Dani paced her office. To say she was a little nervous about her meeting would be the understatement of the year. She was terrified. Sonny Corinthos was a force which she had heard about through conversation only. Now she had a meeting with him and it did not promise to be very pleasant. Looking at the desk clock, she saw the time as 12:30. In 30 minutes her whole world would change.
Deciding that some fresh air would be good for her about now, Dani made her way to the bank of elevators. Just as she was about to press the button, one elevator opened unto her floor…and out stepped Sonny Corinthos.
“Daniella Carzuti?” Sonny asked the woman before him. Looking her up and down, Sonny thought it should be easy to find out where Carly was from her.
“Ah…yeah. And you are?” Dani lied. She wasn’t ready for this!
“Sonny Corinthos. But you already new that, right Ms. Carzuti?” Sonny approached the woman as she stepped back.
“Your meeting isn’t until one o’clock Mr. Corinthos.” Dani tried to play for more time, “If you’ll excuse me…”’
“No. I won’t. Where’s Carly? Is she here?” Sonny moved further into the offices of Santos and Carzuti, looking around and having Johnny also check behind doors.
“Caroline is not here. This meeting is just between the two of…the three of us.” She amended, looking towards the huge man behind Sonny Corinthos.
Sonny looked to the woman. Although her manner was strong and professional, he could tell she was scared. Most people were of him. “Then tell me where she is so I can find her.”
“If you’ll come into my office, we can discuss this matter.” Dani walked towards her office. Sitting in her chair, she felt more in power and at ease.
Sonny gave her a long stare, and then slowly sat down as well. “What’s there to discuss?”
“Well, the big issue at hand is Ms. Spencer’s pregnancy. She feels that you might have already heard from Mr. Quartermaine, but in case you have not, he is going to raise her unborn child.”
“Like hell he is.”
“If her situation stays the same, if she is forced to remain in the Quartermaine house, that is how things will be. That is where you come in. Ms. Spencer has already filed for a divorce from Mr. Quartermaine, though she feels that it will be much harder to obtain that most divorces. She…we need your help in coming up with some information that will help her to obtain her divorce, as well as full custody of her son Michael.”
Sonny didn’t like this. HE would not play whatever game Carly…Caroline was playing now. “Why do you keep calling her Caroline and Ms. Spencer?”
“It shows that she is beginning a new life, in which she will be able to care for both her children. By herself if absolutely necessary.”
“Are you threatening me?” Sonny asked now.
“No threats Mr. Corinthos, just the facts. If you can come up with anything that would harm Mr. Quartermaine’s chances of retaining custody of Michael Quartermaine, it would benefit you in the end.”
“So…let me get this straight. If I can come up with dirt on AJ Quartermaine, I can play a part in my child’s life?”
“Your child? I wasn’t aware you had a child Mr. Corinthos.” This is it Dani thought.
“Her unborn child is my child…did she fail to tell you that Ms. Carzuti?”
“All I know of her unborn child is that she is not positive who the father is.” Dani hoped he believed her lie. She wasn’t used to telling them, but it had seemed necessary…especially when dealing with a man like Sonny Corinthos.
Sonny stood and slammed his fist down on her desk. “That’s bull shit and we both know it! She told me yesterday the child was mine!”
“Really? Oh, you mean in the lobby of this building, where you accosted my client. Threatened her life. Practically threw her in front of moving traffic? Am I correct Mr. Corinthos?”
Sonny blinked. He sat back down, feeling cornered. “That’s not how it happened.”
“Sure.” Dani picked up a remote from her desk, pushing a few buttons on it. A screen opened, behind which a television came on. Right there on the screen were the events of yesterday – him…threatening Carly in the lobby. Looking at it today, Sonny saw how scared she had really been. Yesterday, his anger had been so outrageously blinding, he hadn’t even noticed. The tape suddenly stopped. Sonny looked back at the woman who seemingly held him right where she wanted him
“You do know Mr. Corinthos, if there were ever to be a custody battle for this child you are assuming is yours, a judge…any judge would not look very kindly on this piece of evidence coupled with police reports of the accident as well as Ms. Spencer’s medical files.
Sonny stared at the woman. She did have a valid point, but he wasn’t just about to give in and hand Carly whatever it is she wanted. He would not be another Jason – child or no child.
“Do you know how easy it would be for me to get…”
“Rid of me?” Dani finished the sentence. Carly had told her to expect threats, and it seemed she had been right on mark. “Whether it is me helping her, or someone else, she will get custody of her child…both her children at some time. As amazing as it may seem, I know of Carly’s past and exactly what is thought of her in this town. But the simple fact remains that a child should not be separated from its mother if she can give it a stable home and most importantly love. You might not think highly of Carly, nor may others, but I have seen her with her son, Michael. She truly loves that boy. And despite being faced with a tough decision such as an abortion, she made the right choice, with a little help from me, to keep her child. I don’t know her that well, but she has a lot more guts than a lot of other women out there, and for that, I commend her.”
“I don’t have time for this.” Sonny said while standing. “How can you commend a woman who has done the things she had done? Hurt the people she’s hurt? She would use that little boy to get anything she wanted…and now my child is going to become another pawn in her life’s continuous game play. I won’t have it…so you tell her that.” With those words, Sonny turned and stormed out of the office.
Dani exhaled a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Resting back in her seat, she thought of what to do next.
In the elevator Sonny fumed. He had confronted Carly yesterday in the lobby. And yes, he had even threatened her…practically pushed her to her death. And he was sorry…more sorry than he had ever been about anything in his life. But no way in hell would he ever…ever help Carly. And she would know that too.
“Find out where Carzuti lives.” Sonny ordered to Johnny. If his guess was right, that is where Carly would be.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about! Mr. Corinthos doesn’t have a flight scheduled for today. He hasn’t flown anywhere in the past month and a half for that matter. You’re lucky you even caught me here…I’m just here to do a weekly maintenance check up.”
“Don’t lie to me young man! Do you know who I am? I can have your license revoked for this! Now, tell us where she is!” Edward boomed.
“I swear I there isn’t anyone here. Check the jet if you want.” The pilot pointed to the Cessna. “Okay Taggert…do your job now.” Edward commanded the young lieutenant.
“Well, you are the one the wants to find her Edward.” Taggert replied. He was sick of the old man always trying to boss him around. Didn’t he understand that he worked for the City of Port Charles, not the Quartermaine family?
“I’ll look, all right!” AJ pushed pas the two and opened the door to the small plane. Stepping inside, he moved down the aisles, finding no one. He checked the bathroom as well as the cockpit before returning to a waiting crowd.
“Well? Is she in there?” Edward asked.
“Don’t you think I would have brought her out if she was?” AJ moved away, now more distressed than before. Maybe Carly had somehow found out that they were on to her, and had panicked and tried to get to Jason another way. “We have to check the PC Bus Depot. She might be traveling that way now. Come on.”
“Now wait just a minute there AJ. Maybe we should just let the police take over the investigation…”
“What investigation?” Taggert cut in. “So far, all you have is a woman, a free woman at that, who checked herself out of a hospital. You have no proof that the child is with her, he’s probably at home right now with his baby sitter.”
AJ walked up to Taggert. “I know Carly. She’s scared right now, and when she’s scared, she gets crazy…with her ideas and plans…If we don’t find her and my son now, we will never see them again.”
“And exactly why is she scared Mr. Quartermaine?” Taggert asked.
“Stop questioning my grandson! He’s not the criminal here, its that delinquent mother Carly. Now let’s all go and find her!”
Carly heard the knock at the door as she was putting Michael down for a nap. No really thinking of who might be on the other side, she walked towards the door and opened it. When she saw Sonny there, she quickly tried to close it on his face, but he threw his body in to stop it.
“Get out of here!” Carly shrieked as she backed up. After yesterday’s events, she knew not to mess with Sonny…exactly how he got when he felt deceived or betrayed. Her broken arm and many bruises were physical proof of that.
Sonny closed the door after he was inside, leaving Johnny to guard outside. He looked around the place, noting the pictures on the wall that decorated it above anything else. Swinging his gaze back to Carly, he looked at her arm – stared at it even.
“Yeah, you did this. I’m sure you’re happy and everything. Now leave!”
“You ran into the street Carly, not me.” Sonny retorted, his gaze still fixated on her wounded arm. It was amazing that the woman wasn’t dead after what she had been through less than twenty four hours before.
“Oh…so I was just supposed to stand there and wait to be taken away, then shot and dumped in the river. Thanks, but no thanks Sonny.”
“Carly…I…You were at the abortion clinic…”
“How do you know!?! You didn’t actually see me there did you? Huh?”
“No, but I know…”
“You know what Sonny, save it. Save it! Yes, I went there to get an abortion. But no, I did not kill my child, okay. Luckily, someone was there to talk me out of it. I don’t even think I would have done it had the decision been left up to me…I was so scared…I just didn’t know what to do…But I didn’t have the abortion. And then, you grab me and threaten me! God! What the hell was I supposed to do? You are just as responsible for this,” Carly held up her broken arm, “as I am. You could have killed me and my child.” Carly took a few steps back, wondering if he would do something to her…here. “Please, just leave.”
“I’m not going to hurt you Carly.”
“Fine. Leave.”
“Damn it! I didn’t come here just so you could tell me to leave! I’m sorry okay. What else do you want me to say? I made a mistake…and I could have very dearly paid for it. I’m sorry and that’s why I came here.”
“No its not! You came here because you wanted to rip into me about how I’m using this child to get what I want.” Carly saw the surprised look on his face and continued. “Yeah…that’s right. You’ve seen my lawyer, haven’t you? She told you the demands and you got mad. Figures you would. You’d probably rather wear an imposter suit than ever help me. Trash Carly…Carly the whore…Carly the unfit mother. Just get out Sonny.”
“If you think for one moment that I will let you raise my child without it ever knowing me, then you have another thing coming.”
“Oh, I’m sure. A train will suddenly appear and run me down. You can arrange accidents like that, can’t you?”
“I would never hurt my child Carly! Even though you are its mother, it still is my child.”
“Well, thank you for the compliment. And what child are you talking about? My child…my unborn child? The child who as of this moment is property of AJ Quartermaine? If I go back to that house, AJ will make me stay there…forever. He will have control over me…over Michael…over this child’s life. How do you think he’s going to treat this baby, huh? A child he assumes belongs to his brother. Michael barely gets any attention as it is. This child will be lucky to have a roof over its head and meals on the table. I can’t live in a prison like that Sonny. I know…I know you hate me, but I don’t deserve that hellhole. I don’t care what it takes. I will fight for Michael. I will fight for this baby. And I will fight for myself. With…or without you. Now get out.”
“You can’t dismiss me that easily Carly. I’m not Jason. I’m not just…”
“What is everyone’s fixation on Jason? Does every man in this town have the same complex? You, AJ, who next? Jason is gone. He left because…because of me. He’s gone and no matter how much I wish it, he’s not coming back. And I’m over it, so you should just get over it too.”
“I don’t care about your…”
“Yeah, I figured. It’s always about you right? I mean, you assume this child is yours, so immediately you want some kind of custody. You’d probably rip it from my womb if you could. You are above and beyond the most selfish man I have ever met. Did you not here a word Dani said to you? If you help me, I will give you what you want. You have a choice Sonny. Any maybe for once, just once, you should think of others beside yourself. Like your child and how he or she will feel being the outcast of the Quartermaine family. Think about that Sonny.”
Sonny just stood there for a moment, letting her words finally seep in. She had finally called the child his, but he was sure she would recant if he mentioned it. Plus, there were no witnesses around. Walking past Carly, further into the apartment, Sonny went and took a seat on the couch.
“If you don’t leave Sonny, I’ll call the police.”
“No you won’t.” Sonny answered her.
Carly stomped over the phone on the wall in the kitchen and picked it up.
“You know they’re looking for you. AJ, Edward, Taggert, and half of the PCPD.”
Carly looked at his back and slowly put the phone back on the hook. Walking out of the kitchen, she went to sit down on a chair that was far enough away from where he was sitting.
“How do you know they’re looking for me?” Carly asked cautiously.
“Because, I went to the hospital to see you and they were all swarming around. They asked me if I knew where you where, and when I realized you were really gone, I told them that you were headed for Jason. They’re probably at the airport right now…”
“You lied for me?” She asked incredulously.
“Hell no! I lied for me. I had to find you before they did. I went to see your lawyer and she pissed me off. Then, I came here.” Sonny watched as Carly shook her head and rolled her eyes at him. “What?” he barked at her. Seeing her jump, he instantly felt sorry for having spoken to her in that way.
“Nothing…well, just that I should have known you wouldn’t have lied for me.”
“Carly, I don’t know what game you are playing, but you shouldn’t use my child…your child as a pawn.”
“I’m not playing any games Sonny! I just want out of that house. Have you not heard a word I’ve said to you?”
“I heard every word Carly. But how do I know you’re being honest with me? How do I know that once you have whatever information you need to get Michael, you won’t just screw me and run away? I can’t know Carly. This might come as a surprise to you, but I don’t trust you.”
“Well…fine then. I will do it on my own. Then, I won’t have to give you anything. So if you are finished you can leave now.”
“Why are you doing this Carly?” Sonny asked, looking her straight in the eyes.
“This might come as a surprise to you,” Carly used the same tone he had just used with her, “but I want to start over. I want my children to both have a normal life. I haven’t been named mother of the year yet, or even tried, but…but I want to be. I love Michael. And,” she rubbed her uninjured hand over her belly, “this baby. That’s why I’m doing this.”
Sonny let that seep in. She seemed to be sincere, but he knew better than to just believe Carly. But really, nothing to win and everything lose by not helping her. “I’ll get your information. But then, I want it written down on paper that the child you are carrying is mine.”
Carly started to respond, but stopped when Sonny held up his hand. “Save it for later Carly. You’ll be hearing from me soon.” He stood and walked to door. Only looking back at her once, he left the apartment.