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Morgan Benson 5

It’s a bizarre kind of routine. Morgan glances at the clock at the bottom of his computer at the office. Lisa had moved to Miami three weeks ago. Had been at work for the last three weeks. The first week she had Friday and Saturday off. The next had been Thursday and Friday. This week it’s Wednesday and Thursday. She doesn’t like phone calls at work and respected his work time too. She’d email him if she had something to say– results of doctor’s appointments and the like. If he wanted to see her than he had to make the offer and half the time she already had plans with the other traveling nurses in the apartment complex. She lives less then ten miles from him and Lisa could be back in Gainesville as much contact as they have. It had taken a major concessions to get her to come over to the house tonight after he got off work. There had been bribes of grilled steaks offered and finally accepted. Once he got her over hopefully she’d be spending the night.

The phone on his desk rings. “Benson.”

“Mr Benson, there is a Dr Michael Quartermaine here to see you.” The receptionist for the firm lets him know.

“Thanks I’ll be right out.” Morgan frowns and wonders what the hell Michael would be doing here. Then he glances at the calendar and really checks out the date. This weekend is their mother’s birthday. “Oh hell.” He shakes his head and goes down the hallway to the lobby to get his big brother.

Michael is already on his feet and smiles a greeting. Looking at the two of them and nobody would know they were brothers. Morgan has his father’s coloring and Michael had taken more after the Spencer side, their mother’s side. His red hair has gone to a deep mahogany brown and he’d evidently been using sunblock enough to not turn into a huge freckle in the African sun. Michael didn’t tan well. “You’re a tough guy to get a hold of.”

“I’ve been in the middle of a couple of big projects. Until the receptionist called I’d forgotten that this weekend is Mom’s birthday.”

Michael’s smile drops off but he nods. “Yeah, it’s a good time to head back to Port Charles and catch up with everyone.”

Morgan winces. “Why don’t you come back to my office.” He leads the way back. And takes the seat behind the desk. “It really is good to see you.”

Michael goes over to the big plate glass windows that are behind Morgan’s desk and looks out over Miami. “So you going to be able to get out of here for the weekend head up to see Mom.”

“She doesn’t know me, Michael.”

“Me either.” Michael counters. “To her I’m still a seven year old boy in a soccer uniform. I get that it’s hard but it’s one weekend a year, Morgan. She’s our mother. She nearly died giving birth to us and even if she hasn’t got a clue, and doesn’t remember a bit of it– we know it.”

“Mr Benson...” One of the partners makes his way into Morgan’s office. One of the more nosy types who didn’t seem to have enough to do now that he’s made partner and can just make sure that nobody is messing with his very significant bonus.

“Mr White... May I introduce you to Dr Michael Quartermaine. You may have heard of him as a board member of the Karinen Foundation.”

“Karinen industries?!”

“The charitable arm, yes.” Michael gives his brother a look and Morgan just rolls his eyes. “I just flew in from Africa and wanted to touch base with Morgan before heading up to New York to see our mother.”

It’s a dawning awareness. He’d somewhere known that Benson’s brother was a doctor in Africa but he never put it together with the Karinen Group. While they are mostly based out of Australia and Southeast Asia, they are one of the wealthiest families in the world and Benson had never said a word. “Excellent. I’m sure your brother can clear his schedule perhaps take you out to lunch here in Miami. Fill you in a bit on what he’s been doing here.” White sucks up skillfully.

“Yeah, that sounds great.” Morgan picks up the phone and calls his secretary. “Forward calls to my cell. I’m going to take Dr Quartermaine out to lunch.”

“Excellent, excellent.” Mr White nods. “I do hope you’ll stop by and see me before you leave. It was good to meet you.” He heads back to his office where he is going to be phone conferencing with the other partners.

“Fabulous.” Morgan mutters shaking his head. “Well you just made my life a living hell.”

“And just think what I’ll do to get you up in New York this weekend.”

Since he’s planning on billing this one to the firm, and has no doubt the firm is now willing to pick up the tab– Morgan shows Michael to his favorite business lunch spot. “Well you’ve screwed me at the office for the rest of the day. I’m probably going to be called in front of the partners to explain why I’m not bringing in the Karinen business this afternoon. Might as well fill me in on everything going on.”

“I’ve been in Africa. How about you tell me what has been going on.” Michael teases back but he looks at his brother and realizes that Morgan has truly not been keeping up with what is going on back in Port Charles. “Let me guess other than weekly phone calls to Aunt Robin you don’t keep in contact with anyone in Port Charles.”

“Pretty much. Left after high school. Go back to see Mom and that’s it. I get the same email updates on Mom that you and Uncle Jason do. So what have you been up to, Bro?”

“Three clinics which are keeping me busy and then the clinic at the Soccer town as well. Since I was coming back to The States figured I do a little fund raising while I was here. Aunt Robin has something going with GH. Robert Chase has another gig lined up at Boston Children’s hospital.

“Who is he?”

“Married to Skye Radcliffe’s sister. Small world. And then a Zambian embassy thing in Washington, DC. Should help it raising some awareness and getting supplies sent over. What about you? Father Frank said the last time he was out – something about you checking on setting up a clinic by that hacienda of yours in Venezuela?”

“Decided it would be money better spent on plumbing and a water supply. There are good people running the Hacienda. And I feel enough of a **** as an absentee owner.”

“You’re lucky Chavez isn’t still in power or he would have taken it out of your hands.”

“Uncle Jason handled that. He wouldn’t have turned the property over to me if he hadn’t already... cleaned house.”

“Chavez?”

“Nah, I still think a CIA contractor got him. He screamed about it often enough. As soon as gas hit 5.50 a gallon at the pump they had to do something to relieve US reliance on Middle eastern oil. Pop. One tire on a really bad road by a really deep ravine, gravity did all the work.”

“Sick, Morgan. Really sick.”

“The guy in there now isn’t much better. But he doesn’t talk **** about the US. Still lining his pockets with oil money while Jose Citizen who doesn’t live in the city is wondering how to keep the kids down on the farm.”

“That’s true the world over.” Michael counters. “So... any girlfriend you’re going to be telling Mom about. You know she’s good at keeping secrets.” Michael thinks he is kidding, changing the subject but reads his brother’s face. “You do. Who?”

“You stay for dinner you’ll meet her tonight. I’m grilling.”

“I’ll be there.”

“How about you?”

“I move around too much.” Michael shrugs. “And get too many death threats to put it on anyone else.”

“You go up to Port Charles with that attitude and you know Edward Quartermaine is going to let you have it with both barrels.” Morgan quips. That’s one thing he’d never had to worry about... interference from Edward Quartermaine. Ed took one look at him and saw his father and wanted him in the ground. He hasn’t said it in a few years but even if Alan and Monica Quartermaine had filled grand parent roles for him while spoiling Robbie rotten, they’d done it away from the Mansion knowing that Edward could not be counted on to not say something about Sonny, his incarceration and later execution.

“A boy and his toys.” Lisa quips as she brings beverages over to the monster gas grill that is off to the side of the pool. The guys practically lived by the pool so of course they did a lot of entertaining and cooking out here when the weather was decent... which is pretty much whenever there is not a hurricane coming in.

“Watch and learn.” Morgan takes the beer and gives her a kiss on the cheek.

“So who is going to be here tonight.”

“Jack and Pete... company I’m sure if they mention that we’re cooking out. You. My brother Michael.”

“Your BROTHER?! And I’m hearing about this now?”

“It was a surprise to me too. He dropped by the office at lunch time.”

“I thought he was doing working in Africa or something...”

“Zambia. I should have figured it. He takes a vacation same time every year.”

“Something important?”

“My mother’s birthday. Not that she knows it’s her birthday. Every day could be her birthday for all she knows.”

Lisa winces. “Ouch. Brain injuries are tough and it always seems to happen to people in the prime of their lives– car accidents, skate board accidents falling out of trees. It’s always challenging. One of the reasons I like working the ER. See them, patch them and move them on.”

“It’s also where the nutjobs show up.” Morgan counters. He didn’t say much about Lisa’s assignment. But there had been articles in the paper over the last few days.

“Plenty of security.” Lisa gives him a pat on the arm. “I’m going to go make a salad. And quit reading the paper. I tell you the only day worth reading is Sunday. The rest is all bad news.” While Lisa is in the kitchen the intercom to the front drive pings. “Hello?”

“This is Michael, Morgan’s brother.”

Lisa opens up the gate and then goes to the front door. If the guy hadn’t said who he was and if there hadn’t been a picture on Morgan’s dresser she’d never had guessed. “Hey. Morgan is back by the grill. I’m Lisa.”

“Pleased to meet you.” Michael takes her hand and examines her face. There is a different look to a pregnant woman. One a doctor would recognize even if she is barely showing. But that isn’t the reason why his interest is so drawn. Wanting it to be true more than anything... “You friends with Jack, Pete, Barry?”

“Barry moved out about a month ago. Jack and Pete are good guys. But Morgan invited me. Can I get you a beer?”

“Soda’s fine.”

“I brought this really great ginger ale. It’s got nothing in common with schwepps.”

“Sounds interesting.” Michael follows Lisa into the kitchen.

“Go ahead on out. I’ll bring it.” Lisa waves him to the french doors.

Michael goes out to the grill and picks a comfortable spot to lean upwind from the grill. “Met Lisa.”

Morgan nods. “Figured that was the way you got in.”

“She reminds me of Mom.”

“Excuse me?!” Morgan shakes his head. “Where in the hell did that come from?”

“Course if she would have been like Mom she would have picked you up in a bar after beating you in game of pool.”

“Uh- oh.” Lisa says. “Want me to disappear for while?” She hands Michael his soda.

“Nah. Don’ t mind my brother, he’s just talking out his ass. Lisa and I met after I was in a car accident. The accident happened in Gainesville and she gave me a ride up to Atlanta because my car was totaled and I had a concussion.” Morgan avoids saying anything about his and Lisa’s pool game.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Michael says quietly.

“So... you work in Zambia. That must be interesting.” Lisa jumps in.

“Some days very. Most days I’m happy if we’re holding a vaccination clinic and giving out Malarial nets.”

“Pete was telling me last time I was over-- that is the Heat’s major international charity. All kinds of promos going at the games to promote the charity and get people involved.”

Michael shrugs. “They work. It’s dropped the infant mortality rate every where they are in use. We use them in the clinics of course. Too many people with compromised systems already. Drop a little Malaria on them and it’s not good. What do you do, Lisa?”

“I’m an ER nurse. I work for an agency that does traveling nurses. Gives me a lot of flexibility.”

“And you’re working here in Miami? Sounds as dangerous as where I work.” Michael jokes but not by much.

Lisa shrugs. “Tons of security. And because the ER is so stacked the hospital has gotten increasingly innovative on making sure that people are moved and seen as quickly as possible. If they are going to surgery; they’re going. If they are going to be admitted before or after tests... they are admitted and moved. Because they are still trying to figure out what I can do, I’ve been working the intermediate care side a lot.”

“What’s that?” Morgan asks.

“Bumps, bruises, simple stitches basically clear the waiting room but it means that the patient has to agree to see a nurse rather than a doctor. It puts an extra step in the chain if the person actually does need to stay over because they are still going to have to be seen by a doctor. Two different sides with a common waiting room. It’s the intermediate side which makes sure there is room out in chairs.”

“I haven’t worked in a true emergency room since I interned at Port Charles’ General Hospital. But I’ve always had a focus on public health so it was the best place to see everything. Port Charles is where both Morgan and I were born.”

“Lisa is from Port Charles too.” Morgan adds.

“Really. What’s your last name?”

“You wouldn’t have known my family. We lived way way on the bad side of town. Pappas. Lisa Pappas.”

Michael blinks. “Any relation to Anders?”

“My brother.”

“It’s been years really. Anders was in a fight with my sister, Karin, and got the worst of it back in the day. He’s come a long way since that night. Last time, I saw him-- was on the simulcast of the wedding of the Mayday keyboard player. He was there as the date of Chandy Radcliffe. Anders testified against the others. What ever happened to the leader of that gang...”

“Macon.” Lisa’s voice is grim. “Doing 10-25 at Sing-Sing. Which means he could be getting out oh... any time now.”

“Ancient history.” Michael’s voice is reassuring.

“No, it’s really not. Macon is the reason why my mother moved to Florida and we haven’t been back to Port Charles in years. He’s still running things. Mom wanted to be in a three strikes state with a death penalty in case Macon came after either of us.”

“Gees, Lisa.” Morgan reaches out and wraps an arm around her shoulders. He brings her in for a hug. “I had no idea.”

“Yeah, well no reason for me to go back to Port Charles. You guys have a good trip up there to see your Mom. If you get a spare sec swing by Jakes and tell the bartender that Lisa said hi.” Lisa gives Morgan a pat on the butt and heads into the house.

“It’s been over 8 years.” Michael says grimly. “And I’m not a lawyer but good time, trustee time...”

“I’ll make a few phone calls although it might be easier from New York.” Morgan nods. “Do you know the guy’s whole name?”

“I have no idea.”

“You never told me you were worried about that guy.” Morgan murmurs against Lisa’s hair. One of the nice things her having a weekend in the middle of the week. Sometimes he could talk her into staying over. Even if he had to work the next day it’s a good way to catch up with what is going on with her.

“I’m not. Or at least not most days. You know the fight your brother was talking about? The one with Karin Quartermaine? She put Anders in the hospital. Punctured his lung, broke his jaw. My brother almost died there on the sidewalk. And if he had, it would have been self defense. Because he was there with Macon. Two AM and Mom is getting a knock on the door. It’s not the cops. It’s two guys from CSMC. They drove us to the hospital to see Anders then moved us to a safe house. Ha. There wasn’t a whole lot of asking going on, and a lot of telling.”

“That whole side of the family: Michael, Karin and Tatiana all were taught kick boxing when they were growing up.”

“So you and Michael have different fathers.”

“Yeah, Michael’s dad moved him out of the country after what happened to our mother... the brain injury.”

“How awful. I know you were just a baby but still. How have you been able to maintain ties.”

“We haven’t really. I think Michael tries but he hated my father and couldn’t stand even hearing his name. Would walk away in the middle of a conversation if anyone ever even mentioned him. I heard he’s gotten better since my father died but it’s still a boundary we have. We don’t talk about my father.”

“He was how old when you were born?”

“Seven.”

“Weird.”

“Not so much. The reason why my mother has brain damage? My father shot her. Of course he was aiming for her lover.”

“On the day you were born... so she was like at least 5 months pregnant?!”

“Nine. She was already in labor.”

“Damn. And I thought my family was ****ed up.”

“Up to that point my father had raised Michael. He learned a lot from my father including how to hold a grudge.”

“I guess.” Lisa says wryly. “And did he raise you to hold a grudge too?”

“You aren’t surprised he didn’t go to jail for shooting my mother?”

“Morgan, you drive a porsche and live in a multimillion dollar residence. You may have picked up on a foreclosure, but most people couldn’t even afford the taxes. I figure your father could probably buy the best lawyers in New York.”

“Yeah. So I lived with my dad, or with my Aunt and Uncle. Mostly my aunt and uncle when I was a baby. My grandmother, my mother’s mother, has a lot of guilt about not grabbing me and raising me herself.”

“She kind of hand her hands full with your mother, didn’t she?”

“Yeah, Needless to say she hated my father too.”

“I can be so not surprised about him not going to jail for shooting your mother and also not be surprised that your grandmother might be a little pissed at him as well. So that’s the way it was... armed camps and everyone hating each other until your father died when you were 17? And you’re right in the middle of it?”

“Pretty much. I took a year off, finished up school in Europe. Then came to Florida. Summers I studied down in South America. Now I only go back for this.”

Morgan:

Michael— very purty pictures at the riddick gallery