The Letter
By Rose-Arwen-Padmé
Danny Santos entered his home with a happy grin on his handsome face. No matter what his day had been like, he was home. He was home with his loving wife, his beautiful son, and blissfully happy just to be there.
"Michelle!" he sing-songed, his deep voice echoing throughout the long hallways of their new home. He smiled warmly. "Honey, I'm home!"
"I'm in the kitchen!" He heard a faint female voice reply, recognizing it as his wife's. However, before he could walk in the direction of the kitchen to greet Michelle, he heard another, sweet, youthful voice calling him from behind.
"Dadda! Dadda! Dadda!"
Danny was smiling before he even turned around. "I know that voice… I know that voice…" He slowly turned in the direction of his young son, bending over at the waist as he went. By the time he faced his little boy, Robbie was coming down the stairs, his arms already outstretched. His father didn't waste a moment, running to him and pulling him into a tight hug, swinging Robbie around in circles against him.
"Hey buddy! How's my big boy?"
Robbie only repeated, "Dadda! Dadda! Dadda!" in between squeals of delight. Still very young, his vocabulary was still very limited to only a dozen words, 'Dadda' being his favorite it seemed.
"Where's your mommy, huh?" Danny questioned playfully. "Is she in the kitchen? Well, I'm going go say hi to her, Robbie." Danny was absolutely beaming. Robbie had an effect on him that no one, not even Michelle, had. Just like nothing could come between the amazing power of his and Michelle's love, nothing could come between the father and child love he had with Robbie.
Danny set Robbie down, who immediately ran to the living room where a turned on TV set was showing some kids show. Danny slowly crept to the kitchen, a mischievous grin on his face.
He was greeted with a view that took his breath away. Michelle's hair was up in a quick bun; blonde curls framing her angelic face. She was wearing a light blue casual dress with a white apron over it as she hurried around the kitchen making dinner. She was wearing white high heels, and they made hard slapping sounds against the tile floor.
But what he enjoyed most about the view was how Michelle was positioned. She was bent over from the waist, digging through some lower cabinets for some kitchen tool. Her dress was accidentally raised up showing all her legs and a good deal of her thighs.
He tip-toed across the floor, careful not to let his shoe heels make any noise. He feared to breathe to loud, least it give her any warning. He reached out his hands, then his arms, being ever so silent…
"BOO!"
Danny grabbed Michelle around the waist, shocking her. She stood straight up, the back of her head coming to rest on his broad shoulder. She had gasped loudly, shutting the cabinet door in surprise.
"Daniel Santos! How dare you! Why I oughta— "
"You oughta what, Mrs. Santos? Punish me? I can't hardly wait to see what you have in mind." His voice was deep and implying. Michelle blushed a deep red.
"Ahh, honey. You look so cute when you're blushing," Danny teased.
"Hello to you to, dear," Michelle teased back, smiling. She noticed the briefcase in his right hand that he had absent mindly carried into the kitchen with him. She raised an eyebrow. "I bet I can make you drop that."
Danny grinned. "No way. No bet." He let himself be pulled into a long, passionate, breathtaking kiss by his wife, and he knew that if he had been holding his briefcase, he would have dropped it. He laughed as Michelle giggled when they slowly came apart, and he rested his forehead against hers. "How was your day?"
"Boring," she replied. "I kept counting the minutes till you came home."
"Really?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. "Your day off from the hospital that uneventful? I thought you would have enjoyed a day of rest and relaxation. You've been working non-stop for days."
"They need me," she answered.
"Well, now I need you," he replied. "It's Friday, and we have the entire weekend. That's two days to have you all to myself."
Michelle smiled. "What ever shall we do?"
"Drop Robbie at Rick's and Mel's," Danny immediately answered. "He can help us celebrate later."
"Celebrate? Celebrate what?"
Danny laughed. "I don't know yet. But I'll find something, I promise."
Michelle smiled back. "Good. Right now, I have to finish dinner."
Danny eyed the mess of food thrown into a pot on the stove. The smell coming from it was… well…. interesting.
"Oh," he murmured, hoping his caution of the mystery dish wasn't evident on his face. "O…kay."
"Danny!" Michelle exclaimed, obviously catching on. She picked up the nearest dishtowel, and Danny started running for the door. She managed to swat his bottom once before he made it out the door, his loud laughing echoing, mixed with her own.
"Where's the mail?" He called from the safety of the dining room.
"Where it always is, on the dining room table!" She called back.
"Thank you, sweetie!"
"Uh-huh…"
Danny picked up the stack of letters from the corner of the table, surprised he hadn't noticed it before. He rummaged through them only half-interested. Bills, bills, promotional ads, bills, coupons for Michelle, bills, a letter from his uncle in California, bills, a letter from the Springfield State Penitentiary, bills…
Danny's hand froze. He slowly forced his hand to move back to the thin, slightly dirty envelope marked: SPRINGFIELD STATE PENITENTIARY
There was only one person who would be writing to him from that place. Only one person who would contact him from Springfield State Penitentiary.
Carmen Santos.
That…. woman he called his mother. That woman who had tried on numerous occasions to kill his wife, his friends; control his life and the life of his sister's, blackmail him, bribe him, and most recently kidnap his only child.
Carmen had written to him from prison. He didn't want to know how his mother knew his address. He wanted to know why he was staring at an envelope that his mother had been holding probably only a few short days ago.
"Oh my God."
Those were the only three words he was able to choke out. Before he knew what he was doing, Danny sat down and opened the letter. In an instant, it was opened and being held in his right palm. Slowly he digested every word, starting at the beginning, unprepared for whatever he was about to read.
My Dear Daniel,
My Son, I amwriting to you from the state prison, which I know you are aware of. No doubt, because I know my son, you are sitting down, holding this letter in one hand, gaping at this paper. It took me a long time to summon the courage to sit down and write this letter to you, but I knew it had to be done. For me, but more importantly, for you.
Daniel, it was never my plan to cause you pain. You should know that right now. I am your mother, and I love you. Don't you ever doubt that, Son. Even through these steel bars and over too many miles, I hope you can still sense the love I hold for you.
I have a request to ask of you. No, do not worry. I do not ask something that pertains to the business. It involves Pilar. Daniel, I worry that your sister has been cut off completely from the only family she has. I cannot reach out to her from this cell, and I know you would stop me even if I tried, but all it takes is for you to pick up your phone and call her. Danny, she is your sister, and the only sibling you have left. I wanted her cut from the business completely, not from our lives completely. I have not robbed you of your relationship with her. The responsibility is your own. Reach out to her. She needs you as much as you need her.
Danny, there is a message I want you to give to Michelle. I dared not address a letter to her, knowing the best way to get my words across was to go through you. Daniel, tell her am I not sorry. Tell her I do not regret my decisions. But Danny, tell her I love you still, a real mother's love. Tell her I still care for you like she cares for Robbie. From one mother to another, I think she will understand.
Prison life, is, well, prison. I am in a prison. We disagree on the subject of whether or not I belong here, so I will not broach the subject.
Word has reached me that you have disbanded the business. You are foolish, Daniel, if you think the other families will let you go so easily. Oh, no, my son. They do not have a soft heart like you were unfortunately born with. They are people of steel, and I tell you, they will not stand for it. I fear for my former business, for I know in my heart that you will not be able to run it properly like I tried to teach you too. But I cannot change the past. If I could you would not be reading this letter, for I would not be in prison.
The reign of the Santos Empire has not ended yet. Not by a long shot.
With all my love,
Your Mother
Danny ran his hand through his black curls. He felt like crying, laughing, groaning, and smiling all at once. The first emotion was the strongest however, and several not-so-silent tears slid down his cheeks. He knew that would not be the last letter from his mother, especially since he had no intention of ever reforming the family business.
However… Pilar was a different matter. For once his mother may have had a valid point. He hadn't seen Pilar in a few years, too long. He missed his little sister, the baby girl who would follow him and Ray around and give Papa butterfly kisses.
"Danny?"
Danny looked up, wiping away his tears. His beautiful wife was standing in the doorway, holding his son. The two lights of his whole existence.
"Danny, what wrong? Baby?" Michelle had instantly come to her husband's side when she noticed the fresh tear marks on his cheeks. "Danny, please, tell me."
Danny stood up, gathering his family in one big hug. "I love you, Michelle. I love you so much. That's all you need to know."
"Danny—"
"Shhh." He put a single finger to her soft lips, and then he kissed them lightly but lastly. "That's all you need to know, baby. That's all you need to know."
Michelle looked into Danny's black eyes, and feltherself grow dizzy from all of his emotions swirling in their depths. "I love you too, Danny."
Finis
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