Chapter 11

Sonny dials her number and waits for them to answer. On the third ring Brenda picks up.

B- Hello?

S- Hi Brenda. Can I talk to Stone?

B- Sure. Hold on a minute, he’s getting dressed for bed.

MS- Hi daddy

S- Hey buddy. How are you doing?

MS- I’m fine. How come you didn’t call before?

S- I’m sorry, I’ve been really busy.

MS- That’s okay daddy. Guess what, mommy is taking me to the carnival next week.

S- Wow, sounds like fun.

MS- Yeah I like the bumper cars. Daddy can you come with us? Please?

S- I don’t know, Stone, I’ll have to talk to mommy about it.

MS- Okay, I’ll get her. (he runs to get Brenda)

B- Hello, Sonny?

S- Yeah, umm.. Bren, Lois is here. Would you like to talk to her?

B- Is she mad at me?

S- No, I don’t think so.

B- Okay, put her on.

L- Hi Bren. How are ya?

B- I’m good, Lo. I miss you so much.

L- Aww, I missed you too girlfriend.

B- Hey how about you come down and see us? There is a carnival next week and Stone and Brooke could go together.

L- I’d love too. How soon can we come down?

B- As soon as possible. There is so much I want to talk to you about. Plus there is this great unknown singer, on my block, that I think would be good for L&B.

L- Wonderful. Hold on.

(puts the phone down) Corinthos scram.

S- Why?

L- Girl talk.

S- okay, I’ll be in the kitchen.

L- (picks back up the phone) Hey Bren, would it be okay if Sonny comes?

B- Yeah, he’s always welcome here. Why?

L- Well, there’s a lot you don’t know about his marriage. The divorce papers have gone through and he hasn’t been in a really great place these last few months.

B- Oh God, I didn’t know.

L- Yeah, he doesn’t like to talk about it. I just think it would be good for him to be around Stone and people who care about him.

B- Okay. Can you put him back on the phone, so I can invite him?

L- Sure thing.

B- Oh and Lo, thanks. See you soon.

L- Yeah, I can’t wait. (puts down the phone) Sonny, the phone.

S- Okay. (picks up the phone) Bren?

B- Hi Sonny. There’s this carnival next week and Stone would really like it if you could come. In fact, I would like it, too. Lois and Brooke are coming down, too. Do you think you’ll be able to make it?

S- I’d love to. Thanks for inviting me, Bren. I know we started off rocky last time, but I’d like to start over. There’s a lot I need to tell you.

B- Sounds good. We’ll be looking forward to seeing you.

S- Great. I miss you Bren.

B- I miss you too, Sonny. I’ll see you soon.

S- Okay, tell Stone I said goodnight.

B- I will, goodnight, Sonny.

S- Night Bren.

He hangs up the phone and goes over to sit next to Lois.

CHAPTER 12

S- Well, it looks like you have yourself a travel partner.

L- Oh are you going too?

S- Yeah. She said she’d like it if I’d come and that she misses me. How could I say no to that?

L- See, I told you.

S- Yeah you did. I’ll make the travel plans and I’ll pick you up Sunday morning.

L- Okay, I’ll see ya Sunday. Sonny, stay strong. You’re a good guy and Bren knows that. Don’t give up on her.

S- Oh I won’t. I have every reason to want her more now than ever and I plan on making it up to her for every time I’ve left her or hurt her.

L- Good.

Two days later, Sunday afternoon

Their plane just landed and Sonny, Lois and Brooke are on their way to Brenda’s house.

They pull up out front and Lois is shocked to see how amazingly beautiful it was.

L- Wow, you said it was beautiful, but I never pictured this.

S- Yeah, it’s like a dream.

They knock on the door and a minute later Brenda answers the door with a huge smile on her face.

B- Hi! (she hugs Lois) I’ve missed you so much.

L- I missed you too girlfriend.

Sonny happily watches their exchange. He carries their luggage bags inside.

B- Hi Brookie baby. (Brenda takes Brooke from Lois and sits on the couch) I can’t believe how big she’s gotten.

L- Well, she’s only a year older than your baby. Where is he?

B- Oh, Stone is upstairs, he fell asleep, but he should be up soon.

L- Bren, this house is amazing.

B- Thanks, we enjoy it here.

They are all talking when Stone comes running down the stairs. He sees Sonny and runs right over to him.

MS- Hi daddy.

S- Hey buddy. You been good for your mom?

MS- Yup.

B- Yeah he’s my little angel. Stone this is your aunt Lois and cousin Brooke.

Stone gives Lois a hug.

MS- Hi aunt Lois. Hi Brooke. (he takes Sonny’s hand) C’mon daddy. You have to see this picture I drew for you.

S- Okay, lets go see this picture.

L- He looks just like Sonny. Especially with the curly hair and the dimples.

B- Yeah he does. He has his father’s charm too.

MS- (hands Sonny the picture) Look that’s me, you and mommy. We’re at the beach.

S- Wow, that’s a really great picture. I love it.

MS- You can have it daddy. Let’s play on the swings.

S- Yeah, let’s go ask Brooke if she wants to come, too.

Brooke goes with Sonny and Stone in the backyard. Brenda shows Lois to the guestroom, where she and Brooke will be staying. Then they go outside and watch as Sonny and the kids play.

L- You know, it really meant a lot to him that you wanted him to come.

B- Yeah, well, he’s really great with Stone.

L- Well, how about you? How do you feel about him?

B- Lo, can we talk about this later when he’s not around?

L- Okay, but I’m gonna hold you to it.

B- I know you will.

Chapter 13

Later that night the kids and Sonny have gone to bed and Lois and Brenda are in the living room watching a movie and talking.

B- So, how are things between you and Ned?

L- Awkward. He’s dating Alexis Davis, but when we’re alone with Brooke it feels like we’re a family. I know that’s how I’d like it and sometimes it feels like he wants it, too. But, he never does anything about it.

B- Why don’t you tell him what you feel?

L- Because, what if he doesn’t really want that?

B- Well, you’ll never know unless you find out. If not for yourself then do it for Brooke.

L- Maybe you’re right.

B- Lo, I know I’m right. I’ve seen the way he looks at you.

L- Yeah, it’s the same way Sonny looks at you. Enough about me and Ned, what about you and Sonny?

B- I have absolutely no idea.

L- Well what happened the last time he was here?

B- He said he missed me and then one thing led to another and we were kissing and then I remembered that he was married. I couldn’t put myself through that again especially now that I have Stone to think about.

L- I know Bren, but I also know how much Sonny still loves you and cares about you.

B- I’m not so sure about that Lo.

L- I am. I know him Bren. There’s a lot about his marriage to Carly that you don’t know about.

Sonny wakes up and gets a drink of water. He can hear Brenda and Lois talking downstairs. He listens quietly.

B- I do still love him Lo. But I’m afraid we’ll screw up again and then Stone will get hurt. He already loves Sonny so much and I don’t want to put him in the middle.

L- Yeah, I know how you feel. It’s the same fear I have about me and Ned. I love you Bren. We just need to have faith that everything will sort itself out.

B- I love you too Lo. Why don’t we go to bed now. I know the kids will be up early because Sonny promised to take them to the beach.

L- Okay, see ya in the morning.

Sonny hears them coming and runs back in his room. Brenda and Lois go upstairs to bed, never knowing Sonny heard what they said.

Chapter 14

Early the next morning. Brenda and Lois are in the kitchen, drinking coffee and chatting. Right now they happen to be discussing the soap opera they always use to watch together.

B- Yeah, so how about when they were falling in love and then his brother, her husband, turned up and she went back to him.

L- Yeah, and then her twin sister is alive and they find out they have a brother too.

B- Right, I really don’t like the recast they put in the role of Dimitri.

L- Me either. What about Ryan and Gillian?

Sonny walks in and gets a cup of coffee.

B- Yeah, they get married and before they go on their honeymoon she’s shot in the head and dies.

L- Yeah, that was so sad. Well, now he’s free I wouldn’t mind gettin’ with him.

B- I could go for the good Dr. Dave. He’s been great with Laura.

Sonny looks at Brenda when she says this.

L- Yeah well he’s so your type.

B- Hey. I don’t usually fall for the criminals Lois!

Lois looks at Sonny and then back at Brenda. They both start laughing hysterically.

S- Somebody want to tell me what’s going on? Who’s this Dr. Dave?

L- Oh Sonny don’t get jealous. He’s a guy on the soap opera we watch.

S- Oh brother.

They all laugh.

Later that afternoon Lois and the kids are down by the ocean, while Sonny and Brenda are sitting on the blankets further up the shore.

B- I think they are enjoying it, don’t you?

S- Yeah, Stone really likes the water.

B- He does. Even when he was a baby he always liked the water.

S- (looks directly at Brenda) Bren, is it possible that me and you can talk later, after everyone else is asleep?

B- (worried) Yeah, is something wrong?

S- (smiles) No, there’s just a lot I really need to tell you. It’s important to me that we talk.

B- Okay. (she stands up and reaches her hand out to him) C’mon. Let’s go join in the fun.

Sonny takes her hand and stands up. They smile and walk hand in hand to where Lois and the kids are.

Chapter 15

It’s later that night. The kids had been exhausted from their fun filled day and went to bed early. Lois knew that Sonny had a lot to explain to Brenda so she too went to bed. Sonny and Brenda are sitting quietly on the back deck and watching the night sky and the stars reflect off the ocean.

S- Thanks for agreeing to talk to me.

B- Sure, Sonny, I know whatever you have to tell me it must be important.

S- It is. It’s about my so-called marriage. I married Carly, because my lawyer told me if I married her she couldn’t testify against me.

B- Why would she testify against you?

S- Let me start at the beginning. Carly was always hurting Jason. He wouldn’t believe me when I told him she was a slut and that she was using him. I wanted to prove it to him. Carly and I slept together. The next day Jason came over and found us together. He was really hurt. Well a week later I found out that she was pregnant with my baby. So I did what I could and had her move in with me. Well after a couple of months, she found out that I had a meeting with Joseph Sorel. She got to the hotel before me and stupidly tape recorded our conversation, then she called the police. Well what she didn’t think about was the things that I was saying on the recording. I could have went to jail so I had to marry her.

B- Wow, I had no idea.

S- Just wait there’s much more. Later Carly was at the Quartermaine’s and got into a fight with AJ. She fell down the stairs and lost the baby. (his eyes tear up) Well we stayed married after the charges were dropped. We didn’t get divorced because we both liked the idea of have a family. She helped me when I was shot on Christmas Eve. I thought I was going to die and she stayed there with me the whole way. Everything was going okay until a few months ago. Sorel delivered a bomb to the penthouse disguised as a present. Carly go stupid again and got me arrested for attempted murder, of the guy who delivered the bomb, plus kidnapping. The only way I could stay out of jail was if I snitched people out to the FBI. Something, you know, that I would never do. She betrayed me. I could never forgive her for that. Thank God the charges were ultimately dropped.

B- Sonny, I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry. I wish I could have been there for you. (she gets up and hugs him tightly)

S- Bren, when they held me overnight in that cell, all I could hear was Deke screaming at me. I went back into that closet. I couldn’t get out. I was trapped. My whole world turned upside down and I didn’t see it coming.