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Setting: On the airport on the way to California
Danny woke up and checked his watch. They would land in anohter half hour or so. He had slept soundly ever since transferring in Chicago. He had called Frank then to tell him he would be gone for a week or therebouts but he would call him each day.
He looked around the plane. It was very crowded. Apparantly everybody wanted to migrate to California. Let them have it he thought. California held no appeal for him. He wouldn't be coming to California at all if it weren't for Dietz's dying words. He was asking forgiveness for something Danny was sure of that. Hopefully his uncle could shed some light on this whole situation. God, he hoped so.
He shifted in his chair and looked out the window. He was getting squirmy cooped up in his seat like this. It was too damn crowded in this plane, not like the one that had taken him to Chicago. That one had been virtually empty.
For the first time he noticed that the seat next to his was occupied. He glanced at the seat's inhabitant. A beautiful, tall, redhead with a sparkle of invitation in her eyes was sitting next to him.
"Hello" she said with a husky voice, the kind you expect to hear on a phone sex line. "First time to California?" she asked and Danny shook his head no.
"Oh, are you going for business or pleasure?" she asked.
Danny had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. Why did total strangers feel like they had to talk to you when they were seated next to you in an airplane, Danny thought. "business" he replied shortly. Maybe she would take the hint. He hated to be rude but he wasn't in the least bit interested in her unspoken invitation.
"First time to California?" she asked. Didn't she realize she had already asked him that. GOd, Danny thought, some people just couldnt take a hint.
"No" he answered.
Not taking the hint, the redhead with the big mouth continued to talk.
"Well," she said breathlessly, "some friends of mine have invited me to come and stay with them at their beach house. They told me to bring a friend, but since I didn't bring one, how about you and me...." she said.
Danny was not even going to answer that. He simply lifted up his left hand and showed her his wedding ring that was on his finger. The symbol of his love for Michelle. God, I need you Michelle, he thought.
Apparently, being brushed off wasn't going to stop this person from pursuing him. "Honey," she began laughing. "Do you think I wuld be put off by a little detail as being married. I'm only looking for a good time, not a commitment" she said.
Danny's eyes turned black and she jumped back a little. "Leave me alone" he said in a cold even tone.
Quitting while she was ahead, the red head turned her attention to the man across the aisle. She wouldnt want such a cold bastard anyway, she thought, he was probably no fun. She felt sorry for his wife.
The stewardess came over the intercom and told them they would be making their descent. He put on his seat belt and listened as the stewardess welcome them to the land of beautiful sun and women.
Danny bit his lip in disgust. California held no appeal whatsoever, everything he had or ever would want was in Springfield and he couldnt wait to get back to her.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Setting: Bauer house
Michelle sat at her computer staring at the screen. So far all she had done was enter Danny's email ady and she prayed it was still the same. What should she put under the subject line??? What would she write?? Suddenly this wasn't as easy as she had thought it was going to be.
She was going to pour her heart out in this email, but she wanted to do it just right. She couldnt write anything like, "Do you love me, check yes or no".This might be her only shot at getting to tell Danny how she felt. The words were there in her head, but they were having a little trouble making their way down to her trembling hands. Geez,,, this was ridiculous. She had written lots of emails before, what was the big deal???
Chiding herself for being such a silly fool, she began her message. In her subject line, she simply put, Hi, it's Michelle.
She began to write.
Hi Danny,
It's me Michelle. I am really nervous about writing this but it's something that I have to do. I tried to catch you at the airport the night you left, but I got there too late.I saw your plane take off and I went back home heartbroken. The reason I tried to cath you was becuase, well, I thought we needed to talk more. I thought we left things unfnished in Pilar's room. I didn't want to leave you that night and I still am not sure why I gave you back my wedding ring and left.
Anyway, I know I am not making sense so I am just going to come out and say this. Danny, I love you. I didn't want to and I was afraid to, but I do. I really love you. I should have told you that night but I was too stupid. Then I realized I could catch you at the airport to tell you but you were already gone. I know you dont feel the same way and I know that we are annulled, but I need you to know how I feel.
I know things are more difficult for us than they would be for most people, but Danny, if you feel anything for me at all, I am askng that you let me know. If you really don't love me,I won't bother you again but I need to tell you how I feel. I need to have some closure with this.
I am staying at home while I attend school. I will have to retake this semester due to some uncontrollable circumstances, but that is another story entirely.
IF there is any chance at all for us, please tell me. If there is love, Danny, if there is love then anything is possible. If there is not, I will pick up my broken heart and I will move on, I just would like to know......
Thank you for reading this. I hope to hear from you soon.
I love you,
Michelle.
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Michelle read her email over and over. She hoped it didn't sound too pathetic. There it was her heart on the line. She hoped noone else would have access to his email. It was for Danny's eyes only. She knew that Danny checked his email twice and day and penned his responses. She knew he was meticulous about replying to his emails. He would answer her email, she was sure of that. How we would answer it, she was not sure.
She reread her message one last time, pushed the send button and prayed it would go through.
She suffered through the next five seconds until the window popped up that said "Your mail has been sent". Thank you God, she breathed. He hadn't changed his email address. All she could do now was wait.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Danny called Uncle Federico from the airport. Although he was surprised to hear that Danny was in town, he offered to come pick him up, but Danny said he would just catch a cab.
HE hailed a taxi and was on his way. What truth had Dietz been talking of? WHat had happened on the docks last night, or was it still today?? The time change really messed up his thinking. Why had Carmen had her most loyal employee for the last 30 years executed? Had Dietz been right? Had Warren stumbled onto something? If so, what? What would have made his mother want Dietz dead?
Dietz knew everything about the family, had been his papa's right hand man and when he had died, Dietz had remained loyal to the family. Danny had always thought there was more to Dietz than any of them knew but Dietz have never given any indication of turning on the family. He had literally known where the bodies were buried and if he were going to blackmail Carmen, he could have done so long before now. This thing went deeper than blackmail, Danny knew. He just prayed his uncle who had known Dietz would know what he had been talking about.
Uncle Federico had once been in the family business but didn't have the stomach for it after papa died. He didn't like the way Carmen had stepped up and took things over. Grandmother had begged him to stay and finish what Manny had started, but Federico didn't have the heart to stay after papa had gone. At least that's what his grandmother had told him. He knew her health had never really been the same after papa died and when Federico went to California, he asked his mama to come with him.
She had said she needed to stay in Springfield becuase her grandsons needed her. His grandmother was the next most precious thing to him after Michelle. His fathers mother had always been his favorite and he had always been hers. He would sit by her chair at night and listened to all the stories she would tell of his papa when he had been a boy and Danny would laugh at this fathers antics.
His grandmother had known how he felt about MIchelle. She knew how much he loved her. SHe was the only person that he could confide in about his feelings. She had not judged or hated Michelle even though she had killed her grandson. She had known what kind of man Mick was and knew that Michelle had killed him in self defense only. Michelle would not have been the first person Mick would have killed. Danny knew of at least 3 people Mick had killed and Danny felt sure there were more, but he didnt want to know. Mick would have killed Michelle and not lost one second of sleep.
He had never been able to handle that part of the business. That was why he took business classes in college so he could turn the business around. He was tired of feeling like a thug. Michelle deserved better than a thug. Mick was a thug, he was a businessman. He would make this business legitimate if it was the last thing he did.
He prayed Federico would know what Dietz was talking about. He hated like hell leaving him in the gravel like that, but he couldnt be discovered there. Dietz wouldnt have wanted him to get caught. He knew Dietz would want whoever had killed him to pay and Danny would make sure of that. "You didn't die in vain, buddy" Danny muttered.
The taxi pulled in front of Federico Santos's vast stucco house. Uncle Federico had done quite well for himself here in California. The food business was very successful. His uncle came out and greeted him with a huge bear hug, then got straight to the point. He asked him why he was there. Danny asked if they could go inside and talk. Aunt Sophia hugged and kissed Danny and then went to get some coffee. Federico motioned for Danny to follow him into the study.
Danny looked around the place. Nice, he thought, very nice. Pictures were everywhere. Uncle Federico had four beautiful daughters. He looked at his cousins pictures. THey each had grown into beautiful, young ladies. Two of the daughters were married, one was away at college and one had opted to remain in town and attend the local college.
He looked at one of the wedding phots. His cousin Angelina. She had married a navy seal she had met while in college in San Diego. A big, blonde man with kind eyes, Danny noted. They looked extremly happy. Below their picture was a picture of their twins, Jacob and Kaitlyn, or Jake and Katie as Aunt Sophia lovingly called them. He had heard of Jack and Katie often, the first Santos great grandchildren. Funny, they didn't look like they were part of the Santos family tree at all, having taken after their anglo father. They were spititng images of their father, Stephen Walker, but Danny knw Aunt Sophia and Uncle Federico couldn't have been any more proud of them. His grandmother had some photos of the little Walkers on her bedstand next to one of him as a child. The other married daughter had married a Hispanic man named Antonio, but as of yet, they had no children.
They finished catching up on the family and Uncle Federico ushered Danny into the study, "Now Daniel" he said. "Suppose you tell me what made you come all the way out to California".
Danny began to tell him everything, leaving nothing out. He told him about falling in love with Mick's killer, about trying to turn the business around and finally about Dietz and the events of last evening. He told him about Dietz's cryptic dying words and told him that was what he brought him out here. He was hoping his uncle would know what Dietz was trying to tell him.
Uncle Federico sat there quietly. He looked as if her were weighing a decision heavily. Danny allowed him all the time he neeed. He wanted to get to the bottom of all of this.
"Daniel" his uncle began "I had hope that you would find out about all of this another way, but now that your curiosity has been piqued and have come all the way out here, I may as well be the one to tell you the truth" he haid heavily. Whatever was going to come out of his uncle's mouth next was going to me major, Danny thought.
He could stop his uncle right now, Danny thought, but he didnt. He had come this far, there was no going back.
"Tell me Federico" Danny said. "I need to know no matter what it is"
"Danil, what you are about to hear is going to be shocking but to tell you the truth, I wanted you to know along time ago but it was not my decision to make" he said.
Danny braced himself for what was coming. He knew whatever his uncle was going to tell him would change his world. He could tell it was that serious.
Federico inhaled and said "I dont know how to else to tell you but to just say it........Carmen Santos is not your real mother."
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Michelle finished eating her toast and hurridly tried to drink the last of her coffee. She was going to be late. She had to get to regristration this morning to sign up for the classes she had to retake. She had rededicated her life to studying medicine and her broken heart would not stop her from realizing her dream.
She tried to resist the urge to check her email again. She had already checked it a dozen times already and so far she had received no answer from Danny. Either he hadn't gotten her email yet or he had gotten it and wasn't going to answer it. She was determined not to become a slave to her computer.
She was clearing the table of the dishes and newspaper Rick had left behind when the headline jumped out at her.
SANTOS HENCHMEN FOUND SHOT
She grabbed the paper and read the article.
SPRINGFIELD. AP- Local authorities are still investigating a shooting last night at the warehouse district. Roberto Dietzman, aka, Dietz, who worked for the local crime syndicate was found shortly after midnight at the Santos shipping docks. Police received an anoymous tip that shots wre fired and upon arrival found Mr. Dietzman in full cardiac arrest. Tension between the Santos and Ramirez families has been escalating in recent weeks, and could be a factor in the shooting. Police would not comment on how the shooting occured or on any suspects being held for questioning.
Carmen Santos was unavailable for comment. Ben Warren, Santos family attorney released this statement: "We re all shocked and deeply saddened by the events of last evening. Mr. Dietzman will be sorely missed." No further details were available.
Michelle put the paper down and exhaled. She hadn't realized she had been holding her breath. Wow, Dietz had been shot. She read the article again. It didn't say whether he had died or not. How was Carmen taking this?
Michelle had never liked Dietz and wouldn't mourn his passing. She had always felt like he was watching her when she lived in the mansion. His eyes were always on her and she felt their gaze even when he wasnt in the room. He was always in Carmen's shadow ready to do her bidding.
Had Carmen already called Danny and told him the news? That was probably the reason he hadn't replied to her email yet. Would he come back to Springfield now? Her heart lept at the possibility of seeing him again. Would he get her email, come see her and declare his love? Oh, she hoped.
"OH no" she said.If Danny came back, he would get sucked into the family again. He would be right in the middle of this mafia war. He could get hurt, or even killed. The next person she read about getting killed could be Danny.
Michelle grabbed the phone and called Bill. "Did you see today's paper?" Michelle asked.
"Yes," Bill answered. "Pilar is here with me now. Her mother has been calling all morning trying to get her to come home. Carmen said she needed her family with her at a time like this. Pilar doesn't know what to do" Bill explained.
"I wonder if Danny is coming back" Michelle said.
"Pilar doesn't know. We were just talking about that. She doesn't know the phone number out at her uncles and she doesnt want to call the mansion for it so she emailed Danny and asked if he was coming home" Bill said. "They have been keeping in touch that way".
It seemed as though everyone had thought of email but her. "UH, Bill, has he answered her email yet" she had to know. She had hoped that Danny had just been busy and not had time to respond to her email, maybe hadnt had time to read it yet. She had prayed that was the case . If he had answered Pilar's email then she would know that he had seen her email. Oh God, she thought.
"No" answered Bill "so far there hasn't been any respone. She just checked right before you called. What are you going to do if Danny comes back?" Bill asked.
Good question, Michelle thought to herself. It all depended on Dannys reaction to her email.
The cards were on the table, so to speak. Soon, if not already, Danny would know how she really felt about him. Why was she so afraid of his reaction? She had heard him tell his grandmother that he loved her, although he did say later that he was just trying to make an old woman happy.
She knew Danny felt something for her, otherwise, he wouldn't have looked at her the way that he did, wouldnt have told her he wanted to be married to her for real. He had told her that day in the park that it was just lust, but she harbored the hope that is was more.
Danny had wanted her of that she was certain. How ever else he may feel about her, she wasn't certain. She would know soon enough she supposed.
"I don't know Bill, I will have to deal with that if and when it happens, do me a favor, will you?" Michelle said. "Tell Pilar that I am here for her if she needs me and to let me know when Danny answers her email".
BIll relayed the message to Pilar and then they said their goodbyes. Michelle's statement to Bill would give her the answer to the questions that she had. Would Danny answer her email and would he come back to Springfield?
Realizing she had forgotten all about regristration, she grabbed her keys and flew out the door.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Danny sat in the chair speechless. He couldn't have formed a word if his life depended on it. Federico has just dropped the biggest bombshell of his life. Carmen was not his real mother. What did that mean??
Federico gave Danny some time to let the news sink and to get his thoughts together. "Would you like me to continue" he asked. Danny merely nodded his answer.
"This is all going to sound like a second rate soap opera, but allow me to tell you the whole story before you jump to any conclusions" said Federico.
Danny finally found his voice. "There's more?" he asked.
Federico nodded. He poured some coffee and began his tale.
"Your papa and I were the heir apparant to the Santos throne, so to speak. We were groomed at an early age to know the business and to run the business when we grew up. Manny had big dreams, of changing things and making the business better. We used to talk all the time about the things that we had seen and what we would do when it was ours to run. I have to admit, your papa was the one with all the business savvy." he paused.
"You know Danny, you are so much like your papa. Your dreams were his own back then. He had such hopes, anyway I am getting ahead of myself" he continued.
Danny interupted his uncle for a minute. "So papa, he was really my father?" Danny croaked.
"Yes, Daniel, you are Manuel Santos's son. If fact, you are his only son" Federico said.
Danny was blown away again. Mick was older than he. That meant that Mick hadn't been papa's son. His mother, no not his mother, but Carmen and his father had been married when Mick was born. Carmen had had an affair and Mick was the result. This was all too much.
"Mick was not...." he began.
"No, Danny, he was not Manny's son. I need to tell you the whole story for it too make sense to you."
"Okay" Danny said, but please, please tell me first, who was Mick's father?"
"This is where I wrestled with my conscious for all those years. I held this secret in for the good of your family. I thought once Mick died that Carmen would tell you, but I can see that she hasn't." he continued.
"Danny, you came out here to find out the truth. The truth that Dietz tried to tell you. He tried to tell you before he died becuase Dietz was Mick's father."
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