Chapter 11

Brenda hangs up the phone and runs into Lois’ bedroom. Lois is sitting on her bed painting her nails.

B- Ahhh!

L- What’s da matta with you?

B- I have to get ready for my meeting with Lucy and Sonny‘s gonna be at the picnic tonight.

L- Wow.

B- Come on, hurry up. You have to help me find something to wear.

L- Whoa. Bren, calm down. Breathe. We’ll find you the perfect outfit to wear and then I’ll do your hair.

B- Ok, thanks Lo. You’re the best. (Brenda hugs Lois)

L- Yeah I am, ain’t I? (The girls laugh and go into Brenda’s closet)

Brenda arrives at the Deception offices later that afternoon for her interview. She walks in and sees the secretary.

Sect.- May I help you?

B- Yes, I’m Brenda Barrett, I have an appointment with Lucy Coe.

Sect.- Yes, Miss Coe is expecting you. One moment please.. (she goes in Lucy’s office then comes back)..You may go in now Miss Barrett.

B- Thank you.

Brenda walks in and sees Lucy sitting behind a desk in a plush office.

Lucy- Hi Brenda. Nice to meet you. Please have a seat.

B- Thanks

Lucy- I have seen your pictures and I must tell you that you have the look that we have been looking for. But before we can make any deals I would like for you to have some shots taken by our photographer, Lance. Would you mind that?

B- No. I would mind that at all. When would you like them done?

Lucy- Now, if it’s possible.

B- Now’s great.

Lucy- Wonderful.

Chapter 12

Brenda has been posing for Lance for about a half-an-hour now. Lucy is amazed by how much of a natural Brenda was in-front of the camera. Lucy goes over to Lance to ask his professional opinion of Brenda.

Lucy- Well, what do you think?

Lan- Lucy, she’s perfect and if you let her go it would be the mistake of your career.

Lucy-Great, that’s all I needed to hear. I want to see those shots when they’re developed.

Lan- Sure thing.

Lucy- Brenda, that’s great. You’re perfect for the job. I’ll have the contracts written up and you can come back tomorrow and sign them.

B- Thanks Lucy. This is really wonderful. I really wanted to work for you.

Lan- It’s been nice meeting you, Brenda. Hope to be working with you often. You’re a natural.

B- Thanks. I’ve seen the work you’ve done in Vogue and I think it’s an honor to be working with you.

Lan- (laughs) Well at least some people appreciate me.

B- Yeah, see you tomorrow Lucy.

Lucy- Bye Brenda.

Chapter 13

Brenda walked into Luke’s with a huge grin on her face. She walked to the bar where Luke was there yelling at Claude.

B- Hey Luke. How ya doing?

Lu- Hey babydoll. All grown-up.. (Brenda turns around).. and more beautiful than ever. (Brenda laughs)

B- Thanks poppa. How’s Laura?

Lu- She’s good. You’ll have to stop by and see her. I know that she would love to have you for dinner.

B- I’d love too. I’ve been missing Miss LuLu. I bet she’s gotten big.

Lu- She has. Pretty soon I’ll be having to watch out for the boys knocking down my door. (Luke smiles that fatherly smile)

B- Yeah you better watch out.

Lu- Don’t tell me you came here all dressed up just to see me? What’s up?

B- Well, I just came from seeing Lucy Coe and she’s signing me to a contract with Deception.

Lu- Wow. I proud of you. I always knew you’d do well for yourself.

Sonny comes out from the back. Brenda sees him and smiles as she thinks of how hot he looks in his Armani suit. Sonny looks at Luke and feels his breath catch in his chest when he sees Brenda sitting there at the bar.

B- Hi Sonny.

S-Hey Bren.

B- Well, I gotta go get ready for the picnic so, poppa, if you see Lucky tell him I’ll be there later and also that I miss him. Give LuLu a hug and kiss from me and tell Laura that I’ll be stopping by soon.

Lk- Will do, babydoll. Have yourself a good time and congratulations again.

B- Thanks, bye. Bye Sonny.

S- Bye Brenda.

Chapter 14

Sonny just stands there and watches as she walks out the door. Luke sees how he’s looking and he starts laughing.

Lk- Well I see you have it bad for my little girl.

S- Who Bren? Yeah, she’s amazing, isn’t she? Why do you call her your little girl?

Lk- She’s always been friends with Lucky. And we’ve made her part of our family. Her mom died and her father’s scum, so she’s close to me and Laura. We love her like she’s our own.

S- Oh.

Lk- Yeah, so you better now break her heart or I’ll have to break your neck.

S- Ok, I get the idea. And trust me the last thing I plan on doing is break her heart.

At the Picnic in the park.

Everyone is wearing shorts and t-shirts. It had become a tradition for the first day of summer. Brenda and Lois arrive and see the guys trying to get a football game started. Brenda couldn’t help but admire Sonny’s muscular physique. Brenda and Lois walked over to where Carly, Robin and Liz are sitting. Jason comes over to the table.

J- Come on girls. We have an un-even number of people and we need some of you to play. Please? (he gives his best puppy dog face)

B- Aww, who could resist that face? Come on girls let give the guys a run for their money.

J- Bren, you’re the best.

B- Yeah I know.

Jason picks Brenda up and carries her to where they are playing. All the girls follow them over.

Lo- Ok who picks teams? Cuz I wanna play with my Nedly.

N- I wouldn’t want it any other way. (he kisses her)

St- Ok, it’ll be me, Jase, Robbie, Car and Bren verses Sonny, Ned, Lo, Luck and Liz. Sound fair? Good, now let’s play before it gets dark.

Chapter 15

An hour later the teams were dead even with fourteen points. It’s the last play of the game and Lois is whining because she broke a nail and Carly is tired. Stone’s team has the ball and a chance to score and touchdown. Stone passes the ball to Brenda who quickly passes the ball to Jason just as she is about to be tackled by Sonny. Jason runs the ball and scores.

J- We win. We win. Hah!

Lucky- You win because Bren is on your team. Everyone knows that she’s good. You just had to pick her didn’t you?

Stone carries Robin over the blankets and everyone starts to move off the field except Sonny and Brenda. Sonny helped Brenda back up to her feet. They are now standing very closely, face to face. They stare deeply into each other’s eyes. After a few minutes they break eye contact and walk back to join the rest of the group, never separating hands.

J- Bren, what can I say? You were great as usual.

B- Yeah, just a talent I picked up from the boys in the neighborhood. (she hits his shoulder)

L- Well, we always played stick ball and I expected Sonny to know how to throw a football.

S- Lo, you were never a good stickball player, you have an excuse for that too?

L- Go blow it out your ear Corinthos.

Everyone starts laughing hysterically. Lois looks at them then she stares daggers at Ned.

L- Nedly, you wouldn’t be laughing at me, now would you?

N- (stops laughing) Oh, of course not Lois.

Everyone laughs and Brenda gets up and walks to the edge of the lake and sits under a willow tree.

R- I wonder what’s wrong with Bren?

C-I don’t know, maybe I should go talk to her?

Carly starts to get up but Sonny stops her.

S- No, that’s okay. I’ll talk to her.

Sonny slowly walks to where Brenda is sitting.

S- Do you mind if I have a seat?

B- No, go ahead.

S- Thanks.

Sonny just sits there and he starts skipping stones on the lake. Brenda sits there quietly until she can’t take it anymore.

B- Do you mind?

S- Not at all. (he’s still skipping the stones)

B- I came over here to sit quietly and think. I can’t think when you keep doing that.

S- Oh sorry. Do you wanna talk about it?

B- Talk about what?

S- What ever it is that’s on your mind?

B- I’m just thinking of Jason and Carly, LOis and Ned, Stone and Robin and even Lucky and Liz.

S- What about them?

B- I’m just jealous I guess. I just don’t understand why I can’t have what they do. Why do I have to be so unlucky in love? I mean really, the first guy I think I’m in love with is in love with someone else. It’s all really not fair.

S- Yeah, I know what you mean. It sounds familiar.

B- Ah, finally someone who understands.

S- Yeah, all too clearly.

B- Sorry to hear that.

S- Well, it happens, right? (he smiles at her)

B- Thanks for listening. You’re a good guy Sonny. One day you’ll find the right person for you. It’s me I’m worried about. (she laughs)

S- Thanks Bren. I’m sure you’ll find someone who cares about you. In fact, I think he’s closer to you than you think.

B- Yeah, who? Jason? Stone? Ned? Lucky? I don’t think so.

S- How about me?