“Tina, we have a long way to go to even get to planning a wedding,” he heard Blair say. “Todd has an appointment with Dr. Harmon in a few days for an initial evaluation, but they still want to give him recuperative time from the emergency surgery. Then, he’s going to need physical therapy on top of that.”
Todd got his sister’s attention and then made a slashing gesture across his throat. “Tina, we discussed this already.” Then, he added in a faux jaunty tone, “Hey if you’re so eager to plan a wedding, talk to Viki.” He splayed his hands. “She is marrying your husband’s father again after all.”
At hearing her name, Viki made her presence known. “Ah, we’ll table those discussions for the time being,” she said as she came over to Todd, with Clint and Danie following her. Into his ear, she whispered, “We talked this morning and we agree with you regarding Danie.” She pulled back and handed Todd a bag. “It’s a housewarming present for you.”
Todd looked at her, all proper and demur. He shouldn’t have been surprised that his big sister brought it. “Thank you,” he said with a modicum of sincerity. Blair came over and watched as he pulled out the tissue paper. In the bag was a framed photograph of a young Viki and another woman. Todd knew who it was immediately. “You and Merrie? God, what year was this taken?” he asked, goading her.
Viki, having known how to handle Todd for years, didn’t respond to his comment. “There’s another picture in there,” she told him. Todd handed the first one to Blair and fished out the other one. It was of him and Viki from before he was taken. “Don’t worry, I still have a copy of it in the library at Llanfair. And yes, I still have the picture of Victor and I there as well. But I thought you would like this one for your own home.”
Todd remembered seeing both pictures of her with him and Victor side-by-side and hearing all the comments about ‘Todd Manning’ during his lurking tour last year. He closed his eyes to expel the memory. “Thank you, they’re really thoughtful.” He wheeled himself away for a minute and put the picture on the desk that had arrived. Blair placed the first picture next to it and he looked at the two of them. “Does someone have a camera?” he asked finally.
Blair looked at him with a curious expression. “Why do you need a camera?”
“I…I know this will sound weird, you know, coming from me, but, well, since Viki’s in town and Tina’s standing there not doing a whole hell of a lot, I just thought, well, you know…” he stammered. Viki couldn’t keep the smile off her face and even Tina was amazed. When he saw the two of them, his expression change to one of a child being made to eat his greens. “Now, if you two are going to get all sappy on me…” he half-heartedly protested. But Danie whipped out her phone and Viki and Tina stood on either side of him as several shots were taken. Danie promised to get them developed and send them to him.
With things buzzing in the main house, at the gatehouse, Starr and Sarah were working on their place when there was a knock at the door. Cord was the closest and he went to answer it. He found Michael Corinthos standing outside. “Ah, can I help you?” he drawled.
Starr saw him and waved him in. “Michael, you remember by Uncle Cord from the night of the shooting, right?”
“Yes, hello,” Michael said as he held out his hand. Cord took it as his phone went off. As he moved to the side, Michael cast an appraising eye of the surroundings. “How’s the move in?” he asked.
“It’s going really smooth actually. I was just about to go up and check in on the main house with Sarah and my uncle. I just want to make sure my mom and dad haven’t killed my Aunt Tina yet.” When Michael gave her a questioning look, she elaborated. “My dad’s never been particularly close to Tina and she and Mom have hated each other for longer than my parents knew each other. It only got worse when Tina found out Dad was her brother with a now-sizeable inheritance. She always saw Mom as a gold-digger until recently, at least.”
“Let me guess, the sister has to protect the brother? Yeah, my grandmother and her sister-in-law never got along, especially since the estate is technically Monica’s,” Michael said with an understanding laugh.
“See, this is one of the things I really like about you. When I talk about the craziness in my family, you understand,” Starr replied.
“We do seem to,” he said as he held the door for her. As they left, he had to ask, “You does your family do pizza for Thanksgiving also?” At that, Starr shot him a look.
When they arrived, Starr was surprised to find everyone in one piece, in addition to Viki, Clint and Danie. Jack and Sam soon join them as they had lunch delivered from Kelly’s. As they were eating, Cord and Sarah came in and Cord walked over to Tina and Clint. “I just got a call. We are all invited over to the Quartermaine estate tonight for dinner. Edward wants to meet the new neighbors, it seems.”
“He probably wants to size up the competition from BE as well. Tracy is getting nowhere on the deal so she may try to lull us,” Clint said.
“Well, as they are the most prominent family in Port Charles, and I publish a newspaper here, I say we should take them up on their generous offer,” Todd said, glaring at his daughter’s friend, Michael.
Michael saw the look he was getting and as he left after lunch, said to Starr, “I guess I’ll see you later.”
“You’re going to come?” she asked.
Michael rubbed the back of his neck. “If nothing else, I can play peacemaker should the need arise. When Edward or Tracy get talking about business, it can get rough.” He looked to the door. “You know, since I’m here, I may just go and check on him.” He gave Starr a peck on the cheek as he left.
Starr watched him go, then turned and headed back to the family. She stopped when she saw her father at the door. She knew that look on his face. “Dad, I know what your thinking.”
“What, did I say anything?” he said in a mock insulted tone. He let out a sigh. “Look, I still see him as the guy who was ready to send you to prison for having a bad night.”
Starr bent down in from of her father. “We have moved beyond that. He’s also the guy who gave me a place to stay when I was in town for the trial. And he tried so hard to save Hope and Cole. He still feels guilty for not being able to do more.”
“Okay, fine. But he’s still Sonny Corinthos’ son. Just don’t forget that,” he warned as he wheeled himself back into the room.
Starr sighed as she watched her dad. “At least he’s handling this better than Victor handled Cole and I.”
Michael made his way over to the Quartermaine’s and was let in by Alice. “Your great-grandfather is in the study,” she informed him.
Michael thanked her and proceeded in. He found the family patriarch looking through a box of pictures. “Hello, Grandfather,” he said, coming from behind him.
“Well, hello there Michael. What brings you out this way?” the old man asked.
“Well, I was just visiting Starr and her family. They’re finishing their move just now next door. And when I was there, I heard you were inviting them all over tonight,” Michael told them. “Starr’s uncles seem to think it more about business.”
“Well, it’s good to see Asa Buchanan didn’t raise a fool. Yes, it’s partially that but I also know it’s important to have the press on your side and since Todd Manning turned a respectable paper into a rag, I want to make sure he never smears myself or the family in it,” Edward told his great-grandson. “There is also a personal aspect to it.”
Edward handed some black and white pictures to Michael. They were of his great-grandparents at what looked like a garden party. The women sat at a table with their husbands standing behind them. While young Edward and Lila were beaming in the shots, the other woman, obviously pregnant and her husband were solemn. He turned over the picture and read the label. “With Victor and Eugenia, Llanfair Estate, 1950. You knew Starr’s grandparents?” he asked.
“Well, her grandfather, at any rate. Todd Manning is Victor’s illegitimate son, with a mistress who was his daughter Victoria’s age,” Edward began.
“Yeah, I remember now. Starr said her family was just as ‘unique’ as ours,” Michael said as he picked up another picture, this time of three children, a boy and two girls. That one read ‘Alan, Victoria and Tracy, 1950’. “How did you meet Victor Lord?”
“We were at a lunch in New York that spring and I thought we could continue our business dealings. Lila and I went down to Llanview with your grandfather and Tracy,” he said as he pointed to the picture, “to continue discussions.”
“What happened?” he asked with genuine curiosity.
“Let’s just say that, nothing came of it.” Edward paused for a minute. “You know, my Lila was an excellent judge of character.” He paused then, thinking of a number of the men in Port Charles who had charmed Lila Quartermaine in her later years whom Edward did not approve of. “Well, most of the time. At any rate, when we left after that weekend, Lila told me she didn’t like the feeling she was getting from Victor. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something about him that she did not like. Years later, we read about what kind of man he was.”
Michael understood what he was saying. “Yeah, Dad also said he saw a book Kate was reading about Starr’s aunt and her cousin. It did discuss the trauma that brought on the DID,” Michael explained.
“It is ironic that we will be getting them as neighbors,” Edward said as he went through the box of pictures some more. After a few minutes, he closed it up, putting it aside for another day. “I would like it if you joined us tonight.”
“I fully intend on being here, even if I wasn’t invited,” Michael stated, matter of fact. “I figured I could be a peacekeeper between the families. Besides, Starr’s a friend and I don’t want anything done to jeopardize that friendship, including laying a business trap for her family.”
Edward nodded his head. “Seven o’clock, business attire.” When Michael threw him a look, the old man added, “We still adhere to decent social conventions in my house.”
“Alright, but I thought it was my grandmother’s house,” he joked as he left, knowing it would irk his great-grandfather.
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nice chapter
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