TANGLED WEB, PART FIVE

"Jasmine is jist the mos' beautiful baby in the whole wide world! Yes she is!" cooed Lila, as she and Matthew paused on the front stoop of the Cory Mansion.

Contrary to Matthew's confident prediction that Lila would be "a lousy mother" (and, therefore, willing to give him custody and go away, provided she was paid enough), she gave every sign of being a totally devoted one.

"Jasmine is as beautiful as her mother." Matthew agreed.

"Matt, Ah wan' you to know - Ah woan hold you to that proposal you made when Jasmine was missin'. We were both so distrawt - you didn' know whut you were sayin'."

Matthew smiled enigmatically as he put his key into the lock. "Welcome home, Jasmine Cory." he said, as they stepped across the threshold

" SURPRISE!"

Rachel, Amanda, Paulina, Joe, Sofia, Felicia and Cass jumped out of hiding as the lights came on.

"AAAGGGHHH!"

Lila nearly hit the ceiling.

"Sorry!" said Matthew, "I thought we should have a party to celebrate Jasmine's homecoming."

"Jist Wahn me, next time!" said Lila.

"That would be next time you and Matt bring home a baby?" murmured Cass.

"Oh, hush yo' mouth, Cass Winthrop!" The doorbell rang.

Matthew answered the door. "Come in, Reverend ," he said, "You're right on time."

"Reverend?" said Cass.

"Matthew doesn't want to wait to hold Jasmine's christening." Rachel explained, 'The Chapel is all set up."

Lila looked down at herself. "Oh - and Ah have nothin' to weah!" she lamented.

"If you look in your room, you should find a new dress laid out, waiting for you." said Matthew, "Here - let me hold Jasmine while you change."

As Lila headed upstairs, the doorbell rang again. It was Nick.

"Paulina!" he said, "Angelo told me you were here. I really need to talk to you. It's about Remy-"

"Nick, this really isn't a good time." said Paulina, "We are just about to christen Matt's baby. Can't whatever you have to tell me wait until after the ceremony?"

"I guess so." said Nick.

Meanwhile, Sofia was admiring Jasmine. "She's beautiful!"

"I didn't realise how much I was going to love her." said Matthew, "The moment she was born, she became the most important person in my life."

"Matt, I think we should get married right away, so that we can give Jasmine a real family."

Matthew didn't answer; he was busy watching Lila descend the staircase, a vision of loveliness in a new white dress. He moved forward to take her hand. "You look like an angel." he said.

Sofia stared at Lila with a very un-angelic expression on her face.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you tell me that you weren't interested in starting a family yet, because you want to have a career?" said Nick.

"This is different!" said Sofia, "This is Matt and Me."

"And Lila!" said Nick, "How does She feel about you and Matt raising her child?"

"It's not up to Lila."

"Isn't it?"

"All right, let's get this christening started!" said Matthew.

****

Meanwhile, at Lumina HQ:

"This has not worked out as planned at all!" said Nikos, accusingly. "Lila Roberts was supposed to be so grateful to Jordan Stark for finding her baby - and so terrified of something worse happening to her - that she would do whatever I said! What went wrong?"

"I don't know!" said Zack, "I left the baby in the tree! I have no idea how she ended up in a dumpster! It doesn't make any sense! If someone found it in the park, why didn't they call the police? Why put it in a dumpster?"

"To thwart me!" screamed Nikos, "Someone is working against me! But WHO?"

****

"What kind of person would leave a little baby up a tree like that?" Wally wondered.

"A very evil person." said Carl. "Did Bay City's Finest give you any trouble?"

"No, I just kept repeating that I heard a noise, looked in the dumpster, and found the baby. They believed me."

"Good."

****

"I baptise you, Jasmine Rachel Cassandra Cory. Receive God's grace and goodness!"

"Amen!" said everyone.

"Thank you fo' this, Rachel!" said Lila, making a gesture that indicated the entire Cory Chapel, filled as it was with flowers.

"It's the least I can do for my granddaughter." said Rachel.

The minister was turning towards the door.

"Don't leave yet, Reverend!" said Matthew, "Lila, I meant what I said in the park. Jasmine deserves a real home and a real family, with a father and a mother. Will you marry me?"

Jaws dropped all over the room.

"Matt, have you gone crazy?" said Amanda.

"Matthew, don't you think you are being too hasty?" said Rachel, "Marry in haste, repent at leisure, remember?"

"MATT? What about - you and me?" said Sofia, "I thought - you told me you love me - ME! Not Lila!"

"Sorry, Sofia," Matthew shrugged, "What I feel for you is nothing compared to my love for Jasmine. Her needs come first. Well, Lila, what do you say?"

"Ah -"

"Don't do it, Lila!" said Cass.

"Matt's raight." said Lila, "Jasmine deserves a home, and a family."

"We can give her that!" said Cass, "You and me and Charlie - we can be her family!"

"Oh Cass, you couldn't possibly give Jasmine th'advantages of bein' a Cory! Ah have to think about whut's best for' mah chile!"

"What about what's best for You? Do you think marrying a man you don't love - a man who doesn't love you - will make you happy?"

"If Jasmine is happy, Ah'll be happy!" said Lila, setting her jaw.

Meanwhile, Paulina was holding Joe back from punching Matthew out.

"You lousy little son-of-a-bitch! You think you can treat my sister like this?"

"Things change, Joe." said Matthew, "People change."

"Joe, Please!" said Paulina, "Starting a fight won't help anything!"

"Maybe not, but it will make me feel better!" said Joe.

"Stop it, Joey!" said Sofia, "I can fight my own battles!"

"Well, Lila - what's your answer?"

"Mah answer is 'Yes', Matt. Ah'll marry you. - fo' Jasmine's sake!"

"Then, Reverend, will you do the honours?" said Matthew.

"You - you mean you wawnt to get married raight heah?" said Lila, " Now?"

"Why wait? We've got the minister, we've got the witnesses - "

"You also need a marriage license." the minister pointed out.

"I've got one." Matthew took it out of his wallet.

"Very well." said the minister, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here - "

Sofia turned and ran out of the Chapel; Nick followed her.

"How can Matt treat me like this, after all we've meant to each other?" she cried.

"I know how you feel, and it sucks!" said Nick. "You keep thinking that this is a nightmare - that you'll wake up, and Matt will have come to his senses - and he's thinking that he HAS come to them! You're going to have to face the fact that Matt dumped you because he Wanted to; he knew you'd be hurt - he just didn't Care!" He paused for a beat, then added, "Though, to give the guy credit, at least he didn't dump you while you were in mourning for your dead father!"

Sofia glared at him" "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Am I enjoying the fact that you just got a dose of your own medicine?" Nick pondered - then let a wide grin spread across his face. "God, YES!" He burst out laughing as Sofia ran away.

(Note: Nick's sympathy for Sofia when she got dumped was pretty unbelievable. It's only human nature to gloat when someone who did you wrong gets what s/he deserves:-D)

Meanwhile, back in the Chapel:

"I now pronounce you Husband and Wife. You may kiss the bride."

Matthew kissed Lila's forehead.

"Congratulations, Lila." said Rachel, "You got what you wanted."

"Ah intend to be a good waff!" said Lila, "Matt woan evuh be sorry he married me!"

Rachel's face softened, "If you really mean that, then - welcome to the family."

To be continued.