When Sonny Met Brenda Chapters 51-80

Chapter 51

Jax and Brenda had finished dinner and were in the car on their way back to the mansion. The dinner had been all right, about the same as Brenda having dinner with someone like Jason, except that she knew Jason better than Jax. During the dinner Brenda had come right out and asked Jax what he and Ned were up to and Jax had told her. He and Ned were trying to take over ELQ. Brenda was not at all sure if he was telling her this because of his ego or because he believed that the idea of him as a circling shark would turn her on. If he honestly believed that, then he was a blind fool. She noticed that they weren’t on the road back to the house.

Brenda: Where are we going?

Jax: Dinner went so well that I thought that we would go somewhere and talk.

Brenda realizes that they are on road 1. Just a little ways from the watch tower that Sonny and her go to.

Brenda: We talked all through dinner.

Jax: Yes, but I thought that we could go somewhere private and get to know each other better.

Brenda: Jax, I think that maybe you have gotten the wrong idea about tonight. I am in a relationship with Sonny.

Jax: That is not what it looked like today.

Brenda: What did it look like?

Jax: It looked like some guy that doesn’t know how to treat you was dumping you that is what it looked like! You told Sonny that you weren’t going to wait around for him So don’t, I’m here and he isn’t.

He stops the car and leans over to kiss her. She holds him off.

Brenda: I don’t believe this! Do you really think that just because we have dinner together, it means I want you?

J: Don’t you?

Brenda: No! I love Sonny, we may fight, but that doesn’t change my feelings for him.

Jax: He doesn’t deserve you! He is probably down in Puerto Rico with another woman.

Brenda: I won’t listen to this.

She gets out of the car and starts running towards the watch tower, but as she runs she can’t help but wonder if Jax is right. Could Sonny be two timing her?

In Puerto Rico, Sonny is tossing and turning in bed. He can’t sleep he misses Brenda and he can’t stop thinking and worrying about her. The door to his room opens and he sees Rivera’s daughter standing in the doorway. She is wearing a silk night gown and her hair is down. She is not ugly, she just isn’t Brenda.

Lily: Sonny are you awake?

Sonny: I can’t sleep.

Lily: Me neither. I think that I can help us both.

She sits on the edge of his bed and starts to rub his shoulders, then she leans closer to him and starts to kiss him. She also starts to unbutton his night shirt. Sonny is so stunned by her actions that it takes him a minute to respond. When she realizes that he isn’t kissing her back she pulls away from him

Lily: What is wrong Sonny?

Sonny: What do you think that you are doing?

Lily: I’m giving myself to you.

Sonny: What? *He pushes her off the bed*

Lily: *Stunned* Don’t you want me?

Sonny: What made you think that I did?

Lily: Papa told me to come to your room I assumed you told him you wanted me.

Sonny: You agreed to it. I don’t mean to offend you Lily, but do you know how sick that sounds?

Lily: Why don’t you want me? Don’t you think that I’m pretty?

Sonny: Your beautiful and any ordinary man would be lucky to have you, but I’m not ordinary. I have someone else in my life, someone that I love very much and to quote a friend, “she has ruined me for ordinary women.”

Lily: If she is so special, then why isn’t she here? She doesn’t know what you do does she. I know men like you Sonny, I know what you need, what it takes to make you happy. I can make you for get her.

Sonny: I don’t want to forget her. Would you take a good look at yourself, I don’t want you and yet you are still throwing yourself at me because your father approved a union between us.

Lily: I can give you power Sonny, I am the key to power you have only dreamed about.

She leans over him and runs her hands down his chest. He pulls back from her.

Sonny: LILY I DON’T WANT YOU OR YOUR FATHERS POWER!

Lily: You are making the biggest mistake of your life Sonny!

Sonny: Maybe, but at least I’ll still have my self respect come sun up. IF YOU EVER HAD AN OUNCE OF SELF RESPECT YOU WILL LEAVE HERE THIS INSTANT.

Lily left slamming the door behind her. Sonny just sat there on the bed. He could hardly believe what had just happened. He was not sure if Rivera was giving Lily to him or if he was giving Sonny to Lily and he didn’t really care. They were both sick and he wasn’t going to play there game any more. What kind of a man would send his daughter in to seduce another man. The whole episode made him miss and want Brenda more. He gathered up his things and went and found Carlos and Renaldo and they all three left for the airport. He was not going to spend another minute in that house and he couldn’t wait any longer to get off that island, if Puerto Rico was Eden, then Rivera was the tempting serpent and Lily was the apple that would surely give him power, but get him kicked out of paradise. Sonny couldn’t wait to get back to real paradise, the one that he would make with Brenda. He just hoped she was waiting for him.

Chapter 52

Brenda ran to the watch tower without even looking back to see if Jax was following her. She didn’t care, she wanted to get away from him, but at the same time she was running from what he had said. She couldn’t stand the thought of Sonny being in Puerto Rico with another woman, but at the same time it made sense. Why else would he refuse to let her go with him? She found the key and went inside, slamming the door behind her. She stood there in the dark and thought about the first time that Sonny had taken her there, on Valentines Day, or looking at her watch one month ago. That had been her and Sonny’s first full date. He had taken her to the watch tower to make up for the running out on her on their first date. At the tower he had given her a locket that had belonged to his mother, then they had watched the moon rise over the city and he had held her in his arms all night. She couldn’t believe that all of that had happened one month ago. What made her think that she was in love with a man that she had only known for a month? Why did she melt every time he kissed her, why did she long to have his arms around and why did her body burn from his touch? She didn’t know the answers to those questions. Maybe they had moved to fast and he had gotten bored, maybe he was just interested in the chase. All she knew was that this was the one month anniversary of their first date and she had spent it having a boring dinner with Jax and Sonny was off who knew where, doing who knew what, maybe even living it up with another woman. Brenda sat down on the floor of the tower and cried.

Sonny sat in the San Juan airport waiting anxiously for his plane to take off. He looked at his watch and noticed the date as well as the time. March 14th, he should be with Brenda.

Sonny: How could I be so stupid. Talk about bad timing!

Carlos: Did you say something boss?

Sonny: No, I just noticed that today it March 14th is all.

Renaldo: Tomorrow is March 15th.

Carlos: Yeah, so?

Renaldo: That is the Ides of March. The day that Julius Caesar was assassinated. I hope our plane gets here before midnight.

Carlos: Why?

Renaldo: It’s bad luck to travel on March 15th.

Carlos: That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.

They continue to argue about traveling on March 15th. Meanwhile, Sonny’s mind returns to the watch tower on Valentines Day. Brenda had just opened the box with the locket.

*Flash Back*

Brenda: It’s beautiful. It looks old.

Sonny: It is old. It belonged to my Grandmother.

Brenda: Sonny, I can’t take your Grandmother’s locket.

Sonny: Brenda, you already accepted the gift. My Grandmother would have approved. She was the one that taught me to love this holiday (Valentines Day). She always said that it was an important for love and for friendship as well. I would very much like you to have it, as my friend.

Brenda: All right, if it means that much to you, will you help me put on the locket?

Sonny lifts up her hair and latches the locket. Then he puts his arms back around her waist. She leans back against his chest and shoulders.

Brenda: This place is so peaceful.

Sonny: It has always been one of my favorite places.

Brenda: Thank you for sharing it with me, Sonny.

Sonny: My pleasure. Happy Valentines Day Brenda!

She drifted off to sleep in his arms. As he watched her sleep, he never thought that he would spend the night with a beautiful woman and just holding her in his arms and watching her sleep. He looked at the locket hanging around her neck, it looked as if it had been made for her.

Sonny: Well Brenda, I’ve given you my heart. Take good care of it.

He kissed her gently on the forehead and continued to watch her sleep in his arms.

*End of Flashback*

Sitting in the airport in Puerto Rico, Sonny could not help but smile at the memory of that night. He knew from that moment that he loved her and there was no way that he was ever going to let her go. His thoughts are interrupted by a flower vendor.

Vender: Would you like to buy a flower for the beautiful lady in your life.

Sonny: What makes you think that there is a beautiful lady in my life?

Vender: That far away look in your eyes is a dead give away.

Sonny: You may be a good sociologist, but your deductive skills are lacking.

Vender: What do you mean?

Sonny: I am obviously not from around here and there is no woman with me, which means that I have a long plane trip ahead of me and most flowers will be wilted by the time that I get home.

Vender: I can tell by the way that your dressed that you are flying first class and they will refrigerate the flowers for you when you fly first class and besides the flowers that I sell do not wilt.

Sonny: Okay, let me see what you have got.

Sonny chooses a bunch of white orchids that remind him of Brenda. He gives the vendor the price of the flowers and then he gives him a huge tip for being such a good detective. He looks at his watch, 12:05. He walks over to Carlos and Renaldo, who are still arguing.

Sonny: Renaldo, are you ready to go?

Renaldo: Can you take Carlos instead?

Sonny: No, I want him to stay here and report Rivera’s movements. You are supposed to come back to the States next week anyway. What’s wrong with going back a week early?

Carlos He is afraid to fly on the Ides of March!

Renaldo: Shut up Carlos!

Sonny: Is it true?

Renaldo: No, but can’t we just wait until the 16th?

Sonny: No, for several reasons. First of all, I’m not sure how Rivera is going to react when he finds out that I refused his daughter and left his house in the middle of the night. Second, I miss Brenda. I miss her bad and my flowers will wilt by tomorrow.

Renaldo: What will you do if I refuse to go?

Sonny: I won’t fire you or kill you or anything, but when you do come back I’ll make you walk and guard the docks.

Renaldo: All right, you convinced me, but if we crash don’t blame me.

Sonny: I promise not to blame you unless you happen to be flying the plane at the time.

They are finally called on to the flight. Sonny gives Carlos last minute instructions and they boarded the plane and Sonny asks the flight attendant to refrigerate the flowers. She looks at them and makes an envious remark about how her husband never takes her flowers and how the girl he is taking them to must be special.

Brenda has been asleep for several hours at the tower. She decides that she can’t stay there all night. After the night that he was shot, Sonny had decided that he needed to leave a cellular phone in the tower. Brenda hopes that the battery is still good. She tries the phone and it works. She doesn’t want to call the Quartermaine’s because she doesn’t want to deal with Jax just yet. She tries calling Robin, but all she gets is her answering machine. Next, she calls Sonny’s apartment. Joseph answers.

Joseph: Hello?

Brenda: Joseph is that you?

Joseph: Hello Miss Barrett.

Brenda: Why are you answering the phone?

Joseph: No one else was here and it was ringing.

Brenda: I know that Sonny is gone, but where is Stone?

Joseph: Out with Miss Scorpio.

Brenda: I should have guessed, that is why all I got was her machine. I was hopping that Stone could give me a ride. I guess I’m stuck here.

Joseph: Where are you?

Brenda: At the watch tower on road 1.

Joseph: What are you doing there?

Brenda: Long story, but I’m on foot.

Joseph: I’ll come get you.

Brenda: You don’t have to do that. I’m sure that you have something better to do.

Joseph: Not really, Pete and I are just watching the empty apartment and kind of keeping an eye on the guys fixing up the club.

Brenda: Why?

Joseph: That is what the boss told us to do, but he also told us to take care of you. So, I’ll come get you.

Brenda: All right, do you know where the tower is?

Joseph: Sure, it is on the Sonny’s new land, right?

Brenda: I guess, if you say so. it is at the very top of road 1.

Joseph: Sit tight, I’ll be there in about ½ an hour.

Brenda: I’ll be waiting. Thanks Joseph.

Joseph: No problem.

Brenda hangs up the phone. She wonders what Joseph meant by “It is on Sonny’s new land?”

Sonny had just refused champagne from the flight attendant for the fourth time since the flight had started. He was also getting good at refusing to give her his phone number. He looked over at Renaldo, who was as white as a sheet, the guy was really afraid to fly on March 15th. Sonny saw the flight attendant headed back his direction, and he decided that maybe if she thought he was asleep she would leave him alone. He closes his eyes and begins to fantasize.

*Fantasy*

Sonny is siting on a beach with his knees pulled up to his chest. He is wearing a light short sleeved shirt, that is slightly unbuttoned, and a pair of tan pull on pants. He is in his bare feet, his hair is wet and combed back. The sun is reflecting on the ocean and Sonny has to squint to make out the form of Brenda, she is wearing a light blue off the shoulder silk dress that is blowing in the sea breeze. Sonny gets up and walks over to Brenda and stands behind her and places his arms around her waist.

Sonny: I hate it when we fight. Are you feeling better?

Brenda: I’m always better when your arms are around me.

Sonny: Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have another man, some one like Jax maybe?

Brenda: Who?

Sonny: Do you mean that Brenda? Because I know that you are used to a certain type of guy. Rich, educated, owning fancy cars and houses. I could buy all of that, but I would never be one of those guys.

Brenda: I don’t care about any of that. You can give me so much more though, things that I would only be able to dream of with other men.

Sonny: What sort of things? *He has pushed her hair forward and started to kiss her neck.*

Brenda: Why don’t you tell me? What do you have to offer me Sonny?

Sonny: I’ll give you anything that you desire. Excitement, adventure, passion, ecstasy.

He turns her around to face him and they stare into each others eyes with a very intense hot look. He kisses her neck and shoulders.

Brenda: *Almost whispering* Sounds expensive.

Sonny: It could be very.

Brenda: What will it cost me?

Sonny: You have to trust me.

Brenda: I do, I trust you with my heart my soul and my body.

He pulls back from her.

Sonny: But can I trust you?

Brenda: I won’t hurt you and I’ll never betray you. *She kisses him long and hard on the mouth*

Sonny: I don’t want to share you Brenda.

Brenda: You won’t have to, I only want you Sonny.

Sonny: You are so beautiful.

Brenda: I have seen the most beautiful parts of you Sonny. The ones that you keep hidden from the rest of the. world I want to share everything with you and be yours forever.

Sonny: Forever is a long time.

Brenda: Not long enough.

She pulls him to her and starts to slowly starts to unbutton his shirt. She runs her hands over his chest. He pulls her close to him and can fell her body quivering as he kisses her mouth, neck and shoulders.

Sonny: You are shaking Brenda.

Brenda: I can’t help it.

They kiss again and fall to the sand and begin to make love as the tide washes over them.

*End of Fantasy*

Sonny in sitting in his seat on the airplane, his eyes are closed and he has a huge grin on his face. The flight attendant comes by to pick up glasses and plates before the plane descends into the Port Charles airport. The attendant indicates Sonny.

A: Does he always sleep with a smile on his face?

Renaldo just shrugs.

A: Well, you had better wake him, we are about to land.

Renaldo shakes Sonny lightly and he opens his eyes. He is irritated though.

Sonny: What is it Renaldo?

Renaldo: We are about to land.

Sonny: Great I can hardly wait.

Chapter 53

Stone touches Brenda on the shoulder and wakes her up. After Joseph had picked her up at the tower she had him take her to Sonny’s apartment. She hadn’t wanted to go back home because she was still too angry at Jax. She couldn’t believe that Jax thought she was interested in him just because she was willing to go out to dinner. She also couldn’t believe that Jax thought that her and Sonny were over just because they fought.

Brenda: Thanks for loaning me the ear plugs Stone, I didn’t hear a thing all night.

Stone: With the contractors working around the clock, it is the only way that we can get any sleep.

Brenda: Sonny doesn’t have to work them to death.

Stone: He wants the club to be ready in time for your birthday.

Brenda: We could have the party somewhere else.

Stone: If Sonny told you that the party was going to be at the club then he won’t go back on that, even if he has to pick up a hammer and finish the job himself.

Brenda: That is an interesting picture.

Stone: Were you all right on the couch? You could have slept in Sonny’s room, he wouldn’t have minded I’m sure.

Brenda: It wouldn’t have felt right to sleep in his bed when he wasn’t there.

Stone: Okay, if that is the way you feel. The workmen are taking a break right now so we should have a little bit of peace. Go shower if you would like and then we can get some breakfast.

Stone hands Brenda Sonny’s robe and she puts it on over his shirt that she had slept in. She loved the feel and smell of his clothes, it made her feel close to him when they were apart. She hoped that he came back soon and they were able to work out their problems. She had not known him for very long, but she could not imagine living without him. Brenda went into the bathroom and turned on the shower and found out that there was no hot water. She yelled out to Stone.

Brenda: Stone, did you use all the hot water?

Stone: There should be enough left, why?

Brenda: All I’m getting is cold.

Stone: I’ll go talk to the workmen, maybe they did something.

He goes down to the club to check on the water and Brenda is waiting in the bathroom wrapped in a towel when the phone rings. Brenda doesn’t want to answer it and Stone isn’t back yet.

Brenda: If it is important they will leave a message.

Stone comes back up and yells into Brenda.

Stone: They had to turn off the hot water and they are going to have to turn off the cold in a few minutes, sorry!

Brenda: It’s not your fault, I guess I should have gotten up earlier.

Stone: Do you want to go grab breakfast at Kelly’s? I already called Robin and she is going to meet us there.

Brenda: Sure let me get dressed. By the way, the phone just rang.

Stone: *Looking at the machine* They didn’t leave a message

Brenda: *Coming out of the bedroom* I guess it wasn’t important

Stone: Lets go. Robin also said that Sonny called, he was looking for you.

Brenda: Where was he calling from?

Stone: Robin didn’t say. We’ll walk to Kelly’s and then Robin can take you home.

Brenda: Sounds good to me.

They walk out the door and the phone rings again, but they are already gone. At the airport Sonny can’t figure out why there is no answer at his apartment. He has already called the Q mansion and found out that Brenda didn’t come home last night. When he called Robin she told him about Brenda’s dinner fiasco and that Brenda had spent the night at his apartment. So where was everybody?

Renaldo: Are they sending a car for us boss?

Sonny: There doesn’t appear to be anybody at home.

Renaldo: Should we call a cab?

Sonny: No, we’ll wait another ten minutes and then call again.

Sonny waits ten minutes and then calls the apartment again. This time Pete answers.

Pete: Hello?

Sonny: Hey Pete, where is everybody?

Pete: Stone and Miss Barrett just left for Kelly’s and Joseph went with them. Where are you?

Sonny: Renaldo and I are at the airport in Port Charles.

Pete: Renaldo is back a week early? Great!

Sonny: You just say that because you can beat him at poker. Is the car there.

Pete: Yeah, do you want me to come and pick you up?

Sonny: Who is there to watch the club?

Pete: I’m here alone.

Sonny: Stay there and keep an eye on things. Renaldo and I will take a cab to Kelly’s.

Pete: Sure thing boss.

By the time that Sonny and Renaldo get to Kelly’s Robin has already left to take Brenda to the Quartermaine’s. Sonny walks to the apartment. Stone is out, so he goes to the bed room and puts down his suitcase and gun case. He could call Luke and give him a report about Puerto Rico, or he could call Jason and tell him about Rivera’s involvement in ELQ or he could go down and check out the progress on the club. He looks down at the flowers in his hand and decides that what he really wants to do is to go see Brenda and fix things between them. He notices that his robe has been moved and one of his shirts is on the bed. He picks up the shirt. It smells like her perfume, the most heavenly scent on earth, she must have slept in it the night before. He remembers her standing in the doorway to his bedroom the morning after he was shot, wearing one of his shirts. The light was hitting the shirt in just the right way so that he could make out the curves of her body. That was the first time that he ever truly realized how much he wanted her. The moment after they first made love he realized that he couldn’t live without her. He hoped that it wasn’t to late. He takes off the shirt that he is wearing and puts on the one that she slept in and heads out the door as he buttons it up. He takes Renaldo and the car and heads to the Q mansion. Brenda has just walked in the door and runs into Jax.

Jax: Good morning Brender.

Brenda: *Cold* Good morning Jax. *She tries to walk past him.*

Jax: I feel that I need to apologize for last night. My behavior was inappropriate.

Brenda: That is an understatement. It bordered on being criminal.

Jax: I’m sorry, I was worried about you after you left the car.

Brenda: I can take care of myself. I was very angry.

Jax: As was your right.

Brenda: I can’t believe that you would think that just because I had a fight with Sonny that I was fair game. I love him Jax and I don’t want anybody else.

Jax: I see that now, Ned told me that you have a mind of your own. I now see that is true as well.

Brenda: I need to go get cleaned up.

Jax: I have a meeting to get to as well. Brenda, I would still like to be friends.

Brenda: We’ll see Jax.

Jax leaves to go to his meeting. Brenda stands there looking at the door. She daydreams that there is a knock at the door and she opens it to find Sonny standing there. Without saying a word he grabs her and kisses her passionately, he then proceeds to make love to her right there in the hall. Her day dream is interrupted by the door bell. She opens the door and Sonny is standing there with his hands behind his back.

Sonny: Hi!

Brenda: Hi yourself.

Sonny: Aren’t you going to ask me in?

Chapter 54

Sonny stood in the door way waiting for Brenda to answer him.

Brenda: I guess you really should come in. How was your trip?

Sonny: It was interesting I guess, it will be a few days before I know how much good it did. I missed you.

He hands her the flowers and watches as her eyes light up.

Brenda: They’re beautiful.

Sonny: They are a type of orchid that only grows in Puerto Rico.

Brenda: You brought them from the Puerto Rico? That must have been difficult?

She puts the flowers on a table

Sonny: It was worth it just to see the expression on your face. I hear you were busy while I was gone.

Brenda: You heard about my dinner with Jax?

Sonny: Yeah Robin told me. Do you want me to rough Jax up for you?

Brenda laughs.

Sonny: What is so funny?

Brenda: He is a few inches taller than you and besides I think that Jax and I have came to an understanding.

Sonny: Let me know if you change your mind, he doesn’t scare me.

Brenda: I know he doesn’t. Does anything scare you Sonny?

Sonny: Yeah, the thought of loosing you scares me. I hate fighting with you Brenda.

Brenda: I hate it when we fight too.

Sonny: Have you listened to your answering machine yet?

Brenda: No I just got home. Why do you ask?

Sonny: Good, I left you a message, but I’ll just paraphrase it for you. I’m sorry about the way I acted. I was completely out of line and I was being a complete jerk. You are the most important thing in my life Brenda and I want to make everything up to you, that is if you still want me. Do you still want me?

Brenda: I don’t even have to think about it, of course I want you! Now how are you going to make this up to me?

Sonny: Well, the flowers were a start. *He puts his arms around her waist and pulls her to him.*

Brenda: *Smiling* A very good start.

Sonny: Then, there is this.

He pulls her head towards him and kisses her ferociously. They pull apart breathlessly minutes later.

Brenda: That is good too. Is that all you’ve got?

Sonny: *Flashes his dimples* That is all I can show you here. Will you go someplace with me?

Brenda: Where do you have in mind.

Sonny: Can I keep it a surprise?

Brenda: That depends, how long will we be gone?

Sonny: If I have my way, several days. You haven’t made planes for spring break have you?

Brenda: No, but we are going to be gone several days? What should I pack?

Sonny: Nothing, you won’t really need much for what I have in mind, besides you don’t have time. I want to leave right away.

Brenda: Is that all you’re going to tell me?

Sonny: Yeah, you’ll just have to trust me. What ever you need I’ll buy it for you when we get there.

Brenda: Okay, lets go.

They go out to the car and head for the airport. They don’t realize that they are being followed.

Sonny called Pete and Joseph and asked them to meet him at the airport so that he could decide which of them would go on the trip with him and Brenda. Sonny went to go make some last minute arrangements and came back to find the three body guards arguing.

Sonny: Hey what is going on here?

Renaldo: I was telling these two dunces that I’m not getting on an other plane today.

Sonny: Is this that Ides of March nonsense again?

Renaldo: It isn’t nonsense, we were just lucky on the trip back from Puerto Rico.

Joseph: Well I’m not flying today. It is bad luck to travel on the Ides of March!

Pete: Me neither, why can’t we wait until tomorrow?

Sonny: Because I want to take Brenda today, but I’ll make it easy on you guys.

Joseph: How’s that boss?

Sonny: I’ll fire you all and get me some body guards that aren’t superstitious!

Brenda walks over to the group of arguing men.

Brenda: The plane is boarding.

Sonny: That commuter flight to New York is leaving right now. Brenda and I are going to be on it. Who is going with us.

All Bodyguards: NOT ME!

Sonny: Who is going to be looking for another job?

Brenda notices a woman at the gate with a young child that is crying. Brenda walks over to them.

Brenda: What’s wrong?

Woman: My husband made it onto the flight to New York, but now it is full and Michael and I have to stay here.

Brenda: Your family shouldn’t be split up. Here you can take Sonny and my places on the flight.

Woman: You would do that for me?

Brenda: Yes, please take the tickets. *She hands them to the lady who turns to her son.*

Woman: Honey we are not going to have to stay here after all.

The child stops crying and looks up at Brenda with dark innocent eyes and smiles.

Woman: I don’t know how to thank you.

Brenda: Your son just did.

An announcer states that it is the last boarding call for flight 22 to New York.

Woman: Let me pay you for the tickets.

Brenda: You don’t have time, just go.

The woman hesitates for a moment, then notices that her son has already ran to his father.

Brenda: Go, the plane is waiting for you.

Woman: Thank you again.

The woman runs to the plane and the attendant closes the door to the plane.

Brenda walks over to Sonny and his men, who he is glaring at them.

Brenda: The problem is solved.

Sonny: What do you mean?

Brenda: I gave our tickets to a woman and her son because her husband had gotten on the flight and they hadn’t.

Luke Spencer sat down on the couch to enjoy a quiet evening at home with his family. The phone rings and Luke picks it up.

Luke: Hello?

Rivera: Luke Spencer you do not know me, but my name is Hernando Rivera.

Luke: I recognize the name. What can I do for you Mr. Rivera?

Rivera: I am calling to offer my condolences to you on the death of your partner Sonny Corinthos.

Luke: What have you been smoking man? Sonny isn’t dead.

Rivera: You haven’t heard? He was taking his female companion on a trip when the flight they were on exploded in mid air.

Luke: What flight?

Rivera: Flight 22, to New York. It is difficult to loose a partner, perhaps at a later date we can meet….

Luke hangs up the phone and dials Sonny’s cell phone.

At the airport Sonny is still arguing with his men.

Sonny: Don’t relax guys, as soon as I answer the phone I’m finding the next flight to New York and WE ARE ALL GOING! I don’t want to hear any more about the Ides of March. He is about to answer the phone when an airport announcer comes on the address system.

Anouncer: There has been a tragedy, flight 22 exploded shortly after take off. The cause of the explosion is unknown. We have no details at this moment.

Brenda turns white.

Brenda: What about that woman and her child that I gave our tickets to?

She bursts into tears as do many of the people waiting in the terminal. Sonny looks down at his ringing phone afraid to answer it.

Chapter 55

The scene at the airport is chaotic, people are yelling and crying and demanding answers to questions the counter people can’t answer and Sonny’s phone is still ringing. He looks down at it, willing it to stop, but it doesn’t work. He finally gives up and answers it.

Sonny: Hello?

Luke: Corinthos, are you all right?

Sonny: I guess so, why do you ask?

Luke: I just got the strangest phone call, from Hernando Rivera. He clamed the flight that you and Brenda were on had exploded and you were dead!

Sonny: What flight number did he give?

Luke: Flight 22, in route to New York, why?

Sonny: I was afraid of that. THAT FLIGHT DID JUST EXPLODE! BRENDA AND I JUST WEREN’T ON IT!

Luke: What are you talking about!

Sonny: *Lowering his voice* Rivera was trying to kill us.

Luke: What the H**l happened in Puerto Rico?

Sonny: I didn’t think that anything that serious happened. I guess I was wrong.

Luke: Are we talking about being 12 people wrong or 75 people wrong. How many people were on that flight?

Sonny: I don’t know and no one here is saying anything.

Luke: Take your best guess.

Sonny: I would say 50 or more. I guess Rivera took out a hit on me and Brenda.

Luke: Tell me your joking, because you don’t just go around blowing up plane loads of people just to kill 2 people. THAT IS NOT A HIT, THAT IS A MASSACRE!

Sonny: I guess Rivera is mad.

Luke: That is an understatement! What Did You Do To P**s Rivera Off?

Sonny: Nothing, I swear!

Luke: I want to hear the whole story.

Sonny: Can you come down here?

Luke: I’ll be there in 10!

Sonny hangs up the phone and goes over to where Renaldo, Joseph and Pete are trying to comfort Brenda. She is sobbing and won’t look up at them. Sonny kind of brushes them aside. He kneels down in front of her. He puts one of his hands under her chin and lefts her face up until her eyes meet his.

Brenda: I gave them our tickets and now they are dead!

Sonny: Baby you didn’t know it was going to happen.

Brenda: I should of, it should have never happened. Why do bad things happen?

Sonny: I don’t know sweetheart, that is just a part of life. Brenda I want you believe that it wasn’t your fault. You didn’t write this script somebody else did. Somebody else is to blame for the deaths of all of those people.

Brenda: Who though, who would want to kill a plane full of innocent people. There were families on that plane, woman and children. Who would do something that horrible?

Sonny: I don’t know, it is not just evil it is cowardly. There is no honor in killing innocent people.

Brenda: But who would want to?

Sonny: Terrorists maybe?

Somebody overheard him and assumed that his word was official. Everybody started yelling that it was an act of terrorism.

Brenda: I shouldn’t have given them our tickets.

Sonny: If you hadn’t, we might be dead right now.

Brenda: Sonny, can you just hold me?

Sonny: Of course I can.

Brenda: Don’t ever let go?

Sonny: I won’t.

He wraps his arms around her and she buries her head in his chest and cries for several minutes.

Sonny: Brenda, I still want to go away with you.

Brenda: *Looking up* You do, even after all that has happened?

Sonny: Yes, now more than ever. Will you go away with me, will you let me take you away from this?

Brenda: I don’t think that I can now.

Sonny: (He is desperate) PLEASE BRENDA I NEED YOU TO GO AWAY WITH ME!

She starts crying again.

Brenda: I just don’t see how we can go away and be happy after everything that has just happened. Don’t be angry at me, please I couldn’t stand for you to be angry at me right now.

Sonny: (Wrapping his arms around her tighter) I’m not angry, I could never be angry at you over something like this. I understand that you are scared and confused, lives were lost here today. I understand that you don’t want to celebrate death, but I ‘m asking you to celebrate life. I need you to go away with me, I need to feel you in my arms and feel your heart beating. I need to feel life, Brenda. I need to celebrate our love and the fact that we are alive. Today made me realize how lucky I am to have you. But I understand if you can’t do it right now. But I Need You More In This Moment Than I Ever Have Before In My Life.

She just stares at him, she doesn’t know what to say. She has never heard such urgency in his voice before. She is about to give him an answer when she sees Sean Donley and Alex Garcia headed towards them with a determined look on their faces. The look that told her that they were going to try and blame Sonny for everything.

Chapter 56

Sean Donley walks over to the ticket counter and talk to the attendant, while detective Garcia approaches the area where Sonny and Brenda are sitting. Sonny has her hands in his and she is leaning on his shoulder. Sonny looks up and the two representatives of Port Charles finest.

Garcia: We should have known that we would find you hanging around the scene of the crime Corinthos.

Sonny: What, can’t a man take a vacation without it becoming a federal case?

Garcia: Not when it involves the lives of 55 people. Don’t you care that 55 men, women, and children lost their lives on that airplane!

Brenda: Of course Sonny cares! *She is about to break out into tears again.

Sonny: Your upsetting her for no reason detective.

Garcia: I’m sorry to upset you Miss Barrett.

Brenda: No your not, otherwise you would stop harassing Sonny.

Sonny: What makes you think that I am involved in any way with what happened to that plane today?

Garcia: The fact that he was on the passenger list is reason enough for me.

Sean has just walked up to the group.

Sean: Add to that, the fact that just last night Mr. Corinthos had dinner at the Hacienda of Hernado Rivera.

Brenda: Who?

Garcia: The reputed leader of the Puerto Rican Crime Syndicate.

Sean: Are we wrong about this Mr. Corinthos?

Brenda looks to Sonny for an explanation.

Sean: We have pictures of you entering his compound.

Sonny: It’s true, I had dinner with the man. I don’t know about him being a crime lord though. He heard that I was on the island on business, he knew me through a mutual associate and invited me to dinner. Some places and some people still extend that type of hospitality.

Sean: What was your business in Puerto Rico? Was it to set up this little episode with the airplane today?

Brenda: Sonny is not a terrorist, Sean!

Garcia: Then maybe it was to collect on a deal and it went bad, so now he wants you out of the way. Is that it Sonny?

Sonny: As usual, where is your proof detective?

Sean: Were, working on it. As soon as the plane is recovered

Garcia: Does Rivera’s hospitality extend to his daughter as well?

Sonny: What are you asking me?

Sean: We have photographs of Miss Rivera entering your room at her father’s home late last evening.

Brenda looks hurt and she gets up and walks away. Sonny tries to hold onto her, but she pulls away.

Sonny: Brenda, wait!

Brenda: No, Sonny!

She walks a little ways down the terminal. Sonny indicates for Joseph to go after her.

Garcia: Problems with your girlfriend? Maybe she wised up and figured out who you really are.

Sonny: I’m Sick of This Cat and Mouse Game. Either Charge me with Something or Get Out of My Face! I don’t want Brenda to have to listen to your sick version of who I am. I NEVER WANT TO HEAR YOU SUGGEST ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN FRONT OF BRENDA AGAIN!

Garcia: What is the matter, Sonny, you don’t want your girlfriend to realize that you are the type of guy that would sleep with a guys daughter just to seal a deal.

Sonny: I’M WARNING YOU DETECTIVE. GET OUT OF MY FACE OR I’LL HAVE YOUR BADGE.

Garcia: She is going to figure you out sooner or later.

Sonny is about to haul off and punch Garcia when Luke steps up and restrains him.

Sean: Come on Alex, we need to talk to some of the people in the terminal.

Sonny: Wait a minute. have you guys learned anything about the person who tried to kill me?

Sean: We are working on it.

Sonny: Then Commissioner, you had better keep your pet, (indicates Garcia, on a leash and away from me until you come up with something.

They walk off, but Sonny is still steaming.

Sonny: Why did you stop me, Spencer?

Luke: Because, they are just itching to book you on something and you almost gave them a reason.

Sonny: Then I guess I owe you a thanks.

Luke: I’ll add it to your tab.

Sonny: I need to go talk to Brenda.

They both look over at her. She is looking out the window deep in thought with her arms crossed over her chest.

Luke: The model is not going anywhere. I want to hear about what just happened here and how it is connected to your trip down to Puerto Rico.

Sonny: *Taking one more look at Brenda* You go first, Rivera called you?

Luke: Yeah, just minutes before I called you. He said that you and Brenda were on that flight, that it had exploded and that you were dead. He wanted to become my new partner. What is he up to?

Sonny: Your guess is as good as mine. He is buying into legal businesses state side. I know he want a piece of the north eastern territory.

Luke: He told you he wants a piece of Frank’s territory.

Sonny: Not in so many words. He asked to use our shipping networks and he also wants a piece of our new club.

Luke: I agreed to you being my silent partner in the club under the condition that it stay 100% legit.

Sonny: Don’t worry, I told him absolutely not! I don’t want him anywhere near the club or anybody I care about.

Luke: What about the shipping?

Sonny: I told him, as long as I control what gets shipped. In other words, no drugs.

Luke: How did he react?

Sonny: Badly, he got mad. Then he tried to get me to leave Frank Smith and hook up with him. He offered me power, protection and his daughter to become his successor. It was a sweet deal.

Luke: What’s the matter, is his daughter a dog?

Sonny: Not at all. You know it was all I ever used to dream about and a year or so ago I probably would have taken it. Then I meet Brenda and everything changed.

Luke: Let me guess, she has ruined you for ordinary women?

Sonny: In all the best ways.

Luke: I understand completely. I was once in a similar position with Frank Smith, but, I already knew Laura.

Sonny: It is so strange, you are going along in life and you know what you want. Then Bamm along comes a woman like Brenda and your knocked on your butt, not knowing what hit you, but loving every minute of it!

Luke: Okay, so Rivera made you an offer you couldn’t refuse and you refused it, then what?

Sonny: He sent his daughter to my room to seduce me.

Luke: That is nasty!

Sonny: Your telling me, I’m not sure if he was giving her to me or me to her. I didn’t care I kicked her out and hightailed it back here. I didn’t stick around for his reaction.

Luke: I think we might have just seen his reaction. Does Brenda know about Rivera’s daughter?

Sonny: She didn’t until Sean and Garcia showed up and mouthed off.

Luke: Sorry man.

Sonny: I can’t loose her, Luke!

Luke nods in understanding

Luke: What do you have in mind for your next move.

Sonny: Leaving town with Brenda, as I had planed. I have to make sure she is safe.

Luke: I understand, I already sent Laura and LuLu someplace safe. Lucky insists on staying with me.

Sonny: Did Rivera tell you where we were headed.

Luke: Just that the flight was headed to New York.

Sonny: Even if he knew we were headed to Hawaii, he wouldn’t know about the private island.

Luke: What private Island?

Sonny: One I visited with my mom when I was a boy. It has miles of beach and a beach house, that is all. Can you stay here a minute and watch Brenda? There is something that I need to do.

Sonny takes Pete and Renaldo and goes to another desk. Then he makes a call on his cell phone. In a few minutes he comes back alone.

Sonny: I chartered a jet for Brenda and myself and sent Renaldo and Pete to check it out. I put in a call to some of my soldiers and let them know what is going down. Johnny and Red are going to be around to keep an eye on the club and Stone. I told them that they answer to you if you need anything.

Luke: Thanks man.

Sonny: No problem. I told the charter company that I would be supplying my own crew on the flight. I don’t want any more strangers than are necessary. Brenda and I will leave right away and be gone about 5 days. Hopefully by that time things would have calmed down.

Luke: Good luck man.

Sonny: You too, and Spencer watch your back

Luke walks up and Sonny approaches Brenda. he tries to put his arms around her, but she moves.

Sonny: I’m sorry Brenda.

Brenda: When were you going to tell me that you were down in Puerto Rico being seduced by another woman?

Sonny: Nothing happened Brenda in fact, I was sickened by the whole situation.

Brenda: Oh really? Maybe we are moving to fast Sonny. We have only known each other for a month. Maybe we are expecting too much from each other to soon by being monogamous.

Sonny: No that’s not true! I DON’T WANT ANYBODY ELSE BRENDA, ONLY YOU!

Brenda still has her back to him and tears are starting to form in there eyes.

Sonny: Brenda, baby please look at me.

He turns her around until they are face to face.

Brenda: I don’t want to fight.

Sonny: Me neither. I just want you to be safe, please come with me so I can keep you safe.

Brenda: I’ll go.

He pulls her tightly into his arms.

Brenda: Sonny you are shaking. Are you scared?

Sonny: Only of loosing you.

Brenda: That will never happen, I already told you that.

Sonny: I like to hear you say it. I love you.

Brenda: I love you too. Sonny I just have one question?

Sonny: What’s that baby?

Brenda: Why do you smell like women’s perfume?

Sonny laughs.

Sonny: You mean you just now noticed?

Brenda: No, I noticed when you picked me up. I just got around to asking you now.

Sonny: I’m wearing the shirt that you slept in last night, I smell like you sweetheart.

Brenda: Is that what I really smell like?

Sonny: No, you smell like heaven to me!

He gives her a very intense look and then pulls her to him for a long deep kiss.

Brenda: I think we are going to miss our plane.

Sonny: We can’t, it’s a charter. I want my baby to travel in style.

Brenda: I still think we should get going.

Sonny: Come on Joseph we are going. All of us.

Renaldo: (Reluctantly) Whatever you say boss.

Sonny and Brenda walk hand in hand to the gate where the private plane is waiting. Joseph follows behind them.

Chapter 57

The private plane had flown for most of the night. It had made one stop in Phoenix Arizona in order to refuel. By the morning when Sonny and Brenda woke up, they were about to land on the big island of Hawaii. From there they took a private boat. Brenda was standing on the deck of the boat, deep in thought. Sonny comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her. Brenda takes a deep breath.

Brenda: I have always loved the smell of the sea air. When I was very young my family used to vacation on the eastern sea board.

Sonny: So did mine.

Brenda: Wouldn’t it have been strange if we had meet back then?

Sonny: I don’t think it would have been at all strange, except you probably wouldn’t have paid much attention to me.

Brenda: I can’t see that happening. Even if you had been a little boy I would have been attracted to you. You would have completely overlooked me though.

Sonny: Now, I can never see that happening! Is that what you were thinking about when I walked up?

Brenda: No, I was thinking about what detective Garcia said at the airport, about how dangerous Rivera is.

Sonny: Garcia was just trying to upset you. Don’t let him get to you.

Brenda: Sonny, I need to know if what he said is true. Is Rivera dangerous and if so, why were you meeting with him?

Sonny: I don’t know how dangerous Rivera is.

Brenda: But he could be very dangerous?

Sonny: I believe that he is the type of man that will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

Brenda: Sonny, did Rivera blow up the plane.

Sonny: I don’t know.

Brenda: But you think that he did?

Sonny: It is possible, he knew about it at least. He called Luke before or right after it happened to offer his condolences on our deaths. I don’t want you to worry about it sweetheart.

Brenda: How can I not be worried. The man is willing to kill 55 people without blinking an eye. He could have killed you in Puerto Rico. I don’t know what I would do if that happened.

Sonny: It’s not going to happen.

Brenda: He wants you dead, because you refused his daughter?

Sonny: I refused a lot more than that. I went to Puerto Rico to find out if Rivera was trying to build a power base in Port Charles.

Brenda: Is he?

Sonny: I think that he is, he wants a piece of my club and he already has stock in ELQ.

Brenda: How did that happen?

Sonny: He is blackmailing Edward Quartermaine.

Brenda: What kind of information is that powerful?

Sonny: Edward had an affair sometime back, which resulted in an illegitimate child.

Brenda: Who did he have an affair with?

Sonny: I can’t tell you that, out of respect for the woman.

Brenda: Does any of this have to do with the business advice that you have been giving Jason?

Sonny: Do you remember the night before Valentines Day, when I went to the Quartermaine’s to apologize for leaving you at the Grill?

Brenda: Yes, Jason wouldn’t let you see me.

Sonny: Yes, that same night he told me that he had some concerns about ELQ.

Brenda: What kind of concerns?

Sonny: He had been checking into the company. He found that some of the stock was held by non family members, namely Jasper Jacks, Damian Smith and Hernando Rivera.

Brenda: Do they all know about Edward?

Sonny: I don’t think so, just Rivera. Somebody is planing a take over ELQ and Jason thinks that it is Rivera?

Brenda: It’s not.

Sonny: It’s not?

Brenda: No, it is Jax and Ned.

Sonny: How can you be certain?

Brenda: Jax came right out and admitted it to me. He thought I would be impressed.

Sonny: Were you?

Brenda: People who don’t show any loyalties to anything or anyone don’t impress me.

Sonny: I’m loyal.

Brenda: I know that you are, and as much as I want to help you I can’t do anything like getting close to Jax for information again. I didn’t like the way that it made me feel about myself. After Jax told me that, he made me feel like I was obligated to sleep with him or something.

Sonny: Can’t I kill him?

Brenda: No, then you would go to jail and I would miss you like crazy! I have learned my lesson though.

Sonny: Brenda, I want you to know that I would never ask you to do anything like that. To exchange your body for information or to seal a deal or anything like that. I know that people like me have a reputation for being loose with our women, but that is not what I’m about. I would never treat any woman like that.

Brenda: I know that you wouldn’t, and you didn’t ask me to do this. I think that I was just saying it out loud for my own benefit. Lets talk about something else. Why don’t you tell me about this island we are going to.

Sonny: What do you want to know?

Brenda: Everything!

Sonny: Well, it is small and secluded and completely private. There are waterfalls and miles of beach.

Brenda: Sounds primitive.

Sonny: In many ways it is primitive.

Brenda: Wait a minute, we aren’t going to be sleeping in tents or anything are we?

Sonny: It is not that primitive! Besides, I thought we would just take a blanket down to the beach and make love in the surf and then fall asleep in each others arms.

Brenda: That sounds wonderful, but we can’t do that every night!

Sonny: Oh really? Well, I guess I’ll have to build us a grass hut or something.

Brenda: I can just see that.

Sonny: Or on second thought, I’ll have Pete and Joseph and Renaldo build one.

Brenda: The three stooges working together to build us a hut? They would spend the whole time arguing about which is a better building material, coconut leaves or banana leaves!

Sonny: I’ll figure something out. *He kisses her passionately*

When they pull out of the kiss, the island has magically appeared before them.

Sonny: Look! *Pointing to the island*

Brenda: It is beautiful! It is all ours?

Sonny: For the next few days, it is all ours.

They beach the boat and walk out onto the sand.

Brenda: I love it here already.

Sonny: I’m glad you like it.

She pulls him to her into a deep kiss that seems to never want to end. They fall to the sand and continue to kiss passionately. They don’t see Pete walk up to them. He coughs to get there attention.

Sonny looks up at him, irritated.

Pete: Sorry boss, but do you want us to take the supplies to the house?

Brenda: There is a house?

Sonny: You bet! Pete, you guys go ahead and take everything up and we will be along in a minute.

Brenda: I want to see the house!

Sonny: Okay, lets go on up and get everything settled into the house and then we will come back here and finish what we had started.

Brenda: I can hardly wait!

Sonny: Me either!

They kiss again and then he helps her up from the sand. They follow the guys towards the house.
Chapter 58

Sonny and Brenda follow Pete, Joseph and Renaldo up a winding path that has been cut through a lush forest. The path ends at a large white wooden house.

Brenda: It is beautiful!

Sonny: You think so? I remember it being bigger. I guess I was just smaller.

Brenda: It is perfect. I used to dream about a house like this when I was a girl.

Sonny: I bet you saw places bigger and more beautiful when you were a girl.

Brenda: We used to spend weeks in the country and at the beach in homes of friends of my father. The only problem was that those places were always full of people. I used to dream of finding a secret place where I could just be alone. This place is perfect!

Sonny: There is a guest house where the guys can stay, so we will have free run of the place.

Brenda: Lets go in!

Brenda throws the doors opened and walks into the most beautiful room she has ever seen. The living room is open and airy. Light streams in through skylights and a wall of windows. The windows over look the tree tops of the forest, clear to the ocean. Brenda runs to the window. She is positively glowing with enthusiasm and Sonny finds himself smiling. He knew that she would like the house, but he was not prepared for the feelings of joy that he was experiencing by watching her here.

Brenda: The view is spectacular. This is the house of my dreams! How did you know?

Sonny: It has always been in my dreams as well. Ever since I came here as a boy. I used to carry a picture of this place in my head. When things in my life would get really rough I would concentrate on that picture.

Brenda: Did it help.

Sonny: A little. Your the only thing that was missing. Seeing you standing in front of the windows makes the picture complete.

Brenda: Are there bedrooms?

Sonny: Of course. Three of them upstairs. We’ll try them all out later. I say we go upstairs and get changed and head back to the beach.

Brenda: Sounds good to me, the only problem is that I didn’t bring anything to change into. Remember, you wouldn’t let me pack?

Sonny: Not a problem. I have it covered.

Brenda: What are you talking about?

Sonny: Come on and I’ll show you.

He leads her up a spiral staircase to a short hall. He opens the door to the master bedroom. It is also very open and light. It has stone flooring and a ceiling fan. The only furniture is a bed in the middle of the room, wardrobe closet and a full length mirror. There is another wall of windows that overlooks the ocean. On the opposite side of the room is a glass door that leads to a large balcony. Off of the bedroom is the master bathroom and a separate dressing area. Brenda is speechless.

Brenda: I just can’t get over how beautiful everything is here. It is all so perfect.

Sonny: It’s perfect now that your here. Come here.

He takes her to the wardrobe closet and opens it to show her that it is filled with clothes.

Brenda: Did you do all this for me?

Sonny: Sure did.

Brenda: When?

Sonny: While the plane was refueling in Arizona. You were asleep and so I called some one on the main island and told them what I wanted. If you don’t like the clothes or they don’t fit we can take them back tomorrow.

Brenda: *Looking at the clothes.* Are you kidding? I love them, they are all fantastic.

Sonny: I’m going to go see what they bought for me. Why don’t you change out here.

Sonny goes to the closet in the dressing area and pulls out a pair of tan cotton pants and a matching linen shirt. Brenda decides on a white silk slip dress. She slips off the clothes that she is wearing and steps into the dress. It fits perfectly, and she admires the way it looks in the full length mirror. She grabs a scarf and pulls back her hair. She returns to the mirror. She looks relaxed and healthy. She catches a glimpse of Sonny in the mirror. He is standing behind her and smiling. He looks absolutely gorgeous.

Sonny: Are you happy?

Brenda: Ecstatic! I’m just waiting for my alarm to go off so I can wake up and find out this is all just a dream.

Sonny: If it is a dream, it is one that we are never going to wake up from.

He walks up behind her and puts his arms around her waist and pulls her into him. She turns around until she is facing him.

Brenda: Something is not right.

He gives her a puzzled look, until she reaches up unbuttons the top few buttons of his shirt.

Brenda: That’s better.

He takes her hand and brings it up to his lips. He kisses her palm and then trails kisses up the inside of her arm until she sighs with pleasure. She pulls him to her and kisses him passionately. Still kissing him she moves him toward the bed. He pulls away breathlessly.

Sonny: I thought we were going to the beach?

Brenda: We can do that later.

Sonny: Not a chance! I promised you sand and surf. I have been waiting for this for a long time to continue what we started earlier..

Brenda: What about your guys?

Sonny: I told them to make themselves scarce. They’ll give us our privacy. The we can come back up here and have dinner on the balcony and then try out the Jacuzzi.

Brenda: There is a Jacuzzi?

Sonny: On the balcony. We can try it out under the stars.

Brenda: Sounds wonderful.

He takes her hand and leads her back down the stairs. They walk hand in hand to the beach.

Brenda: This place is really a paradise.

Sonny: It is our own private paradise.

Brenda: Just like I always dreamt about.

He pulls her to him and into a long hot kiss. He kisses her neck and pulls back catch his breath. Then they kiss again, this time with more intensity. They slide down to the sand until they are in a kneeling position. Sonny is kissing Brenda’s neck, when a strange female voice shatters their seclusion and interrupts their moment.

Female Voice: Hello there.

Brenda: Who is that?

Sonny: I don’t know, but she is defiantly trespassing!

Sonny stand up and marches angrily in the direction of the voice that is still attached to an unseen person

Chapter 59

Sonny reluctantly pulls away from his and Brenda’s embrace and walks angrily towards the voice.

Sonny: Whoever she is she is trespassing!

Sonny walks angrily up to a woman standing on the beach. She is a slim tall young woman in her mid to late twenties, wearing a gaudy floral print dress and a huge hat that almost covers her face.

Sonny: Excuse me, but would you mind telling me who you are and what you are doing here?

Woman: My name is Stephanie Vanderbelt, but my friends call me Stef.

She speaks in a fake high society voice that would make some people want to slap her silly. However, Sonny has always prided himself on never hitting a woman, not even an annoying one like her. He finds it hard though, especially when she checks him out from head to toe*

Stef: I hope you will be one of them darling.

Sonny: *Ignoring everything that she said, except her name* Ms. Vanderbelt, this is a private island. You will have to leave.

Stef: I was just passing by on my yacht and noticed this quaint little island and just had to jump in my boat and come over.

Sonny: Then you can just get back in the boat and go back to your yacht.

Stef: Oh come now darling, do you own this island?

Sonny: No I don’t own it!

Stef: Oh, how disappointing.

Sonny: I may not own it, but I do have exclusive rights to it for the next few days.

Brenda: *Walking up* Is everything all right Sonny?

Sonny: It will be in a few minutes sweetheart.

Without warning Stef grabs Sonny and kisses him.

Sonny: What the h**l do you think you’re doing?

Stef: Sonny Corinthos, I should have recognized you.

Brenda: *Looking bewildered* What’s going on here?

Sonny is already pulling out his cell phone and dialing the gate house.

Sonny: I want you guys down here at the beach in less than 30 seconds!

Brenda: Do you know her, Sonny?

Stef: Of course he does, don’t be silly. He used to work for my parents during the summer. I took you to the Logan’s house on Long Island with me for one summer.

Brenda: I used to hate that house, the only thing nice about it was the library.

Stef: And who might you be?

Brenda: I might be a lot of things, my name is Brenda Barrett.

Stef: I remember, you are Harlan Barrett’s daughter. You had a sister Julia whom I would always beat at tennis, she was very active and you were the fat one.

Sonny’s face turns red from anger at her last comment.

Sonny: Okay, THAT IS ENOUGH! Joseph, Pete, Renaldo get over here now!

They come running down the path.

Renaldo: Yes boss?

Sonny: Escort Ms. Vanderblunder back to her yacht and make sure that it leaves the area. Then come back here, because I think we need to discuss security procedures.

Pete: I think that he’s mad.

Joseph: No kidding Sherlock!

Stef: Well hello there handsome fellows.

Renaldo: Come on with us Ms Vanderblunder!

Stef: That is Vanderbelt.

Renaldo: Whatever!

Pete and Renaldo grab Stef by the arm and are edging her down the beach.

Sonny: That is how Sonny Corinthos takes care of unwanted pests! See ya Steffie!

Sonny notices that Brenda is sitting on the sand with her arms crossed protectively around her and her eyes cast at the sea. She is completely lost in thought, with a sad look in her eyes. Sonny kneels down in front of her and gently places his hand on her chin. He tilts her head up until their eyes meet.

Sonny: I don’t want anything that she said to upset you. I don’t even remember ever working for her parents and I don’t think that I ever went to any house on Long Island. If I had I would have remembered seeing you.

Brenda: Only if you went to the library in the house, that is where us less active people spent our time.

Sonny: Is that what has you so upset, her stupid remark about your weight back then?

Brenda: It was true, my father used to call me chubs.

Sonny: I’m sorry about that Brenda, no child should be treated that badly by a parent. You are beautiful now and I’m sure that you were just as beautiful then.

Brenda: You wouldn’t say that if you had seen me back then.

Sonny: I’ll bet I would. Do you have a picture from when you were a child?

Brenda: What?

Sonny: A picture of you as a young girl. I want to see how beautiful my baby was when she was little.

Brenda: Julia might have one.

Sonny: As soon as we get back to the main land call her, okay?

Brenda: If it means that much to you.

Sonny: You mean that much to me. You are the most important thing to me and I hate it when you are upset.

Renaldo, Pete and Joseph were coming back up the beach.

Sonny: I need to go talk to the guys and then we can get back to what we were doing.

Brenda: Sonny, go easy on them.

Sonny: I’ll think about it.

Renaldo: She’s gone boss.

Sonny: What happened? How did she get here in the first place?

Pete: She seemed harmless enough.

Sonny: that isn’t the point. You guys are supposed to keep everyone off of this island. What were you guys doing over there, playing checkers?

Renaldo: Actually, it is chess.

Sonny: Okay, party time is over. I want one of you in the boat patrolling the edge of the island and I want another one of you in the bell tower surveying the area. The other person can be the relief man. Nobody else gets on this island, understood?

Pete/Joseph/Renaldo: Understood!

Sonny: Now make yourselves scarce so that I can spend some time alone with the woman I love.

Sonny walks back over to Brenda, as the guys spread out in various directions.

Brenda: Do you think that we could make a detour on our way back to Port Charles?

Sonny: You are already thinking about going home. What’s the mater, isn’t Paradise good enough?

Brenda: I think you know the answer to that question. I love it here, but I really want you to meet my friend Lois and I thought that we could drop by and see her on our way home.

Sonny: Whatever you want to do honey is fine with me. Right now though, what I really want to do is kiss you.

Brenda: You expect me to kiss you after Steffie had her slimly lips on yours?

Sonny: Did she? I don’t even remember. The last thing that I remember is being kissed by the most beautiful and desirable lips in the world. The ones that I’m looking at right now.

He leans down and kisses her gently.

Sonny: Yep, those are the ones.

Brenda: *Smiling* Are you sure? Maybe you should try that again, just to make sure.

Sonny: I’ve missed you so much.

She pulls him to her and they kiss passionately. They slid to the sand and begin to make love. This time there are no interruptions as the world around them melts into their passion for each other.

Chapter 60

After making love on the beach, Sonny and Brenda went back to the house and Sonny made dinner. They have just finished eating and are sitting on the balcony, Brenda is on Sonny’s lap and he has his arms wrapped tightly around her. The sun is setting behind them, but their faces are softly lit by candles from the table.

Sonny: So what do you think of your first day in paradise?

Brenda: It was a lot better after we kicked the snake out.

Sonny: You mean Steffie Vanderblunder? I wouldn’t call her a snake, more like a giant cockroach!

Brenda: *Laughing* Yeah, I guess your right. I love it here. How did you find this place again.

Sonny: I told you that I came here when I was a boy. I don’t even know how my parents got here, but I remember it was one of the few things that we ever did as a family. It was one of the few places that I ever felt at peace. That was before my Dad left.

Brenda: Why did he leave you Sonny?

Sonny: Because he was a bastard, or maybe because I was the bastard. I don’t know why he left, he used to run off a lot. He would be gone for weeks at a time, then the last time he just never came back.

Brenda: You and your mom must have been devastated.

Sonny: Yeah, but I got over it and she never talked about it. You know even after he left she never said one bad thing about him. Of course my mom never had anything bad to say about anyone. Saint Adela, that was who she was. She put up with a lot, she put up with too much if you ask me. But I don’t want to talk about my dad, I don’t want to ruin this moment.

Brenda gets up and walks to the edge of the balcony, just beyond the light cast by the candles. A sea breeze has started to blow and she wraps her arms around herself.

Brenda: Did I ruin the moment by asking about him?

Sonny: *Walking to her* No, that wasn’t what I meant.

He wraps his arms around her, embracing her from the back.

Brenda: What did you mean?

Sonny: I meant that I would rather live here in the present with you, then dwell in past memories.

Brenda: Past memories are important too. They make us who we are.

Sonny: True, but they can’t keep me warm at night the way that you can.

Brenda: You were happy here though?

Sonny: Yes, I told you that when my life was going bad I would imagine being here. When I was young, this place was almost magical, it had healing properties for me.

Brenda: And now?

Sonny: Now it is even more magical because I can share it with you.

Brenda: I’m so glad that you did. I’m glad that you had a place like this to escape to when you were a child, even if you just went there in your mind. I wish that I had someplace like this when I was a child.

Sonny: You had to have had some place to escape.

Brenda: I read a lot, adventure novels mainly. They is what I would do when we would spend weeks at houses of friends of daddy. This is so much better, reading “Treasure Island” to escape is nothing compared to coming here.

Sonny: This place is yours now too Brenda, when ever you need to escape, you can think about this island.

Brenda: Only if you promise to escape with me.

Sonny: I promise. But now there is someplace that I want you to see.

Brenda: Where?

Sonny: Come with me.

He takes her hand and leads her out of the house and down a path. It had gotten dark quickly however, a full moon was already up and it was light enough to see the trail. Sonny takes her to a small alcove.

Sonny: Close your eyes.

Brenda: Why?

Sonny: Just do it please.

She closes her eyes and can hear him moving around doing something. She can also hear something else, it sounds like running water.

Brenda: Is that water I hear?

Sonny: Okay. You can open your eyes.

She opens her eyes and sees that they are in a small alcove with a cascading waterfall. Sonny has lit small candles around the waterfall that make the whole area glow with a soft light.

Sonny: What do you think?

Brenda: It is absolutely beautiful. But when did you have time to set all of this up?

Sonny: That is one reason that I keep Joseph, Renaldo and Pete around. I had them set it up while we had dinner.

Brenda: Don’t tell me you experienced this when you were here as a boy?

Sonny: No, this is all original planing just for you and me, scouts honor.

Brenda: You were never a Boy Scout.

Sonny: Yeah I was a Cub Scout for about an hour then they kicked me out.

Brenda: Poor baby, what happened.

Sonny: They used to meet in the church that was at the edge of my neighborhood. So one Saturday we were having our meeting, I was in my little uniform and everything.

Brenda: I bet you looked so cute in your uniform.

Sonny: Yeah I did, but can I tell the story?

Brenda: I’m all ears.

Sonny: So the meeting was about to start, but for some reason the Scout leader left us alone in the room that had the rope for ringing the bell. Big mistake if you ask me.

Brenda: You rang the church bell?

Sonny: I couldn’t resist. So everyone in the neighborhood comes running, because they don’t ring the church bell on a Saturday afternoon unless there is an emergency. You know what I mean?

Brenda: What did they do to you.

Sonny: I felt the wrath of the whole neighborhood and then they kicked me out of Cub Scouts.

Brenda: Oh honey, I’m sorry.

Sonny: It turned out okay, because being in Cub Scouts wasn’t very cool anyway. The kids used to get beat up, so I was better off getting kicked out.

Brenda: I love you, do you know that. Cub Scout or no Cub Scout.

Sonny: I love you too.

He pulls her to him and they kiss passionately.

Chapter 61

Brenda rolled over in bed and looked up at Sonny, who in turn was looking at her and smiling.

Brenda: Do we really have to leave today?

Sonny: We’ve been here for 5 days, aren’t you bored with this place by now?

Brenda: Bored with paradise? Never!

Sonny: But we haven’t done anything for 5 whole days.

Brenda: Oh really? We made love on the beach.

Sonny: As I promised we would.

Brenda: And beside the waterfall, and on the balcony and in the Jacuzzi.

Sonny: Don’t forget in here last night.

Brenda: Oh yeah, that was pretty amazing.

Sonny: Yeah it was.

He kisses her.

Sonny: And as much as I would like to stay here forever, I still have a birthday party to plan.

Brenda: Oh yeah. I was hoping that you had forgotten.

Sonny: Not a chance, March 30th is permanently etched in my memory. Plus, didn’t you want to stop by and see your friend Lois on the way home?

Brenda: Yes, I can’t wait for you to meet her.

Sonny: Okay, then as much as I hate leaving this bed, we need to get up and get moving.

Brenda: Do you think that we will have time for one more walk along the beach?

Sonny: It depends on what else we decide to do on the beach.

He gives her a very hot look, which she reciprocates with a very hot kiss. Sonny rolls on top of her and starts to kiss her neck.

Brenda: More like, it depends on what we do before we get to the beach.

Sonny quiets her by kissing her mouth with long hot passion. They make love.

Chapter 62

Several hours later they are walking along the beach holding hands. Joseph, Pete and Renaldo are tailing behind them carrying all the luggage.

Brenda: I’m sure glad that you thought to get luggage or I would have had to have left all the beautiful clothes you bought me.

Sonny: Of course, I think of everything.

Brenda: Do you think that we should help guys carry everything?

Sonny: No, there fine. Besides if I was carrying a suitcase I would have to let go of your hand and that ain’t going to happen. I’m never letting go of you.

Brenda: You had better not ever let go of me. Have I thanked you for bringing me here and sharing a place from your childhood with me?

Sonny: Yeah, but you can thank me again. It is really my pleasure Brenda. I always thought that this place was really great. Now that you are here, it is perfect.

Brenda: Maybe we should be nice to the guys and head back to the boat.

Sonny: Sure.

They turn and head back to the boat.

Pete: Finally! I can’t feel my arms because of all this luggage.

Joseph: What are we now, bellhops?

Pete: Do we look like bellhops?

Renaldo: Not really, you two look like a couple of stooges to me.

Pete: Hey watch it! If my arms weren’t full you would really get a taste of my fist.

Sonny: Looks like it’s time to take the kiddies home dear.

Brenda: *Laughing* I guess they got to much sun.

Sonny: Wait!

He stops Brenda and turns her around until she is standing with the ocean and the sun behind her. Joseph, Renaldo and Pete collapse to the sand under the load of luggage. Brenda is wearing a flowing pink silk dress and a matching hat. Her hair is pulled back with a clip. With the sun behind her she almost seems to glow.

Sonny: God you’re beautiful! You are like something out of a dream. A dream that I have always had and now the dream is standing before me. I don’t deserve you Brenda, but I’m glad your here.

Brenda: You stopped me to say that?

Sonny: Yes and to worship your beauty standing there, the most perfect woman in the most perfect setting.

She just smiles at him and reaches for his hand to pull him close to her. She wraps her arms around him and holds him tightly against her. She just enjoys the feel of his arms around her and her arms around him for a few long minutes as the world around them disappears..

Brenda: I wish this moment would last forever.

Sonny: Me too.

There is something almost desperate about the way that they are clinging to each other. Call it a feeling or a premonition, but both of them feel as if though this is the last time that they are going to have this feeling and that they need to cherish the moment. In a few minutes they both become aware of the three bodyguards impatiently sitting on the sand and watching them. They pull apart and walk silently to the boat. Neither of them says a word the entire trip back to the main island of Hawaii. They just stand together on the deck, holding each other tightly and watching as their private paradise fade from view.

Chapter 63

Sonny and Brenda are in the lounge area of the plane waiting for the pilots to finish the preflight check. Joseph, Pete and Renaldo are also doing there own “preflight check.”

Brenda: What do your guys look for, Sonny?

Sonny: Anything that might be out of place and a potentially dangerous to us.

Brenda: You mean like assassins in the broom closet?

Sonny: I’ll have to tell them to check to broom closet.

Brenda: How much longer before we take off. I told Lois we would be there by 2:00, tomorrow.

Sonny: First you have to tell me where we are going.

Brenda: I want it to be a surprise.

Sonny: I would love to be surprised, but Baby I have to tell the pilots where to fly.

Brenda: Can’t I tell them?

Sonny: You don’t speak Spanish sweetheart, that is what the pilots speak.

Brenda: Why did you hire pilots that only speak Spanish?

Sonny: The only other choice was German and I didn’t want to hire pilots that could talk behind our back.

Brenda: Why didn’t you hire pilots that speak English?

Sonny: The ones that speak English all work for the commercial airlines.

Brenda: Sonny, what do you think that these guys do with this plane when they aren’t flying around people like us?

Sonny: We probably don’t want to know what they do in their spare time. Now, are you going to tell me where we are going or do I have to torture you?

Brenda: *Smiling* Torture, what do you have in mind?

Sonny: How about this?

He leans close to her face and barely brushes his lips against hers, then he kisses her neck and runs his hand down her back around her thigh and down her leg.

Brenda: That is not torture Sonny, that is teasing, I should know.

Sonny: You may be the queen of tease Brenda, but I can tease with the best of them.

He puts his leg across both of hers and leans into kiss her. He pulls back just as he feels her wanting him. He moves his mouth to her neck and then runs his hand down the front of her shirt.

Sonny: Tell me where we are going Brenda.

Brenda: All right, we are going to Brooklyn.

Sonny: New York?

Brenda: What other Brooklyn would I be taking you to? Actually, we are going to Bensonhurst to be exact.

Sonny: That is where I grew up.

Brenda: I know that honey. I was telling my friend Lois about you, and get this. You guys used to live right next to each other when you were kids!

Sonny: Your Lois is, Lois Cerullo?

Brenda: Yeah! Small world huh?

Sonny: Your Lois is my Lois?

Brenda: Hey, what do you mean “your Lois”? And what do a get as a reward for telling you where we are going?

Sonny: You want a reward?

Brenda: After the way that you were torturing me, I think that I deserve something.

Sonny: *Kissing her on the forehead* Hold that thought, I’ll go tell the pilots where to take us and make sure that my guys are settled into their seats. Then I’ll come back here and we can “torture” each other all the way to Brooklyn.

Brenda: Sonny, it’s a 16 hour flight!

Sonny: I know, do you think that you have the stamina?

Brenda: Hurry back!

He leaves to go to the main part of the plane. Brenda sighs.

Brenda: You still didn’t tell me what you meant by, “Your Lois.”

Chapter 64

18 hours later Sonny and Brenda are standing in the hall outside of Lois’ apartment. Brenda knocks on the door and Lois opens it quickly. She is dressed in a short black leather skirt, and a black shirt. A pair of matching boots complete her outfit. The girls hug.

Brenda: Lo, you look fantastic! I love that outfit!

Lois: You look gorgeous too, girlfriend! There is something different about you though.

Brenda: Maybe it has something to do with my, “I spent a week on a private island,” tan.

Lois: No, it’s not that. I can’t place it, but it reminds me of the way that when sister in law Didi looked when she was preg... * She was about to say pregnant with her first child, but stopped herself.* Never mind, that couldn’t be it.

Sonny: *Feeling ignored* Maybe it has something to do with me?

Lois: *Hugging him* Sonny Corinthos, you haven’t changed one bit. You still think the world revolves around you. I had forgotten how annoying that was.

Sonny: Maybe not the world, but if I remember correctly, the old neighborhood did revolve around me. I had forgotten how much I missed the sound of your voice Lois. But I am surprised that you remember me.

Lois: Are you kidding me? Who could ever forget the bad boy of Bensonhurst?

Sonny: You haven’t changed one bit Lois.

Lois: Sure I have, I am so much more cosmopolitan now!

Sonny: I can see that. You cut off the braids and you seem to have out grown you knock knees.

He is looking at her legs.

Lois: Some things never change. You are looking good Sonny, is that suite Italian?

Sonny: Sure is, and I get by. Those are some nails you’ve got there Lois. How do you play soft ball with those baby’s?

Lois: I hardly ever play soft ball anymore Sonny. I am a record producer now.

Sonny: That is right, L&B. Brenda told me about it.

Brenda: Sonny is the investor that I was telling you about.

Sonny: That’s right, but I want to see your talent first before I put up any money.

Lois: *Her face turning white* That is great, how about some coffee. Brenda give me a hand.

She practically drags Brenda to the kitchen.

Brenda: Are you crazy?

Lois: Are you sleeping with him?

Brenda: What kind of a question is that, Lo?

Lois: A pretty simple one. I know that Sonny can move pretty fast, but I would have thought that you would have had the sense to think before jumping into bed with a guy like Sonny.

Brenda: Oh, you mean like you waited before sleeping with Ned. What was it Lois, 5 minutes or 10?

Lois: That was so completely different! Eddie is nothing like Sonny Corinthos, how much do you know about Sonny anyway?

Brenda: Enough to know that he isn’t just in this for a good time. He is throwing me a birthday party and I think that he is going to ask me to marry him.

Lois: It won’t happen. Sonny is not the marrying kind.

Brenda: Maybe you don’t know him as well as you think. He loves me Lo, he really does.

Lois: Then why did he just ask me to sleep with him?

Brenda: What are you talking about?

Lois: You heard him, he said that he would have to check out my talent before he invested any money.

Brenda: He meant Ned. He wants to see Eddie Maine perform. I think he really just wants to see Ned in leather pants. Do you think that is something that I should be concerned about?

Lois: You told him about Ned being Eddie Maine?

Brenda: Of course, Sonny and I don’t have any secrets from each other.

Lois: Men like Sonny always have secrets. Be careful Bren, I don’t want you to end up pregnant and alone.

Brenda: That’s not going to happen Lo. I love Sonny and he loves me and we are always going to be together.

Sonny: *Calling from the living room* Do you ladies need any help?

Lois: No, we have it under control.

They walk out of the kitchen.

Lois: Actually, I’m all out of coffee.

Sonny: Too bad.

Lois: We can go down to the old neighborhood, they turned Mr. McGregor’s old store into a Starbucks coffee house. We could grab some joe and then show Brenda where we used to hang out when we where kids.

Sonny: *Abruptly* No! Brenda and I have to go!

Brenda: Why the rush.

Sonny: You have to go back to school tomorrow and you have that practice set to finish for your accounting class.

Brenda: That’s right, I do need to finish it.

Sonny: And I have a birthday party to finish up. You are coming to the party, aren’t you Lois?

Lois: Are you kidding me, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Sonny: Good then we will see you in a couple of days. Come on Brenda.

Brenda: Bye Lo! *They hug* I’ll call you when I get home.

Lois: You had better.

Brenda and Sonny go out into the hall.

Brenda: What is the rush?

Sonny: I just couldn’t wait to get you alone and back on that plane so that we could continue what we started on the plane on the way over here.

Brenda: What we started? I think we both finished that several times if I remember correctly.

He pulls her to him and kisses her passionately.

Sonny: They were the best finishes I could remember in a long time.

Brenda: Yeah! That reminds me, Lois thinks that you want to sleep with her before you will invest in L&B.

Sonny: Did you tell her how silly that idea was?

Brenda: Of course, but I saw the way that you checked her out. SO tell me ,Sonny do you want my best friend?

At first Sonny doesn’t even think that she is serious, then he sees the look in her eye and realizes that she is deadly serious.

Chapter 65

Brenda Stood in the hall with a determined look on her face.

Brenda: I’m waiting for an answer Sonny. Now that you have seen her again after all this time, do you want Lois?

Sonny: Are you joking?

Brenda: I saw how you were checking her out and you had that far away look in your eyes.

Sonny: What far away look?

Brenda: The one that you get when you are thinking about the past.

Sonny: I was kind of thinking that if I had known how Lois was going to turn out, maybe I would have paid her some attention when we were kids.

Brenda: I knew it, you were checking her out.

Sonny: Then it dawned on me, that Lois and I might have gotten married and had a bunch of kids and I would have missed out on the greatest thing in the world.

Brenda: What’s that?

Sonny: You, falling in love with you. Of course you and Lois would have probably become friends anyway.

Brenda: It’s likely.

Sonny: Then I would of had to have broken Lois’ heart.

Brenda: How would you have done that?

Sonny: When I left her to run off with you.

Brenda: You little creep, you wouldn’t have left Lois!

Sonny: I would of had to of, once I laid eyes on you I wouldn’t of had any choice. Baby, we were meant to be together and we would have been no matter what.

Brenda: I can’t believe that you would have left my best friend and ten kids!

Sonny: Wait a minute, who said ten kids?

Brenda: Don’t you like kids and want to have a big family?

Sonny: I love kids and I want as many as my wife is willing to have, but not with Lois.

Brenda: Why not?

Sonny: For one thing, can you imagine ten kids running around with Brooklyn accents? Besides I can only see one woman as the mother of my children and it’s not Lois.

Brenda: Oh really, do I know this woman?

Sonny: I think that you do. She has the most gorgeous dark hair and her eyes light up when she is excited and she does this sighing thing when I kiss her that is so cute. She is just irresistible.

He leans in and kisses her slowly and passionately. In a few minutes they pull apart.

Brenda: So, did you ever kiss Lois.

Sonny: Brenda! I’m not the kind to kiss and tell.

Brenda: Come on, you might as well tell me, I’ll just ask Lois if you don’t.

Sonny: All right. I kissed her once. She had just started at me and Louie’s high school. She was having trouble fitting in and wasn’t very popular.

Brenda: Lois, not popular that is hard to believe.

Sonny: Yeah, I know. Well it was the fall dance and Lois had this big crush on a football player named Roger McCormick. We were at the dance and her and I were dancing and everybody was watching.

Brenda: They were watching you?

Sonny: Yeah, anyway we had worked it out that I would grab her and kiss her and she would like try to pull away. It worked out perfectly, Roger came to her rescue and decked me and swept Lois off her feet. Everybody liked her after that because they thought that I wanted her.

Brenda: So you helped her out? That was nice of you.

Sonny: Yeah, but I sure was sore the next day.

Brenda: Did Roger hit you that hard?

Sonny: No, but once I got up Louie came over and beat the tar out of me for kissing his sister.

Brenda: My poor baby.

Sonny: It wasn’t that bad, all the girls showered me with sympathy.

Brenda: I’ll bet. You were pretty popular with the girls weren’t you?

Sonny: I was, but I have the girl of my dreams right here and now. I meant what I said, you and your love are the greatest things in the world. Now what do you say about us hopping back on that plane and going home?

Brenda: Do we have to?

Sonny: Yeah, I think that we had better.

Brenda: I have to go to Lucy’s office and meet with a photographer any way.

Sonny: What time?

Brenda: 3:30.

Sonny: That will give me a chance to go and check out the progress on the club and then we can meet for dinner at the Grill.

Brenda: Sounds good to me.

He puts his arm around her and they walk to the elevator. They don’t notice the man watching them, he pulls out a cellular phone and dials a number.

Chapter 66

Sonny dropped Brenda off at Lucy’s office because she had an appointment to meet with a photographer. Her and Sonny made arrangements to meet at the grill later. They kissed good bye for about 5 minutes, much to the embarrassment of Lucy’s secretary, and then Sonny left for his apartment.

Brenda: *After Sonny has left* Hello Jane, how are you?

Jane: Probably not as good as you are.

Brenda: Probably not, is Lucy in her office?

Jane: She got called away, some kind of shipping mix up. The photographer, Mr. Johnson is waiting for you in her office.

Brenda goes into the office. A slender elegant man in his late thirties is sitting in a chair.

Johnson: You must be the lovely Brenda Barrett. I am honored to meet you.

Brenda: I should be the one that is honored. I’ve seen the work you did for Sports Illustrated and I’m a little surprised that you would be interested in doing a shoot for a cosmetics company.

Johnson: I saw you in the Christmas campaign and I knew instantly that you were someone that I had to take.

Brenda: Take?

Johnson: Take pictures of

Brenda: Yes, of course. Do you have some sketches?

Johnson: Yes of course. *He starts looking through his briefcase.* . I had some wonderful ideas for the fall shoot. In fact as I was walking in the building and saw a spot in the park across the street that would be perfect. I seem to have left my sketches in my car. Would you mind walking down with me and I can show you the spot in the park and get your input.

Brenda: I was a little concerned when I first met you, you see I had always heard things about you.

Johnson: What sort of things?

Brenda: Forgive me, but I had heard that you were a little scattered.

Johnson: I guess my reputation proceeds me. I assure you, when I’m on an assignment I am a calculated professional. Now shall we go and see the sketches?

Brenda: I don’t see why not. Lucy will probably be tied up for hours with her emergency.

Johnson: I can assure you with almost certainty that she will be.

They go out into the reception area.

Brenda: Mr. Johnson and I are going to look at sketches, we will be back in a few minutes.

Jane: I’ll tell Lucy if she checks in.

He holds the door open and they walk out. About 10 minutes after they have left a man rushes in. His hair is messed up and his tie is crocked.

Jane: May I help you?

Man: Yes, My name is Johnson and I have an appointment to see Ms. Coe. I’m sorry I’m late. I have no excuse, that is just the way I am.

Jane: Who did you say you were again?

Man: I’m here to see Ms. Lucy Coe. I’m Mr. Johnson.

Jane: The photographer?

Man: No, Ms. Coe the head of Deception Cosmetics.

Jane: I was asking if you mean Mr. Johnson, the photographer?

Johnson: Yes, I’m the photographer. How many of us are there?

Jane: At least two it would seem. Ms. Barrett just left with one of them.

Johnson: May I wait?

Jane: Yes, she said she would be right back. That is so strange.

Sonny had just finished his inspection of the of the new club and was on the way up the stairs to his apartment. One of the guys he had watching the place stops him at the door.

Guy: Boss you have a visitor.

Sonny: *On guard* Who?

Guy: Kid, calls himself Jason Quartermaine. I checked him and he’s clean.

Sonny: He is okay. How long has he been here?

Guy: Couple of hours.

Sonny: Anything happen while I was gone?

Guy: Everything was quiet. Unless you count all the noise made by the guys working round the clock on the club.

Sonny: I think they are about finished. Have Pete and Joseph relieve you here. I need to talk to Benny and arrange the security for the party on Saturday. I also need you to assign a guy to Brenda. I just left her at Lucy Coe’s office, so send the guy over there. You got all of that?

Guy: Got it boss, I’m already on it. Are you going to need help with this Q guy?

Sonny: Jason? No, he is cool. He just has some questions for me that I’m long over due in answering.

Sonny is about to open the door to the apartment when he gets a cold feeling. He stops and tries to identify what it is.

Guy: Boss, you okay?

Sonny: Yeah, I guess. I just had this really weird feeling. Who are you going to assign to Brenda?

Guy: I was thinking of sending Red.

Sonny: That won’t do, he scares her.

Guy: *Laughing* How could anyone be scared of old Red?

Sonny: Send Johnny, and have him check in with me as soon as he gets there.

Sonny tried to shake the feeling that he had that something was wrong, but it was just to strong.

Chapter 67

Sonny goes into the apartment and finds Jason waiting for him.

Jason: How was your trip?

Sonny: It was nice, how did you know that I would be back today?

Jason: Some friend of Brenda’s, I think her name was Lois, called and told Ned that you were on your way.

Sonny: I’m sorry that I didn’t come talk to you right after I got back from Puerto Rico.

Jason: I understand perfectly. Brenda is hard to resist.

Sonny: *Smiling* Yes she is, I’m having a birthday party for her on Saturday. Will you come?

Jason: Of course.

Sonny: Now you probably want to know what I found out in Puerto Rico?

Jason: If it has anything to do with ELQ, I’m all ears.

Sonny: Some of it does. I was right about Hernando Rivera, he is trying to get his claws into ELQ.

Jason: How did he get his hands on any stock in the first place?

Sonny: He acquired it from your grandfather.

Jason: That can’t be true, grandfather would never sell stock to outsiders.

Sonny: He would if Rivera was blackmailing him!

Jason: Great, which of our secrets is he using?

Sonny: How many do you have?

Jason: Let me see, all the people that my dad has killed would add up to a book, then there are the guys my mom has slept with, and of course you know that I’m illegitimate.

Sonny: Okay, I get the picture. Then I guess you know about your grandfather’s illegitimate child?

Jason: Jimmy Lee Holt? That is old news, everyone in town knows about that one.

Sonny: Uh, then you don’t know?

Jason: There is another one, grandfather had another affair?

Sonny: It appears so.

Jason: It will kill grandmother!

Sonny: I guess that is why Edward is going to great lengths to keep this one a secret.

Jason: Who was it with?

Sonny: I can’t say.

Jason: Your protecting him?

Sonny: No, I’m protecting the woman. There is no reason why she should have her reputation soiled because of a mistake she made in her youth.

Jason: Fair enough. Can we use this information?

Sonny: You mean to blackmail your grandfather? No, you can’t use information that is already being used by someone else. We’ll have to find something else. What about some of your information?

Jason: No, there is a family rule about using family secrets. It is kind of like that rule about assassinating world leaders. You can’t do it because then everybody else will retaliate. We can’t use family secrets against each other because then everybody will retaliate.

Sonny: Good rule, I guess. We need to figure out some thing because Rivera is going to move pretty soon.

Jason: How do you know?

Sonny: Because, I ticked him off big time. He offered me his daughter and I kicked her out of my room. The man is angry and insulted and he wants a piece of the action in Port Charles.

Jason: Do you think that he is trying to take over ELQ.

Sonny: Rivera isn’t, but Jax and Ned are.

Jason: How do you know?

Sonny: While I was in Puerto Rico, Brenda went on a date with Jax. The corporate kangaroo boasted about how he and Ned were going to take over ELQ. He thought it would turn Brenda on or something.

Jason: What did she do?

Sonny: She walked away from him and passed the information on to me.

Jason: I don’t believe this.

Sonny: Believe it! We have a bunch of rotten eggs lurking around and we are going to have to watch them all very carefully.

Jason: Damian, Rivera and Jax I can kind of accept, but Ned betraying the family is inexcusable.

Sonny: He doesn’t have a choice, Jax is blackmailing him.

Jason: Let me guess, you know why and can’t tell me?

Sonny: Sorry, I made a promise to a friend. We know who our enemies are now, we have to watch them and when they make a move we stop them.

Sonny looks nervous, he can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong with Brenda, that was why he had sent one of his men to watch her. He knew that Rivera was going to strike soon and he had to protect Brenda. Joseph sticks his head in the room.

Joseph: You wanted to know when Johnny got to Ms. Coe’s office?

Sonny: Yeah, did he find Brenda all right?

Joseph: He just checked in. She isn’t there.

Sonny: What do you mean? I just left her there 30 minutes ago.

Joseph: She isn’t there now.

Sonny got a sharp pain in his gut, he knew there was something wrong.

Jason: Maybe she finished early and went home.

Sonny: How? She didn’t have a car.

Jason: Maybe she called a cab.

Sonny: Call your house and see if she is there, I’ll call Lucy’s office.

Jason calls the mansion, while Sonny uses his cell phone to call Lucy’s office.

Jane: Deception, how may I help you?

Sonny: Lucy Coe please.

Jane: Ms. Coe is out for the afternoon, may I take a message?

Sonny: What do you mean?

Jane: She is away on Deception business.

Sonny: Has Brenda Barrett been there?

Jane: She was just here, she left with the photographer, Mr. Johnson. At least I think that is what she said, the funny thing is that Mr. Johnson is waiting in Ms Coe’s office.

Sonny: Damn! I was afraid of that! DO NOT LET THAT MAN LEAVE!

He slams down the phone.

Jane: How rude!

Jason: She isn’t at home and she was supposed to take Emily shopping for a dress for some spring dance. I also called Robin and she hasn’t seen her or heard from her.

Sonny: Someone took her, someone posed as the photographer and lured her someplace!

Jason: You have to be wrong.

Sonny: I wish I were. I have this horrible feeling that Brenda is in danger I’m going to Lucy’s office.

Jason: What should I do?

Sonny: Go home and wait for her. If she calls or goes home tell her not to do anything and call me right away.

Sonny was already out the door.

Chapter 68

Brenda was tied to a chair in a dim warehouse, boxes were piled high around her. Two men sat at a small table playing cards. They were the typical ape type goons that could be found lurking a round alleys in “certain” neighborhoods. Their two sawed off shot guns were near by.

Brenda: I demand to know what this is all about.

The men were silent and continued to play.

Brenda: Talkative, aren’t you? If this is about getting money from the Quartermaines, you can forget it. Edward won’t pay a ransom!

Goon: This ain’t about no ransom.

Brenda: What then?

The guy is silent.

Brenda: Well, how long do you think that you can keep me here? My boyfriend is going to find me and when he does, You’ll be sorry!

Goon: Your boyfriend is going to make me sorry? Who is he so I’ll know what name to put on the headstone?

Brenda: Sonny Corinthos!

The guys stop playing and stand up, knocking over the table in the process. The cards fall to the floor. They have looks of genuine fear in their eyes.

Goon: Did you say, Sonny Corinthos?

Brenda: Yes!

Goon: Nobody told us you was Corinthos’ broad!

Brenda: I’m nobody’s “broad” You know who Sonny is?

Goon: Everybody knows Frank Smith’s right hand man.

Brenda; The mobster, that Frank Smith?

Goon: Who else would I be talking about?

Brenda: What do you mean, Sonny is his right hand?

Goon: His lieutenant, his stooge, his gunman. What part don’t you understand.

Brenda: Your wrong, that isn’t what Sonny does!

Goon: Of course it is what he does! Don’t you know, your lover boy is a mobster!

Brenda: No, that is a lie. Sonny is the kindest man I have ever known! SONNY!

Just then there is a crash on the other side of the wall.

Goon: What the heck was that?

Goon 2: It must have been the other one that we have Jimmy watching in the next room.

Brenda: What do you mean, “other one’? Who else do you have?

Just then a ponytail bounces past the window, which Brenda recognizes.

Brenda: Lucy? You have Lucy Coe?

Goon: Correction, we had her!

Brenda: *Screaming at the top of her lungs* LUCY, HELP!

But Lucy obviously doesn’t hear her, because she keeps on running as fast as she can. In less than a minute a goon chases after her.

Sonny has taken Pete and Joseph to Lucy’s office. Jane is at her desk when they barge in.

Jane: *Taken aback* May I help you?

Sonny: Where are Lucy and Brenda?

Jane: They are not available!

Sonny: Never mind, I’ll find them myself.

He barges into Lucy’s office and nearly makes Mr. Johnson jump out of his skin. He clutches his briefcase tightly.

Johnson: Who are you?

Sonny: Better Question, Who The H**l Are You?

Johnson: I’m Larry Johnson.

Sonny: *To Pete and Joseph* Check his ID!

They pounce on him like alligators on raw meat. Pete holds him down while Joseph checks his ID.

Joseph: He is who he says he is.

Johnson: Of course, who else would I be?

Sonny: *Grabbing him by the shirt and looking him in the eye. I WANT TO KNOW THIS MINUTE, WHERE ARE BRENDA AND LUCY!

Chapter 69

The bindings on Brenda’s wrists were starting to pinch and she hadn’t eaten in hours. She felt like she was going to faint. The room was spinning out of control and she felt sick to her stomach The guys were still playing cards. They had calmed down after the excitement of losing Lucy Coe. Lucy had been gone for an hour and it was some small consolation to Brenda that they hadn’t recaptured her. Lucy would go to Sonny and tell him where Brenda was being held, she had to. Right now though Brenda had to stay conscious and be ready for when Sonny came for her. She had to get something to eat.

Brenda: Hey! Would it be to much to get me something to eat?

The guys turn to one another and aren’t sure what to do.

Brenda: If you don’t feed me, I’m going to drop from lack of food.

Goon 1: We aren’t supposed to kill her.

Brenda: As reassuring as I find that. I’m going to die of starvation. When Sonny finds me, he won’t be to happy.

Goon2: She’s right. The last thing that we want is Corinthos mad at us! We’ll order pizza!

Brenda: You’re scared of him!

Goon: Yeah, you should be too!

Sonny paced around in Lucy’s office. He had finally let the photographer go. After about an hour of interrogation, Sonny had decided that the poor sap was completely innocent. Now, he had no idea what to do next. He knew that Rivera was behind the disappearance of Brenda and presumably Lucy as well, but there seemed to be an information lock down on the streets. His men couldn’t find out anything, and waiting for Rivera to make his move was driving Sonny crazy. That is why, when his cell phone rang he almost hit the roof.

Sonny: *Answering the phone.* Rivera?

Luke: Sorry, I’ve been called by many names and I even answer to a select few of them, but that ain’t one of them.

Sonny: Sorry, have you heard anything about Brenda or Lucy?

Luke: Not a word.

Sonny: My men can’t find out anything either. It has been 8 hours since I last saw Brenda. If anything has happened to her, I don’t think I will be able to forgive myself.

Luke: You can’t go there Sonny. If you let your mind go to those dark places, you stop thinking and if you can’t think you can’t act. Any idea who is behind this?

Sonny: Rivera, there is no doubt in my mind.

Luke: Why? Why grab Brenda and not do anything or make any demands.

Sonny: Just to prove to me that he could take something that means the world to me and I would be powerless to stop him. He is trying to let me know that he is in control and that I don’t have any choice but to give him exactly what he wants.

Luke: What does he want?

Sonny: Me!

Luke: Come on, isn’t that just a tad bit egotistical?

Sonny: Okay, he wants the power that comes with the eastern territory, but he wants me to run it for him. he wants the two of us to form some kind of partnership, alliance, empire or something and he wants me to seal it all by marrying his daughter.

Luke: Has anyone ever told you that you have a very active imagination?

Sonny: This has very little to do with my imagination. Rivera told me as much when I was in Puerto Rico.

Luke: Your serious!

Sonny: Very, and when I denied his request it made him very unhappy.

Luke: The man is crazy, he is not just going up against you. He is taking on Frank Smith, does he know that?

Sonny: Like you say, the man is not right in the head, but he does have Brenda and I would do just about anything to get her back.

Luke: Please tell me you’re not thinking of giving in to his demands and sacrificing yourself for her.

Sonny: If you were me and he had Laura wouldn’t you do anything to get her back and keep her safe?

Luke: I don’t know, I’m not you and I’m not in your shoes so I can’t really judge you or the decisions that you make.

Sonny: A few days ago, Brenda and I were so happy. We should have just stayed on that island, I should have just bought that island and we should have stayed there.

Luke: You just invested in a club and a record company, you couldn’t afford to buy and island right now. Besides, think of all the power and position you would be giving up.

Sonny: I would gladly give it all up, just to see Brenda safe.

Luke: You really have it bad for her, don’t you?

Sonny: I love her, why is that so hard for everybody to understand?

Luke: You just don’t seem like the type to fall in love, besides there are some people who realize how much she means to you.

Sonny: Rivera does, I wonder if he realizes he now has possession of the most precious thing in my life?

Luke: If he doesn’t, you have to move very carefully and not let on how much the perfume girl means to you.

Sonny: What am I supposed to do, sit around and let him see that he can take the woman I love away from me any time he wants and I’m not going to do anything about it?

Luke: You just have to sit tight. I have a lead, but I don’t want to get your hopes up to high. Give me some time to check it out.

Sonny: That is just it, I think that Brenda is running out of time. What if Rivera just wants to kill her.

Luke: Why would he want to do that?

Sonny: I don’t know, maybe because I love her and he wants me to teach me a lesson. Maybe it is just that something good was happening in my life, which is more than I deserve. Maybe, I just don’t deserve her.

Luke: Your scared, which is fine. But I don’t need you to start going crazy on me now. What I do need is for you to sit tight, it isn’t going to come to that. This lead I have is real good and it’s going pan out.

Sonny: What choice do I have? I either sit around waiting for you to make a move or for Rivera to make his.

Luke hangs up the phone and Sonny focuses his eyes on the door in an intense gaze. It is almost as if he is willing Brenda to walk though it.

Sonny: Come on baby, walk through that door. I want to see that beautiful face of yours.

He feels his breath catch in his chest and the door opens.

Chapter 70

Sonny feels hope rise inside him, only to have it destroyed when he realizes that Kevin Collins is on the other side of the door.

Kevin: Where is Lucy? Jane says that she hasn’t checked in all afternoon and she doesn’t know where she is. I told her that had to be a mistake, because that doesn’t sound like Lucy at all. It is a mistake, right?

Sonny: I wish it were a mistake. Both Lucy and Brenda are missing.

Kevin: What do you mean by, “missing?”

Sonny: *Calmly.* I think that they have been kidnapped.

Kevin: What? Have the police been notified?

Sonny: No, the police can’t get involved.

Kevin: I don’t understand.

Sonny: I don’t expect you to understand, I barely do. All I know is that the best chance that Lucy and Brenda have is going to come from you doing exactly what I tell you to do. You need to relax.

Kevin: Considering who you are, maybe you are used to having the woman that you love kidnapped! Well, it is all a new experience to me!

Sonny: *Rubbing his hand through his hair* Yeah, it is for me too.

The two men sit watching each other for several tense moments. They are both startled when Sonny’s phone rings. Sonny answers it.

Sonny: Rivera?

Luke: Sorry. What makes you even think that he will call?

Sonny: He has to call.

Kevin: Who is Rivera?

Sonny: *Ignoring Kevin’s question* What have you got for me?

Luke: Not what, who.

Sonny: Okay, who do you have?

Luke: Ms. Lucy, “Legs,” Coe.

Sonny: Where?

Luke: Right here in our club, sitting at our bar.

Sonny: I’ll be right there!

Sonny hangs up.

Kevin: What?

Sonny: Lucy is with Luke at the club.

Kevin: Is she all right?

Sonny: I don’t know, we’ll have to go and find out.

Kevin: What are we waiting for?

Sonny: Do you want to ride with me?

Kevin looks around, a little intimidated by Sonny’s body guards.

Kevin: I think I’ll take my own car.

Sonny: *Shrugging* Suit yourself.

Kevin: That way, if Lucy wants to go home I can take her.

Sonny: Do you need directions to the club?

Kevin: It used to be the Paradise Lounge?

Sonny: That’s the place.

Kevin: I know the place.

Sonny: Lets move.

Sonny and his guys follow Kevin down to the garage and out into the street. It was past midnight and the streets for the most part were deserted. A front of cold weather was approaching and the cool moist air was mixing with warm air from a pleasant day and creating a light fog. Sonny was exhausted and he found it difficult to keep his mind on the road. His mind kept slipping to thoughts of Brenda. He couldn’t stop thinking the worst, if anything happened to her he knew that he would never be able to forgive himself. He looses concentration for a split second too long and the car skids side ways on the road, completely out of control and everything goes black.

Chapter 71

Sonny opens his eyes to find Kevin standing over him. He is immediately aware of several things, he is lying outside on something cold and hard and there is something wet trickling down his face. He reaches up to his forehead and when he brings his hand down it is covered in blood. Kevin helps him to sit up.

Sonny: What happened?

Kevin: You were right behind me, then you weren’t anymore. I guess you hit a wet spot in the road or something and your car spun out of control. It ended up in that ditch over there.

Kevin indicates a ditch on the side of the road where the Jaguar is staled.

Sonny: My mind must have slipped for a moment.

Kevin: You don’t look so good, maybe we should go to the hospital and get you checked out.

Sonny: No, absolutely not! Not until I find Brenda.

Kevin: What good are you going to do Brenda if you kill yourself in a car wreak or drop from exhaustion?

Sonny: I’m fine! Is my car all right?

Kevin: It’s drivable, but I wouldn’t suggest that you drive it.

Sonny: *Snapping* When I want your diagnose doctor, I’ll ask for it!

Kevin: I think that you need a little more work than I’m prepared to give you roadside.

Sonny: Save it!

Sonny tries to stand up and almost falls over, but he regains he balance and walks to the car. Joseph notices that he is having a hard time keeping his balance.

Joseph: Boss, I can drive if you want.

Sonny: *Not looking at Kevin.* Uh, maybe that isn’t such a bad idea.

Kevin watches as Sonny gets into the passenger side, while Joseph gets behind the wheel. Kevin walks to his car and follows them to the club.

Chapter 72

Lucy puts her bare feet up on a stool and leans over the bar to sip her drink.

Lucy: This is really good.

Luke: It is my special of the house, reserved for my very closet friends. So what do you think of the place?

Luke makes a sweeping gesture around the room with one hand.

Lucy: I think it is nice.

Luke: Just, “Nice?”

Lucy: Well, it’s kind of funky, but in a cool relaxed sort of way.

Luke: That was what Sonny and I were going for.

Lucy: Did it really used to be a strip joint?

Luke: Yeah, Sonny used to run it. It was called the Paradise Lounge and it was pretty bad when the police finally shut it down.

Lucy: Well, considering its history, this place has pretty good vibes.

Luke: Vibes?

Lucy: You know, vibes. Karma and stuff. I am sure that this place is going to be a great success.

Luke: Thanks Luce, that means a lot coming from you.

Lucy: When do you open?

Luke: Grand opening is tomorrow night.

Lucy: Brenda’s party, I almost forgot about it.

Luke: You’re coming then?

Lucy: Doc and I wouldn’t miss it.

As if on cue, Kevin and Sonny rush in. Lucy jumps off of the bar stool and embraces Kevin. Sonny looks around the room, hoping to see Brenda, knowing in his heart that he won’t.

Kevin: Lucy! Are you okay?

Lucy: Yes, at least I think so. Doc, it was just awful.

Kevin: What happened Lucy?

Lucy: I got a call at the office telling me that the proofs for the spring Deception shoot were ruined, only it was a lie because when I went to the garage they grabbed me.

Kevin: Who grabbed you?

Lucy: That’s just it, I have no idea they got me from behind. They put this rag with something on it that smelled horrible and they knocked me out. I woke up in some yucky old warehouse.

Sonny: Was Brenda there?

Lucy: No, why would Brenda be there?

Luke: We think that the same guys that grabbed you got Brenda as well.

Lucy: She wasn’t there. At least I don’t think that she was.

Sonny gets a far off look of defeat in his eyes.

Luke: Tell us what you can remember.

Lucy: I woke up and I saw two guys, only they didn’t know I was awake. So I pretended that I wasn’t. After awhile they left. I wasn’t tied up or anything so I got up and tried the door. It was locked. There were a bunch of boxes stacked around. In one of them I found some really tacky ceramic vases. I grabbed one and waited for the men to come back. When one of them opened the door I hit him over the head and ran!

Luke: That’s my girl!

Kevin: I’m just glad that you’re safe.

Sonny: That’s nice, but Brenda is still kidnapped!

Lucy: I really didn’t see her.

Sonny: Then I guess you aren’t much help!

Kevin: I won’t have you talking to Lucy like that!

Luke: Come on guys, cool it!

Both men turn there backs to Luke and sulk. Lucy looks at Sonny sympathetically.

Lucy: I really wish I could help you.

Luke: Wait a minute, maybe you can.

Lucy: How?

Luke: What can you tell us about the place where they held you?

Lucy: It was a warehouse by the docks. That is why I ran to here.

Luke: Do you think you could find it again?

Lucy: I bet I could! I’m always finding Kevin’s lost keys and after all, I found Damian Smith that one time.

Sonny: Why would anyone want to find Damian Smith if he were lost.

Luke: Long story, but the point is that Lucy has this gift for finding things.

Lucy: I can help you find Brenda, I just know I can.

Kevin: I absolutely will not allow it!

Sonny gives Kevin a killer look.

Lucy: Doc, why not?

Kevin: You have already been through too much tonight. I won’t let you go back to the lions den.

Lucy: Brenda is my friend, I have to try and help her.

Kevin: You aren’t even wearing shoes!

Everyone looks down at Lucy’s bare feet.

Lucy: I took them off so that I could run faster.

Kevin: How can you expect to go anywhere with out shoes?

Lucy thinks about it for a moment.

Lucy: Sonny, does Brenda have any shoes in your apartment?

Sonny: I think that she has a pair or two up there.

Lucy: Her and I wear the same size, I’m sure she won’t mind me borrowing a pair to go rescue her.

Sonny: You can follow me up there. I need to go get some aspirin. I have the worst headache.

Luke: It looks to me as if you need more than aspirin.

Lucy: What happened to your head?

Sonny: Is it bleeding again?

Lucy: Just a little.

Kevin: He was in a car accident.

Lucy: Do you need to see a doctor or something?

Sonny: *Softly* I need to get Brenda back. Now, are you ready to go get those shoes? I really could use that aspirin.

Luke: Are you sure that you wouldn’t rather have a shot of scotch?

Sonny: Maybe later, I want my head to be as clear as possible right now.

He leads Lucy up to the apartment, while Kevin looks on doubtfully.

Chapter 73

Sonny and Luke duck behind some crates in the alley behind the warehouse where Brenda is being held. Lucy had shown them the way to the warehouse and then she had reluctantly agreed to go back to the club with Kevin and wait. Sonny had called in some of his men for back up, but he had let Luke set up the ambush. His head was feeling worse now, it hurt so badly that he could hardly think. He downed several more aspirin and sat back to wait.

Luke: Good thing for us that Lucy left her shoes near the warehouse, otherwise we wouldn’t have known which one she had been held in.

Sonny: Yeah I guess.

Luke: All we have to do is wait.

Waiting came easy for Luke, he didn’t have very much at stake however, for Sonny it was different. All he could do is stare at the door and think about how the woman that he loved was on the other side. Brenda was scared and alone and for all Sonny knew she might even be hurt. Although, God was going to have to help anyone that so much as laid a finger on her. Luke and Sonny heard movement behind them and they both spun around with guns drawn to see Robin and Stone. Sonny was not sure if he was more relieved or horrified. A battle was about to take place and caught in the middle was no place for Stone and Robin.

Robin: Where is Brenda?

Sonny: What do you think you’re doing here?

Robin: Lucy told us that Brenda was here and in trouble. We saw her at the club.

Sonny: That figures, Stone take Robin home.

Robin: No, Brenda is my sister and if she is in trouble I want to be here for her!

Sonny: She is not having a bad hair day and we aren’t just talking about a broken nail. This is serious!

Robin: I know that it is serious, that is why I need to be here.

Sonny: I’m scared Robin, I’m scared for her. I’m afraid that I might loose her.

Robin: I know, I’m scared too, but we won’t loose her. We can’t loose Brenda.

Sonny: I can’t be worried about you too. I need to know that you and Stone are safe.

Luke: Sorry partner, but the time for arguing is past. My men just gave the single to move in. We have to move it or loose it, Corinthos!

Stone: What does he mean?

Sonny: Both of you stay here and keep down.

Sonny, Luke and a handful of men moved on the warehouse. They approached it quickly and precisely from all sides, those inside never had the chance to realize what hit them. Stone kept Robin down in the alley. In was all over in less then 5 minutes. However, those five minutes were some of the most frightening moments of Brenda’s life. Bullets flew around and near her and the noise level inside the warehouse was almost maddening. A slightly acid smell in the air stung at her senses. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and tried to pretend that the chaos around were was only a nightmare. She kept her yes shut until she heard the room grow quiet and until she felt hands untie her hands and feet and remove the gag from her mouth. She opened her eyes to see Joseph standing over her.

Joseph: Are you all right Ms. Barrett?

Her mouth was so dry that she couldn’t speak, she only nodded her head.

Sonny was out in the alley about to go inside when he was jumped from behind. One of Rivera’s men had escaped the attack and now he was out for blood thirsty revenge. He managed to catch Sonny off guard and proceeded to hit Sonny in the face. Sonny couldn’t recover and he couldn’t move. As the man continued to attack him, Sonny found that he was defenseless. His vision started to blur and his mind flashed back to beatings he had sustained at the hands of his stepfather when he was a boy. Sonny felt the same feelings of helplessness that he had felt as a child. The next thing he knew Stone was running out from behind the crate and throwing himself on Sonny’s attacker and pulling the man off of his friend. Sonny sank to the ground in a sitting position.

Sonny: I told you to stay put!

Stone: You’re welcome!

Sonny: *Patting Stone on the shoulder* Thanks man.

Stone: Are you all right?

Sonny: Yeah, I just need to catch my breath. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t fight back!

Stone: It’s over, Sonny.

Sonny: Are you okay?

Stone: Yeah, just rest for a few minutes.

Sonny: What about Brenda?

Stone: Joseph has her, she is fine.

Sonny leans against the hall of the alley, exhausted with his head throbbing. Inside the warehouse, Joseph has found some water for Brenda. She sips a little, but chokes on most of it. For the first time she looks around and sees the floor littered with bodies. and she panics.

Brenda: SONNY!

He hears her scream his name and holds out his hand for Stone to help him up. He rushes in and finds her in hysterical tears.

Brenda: I thought that you were dead, I thought that you left me!

He embraces her tightly.

Sonny: Never!

Brenda: *Looking at his bloody and bruised face* What happened to you, what happened here?

Sonny: Your safe, that’s what happened here.

She touches his face.

Brenda: Are you okay?

Sonny: I should be asking you that, but I would rather do this.

He takes her face in his hands and kisses her. It is a slow long kiss. It is a kiss not unlike a tropical storm, hot, wet, and full of breath stealing force. They pull apart after what seems like a small eternity. Still holding her face in his hands, Sonny gets a serious look in his eyes.

Sonny: Did they hurt you?

Brenda: No, they just…..

Before she can finish she collapses into his arms. A look of pure panic crosses his face.

Chapter 74

Sonny paced the floor of the hospital emergency room waiting area like a trapped animal.

It had been a couple of hours since they had brought Brenda in and no one would tell him a thing. Alan had kicked him out of the examining room. Sonny wasn’t sure if it was because he asked to many questions, because he really was getting in the way, or because Alan just didn’t like Sonny. All he knew was for the second time in less than 24 hours, he was separated from Brenda and he didn’t know what was going on. He hated not having control of the situation, he hated the fact that the life of the woman that he loved was in someone else’s hands, but most of all, he hated the fact that his head wouldn’t stop throbbing.

Luke: Why don’t you have a seat, Corinthos? Your wearing out the tile.

Sonny gives him a disappointed look and continues to pace. Alan comes out of the examining room, but doesn’t even glance at Sonny or Luke.

Alan: *To a nurse* I need you to double the pain medication to Mrs. Johnson.

Nurse: Yes doctor.

Sonny: Dr. Quartermaine, how is Brenda?

Alan: *Ignoring him* If anybody needs me they will have to page me. I’m going home.

Sonny stands in the direct path of the obtuse doctor.

Sonny: May I see Brenda?

Alan: *Looking directly at Sonny* No you may not see Brenda, she is resting.

Sonny: I get the feeling that you don’t like me very much.

Alan: You’re correct, I don’t like you at all.

Sonny: That’s funny, considering that you don’t know me very well.

Alan: I don’t have to know you, Sonny. I know your type and it isn’t the type of man that Brenda needs hanging around her bedside.

Sonny: I think that Brenda is smart enough and capable enough to decide who she wants to spend time with.

Alan: I don’t really blame Brenda, she can’t help it if her hormones are stronger than her brain cells.

Sonny looks like he is about to hit Alan over that last remark. Luke realizes that it might make Sonny feel a little better to hit the obnoxious doctor, but it wouldn’t get him any closer to seeing Brenda. In fact, it might even get Sonny kicked out of the hospital for good. Tony is standing nearby watching the proceedings with interests.

Luke: Hey, Tony! Doc-Bro-inlaw, can’t you do anything about this?

Tony: I’ll see what I can do.

Tony walks over to Sonny and Alan.

Tony: Alan, Nurse Chase needs to see you right away. It’s about Mrs. Johnson’s medication. She can’t remember if you said to half it or double the dosage.

Alan: Can’t that girl get anything right? I Just Told Her What To Do.

He leaves in an exasperated huff, but not without first glaring at Sonny.

Sonny: Thanks, things were about to get messy for Doctor Q.

Tony: You’re welcome, now how about letting me clean up those scratches on your face.

Sonny: I want to see Brenda.

Tony: You will, but if you show up looking like that you might scare her to death or something.

Sonny: Okay, but make it quick.

Tony: I’m known as the fastest stitch in the east. Step into my sewing room.

Tony leads Sonny to an examining room and starts to clean the cuts and bruises on his face. Sonny squints his eyes as the ointment that Tony is applying stings at his face.

Sonny: How bad do I look?

Tony: You have some pretty nasty cuts and bruises on your face.

Sonny: I was in a car accident.

Tony: Looks to me as if the other car had a pretty mean right hook. Was Brenda in the car accident as well?

Sonny: No, she was someplace else at the time.

His voice trails off and he gets a distant look in his eyes.

Tony: You sure are a stickler for details.

Sonny: Are you going to patch up my face, or interrogate me?

Tony: If you were in a car accident, I suggest that you get some X-rays done to make sure that you didn’t hurt your back or neck.

Sonny: That won’t be necessary.

Tony: How do your back and neck feel?

Sonny: Fine, I have a really bad head ache is all.

Tony checks Sonny’s eyes.

Tony: You seem to have a mild concussion, but it shouldn’t cause you any problems. Just in case though, I’ll right you a prescription for pain.

Sonny: You mean drugs?

Tony: Just Tylenol with Codine.

Sonny: I don’t take any drugs, period!

Tony: If the pain gets bad enough, you might change your mind.

He scribbles something on a piece of paper and hands it to Sonny.

Tony: Just in case you need it. I’m going to go check on Brenda for you.

Tony leaves the room to check on Brenda. Sonny is left with his pounding head and a piece of paper on which is written a prescription that he looks at as if he thinks it can cause him more harm than good. A few minutes latter Tony comes back into the examining room.

Tony: Your still here?

Sonny: How’s Brenda?

Tony: She is doing well. She is dehydrated and her potassium levels are low. They have her on an IV and she has been moved to a room. Doctor Anderson would like to monitor her tonight and run a few tests tomorrow.

Tony looks at his watch.

Tony: Make that later this morning. Anyway, he wants to keep her for awhile.

Sonny: Would it be all right if I saw her for a few minutes, just so that she knows I’m here?

Tony: You can see her for as long as you wish. Doctor Anderson shouldn’t have any objections.

Sonny: I thought that Doctor Quartermaine was her doctor.

Tony: Alan might like to take control of every patient in this hospital, but the truth of the matter is he doesn’t have the time or the authority. You shouldn’t have any trouble seeing Brenda.

Sonny: Is this Doctor Anderson good?

Tony: He is the best at what he does. I’m just surprised that he would be assigned to Brenda. He is more a long term care doctor.

Sonny: As long as he is good, because I want Brenda to have the best care possible.

Tony: She will. She is in room 414.

Sonny: Thank you.

Chapter 75

Sonny found room 414 without much trouble. He paused outside her door, uncertain if he should go in or not. What if she hated him for putting her here? He wasn’t sure he could stand that. If she hated him and told him to stay away from her, he would do it, but it would break his heart to have to do it. He took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. All lights were out in the room, but enough moonlight was coming though the window to illuminate her face. She was sleeping soundly. He moved to stand beside, with the intention of watching her for a few minutes and then slipping out quietly. He stood there watching her. She was so peaceful and looked so beautiful. He didn’t deserve her, of that much he was sure. However, he couldn’t imagine his life with out her and couldn’t remember ever being happy without her. Maybe it was something about the sound of his breath or maybe he made more noise than he intended to make. More likely it was that she knew he was there, instinctively. Because when he turned to leave she called out to him.

Brenda: Sonny?

Sonny: Yes sweetheart?

Brenda: I knew it was you, even before I saw you I felt you. You weren’t leaving where you?

Sonny: I didn’t want to bother you. Do you want me to stay?

Brenda: I can’t think of anything that I want more in this moment.

Sonny: Nothing?

Brenda: Maybe for you to hold my hand, if you can stand to touch me.

Sonny: What do you mean?

Brenda: You must be really mad at me right now.

Sonny: Why would I be mad at you, baby?

Brenda: For being stupid enough to get myself kidnapped, so you would have to come and rescue me and have some half crazed goon attack you.

Sonny is so shocked that those thoughts would even cross her mind that he is too stunned to respond. He tries desperately to find the right words to reassure her, but apparently he takes too long to find those words.

Brenda: * Tears forming in her eyes* Can you ever forgive me? Will you ever be able to look at me the same way again?

Sonny: Brenda, I’m the one who should be begging you for forgiveness. I should have protected you better than I did. If you give me a second chance, I promise it will never happen again.

Brenda: I know it won’t. If you say you’ll protect me, I believe that you will protect me.

Sonny: As for looking at you the same way ever again, that just isn’t possible.

Brenda: I knew it, I ruined things for us didn’t I?

Sonny: You did no such thing. Brenda, I can’t ever look at you the same way twice. Every time I look into those beautiful brown eyes of yours I see something different. Every time I see you smile or hear you laugh I discover something new about you. Every time I kiss you or touch your skin I discover a whole new feeling and sensation. Everyday you affect me and astound me in some new and exciting way.

He reaches down and gently kisses her hand.

Brenda: What are you trying to say, Sonny?

Sonny: What am I trying to say? I guess I’m trying to say that I love you Brenda! I love you each day more and more, but you know that already.

Brenda: Yeah, I do know it. I just like to hear you say it every once in a while. Not that I mind hearing all of that other stuff as well, but you know you can just come right out and say it Sonny. Most people find it easier.

Sonny: I’m not most people, Brenda. I want you to know that I love you, but I also want you to know that I appreciate you, respect you and I will never take you or our love for granted.

Brenda: Sonny, I know that it has been a hard day and night for you, but can you just do one thing for me?

Sonny: I would do anything for you, just ask.

Brenda: Shut up and kiss me!

He gets a smile on his face and gently leans over her bed and gives her a soft kiss on the lips. He is surprises when she pulls him closer and increases the intensity of the kiss. He thought that she would be tired, but she proves him wrong. A few minutes later he pulls away, completely out of breath.

Sonny: Okay, that was nice.

Brenda: *Exasperated* Just, “Nice.”

Sonny: Okay, it was more than nice. It was the most intense kiss I have ever had, when I knew I was going to have to stay standing up.

Brenda: Oh really, we’ll have to work on that once I get out of here.

Sonny: I’ll hold you to that. For now, I think that you should get some sleep.

Brenda: Every time I close my eyes I’m afraid that when I open them I’ll be back in that warehouse.

Sonny: That isn’t going to happen, baby.

Brenda: Could you stay here, at least until I fall asleep?

Sonny: I’ll stay here forever.

He sits on the chair beside her bed and picks up her hand and kisses it again. She interlocks her fingers with his and closes her eyes and is finally able to relax and fall asleep. He sits there watching her until he too can no longer keep his eyes open. He drifts off to sleep, still holding her hand protectively in his own.

Chapter 76

When Sonny woke up the next morning he found that his head did feel a lot better. In fact it hardly hurt at all. He looked over at Brenda and found that she was still sleeping peacefully. He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead and then stood up to stretch. He walked to the window and stood looking out across the city. Somewhere out there Hernando Rivera was waiting to make a counter move on the attack that Sonny had instigated the night before. To Rivera, this was nothing more than a game. Rivera made a move and Sonny had made a move and it would continue in that general order until one or the other of the two men lost. Sonny had played the game, or a variation of it, several times before. Sonny knew that sometimes you win and some times you loose. The night before had been the first time in his life that Sonny had ever really been scared of loosing, because he had never had much worth loosing. His life hadn’t really mattered that much, lost property and territory could always be regained and money came and went. However, when he thought about Brenda, he realized that he now had something important in his life that he couldn’t afford to loose. Brenda and the love that he felt for her was one of the first things in his life that was worth anything. He also knew that Rivera was also aware of how much Brenda meant to Sonny, otherwise Rivera wouldn’t have taken her.

Sonny: *Half to himself* Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ll protect you with everything that I’ve got

Brenda* Waking up slightly* Sonny?

Sonny: Right here, sweetheart.

Brenda: Is it morning yet?

Sonny: It sure is.

Brenda: Where am I?

Sonny: General Hospital. How do you feel?

Brenda: I’m tired and my throat hurts.

Sonny: I’m sorry, heck of a way to start the day. Especially on your 21rst birthday.

Brenda: I hope the day gets better.

Sonny: I promise that it will. They told me last night that you would be able to leave this morning. So, as soon as I spring you from this place I’m going to spend the all of my energy helping you forget that the last 24 hours ever happened.

Brenda: I can’t wait, but for now could you open the blinds on that window for me? I want to see sunlight.

He opens that blinds and the sunlight streams into the room. The sunlight illuminates her face and causes both her and Sonny to smile. Brenda looks around the room and is a little puzzled.

Brenda: Sonny, am I going crazy or are there blue and pink bears painted on the wall?

Sonny: *Looking around* If you’re going crazy, than so am I. I guess I was too tired and worried about you last night to notice.

Brenda: What floor am I on?

Sonny: The 4th, why?

Brenda: Why would they put me in pediatrics?

Sonny: I don’t know, maybe that was the only place that they had room. Do you want me to call the nurse and have them move you?

Brenda: No, you said that I wouldn’t have to spend much more time here. Besides, I think that it is kind of cute. It reminds me of the last birthday that I spent in the hospital.

Sonny: When was that?

Brenda: When I turned 15, I found out almost to late that I’m allergic to shellfish. The doctors told me that I nearly died. I remember asking them why they had bothered to save me? I did get a birthday card from Julia and some expensive senseless present from my father. I don’t even remember what it was. It was better than some years when they forgot my birthday all together.

Sonny: Didn’t they come see you?

Brenda: No, I was away at school.

Sonny: *With anger in his voice* I can’t believe that they let you spend your birthday alone in a hospital!

Brenda: I spent most of my birthdays alone. It’s in the past Sonny, you can’t change it by getting mad.

Sonny: Maybe not, but I can make sure that it never happens again. As long as I draw breath, Brenda you will never be alone again.

He leans over her and kisses her lightly on the lips.

Brenda: I know I’ll never be alone again. I also know this is going to be the best birthday ever!

Sonny: You bet it is. Do you think that you can do with out me for a little while?

Brenda: No, why do you ask.

Sonny: I just remembered that there is something that I need to do.

Brenda: What?

Sonny: It’s a surprise.

Brenda: A good surprise?

Sonny: That is the only thing kind that I believe in! It’ll only take me about an hour. Then I’ll come back and pick you up and take you to the tower.

Brenda: The tower is my surprise?

Sonny: Not really, you’ll just have to wait.

Brenda: All right, I think that I can live without you for an hour.

He kisses her on the forehead and then leaves the room.

Chapter 77

Brenda was extremely quiet in the car on the way up to the tower, which concerned Sonny because he was worried that the kidnapping had hurt her more than she was willing to talk about. He was almost afraid to ask her about it. He was afraid that if they talked about it she might realize that being with him was more dangerous than she could take.

Sonny: Your quiet.

Brenda: Am I?

Sonny: You want to talk about last night?

Brenda: What’s to talk about?

Sonny: Come on Brenda, you were taking from the Deception office and held in a warehouse. You must have some feelings about what happened.

Brenda: I don’t really remember that much.

Sonny: Don’t you have any questions about what happened or why it happened?

She had a lot of questions, but she was afraid to ask most of them. She couldn’t stop thinking about what the men holding her had said. How they had told her that Sonny killed people for a living. She could see the fear in their eyes when they talked about Sonny, and they had told her that she should be afraid of him as well. Could it be true, could the man that she was in love with really be a cold blooded killer? He was so kind and gentle with her. He always showed her love and concern, but was it all an act? She couldn’t get the image of all of those guys dead on the floor of the warehouse. She was afraid to ask, or more like it she was afraid to hear the answers. What if he lied? She would know if he did and it would break her heart.

Sonny: Brenda, did you hear me?

Brenda: Yes, I just figured that the guys that kidnapped me were deranged fans or something.

Sonny: Is that what they said?

Brenda: No, they didn’t really say anything about who they were or what they wanted.

He could tell that she was holding back, but he let out a sigh of relief anyway. This did not go unnoticed by Brenda.

Brenda: Sonny, can we forget about this for now? This is my birthday and I don’t want to dwell on unpleasant things.

Sonny: I’m sorry sweetheart, I didn’t mean to ruin your birthday or make you unhappy.

Brenda: You didn’t. You never could.

They lapse into silence again and Brenda’s mind drifts back to when Doctor Anderson to see her.

Anderson was a middle aged man with a pleasant face and a wide smile.

Anderson: Good morning Brenda, how are feeling?

Brenda: Pretty good, my throat hurts though.

Anderson: That is from the dehydration. Your potassium levels are good though.

Brenda: When can I go home?

Anderson: There is one more test that we need to do, but you don’t really need to be here for that.

Brenda: What kind of test?

Anderson: I’ll tell you all about it in a minute, but first I need to ask you a few question, if that is all right.

Brenda: Sure, I guess.

Anderson: How old are you Brenda?

Brenda: Today is my birthday, I’m turning 21.

Anderson: Good, Happy birthday.

Brenda: Thank you.

Anderson: Some of these questions may get a little personal. If at any time you feel that you would prefer to discuss this with a woman, let me know and I will go get the nurse.

He was starting to worry her, but she let him ask his questions. He started to ask her personal questions about how sexually active she was and the kinds of birth control she used. She answered each of his questions, but with each one she became increasingly worried.

Brenda: Doctor, I’m very careful and I get tested frequently for STD’s.

Anderson: That isn’t what this is about at all. Brenda, do you know what kind of doctor I am?

Brenda: I have no idea.

Anderson: I’m an ob/gyn. Early tests strongly suggest that you are pregnant, Brenda.

Brenda: I can’t be!

Anderson: I will run a more conclusive test and call you later today with the results.

Brenda: How long will it take?

Anderson: I should have the results by this afternoon. There is no reason why you should stay here, so I’ll sign your release papers and call you later.

Brenda: Are you sure about this?

Anderson: I won’t be sure until later today. Are you going to be okay?

Brenda: I don’t know.

Her thoughts are interrupted by the sound of Sonny’s voice.

Sonny: Brenda? I asked you if you were okay?

Brenda: Yeah, I’m fine.

Sonny: Where were you?

Brenda: My mind just kind of drifted.

Sonny stops the car at the base of the look out tower. She hated keeping secrets from Sonny, but she couldn’t say anything about possibly being pregnant until she knew more. She was sure how she felt about it, how could she expect Sonny to accept it without knowing all the facts.

Sonny: Baby, If your tired I can take you home or back to my apartment.

Brenda: Didn’t you say that you had a surprise for me?

Sonny: That I do, but I don’t want to wear you out. We have a big night to night with the club opening and your party. I can give you your surprise later.

Brenda: Not a chance. I’m not leaving here without my surprise.

Sonny: Well that could be kind of hard.

Brenda: Why?

Sonny: Just come here, everything will be clear soon enough.

He goes around and opens her door and helps her out of the car.

Brenda: Where are your guys?

Sonny: Their around, now come on.

He takes off towards the stairs at the base of the tower.

Brenda: I have to go up there to get my surprise?

Sonny: *Smiling* If the climb up the stairs is too much, I could always carry you up.

Brenda: I think I can make it, I might have you carry me down tough.

Sonny:* He gives her a hot look* What ever your heart desires, babe.

He heads up the stairs, she follows him with a big smile on her face.

He gets to the top and pulls out the key and opens the door.

Brenda: You know after I got mad at Jax when we were on our date from hell, I came here. I knew there was a phone here and I’d be safe. I’ve always felt safe here. Even that night when you were shot and I thought you might die, I knew you wouldn’t because we were here. I feel like we are protected when we are here, like the world can’t touch us.

Sonny: I know that you feel safe here.

He leads her into the tower and opens the curtains. She looks around and can’t see anything that could possibly be her surprise. Nothing looks any different from any other time that she has been there.

Brenda: Where is my surprise?

Sonny: This is your surprise, I bought you the tower.

Her eyes widen in delight as he hands her the key to the door.

Sonny: Happy Birthday, Brenda.

Brenda: You bought me the tower?

Sonny: The tower and all the land that comes with it.

Brenda: *Practically jumping up and down with excitement* How much land?

Sonny: Well, you know that meadow that we had that picnic in before I left for Puerto Rico?

Brenda: The one with the river and meadow and farmhouse?

Sonny: Don’t forget the willow tree! It’s all yours.

Brenda: How long have you had it?

Sonny: I bought it about a week before I took you there.

Brenda: You bought it all for me?

Sonny: All for you.

Brenda: Why?

Sonny: Let’s sit down.

He leads her to some cushions on the floor and they sit down facing each other. He takes both her hands in his and looks her straight in the eyes with a look that sets her heart on fire.

Sonny: I bought it for you because I want you to have something worth while and something that is yours. I know that I can’t erase your past, but I can make sure that you have a future. I don’t want you to have to rely on anyone Brenda. I want you to have an independent future and maybe you can find a little room in your future for me.

Brenda: You know, I really wanted you to ask me to marry you tonight. Lois thinks that I’m crazy and it will never happen. She thinks that you are the type to ask any girl to settle down with you.

Sonny: I guess she knows me pretty well.

Brenda: *Shaking her head with a disappointed look in her eyes* Yeah, I guess so.

Sonny: Or at least how I used to be, before I meet you.

Brenda: *Puzzled* What do you mean?

Sonny: Before I met, I never thought that I could feel so much love for another person or need them so much. I do need you Brenda and I can’t imagine anyone else taking your place in my life. I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else or another woman having my children. I love you, Brenda.

Brenda: I love you too, Sonny. I just don’t completely know what you are trying to say.

Sonny: I guess I am kind of going on and not saying all that much.

Brenda: That’s not true, your saying so much.

Sonny: But I’m not really saying what I mean, so maybe I should just show you.

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small velvet box, which he hands to Brenda. She opens it and finds a small ring with a type of stone that she has never seen before.

Brenda: It’s beautiful.

Sonny: It’s a bloodstone. When I found out that it was one of your birthstones I just knew that I was meant to get it for you. After all, I do have your blood running through my veins.

Brenda: You already gave me the bracelet.

Sonny: I know that, but I wanted you to have this as a reminder of how precious you are to me Brenda. At least that is why I bought it at first. Then when you disappeared I realized how much you mean to me and I made myself a promise, that if I got you back I would never let you go.

Tears start to form in her eyes.

Sonny: Brenda, I want you to be my wife. I want you to be the mother of my children. I know that you have a lot that you want to do before you settle down and start a family, so do I. You have you modeling career and school and L&B. I have the new club and stuff. I’m not asking you to run off now and marry me. I’ll wait as long as you need. So what do you say, will you wear this ring as a sign of our commitment?

Brenda: Yes!

Sonny: What?

Brenda: Your asking me to marry you and I’m saying yes!

A look of complete shock crosses his face and then it turns to pure pleasure. He grabs her and hugs her so tightly that he almost knocks the breath out of her. he pulls back and looks at her face. Tears of joy are now streaming down her face as he slips the ring on her finger. He still can hardly believe that it is happening.

Sonny: Yes? It’s that easy, you don’t need to think about it our anything?

Brenda: Your all I’ve thought about for most of my life. The love of my life. I don’t need to think about that.

She pulls him to her and their lips meet in a lingering kiss of passion. His lips move down her neck and he starts to undo the first few buttons of her shirt. She runs her hands through his hair and down his back. The intensity of their kiss increases. Just then, Sonny’s cellular phone rings.

Brenda: Ignore it!

She continues to kiss him, but he pulls away.

Sonny: Wait a minute, it might be the hospital. Didn’t the nurse say that they had one more test to run.

Brenda bits her lip, hoping that it isn’t. Just what she needs on her birthday, to find out that next year she’ll be celebrating Mother’s Day. Sonny would probably yank the ring right off of her finger and disappear forever. She heard him say that he wanted to get married and have children someday. She doubted that he meant for it all to happen in the next 9 months. The phone continued to ring.

Sonny: They’re not going to go away. I’m going to answer it.

Brenda: If it is the doctor, let me talk to him.

Sonny: Why?

Brenda: It could be personal.

Sonny: You just agreed to be mine forever, what could the doctor have to say that could be personal?

Brenda: Do you want me to get it?

Sonny: No, I’ll do it.

Sonny answers it, but when he hears the voice at the other end he almost drops the phone. It is none other than his boss, Frank Smith.

Frank: Do you know who this is?

Sonny: Yes sir.

Frank: Are you aware that you have a big problem with Hernando Rivera?

Sonny: Yes sir, I’m aware of it!

Frank: I want to know what you are going to do about it?

Brenda gives Sonny a worried look.

Brenda: Who is it?

Chapter 78

Sonny stands up and tries to move out of her ear shot, which was impossible in the small tower, so he lowers his voice.

Sonny: I’m doing what I can.

Frank: it’s not good enough. You have put me on the edge of war with Hernando Rivera.

Sonny: That wasn’t my intention.

Frank: I want to meet with you.

Sonny: When?

Frank: Now!

Sonny: I can’t, I have something very important to do this evening.

Frank: *Ignoring him* A plane is waiting at the airport to bring you to me.

Before Sonny could object, Frank Smith hangs up the phone. Sonny looks over at Brenda, who is looking up at him with trust and love in her eyes. It makes him ill to think that he is going to have to break her heart. Even if Sonny left right away, the chances were not good for him to be back in time for the party. He had wanted so much for tonight to be perfect for Brenda, and now he wasn’t even going to be there. He would just have to make it up to her. Sonny realized for the first time that Frank Smith scared him and he hated him for that. Sonny had always believed that being Frank Smith’s right hand would make him powerful, but he didn’t have any real power. He was at Frank Smith’s disposal. He was going to have to hurt the woman that he loved, simply because Smith couldn’t wait one more day to receive a report on Rivera, Sonny hated him. Brenda could tell by the expression on his face that something was not right. He had that lost look in his eyes that made him look like a scared little boy. It always made her want to kiss him hard until she made all the pain and fear disappear. She walks over to him takes his hands in hers and looks up at him.

Brenda: What’s wrong?

Sonny: I have to go somewhere.

Brenda: Can’t it wait?

Sonny: I wish it could.

Brenda: You’ll be back in time for the club opening, though?

Sonny: Of course *He lied as he starts for the door.*

Brenda: Now? I thought that we could finish what we started.

Brenda gives him a very hot look, which he returns with equal intensity

Sonny: Don’t tempt me. The sooner I leave the sooner I’ll get back.

Brenda: Okay, lets go!

Brenda follows Sonny out of the tower and pulls the door behind her. She looks down at the key in her hand, her key to her tower. It was all hers, she couldn’t believe how generous he was. She follows him down the stairs to the car.

Chapter 79

About half way down the mountain Brenda’s mind starts to drift again. She wonders if Doctor Anderson has called with the results of the her pregnancy test. She wonders if Lois is right and Sonny will leave her if she is pregnant. How will she tell him is she is having his child.

Sonny: I’m sorry, baby.

Brenda: *Snapping back to reality* What do you have to be sorry about?

Sonny: Leaving you on your birthday. I wanted to spend the whole day together.

Brenda: Me too, but you don’t really have anything to be sorry for. I know that you have to leave town unexpectedly. I’m getting used to it. Now if you miss the party, then you’ll have something to be sorry for.

Sonny: Then I guess I would have to try and find a million ways to make it up to you.

Brenda: *Smiling* That might be kind of fun.

Sonny takes one hand of the wheel and caresses Brenda’s face and then down her neck and shoulder, making her quiver a little from his touch. He is about to lean over and kiss her, when Brenda protests.

Brenda: Hey, keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel!

Sonny: Yes Ms. Barrett!

Brenda: Sonny, did you mean what you said about you wanted us to have children?

Sonny: Of course, I love kids and I was telling the truth when I said that I couldn’t imagine anyone else besides you being the mother of my children.

Brenda: When do you think that we could start having them?

Sonny: We could start anytime I guess, but ideally I would like to see us get married in a couple of years and then have a year or two of newly wed bliss before little Corinthos’ starting showing up.

Brenda: Why wait so long?

Sonny: Like I said before, you have college and modeling and I have things to do before I settle down.

Brenda: Like you said though, it could happen at anytime. We could start having children and then get married.

Sonny: I guess it could happen. Call me old fashion, but I would like you to be my wife before you are the mother of my children.

Brenda: Sometimes you don’t get a choice though.

Sonny: True, but we are careful Brenda. Where is this coming from?

Brenda: I guess I’m just thinking about the future.

Brenda looks down at her finger and the bloodstone ring, Sonny notices this. For a moment he almost regrets asking her to marry him. He wonders if he might be putting her in worse danger than she is in already.

Sonny: Sweetheart can I ask you for a really big favor?

Brenda: As long as it doesn’t involve signing you up for a record deal with L&B or something.

Sonny: Nothing like that. I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but do you think that we could keep our engagement between the two of us for a while.

Brenda: How exactly do you want me to take that suggestion? You want to keep me a secret?

Sonny: Just for a little while.

Brenda: Why, do you regret asking me to marry you and saying all of those things about our future?

Sonny: I don’t regret one word of what I said to you. Every word came straight from my heart and when you agreed to be my wife it made me the happiest I have ever been in my whole life.

Brenda: I’m happy too, why don’t you want to share that happiness with the whole world. Is there something wrong with me?

Sonny: No, not at all. There is something wrong with me though. I’m not very well liked by your friends and loved ones. I just don’t want you to have to take any grief from people like the Quartermaines.

Brenda: They are all going to find out sooner or later.

Sonny: Maybe if we wait a while, I’ll start to grow on them. Then there is your modeling and L&B Records. Both of those things are just staring to take off, I don’t want to ground your career.

Brenda: Are you going to tell Stone?

Sonny: Stone is my little brother, I could never keep something like this from him. I’ll probably walk in the door with a grin plastered on my face and he’ll figure it all out.

Brenda: If your going to tell Stone, I’m going to have to tell Robin. She is like my little sister and besides, we can’t be responsible for Stone having to keep secrets from her.

Sonny: *Smiling* Okay, you can tell Robin.

Brenda: And Lois!

Sonny: Ah, now your going too far! Lois has the biggest mouth on the East Coast. If you tell her, all of Brooklyn will know by the end of the day.

Brenda: Who cares if all of Brooklyn knows. I want her to see that she is wrong about you!

Sonny: All right, but she can’t tell Ned!

Brenda: That will be pretty hard for her.

Sonny: That’s too bad, if she tells Ashton then Jax will get it out of him and that is one person that I don’t want knowing.

Brenda: I would think that you would want him to know that I’m officially off limits.

Sonny: He already knows that your off limits, I think that you’ve made that pretty clear.

Brenda: Okay, I’ll tell Lois not to tell her precious “Eddie.”

Sonny: That is the best that I can ask for.

Sonny leans over and kisses her on the cheek.

Sonny: I love you.

Brenda: I know

Most of the rest of way, they spent in silence. Brenda was worried about what Doctor Anderson would say. Sonny was worried about what Frank Smith would expect him to do to hold off Rivera’s attempts at advancement into Frank’s territory. Sonny’s head was starting to hurt again and he found it hard to concentrate on driving. At last they reached the gates of the Quartermaine mansion. He pulled a little ways into the driveway and stopped the car.

Brenda: Is this as far as your taking me?

Sonny: Not a chance, I deliver front door service. This is as far as I wanted to go before I gave you your good bye kiss.

Brenda: Oh really, why is that?

Sonny: Because it isn’t going to be an ordinary kiss.

Brenda: Well, your not an ordinary man, so why should I expect an ordinary kiss?

Sonny: You shouldn’t expect it and you should never settle for ordinary anything, Brenda.

With each turn of the phrase their faces inch closer together, until they are so close that they can feel each others breath. Sonny leans into her and their lips meet in a intensely hot kiss that seems to go on forever in smoldering heat. They continue to kiss for some time, until they start to get lost in the moment. Sonny is the one to pull away.

Sonny: I think that we need to stop this before we get carried away.

Brenda: Too late for that, but I suppose you’re right.

They both try to regain their composure. Sonny starts the car and continues up the drive towards the house. They pass Robin, who is walking. Sonny pulls up alongside her and she looks up and waves.

Sonny: Hey there beautiful!

Robin: Hi Sonny!

Brenda: Hi Robin

Robin: Happy Birthday, sis!

Sonny: How did you sneak past us?

Robin: I walked by you guys, but you were kind of busy.

Robin looks kind of embarrassed.

Robin: I was coming to see you Brenda, to see if you need any help getting ready for tonight.

Brenda: I can always use help.

Sonny: Get in the car and I’ll drive you both up to the house.

Robin: * Getting in the back seat* Thanks.

Sonny: Is Stone at the apartment?

Robin: I actually think that he is in the club helping Luke to get ready for tonight.

Sonny: That’s good, I’ll stop by and check on them, I have something to tell them.

Brenda: Hey, you just said that you were telling Stone!

Sonny: That was before I knew that you were going to tell Robin AND Lois!

Robin: Tell me what?

Brenda: Actually, show you this!

She holds up her hand with the ring on it. Robin is silent for a few seconds, as Sonny pulls up to the front door of the mansion.

Robin: It’s beautiful, but what does it mean?

She looks back and forth between Sonny and Brenda.

Brenda: Come inside and I’ll tell you all about it.

She practically drags Robin out of the car.

Sonny: Have fun girls!

Brenda: *Smiling* We will.

Robin: *Giving Brenda a puzzled look.* Bye Sonny.

Sonny: Brenda, do you want me to pick you up and take you to the club?

Brenda: I would love for you to pick me up, but unfortunately the Q’s will probably insist that I ride with them. So, we should probably count on meeting at the club.

Sonny: Whatever, I’ll see you tonight then.

Brenda: I love you!

Sonny: Love you too. Good bye Robin.

Sonny pulls out of the driveway, while Brenda and Robin go into the house. As they walk into the hall, Jax is coming out of the study.

Jax: Good morning Brender, hello Rowbin!

Robin: Hi, Jax.

Jax: Happy birthday Brender.

Brenda: *In an icy tone* Thank you.

Brenda covers her hand so that the ring is hidden.

Jax: I got you a very special gift that I’m sure that you’ll love. I will present it to you tonight at your party.

Brenda: I didn’t realize that you were on the guest list.

Jax: I’m going with Ned.

Brenda: I should have guessed.

Ned: Did I hear my name being mentioned?

Jax: I was just saying that I will be going to the party tonight, along with you and the rest of the household.

Ned: We assumed that the invitation included anyone staying in the house.

Brenda: The more the merrier, I guess.

Ned walks over to Brenda and gives her a hug.

Ned: Happy birthday, Brenda.

Brenda: Thank you.

Ned: Hello, Robin.

Brenda: Robin and I were just going up to my room.

Ned: We’ll see you later.

Brenda: Right.

Her and Robin go up stairs.

Chapter 80

Every time that Sonny walks into the club he can’t help but marvel at how far it has come from when it was the Paradise Lounge. The bar is now fully stocked and the tables have candles on them and everything is in place for the grand opening and Brenda’s party. Luke and Stone stop what they are doing when they notice Sonny.

Stone: Hey man how are you doing?

Sonny: Better.

Stone: You don’t look so good. Does your head still hurt?

Sonny: It’s starting to hurt, I can handle it though. The place looks nice.

Luke: Thanks, how’s Brenda?

Sonny: She’s good. She’s getting ready for tonight I asked her to marry me.

Stone: What did you just say?

Sonny: I asked her to be my wife.

Luke: Woah! Isn’t that kind of fast? I mean, you’ve only known her for two months or less.

Sonny: I feel like I’ve known her forever, and she did save my life by giving me her blood, that has a tendency to bond you to a person. Besides, we aren’t in any hurry.

Luke: This is going to be a long engagement, then?

Sonny: Very long. Brenda has L&B that is just taking off, her college classes are also a major priority and her modeling career is on the rise.

Luke: Not to mention what matrimony would do to your professional aspirations?

Sonny: Yeah, that too. Spencer, do you think that you can handle things tonight?

Luke: Your not thinking about bailing on me tonight, are you?

Sonny: I may not have much choice.

Luke: Can’t it wait?

Sonny: I wish it could.

Luke: What about Brenda’s big party?

Sonny: I’d rather not think about what I’m going to be doing to Brenda!

Luke: It’s obvious that you are thinking about it though. Is it Rivera?

Sonny looks around at the various workers around the club setting up for the party.

Sonny: Lets go to the office.

Luke: Lead the way.

Luke follows Sonny to the office. Once inside with the door closed, Sonny relaxes a little.

Luke: Does this have anything to do with the stuff that went down last night at the warehouse.

Sonny: Have the cops been noising around about that at all.

Luke: No, we got it completely cleaned up after you left for the hospital. Unless someone talks, the police will never know that anything happened.

Sonny: Rivera will know. He will retaliate, there is no doubt about it.

Luke: Is it Rivera that your going to meet. If it is man, I beg you don’t go or if you have to take me as back up.

Sonny: That would look great to Commissioner Donley and Garcia. If both of us miss the opening they will know that something is up.

Luke: Rivera will kill you, given half a chance.

Sonny: Nah, Rivera doesn’t want me dead. If he did, I wouldn’t be breathing right now. Besides, I’m not meeting Rivera.

Luke: *Realizing* Frank Smith? YOU’RE MEETING WITH SMITH!

Sonny: He’s the man I work for.

Luke: I want details.

Sonny: As much as I want to give them to you, I can’t.

Luke: Loyalty to Frank Smith won’t get you much in the real world.

Sonny: I’m trying to stay alive, I can’t take on both Frank Smith and Rivera. I am not in the position to do that at this time. I have to protect Frank and his territory from everyone for the time being.

Luke: You can’t tell me that you really care what happens to Frank Smith?

Sonny: I hate him and I would like nothing more than to turn you loose on him.

Luke: Then let me at him.

Sonny: I can’t, now is not the right time. Besides, Smith is not just going to let me walk into his hide out with my eyes open.

Luke: He trusts you.

Sonny: No one should be trusted that far. I’ll pay attention to what I am allowed to see and report back to you.

Luke: That’s more than you owe me. I guess.

Sonny: That’s not true. I owe you a lot, I’m not going to forget that.

Luke: Take care and keep your eyes open.

Sonny: I will, do you need any extra guards tonight?

Luke: I think I’ve got it covered.

Sonny: Good, take care of things tonight.

Luke: No problem, except for Brenda, everything should run smoothly.

Sonny: I’ll worry about Brenda when I get back.

Luke: Any chance that you’ll be back in time for the party?

Sonny: Not much, Smith is flying me somewhere by private plane. I don’t even know where I’m going.

Luke: If you don’t show up you’re going to break Brenda’s heart.

Sonny: I know, but I’ll make it up to her somehow.

Luke: You know, you can only make things up to her a limited number of times.

Sonny: I know. Do you have some aspirin, my head is really starting to bother me.

Luke reaches into a drawer in the desk and pulls out a bottle of aspirin. Sonny takes four and shallows them. Luke gives him a slightly worried look.

Chapter 81

Brenda goes into her room and notices that the message light is flashing. She decides to ignore it for the time being and instead sits down on her bed. Robin sits beside her.

Robin: Are you okay?

Brenda: Yeah, I guess I just got a little dehydrated yesterday.

Robin: Brenda, I know about the warehouse. I was there when they stormed it last night.

Brenda: You were there?

Robin: Yeah, Stone and I were in the alley. I don’t know much about what happened. Stone was holding me down during most of it, so I could just hear this horrible noise.

Brenda: You think it sounded bad from the outside? You should have been in the middle. I shut my eyes so tight and just waited until it all stopped. I have never been so scared in my whole life!

Robin: What happened then?

Brenda: I opened my eyes and I was being untied. There were all of these guys laying on the floor of the warehouse.

Robin: Were they dead?

Brenda: I don’t know, they were just laying there really still. I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t because my throat was so dry. I just cried and then I couldn’t find Sonny! I was so scared!

Robin: Sonny was in the alley, some guy was beating him and he wasn’t fighting back. Stone had to tackle the guy and pull him off of Sonny.

Brenda: That must have been how he got all of those cuts and bruises. He didn’t tell me. It makes me wonder what else he isn’t telling me. Something happened in the warehouse.

Robin: Did those guys hurt you?

Brenda: No, not physically at least.

Robin: What do you mean.

Brenda: They said things about Sonny. They said that he is Frank Smith’s “right hand man.” They said that he kills people. They were afraid of him and they said that I should be afraid of him too.

Robin: Did you talk to Sonny about what they said?

Brenda: I’m afraid to ask him. What if he lies about it, I’d know if he lied and I don’t know if I could take it.

Robin: Are you scared of Sonny?

Brenda: No, I’m scared of what he might be though.

Robin: Do you think that Sonny would ever hurt you?

Brenda: Never! He is so gentle and loving with me. He is the first man that has ever really loved me. He also believes in me. He wants me to have everything, but he wants me to be independent. He bought me land in the country and put the deed in my name because he wants me to have something of my own so that I don’t have to depend on anybody. He took me there this morning.

Robin: Plus he gave you that ring.

Brenda: *Stroking the ring with her other thumb.* Yes, he gave me this ring.

Robin: It isn’t just an ordinary birthday ring, is it?

Brenda: Nothing is ordinary, where Sonny is concerned. You’re right though, it isn’t just a birthday present.

Robin: What does it mean?

Brenda: He asked me to marry him! Not right away, he respects that fact that I want to do things before I become Mrs. Corinthos. He respects my goals, he really does.

Robin: Wow, I think that is great.

Brenda: You’re really happy for me?

Robin: If you’re happy, I’m happy.

Brenda: Great, I’m going to go take a shower.

Robin: Will you do me a favor and check your messages first? That blinking light is driving me crazy!

Brenda plays the messages, the first is from Lois.

Lois: Hey Bren, happy birthday. I’m running late, so I’ll just meet you at the club.

The next message is from Doctor Anderson.

Anderson: Hello Ms. Barrett, we completed your test and I have the results. Will you please call my office as soon as possible.

He gives an office number and a pager number. Brenda almost starts to hyperventilate from fear.

Robin: What’s wrong Brenda?

Brenda: I need to go take a shower.

Robin: That sounds important, don’t you think that you should call him back?

Brenda: No, I don’t want to call him back.

Robin: What is this about? What test is he talking about?

Brenda: When I went into the hospital last night, Doctor Anderson took a blood sample and he thinks that I might be pregnant. He was going to run a more conclusive test today. I guess he got the results back.

Robin: You need to call him.

Brenda: No I don’t. If I don’t call then I won’t know for sure what the test says. Robin, you know when I told you that last night was the scariest moment of my life?

Robin: Yes.

Brenda: I was wrong, having to call that doctor is the scariest moment of my life.

Robin: What are you scared of Brenda, being pregnant or not being pregnant?

Brenda: I’m afraid that I’ll loose Sonny! What am I going to do?

Chapter 81

Robin shook her head.

Robin: You aren’t going to loose Sonny!
Brenda: What if Sonny doesn’t want a pregnant girlfriend?
Robin: You don’t even know if you are pregnant. Not calling the doctor is not going to change the outcome of the test, Brenda.
Brenda: You’re right, maybe I’m worrying about nothing.

She picks up the phone and calls the doctor.

Brenda: Hello, Dr. Anderson? This is Brenda Barrett.

She listens to the doctor.

Brenda: Yes doctor, I’ll make sure and make an appointment with your office for next week

She hangs up the phone with a sigh.

Brenda: Well, it’s not a mystery anymore, I’m having a baby.

Robin hardly has time to react, before Brenda changes the subject 

Brenda: Let me show you what I’m going to wear tonight.

Brenda goes to the closet and starts looking at dresses. She pulls out a long ,ice blue, silk dress.

Robin: *Stunned* You just got life changing news and you are worried about what you are going to wear tonight?
Brenda: *Ignoring her* I’m not so sure about the shoes though, it is so hard to match light blues. I have silver sandals or these white heels.

She holds up one of each of the types of shoes.

Robin: The silver ones will look great, but Brenda this baby is not going to go away just because you ignore it. In fact, it is just going to get harder to ignore.
Brenda: I know that, but can I at least have tonight? I don’t want to think about it tonight.
Robin: All right, but you going to tell Sonny, right?
Brenda: Yeah, I’ll tell him, eventually.

Brenda goes into the bathroom and then sticks her head out.

Brenda: I think that I’ll take a bubble bath, instead of a shower.
Robin: Whatever!

Brenda runs her bath and doesn’t hear the phone ring. Because she had turned off the answering machine, the phone continues to ring until Robin answers it.

Robin: *In a weary voice.* Hello?
Sonny: Robin? 
Robin: Hi, Sonny.
Sonny: Is Brenda around?
Robin; She’s taking a bath, would you like me to get her for you?
Sonny: No, I just wanted to know what she is wearing tonight.
Robin: I don’t know if I should tell you, she may want it to be a surprise.
Sonny: Fair enough, can you at least tell me what color she is wearing.
Robin: I don’t think she would mind. It’s light blue and she is going to wear silver accessories.
Sonny: Is it beautiful? What am I asking? Of course it is beautiful, everything that Brenda wears is beautiful. She is the definition of beauty.
Robin: You care a lot about her, don’t you?
Sonny: She means everything to me. Did she tell you about the ring?
Robin: She told me that you asked her to marry you.
Sonny: I don’t know how much she told you about what I said, but I meant every word that I said to her. I feel things for her that I’ve never felt for any other person on this planet. I want her to have everything that she could ever need, I want to help her achieve her every dream.
Robin: Sonny, if everything didn’t go the way that you planned, if there were some surprises, you wouldn’t leave her would you?
Sonny: Never, I’m in it for the long haul. Why, is something wrong, Robin?
Robin: Not really, but I do think that you and Brenda need to talk. The sooner the better.
Sonny: We can probably find some time to talk tonight.
Robin: Are you stopping by to pick up Brenda? 
Sonny: No, I have some last minute things to do. Besides, Brenda says that she is going to have to go with the Q’s and I’d hate to cause a scene by picking her up myself.
Robin: *Laughing* I never thought of you as being the type of person that worried about causing a scene.
Sonny: Only when it upsets Brenda. I don’t want her to think that she ever has to choose between me and the Quartermaine’s. They are like family to her, so if I have to give a little in order to coexist with them, I can do that.
Robin: Is that what you and Allen were doing last night at the hospital, “Coexisting?”
Sonny: How did you hear about that?
Robin: Luke was telling Stone about it this morning.
Sonny: I don’t really care what Allen thinks or says about me, but when he starts saying that Brenda is not smart enough or capable enough to decide who she loves or wants to be friends with, that makes me mad.
Robin: That is one thing that Brenda keeps saying about you, that you respect her and think that she is smart and capable.
Sonny: That’s because she is. She is the smartest, strongest, most beautiful woman I have ever met. I really believe that she can do anything and be anything that she wants to. I feel really lucky that she is willing to let me be a part of her dreams and her goals. Robin, will you do me a favor?
Robin: All you have to do is ask.
Sonny: Don’t tell Brenda that I called asking about her dress. Let me surprise her by sending the flowers.
Robin: Okay, it will be our secret.
Sonny: Thanks, Robin.
Robin: See you tonight.
Sonny hung up the phone.
Sonny: I sure hope so.
Brenda leaned back in the tub and started to fantasize. It starts out the same as a fantasy that she had a few months earlier about all the available men in her life, including Sonny.
*Bubble Bath Fantasy*  
Brenda is siting in a bubble filled tub, surrounded by candles. She is admiring her huge diamond necklace, when the bathroom door is thrown open with a bang. Brenda looks up surprised to see Sonny standing their in a trench coat and hat, with a machine gun in hand. He gives her an intense look.
Brenda: *Fluttering her eyes at him* Are you going to talk or shoot?
Sonny: *In a wise guy voice* Which would you prefer?
Brenda: I don’t know, dying in a bubble bath has a certain (She pauses to give him a smoldering look) romantic appeal to it. Do you have any other suggestions.
Sonny puts one foot up on the edge of the tub and leans forward toward Brenda.
Sonny: Yeah, give me da jewels!
Brenda: *Looking innocent* Which would those be?
Sonny: Da the ones you’re wearing.
Brenda: Oh, those.
Sonny: They’re worth a fortune and I want them.
Brenda: (She gives him a smoldering look) Do you really think the most valuable things in this tub are cold… hard…unfeeling diamonds?
Sonny: That’s what I came for - so come on, hand them over.
Brenda: How about if I give you a baby instead?
Sonny gets a shocked look on his face.
Sonny: FOGEDABOUDIT!
He leaves, slamming the door behind him. Brenda’s face falls.
Brenda shakes her head and is jarred back to reality.
Brenda: *Sighing* Even my imagination is working against me.
Sonny’s Voice: Are you so sure about that?
Brenda looks up to see Sonny leaning against the wall, he is not wearing a trench coat and not holding a gun. He has a sad look in his eyes.
Sonny: How do you know how I’ll feel, if you don’t give me a chance to tell you?
Brenda: What do you expect me to do?
Sonny: You could try trusting me.
Brenda: I do trust you.
Sonny: Then take a chance and tell me the truth. Trust that I love you, Brenda, because I do.
Brenda: Maybe I should just take a chance and tell Sonny the truth.

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