Chapter 10: A Little Bundle Of Joy

Sami looked up into those deep, dark and dangerous eyes. She remembered how it had felt when Brandon had held her in his arms, kissed her, made love to her. Sami wished she could forget but she remembered.
"I can't stay", she said quietly.
"Of course you can", Brandon replied with a whisper just as quiet.
"No, Brandon, you don't understand", Sami shook of his hands and stepped back.
"I think I do", Brandon said with a victorious smile, "You still have feelings for me." Sami wanted to make herself disappear, no, she wanted Brandon to take off and never to return to Salem. He had done more than his share of damage.
"A love like that never dies, not completely. I cared for you Brandon, I still care for you but I love my husband."
"Just keep telling yourself that", he said and followed her as she tried to move away, "Did you really think it was a coincidence that we met again?"
"Of course it was", Sami said forgetting to run away as Brandon came to stand a hairs width away from her.
"No Samantha. My first trip back to Salem six months ago was an unplanned event but during my stay here, I caught a glimpse of a certain temptress", he winked at her, "And that image in my head was enough to lure me back again and again until we finally bumped into each other. I've missed you Samantha and I regret ever leaving you."
"Don't say things like that", Sami pleaded, "We are just friends."
"Sure we are", Brandon attested, "But there is much more between us than that and you know it Samantha."
"Brandon, please."
"I can be your friend, only your friend if that's what you truly want. If your husband is really worthy of you", Brandon promised with menace in his voice, "Samantha, you know what needs to happen."
"I can't do it."
"Samantha", Brandon whispered again, "He needs to know and you need to be the one to tell him."
"I know but I can't", Sami said with tears in her eyes, "I need to go." Brandon took a step back and let her move to the door.
"Drive safely Samantha, I wouldn't want anything to happen to you."

"What did you say?" EJ repeated the question and the doctor told him the answer again.
"It's not possible. I would know. I would know if Annie-"
"Are you the father then?"
"No! She's my best friend", EJ retorted indignantly.
"Then your best friend has been keeping at least one secret from you", something in EJs posture made the tiny doctor soften and to add, "She isn't that far along. It is possible she doesn't even know she's pregnant."
"Thank you doctor. Is there anything else you can tell me?" Stricken by the news, he reached for the wall to hold himself standing.
"Aside from few broken ribs and a left wrist, your friend was extremely lucky. Her knee will need surgery at some point but what worries us, is her unconsciousness. If she wont wake up in the next few hours, it might be a sign of severe brain trauma. But we wont know until she regains consciousness."
"Is it possible that her extreme fatigue is the reason why she hasn't woken up?" EJ asked wearily.
"It is possible", the doctor responded pensively, "If you will excuse me, I will return to the patient now."
"When can I see her?" EJ asked.
"I wouldn't recommend it for a while. Go home and get some rest. Come back in the morning and chances are you will find her awake." EJ nodded and leaned to the wall as the doctor walked away. He couldn't believe what he had learnt. Annie had found someone and she hadn't deemed it necessary to let him know. More than that, Annie was going to be a mother when he was having trouble getting his wife pregnant. He had never thought he would be this jealous of his best friend.

"Why is the front door open?" Sami asked herself as she stepped into the house. The lights were on and the signs of chaos were right there in front of her for anyone to see.
"What happened here?"
"Annie fell and was taken in to a hospital", a familiar voice said from behind her.
"EJ? You look awful", Sami blurted out.
"Thank you, Samantha", he said making it sound like an ironic compliment. EJ stepped by her into the house. He paused to take in the sight and disappeared into the kitchen only to return with a garbage bag.
"You don't have to do that", Sami said and crouched down to help him.
"Stop it Samantha, I'll take care of this", EJ said with a tone which spurned all objections.
"What happened EJ? Please speak to me", Sami said still kneeling down on the floor.
"You would know by now, had you been here", EJ countered her plea, "Where were you Samantha?" She flinched under his scrutinising gaze.
"I was with a friend. I needed someone to talk to", she said as calmly as she could.
"Would the friend in question happen to be your ex-husband?" EJ asked bemusing his wife.
"I didn't know Lucas was in town."

"That's because I just arrived", another voice from the door startled her. EJ on the other hand remained unmoved.
"What's this mess?" Lucas asked.
"Annie had an accident. She's in the hospital", EJ said curtly.
"What about the twins? They are all right aren't they?" Lucas asked making Sami feel guilty for not making the same enquiry.
"Johnny and Joy are safe. I took them to stay with Eric and Marie while I went to the hospital with Annie", EJ revealed without even looking at Sami.
"Good", Lucas said, "It'll be good for Joy to get away from this all. I'll just get her things and swing by your brothers house to get her."
"Don't be so hasty Lucas", Sami stopped him, "I really think we need to talk to the twins together and assure them that Annie is going to be well. And what you meant by Joy getting away? What about Johnny?" EJ almost felt sorry for his wife as her bafflement turned into recognition. Lucas no longer considered Johnny as his son and was about to abandon him without any further explanations or without preparing the child for this turn of events.
"You can't do this to Johnny!" Samantha cried out.
"Yes he can", EJ replied piercing Lucas with his pained eyes, "he all ready has."