1 The Same Coin

2 Chapter 7: First Date pt. A

By Jessie

Author's Note: *** denote flashbacks



*** Suzette's 1984***

Michael watched as Antoinette walked offstage. He'd lost her once; he didn't intend to do it again. He whispered to Cecilia that he needed to go to the bathroom. She didn't look happy but she didn't protest. Michael left the table and asked one of the waiters to show him the way backstage. The waiter refused, saying only management and performers were allowed back there. Never one to accept defeat, he asked to speak to the manager. As the waiter hurried away, Michael wondered what the hell he was going to do now.

2.1

A few minutes later, the waiter reappeared with a middle-aged woman wearing a red evening gown. Forming a plan, Michael stepped forward and offered the lady his most charming, dimpled smile.

" Hello, I'm Suzette, the owner and manager," the lady said, " I was told you wanted to speak to me."

" Yes," Michael replied, " My name is Michael Corinthos and I work for a very prominent record producer, who from time to time, asks me to go to nightclubs to look for fresh talent. That young lady who just sang, Antoinette? I think he'd be very interested in her, and I was wondering, would you mind introducing me to her?"

" I'm afraid that's impossible," Suzette said shaking her head slightly, "Our Antoinette is a shy girl who fiercely guards her privacy."

Michael could see that Suzette didn't like the idea of losing her star attraction, so he decided he'd really have to lay it on thick. " I'm not sure you understand me. This could make her and you famous. Wouldn't you like it known that this was the nightclub where she was discovered? Think of the publicity it would get you."

The woman practically had dollar signs in her eyes. " I don't suppose a few minutes with her could hurt anything," she said softly. Michael chuckled inwardly as Suzette grabbed his arm and practically dragged him backstage.



2.1.1 Sonny's Jet- present time

Sonny and Skye sat across from each other in silence. He was reading some legal document Skye could only assume had something to do with his coffee business, and she sat, looking at the ring on her left hand. He had been silent ever since they left Las Vegas, and she couldn't bring herself to ask him why he'd mentioned their past. He'd never done it before, in all the time she'd been in Port Charles, not once had he spoken of what happened, or even alluded to it. But back in that suite, when he mentioned that first ring, he sounded so bitter, like he'd carried the memory with him, the way she had all these years.

" Do you like it?" Sonny asked quietly

"Yes," She replied, startled that he'd been watching her.

"Good," He said.

" Why did you buy this for me?" Skye asked" Wouldn't a gold band have sufficed?"

" As I said before," Sonny said, " I want this to look real."

" It's going to take more than a pretty ring to make this marriage look real," She said dryly.

" Well, I'm willing to do my part," He smiled and winked, " If you're willing to do yours."

She ignored that comment and asked smoothly, " If you wanted it to look real, why didn't you buy a diamond? Isn't that tradition?"

He looked at her and replied simply, " Emeralds are your favorite stone."

Her eyes grew wide but she couldn't think of anything to say. He looked at her intently; trying to guess what impact his words had had on her, but she looked away, turning her eyes to the window. A few minutes later, when she felt composed enough to meet his gaze, she looked at him, but he was intently studying the document in his lap. She sighed inwardly and wondered, 'If he remembers something as unimportant as this, what else does he remember?'



***1984***

He couldn't believe it. He was standing right outside her dressing room. He was finally going to meet the woman whose face had filled his days and tortured his nights. He was happy, he was excited, he was gut- wrenchingly nervous. Michael couldn't believe it. He was nervous about meeting a girl.

'Get a hold of yourself, Corinthos, this is what you're good at.'

Suzette knocked on the door, " Antoinette, are you dressed?"

" Yes, I'm decent," Antoinette answered.

" Good. There's a gentleman here who wishes to speak with you," Suzette said.

" Who is he?" She asked warily

" Michael Corinthos," Michael whispered to Suzette.

" His name is Michael Corinthos," Suzette said, " He works for a record producer. He just watched your show and he'd like to tell his boss about you. May we come in?"

"Of course," Antoinette replied and opened the door. When she saw Michael, her charming smile changed to a remarkably cooler expression. " Suzette, would you mind giving Mr. Corinthos and I a few minutes alone?"

Suzette smiled and said, " Of course not, dear." As she walked out of the room, she thought to herself, ' I'm going to be rich!'

" So, Mr. Corinthos, were you talent-scouting that night at the opera?" Antoinette asked sarcastically.

" About the talent-scout thing, I'm not.. ," Michael started

" Save it," She snapped, " You don't work for a record producer anymore than I'm the Queen of England!" She walked to the door and opened it. " Get out."

He walked over and shut the door. She tried to re-open it, but he stood in front of it. " Please just listen to me. Will you do that?"

Looking annoyed, she rolled her eyes but motioned for him to talk.

" I wanted to come backstage, but they wouldn't let me. So, I made up that story, hoping they'd let me meet you. I'm sorry if you're angry, but I'm not sorry I got to see you again."

"Why did you want to meet me?" Antoinette asked " I saw you out there, you didn't look like you were lonely."

Michael had the grace to blush. " She's someone my friend fixed me up with. I'd spent so much time thinking about you, he thought a night out with someone else would make me forget about you. It didn't work. I was sitting there, trying to like this girl, trying to be attracted to her, but it didn't work. So there I was, bored out of my mind, trying to come up with an excuse to end this date early, and suddenly, I look up on the stage and there you were."

"Very touching. What do you want from me?"

" I want to ask you on a date."

" And why would I want to date you?"

" Brown."

"What?" Antoinette said, confused.

" Your eyes, they're brown," Michael said softly. " I've wondered for two weeks what color they were. I'd thought they might be green; a lot of redheads have green eyes, but I like them better this way. They're brown, but not plain brown, they have just a touch of amber in them, kind of like brandy."

Flattered in spite of herself, she smiled. Then she frowned and shook her head.

" You didn't answer my question. Why would I want to date you?"

Michael replied simply, " Well, I think we should go on at least one date before we're married, don't you?"

-TBC-



Author's Notes:

Once again, I've split a chapter into two parts. The next part will deal with M&A's first date, and might be shorter than this one. I know this is classified as Romance/Angst, but I figure we need something to break up the heavy stuff from time to time! So, both this part and the next are just pure fun, unadulterated, romantic fluff! Hope you like it! Thanks for all the kind words; it keeps me inspired even when Sonny&GH do not!

Jessie