General Hospital Fan Fiction Message Board

The Monday lunch period after spring break, is all about comparing tans and travel stories. Chandy’s week in Boston is the main topic of conversation between the girls over the lunch table. Because they hadn’t been there and because they’d be going over Chandy’s house after school to give out all the presents they’d brought back from Mexico.

“Oh my gawd. The bends?!” Karin shudders. “Mark and Pavel learned to dive while we were in Mexico but I’ve been diving for years. Even if you’re careful it can happen.”

“Oh he wasn’t careful. He was a total moron. Aunt Colby stopped diving because she knew they were flying out the next day. Trav decided he wanted to get one more dive in, a night dive some place called Pemba?”

“Awesome diving.” Karin agrees with a nod. She reaches for some of the nibbles they’d snuck back from Mexico with them which Kristina had brought to the lunch.

“Night dive, a few beers...”

“Doesn’t the alcoholism run on that side of the family too?” Karin is comfortable saying it because Chandy’s got it running on her mother’s side and she has it running on her father’s.

“Like I said... moron.” Chandy nods. “They flew out four hours after Trav snuck back into the house. He started having trouble breathing on the plane and they had him on full oxygen. Their plane got priority landing at Logan and it was straight to Children’s hospital.”

Mark shakes his head. “Damn. Karin told me about the bends of course. Her and the instructor both. It was the reason why we quit diving on Friday–two days before flying out. We went fishing instead on that Saturday.”

“It was awful he was in this hyper baric chamber looked like something out of a sci fi movie. Grandpa said it actually looked like one of those iron lung things they put people with polio in back in the fifties. He started being much nicer once I told him that Grandpa Adam had thrown Colby out of the family after her last divorce. And if he started being nicer he might get another grandchild and three great grand children out of the deal.”

“Grandpa was there?!” Kristina’s eyebrows go up.

“He said it was to check on CSMC investment. We were there near on a week when he showed. He only showed up after Travis went into the hospital.”

“Ah. When he thought there was a possibility of your Grandpa Adam showing up and start making time with you and the kids.” Karin nods. She knows all about how greedy Edward can be. It’s always worked for her in the past. “Of course, he did. Boys or girls?”

“Two boys and a girl. Travis is 15, Jenny is actually Colby’s half sister, 17 and then Lil Bar who is ten.”

“Little Bear, the kid part native american or something?” Mark asks.

“Little Barry aka Barry Shire the IV. People started calling him that he’d end up being a dork for sure and it wouldn’t be the kind of dork you could grow out of. He was staying with his dad for Spring Break which is why he missed the tea party down in Boston.”

“Tea party?” Mark knows about Sunday tea with Edward of course. And he knows his history but it’s an odd turn of phrase.

“Oh yes, As soon as Grandpa Edward showed up of course Hillary took him to the kids’ favorite waffle house and made sure that the waitress made him a pot of proper tea.”

Kristina and Karin start shaking their heads and laughing at that. Karin is the one who comments. “Your sister is going to be a proper Hellion especially if Tracy starts taking her in hand.”

“Over my father’s dead body and you know it.” Chandy is firm on that point. She glances up at the clock. “I have to go by my locker. You guys are coming over after school right?”

“See ya then.” Karin nods. As soon as Chandy is clear. “I have all the prezzies in the mini. So all we need is the luggage that you hauled back the guys goodies in.”

“I remembered to bring it. We’re set.”

Karin rubs her hands together and like a TV character from years gone by. “Excellent.”

Kristina’s free period is spent reviewing the progress on selling the Cookbooks. They’d already sold 750 with 250 to go. Mostly at Costco on the weekends but there had been a couple of the students who’d used their spring break to do demos. Costco hadn’t minded at all having pretty girls doing demonstrations using Costco products of how to put together a quick meal. They are being paid as demonstrators and the cookbook proceeds are going to the program.

“Marnie and Gloria rocked on the sales over spring break. They just brought their numbers in. Ms. Fisher, I’m almost thinking we should do a reorder for next year’s class to sell. Trying to do this between February and May for scholarships in June is... difficult.”

“And boredom doesn’t have time to set in. You have to remember, Kristina, that not every class has been like this one. Some years the idea of well balance meal is McD with a side salad.”

Kristina winces just the way that Ms Fisher knew she would. “Have any of the girls told you their plans for after high school?”

“That’s another tough sell. Most of the girls already have a job that is paying into their family’s kitty but college or training program. Just a couple... Marnie and Gloria. One of the reasons why they’ve been so gung ho on selling the cookbooks. They know they’ve got the best shot at the scholarships. Why do you ask?” Ms Fisher has gotten used to almost treating Kristina like a colleague during this free period.

“I know we may be stepping on the business classes toes but maybe there should be a careers day class: hospitality, restaurants, cruise ships.”

Ms Fisher eyes Kristina’s new and perfect tan. She knows the girl spent the week down in Mexico and not in a tanning booth. “Rumor has it that you spent spring break on a Karinen yacht.”

Kristina nods. “Full week on a boat with a staff of five if you count the captain. There was a captain, an engineer, a chef and then two others who did everything that needed to get done. On that yacht they aren’t really going to be busy a lot... or haven’t been. But the yacht is coming up here to Port Charles. It should be arriving in about three weeks. I don’t even want to know what a party boat Karin is going to turn it into.”

Ms Fisher laughs but then she shrugs. “The Charter boats would have crew on them working year round. It’s an interesting idea.”

“I can get you some restaurant managers through CSMC, maybe someone from HR over the Port Charles Hotel talk about entry level positions. Maybe even do some interviewing?” Kristina suggests.

Ms Fisher opens up a notebook and starts writing first Kristina’s idea and then some of her own. “Army quartermaster, Culinary schools...”

“Quartermaster?”

“If an army runs on it’s stomach... some of the best restaurant cooks who never went to culinary school come out of the military. They know how to cook for hundreds on a budget. It’s excellent banquet and hotel training. You were talking about the chef on the cruise... imagine working on an air craft carrier and doing meal service like a navy cook would.”

“Sounds like hell.” Kristina shakes her head. “But at least they can have fresh food flown in. Can you imagine those poor guys on the submarines?”

Bob Reynolds steps out of his office to tell Barbara something and groans when he sees who is sitting on the bench waiting to see his VP, Ms Moss. “Miss Quartermaine, It is the first day of the term what on earth are you doing in the office?” He has Barb call up her schedule. “What on earth could have been happening in Health class that would have you sent to the office?”

“Now Principal Reynolds, its not that I don’t think that everyone should be certified in first aide and CPR. And the American Red Cross isn’t that different from the Australian standards...”

“But...”

“I’m a qualified first responder. I’ve help teach the basic courses to volunteers coming out on the Good Fortune. Coach may love me during swim season but I’m afraid I may have plucked his last nerve. All my certificates are current; I really didn’t need to be there..”

“You couldn’t have just gone to him ahead of class and offered to go to the library?”

“Well how was I to know he was going to make it so boring?”

Barb focuses on her monitor and tries not to laugh but a snort comes through and Bob gives her a straighten up glare. Karin is bad enough without encouragement. “You don’t know boring. Barb, she’s yours for the rest of the period. Everything that you’ve been putting off.”

“Principal Reynolds...” Karin tries to interject.

“No arguments. You have a problem with this then it’ll be Saturday school.”

“It isn’t that. The first aide stuff is going on all week long. That’s another problem why can’t they just go all day and get it over with?”

“The other teachers might have a problem with that. Barb, put a note in the coach’s box. Looks like you’ll be having company all week.”

Karin rubs her hands together as the principal goes back into his office. “What shall it be? Filing, collating? My mother is a stickler for schedule. Let me at the bottom drawer. That’s where Daddy always stashed his when he’d get to it drawer.”

“You’re serious. And you’re not going to be pouting about doing the office drudge?”

“Oh of course not. Just so long as you’re filling me in on everything. Is it true that Ms Parker and Mr Reynolds are...” Karin asks with a significant smirk as she comes around to the secretary’s side of the long counter.

“Karin Quartermaine!” Barb protests but she gives the girl a fascinated look.

“I know the story they spread is that one or the other is always checking on Mayday’s practice over at Uncle Cole’s. But that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been noticed that they are wearing the same clothes as the night before. And really... where have they been until Mayday starts practice at 4am?”

“Uh.. No. We are not going to go there. You’re going to tell me all about your spring break. Acapulco right?” Barb resists the temptation.

Karin knows she will wear her down. “Oh it was lovely. Forty degrees warmer than here for sure. Kristina and I laid out every morning. Actually we slept every morning up on deck. That’s because we closed the clubs at 6am. So sleep until noon. It was a good thing Baba, that’s Kristina’s boyfriend’s grandmother, was with us. She’d roll us over and baste us so we didn’t get burned. Then noon it was whatever planned for the day until about seven and then dinner with Baba and Pavel, that’s Chandy Radcliffe’s twelve year old cousin. We brought him because he speaks russian for Baba. And we’d some fun activity until ten when the clubs opened and then there we’d go again. And of course we saw the cliff divers... both the day and the night show with the torches. And Mark was a total party pooper he would not let me take the dive. But it’s okay. It’s the way I talked him into going to Scuba lessons. Both he and Pavel got their basic certification while we were there.”

Barb watches as Karin takes the stack of filing and quickly starts sorting it into the collator in preparation of the actual filing. And the girl’s mouth doesn’t slow down at all. “Kristina took her boyfriend’s grandmother on vacation to the sin bin of the northern hemisphere. Who needed a translator?”

“Oh she’s wonderful and her english is getting much better really. If you ever met my Aunt Tracy you’d know how wonderful she is. Total grandmother type and she even tats lace to keep her fingers limber. And I know that Kristina teased about girls gone wild and everything before we went but it wasn’t like we went to a donkey show or anything.”

“You did not just say that out loud!”

“Oh you can see just about anything down in Mexico but we couldn’t find a soccer match– wrong time of year.”

“And I’ve met your Aunt Tracy when Dillon Quartermaine was going to school here. Faith Ashton too.”

“Really.” Karin draws it out. “So tell me... what exactly did Cousin Dillon and Kyle do that fifteen years later Principal Bob put out the order that Kristina and I couldn’t have classes together?”

The guys had been working on other things while she’d been gone for Spring break. She’d gotten back on Friday in time for a quick run through on the set and to make sure that she hadn’t gotten rusty. Not that she’d had much time for that since she had her guitar with her down in Boston and had spent the last part of her visit there keeping Travis distracted. She should have known better than to leave them alone when the number of texts and emails had dropped dramatically. But the sets over the weekend had been the material they’d been working on since Christmas. When Chandy walks into her last period study hall down in the music rooms she sees the guys there and groans. “What have you done and why am I going to hate it?”

The guys of Mayday look at each other. Stanley is the one who speaks up with a shrug. “I don’t think you’re going to hate it, not really.”

“It’s the not really that is worrying me.” Chandy looks at them all. That and the fact that the guys had come up with the idea when her father wasn’t around to put them in headlocks. “What is it?”

“Well we were working with Winona on our moves. You know being comfortable on stage? And she was saying how much costuming and presentation adds to a performance.”

“Uh huh.” Chandy isn’t getting a good feeling on this. Mostly because a) they are guys and b) she is fully aware of Winona’s previous experience as an exotic dancer. “If you think I’m going to be wearing any assless chap pants in order for us to get gigs you really don’t know my father that well.”

“Nothing like that, really.”

“Again with the really.”

“Shut up, Stan.” Paul finally intervenes. The longer this goes on the more Chandy is going to be against the idea before she even sees the costumes. “Winona knows your dad too, Chandy. She gave us a couple of different outfits to show you.”

“The fact that you are bringing them here rather than Jakes is giving me the honest opinion of these...” Chandy makes little quote motions in the air. “... costumes.”

George is the one who interjects wryly. “That’s because we do know your dad. If you’re comfortable with them then he’ll get on board and we’ll still all be able to have kids someday.”

Chandy sighs. “Where are they?”

“Practice room.” John points.

Chandy rolls her eyes but goes over to the practice room. Hanging there are three outfits although she supposes there could be some mixing and matching going on. There is a pair of black leather look pants with a halter. There is a white outfit with silver beading on it that will definitely catch stage lights and then there is another black outfit. She can see Winona’s eye on all of them. They look like the frankenstein version of Stevie Nicks meets Shikara and throw in a little Joan Jett.

“Try them on.” Stan calls out. “Winona says she can take in anything that doesn’t fit right.”

“Yeah, but can she add more fabric.” Chandy mutters. She shuts the practice room door and closes the blinds. She reaches for the one that she thinks her father would have the least problem with-- The black leather look outfit. When she comes of the practice room she is tugging on the waist of the pants but these are definitely low rise and the halter is really more of a long bra barely coming down to the base of her rib cage. The outfit hugs every curve it covers and reveals the rock hard stomach that goes with years of swimming. “I wouldn’t exactly wear it to a gig at wedding reception or bar mitzvah.”

“Oh hey I don’t know. If bar mitzvahs are all about a boy becoming a man it’s probably the perfect outfit.” Stan suggests.

“You are not helping.” Paul mutters as he gives the guy an elbow. “It works for the club gigs we’re getting. We get a lot more flack for you being sixteen than the ages on the rest of us, even though we’re all under 21. At least this way you don’t look sixteen.”

George is the one who asks the question. “Is it comfortable? Winona says she used some kind of high tech fabric that is designed for performance. Breathes, easy to care for which makes it better than the stuff they used to use. She said it would be real easy to move in.”

“Oh it’s very comfortable. I’m not.” Chandy goes back into the practice/changing room. She soon comes out in the white outfit. What’s she’s noticed in the three outfits is that Winona had gone black and white on the outfits. All the accents are in metal. The only color is really going to be her hair and because she can’t tan like Karin or Kristina– makeup. She tugs at the waistband of the skirt but then shaking her head goes out to show the guys. This time she takes one step out of the practice room turns around and then goes back in and shuts the door firmly behind her. The other black outfit is built around the same lines as the white. It even had silver accents. She shows it to the guys but then just as quickly goes back into the Practice room to change into her school clothes.

“Well what do you think?”

“I thought you guys were getting into this band gig to get laid. You’re not doing your cause any good putting me out there like bait.”

“Well actually it does. If all the guys are drooling over you that leaves their girls as fair game!” Stan fills her in on the plan.

“You are such a horndog.” Chandy sighs. “I get it. They aren’t any more revealing that you’re going to see in a vid or even on some girls going out clubbing. They are more revealing than I’m used to showing anywhere but at the lake, in the middle of summer when there is nobody around. I’m not going to sign off on them until I take them to Maxie. She’s the one who won Project Runway. She says they’re not out of whack then I’ll take it to my dad.”

“Great!”

After school the place to be is over at Chandy’s. Well cept for the fact nobody had told her parents that. Karin and Kristina are there to play santa about three months late. And really the presents are better given without parents around. Lee as the oldest get the most traditional gift. At least traditional for the Radcliffes’. “Chandy is always saying that Uncle Cole didn’t give her one until her tenth birthday. You’re the one that qualifies. Okay you can open you eyes.” Karin orders.

Lee opens his eyes and sees an open guitar case right in front of him. It’s an acoustic style spanish guitar with nylon strings. “Oh man!”

“The flag that is painted on the top if the flag of Mexico so you can tell your folks that it was a souvenir we brought back which is totally true.” Kristina adds. “And we brought you some mariachi music too. This is the kind of guitar they use for that.” She goes over to the soundsystem in the living room and drops in a disc. The fast complicated sound of the mariachi fills the room.

“They don’t strum.” Chandy tells Lee. “Or at least not much. They pick.” She hears a bit that is repeated in the song and taking the guitar she shows him what she means picking along with the song until she messes up and with a laugh hands it over. “This doesn’t mean you’re going to get out of piano lessons. Piano for a year. That’s the rule. Then you can keep going with piano or switch over to something else.”

“But...” Lee protests.

“Oh don’t worry. Mom will make sure you can get guitar lessons too.” Chandy warns wryly. “Whose next? Bill?”

Bill steps up and his eyes go wide when he sees the stack of presents. Karin brings out the big one first. “Open this.”

Bill tears into the package and quickly opens up the very plain box and inside is a 45 inch tall pinata of Spider man, his very favorite super hero. It doesn’t stop him from checking to find out if it’s full of candy.

“No candy.” Kristina informs him catching him looking. “We figured you’d want to hang it in your room until you’re ready to have a party and fill it up with goodies. Maybe for your birthday or the fourth of July. Aunt Skye always has a big party out here on the fourth. But because we knew you’d end up breaking this one on purpose we got you something else too.”

Bill rips into the next package. And then his jaw drops. “Oh this is awesome!” Inside is a huge but flat package that has a pictures of a huge bird on it. It’s a kite. And everything he is going to need for flying it is also included in the box. “Lets put it together now!”

“Lets wait until this weekend when it’s supposed to be nice and not all rainy and gross.” Chandy counters.

“And now Hillary’s presents.” Karin hands over the big box first. “This is kind like Bill’s. You can use it or you can hang it on your wall.” It’s the only clue she gives.

Hillary tears open the package and inside is a sombrero just her size but done in the style of the mariachi with plenty of color and flash. In a smaller box is a there is a sterling silver set of bracelet, necklace and pierced earrings. Her eyes go wide when she sees the pierced earrings. “Does this mean...”

“Hell no.” Chandy says quickly. “Not until Daddy says so.” She gives Karin and Kristina a glare. “Earrings are a lot of work and Daddy has all kinds of rules for having them including no dangley earrings at school ever.”

“Oops.” Karin winces. “Should have done a consult on that one I guess. Oh well here are the matchey matchey presents that you couldn’t open because then you’d know what the other is getting. She deals out four boxes: Bill, Lee, Hillary and Chandy too. They rip the boxes open and inside are beautiful wool blankets in a variety of colors and baja style pullovers like the surfers wear. “Believe me last night I wouldn’t have minded about a dozen of those blankets. It was so cold.”

“Why don’t you guys go put this stuff away? Chandy suggests. As soon as the kids are clear. “He is not going to let her have those earrings. And he told me and mom both gory stories when I wanted to get mine done. Wires slicing through lobes like through butter. It’s not going to happen.” Karin and Kristina follow her into her room. That is where Chandy is stopped in her tracks because that is where her big present is. It’s a five piece set of leather luggage that would probably exactly match the upholstery in the mustang. It’s a beautiful brandy color. “It’s gorgeous! And it’s too much oh my gosh how much did you guys spend?”

“Well that is a very rude question and you know we’re not going to answer. But we will say made in Mexico and I live to dicker. It was a very good deal.”

“We know you have the trunk for hauling the big things but we wanted to you to have a nice set for something less than packing up the trunk. Trips back from school or...” Kristina shrugs. “And we have to admit they are all slightly used too. We only took one change of clothes and our passports when we left. Everything we came back with ended up being packed in your luggage.”

“Oh well if they are used that is totally different.” Chandy goes over and gives her cousins big hugs.

“You haven’t seen your other present.” Karin picks up one of the pieces of carry on and hands it to Chandy.

Chandy opens it up and immediately starts laughing and shaking her head. “Hard Rock Barbie. You guys are now officially forgiven for going to Mexico without me.”

“Oh I’m sure we’d be more than willing to go again your senior year. What do you think, Kristina?”

“We should start planning now.” Karin walks over to a garment bag hanging from Chandy’s closet. “What’s this?”

“You weren’t the only one having fun over spring break. Winona was working with the guys trying to get them to loosen up while they were on stage. Give them something to do while I was down in Boston other than bitch about me not being around for gigs... She decided I needed different gear for being on stage.”

“Let me see!” Karin cuts infront of Kristina and unzips the bag. Both she and Kristina fall silent.

“That bad?” Chandy worries.

“Not bad at all.” Kristina nods. “They look very fun and definitely very costumey probably look awesome under lights.”

“I just can’t decide if Uncle Cole is going to kill you, the guys or this Winona person.”

Next Up: Chandy wears the new costume to a gig, a bunch of underage drinking and the Stuff hits the fan. Interested?