Welcome to the Cassadines: Book II of Kismet

Chapter 2

***Shock Therapy***

Zarek consulted his Rolex for what Stefan counted as the tenth time in less than five minutes. Granting his young nephew with a hard stare, Stefan folded his hands behind his back and said, "Your concern for the time requires a good amount of concentration, does it not?"

"Excuse me?" Zarek asked.

"Do you find this meeting boring or do you have other more pressing matters to attend to?"

Zarek met Stefan's hard stare with one of his own. "My wife and I are dining with her parents tonight. I'd rather not be late if I can help it."

"You won't be," Stefan assured him. He pointed at the documents that lay strewn on the table in front of Zarek. "I trust you have reviewed the agreement and have not affixed your signature in haste."

The younger man expelled a loud breath. "I am not an imbecile, Stefan and my wife is an attorney. We found the contracts to be in order and were even surprised by Nikolas' generosity. I suppose I have Dara's sister to thank for that."

Stefan lifted his shoulders in a noncommittal gesture. "Nikolas' reasons are his own."

"Will his reign be a short one now that Stavros' son has been found?" Zarek asked. He lowered his gaze to the paperwork in front of him. A muscle flicked at his jaw, but there was no other outward display of displeasure upon the mention of the new addition to the Cassadine fold.

"That has yet to be decided," Stefan advised.

"Will I be notified once the decision has been made?"

Stefan nodded. "Of course. You are a Cassadine." He returned to the chair he had vacated during Zarek's concern for the time. Once his backside was settled comfortably on the cushioned chair, he said, "The tension among us has become a nuisance. I harbor no ill will towards you. I know how the will of a mentally challenged mother can be overpowering. I am and the rest of the family is willing to put the past behind us and move on into the future. Are you agreeable?"

Color drained from Zarek's face upon the mention of his mother but slowly returned upon the end of Stefan's brief speech. He nodded his head in agreement. "I am. I'm starting over and I prefer to do so with as the Americans say, 'a clean slate.'"

Stefan extended his hand and gave Zarek a firm handshake. "We will make it so."

~**~

"I'm sorry about this-"

"Tommy," Sabrina interrupted, "it's okay. I understand. There will be other nights. Are you sure that there isn't anything I can do for Sly?"

"I'm sure. Dr. Marshak is setting his arm now. We should be leaving soon. I don't know how he broke his arm when he still has a cast on his leg. The way his mind works doesn't make any sense to me."

Sabrina smiled. Despite his annoyance, Tommy's concern for his friend came through loud and clear in his voice. "I'm sure that Jake will do an excellent job with Sly's arm. Don't worry, okay?"

"I'm trying not to," Tommy admitted. "He's my best friend and sometimes, I can't help it. Listen, the nurse is waving at me. I'd better see what's going on. I'll call you later."

"I'll be looking forward to it."

The call ended and Sabrina began reversing the preparations she'd made for their late supper. She blew out the candles, returned the unopened bottle of wine to the rack and cleaned up the kitchen. Just as she was finishing up, the doorbell resonated with a vibrating chime. She refused to hope that Tommy was on her doorstep so she was a little curious about who would come to her home announced at such an odd hour.