Chapter 11

 

Turning onto her side with the open palm of her left hand propping her head Ellen was giving Matt a very stern look as the top of her robe opened giving Matt a very clear view of her ample cleavage. "You can start talking anytime," she said.

His eyes still glued to her partially exposed breasts, "Why are you torturing me Ellen?" Matt pondered aloud somehow managing to find his voice.

"You're torturing yourself. I'm inquiring as to why you're behaving in such a totally unwarranted way with our daughter."

Now focusing his eyes from her breasts to her face, "Ellen you know why I am acting this way with Allison." "No, I know what you said, now I want to know the real reason."

Ally had never seen Jack like this before, he was so upset and she was quite concerned. After several minutes passed she reluctantly pulled from the embrace as she took his face into her hands, "Jack what happened with you and your uncle?" Her fingers lightly stroking at his temples as she continued trying to comfort him.

"I found out some truths and uh, we had some words. Well I had some words with him." Wiping away his stray tears, "Look at me, I've turned into some sniveling wimp."

"Hey, you can't talk about the man I love like that," Ally remarked trying to lighten things a bit.

"Man? Does a real man act like this?" He questioned.

In a tone layered with teasing surprise, "Oh I'm sorry, I'm Allison Harmon and you must be the male chauvinist Jack Ramsey I've not had the pleasure of meeting. News flash dearest one, real men do cry and besides how many times have I cried on your shoulder?"

"Allison that's different."

"How is it different? You're always there for me when I need you, I'd like to reciprocate. My shoulders aren't as broad as yours, but they're tear resistant and they're available for you to cry on whenever you need them. So tell me Jack, you said you had words with your uncle, what kind of words?"

"Where to begin?"

"The beginning," she answered.

Noticing for the first time she was wearing her housecoat he touched the material at her shoulder, "Cute robe," his eyes making their way down and noticing her bare legs and pink house shoes, "and I love the furry slippers. Did I wake you?" he asked caressing her right cheek.

"Are you kidding, I couldn't sleep until I saw you. I was worried, I thought maybe Daddy had scared you away."

"Your father can be pretty scary, but nothing could keep me away from you. That is something you'll never have to worry about," giving her nose a kiss.

"You've reassured me, now I want to know what happened with you and your uncle?"

"You know the real reason Ellen. I'm trying to protect our daughter."

"You've been protecting her all of her life Matt, but you can't protect her from life. She's in love. Love can't be dictated. You can't pick and choose whom you decide to fall in love with, and if your heart gets broken no one can endure that pain for you. Even well meaning parents, specifically fathers, can't determine whether someone will or won't hurt you."

"I understand that, but this is different."

"How's it different Matt? Allison's dated boys before and sure you've grilled them like they were on trial for murder, but you never demanded that she not date them. Is it just because Jack is Chris Ramsey's nephew or is it because she's mentioned the "L" word in relation to him?" Ellen detected the slightest bit of edginess creep onto Matt's face with her latest summation. "Have I hit the nail on the head?"

Matt sighed deeply, "I'm going to go take a shower," he said reaching for his chair.

Touching him on the shoulder, "The shower can wait, we're finally getting somewhere, so let's get this finished."

Jack was silent for a few moments. Ally takes his hand, "Come on," she said as they walked over to a huge oak tree. Ally sat on the cool dry grass resting her back against the tree, her legs together stretched out before her, she motioned for Jack to join her. Once Jack sat down she patted her lap. Lying on his back Jack rested his head on her lap his eyes staring into her enchanting face as she stroked his hair.

"Are you comfortable?" Ally asked.

"I'm in heaven," he sighed contentedly, the sensation of her fingers running through his hair being both calming and exciting.

Giving him a peck on the forehead, "Good, now you can tell me what happened."

Jack turned his head to the side and slowly began to stroke her lower leg as he shared the details of today's events. "After your father warned me for what he hoped was the last time about my seeing you, a nurse approached me. Apparently she overheard your father's tirade, her name was Amy Vining."

"Oh no, Vining the grapevine. We're going to be the next hottest scoop."

"So you know of her?"

"I know of most of the GH staff, but Nurse Vining's reputation proceeds her."

"Well she said that there was already word around the hospital that we were in love, and after hearing the exchange your father and I had she knew it was true, and that it was big news especially considering what happened between your parents and Uncle Chris."

"So she knew what happened?"

"Yes, she knew," Jack answered as he continued stroking her leg.

"Is the reason you're so dead set against Ally seeing Jack because she's in love with him?" Ellen asked now sitting upright.

"Ellen it's not just that," Matt said settling back against the headboard of the bed.

"What else is it?"

"It's because she thinks she's in love with him and he's Ramsey's nephew. As great as first loves can be there's pain involved. Ally is offering her heart to this boy so yes it can be broken but add that with the fact that he is Ramsey's nephew and you get a recipe for total destruction."

"So you decide to spare her heartache by forbidding her to see him? Matt you're going about this the wrong way."

"It's the only way I know Ellen. If I let her see him and he hurts her I will be even more hurt than she will because I knew it would have happened and I let it. The fact that he's the nephew of a man I know would bargain lives for a nickel is incentive enough for me to want to keep her from that. We know what Chris can do, I'm not willing to let his nephew take our daughter down some dark road only to leave her heartbroken and disillusioned."

"My illusion of what kind of man he was got totally shattered today. You know how we both wondered how Uncle Chris could have exposed your parents relationship?"

"Yes," Ally affirmed still stroking his hair.

"Well Nurse Vining told me and showed me how."

"She showed you?"

"Yeah," now sitting up against the tree next to her, "Allison I want to show you something but first I think I should explain."

"I'm listening."

"Uncle Chris is a bastard," Jack prefaced. "Even after you told me about how he informed your father's family of his whereabouts, there was a part of me that hoped there was some decency in him somewhere. I have absolutely no reason to believe that anymore, not after today."

"Jack what is it?"

"It's still not clear as to how Uncle Chris found out about your parents relationship but the fact is he did. With this information he felt like he could secure winning the Quartermaine award and that's what he did, but he had to make sure he did it in a way that didn't expose him."

"Go on," Ally prompted.

"Seems Uncle Chris made his way to your mother's apartment building with a camera and waited out on the ledge for the perfect moment, and soon thereafter it presented itself."

The picture Jack painting started to take form, "Oh Jack no, he didn't."

"Yes, he perched himself on your mother's ledge and watched them…he watched them and he took pictures and after developing the pictures he posted them all around the hospital. The saying is a picture is worth a thousand words, well for Uncle Chris they were worth fifty thousand dollars." Reaching into his back pocket he retrieved the pictures and handed them to her, "Nurse Vining had these, I took them from her. She assured me that was all she had. I'm sorry Allison."

Ally took the pictures but even with the bright moonlight she couldn't bear to look at them, "Me too," she replied placing the photos on the ground next to her. It was clearer to her why her father detested Dr. Ramsey so much, and it made her very real fear that he'd never accept her relationship with Jack even more so.

"Matt honey I understand where you're coming from, I do. What Chris did to you he did to me too, I don't like him anymore than you do, but this isn't about Chris, it is about Allison and Jack. You don't want to put her in a position to choose between you and Jack. It's not a pleasant situation and trust me I know what I'm talking about. I loved Sam and Mother hated him, she refused to even think of accepting that I could fall in love with much less marry someone she felt was beneath me, and when I did I lost my family for a very long time. Matt you know how strained my relationship was with Mother and Winston because of this. I don't want my daughter to have to endure a separation like that, and I know you don't either."

"Of course I don't Ellen and yes I do know how hard it was to rebuild your relationship with your family but you did and you have a wonderful relationship with your mother and brother now but I don't think this is the same thing."

"What's different? Ally loves a young man you haven't even given the time of day to because you don't like his uncle. Now you've taken this hard stand and because of it there is now a rift between you two that's only going to widen if you continue with this my way or no way attitude of yours. I'm seeing it happen and I'm trying to stop it before it's too late."

"Ellen I would never turn my back on Allison. I know all the regret Alice felt and is still feeling after shutting you out for all those years. I would never do that to our daughter, I wouldn't do that to myself, I love her."

"And she loves Jack, I think you have to come to terms with that. I'm not saying you have to like it, you don't but you can't tell Allison how to feel and you can't make her feel the way you want her to."

"What do you want me to do Ellen? I'm afraid she's going to get hurt."

"Matt you can't keep her from being hurt. Getting hurt is a part of life and everybody goes through it, even your daughter and there's nothing you can do to stop it."

"This is not like her skinning her knee Ellen. I can stop this, that's what I'm doing now."

"Haven't you been listening to me? Your way isn't working. Do you get that?" Closing her hand and knocking against his forehead a couple of times, "It's not working. Has Ally stayed away from Jack? No. Did she ever say she would? No. Has she even hinted that her feelings for him have lessened at all? No. So that means your way isn't working." Folding her arms across her chest, "Let's just say for arguments sake that your way was working for now, what's going to happen when she gets to Columbia? Jack's a second year pre-med student there."

"What?! What else don't I know?"

Joining him against the headboard, "It wasn't a secret Matt you just never wanted to hear anything about him. You know if you gave him half a chance you might be surprised at how much you could actually like him."

Lifting her lowered head by the chin, "I'm sorry Allison. I never knew what lengths my uncle would go to get what he wants but I do see why your father feels for him the way he does. I don't think your dad will ever accept the fact that I love you, or that I'll never hurt you. If I was him I would doubt me too, with Uncle Chris as a role model who could blame him."

"Jack you're not your uncle. I know who you are, and I know finding out what you did today hurts you as much as it does me. You can't blame yourself for something he did and it's not fair that my father would hold that against you."

"It might not be fair but it's understandable. Uncle Chris is nothing like I thought he was. He's done so many despicable things and all for financial gain, and when it backfires on him he gets angry and blames your parents. He never even apologized to them. After I told him what I knew he tried to buy me."

"He what?"

"In a manner of speaking. Ally I was going to tell you about this, but I wanted to wait until after your birthday and graduation. I'm not sure if I'll be able to go back to school in the fall."

"What? Why not?"

"When my uncle found out I was in love with you he was totally irate. I had the nerve to fall for someone who's family he couldn't stand so he swore if I didn't stop seeing you he wouldn't pay for me to go back to school, as if that would be incentive for me to stop seeing you. Well tonight he was only too happy to share with me that he went to New York today and paid my tuition. That he knew what was important to me and what really mattered. He went on to say what I felt for you was just an attraction and I'd get over it. When I told him you would be attending Columbia too he looked as if someone had just turned off his air supply. That's when I told him if going to Columbia meant taking a dime from him I wouldn't go. I don't want a damn thing from that man."

"If you're not going I don't want to go either."

"No Allison, that's why I wanted to wait to tell you. I won't have you changing your plans for me. Columbia University has been your dream for a long time and I won't have you giving that up."

"Jack you are my dream. I can go to school anywhere, Columbia is not the only school in the world."

"No it's not, but it is the only school you've ever wanted to attend since forever and I won't be the reason that you don't go. I want you to have the things that you want Allison. I want you to have everything and that includes Columbia."

"With you I have everything that I want. Jack maybe you're being a bit rash about all this. You're upset okay, but you don't want to cut yourself off from your uncle. I know how important he is to you and he loves you. Sure he may have done some things that would raise a few eyebrows at the very least, but you love him too, you wouldn't be so upset now if you didn't."

Yes I love him; aside from my mother he was the one adult I was closest to. I could share anything with him and he would listen and understand. When I met you I couldn't wait to tell him. This fabulous woman who in no time made my world happier than it's ever been had come into my life. I was in love for the first time and he was happy for me until he found out it was Matt Harmon's daughter that was the object of my affection. Then just like that he was on this one-man mission to belittle your family to me and say whatever it took to change what I feel. It didn't happen, and it can't happen because what I feel for you is not a simple attraction and it won't go away just because he wants it to, and if he makes me choose he will lose. I love Uncle Chris yes, but I love you too and right now I'm so angry with him that…"

"That you're hurting," cupping his face as her thumb stroked his cheek. "Jack I understand. My father and I are having problems of our own. As a matter of fact he's grounded me for two weeks. He hates the very idea of us, and figures keeping me locked up will keep us apart. You can see how well that's working."

"He grounded you?"

"Oh yeah, he was beyond pissed at seeing us together. I'm not to leave the house unless I'm going to school. I think the yard is still a part of the house so I'm not breaking any rules…yet, unless you count my actually seeing you, now that's a pretty big rule I'm breaking, but I just can't seem to help myself."

''Allison..." he solemnly began.

"Let's not worry about me right now. What are you going to do about your uncle? Jack I know you're upset with him but you need to try and fix things. He's all the family you have. As angry as Daddy is making me right now and trust me he's working my last nerve with a vengeance I don't know what I'd do without him and I really don't want to find out. I know you feel the same about your uncle."

"You'll never have to find out what it's like to be without your father Ally. I've hung on to every word you've ever said and I have and will always cherish every moment we've ever spent together. The depths of my feelings for you go so far beyond anything I've ever felt I can't even begin to explain it." Gently caressing her face, "I love you so much Allison, so very much, and because I do I can't be the reason that you give up Columbia or lose the relationship that you have with your father. They mean too much to you and I refuse to take them away, and I won't." Jack gets up to leave.

"Of all the schools in all the world, why did he have to pick that one? The boy has good taste Ellen I won't take that from him. He fell in love with our daughter and he's picked a great school to attend but I still don't want him with her, I still don't like it, and I'll never like him. Damn, now what am I going to do?"

"Get a grip that's what. You don't have to like him Matt; you don't even have to like them together, but what you have got to do is accept it. Ally's going to be with him one way or another, you might as well get used to it."

The telephone rings interrupting their tete-a-tete. Matt grabs the phone not pleased with the intrusion and not at all happy with the way the conversation was going, "Hello!" he said the irritation in his voice quite evident.

"Yeah hello to you too Harmon," Chris returned in Matt's warm manner. "Where's Jack?"

"I don't believe this," Matt said dropping the phone on the bed between them.

"Matt who is it?"

He just shakes his head and answers, "No one."

Ellen picks up the phone, "Hello."

"I'm looking for Jack Ellen, where is he?"

Ellen glances up at Matt who was just silently simmering, "Chris what makes you think he's here?"

"Where else would he be? That daughter of yours has his nose so wide open he can't see straight. He left here very upset and I know he went to her so where is he?"

"Jack is not here."

"I don't believe you."

"I really don't care what you believe…"

Matt takes the phone from Ellen, "Listen Ramsey, I don't appreciate you calling my house period, much less all hours of the night. Your nephew is not here! I told him to stay away from my daughter and he'd damn well better do it!"

"Oh get a clue Harmon, they've been seeing each other, they never stopped. They're going to be going to the same school in the fall did you know that? What do you plan to do about it? As I see it we want the same thing, to keep them apart. We can work together. I'm willing to swallow my pride to…"

Matt clicks off the phone and places it back on the charger. "That SOB wants us to work together to keep the kids apart. Ellen I don't want to throw my lot in with Ramsey. Baby please see things my way. Help me."

"Sorry, no can do. Looks to me if you want help keeping Ally and Jack apart, Chris will be your partner in crime. It took our daughter falling in love with his nephew to get you two to agree on something, you must be so proud," she snidely added.

"Ellen," Matt said pleadingly.

"Matt he makes her happy. She's in love with him. Her eighteenth birthday is tomorrow and you've grounded her and she said it, it's because she's in love. Now Chris is calling here trying to form an alliance with you to keep them apart, to keep our daughter away from her happiness. You can't seriously entertain that possibility. What you need to do is apologize to Allison for all this unnecessary stress you've been giving to her and tell her you love her and although her choices might not be what you think is best for her you won't stand in her way."

"She's my baby Ellen. I don't want this Ramsey kid to hurt her. I've seen the way they look at each other, it's the same way we look at each other. How did this happen so fast?"

"Love is what it is Matt. I don't know how it happened so fast, I'm just glad that you recognize that it is love. I'd say that's one huge hurdle we've gotten over. The next is realizing that although she is your baby and always will be she is not a baby, and in fact ten minutes from now she'll be an adult in the eyes of the law. You've got to let her be an adult."

"An adult? Ellen I remember when we brought her home from the hospital. She was so tiny and so beautiful. I loved MJ just as much but he was a boy and she was my little girl, you know sugar and spice, and I knew she was going to need her daddy to take care of her, to keep the bad things away."

"You've done that, but Matt Jack isn't one of those bad things." Placing her chin on his bare shoulder, "You're not the only man she's in love with anymore. You have to share her now. You can do it Matt, I'll even help you," lightly brushing her finger against his eyebrow.

"I still don't like this Ellen."

"That's glaringly apparent, but there's nothing, absolutely nothing," she stressed, "You can do about it. So you're going to talk to her first thing tomorrow, right? Right Matt?"

"Yes, I'll talk to her first thing," he grumbled.

"And you'll un-ground her?"

"Yes, I'll un-ground her."

"And you'll shake Jack's hand tomorrow and be pleasant to him won't you?"

"I didn't say all that Ellen."

"It's her birthday and I think the best gift you can give to her is being civil to Jack; even if you have to fake it."

"And what do I get for all this, hmm? I've got some ideas, well actually one."

"You get to see you daughter very happy."

"Well that's great, but that's not what I was thinking. I just agreed to give you everything you want, I think I should get what I want now," attempting to unloosen her robe.

Slapping his hands away, "I love you Matt, but sorry. This morning I gave you what you wanted and what you promised you didn't deliver on so when I see what you agreed to do come to pass then you get what you want. You mentioned incentive this morning, now you've got some. You can go take your shower now and I'm going to put on my pajamas because this thing," popping the shoulder strap of the teddy, "is just for show, not for sleep. I'll say goodnight now because by the time you get out of the shower I know I'll be down for the count," she gives him a kiss on the cheek.

"Ellen?" He said completely aghast.

"Take your shower Matt," Ellen said going to the dresser for her PJ's.

"I'll be taking a shower all right, a very cold one," he said disappointedly as he went into the bathroom.

Ally stands abruptly and grabs Jack's arm. "Wait a minute, because you love me, you're going to break up with me? Please Jack don't do me any favors."

"Allison…"

"Shhh," she places her index finger against his lips, "let me talk now," moving her finger from his lips and taking his hand in hers. "Jack I love you, do you hear me? I love you. Falling in love with you happened so fast that my head is still spinning but everything is just so perfectly clear. No my father is not happy about this and your uncle's not doing cartwheels either but it won't change what is. I don't like having to defy Daddy to be with you, but if that's what I have to do to be with you then I'll do it. And no you're not asking me to do it but if I had to make a choice, if I had to there's no choice to be made. Do you get what I'm saying? If you need clarification let me rephrase it, you're stuck with me."

Jack chuckles, "Like a stamp to a letter?"

Ally smiles, "Exactly, you are my guy."

Bringing her closer to him as he wraps his arms around her waist, "I really don't know what I'll do without you," he whispered his fingers now laced in her curly tresses as he brought her lips closer to his.

"And you're never going to find out," she promised as they shared a very deep, very stirring kiss. They've shared several kisses over the past couple of weeks, but this one was different, really different. The chimes of Jack's watch broke the intensity of the moment.

"What's that?" Ally asked, her voice whisper soft and her breath a little shallow.

His eyes glazed over as they bore into hers, "That sound is to alert me of the monumental event that took place eighteen years ago today. What should be a criminal act because it's not a national holiday," he smiles brightly. "Allow me to be the very first to say Happy Birthday Allison Harmon," giving her a soft, little kiss.

"It is so far," she replied.r "I had this great night planned for you for later, but since you're grounded saying you're going out with Kelsey won't work."

"Where there's a will there's a way Jack. I have a very strong will to see you and I desperately want to know what this great night entails, so we'll find a way."

"Aren't we the curious one?" he chided jokingly.

"Oh yeah, I'm curious about a lot of things," slinking her arms around his neck and brushing her lips against his.

"I'll keep that in mind," he said returning her kiss with a small flurry of his own. "You birthday girl need get back into the house before your father misses you," he advised between kisses. "We've been out here for hours," kiss, "and although it's your birthday," kiss, "it's also a school day so you'd better go," slowly pulling himself away.

"I'll call you later and let you know what's what okay?" taking the few steps that would bring her back to his arms.

"Okay," he agreed giving her one last lingering kiss. "Sleep well," giving her hand a kiss.

"Oh I most definitely will," she assured him before heading into the house as he watched her with a smile.

Allison's eighteenth birthday had now arrived and this day would definitely be one neither she nor Jack would ever forget.