Stefan waited patiently on the Cassadine jet for his other passenger to arrive. As Lisa boarded, he picked up the phone, “Yes, she’s aboard. Prepare to leave at once.” As she sat across from him and fastened her seat belt, he couldn’t help but notice how pale she looked. “Leezia, are you okay?”
She nodded slowly, “Yeah, just kind of tired. I’ve not felt well the past few days.” Changing the subject, she asked, “So what is this all about?”
“I wanted to see you,” he said simply.
Suspiciously, she asked, “So you asked me to pack a week’s worth of clothes to fly to Greece?”
“You and I need to spend some time together alone. Then, on the way back, we have to pick up someone traveling to Port Charles.”
Lisa’s look was serious. “Please tell me it’s not Helena.”
Stefan shook his head, “Oh no. I wouldn’t subject you to her.”
Lisa smiled, knowing who Stefan was talking about. She leaned back and closed her eyes. After a few minutes, she asked, “So, are you going to tell me how things went with Bobbie?”
Stefan frowned, “It wasn’t as simple a conversation as I had hoped.”
Lisa opened her eyes and glared at him, “What does THAT mean?”
“There’s a child involved.”
Lisa raised her eyebrows incredulously, “You want to explain that? Bobbie can’t have kids.”
“She brought a child to the island to stay.” Stefan watched as a look of anger washed over Lisa’s face. “Leezia, wait. There’s more.” Stefan stood up and switched seats to sit next to her. “I had no idea this was going to happen.”
Lisa glared at him. “What have you done?” she asked harshly. “Am I just a joke to you? How much of this crap do you expect me to take, Stefan? You tell me what I want to hear to get me into bed, and then you change it as soon as you walk out the door.”
He shook his head, hurt by her accusation, but realizing how she saw things. “No, I do love you, Leezia. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend this week with you if I didn’t.”
She threw her hands up in defeat, “Fine. I’m too tired to argue. I’m here now, it’s not like I’m gonna jump out of the plane or something.” She let her head rest back against the seat and closed her eyes.
Stefan pulled Lisa’s newly restored pendant out of his pocket. “I had this repaired for you, if you want it.”
She opened her eyes and looked at him blankly, “It’s not my decision.”
He smiled and reached around her gently, fastening the necklace around her neck silently.
She smiled slightly, leaning her head cautiously against Stefan’s shoulder, “The end of the week will be worth it,” she said tiredly.
Softly, he said, “I hope I can make the rest of the week worthwhile.” He leaned over and kissed her gently on the forehead, but she didn’t notice. Lisa had fallen asleep.
*****
MARCH 1997
One week later, Lisa walked quickly to her destination in Switzerland. She had to admit that the last week hadn’t been all bad. She and Stefan shared long conversations, passionate interludes and just generally enjoyed each other’s company. All the while, reintroducing themselves to the idea of their marriage.
They agreed that Stefan would maintain the appearance of a marriage with Bobbie until the situation with the child could be straightened out.
Lisa smiled, the last week with just the two of them sailing around the Aegean had been like old times. She knew that they’d have to spend some quality time together to get through this latest difficulty.
She quickly frowned and held her stomach as a wave of nausea washed over her. She hoped she wasn’t getting that flu bug that made everyone so sick. She had been feeling really sick the last few days. Stefan was concerned and made her promise that she would see a doctor as soon as they were back in Port Charles.
Regaining her composure, she knocked on the door closest to her. Without waiting for an answer, Lisa stuck her head in the door far enough to see an older woman standing by the window. Lisa smiled, “Grandma?”
*****
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
The older woman turned around at the sound of Lisa’s voice. “Lisa, honey!” she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. The woman reached out to hug Lisa as she walked in the room.
Lisa smiled as they hugged. “Hi Grandma. I’ve missed you.”
“Where have you been? You used to stop in all the time, then nothing.”
Lisa sat down, “You’d better sit down, Grandma, it’s a long story.”
The woman sat down. She had missed the visits of her granddaughter. She smiled lovingly at her and waited to hear all she had to say.
Lisa didn’t know where to start. She fingered the pendant around her neck absently. “Well, I called and told you that I was going to try to help my little sister. But I didn’t tell you that I went to Port Charles.”
The woman gasped slightly. “Port Charles?” Lisa nodded slowly. “So, were you able to help Lulu?”
Lisa shook her head. “I didn’t match. But Nikolas did.”
The woman sighed in relief, “Oh thank goodness. I was getting so concerned. All I’ve wanted to do was call Laura and tell her how much I wanted to be there for her.”
Lisa nodded, “I know, Grandma. Stefan and I spoke to your doctor. He gave us your release papers. You can come home with me today.”
The woman laughed slightly, tears of joy forming in her eyes, “To Port Charles?” she asked slowly.
Lisa smiled, “Yeah, to Port Charles. Stefan had some business to take care of, but he said he’d meet us downstairs in an hour. If you can be ready.”
The woman looked around her room. She looked over at three pictures on her dresser. One of Luke, Laura, Lucky and Lesley Lu Spencer, one of Nikolas Cassadine and one of Lisa. “I’m ready to go!” she exclaimed. “I want to see my family.”
“Won’t be much longer now, Grandma.”
Lesley Webber smiled at the thought of going home to all her friends and family in Port Charles. She owed her life to Stefan Cassadine. He made sure that she always had the best of care since the accident. Lisa was always there to help brighten the early days and helped her out of the drug-induced fog she woke up over ten years before. True, Lisa wasn’t her biological granddaughter, but Lisa told her how close she and Laura had been when they were both on the Cassadine’s island. Now Lisa was as much family as anyone.
*****
The next day, Lisa and Lesley quickly crossed Spoon Island and entered the guest house. “I feel like a fugitive,” Lesley said, pulling off the hooded jacket that was hiding her face.
Lisa took off her own jacket, “What do you expect, Grandma? We can’t just waltz back into town like you’ve been around every day. We need to break the news to Laura first. If Bobbie or someone else saw you, she’d go running to Laura and blow everything sky high.”
Lesley nodded. “I know, you’re right. No one can see me until my daughter does. I just think it would have been easier for me to stay at a hotel or something.”
Lisa shook her head. “Nah, too much risk. It’s safer here, and we can plan how to do this right.”
There was a quick knock on the door. Lisa jumped quickly, but just expected it to be Stefan. She opened the door quickly to find Lucky standing there.
Surprised, she asked, “Lucky, what are you doing here?”
“You’ve not been answering your phone. I was getting worried.”
Lisa smiled, “Well, I’m fine now. You don’t have to worry.”
Lucky looked at her for a second, “Can I come in?” he finally asked.
Lisa looked behind the door and over at Lesley, who smiled and nodded. Lisa stood aside to let Lucky in.
Lucky came in slowly, “Thanks Sis,” he said oddly, wondering what was wrong with her. Then he saw Lesley standing by one of the chairs. “Oh, I didn’t realize you had company. I’ll come back later.” He started to head back to the door.
“Lucky, wait,” Lesley called out to him.
Lucky turned back to her, “Do I know you?” he asked softly.
Lisa came up beside him and gently put a hand on his shoulder. “Little Brother, can you keep a secret for a day or so?”
He shrugged, “Sure.”
“Lucky, this is your grandmother, Lesley Webber.”
Lucky looked over at Lisa, “Mom said that her mother was dead. Killed by Helena Cassadine.”
“She tried,” Lesley explained. “I’ve been in a hospital in Switzerland, recovering until just yesterday.”
“Why didn’t you ever call or anything, just to let everyone know you were okay?” he asked suspiciously.
“Because I wasn’t okay for a long time. By the time I was even to the point where I knew who I was, I was afraid that Laura wouldn’t believe me without seeing me for herself.” Lesley smiled, “I’m finally well enough to see her now.”
Lucky regarded her for a minute and thought about her story. She looked like the pictures that his mother had of her. She seemed sincere enough. He looked over at Lisa, who simply nodded. Turning back to Lesley, he said softly, “So you’re my grandmother?”
“I am,” Lesley whispered, tears sliding freely down her face.
Pushing all doubts and fears aside, Lucky reached out and embraced Lesley tightly. “Welcome home, Grandma.”
Lisa watched the exchange and wiped away her own tears.
*****