnerable, that was certain.  She hurried toward the bus stop feeling Emily’s gaze follow her out of sight.  She’d been working up the nerve to talk with Emily and do the one thing she hated most; apologize.  She knew she had to explain what hopeless circumstances had led her to blackmail earlier in the Summer but she hadn’t been quite ready to do so before now.  It didn’t look like she’d get the chance to do any explaining to Emily anyway judging from that girl’s reaction each time they met.

Emily made a move to follow her, regretting acting so rudely but was stopped by Liz who chose that moment to come out and check the outside tables.  Emily joined her friend inside, all the while making a mental note to call Nikolas’ house later and give Gia a chance to speak whatever was on her mind.

Gia waited for the bus and deliberately pushed thoughts of Emily aside.  She leaned up against the storefront window of the little pharmacy on the corner and watched as a little boy, no more than three years old, pulled his mother’s hand to urge her toward the store.  Gia followed the little boy’s pointed finger to see what was attracting his attention.  The little rubber ducky sitting on an oversized purple sponge in the display made her smile and she waved to the little boy as he walked into the store with his mom.  Impulsively, Gia followed them and waited while the store clerk handed the boy his new toy.

“May I help you, Miss?” the clerk asked.

“Yes, I’d like one of those rubber duckies, please,” Gia told the man. 

While he rang up the sale, Gia peeked in the bag at the little yellow bird.  Unbidden, an image of Nikolas in the claw-footed tub, skin glistening, long black lashes lowered as he relaxed with his head leaning on the back of the tub, came to her and she blinked to clear her thoughts.  It was no use, she spent the entire bus ride back to the cottage thinking of that evening.  Nikolas in the bathtub, Nikolas half dressed, standing in his doorway, Nikolas leaning on the mantel, his elegant, long fingers combing through his almost black hair, and back to Nikolas in the bathtub again. 

“Well, my girl,” she said to herself, out loud, as she entered the house, “there’s no use pretending.  That boy’s getting to you.”

She’ll think about it later, she thought to herself, not now.  Now, it was time for her turn in the claw-footed tub; just herself and her new friend.  She almost raced up the stairs, stripped in record time and was in the tub before thoughts of Nikolas could come intruding again.  The scented water and Sade’s mellow voice coming from the stereo in her room soothed her, and she lifted one long leg out of the water using her foot to tip the rubber ducky from it’s place on the rim of the tub and into the water.  It made a small plop and splash as it fell and bobbed up again floating amid the bubbles.

“Quack, quack,” Gia told him and laughed, thinking of the little boy in the pharmacy and the happy expression on his face as he skipped out of the store gripping his prize in one fist.

The sound of the front door slamming interrupted her pleasant thoughts like cold water splashed on her face.

“Nikolas?” she called out.

No answer.  She waited, sitting up in the tub and listened to the faint movements coming from the living room moving into the kitchen. 

“Nikolas?” she yelled, louder this time.

No response.  She pulled the plug, got out of the tub and grabbed a terry robe off the small stool in front of the vanity.  As she slipped into it, she heard the creak of footsteps on the stairs.  Wrapping the robe securely around her she opened the bathroom door and entered the hallway.  The greeting she was about to speak froze on her lips at the sight of the stranger coming up the stairs.  He was tall and powerful looking and wore all black, including leather gloves and a knit hat. 

Instinctively, she backed up two steps trying to decide which way to run.  The man continued his ascent up the stairs at an almost leisurely place and Gia spun on her heel ready to bolt for her room.  She hadn’t reached her door yet when the sound of the doorbell rang through the house and both she and the intruder froze in place.

For one moment, she met his gaze and she thought, if she lived to be a hundred she would never forget his face and the dead-cold expression in his eyes.  In the next instant, he turned and fled back down the stairs, yanking the door open and disappearing into the dark.

Gia stood where she was a moment, frozen with fear, still, a strange vertigo making her dizzy and disoriented.  She heard Emily’s voice as if in a dream.

“Gia!  Gia, who was that?  Are you ok?”

“I don’t know who that was.  I was in the tub.  I heard a noise, I thought it was Nikolas coming back early from his trip…” Gia’s voice trailed off and she steadied herself with one hand on the wall.  “I came out of the bathroom and I saw that man coming up the stairs; I’ve never seen him before.  He was just there in front of me when you rang the bell; you scared him off, I think.”

“Well, we have to call the cops,” Emily said turning to go back downstairs to look for a phone.  “We have to call your brother.”

“No.  Emily, please don’t,” Gia said, the urgency in her voice unmistakable.

Chapter 4

Rubber Ducky Main

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