Disclaimer: days of our lives is not mine, the actors are not mine, although I can think of one tall dark handsome one with an accent that I would love to have be mine but that's beside the point.
The invisible thread part eight"Dear Mr. Dimera, I suppose I should call you Santo now. The good sister and the good father cornered me when I returned to the church. I had to admit that I had been in your room. But I am incredibly ashamed to say I lied. I told them that I had gone to you because I had lost my shawl and you were so kind to have found it for me. When the knock came at the door I panicked and hid. I didn't know what else to say. They are both very suspicious of me. I know I should never see you again. I have my family and my church and I can't disappoint hem yet I feel something so strong for you I cannot describe it. Like a moth to the flame. I just hope I won't be consumed and destroyed by it."
Sami stopped reading. A lump had formed in her throat. Colleen had foreshadowed her own death.
EJ picked up the next letter. His stomach rumbled unpleasantly and he hoped whatever was left of the Scotch would stay down. He could see that Samantha was very affected by Colleen's words. He understood her words so well. Family expectations and obligations yet being attracted like a moth to the flame. Samantha was his flame. He started reading his grandfather's words.
"My dearest Colleen. I thought I would never hear from you again. I agonized if I should contact you or leave you be and respect your choice. But I see that you have not yet made that choice. Colleen, you need to live for you not for what your family expects. I followed my family obligations and married a woman I did not love and who did not love me. She died never knowing what I know now. What I feel for you Colleen, is beyond the physical desire a man feels for a woman. I love all of you: your spirit, your soul as well as your beauty. You took my heart and when we are together my soul sings. Please colleen come to me tonight. There is an abandoned house near the cliffs. It is secluded, no one will know." He stopped reading and looked hard at Samantha.
"My grandfather loved Colleen like I love you…"
"Stop it, EJ! I don't want to hear it!"
"Why? Are you afraid like Colleen was? Afraid of disappointing your family, afraid of admitting your true feelings. Afraid of…"
"Shut up, EJ! You are delusional! You can't compare yourself to your grandfather, Santo never hurt Colleen or her loved ones like you have!" she snatched the letters, dropping one in her haste and stormed out of the room with EJ calling after her.
She opened the door to the apartment to find Lucas setting the table with the bucket of chicken as the centerpiece.
"There you are, honey. I wondered where you had gone. You didn't leave a note."
"Sorry, Lucas. I was on my way to the pub to read the latest batch of letters with my mom and John but then realized how late it was and came back. I wanted to make sure I didn't miss dinner with you."
He smiled and kissed her right after licking his fingers from the greasy chicken.
EJ had scrambled out of bed with the intention of going after her but a wave of nausea overtook him and he was forced to head for the bathroom again.
Afterwards, feeling miserable and dejected he collapsed on the sofa. A knock came at the door; his spirits lifted as he painstakingly got up and made his way over to open it. "Samantha, I knew you'd…" he stopped when he realized it was Tony.
"You look like hell."
"Why are you here? EJ asked coldly.
Tony looked him over. "You had better get back to bed. The hospital shouldn't have released you yet."
"What do you care! Just go!" EJ snapped wavering precariously.
Tony shook his head, closed the door and took EJ's arm.
"Let go of me."
"Stop your complaining and get back to bed before you fall flat on your face. It's a long way down for you, EJ." Tony ordered.
A chill passed through EJ and he suddenly shivered. He acquiesced and let Tony guide him back to the bed. He couldn't suppress the gasp and groan when a sharp pain tore thought his chest. He took some rapid shaky breaths and didn't protest when Tony put a hand on his forehead.
"Haven't been taking the painkillers and antibiotics?"
"I have, I just can't seem to keep them down," he admitted guiltily.
Tony shook his head and picked up the phone. "Kayla, Tony here. I really need your help as a doctor. Could you come to EJ's apartment? I know but please, as a favour to me? A shot of antibiotics and painkillers. Thank you."
EJ shook his head rapidly. "No! Not Kayla she hates me," he protested.
"Yes she does and with good reason!" Tony responded sternly.
EJ looked away. "I'm not proud of what I did especially after Steve saved my life."
"I hope you said thank you! Tony responded sarcastically.
"I don't need anymore painkillers and antibiotics. I have two bottles full," he explained with an irritated voice.
Tony laughed. "Well since you can't keep them down they are rather useless. I hope you like needles because you're about to get two shots."
"I have enough holes poked in me, thank you very much!" he replied bitterly holding up his hands where the IV had been.
Tony grinned a little maliciously. "Oh no, little brother, you misunderstand me. This will be more of a case of bottoms up."
EJ's eyes widened. "Absolutely not, you got that!" but then another spasm shook his chest, he inhaled sharply biting his lip.
"Just relax, you're going to be fine in a little while."
EJ didn't bother to respond he was enveloped in a haze of pain.
A knock came at the door a short while later and Tony expected Kayla to be standing there but found Sami instead. He looked at her with a raised brow.
"Uh, hi Tony. I think I dropped something before while I was checking on EJ."
"I see, come on in then. EJ is rather indisposed at the moment, semi conscious as a matter of fact."
"What! What happened?" she asked with concern in her voice.
"Seems that he wasn't' able to keep the painkillers and antibiotics down so he's not feeling very well. Kayla is coming over to give him some shots that will hopefully help." Tony noticed that Sami's face seemed to relax a little at that point.
"I'll just get … what I dropped." She bolted into EJ's bedroom and snatched up the papers she had dropped. She didn't know if he was sleeping or unconscious. He lay on his side with his eyes closed. "EJ?" she whispered softly.
His eyes fluttered open and he stared at her. He didn't speak but his eyes; his expressive eyes looked at her with such vulnerability that she actually felt it to the core of her being.
"Kayla's here, " Tony announced as he entered the room.
Sami cleared her throat, "That's really great, she'll make him feel better. I have to have dinner with Lucas." She left quickly without a backward glance as her heart thundered uncomfortably.
Kayla glared at Tony and took out her stethoscope. She pulled the blankets back and listened to EJ's heart. Then she measured his blood pressure and his temperature. She pulled the covers back further and EJ closed his eyes as he felt her tug down his pajama bottoms a little. He winced as Kayla jammed the first needle into his backside without warning.
"Easy, little brother, you'll feel better momentarily." Tony assured him while frowning at Kayla.
The second needle went in a little more gently.
Kayla pulled his pants back in place and covered him with the blanket up to his waist.
"Thank you, Kayla," Tony said graciously.
"You owe me, Tony," she said as she took off the bandage on EJ's chest. She frowned and took a bottle out of her bag.
"The wound is looking rather red and it could be the beginning of a serous infection. I need to clean it with an antibiotic liquid. This will sting." She warned tersely.
EJ clenched his teeth tightly and hissed as she dabbed the liquid on his wound. When she finished putting a new bandage on she repeated the procedure on the wound on his back. EJ wished unconsciousness would just swallow him.
"I suggest once the shots kick in you get a light meal into him."
"Thank you, Kayla. Anytime you want to call in the favour just let me know."
She nodded but didn't smile.
He walked her to the door and they exchanged good-byes. Then he went back into the bedroom. It was obvious the patient was feeling a bit better.
EJ was sitting up. He looked at Tony rather resentfully. "So now what, eh? Are you appointing yourself as my babysitter?'
Tony chuckled. "You certainly do need one at times."
EJ made a face. "Just get out."
"This is what I get for gratitude? For helping you become pain free? You don't play very nice, brother." Tony replied with a smirk.
"All right, all right, thank you, you have my undying gratitude, now get out."
"As luck would have it, I do need to leave for awhile. I'll find you another babysitter." Tony promised with a note of sarcasm as he left the room.
EJ lay down thinking of Samantha and how she was having dinner with her dimwit husband, Lucas.
As Tony exited EJ's apartment he crossed the hallway and knocked on Sami's door.
