Ring, ring.Ring, ring.
Ring, ring.
“What?” Sonny mumbled, hating to be disrupted from sleep. He turned over in bed, opening one eye to see that it was now 10:34 am.
Ring, ring.
Sonny turned back over, pulling a pillow over his head. Whatever it was, it could wait. He hadn’t gotten to sleep until earlier this morning, around 6 or 7. He hadn’t realized how tired he was until his body had hit the mattress. He listened for the phone again, but heard nothing. Throwing the pillow off his head, he sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes. He had a lot to do today, and first on his list was to go and see Carly – the mother of his child.
Dragging himself out of bed, his headed towards the bedroom when the phone started ringing again. Turning, he went back and picked up the phone.
“Corinthos.”
“Mr. Corinthos, this is Daniella Carzuti of the Santos and Carzuti Law Office. Your presence is requested at a meeting this afternoon to discuss a matter concerning Ms. Caroline Spencer. Would one o’clock be convenient for you?”
“Is this a joke? Cause if it is, it’s not that funny.” Sonny made a move to hang up the phone, but the woman’s voice stopped him.
“I assure you Mr. Corinthos, this is not a joke. If you waive the invitation to this meeting, you will be losing more than you will gain. I will expect you at my office at promptly one o’clock. 6212 Broad. Suite D. Good day.” The sound that followed was the dial tone of his phone. Hanging it up, Sonny took a seat on his bed. What was going on? Wasn’t Carly in the hospital? Sonny got back up and moved to the bathroom. He would just have to pay her a visit before his meeting then.
“How did he take it?” Carly asked from the counter, where her and Michael were having a late breakfast.
Dani looked over at Carly and her son. “Well, he took it. He thought it was a joke, but other than that…He didn’t really have much time to say anything.” Walking around to where Carly sat with Michael in her lap, Dani took a seat next to them.
“I still don’t think this was the best way to approach the situation Carly.”
“My way is always the best way.”
“You shouldn’t even be out of the hospital, much less trying to conquer a suspected mob boss and your angry husband.”
“AJ has probably already called the police on me. And when he finds out that Michael is missing, well, he’ll just flip his lid.”
“That’s exactly what I mean Carly. I think you should take your son back to his home, go back to the hospital, and just wait things out. I can file the temporary custody papers early tomorrow, and we will be more set to deal with the situation.”
“Wherever I am is Michael’s home. And I am not going back to that hospital. I was in pain there, I am in pain here. At least now, I’m with my son and having a good time!”
Dani stood and started pacing. “I’m not having a good time. I don’t even think what I’m doing is legal! And now, I have a meeting with a mob boss. I only deal with speeding tickets Carly, not mobsters! I don’t…”
“How old are you anyway?” Carly asked. She took a napkin form the holder and wiped Michael’s syrupy mouth. The boy was enjoying getting the pancake syrup around his face more than in his mouth.
“I’m 29. Almost…why?”
“Just asking. I’ll be 26 this March. And look at my life – a kid and one on the way. But you – you’re a lawyer. Lawyers are smart, right? I mean, they have to be to win cases. I’m sure you’re smart. And I’m sure you’ll do a great job. Just do everything I told you to do and things should work out fine. At the very least, it’ll give me some time to come up with a back-up plan.”
“Carly. You shouldn’t have taken Michael away from his home, his father!”
“So what? I just wait until he does the same to me?”
“What we did…it could be illegal.”
“What is so illegal about a mother taking his child out for an early morning get-together?”
“At 5 am in the morning? What if your husband realizes that Michael isn’t at home, in his crib where he’s supposed to be?”
“That’s why I told Leticia to take the day off. That way, AJ will just think that Michael is with her. When he goes to the hospital and realizes that I’m not there, he’ll call the police and have them out searching for me, as if I can’t sign myself out of the hospital or something. By the time you contact AJ and serve him with the divorce papers, we should have Sonny stabilized. At lease, I hope. I’m still not sure about that. But either way, things will work out.”
“I have a bad feeling about this. I have a really bad feeling about this and that isn’t good because usually when I have a bad feeling about something it’s true. The bad feeling part. And I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Calm down Daniella! You are my only hope and you’re acting as if you’re going to chicken out on me. I should just leave!” Carly stood up form her seat, lifting Michael up into the crook of her good arm.
“Where are you going to go? You have no resources – no money, no home, nothing!”
“I don’t care. I’m not sticking around so AJ can take away my freedom…or my son! I’ll find something, somewhere.” Carly packed the small bag she had taken along with Michael.
“Stop, just stop! Okay?” Dani went over and took the bag out of Carly’s hand, putting it down on sofa. “I shouldn’t be doing this Carly. I barely know you and I came and helped you to break out of the hospital…”
“I signed out!”
“…then I took you to supposedly ‘see’ your son, at which point you stole him…”
“How can you steal something that belongs to you?”
“…and now you have this hair-brained idea that could get us both arrested! But I will help you. So don’t go.”
Carly looked at Daniella…Dani and thought for a second. It wasn’t as if her choices were mounted up in front of her. She had to see her way through this latest plan if she ever dreamt of having some normal semblance of a life. “Okay. But no more negative thoughts. I have to change Michael, could you hand me a diaper? There should be on in the bag.”
Dani took the boy from his mother’s arms. “I’ll change him. You do only have use of that one arm, it could get tricky.” Taking the diaper and the boy, Dani left for the bathroom.
Carly walked around and plopped on the couch. Last night, after Bobbie had left, she had called Dani. The woman had quickly come over, saying she saw the accident and was worried about Carly’s condition. It was then that Carly had asked her what exactly they could do to get Michael out of the Quartermaine mansion. The two had brainstormed for over and hour, each taking turns at downing the other’s ideas until Carly had called a halt to it.
Look, I really need to get out of that house. Tonight.
Well it doesn’t exactly look like you are the Quartermaine mansion right now, does it?
You don’t understand Dani. When AJ comes back in the morning, he’s going to make my life a living hell. He thinks I’m having Jason’s baby. Even with that, he’s willing to raise this child. If he ever found out the child was Sonny’s, he would…well, I don’t know what he would do, but it would be horrible. I just know it. I can’t be in that situation and neither can my children I’m going to get out of that house – I’ve already decided that. I don’t care what AJ says, this marriage is over. What I need you for is getting custody of Michael.
Carly, don’t you think your son deserves to know his father?
Michael can see AJ over the weekends. That’s the only time they ever really see each other anyway – when AJ is off from work. He can even have a holiday. I just…I need my son. AJ will never love Michael the way I do. I haven’t always been there for my son, but I try. And I will continue to try until I get it right. That’s what is happening here Dani – I’m trying to get it right. Well?
I can draw up divorce paper, somehow, by tomorrow. I’ll need to call my sister to figure out exactly how its done. Or I can look it up ---
What about Michael?
Custody papers…but I don’t really know how to do those either…
Well, let’s get out of here and find out!
Are you sure you can leave? Aren’t you in pain?
I’ll be fine. Let’s go!
And that’s how it had been. They had swung by the Quartermaine mansion to ‘see’ Michael, where Carly had arranged Leticia’s absence for the day and packed a few things for her son. Dani had been furious when she’d returned with Michael, but Carly hadn’t cared. They’d come back to Dani’s small apartment where the two had discussed further their plans and Carly had helped Dani to look up cases for her presentations for the upcoming custody battle. Carly had to be sure that everything would be okay. She had to.
“Can’t your force work any faster? That girl could be miles away by now!” Edward billowed. When AJ had called to report Carly ‘disappeared’ from the hospital, Edward had immediately went to check on Michael. The boy was gone as well – his nanny nowhere to be found. There was the scant possibility that Michael was with Leticia, but Edward seriously doubted that. He had headed to the hospital right after calling the police, from whom he learned they were already on the case.
“Look, we’re doing all that we can. But we really don’t have much basis to be searching for her. She signed her own discharge papers, which wasn’t a crime since her injuries weren’t that serious. The boy, well, he is probably with his nanny in a…”
“Don’t you understand? We’re talking about Carly Benson…Spencer…whatever here!” Edward shouted again. “This woman is crazy. She probably stole the boy and is half way across the country by now. If your men don’t put a speed on finding her, then I will have to have you all fired!”
“Calm down Grandfather. I’m sure the PCPD is doing their best to locate Carly, right Detective Taggert?” AJ calmly asked the man. Edward’s pressure antics weren’t going to get them anywhere.
“As I just stated, we are doing all that we can, but we really have nothing to go on yet. We are currently viewing hospital security cameras to see how Mrs. Quartermaine left as well as interviewing people. I’m sure something will come up very soon. Now, if you will excuse me.” Taggert turned and walked to the elevator doors, when they opened and off stepped Sonny Corinthos and one of his guards.
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Mr. Sonny Corinthos, reported mob boss. What brings you here today?”
Sonny looked to the lieutenant, wondering why he was here in the first place. “My business here is none of your concern, Taggert. Now excuse me.” Sonny continued to walk towards Carly’s room, but was quickly stopped by tweedle-dee and tweedle-dumb, otherwise known as Edward and AJ Quartermaine. “Surprised to see you here old man.” The comment was directed towards Edward, but AJ responded.
“Where is she Sonny?” AJ asked angrily.
Sonny was confused. “Have you tried her room AJ? Because that’s where I was going.” And Sonny brushed past the man, continuing on his way to Carly’s room.
“You stop that criminal right this instance!” Edward bellowed.
“She’s not in her room, Sonny! As if you didn’t already know. What is this? A joke? Huh? My wife, my son, and my unborn child are missing and it is all your own doing. Then you come here, and act as if nothing is wrong…”
“Wait…wait...wait! Carly’s gone?” Sonny looked around, now noticing that several uniformed policemen occupied the floor.
“Yes, she gone! Taggert, I demand you arrest this man at once!” Edward pointed an accusing finger towards Sonny.
“For what?” Sonny defended himself. But in the back of his mind, his only thoughts were of Carly…and his child.
“For kidnapping!”
“I didn’t kidnap anyone, Edward.” Sonny turned around and walked briskly to room 435, where Carly was. Or wasn’t. Upon reaching the room, he was stopped by another PCPD officer. But looking inside, he could see the room was empty. Turning back around, he walked back to AJ.
“Where is she?” Sonny asked determinedly.
“You’re asking me now? STOP with the games Sonny. I know you helped her. She’s probably on her way to see Jason, right this second as we speak.”
Sonny stepped back, thinking it over.
Your presence is requested at a meeting this afternoon to discuss a matter concerning Ms. Caroline Spencer.
If you waive the invitation to this meeting, you will be losing more than you will gain.
“You absolutely right AJ.” Sonny said, now looking AJ straight in the eye.
“What?”
“Carly did call me and ask where Jason was. I just told her…so she’d leave me alone. The flight leaves the airport at,” Sonny looked to his watch, it was now 11:59. “12:30. She won’t be there until right before the plane boards. I didn’t know she had Michael, I just figured she was on her own…”
“Damn it Sonny! She’s going to take my child away from me!” AJ turned to Detective Taggert, “We have to get to the airport…now!”
“Fine…what flight Corinthos?” Taggert asked coldly.
“Private hangar – my jet. You know the place, Taggert.” Sonny returned in the same manner.
“I swear Corinthos! If that girl gets away, I will have you arrested for…for kidnapping!”
“Whatever you say Edward.” Sonny almost grinned as he watched Taggert assemble his men to leave, as well as AJ and Edward shuffling to be included in the ‘rescue’. In minutes, they were all gone.
“She didn’t really call you, did she?” Johnny asked from behind.
Turning, Sonny looked to his guard. “No. But I got a call earlier…this woman…she said to meet her at one o’clock…Broad, Suite D. It has to do with Carly. I don’t know…”
Johnny nodded his understanding at Sonny’s words, but his actions still weren’t clear. “Then, why’d you let…”
“While they’re out there trying to look for her, I can go see this woman, Carzuti. I’m sure she knows where Carly is. I have to find her before AJ does.”