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The Estrogen Mafia in Boston,

“Oh you’ve got to be kidding me.” Cole looks down from the roof of the building he is inspecting at the stretch limo pulling into the alley and double parking. The kids have been keeping busy sweeping the parking lot to make sure there are no sharp objects that may flatten a tire. Lee has a big magnet that he’s doing a sweep with and Bill and Hill are sweeping the lot and dumping the debris into the dumpster delivered earlier.

“Grandpa Edward!” Hillary is the first of the kids to see the old man at the back gate and goes racing over to him. But she is closely followed by her brothers. Lee unfastens the lock on the back gate to let the elder in. “We thought you were in Port Charles.” She gives him a hug.

He pats her on the back. “Well I had to see our latest investment.” He nods as if this had been the plan all along rather than a rushed visit after he’d found out that Skye’s sister Colby was here with her child. That’s all he needed was his grandchildren around that robber baron, Adam Chandler.

“How you doing, Mr Q?”

“Just fine, Manny. Just fine. Well it’s another dump you’ve bought CSMC into now, isn’t it.”

“Location, location, location.” Manny grins. He’d heard it enough times between Faith and Mr. Q. “It’s less than a mile from Berklee. And it’s come in handy that it’s less than a mile from Children’s here in Boston.”

“Mama Skye’s nephew has the bends because he snuck out of the house and went on a night dive and then didn’t tell our new aunt Colby and then they flew back from Africa and it really hurts bad which is why you should always tell your mama what you’ve been doing.” Lee informs his grandfather.

Edward looks at Manny. They carefully hide their smiles while nodding seriously. “Always better to learn by someone else’s mistakes.” Edward pats the boy on the shoulder.

“Our new Aunt Colby let us have the picture card from Travis’ camera though and he has some really freaky pictures, Grandpa.” Bill informs him. “I bet if I learned how to dive I could find pirate treasure.”

“You’d make more money diving for golf balls at the water hazard at the country club. And it would be good practice.” Edward counters. “Talk to me come summer.”

“The kids will be busy here, Edward, getting this place habitable. The plan is to have the businesses ready to go before we leave this week. Then come back during the summer and finish up helping Manny with this property and the other three.” It’s taken Cole this long to get down from the roof and confront the old goat about showing up.

“Well you aren’t going to want to be away from the bar that long. Or Skye from the Herald.”

“You know damn well that Skye’s editor would be happier than a hog in sh.. mud if she took the summer off. Besides Chandy is going to be down here.”

Edward hasn’t quite figured out how he is going to get around this one. And he is saved from reply by little Hillary.

“Grandpa, there is an excellent restaurant up the street that serves waffles all day long– with whatever you want on top of them.. And I asked them if they knew how to make a proper pot of tea if you came to see us. And they said they would. Just for you.”

Edward looks at Cole. Cole rolls his eyes and then nods. Edward makes a production of looking at his watch. “Well it looks like just about tea time right now. Anyone for tea or waffles?”

“Me, me, me!” The chorus of children who never turn down waffles is heard across the street and down the block.

Cole just shakes his head. “Have them back in two hours and don’t totally sugar them up.”

“Would I do that?” Edward is affronted at the suggestion.

“In a heart beat.” Cole knows it. He walks the kids over to the waiting limo. “Be good for Grandpa Edward or he’ll sic Aunt Tracy on you.”

“Yes, sir.” The boys’ quick nods confirm their fear of the boney woman.

The restaurant that is open 24/7 and serves waffles all day long is in the middle of a lull luckily. It isn’t the place where people normally came to have tea. Hillary, like Cole, has already memorized all the servers names and knows exactly whose section she wants to sit in. Edward bites his tongue as the little girl pushes her way to the front of her brothers and asks the hostess who is working then tells her whose section they want to sit in. “Tell her Hillary is here and so is her grandpa. So we’ll need proper tea.”

“Right this way.” The hostess looks at the older man who just waves a hand in his granddaughter’s direction. “I’ll get you seated and then go get Chris, okay?”

“Thank you.” Hillary follows the hostess to the booth and slides in by the window.

Edward takes the seat next to her and the boys sit down across from them. They are all handed menus but he gets the feeling they already have it memorized. “What is good here?”

“I like the pecan waffles with blueberry syrup.” Lee declares

“I like the plain waffles with powdered sugar on top.” Bill decides.

“What about you, Hillary?” Edward asks.

“What are you having, Grandpa?”

“Whatever you are.” Edward counters remembering what Skye had told him. “You’ll order for both of us.”

The waitress hears this as she is bringing water and beverages to the table. When the hostess told her that Hillary and her grandfather were here she’d know exactly who she was talking about. Hearing about the stretch limo parked out front had been a bit unexpected. “Hey boys. Hillary. You finally brought in your grandpa Edward.” She sorts out waters and juices to the children and then sets down the teapot that gets very little use. Normally people would be happy with a tea bag and hot water. But Hillary had been telling her all week about proper tea with her grandfather on Sunday afternoons. “Since we’re doing an afternoon tea, I thought a nice Earl Grey. You might want to let it steep for a little though because the water was boiling hot.” It’s a nice presentation limited by the restaurant itself. There are no tea cups only coffee mugs. “Are you having your usuals?” She looks at the boys who nod and are already handing back their menus. Then she looks at Hillary. “Have you decided, Hill?”

“Grandpa wants one plain waffle with a scrambled egg on the side but his egg has to be the special kind. Aunt Tracy says he has cholesterol.” Hillary confides to the waitress.

“Got it.” The waitress nods. “And you’re having the same. Did you want your egg scrambled or like you normally have it?”

Hillary makes a face because she doesn’t normally have a scrambled egg.

“As she normally has it.” Edward nods. “And we’ll have two small fruit plates please. The boys will split one and Hillary and I will split the other.”

“I’ll bring those out straight away.”

“Hey. Where are the kids?” Skye asks as she carefully come up behind her husband who is ripping and tearing down in the stores and taking them back to the walls. He’d give Manny a clean slate to develop for whoever took possession of the stores. They’d already had interest from a couple of agents who were working for clients looking for space. Now that it’s clear there is someone with an interest in maintaining the property there is interest in leasing it out.

“You’ll never guess who just happened to show up to take the kids to tea.” Cole accepts a bottle of water from his wife and wipes his forehead on his bandana.

“Oh you’re joking.” Skye shakes her head as she sees the truth in her husband’s face. “You’re not joking. I didn’t think he would come. We’ve been down here for nearly a week. I’m taking the kids back tomorrow so that Chandy can make her gigs and the kids can get ready to go back to school after a quiet weekend. I figured if he wasn’t here in the first few days that he was keeping busy with Karin and Kristina.”

“He says it’s to check out the properties Kristina selected down here. Strictly CSMC business.”

“Of course. Why is he really here?”

“Travis going down. He’s probably afraid Adam is going to show up and start trying to make time with his great grandchildren.”

“Colby had a falling out with Adam. He wasn’t happy about her divorcing Barry Shire’s grandson. He’s basically disowned her.”

Cole shakes his head. “I guess that old saw about old dogs and new tricks is half right. Not that I have much to say about Colby other than she tries to not make waves. But did he bother to find out why she divorced the guy?”

Skye shakes her head. “You didn’t know Colby before. She’s always been so desperate for Adam’s approval that she turned herself inside out. I don’t know what Barry’s grandson did. But it must have been awful or Colby would still be married to him. I thought about going down there. You remember I did offer. It’s also when I offered to have Trey come stay with us after that first time in rehab.”

“Thank God that got shot down. He lasted about what? A week? 48 hours?”

“There is as much alcohol in the Chandler mansion as there is in the Quartermaine. The Chandler mansion just has more hidden tunnels to stash your booze. It might have worked, Cole.”

“You’re the one that always says the alcoholic has to makes the decision, Babe.”

“It was a set up. That house is toxic, Cole. Trey ended up being a bone between JR and Adam.”

“Another reason why I’m glad he didn’t come. I don’t want that crap around you and Chandy. Colby’s been disowned now. Bring her back to Port Charles but know Adam will show up coming after Travis. He hasn’t shown himself to be a total lush... yet.”

“If you weren’t my husband.” Skye growls.

“Mama, mama, mama!” All three kids coming racing in through the back door. “Grandpa Edward is here and he wants to see all the properties and then he’ll fly us back to Port Charles on his plane.”

“Hello Edward.”

“Skye. So where is my other great granddaughter?” Edward demands cutting straight to the chase.

“She’s at the hospital entertaining Travis.”

“And the boy’s mother?”

“Hopefully getting some sleep.” Cole is the one who answers. “But considering all the checks Skye sends to Colby’s charities... probably hanging out at the neonatal unit or picketing for La Leche league.”

“Aren’t they those women that...” Edward’s jaw slams shut.

“Yep, that’s them.”

“What do they do, Grandpa?” Bill asks.

“You’re the one with the computer. Look it up yourself.” Edward ducks skillfully.

Cole gives him a look and just shakes his head. “Babe, why don’t you take the old man with you to the hospital to get Chandy. Take him around to the other properties on the way. I’ll take the kids back to the motel and get them packed.”

“Work your fingers to the bone what do you get... boney fingers.” Chandy sings in a low almost whisper. It’s a good thing she’s got calluses. Because if she didn’t her fingers would be bleeding by now. The staff had cut her some slack about bringing in her guitar in. But the rules had been clear. Keep it acoustic and no Blue Oyster Cult. Evidently the intensive care didn’t want anyone singing about not fearing the reaper– especially around the peds. She’d worked through her set with Travis critiquing the whole way. Course she’d gotten her revenge. The nice thing about doing a soft set. Nobody was going to be comparing her voice to David Bowie’s while she did her own rendition of Under Pressure or Don Ho with Tiny Bubbles.

“You’re a mean little thing, aren’t you?” Dr Chase comes in to check on his patient just as she’s finishing up an instrumental Tiny Bubbles. He grins and shakes his head. He’s been monitoring the addition of music to see if there had been any ill affects on any of the patients. There had been no detrimental readings and if anything it was improving the attitude of staff who have been humming in other rooms.

Chandy switches to an 80's oldie. Just a little instrumental of Man Down Under.

“And good with accents.”

“Her cousins are Australian.” Travis’ voice echos as he answers the underlying question from inside the chamber.

Chandy keeps noodling with the strings. “Karin is finishing up high school and Michael is doing medical school at General Hospital up in Port Charles New York. And the Police Commissioner is also Australian but you wouldn’t know to hear him talk. Then there is Jasper Jacks and his family. They show up periodically... raise some hell and head off to find a floating high stakes game: Brunei, Rome, Rio.” She changes tune in mid verse to Traveling Man.

Chase smiles as he looks down at the chart and makes his notes. It’s like having a soundtrack to the conversation. And it’s first clue that there is a new element in the room when Chandy starts playing an old Beatles tune. Chase turns around to see the newcomer. “I take it you’re the rich man.”

“Hello Grandpa.”

There is a voice inside the chamber. “Grandpa Adam?”

“No, the girl’s real grandfather.” Edward declares. He walks over to Chandy and gives her a kiss on the temple. “Tell the young man goodbye we’re leaving.”

“Grandpa! Excuse me. Edward Quartermaine, this is Dr Robert Chase he’s the boss of the department. And this is my very stupid and sick cousin, Travis.”

“I thought you had to take a test to be licensed to scuba dive. They tell you about the bends, Boy?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You going to forget again?”

“I really don’t think so.” Chase intercedes. The dapper older man is probably in his late eighties or more but he has an air about him that makes him the center of attention. And the last name is famous both here on the east coast but also as part of the Karinen group back in Australia. “Travis is going to be stuck at sea level for a few months at least– no flying, no diving.”

“No Cancun for you unless it’s a road trip.” Chandy informs her cousin. “Grandpa, did you come down to take me back for my gigs?”

“Of course not. I’m here on business. But I’ve finished that now, so you and the children can head back to Port Charles with me. Vacation over. You need to get back to work. And the other children have done enough living out of suitcases in their short lives.”

Chandy winces. Every once in awhile Grandpa came up with an argument that couldn’t be countered. “Where are Mom and Dad?” She is already standing up and putting away her guitar.

“Your mother has gone to talk to that Colby Chandler person.”

“Her sister.”

“Yes, yes. And your father is getting the children packed.”

Chandy pauses by Edward and gives him a kiss on the cheek and then whispers in his ear. “Don’t be so mean. Grandpa Adam disowned Aunt Colby. You play your cards right and you’ll get another granddaughter and three more great grandchildren: two boys and a girl.”

“Well I guess it would be okay to stay a minute. Just until your mother gets here.” Edward takes the chair next to the chamber. He sees the teenager in the chamber. Reminds him of the old polio chambers from back in the fifties and he winces. He grudgingly makes nice. “Saw those pictures you took. Bill has them on the computer. You might be dumb as a post but you’ve got a good eye. Chandy’s going to be going to school here in Boston over the summer. Planning on taking the train to and from school. Amtrak will drop her off right in Port Charles– never have to get on a plane.”

Chase steps away to the door and Chandy follows him. The doctor looks quizzingly at the teenager. “Why do I suspect you have your grandfather wrapped around your little finger?”

“Oh no. That would be either my cousin Karin or my little sister, Hill.” Chandy counters with a shake of her head. “Grandpa and I have an understanding. He understands I’m too much like my father for either us to be winding the other around anybody’s finger. How long is Travis going to be in the chamber?”

“We’re going to be very conservative with his treatments. Better at this point to err on the side of caution than do this all over again.”

Chandy nods. “That makes sense. Look I know confidentiality and all that. But Grandpa is going to win this one and we’re going to be heading back to New York tonight. I figure you can’t talk about Travis. But if you start getting the feeling that Aunt Colby needs some family support... that could be because of Trav or if the other side of the family shows up and starts giving stress– my mom would want you to call her. We’d be here in ninety minutes... probably less.” Chandy gives a number and watches as the doctor makes a note in the chart. “And if it’s real family drama, even if Trav is fine then after you call security to have the pain in the ass removed call this number...” Chandy gives the cell phone number for Manny. “Manny’s right here in Boston. He can be here in less than twenty minutes and he’s very good at solving problems.”

Dr Chase makes notes of the number with clear orders for any of the staff. “You are... anticipating problems.”

“Grandpa Adam is a hard case. My dad says that both of my grandfathers have more dollars than sense. Wouldn’t put it past Adam to show start steamrollering everyone including Aunt Colby to take charge of Trav. And he’s all about his lawyers and his bank accounts. It annoys most people.”

“Met a few like that.” Dr Chase nods. “Travis is my patient. But as you said, his mother isn’t. If there will be any issues I’ll call.”

“Good. You don’t need the headache.”

Skye pauses at the window of the observation area to the nursery. There are some full termers here. But Children’s specializes in problem pregnancies, deliveries and problems diagnosed in uterio. There is actually more than one nursery. There is this and then there is the NICU for the babies too fragile. She’d given up on having a baby years ago. Chandy had been a miracle. But like her father, other than the whole bed rest thing, had been very easy on her. It was like Chandy did all the work. And then the foster kids they took in, they’d always been children rather than babies. Casey Marcos always believed hers and Cole’s strengths are in dealing with older kids who have already been exposed too much to the world.

Colby had fallen in love with babies when she was in highschool. Really it’s all their father’s fault. He’d been warring with his wife de jour and had abandoned the overly pregnant woman with a dead cell phone. Colby had delivered the baby and found her calling the same summer. To take better care of her baby sister, she’d started reading up on infant massage and everything she could get her hands on about giving babies a good start or putting them back on the right path after a bad start. There is nothing Colby won’t do to put a baby at ease, including resting someone else’s diapered infant against her half bare chest, rocking easily. Anyone walking by the window would assume the baby was hers.

Skye gowns up and goes into the nursery. She pulls up a chair next to Colby. “You look so natural doing that.”

“It’s the most natural thing in the world.” Colby says simply as she keeps rocking. “The nurses say he was having trouble sleeping. Cranky babies make for cranky nurses-- isn’t that right, sweetums?” Colby pets the baby who is already out like a light. “And really I needed this. I can’t do anything for Travis. Chandy’s been so great about distracting him.”

“I’m sure she’d say she was just practicing her set. Of course if her father knew what she was doing he would have probably suggested she put out her case for tips.” Skye can’t resist leaning over and just running a finger over the baby’s face. “He’s so tiny.”

“Huge. He’s put on two pounds since he’s been here.”

“Oh my gawd.” Skye can’t imagine what the little tyke would have looked like two pounds less.

“Lost his mama in a car accident before he was even born and his daddy had to go back to work to keep up his insurance.” Colby looks around her. “All the babies have a story. Just need to get them healthy enough to tell it.” She looks at her big sister and can see the truth in her eyes. “You’re going back to Port Charles.”

Skye nods. “The kids have school on Monday and Chandy has gigs all weekend.. I hate doing this to you.”

“We’re fine, Skye. You and Cole have done so much already making sure I had a room by the hospital and being my rock when I had no idea what the hell was going on.”

“As soon as Trav gets out of the hospital come to Port Charles.” Skye says in a rush. “You know we’d love to have you. All you have to do is call and I’ll be right back.”

“We’re fine. Go home. Your little ones have had enough of my drama I’m sure. You need to get them back to school and back to normal.”

“Call me every day. Promise.” Skye demands with just a bit of threat in her voice.

‘I will.”

A couple of hours later it’s a different baby but the pose is the same as Colby rocks and rubs the baby’s back while humming softly. Nurses figured her skills quickly enough. And there is no such thing as a baby that didn’t benefit from some one on one nurturing.

Dr Chase takes the seat next her.

“Is Travis okay?” She stops rocking and immediately gets a mewling protest from the baby. She pushes off again but she doesn’t take her eyes off her son’s doctor.

“He’s fine. The rock star by proxy of the unit because of your niece. Everything here is just monitoring and getting the treatments done so that he can be released. We’re looking at a week of treatments.”

“Okay.”

“After he’s out of the chamber, I would recommend no altitude work at all for as long as you can put off. Three months would be bare minimum. Six would be better.”

“No diving, no climbing, no flying.”

Chase nods. “That’s the program.”

“If it means my son will be okay, Doctor, we won’t even do stairs.” Colby vows.

“It’s been an interesting day.” Chase tells the pretty blonde.

“Oh?”

“I’ve had three people come up to me and give me directions on who to call if you should get stressed out and need help?”

“I don’t know if I know three people here!” Colby is momentarily shocked. “Unless Travis...”

“No, your niece was the first. Then your sister. And then Edward Quartermaine.”

“Excuse me? I have never even met Edward Quartermaine?!”

Chase grins. “I think Chandy had something to do with it. She claims that she doesn’t have the old man wrapped around her little finger but anyone asked would say otherwise.” Chase stands up. “I’m getting out of here for the day. Do want to get some dinner?”

“If you don’t mind it being the restaurant over at the Best Western. They’re getting used to see me in this condition.”

“You look beautiful.” It’s an automatic response. But Chase looks at her again and realizes it is true. And something about her with a baby in her arms is setting off all kinds of alarms on clocks he didn’t even know he had.

Remember that fight you were expecting between Baby and Josef? reply reply reply.

Deb