Chapter 9

 

The room became deathly quiet as Matt came in closing the door harshly behind him.

"Matt calm down," Ellen urged.

"Too late for that Ellen, I'm way past the point of being calm," Matt replied in a coarse tone.

"Daddy what did you do to Jack?" Ally asked coming up from her seated position next to Ellen and walking up to Matt.

"What did I do to him? Nothing. I talked to the boy, but that's not the important thing right now. What I want to know is what the hell you think you were doing with him?"

"I think I was kissing him. You know what that is," Ally returned in a curt manner. "Don't give me that flip tone young lady."

"You know what I think…" MJ began.

"No I don't!" Matt broke in abruptly turning his gaze to MJ, "And I don't want to know. What are you doing here anyway?" Pausing for a moment, "How much money do you need?"

MJ scoffs, "What is this? Why is it that every time I come around you think I want something?"

"Because you usually do."

"Not this time," rising from the arm of the couch. " I came over to invite you and Mom to lunch. I have some news I wanted to share with you."

"Did you get a raise?"

"No, not exactly."

"Well then it can wait," Matt said dismissing MJ who again took his seat on the arm of the couch, as Matt turned his focus back on Ally. "I told you to stay away from that boy and you willfully disobeyed me and lied to me."

"I never lied to you. You told me to stay away from Jack but I didn't say I would, you just assumed that I would. I'm not a child Daddy. You can't tell me how to live my life."

"You will always be my child, don't forget that; and if you keep hanging around with this boy you won't have a life left to live. He will see to that!"

"You're being ridiculous!"

"Look I think you both need to calm down before you each say something you'll regret," Ellen suggested as she stood, feeling things get out of hand.

"The only thing I regret is that she ever met that boy. I run into a small complication in surgery that kept me in there a little longer. I came out assuming Allison was somewhere on the floor waiting for me until a nurse tells me she saw her on the seventh floor. I couldn't imagine what she'd be doing up there, you're down on the first floor, so I go on up. What do you think I found when I got there? I'll tell you what, our daughter making out with Chris Ramsey's nephew in the middle of the hospital corridor. That was a shock in itself, but then the reality that she totally disregarded me when I told her to stay away from him was the capper."

"When you told me! That's just it," Ally said standing defiantly before Matt. "Daddy I'm not a three year old that you can tell what to do. I know what is and what is not good for me, and as an adult I'm capable of making my own decisions."

"You're not an adult yet, you are still seventeen."

"Until midnight tonight, and then I won't be. I've come to terms with the fact that you don't have to like Jack, but you can't tell me I can't like him or make me stay away from him because I won't do it."

"Oh yes you will! As much as you may think you know what's best for you, I know better. And since you saw fit to disobey me, I see fit to punish you for doing so."

"Punish me? You're already doing that. What are you going to do now? Send me off to some Catholic school to finish off my last two weeks before graduation? I don't think so."

"No I'm not going to do that, but until your graduation you'll be spending a lot of time at home."

A disbelieving look comes over Ally's face.

"That's right," Matt said. "For two weeks you felt the need to sneak around, well you'll be spending the next two weeks aside from school at home contemplating that choice."

"You can't be serious, you're grounding me?"

"Yes I'm grounding you. You know what that is," borrowing her earlier flip tone.

"My birthday is tomorrow! Mom talk to him," looking to Ellen for assistance.

Ellen was right on cue as she shook her head in disbelief, "Matt don't you think you're being a bit unreasonable."

"No as a matter of fact I don't. Ellen she was seeing this boy behind our back."

Ellen withdrew an exasperated breath.

"What? Are you telling me you knew she was seeing him?"

"I didn't not know. I had a feeling, that's all."

"And you felt the need to not share the feeling with me?"

"With the way you're behaving now I had good reason not to." Walking over to him and placing her hand on his shoulder, "Matt she's your daughter and she hates being told what to do as much as you do, you know that. Besides did you really think she wouldn't see him?" she finished removing her hand from his shoulder and planting it on her hip.

"Yes I did, because I am her father, and when I tell her to do something I expect her to do it," finishing the sentence by directing the end of it toward Ally.

"So I'm going to what, spend my eighteenth birthday locked up in my room?"

"Or in the living room or dining room, that's up to you, but you will be in the house," Matt explained.

"Daddy this is so not fair. You want me to stay away from a guy I happen to be crazy in love with just because you don't like his uncle. And when I don't listen to that you punish me. You're punishing me for falling in love."

"You are not in love with that boy Allison! I wish you would stop saying that!"

"I know you do, but even if I don't say it, it won't make it not so. I do love Jack, and he loves me and you hate that."

"Yes I do!" Matt said measuring every word. "The very idea of that makes my blood boil. I don't want you anywhere around him, and if that means I have to keep you locked in your room I'll do it!"

"What was lunch today supposed to be about? You made it sound like you wanted to try and work things out between us."

"I did. I do."

"So long as it's on your terms. You said you were going to keep an open mind. I can't remember a time when your mind was more closed than it is now. Fort Knox could use it as vault it's so closed."

"You don't understand. You see this as me hurting you. I see this as protecting you and taking care of you. You don't have to like it. I liken this to when you were little and you didn't want to take your medicine when you were sick, because it was nasty as you said it. The medicine was bitter, but after the bitter taste went away you felt better."

"You're comparing this to me having a cold when I was little? No Daddy, this is totally different. First of all I'm not a little girl anymore. Second I'm not sick, I'm in love. Finally this bitter taste you're talking about won't go away until you stop shoving your brand of medicine down my throat. I don't want it, and I don't need it."

"Allison you're young and a bit jaded by what you think you're feeling right now, so I have to see the right way for you."

"So you think I'm stupid now?!"

Simultaneous looks of 'Oh Boy' cross Ellen and MJ's faces as they continue to watch the exchange.

"Did I say that?!" Matt exclaimed.

"That's what it sounded like to me! I know my own mind Daddy and I know what I feel. You can keep me locked in my room forever but it won't change anything, and it won't keep me from wanting to spend every moment I can with Jack."

"Wanting is one thing doing is quite another. I'm not saying it again Allison you are to stay clear of that boy."

"Being confined to my room pretty much assures that. What a happy birthday I have to look forward to," Ally said sardonically as she headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Matt asked.

"Home, to prison. I've suddenly lost all signs of an appetite."

"Ally wait," MJ said catching her by the arm as she attempted to leave. "Look I think we should all just take a breath. I have some good news, we're all here let's go on to lunch, my treat. I'm sure once I share my great news and we all sit down to some good food everyone will start behaving like the rational people I know we are."

"Sorry MJ, I'm not up for a family gathering right now. Besides going out would breech my grounding sentence," now staring daggers Matt's way.

"Come on Ally Dad's a little angry right now, let him steam a little while, he'll come around."

"Don't count on it," Matt interjected.

"See," Ally replied.

Disregarding what his father said for the moment, "Fine, if you insist on leaving can I at least share my news first?"

"Yes MJ do share your news. It will take our minds off this situation at least for a little while," Ellen said. "So what is this great news?"

"Guess who's going to be doing on air sports this weekend on the news? Give up? Yours truly," he happily divulged. "That's great MJ," Ellen beamed.

"Yes the news director finally came to his senses. It's only for this weekend so far, but it's a start and look at me," touching his face, "it's the start of something big," he proudly grinned.

"Well I'm very proud of you son," Ellen said coming over to give MJ a hug and kiss on the cheek, "let's just try to keep that ego in check okay?"

"You finally get that gorgeous face in front of the camera, huh?" Matt quipped with a hint of sarcasm. "No really MJ that is good news, I know how much you wanted this," he earnestly said.

"I really did, thanks Dad," MJ smiled.

"I'm happy for you too MJ," Ally said. I'm glad someone in this family besides the great and powerful Oz over there," motioning to Matt, "got what they wanted," she sniped.

"You had better save your little snide remarks Allison if you don't want those two weeks to turn into four," Matt warned his daughter.

"It might as well be forever Daddy. If I can't see Jack nothing else matters," tears filling her eyes.

Ellen makes her way over to her daughter, "Ally don't worry," wiping away her tears. "I'll talk to your father it will be okay. MJ drive your sister home, I think your father and I need to talk alone," turning her focus to Matt for a moment before adding, "we'll celebrate your good news later alright."

"Yes ma'am," MJ said as he wrapped his arm around Ally's shoulder, "come on kid, let's go."

After the kids left Matt spoke before Ellen had a chance to. "Don't say it Ellen because I'm not going to change my mind," he said making his way behind his desk.

"What was I going to say?" Ellen asked taking the seat in front of the desk.

"Any number of the many different ways to say 'Matt you're being unreasonable'. That's the line of the day right? I don't think I am."

"How can you say that with a straight face?"

"I'll tell you how. Because I told Ally to stay away from him, more than once and she didn't listen, because I come down the hospital corridor to find her wrapped in this kids arms, Chris Ramsey's nephew! Ellen you and I have both seen first hand what Ramsey is capable of, and no Jack is not Chris and lucky for him he's not his kid but he's living with him in his house. He's had to pick up his ways. Chris doesn't care about anyone but Chris. I refuse to allow this boy the chance to hurt our daughter like Chris has hurt any and everyone that has come within his path."

"Do you see what you're doing? You can't compare Jack to Chris they are not the same person Matt. How many times do I have to say that? You heard Ally, she's in love with him, do you think keeping her locked in her room is going to stop those feelings."

"Out of sight out of mind Ellen," Matt said looking through the files on his desk.

"Ally's right, you are being ridiculous. Her eighteenth birthday is tomorrow. You're going to have her celebrate that by staying in her room?"

"She said weeks ago that she didn't want anything big, no party or anything so that helps. We'll have a quiet little family celebration and that will be that."

"She had plans with Kelsey."

"Kelsey can come over, they just can't leave," placing the files in the desk drawer.

"You don't trust Allison?"

"I don't trust that kid Jack! You know what he told me when I said I wanted him to stay away from Allison? He wouldn't do it that he was in love with her and I was wasting my breath telling him to do so. I can't understand this. Allison is a child, and he's not much more than that and they're going on about being in love. They haven't know each other a month yet. I know what he's in love with, and as you're quick to point out I was nineteen once too and that's why I'm drawing a line. If he won't stay away from Allison I'll keep Allison away from him. Yes she's upset and quite angry with me, but I'm her father she'll forgive me and eventually she'll see I did all of this for her."

"That's what you think! You keep saying Ally's a child, but she's not and keeping her and Jack apart is only going to make them want to be together more. Why can't you see that?"

"Ellen I doubt one day has passed that Allison has not seen this boy, after she gets over not seeing him for one day everything else will be easy. Besides we're giving her a new car for her birthday, she won't be angry with me anymore after she gets that."

"What are you talking about? You grounded her for two weeks! What good is a new car going to do her if she can't go anywhere? If you think giving her a car will make her forget that you're keeping her from the young man she's in love with you are delusional." Ellen releases a frustrated breath as she rises from her chair, "I'm going back to the ER now and I hope that by the time we get home tonight some sense would have made its way into your head."

When Ellen leaves Matt picks up the photo of Ally that was on his desk, "You may not understand right now, but I am doing this for you."

Amy had Jack wait outside the nurse's locker room as she went inside. Once she returned she gave Jack an explanation as she kept her right hand behind her back. "Now as I said I'm not one to gossip or spread rumors but what I have to show you is something that will explain everything to you. Now the only reason I have this is because well I was one of the first people to discover it happened, and I was also the person to give the phone call to Dr. Burgess, uh Mrs. Harmon alerting her because the chief of staff demanded to see her immediately."

"Can I just see what you have please?" Jack said with a sense of urgency.

"Sure, here you go."

Amy presented Jack with two of the numerous pictures Chris took of Matt and Ellen. These pictures weren't as graphic as some of the others but they definitely spoke volumes.

"What is this?" Jack asked totally not understanding what this strange nurse would be doing with tell tale photos of Ally's parents in a seemingly amorous situation. "You wanted to know what your uncle did, well those pictures are what he did. Somehow Dr. Ramsey found out that the doctors were involved and he took these pictures and posted them around the hospital. I am somewhat discreet so I don't have the more explicit photos but you can get the gist of what's going on here. Dr. Burgess was the chief resident and these photos showed her in a very obvious intimate relationship with Dr. Harmon, giving the assumption that she couldn't possibly be impartial when it comes to making recommendations for the Quartermaine award."

"Uncle Chris watched them…he watched them and took pictures? Then posted them here?"

"Yes on all the floors on both wings. Dr. Harmon was a shoe in for the award but when these photos came out that went out the window and Dr. Burgess lost her post as chief resident too."

"I see. Can I ask you why you kept these?" Jack inquired of the pictures.

"Because they are just a small fabric of the history of General Hospital. A lot has happened at GH. I kinda like to keep a record of it all."

"Right, well I think I'm going to keep these pictures Nurse Vining," Jack said tucking them into the back pocket of his jeans. "You don't have anymore do you?" Jack asked, his eyebrow rising curiously as he watched for the sincerity of her response.

"No that's it," Amy answered surprisingly honest.

"Alright, I guess I should thank you for shedding this light for me."

"No you don't have to I'm glad I could help."

"Yes I'm sure you are," Jack said wondering how long it would take before the non-gossiping Nurse Vining would have her newest dirt dished.

After leaving Amy, Jack informed his immediate supervisor that it was imperative that he have the rest of the day off to handle an unforeseen family situation. Jack left the hospital and headed straight for home, he had been intentionally avoiding his Uncle Chris but not anymore. Today they would have a discussion, a discussion that had been a long time coming.