Chapter 123 How Deep Is Your Love
Lucky kneels before Emily in her room surrounded by romantic candlelight and Eddie Maine's music. "Emily, I love you. I know I'll always love you just as you know you'll always love me. Marry me. Be my wife."
Emily sits there stunned speechless by his unexpected proposal, her mouth works but no sound comes out. Finally after taking several deep breaths, she manages to squeak out, "I... what did you say?"
Lucky kisses her hand. "I want you to marry me. Right away. Please say yes."
"You can't be serious!" Emily protests in astonishment. "You've only just turned 19 and I'm only 17. We've never even talked seriously about our future... much less marriage!"
Lucky gets up off the floor and sits next to her on the bed, holding her hand the whole time. "I know what I want, Emily. And it's you. I want to leave this God forsaken burg and I want you to come with me. I'm like my dad, I don't have to think on something a long time to know it's the right thing to do. We can pack up the Cadillac and be on the road tomorrow. We can go anywhere, do anything we want. Just us and the open road." His eyes gleam with anticipation.
"But I can't drop everything I have here just like that. I have my classes at the university, and my family, even my job..." Emily's brow furrows with anxiety. "I love you, Lucky, I just don't know if I can take off at a moment's notice."
Lucky pleads with her. "You can, Em, I know you can. You love me, you love adventure. Remember our trip to find your aunt Corey? You loved that, you and I were made for this kind of life. Not to live out our lives in some burned out burg in upstate New York. I can't stay in Port Charles any longer or I'll choke. I need to breathe fresh air, go someplace where I won't step on a Cassadine every time I turn around."
"What about your club? Your sister? Foster?" She asks, knowing better than to bring up his mother.
"Mike can have the club for all I care, I'm not coming back," Lucky says bitterly. "As for Lulu, she'll be fine, she's got plenty of people looking after her. And Foster's made for the road, just like me. I've been thinking about this for a while, you can trust me to take care of you. Yeah, we're a little young, but we love each other and I know I can make you happy. Say yes, Emily." He pleads again, this time kissing her passionately.
His declaration of love, his impassioned proposal combined with the kiss has a dizzying effect on Emily. She had dreamed that one day he'd tell her he loved her and wanted to marry her, but she never in a million years thought it would be like this or so soon. She lets him lean her back on the bed and undress her, arching to his kisses. "I can't believe you want to marry me, Lucky!" She says between jagged breaths.
Lucky pauses to look at her with burning intensity. "There is only one woman I will ever want to marry, and that's you, Emily. Why wait for something I know I want with my very soul?" He doesn't wait for an answer, but proceeds to show her the depth of his love.
In her bedroom at Wyndemere, Laura sits at the dressing table, watching herself brush her hair out in the mirror. With each stroke, the tension of the day eases out of her a little more. Alone at last, the day of her wedding finally over. Relief and sadness wash through her. And while she was sure it had been the right choice, the only choice, so much had been lost. Lucky.... tears come to her eyes at the thought of the pain she's caused him.
A soft knock at her door causes her to jump slightly. Laura rises from the dressing table and goes to the door to unlock it. She opens it a crack to find Stefan standing there, dressed in a robe and silk pajamas.
"Lasha, I have something for you. A wedding gift," Stefan says, raising a small flat jewelry box in his left hand. He makes no attempt to enter, but also doesn't offer to relinquish the box.
Laura wraps her robe around her waist securely before opening her door to admit him. "I was just about to go to bed," She whispers self-consciously.
"I won't keep you long." When they are standing face to face, he offers her the small flat velvet box. "This particular wedding gift is a family tradition."
Laura opens the box to reveal a Cassadine medallion on a chain. She smiles slightly, fingering the medallion. "Of course."
Stefan takes the medallion out of the box and opens the chain, motioning for Laura to turn around. "Once again, you are a Cassadine." He raises it over her head while she lifts her hair. With sure fingers, he reclasps the necklace around Laura's bare neck. He allows one hand to trail whisper soft against her skin down the length of the chain to where the medallion lays against her chest. "My wife," He adds with possessive pride.
The intimate gesture, while not sexual, is too much for Laura to tolerate; she steps away and turns to face him, looking at her feet nervously. "Th.. thank you. I should be getting to bed."
Stefan steps forward and grasps her shoulders gently, forcing her to look at him. "As my wife, Wyndemere is your home; yours to redecorate as you wish. I want you and LesleyLu to be comfortable here."
"That's very generous, but Wyndemere speaks of you. I wouldn't feel comfortable changing it."
"Perhaps it would be easier for you to consider changing one room, for instance, LesleyLu's room?" Stefan suggests.
Laura nods hesitantly. "Yes, I think that Lulu would enjoy redecorating her room too."
"Then it's settled." He kisses her forehead chastely before releasing her. "Good night, Lasha. Sleep well."
"Good night, Stefan. Thank you, for everything." Laura watches him leave and turns the lock behind him, at the same time feeling ridiculous for doing it. Stefan wouldn't touch her without an invitation. Maybe just tonight, for her own peace of mind.
On the other side of the door, Stefan lingers. Amused at hearing the lock turn with a soft click, he says to the door, "Sweet dreams, Lasha." He touches the door fondly before reluctantly returning to his room across the hall.
Alexis and Cassidy sit in the penthouse, each with a mug of hot chocolate. Alexis recounts Stefan and Laura's simple ceremony. "Except for a few nervous moments before Nikolas arrived for the ceremony, it went smoothly. For being four months pregnant, Laura looked great."
"It must have been hard for Laura not to have Lucky there," Cassidy comments. "The Spencers are so close-knit. But considering how Lucky feels about Stefan, I guess it's probably good he didn't come."
Alexis nods. "I think Nikolas was late because he tried to convince Lucky to come to the wedding; obviously he didn't succeed. Stefan was so adorable during the whole thing, he was practically glowing with happiness. And he dotes on Lulu like she was his own daughter."
"That must have been a sight to see, considering how stoic he is most of the time. But then I always thought he had a soft spot for little girls." Cassidy pauses a moment, an odd look on her face.
"Everything okay?" Alexis asks with concern.
Cassidy rubs her small round stomach. "Yeah, I think I just felt the baby kick!"
"Oh! Can I feel the baby kick?" Alexis pleads.
Cassidy takes her hand and places it on her stomach."Feel that?"
Alexis concentrates for a moment, then her eyes light up with delight. "Yes, yes I can!! Oh, this is so exciting! What a miracle."
"Yes, it is. I just wish..." Cassidy shakes her head sadly. "No use wishing for that."
"Jerry," Alexis says for her. "Still no word? They still don't know where he is?"
"No, it's like he's disappeared off the face of the planet. With all the Jacks family connections, all the Cassadine family connections, and all the WSB connections, you'd think there'd be some word by now..." Cassidy bites her lip to keep the tears at bay. "If it weren't for the baby, I might have given up hope by now, but I have keep hoping. "
"What does the WSB say?" Alexis asks gently.
"They can't launch a full scale rescue mission if they don't know where he's being held. He could be anywhere at this point, even dead." Cassidy shakes her head determinedly. "No, I won't think that. Did I tell you the Jacks family tried offering a reward?"
"Was there any response from the kidnappers?"
"Not so far, which makes the WSB think that Jerry's dead. They say, if Jerry were alive, they'd trade him for the money to buy weapons. The WSB has all but given up." Cassidy rubs her stomach in an attempt to sooth herself and the baby. "But he has to be alive, he just has to."
