End of chapter Sixteen, Please e-mail any feedback by clicking on the mailbox below :)
Helena's yacht
Helena(after a knock at the door): Come in.
Andreas(holding an envelope): Madam, this just came for you. It's from the private investigators.
Helena: What does it say?
Andreas(reading the letter): They have narrowed her location to somewhere in central Europe.
Helena: That's not very narrow.
Andreas: They believe that she is either in France or Switzerland. They also believe that she has had help.
Helena: From who?
Andreas: Luke Spencer and Roy Dilucca. It seems that they went out of the country the same day Gia left and every two weeks, one of them has been leaving the country for a few days.
Helena: Ah, I should've known that Luke would be behind this in some way. He's been much to smug lately. And how have these investigators determined France or Switzerland?
Andreas: Well, Mr. Spencer and Mr. Dilucca always land in northern France and they rent a car and have mentioned that they have 15 to 18 hour drives ahead of them. But they are going to France right now to follow up any leads.
Helena: Call for my plane to be ready and ask the investigators to meet us at the airport.
Andreas: Madam?
Helena: Well, if they're going to find Gia, I want to be there.
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Switzerland......
Gia is in the living room of the cottage with Roy's friend, Fredric, and Fredric's wife, Teri. Both have been a big help to Gia over these last few months, especially Teri. She enjoys the friendships she's developed with Fredric and Gus (the doctor), but she's formed a closer bond with Teri. Unlike Gus, Fredric and Teri don't really know the whole story on why Gia is here, the don't even know her real name, just her alias, Jessica Lee. They just know that she is a friend of Roy's who needs help. Right now they're helping Gia put up a Christmas tree, which they insisted she needs to have. They even went out and bought her decorations with their own money. No matter what her circumstances are for being here, Gia's glad she's found a few good friends.
Teri: Jessica, why you look so sad? You missing your husband again?
Gia(sad smile): Yeah, Teri. Last year at this time we were so happy. We had just realized how we really felt about each other and it was just wonderful.
Teri: I know that for your safety, you can't spare too many details, but why isn't your husband here with you?
Gia: Gee, it only took you six months to ask that? (laughs) Let's just say there was lots of problems with my husband's family. (sighs) I miss him so much.
Teri(squeezing "Jessica's" arm): Well, help me and Fredric decorate the tree. It is YOUR tree after all, Jess. Is the tree almost ready to decorate, darling?
Fredric: Yeah. Miss Lee, I'll be coming by frequently to water the tree.
Gia: Thanks, and Freddie, I've told you, you can call me Jessica. (baby kicks, Gia touches her stomach) Oh...this baby is kicking me so much lately. Calm down, kid.
Teri: Do you need me to call Gus? You are due in 5 weeks, it's close.
Gia: No, the baby's just making me aware of he or she. (sad sigh) Well, let's decorate this tree.
As Gia starts to take ornaments out of the packages, she can't help but think how she wishes she were at home with Nikolas right now, decorating their first Christmas tree, celebrating what should be their first Christmas together as a married couple, and awaiting the birth of their baby, together. Oh, well, too bad some wishes just can't come true.
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Cottage......
Nikolas is walking around the cottage trying to calm down Daniel(now 6 & 1/2 months old), who has been screaming his head off for the last few hours. Daniel has a little cold and is overall just a major crab. Nikolas is running out of ideas of trying to calm him down.
Nik: Come on, Daniel, Mommy will be back real soon and you want her to see you happy, don't ya, buddy? (cries get louder) Maybe not. (holds Daniel close and starts rubbing his back) Shhh, just calm down.
After a few more minutes of pacing back and forth, Alexis finally comes to pick up Daniel. Nikolas loves his little cousin, but he's exhausted from pacing back and forth and trying and failing to stop the baby's cries. He gladly hands the baby over to Alexis.
Alexis(cuddling her baby): Oh, shh, Mommy's here now, Danny. Has he been crying the whole time?
Nik: Most of the time.
Alexis: I'm so sorry. I thought my meeting with my client would go shorter, but she just doesn't want to cooperate.
Nik: Alexis, don't worry about it. You know how much I love taking care of him. (baby stops crying) Hey, how'd you do that?
Alexis(smiles): It's a Mommy's touch. Can you get me his baby bundle bag coat thing over there. Yeah, Sweetie, Mommy's gonna take you home and give you a bath and then I'll read you my legal reports. (looks up at Nikolas, smiling) He loves listening to those, they put him right to sleep. Nikolas, are you sure you don't mind when you watch him so much? I mean, it seems like you spend more time with him than Ned or I do.
Nik: I love it. It helps keep me busy.
Alexis: Are you sure you aren't just watching him to keep your mind off G..
Nik: Alexis, I'm fine. Really.
Alexis(sighs not believing him): All right. I have to get him home and get some cold medicine in him. See you later. (kissing Nik on the cheek) Bye.
Nik(holding the door open): Bye.
**A short while later**
Nikolas is sitting in the chair, desperately trying to look over some paperwork for L&B, but it's not working. His eyes keep falling to the picture of him and Gia on their wedding day. The more time that goes by, the more he misses her. Before he could think anymore about Gia, there is another knock at the door. Nikolas answers, very surprised to see Luke and Roy at his door, looking like their ready to go on a trip. Luke walks right by Nikolas and let's himself in.
Luke(looking around): You don't even have any Christmas decorations?
Nik: What do you want Luke?
Luke: Pack your bags, Prince, you're coming with us.
to be continued......
End of chapter Sixteen, Please e-mail any feedback by clicking on the mailbox below :)
