Chapter 64 Captain: I told you I would get you here safe and sound, Mrs. Corinthos. Brenda: *Smiling* Yes you did, but how do you know who I am? Captain: Your husband gave me a very detailed description, besides who else would be that determined to get to the island before sunset.? Brenda: True. The captain docks the boat and helps Brenda ashore, where they are immediately met by another man. Captain: Mrs. Corinthos, this is Carlos. He is the manager of your husbands casino. Carlos: Do you have any luggage that you need help with? Brenda: No, I left in kind of a hurry. Brenda had been so anxious to get to Sonny that she hadn't bothered to stop an pick up anything. She hopped that her husband had thought ahead and prepared for her arrival. She was actually kind of disappointed that Sonny wasn't there to meet her, but then again he didn't really know she was coming. Captain: I think I'm going to stay on the island tonight, the weather looks like it is going to turn ugly. Carlos: Suit yourself, you can ride back to the casino with us. Are you ready, Mrs. Corinthos? Brenda: *Almost alarmed* Where is Sonny? The captain and Carlos exchange a look that Brenda can't really read, but it makes her feel uneasy. Carlos: Your husband is at the casino, I can phone him if you would like? Brenda: Does he know that I'm on my way? Carlos: Had he know, he would have surly been here to meet you. Brenda: Than don't call him, I'll surprise him. Carlos: Very good idea. Brenda and the captain follow him to the car and they start down a winding paved road that seems to disappear into the jungle. Brenda can't seem to shake an uneasy feeling that she has had for the last hour of so, that something is going to go wrong. She finally decides that it is probably just nerves, the rough trip across the water coupled by the fact that she is about to embark on a whole new life journey. She looks around her and notices the lush tropical forest filled with a thousand unidentifiable plants. Carlos: how do you like our little paradise? Brenda: It's absolutely beautiful here! I don't think I've ever seen so many different kinds of plants. Are they all native to the island? Carlos: No, most of them are exotics. During the 1700's Spanish nobles brought many of the plants here. They wanted to create a private refuge on the island that mimicked their vision of the Garden of Eden. They even called it New Eden or so the story goes. Do you think it is a place you could learn to live in? Brenda: I think this is a place I would love to live. Sonny always did have good taste. Again she can tell that Carlos and the Captain are uncomfortable. Brenda: Okay, do you guys want to share with me what is wrong? Carlos: What do you mean? Brenda: It seems like every time that I mention Sonny's name, it is like I'm running my nails across a black board. Carlos: We have to keep reminding ourselves who this Sonny is. Captain: We don't call him that. Brenda: What do you call him, Mr. Corinthos? Captain: He hasn't allowed us to do that in almost a year. Carlos: To us he is Michael. This surprises Brenda, Sonny had already warned her that things were different here. However the idea that he would make the choice to be known by his birth name, a name that he once told her he hated, was amazing. At the casino, Maria has finished packing her and her daughters possessions and has everything pilled up in the living room. Sonny brings the last of her bags in and sets them down. He finds Maria sitting on the couch being comforted by Julie, who gives him a drop dead look. Julie: I don't understand any of this! After everything that she has done for you, your just kicking her out in the middle of a storm? Sonny: No one is coming or going anywhere tonight. Julie: I still don't understand what is going on, is this the fate of all the women in your life? Sonny: Are you worried that your next? You've only been here a month. Julie: Yeah, well maybe I want to know what the future hold before I get into deep. Maria: he isn't going to tell you until the last minute, that is the way he treated me and I have known him forever! Julie: That really sounds unfair! Sonny: I'm not trying to be unfair, and I don't want to be hated. Can we just talk about this in the morning? Maria: If I decide to stay the night! Sonny: You can't leave tonight, the weather is getting worse. The winds had picked up in the last half hour and were now beating against the shutters. Outside palm trees swayed in the wind. Maria: Well, if you think I'm staying up here tonight, you are out of your mind. Julie: You can move your stuff down and you and the mountain can stay in my spare room tonight. Sonny: Actually I was hoping that you would say that. He didn't feel right sharing space with another woman now that he and Brenda were married. Maria: fine! Because like I say, I can't stand the thought of spending another night near you! Tears start to form in her eyes and Julie gives him a dirty look. Sonny: Julie, don't you have a show in a few minutes? Recognizing that she is being dismissed. Julie: Fine! I'm leaving, because right now, you disgust me! She leaves in a huff. Sonny: What is her problem? Maria: Besides the general way that you are treating me? Are you really so dense that you don't realize that she is in love with you? Sonny: No, she isn't. Maria: You can't make it disappear just because you want it too. A lot of the girls around here have feelings for you. That is one of the reasons why they stick around. Julie has it bad, otherwise she would be somewhere else. She has a really good voice, I should know, she could be anywhere in the world. Sonny you have a problem, several of them. This girls are going to make it hard on Brenda. Sonny: It doesn't matter, I'll make it easy on her. The way that Brenda and I feel about each other is all that is important. I don't know if your right about Julie or not, it doesn't matter how anyone else feels about me. Maria: Does that include how I feel? I love you, you know that. Sonny: Yeah I do. That is what makes this hard, because I don't want you to feel hurt be this. Maria: Too late, right now I hate you and I think I might hate Brenda too. Sonny: You don't mean that, because you understand what Brenda and I have. You know that something this powerful can't be denied. Maria: If I can live without love, why can't you? Sonny: Because I have realized that I don't have to live without it, you don't either. Maria: Yeah I do. Carlos pulls the car up outside of the casino and helps Brenda out. She suddenly finds that she is terrified to walk through the front door. What if everyone hates her, even Sonny, for ruining all the fun? Besides the fact that the minute she walks into that building she will be accepting the challenge of being Mrs. Michael Corinthos Jr. for the rest of her life. She suddenly wonders if she is up to the task, maybe her and Sonny never made it to the altar before because they really weren't up to being married to each other. What if what people said about, "marriage being the kiss of death," was actually true? She notices that Carlos has been holding the door open for her for several minutes and he is starting to look a little awkward. Brenda figures that it is a little too late to turn tail and run. After all, where would she go? Carlos: Is everything all right? Brenda: *Forcing a smile* Fine. She walks in the door and is surprised to find herself in a brightly lit lobby. Light streams in through several large skylights and there are at least as many species of plants in a large atrium as she saw outside. She can almost feel the energy in the whole space. It is the complete opposite of what she expected, and she can't help but feel like Alice in Wonderland. Brenda: I expected it to be darker. Carlos: The house is a little darker, but Michael wanted a completely different feel down here. Carlos walks over to a small desk and picks up a phone to call up to the house. Before he dials he is approached by another man who seems almost frantic. Man: There is a problem in the casino that needs your immediate attention. Carlos: All right. *To the woman at the desk* Call up to the house and let Michael know that his special guest has arrived. He will know who you are talking about. Woman: Yes sir. She eyes Brenda suspiciously, but picks up the phone. Brenda sits nervously at a nearby couch. Her eyes drift to a poster advertising the musical revue and she can't believe what she is seeing. The main singing attraction is her sister Julia, although the sign called her "Julie" Brenda walks over to the sign to take a closer look, even then she can hardly believe it is true. What would her sister being doing here? Julie has walked into the lobby and she sees Brenda, who she immediately recognizes. Julia: Brenda? Brenda: *Turning around* Julia, it's you! The sisters embrace tightly. Julia/Brenda: What on earth are you doing here? Brenda: Why are you singing here? Julia: I think I asked first what you are doing here, but since I'm the big sister, I'll go ahead and tell you that I'm here pursuing love. Brenda: What, did you fall in love with a bongo player? Julia: No, for your information, I'm head over heels in love with the owner of this casino. Brenda: *Panicking* Tell me that your not Maria! Julia: Who's Maria? Wait I know that name. She is the tramp that broke Michael's heart a year ago when she left. Brenda suddenly feels sick, Sonny lied to her and she wants to know why? Brenda: Okay, Julia, I Need to know what exactly is going on here? Julia: I don't know what you are talking about Brenda. Do you need to talk to your therapist? Brenda: Do not talk to me like I'm a child Julia! I just got released from a mental hospital! Julia: I didn't know that honey, does Jax know where you are? Brenda: I hope Jax burns in hell before he finds out where I am! Julia: Calm down Brenda. Brenda: Okay, I'm sorry. I'm just a little confused about what is going on here? Julia: Look, Michael is just over there. I'll introduce you to him and will see what we can do to help you. Julia was being condescending to Brenda and she hated when that happened. However, she follows her sisters gaze and sees Sonny walking down a flight of stairs. Julia gets about half way across the room, when another woman walks up behind Sonny. Julia was probably at the top of Brenda's list for women that she least expected to see in a casino owned by Sonny Corinthos. However the woman behind Sonny would have surly ranked second on that list. Brenda didn't even have to ask, she knew that this was the woman who Sonny had lied and called "Maria." This was the woman who he had spent the last year with, she had supported him and comforted him. This woman had shared his life and probably his bed and in doing so had deeply betrayed Brenda. Even before Julia reaches him he knows that Brenda is there, he can feel her. There eyes meet and he sees the pain as her heart breaks. There is no way for him to escape, what he desperately wanted to avoid has happened. Brenda knows the truth and there is no way he can take it back. Brenda is angry and feels sick at her stomach, but worse she feels sick in her heart. Sonny wants desperately to put his arms around her and tell her everything is going to be all right, but he knows that it isn't going to be all right. At least not right away. As Brenda quickly covers the distance between them, he watches his hopes and dreams for their future crumble before his eyes. He is convinced that Brenda will try and take it out on him, physically and prepares for the worst. Instead she walks right past him to the "other" woman and slaps her as hard as she can. Brenda: How could you! Lois I thought you were my friend, no I thought you were my sister! Lois: I'm sorry. You were never supposed to know about this. Brenda: I will never forgive you! Either one of you! Julia's jaw drops open as Brenda's behavior completely stuns her. Everyone else just stands in place, unable to move or to speak, not knowing what to say. Lois can barely look at Brenda and Sonny acts if he would just as soon melt into the wood work. Finally Julie is the one that speaks, not understanding the full nature of the situation. Julia: I don't know what is going on, but I think that you need to calm down so we can figure this out. Brenda: What is to figure out? My supposed best friend has been "comforting" my husband for the past year. Sonny: You are over reacting, sweetheart. Brenda: You don't know the meaning of the word. I hate you both! You can have each other for all I care! Lois: Bren, you have this all wrong. Brenda: Do not call me that! My best friend used to call me that, but you aren't her! I don't even know who you are anymore Lois! She looks like she might actually explode at any minute. Lois: I'm somebody who cares about you. Brenda: That is such a lie, how can you say that and do what you did with my husband! Lois: I didn't even know you two were married until a couple of hours ago. Julia: Who's married? Sonny: She is telling the truth, I just told her about us. Julia: Fine, ignore my questions! Lois: The last I heard you were with Jax, honey. Julia: Finally something that I understand! Brenda: Stay out of this Julia! I don't even know what you are doing here anyway? Sonny: Leave her alone, Brenda. Brenda: Don't you even start telling me what to do! You lied to me, it was supposed to be different this time, Sonny! Tears start streaming down her face. Julia: What did you call him? Brenda: Oh I'm sorry Julia! Haven't you been properly introduced to the man you're in love with? Julia Barrett, meet Sonny Corinthos! Julia: No, that can't be true! Brenda: Oh my gosh! You really didn't know who he was? Julia: No! Sonny: Julia Barrett! You're Brenda's sister, why didn't you tell me? Julia: This is a nightmare! Brenda: You people are pathetic and you deserve each other! She turns around and takes off out the front door. Julia, Sonny and Lois just stare after her. Lois: We can't just let her run off, it will be dark soon and it's going to start raining. Julia: She's my sister, I guess I should go after her. Lois: I'm the one she is mad at, I'll go. Sonny: She's my wife! He takes off after her. When he reaches the door, he can tell that it is already raining lightly. He isn't wearing a jacket, but then again neither is Brenda. He takes off up the road, hoping that she was smart enough to stay on the well lit road. His mind keeps going back to Argentina and what happened when she took off in the rain. He had started out walking up the road, but he can't see Brenda at all, so he increases his speed to a slow run. Finally he sees her up ahead and picks up his pace until he is running fast. She hears him coming up behind her and starts running from him. However Sonny is faster than her and knows the terrain better and he quickly catches up with her. He grabs her around the waist and pulls her to a violent stop. Brenda: Let me go! Sonny: Never! Brenda: I hate you! Sonny: No you don't, you might not be to happy with what I've done, but that doesn't qualify as hate. Brenda: You lied to me! Now let me go! Sonny: Where are you going to go, Brenda? Brenda: I don't know, just as long as it's far away from you and your harem as I can get. Sonny: There is no place to go on the island except the casino and you can't go back to Puerto Rico because of the storm. Nobody is going anywhere tonight, except maybe you and me are going to go to the hut over there before we both get catch a cold. He points to a dim light a few hundred feet off the road. Brenda: *Pleading* Please don't make me go into a small space with you. Sonny: Whoa! I thought I was the claustrophobic one. Brenda is still squirming in his arms and trying to get away, so he picks her up, puts her over his shoulder, carries her to the hut and opens the door and places her inside. It is dark and small, but dry which is all that Sonny could ask for. As for Brenda, she thinks that it is too small. She can feel Sonny's body up against hers and can't help but be affected by his closeness. He knows this is the case as well because he can actually hear her heart beating faster as he leans in slowly for the kill, his eyes focus in on her lips and he moves his face towards hers. She doesn't try and protest or get away, in the small space of the hut, there is really nowhere for her to run, nowhere for her to hide. Her breath quickens as he moves very close to her in silent determination. Chapter 65 Just as their mouths are about to collide, she blocks his kiss with her hand and pulls away. Brenda is angry, that much he can see in her eyes, even in the semi dark. So he isn't surprised when she tries to take a swing at him, which he easily side steps. Sonny: *Dead serious* Don't you ever try and do anything like that again! Brenda: *Determined* What try and punch you? Sonny: No, run off into a storm like that and make me chase you down! Brenda: Nobody said that you had to come after me! Sonny: Of course I had to come after you! There really isn't any place for you to go on the island, except for a few huts like this. Brenda, you were just in the hospital recovering from pneumonia and you almost died. Brenda: I didn't though! Sonny: I thought you did though, I thought that you died and you might have! Brenda: You don't have to worry about me. Sonny: I don't want you sick again. He caresses her face with his hand and then kisses her tenderly, pressing her body tightly against his. Brenda pushes him away with equal gentleness. In the dark, with him so close to her it would be so easy to give into the strong desire that she feels for him. Brenda: *Softly* Please don't do that. Sonny: Don't do what? He kisses her neck and is about to move his lips back to hers. He is still close enough that she can feel his breath on her face. Brenda: Don't do any of it, touch me and don't talk to me and don't look at me! She turns her back to him in anger. Sonny: Fine, just promise me that you won't ever endanger your health and your life that this again. Brenda: Okay, I didn't even get that wet, I think I was running faster than the rain. He runs his hands through her hair and sure enough, it's dry. Sonny: Maybe you didn't get wet, but there is a hurricane headed for this island Brenda. The rain is going to get worse. Brenda: Don't tell me that we have to stay here in this tiny little shack! Sonny: *His voice is seductively smooth, like satin sheets or a fine silk shirt.* Would that be so bad? He whispers the word into her hair and sends chill bumps across her body. Brenda: Yes it would, because I can't stand you right now! She warps her arms tightly around her body. Sonny: What's wrong? Brenda: I'm cold. Sonny wraps his arms around her. Brenda: I asked you not to touch me. Sonny: I won't let you freeze, Brenda. Brenda: We are on a tropical island, I don't think I'll freeze. Sonny: No you won't no matter how much the wind blows or how much rain falls, because I'm not letting go of you. Brenda couldn't deny that his arms felt good and for a few seconds she could almost forget her anger and relax. After all, it was just the two of them there, alone in very close quarters and he was her husband. He could tell that she was relaxing, so he decided to push the envelope just a little farther and he begins to kiss her neck. She doesn't pull away, so he goes a little farther and gets a little more adventurous and starts to undo the buttons on her blouse, with a little difficulty. When she responds to his advances favorably, he turns her in his arms and kisses her ferociously, which she returns with equal vigor. He presses her body up against the wall of the hut and leans into her until not even a molecule of air could pass between them. Brenda gasps with pleasure and her heart beats so fast that she feels like she might pass out, but Sonny doesn't show any sign of stopping until their every pleasure has been fulfilled. Sonny and Brenda kiss as he continues to fumble with the buttons on her shirt. Brenda reaches for the buttons on his shirt and finds that they don't exist, he is wearing a tee shirt. She can handle this after all, she used to get Jagger''s tee shirts off in record time, then there was always Miguel, that memory stops her cold. Sonny: What's wrong? Brenda: I was just thinking about Jagger and Miguel. Sonny: Well that is the equivalent of a ice cold shower! Brenda: I never thought that what you wear mattered much Sonny, but it is part of what sets you apart from the other men in my life. Part of making love to you has to do with unbuttoning your shirt, running my hands across your chest and slipping the shirt off of your shoulders. Sonny: You are doing this to torture me, aren't you? Brenda: I'm just telling you the truth. I don't know this guy who walks around in tee shirts, jeans, wearing a beard. The guy who has people call him Michael and is involved with my best friend. Sonny: I'm the same person I've always been, the guy who's body aches for your body. Brenda: I don't know much, but I do know that this is the first time I have ever been this angry at you. Sonny: You have been pretty angry at me in the past. Remember when I interrupted your wedding to Jax by bringing Miranda to town? Brenda: That made me pretty mad. Sonny: Or how about when you could never understand why I married Lily when I loved you? Brenda: That was pretty annoying, but this is different Sonny. You betrayed me and lied about it and you did it all with my sister! Sonny: I didn't even know that Julie was your sister she gave me an alias for her last name. Brenda: You mean you have been doing it with Julia as well? Sonny: No need to be vulgar Brenda, I haven't done anything with Julie! She has only been here for a month. Brenda: So you mean that given time you would have screwed around with her as well? Sonny: Is that how little respect you have for me? I told you that I didn't want any other woman besides you Brenda, that was the truth. Lois has been my support for a year, but it wasn't like that Brenda: You have such a great track record for the truth, Sonny. Sonny: I have lied to you in the past, but I didn't lie about that. Lois and I are not lovers and never have been. I give you my word on that, Brenda. Brenda : Forgive me for being skeptical, but your word doesn't mean much right now. Sonny: So you think I'm a liar and I cheat on you, so what does that mean for us? Brenda: I don't know, it isn't the greatest way to start a marriage. Sonny: This marriage really hasn't started. We never did file the marriage certificate. Brenda: *In a stone cold voice* Maybe that is for the best. Silent tears slid down Brenda's face that are the opposite of the words that she is speaking. There is very little light in the hut making it difficult for them to see each other. Maybe if they had been able to see the pain in the others persons eyes they would have been able to reach out to each other. Instead, he pulls out a phone from his pocket and dials the casino. Sonny: Send a car down to the first hut at the edge of the property to pick us up. I don't want to walk back in the rain. He hangs up the phone and wipes several tears from his eyes. Sonny: Is that how you really feel, you want to end this marriage before it has really begun? Brenda: Right now I don't think that I can be Mrs. Corinthos for the rest of my life, and put up with all the lies. Sonny: Fine, the storm should be passed by tomorrow. He can hardly get the words out. Sonny: You can leave then and we'll forget the whole thing. Brenda's whole body is quivering, but she tries not to let it show through in her voice, she tries not to let him know how much this hurts. But he knows, he always knows when she is hurting and it kills him that she won't let him do anything about it. There isn't more than a foot of space separating them, but they both feel as if they are a million miles apart. Brenda: You would just let me walk away. Sonny: It would hurt like hell to watch you leave, but I told you that I'd never hold you to this marriage if it wasn't what you really wanted. I though it was what you wanted though, when we made love in Argentina I thought it was forever. Brenda: I thought you had changed, Sonny, I have to be able to trust my husband. I'm just surprised that you wouldn't make me stay in order to maintain your honor or something. Sonny: I want a wife, Brenda, a lover, a friend, not a prisoner. If we don't file the marriage certificate than the union never happened in the eyes of the law. Brenda: *Her voice is shaking and tears are spilling from her eyes* Fine with me. Sonny: I didn't want to hurt you Brenda, that is why Lois was leaving. You were never supposed to know. Brenda: You could have lived with that? Sonny: I guess we'll never know. He wants to hold her, he needs to hold her, but he knows that he can't and it makes him heartsick, because he hurt her and he never wanted to do that again. Sonny: *Softly* You know what I was thinking earlier today? Brenda: What? Sonny: How great it was going to be to wake up every morning for the rest of my life with you in my arms. How I would never be lonely again and how you would never have to spend another night alone. Brenda: I guess some people are meant to be alone. Sonny: Will you go back to Jax? Brenda: No, I can't trust him either. Do you think Lois will stay? Sonny: Probably not, Brooke Lynn will be starting school soon, they both need more stability than I offer. Brenda: What about Julia? Sonny: What about her? Is she really your older sister? Brenda; Yeah, weird, isn't it? Sonny: No more then usual. A car pulls up outside the hut and they hear a soft knock on the door. Sonny and Brenda ride the short distance back to the casino in silence. It was as if a giant, impregnable wall and slammed down between them. The driver pulls up to the door and Brenda gets out with out a word to Sonny. She walks into the lobby, not sure what she is going to do, she feels absolutely numb. She isn't even sure where she is going to sleep tonight. It isn't going to be with Sonny that is for sure, she doesn't even want to look at Lois right now and Julia has her confused as well. Brenda: I don't know where I'm going to stay tonight? Sonny: There was never supposed to be a question about where you were going to be. The plan was for you to spend the rest of your life in my arms, we were supposed to spend our lives in each others arms. Brenda: Plans change, the only certain thing about the future is that it is uncertain. Sonny: That isn't the way it is supposed to be with me and you. We know that we belong together, because we love each other and we need each other We had our whole lives planed out! Brenda: What do you want me to say? I had pretty high expectations coming here and they didn't include finding the man that I loved with my best friend. Sonny: Damn it Brenda, you aren't listening to me! Nothing happened between Lois and myself. Brenda: You were together for a whole year, how am I supposed to believe that nothing happen? Sonny: I don't know, maybe you should just trust me. Brenda: *With tears in her eyes* I wish it was that simple. Can we give this a rest for tonight? I'm so tired of fighting with you. Sonny: Sure, I don't want to fight anymore either. We aren't getting anywhere with this, maybe things will look better in the morning. Do you want to stay with Julia tonight? Brenda: I don't think I would be comfortable doing that, I'm not really sure why she is here. Sonny: Okay, I assume that you don't want to bunk up with Lois? Brenda: *Lets out a desperate laugh* I don't think she would survive the night. Sonny: There is plenty of space here, we'll find you something that you're comfortable with. As they walk through the lobby, Carlos reluctantly approaches them. Carlos: Sir, I hate to bother you. Sonny: Then don't. Carlos: There really is a problem in the casino that I think you should deal with personally. Sonny: Carlos, I hired you as the manager of the casino so that I don't have to handle things personally. Brenda: Why don't you just go see what's wrong? Sonny: Because I want to get you settled in and comfortable. Brenda: I'm not going to be comfortable, no matter how much you try. You might as well take care of business. It might be kind of interesting to watch, you know so I won't always wonder how you lead your life. Sonny: Fine, what seems to be the problem, Carlos? Carlos: There is a player in the casino that is taking in way to much in winnings and refuses to leave. Sonny: That is nothing new, handle it the same way you always do. Carlos: I would, but the gentleman claims to be your father. Brenda: Mike is here? Sonny: That would just be the perfect end to the perfect day. Brenda doesn't wait for him, she practically runs to the casino. She spots Mike and immediately embraces him tightly. Brenda: I'm so glad that you are here. Sonny walks over to the pair and Brenda pulls away from Mike, he sees her face and can tell that she has been crying. Mike: What have you done to her this time, Michael? Sonny: What makes you think I did anything? Mike: If things were going well, I'm the last person on earth she would be happy to see. Besides, she has that look of total devastation on her face, the one that only you can cause. Sonny: I guess you have it all figured out, so you really don't need me here. Sonny turns,angrily.
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