I'll Be Home
by Melissa
Chapter 1
Brenda looked around the kitchen and her eyes landed on the calendar. It
was September 14th. Ten years to the day her life changed forever. She
was so sure that it was going to change for the better. It was her
wedding day. Sonny and her were supposed to live happily together
forever. That was her dream. So much for dreams. Hers had lasted only an
hour. The happiest day of her life was also the day the nightmare had
started. They had been dancing their first dance as husband and wife
when it all started. Sonny was holding her tight as they swayed around
the room. He looked into her eyes, smiled his dimpled smile and
whispered the words, ''I love you Mrs. Corinthos.''
She remebered smiling back at him and replying , ''I Love you too, Mr.
Corinthos.'' Then a shot rang out in the room. Brenda started to cry as
she started to remember what happened next. Why was she even doing this?
It was ten years ago. Sonny was dead and there was nothing she could do
about it.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the door to the kitchen slamming. She
looked up and saw her daughter Jessica.
J: ''Mom, why are you crying?'' Jessica then noticed the calendar and
wished she hadn't said anything. ''I'm sorry, Mom. You miss Daddy don't
you?''
B: ''Yeah, Jessi I do. I don't know what came over me. I'm crying over
something that happened ten years ago. I should be over it by now.''
Trying to change the subject, she asked, ''Hey Jessi what do you want
for breakfast?''
J: ''Don't worry about it, Mom. I'm just going to get some cold cereal.
The Spencers are going to be here pretty soon to get me. LuLu, Brooke
and I are going to go to the Spencers after school, okay?''
B: ''Okay. Don't get into too much trouble. I'll come and get you before
dinner okay.''
J: ''But Mom, you promised I could go to Luke's tonight to hear Uncle
Ned sing. Brooke says he is singing his new song tonight.''
B: ''I'm sorry, Jessi. I forgot. I'll see if the Spencers can take you
there and Aunt Julia and I will meet you there.''
J: ''Mom, are you going to be okay today?''
B: ''Honey, of course I will be. Don't be silly. Finish your breakfast.
I have to get ready for work.''
J: ''Mom, you take care of yourself, okay.''
B: ''Jessi, you don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine.''
A honk is heard outside.
J: She puts her cereal bowl in the sink, grabs her bag and heads for the
door. ''Bye mom, see you tonight.''
B: ''Bye sweetie''
Brenda decides she has to pull herself together or she will never get
through the day. She goes upstairs gets ready for work, and leaves.
***********************************************************************
Meanwhile somewhere in the midwest, we see a dark haired man, face not
shown talking on the phone.
M: I've held up my end of the bargain, when will I be able to get out?
Man on Phone (MP): Soon, soon. We have to make sure that everything will
be safe for you and everyone you have ever been involved in.
M: Hurry up, it's been damn too long as it is anyways.
MP: We know, but you don't want anyone to get hurt do you?
M: No.
MP: Then just stay put for now.
M: Fine, just call me when I can go home. I'm sick of this business.
MP: It will be over soon. Bye.
M: Bye.
With that the man hung up his phone. He went into his bedroom and took
out an old box from his dresser. He took out a gold wedding ring, and an
old gold pocket watch. He looked at them and fingered them tenderly.
''I'll be home soon. Don't worry baby, I'll be home soon.''
Chapter 2
Brenda and Lois are trying to discuss how they are going to get their
new band on contract in their high rise office that overlooks the
bustling town of Port Charles.
L: “Bren, do you agree with this detail here in section 3?”
Brenda doesn’t answer. She is staring out the window.
L: “Brenda, the longer you stare out there, the longer we have to stay
here.”
Brenda still doesn’t respond.
L: “ Brenda! Earth to Brenda!”
Brenda turns and looks at Lois.
B: “Huh? Oh, Section 3.” Looks over the document “Yeah, I think it
is okay.”
L: “Bren, it’s been ten years, just let it go.”
B: “I can’t I’ve tried. What do I have to show for it? Many failed
relationships and haunting memories. Why do these things always
happen to me?”
L: “Bren, stuff just happens, it’s no one’s fault.” She goes over to
Brenda and puts her arm around her. “Everything will be okay, sweetie.
Just hang in there.”
B: “Nothing is ever okay, Lois. I’m a curse to men. I don’t know what
they see in me. I always break their hearts or get them killed.”
L: “Bren, you are not a curse. Sonny being killed was not your fault.
Jax was looking for something you couldn’t give him. John was a
scroundel after your money, and Rob was just plain abusive. I’m glad my
Nedley and Jason ran him out of town”
B: “They wouldn’t have have to do that if I hadn’t got Sonny killed.”
L: “Bren, it’s not your fault Sonny got killed. You didn’t pull the
trigger. You didn’t sneak in as a photographer. You didn’t order the
hit.”
B: Gets a strange look in her eyes and says quietly, “The hit was on
me, not Sonny.”
L: “What? Bren, that’s nonsense. Sonny was in the mob, not you.”
B: “Things happened that night that I never told you.”
L: Gets a worried look. “Bren, what kind of things? You’re not making
any sense.”
B: “You remember that I ran out of the hospital after the doctor told
me that Sonny was dead?”
L: “Yeah. Jason got very ticked when he found out and went to find
you. He said he found you crying at the docks and brought you home.”
B: “He did find me there, but that’s not the whole story.” Brenda
takes deep breath before she begins her tale.
****************************************************************************************
FLASHBACK
Brenda was sitting on the bench by the docks just staring at the water.
She was crying hysterically and was letting her mind wander in her
memories of Sonny. Why was the world so cruel that her husband was
taken from her on her wedding day? It wasn’t fair.
Brenda is so lost in thought that she doesn’t hear the footsteps come
up behind her. She feels a hand cover mouth as the barrel of a gun is
pressed to her head. She looks up with terror in her eyes as the man
calmly says, “Congratulations Mrs. Corinthos. Your wedding was very
beautiful. I’m sorry for what happened to your husband. That wasn’t
how it was supposed to end. You are the one that’s supposed to be in
the morgue right now, not your dearly departed husband.” Brenda feels
his grasp tighten around her as she gasps. “That’s right Mrs.
Corinthos. The hit was on you. I don’t usually make mistakes, but that
happens when the target moves. Your husband saved your life when he
decided to turn you around.” Brenda has started to cry uncontrollably
by now.
M: “Hush now pretty lady. You don’t want me to hurt you do you? What
a funny question. My boss was actually happy that I made the mistake.
He decided that it would make his job a little easier. I’m supposed to
leave you alone, but guess what, I have just made a fatal mistake. I
confessed to you and showed my face. I don’t want you running to the
cops so I guess I’ll have to kill you right here and now.”
Brenda was terrified by now. She had no idea what to think. As much as
she wanted to be with Sonny, she had found out weeks earlier that she
was pregnant. She had to live for the baby. This man was about to take
what was left of her life away from her. She heard a noise behind
them. And then the grip around loosened as the man fell to the ground.
She turned around and saw Jason with his gun trained on the man. She
looked at the man. He wasn’t dead, but looked like he didn’t have much
time left.
J: “Are you okay Brenda?”
B: “ Yeah, I think so. I just want to go home. Did you hear what that
guy said?”
J: “Only that he was going to kill you.”
B: Still crying, now crying harder. “He said the hit was on me, not
Sonny?”
J: “What? Why?”
B: “I don’t know?”
M: With his last breath, “Rivera, revenge on Lily and Hernando.”
End of Flashback
*********************************************************************************************
Brenda is sitting on the couch in L&B offices crying. Lois is sitting
next to her with her arm around her trying to get her to calm down.
L: Honey, why didn’t you tell me this before?
B: I don’t know. I guess if I didn’t akcnowledge it, it really didn’t
happen., but I know it did. I see it in my nightmares. I can’t run
from it.
L: Did Jason ever find out what was behind the reasoning of that guy?
B: I don’t know. I asked him to not tell me about it. I wanted to
forget about it. I figured he must have because I haven’t been shot at
since.
L: Bren that’s a heavy burden to carry around by yourself for 10 years.
B: I know. Believe me I know. Please don’t tell anyone about this.
Well maybe Ned, but that’s it.
L: Did you ever tell Robin?
B: No I didn’t, but I think that Jason did. She seemed to know what
was wrong with me that night I stayed with her, even though I didn’t
tell her. I really miss her. It’s been almost 3 years since that car
accident.
L: We all miss her, Bren. Lois gave her one last hug and got up from
the couch. I say it’s about time for a lunch break. What do you say?
B: Getting up. “Definitely.”
********************************************************************************************
Still somewhere in the midwest, a dark haired man enters an apartment.
He hangs his jacket up in the closet, and heads for the kitchen. He
puts on a pot of coffee. He picks up the newspaper, sits at thetabe and
starts to read it. He finds an article that catches his eye. Its
headline is, “L&B Records are about to sign the hottest new band of the
year.”
He goes onto read the article and smiles. He thinks to himself, I knew
you two could do it. You guys have made a small time company into a
major corporation. I can’t wait to see it.
When the coffee is done, he pours himself a cup. He sits back at the
table. The phone rings.
M: Sam Danto here
Man on Phone: You can go home in a week.
M: Are you sure?
MP: Yes
M: Thanks
MP: Just doing my job
M: Well thanks anyways. Bye
MP: bye
They both hang up.
The man smiles and says, “Watch out Port Charles, I’m coming home.”
********************************************************************************************
Chapter 3
It is after school and Jessi, LuLu and Brooke are in LuLu’s room. They
are in the Spencers’ attic looking for old photo albums because LuLu has
a project where she needs baby pictures of herself and her siblings.
Nikolas had dropped one off earlier that day. She was just looking for
cute ones of herself, her older brother Lucky, and younger sister
Lindsey.
J: “Here’s a cute one, Lu.” Lulu takes the picture from Jessica. She
takes one look at it and puts it in the discard pile. Brooke picks it
up and looks at it.
B: Lu, what’s wrong with this, its so cute. I love the way your hair
curls around your ears.
L: “Yeah, well I have chocolate all over my face in it.” She takes the
picture from Brooke and puts it back in the discard pile.
J: That’s what makes it so cute. You know my mom’s favorite baby
picture of me is where I’m sleeping on the couch, holding a half eaten
chocolate chip cookie and have smudges of chocolate on my face.”
B: “That one is so cute. It’s the one she has hanging in the hall to
the kitchen, right?”
J: “Yeah, it is.”
L; “know, what guys? I’m not finding anything in this box, I’m going
to try that one over there.”
B: “Okay, do you want us to help or you want us to keep looking here?”
L: “There is fine, just show me the ones you think I could use. I
found one of Lucky, so don’t worry about him.”
J: “Did your parents have many pictures of him when they were on the
run?”
L: Opening up the box. “They had a couple. They couldn’t take much
stuff with them, but they did have a few. The one I got is really
cute. He must be about two and he’s trying to put an ornament on the
Christmas tree.”
B: “That must be really cute. Hey Lu this one of Lindsey looks good.
She’s trying to ride Foster.”
J: “Let me see.” She takes the picture and starts to laugh. “Foster
looks like he wants to get away from her as fast as he can.”
L: Her head is buried in the box as she digs through the contents. “I
think that must be the picture I was looking for. I wanted to write a
little bit about Foster also, and that would be the perfect……” Her
voice trails off. Brooke and Jessi look up at her
J: “Lu, are you okay?”
L: Looks up at Jessi, she’s holding an old yellowed newspaper. “I
don’t think I should have opened this box.”
B: “Why not? Lu, just show us what your looking at.”
L: Her hands are shaking and she looks like she she is very unsure
about what she should do. “This is so unbelievable. Where did this box
come from?” She folds the newspaper in half, and looks closely at the
top of the box to see if the contents are listed.. She can’t figure out
how she missed it. The box said it was personal items of Sonny’s from
Luke’s office. She vaguely asked herself why these weren’t at Jessi’s
house.
Brooke and Lulu were getting worried by now. They come over to her and
try to reason with her.
J: “Lu, are you okay? What are lyou looking for?”
L: Looks at Jessi. “Do you know how your father died?”
J: “Why do you ask? Yeah, him and mom were in a car accident when they
left town. She survived and he didn’t. She feels guilty about it
sometimes. You know this, why are you asking?”
L: Hands her the newspaper, and gives her a hug. “Sweetie, I don’t
think we were told the whole story.”
J: Looks at the paper. A look of shock and terror crosses her face.
“I need to sit down, this can’t be true.” She looks up at Lulu’s face
with pleading eyes. “It can’t be, right?”
********************************************************************************************
Chapter 4
Jessi is sitting on the floor of the Spencer’s attic staring in shock at
the newspaper she is holding in her hands. Brooke and Lulu are hovering
around her, trying to figure out how to help her.
J: “This is just so cruel and made up. I thought the Port Charles
Herald was a reputable newspaper. They must have gotten their facts
wrong.”
B: Looking at the paper. “Honey I think we should ask someone about
this. It might be true.”
J: With a look of defiance, gets up and starts to yell, “Don’t tell me
you believe what this says! My father was not in the mob! He wasn’t
shot at his wedding!! He wasn’t!! My mom would have told me!” She
sits back down and starts to cry. She can’t ignore the sinking feeling
in her stomach that this might be true. She looks up at Brooke and
Lulu, and quietly whispers, “What if it is true?”
B: Kneels down to Jessi’s level. Her bright blue eyes look into
Jessi’s brown ones. “Jess, I think we need to get solid answers from
our parents before we question this. They were there; this reporter
may have or may not have been there. Let’s go down and talk to Mrs.
Spencer. I’m sure she can tell us if this is true.” She helps Jessi up
off the floor.
J: “Okay. You’re right we need answers. Lets go find your mom, Lu.”
The girls trek down the stairs and go into the kitchen where they find
Laura, who is setting up paints for Lindsey to finger paint. Laura
smiles when they come into kitchen. She is about to ask them something,
but takes one look at Jessi and decides against it.
La: “Jessi are you okay? Are you getting sick?”
J: “Can I ask you something?”
La: Sensing that something really big is on Jessi’s mind.“You know you
can ask me anything”
J: “Daddy didn’t die in a car accident did he?”
La: Shocked by the question and wondering what to tell Jessi. She knew
Brenda didn’t want Jessi to know the truth yet. “Why do you ask
that?”
J: Holds up the newspaper and gives it to Laura. “Because we found
this in the attic.”
La: Looks at the old faded newspaper. The headline boldly shouts, “MOB
BOSS MICHAEL “ SONNY” CORINTHOS, Jr. GUNNED DOWN AT HIS WEDDING AS HE
DANCES WITH HIS BRIDE, MODEL BRENDA BARRET” A blown up colored picture
of Sonny and Brenda dancing moments before the shooting was displayed on
the front. She sadly remembers the events of that night. She doesn’t
want to get too much into detail with Jessi about it, because that’s
what Brenda needed to do with her. She looks up at Jessi, and realizes
just how much she looked like her father. The same dark curly hair, the
same intense brown eyes, and when she smiled, which she wasn’t doing at
the moment, the same dimpled smile. “No, honey your father didn’t die
in a car accident. There wasn’t even an accident that night.” She goes
over to Jessi and leads her to a chair to sit down. “Lu, go get her
some water. Brooke make sure she is okay. I’m going to call her mom
and tell her what is happening.”
J: “Wait. I want answers now. Please give them to me.”
La: “I would like to Jess, but I think this is something you need to
discuss with your mom.”
J: “She won’t discuss it. She never tells me about that night. I’ve
asked a million times for her to tell me about the wedding and the
accident, or rather whatever happened to Daddy. She always tells me she
will later. She never does.”
La: “She’s probably just scared. I’ll sit with you and help her answer
questions if you like.”
J: “I’d like that.”
Laura gets up and calls Brenda a L&B. Jessi asks Lulu to read the
article out loud to the three of them. The girls sit in the kitchen and
listen to the details of that horrible, heart - wrenching night.
Lindsey, the happy three year old, is oblivious to what is going on
around her. She has decided against finger painting is in the corner of
the kitchen, painting the wall shades of purple and red. No one
notices.
Meanwhile, at L&B the phone is ringing.
Lo: “Hold on Bren, let me get the phone…..Hello?””
La: “Lois, this Laura..”
Lo: “Hi! How are the girls doing?”
La: “Well, not so good. I need to speak to Brenda, is she around.”
Lo: “Yeah, hold, on.” Lois motions Brenda to come over and grab the
phone.
B: “Hello?’
La: “Brenda you need to come here quick, Lois might want to come too.
The girls just found out about Sonny.”
B: Getting agitated. “What!? When?! How?!” Lois started to get
concerned and was hovering around Brenda.
La: “They were in the attic looking for pictures and somehow they came
across the newspaper that had the whole story in it. Jessi’s really
upset, and she’s asking questions. You need to get here right away.”
B: “We’re on our way.” With that, Brenda grabbed her jacket and headed
towards the door, calling to Lois, “Come on Lo, we have an emergency to
get to.”
Lo: “Tell me what’s going on, Bren.”
B: Leaving the office with Lois right behind her. “The girls found
out about Sonny.”
Lo: Sarcastically. “Oh boy, this day is just getting better and
better.”
********************************************************************************************
At Luke’s Jason has just come in to do the books. Luke is behind the
bar wiping it down. He motions for Jason to come over to the bar.
J: Reluctantly goes over. He respects Luke, but doesn’t really care
one or the other for him. He had been Sonny’s friend, not his.
“Everything okay Luke?”
L: “I’m not sure yet. See that guy over in the corner?”
J: Turns slightly. “Yeah, he’s been coming here a lot lately.”
L: “Yeah, he has. Says his name is Clive Johnson. He’s been asking
about Brenda.”
J: This catches Jason’s attention. “Asking about what?”
L: “Says he’s a modeling agent and wants to persuade her back into the
business. He’s too nosy for my liking. He wants to know how she’s been
doing since Corinthos died, where she lives, if she’s married again. I
didn’t tell him anything too specific. It’s been ten years, but do you
think she is still in danger?” (Note: Luke knows about the hit)
J: “She could be, I never found out who that guy was working for.
After I made the hitman disappear, no one came looking for him. I
figured he was a loose cannon working on his own or his boss doesn’t
have a need to get rid of Brenda anymore. Why do you think that Mr.
Johnson over there isn’t on the up and narrow path?”
L: “Instinct.”
J: Jason knows all too well that Luke’s instinct is usually correct.
“You keep a watch on him. Tell me if you notice anything else. I’ll
have him checked out.”
L: “I’ll do just that. Keep me posted on what you find out.”
J: “I will.” Jason walks to the back office to do the books. He makes
a mental note to put guards on Brenda and Jessi again, just in case
something fishy was going on.
********************************************************************************************
Chapter 5
The girls are in the Spencer’s kitchen. They have just finished reading
the article in the old newspaper. Everyone is still oblivious to the
fact that Lindsey is having the time of her life painting the kitchen
wall red and purple. She has started to sing the song that never ends,
but she is still being ignored. Lucky comes into the house through the
kitchen door.
Lk = Lucky
Li = Lindsey
La = Laura
Lu = Lulu
Lo: Lois
Lk: Walks in and sees the girls, but doesn’t notice the somber mood.
“Hey how’s my favorite girls? How’s your project coming Lu?” They all
look up at him and he realizes he has just walked into something big.
Lu: “Hi Lucky, why aren’t you at work? “
Lk: “Cases are running kind of slow right now. Nobody wants to hire a
detective these days. What’s got you girls in such a quiet mood? You
are usually talking up a storm.”
Lu: Lulu hands the newspaper to Lucky. “This.”
Lk: Takes the paper as he sits down at the table next to Brooke, and
across from Jessi. He sighs. “I guess the can of worms has been
opened. Does mom know that you found this, Lu?”
La: Walks into the kitchen, “I do. I just called Brenda and Lois,
they’re on their way over.”
Lindsey has started singing really loud. Everyone turns to look at her.
La: “Lindsey! What are you doing?”
Li: “Painting pretty picture mommy!!”
La: “Honey, it’s very pretty, but it should have gone on the paper, not
the walls.”
Li: “But Mommy, the wall is bigger than the paper.”
La: “Yes, honey it is, but the wall needs to be one color. Come on
lets get you upstairs so I can clean you up.”
Lk: “Mom, I’ll do that. Looks like you have your hands full here.”
Walks over to Lindsey, wipes her hands on her paint apron, and picks her
up.
La: “Thanks Lucky.”
Lucky heads up the stairs with Lindsey. As they go up the stairs
Lucky’s voice is heard saying that Lindsey needs a bath. Lindsey is
heard screaming with delight, “Bubbles! Bubbles!” After they leave, we
see Jessi. Her face, which has showed everything from shock to anger to
sadness to curiosity now has a hint of a smile on it. She suddenly
bursts out laughing.
J: “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be laughing, it really wasn’t funny, but…
but it was!”
La: looks over to the wall and also starts to laugh. Soon everyone is
joining them. “It is kind of funny, but Luke won’t think so when he has
to paint the walls again.”
Lu: “Yeah, your right mom. Especially since he had to paint them last
month after Jess and I got carried away with our permanent marker
fight.”
J: “That was pretty funny.”
The doorbell rings.
La: “That’s probably your mothers.”
The smile disappears from Jessi’s face and is replaced by a look of
fear. She was about to hear the truth from her mother and she didn’t
know if she really wanted it. Brooke took her hand and squeezed it.
La: “Honey, it will be okay. Everyone will be here with you.”
J: “Thanks, I know.”
Laura leaves the room to go answer the door. The girls sit in quietness
because Brooke and Lulu have no idea what to say to Jessi. They never
imagined this is what happened to Sonny Corinthos in their worst
nightmares.
A few seconds pass and Brenda and Lois rush into the kitchen with Laura
behind them. Jessi turns around and sees her mother. She gets up and
looks her straight in the eyes.
J: “Why didn’t you tell me that my father was a bad guy?!”
B: Those words cut through Brenda’s heart. She didn’t want Jessi
hating her father because of the business he had been in. “Honey, he
wasn’t a bad guy, just a guy who made some wrong decisions.”
J: “Don’t tell me that! He was in the mob! Better yet he ran part of
the mob! They kill people! My father was a mob man and you thought I
didn’t need to know!”
Brenda sighed. How was she going to explain her relationship with Sonny
to their nine year old daughter? Better yet how was she going to
explain it without falling apart? She had barely made it through this
day and now she had to deal with something that she wasn’t prepared
for. Ten years had gone by fast. It seemed like only yesterday that
he had died holding her hand in the ambulance. Now their daughter
wanted her to explain Sonny to her? She prayed that God would give her
strength and was grateful she was in the company of friends.
********************************************************************************************
Meanwhile at Luke’s Clive Johnson is talking quietly on the phone
C: “Sam, I have some good news for you.”
S: “Yeah? Shoot.”
C: “How fast can you pack?”
S: “Fast, why?”
C: “I can get you home tonight, if you still want to go.”
S: “You kidding? I can be packed in a flash. Just tell me details and
I’ll be there.”
C: “There will be a cab waiting for you in about an hour. Whatever you
can’t get packed will be shipped to you later. I have an airplane
ticket for you under your current alias Sam Danto headed for Port
Charles. I’ll be there when you get here. After that it’s up to you.”
S: “Wait, you’r e in Port Charles?”
C: “Yeah, does that bother you?”
S: “No, but why are you there?”
C: “Making sure things are safe for you.”
S: “You already said they were, are you not telling me something?”
C: “No, just double checking. I gotta go, and you need to pack.”
S: “Fine, bye.”
C: “Bye.”
As Sam hung up the phone, he had a feeling that Clive was keeping
something from him. He would figure that out later. Right now he had
get things ready. He was going home. Ten years was a long time. Time
changes things. He wondered how much time had changed things at home.
He was about to find out.
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