Chapter One Visiting Day

He couldn't wrap his head around it, and how could he? One minute he's rejecting the love of his life to keep his son close to him then the next thing he even knows it, he's been arrested for a murder he didn't even commit. Luckily, he had two people on his side (Lynsey and Cheryl) that had no doubt in their minds that Brendan Brady was innocent (in this case). He had been in jail six month now with no sign of him getting out. His lawyers were doing there best to get the charges dropped, but with the evidence they had on Brendan there was no sign of the charges being dropped anytime soon. Brendan had tried, tried, over and over again to tell the police he was innocent, but they didn't believe him. Their only response was 'If you're innocent Mr. Brady, why was Ms. Wilson dead body in the boot of your car?' Brendan knew why and he had told them why and who the real murderer was Silas Blissett. The bastard had set him up, and he walked straight into the trap, too. At the time, the only thing go through his mind as he read the note that was left on his car was that he need to get to Lynsey as soon as possible. Now looking back, he had wondered why he thought Lynsey had written that letter. She would have called or gone to find him (right?), but he didn't know. All he could think about was the fact he was arrested and jailed wrongly, and the fact that he may never see the ones he loved the most ever again, his children, Cheryl, and Stephen. Even though, Stephen had told him numerous times that they were through Brendan still couldn't help it. Who wouldn't love that five foot nine man with blue eyes that he could get lost in? He hadn't seen Stephen since the night of his outburst when he threatened Rae's life for outing him to his son. He wished he could go back in time and stop himself from making that mistake after all it wasn't Rae's fault. What happen that day wasn't her fault nor was it Stephen's who Brendan had tried blaming it on. No. It was his fault if he had just come clean when Declan had first came into town he wouldn't be where he was now. If he had told Declan about Stephen and him, Silas would have never talk to Rae and Rae wouldn't have out-ed him and he wouldn't have threatened her life in front of half the town. He could have been safe at home trying to start a life with Stephen. He tried not to think about that man, but no matter what he did he found his mind drifting back to Stephen. Brendan had sent a letter to asking him to come to see him in jail, but Ste never showed. His sister had visited several of times, but never Stephen. Visiting day had come again, and once again no Ste, but instead he walked into the visiting room to see his sister who was wiping away tears. He walks up to her and gives her a hug.

"Hey love." Cheryl said trying to fight back the tears. Brendan hated seeing his sister like that, but more importantly he hated that he was the reason why. They both pulled away and sat down at the same time.

"How are you? Are you eating? Are you sleeping right?" she, as usual, ambushed her brother with the same questions every time she would come to visit.

"Cheryl, it's jail not the Buckingham Palace." Brendan tried to joke.

"Brendan…"

"I'm sorry… I know bad joke, but really that's all I have left is my humor." He stated as he tried to hide the tears from Cheryl.

"Oh love"

Brendan cleared his throat and quickly changed the topic. "So, how's the bar?"

"Okay I guess." Cheryl replied.

"Business is good?"

Cheryl only nodded her head yes. They sat in silence for a minute or two. Cheryl was the first to break the silence.

"Ste is back working at the bar." She said softly.

Brendan looked at her in disbelief. "Wha?"

"Yeah."

"That's…Umm…good"

"He told me you wrote him."

"Yeah I did, how is he?"

" He also told me he wants nothing to do with you." Cheryl said ignoring her brother's question.

Brendan cleared his throat again, " Well,"

"Sweetie, you have to give him time."

"Does he think I killed Rae?"

" Yes, unfortunately he does."

Brendan closed his eyes the moment he heard the answer, "Greaaat." He said sarcastically.

"Brendan, you have to give him time, and he'll come around."

" I don't think so… I messed up big this time with him."

" Brendan your innocent though, you didn't do anything wrong."

"Cheryl you don't understand, okay. The day Declan came into town I told Stephen I loved him and that he should start trusting me more. We were going to try for a relationship and then what do I do? I walked away from him not ever an hour later."

" You did it because you didn't want to loose you kids, and Stephen understands that."

Brendan let out a breath of air in angry, " Cheryl, please stop. Just stop."

"Brendan, I know you're mad right know, and you really shouldn't be worried about Stephen you should be focusing on the case."

"What there to focus on, Cheryl? Uhh? The police already think they have the right guy. "

"I know I just wish we could just find out who really killed all those woman."

"Oh I already know who did it." Brendan stated.

" Brendan, don't you dare."

"It was Silas, he did this, Cheryl and I know for a fact that he's the one who is framing me."

"Brendan, stop none of this is helping you, you need to stop listening to Lynsey, okay. She's nut-bag."

" Cheryl, Lynsey isn't lying, okay. Silas is the one who is a nut-bag. He's framing me because I caught on to his game. I went after him and threaten him."

"What?"

"Yeah."

"Brendan, why am I just now finding this out?"

"Mainly because any time Lyns and I would start talking about him you would go crazy on us."

Before Cheryl could respond to anything that was said a guard interrupted them.

"Brady! You got another visit."

"Wha?" He and Cheryl both questioned as the look toward the entrance. Just then five foot nine, blue eyed, brunette haired man walked into the visiting room.

Brendan couldn't say anything. He couldn't believe his eyes. Stephen was there right in front of him. At first, he thought his mind was playing a tricks on him, but it wasn't Cheryl saw him too. Cheryl quickly stood up, "Ste?"

"Hiya Cheryl," the young man said.

"Stephen," Brendan stated in disbelief. "What…what are you here?"

"You didn't really think I wouldn't come did ya?" Ste questioned.

"I'll leave you two to talk," Cheryl began saying as she gathered her things. She leaded over to Brendan and gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek goodbye, "Take care love." She told her brother.

"Yea."

"Bye, Stephen." She said to the young man and with that she exited the room.

After Cheryl left, Stephen took seat across from Brendan. They sat in silence for several minutes neither of them knew what to say. Brendan could see the pain in Ste's eyes. He could see that Stephen being here in front of him in his prison uniform was upsetting the man he loves.

"You didn't have to come, Stephen."

"Didn't I?" he asked. "The letter you sent me seemed very clear."

"I'm glad you came."

"Yeah I bet. What do you want from me, Brendan?"

" We haven't seen or spoken to each other in over a month and you just want to cut to the chase?"

"Exactly, why am I here?"

Before saying anything, Brendan looked around the room to see how many people were watching them. Two guards on the other side of the room had their eyes glued on the two men. Brendan turned his attention back on to Stephen. " I love you, Stephen. I hope you know that."

Stephen let out a sigh, " Is that why you want me to come down here, so that you can try fill my head with lies again?"

"I'm not lying, Stephen. I love you that hasn't changed. Don't you feel the same?"

"At one point I did, but…"

"No buts, Ste. Do you love me or not."

"You killed my best mate."

Brendan closed his eyes in frustration, " I didn't kill Rae."

"Wow even till the very end you lie."

"I'm NOT lying," Brendan said while raising his voice.

"What you think you can scare me into believing ya?"

"No…(he pauses to take a breath) look at me Stephen, I know I've hurt you in the past, but I would never touch a women let only kill one."

"You hated Rae, though."

"Hate is a strong word. I didn't hate her just disliked her."

"And why would that be."

"Cause she could the one thing that could never do for you."

"What?"

"Make you happy and she knew that I couldn't do that for ya. She knew that I wasn't good for ya and that I wasn't strong enough to stand up and be the person you need me to be." Stephen didn't know what to say.

" I didn't kill her." Brendan said hoping this time Stephen would believe him.

" I wish I could believe, but everyone knows that Brendan Brady will do or say anything to get his way."

" What am I supposed to do here, Stephen?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all and if this is why you want me to come down here. We're done." Stephen said as he tried to get up to leave, but Brendan stops him by grabbing his hand.

" I swear on my children's lives, Ste I DID NOT kill Rae. Silas Blissett is setting me up."…

End of Chapter One