Brenda laid Addison down for a nap, thinking about taking one herself. Steve and David had left a few minutes ago, arguing all the way out the door. She picked up some toys and then went into her bedroom, eyeing her bed longingly. Just as she was getting ready to lie down, someone knocked on her door.

Smiling, sure that Steve had forgotten something, Brenda opened the door. She didn't know this guy. "Yes?" she asked him.

"Are you Brenda Walsh?" he asked her.

"I am," she confirmed.

"Then this package is for you," he told her, handing her a box. "Will you sign here?" he asked, holding out a signature pad.

Curious, Brenda signed for the package and shut the door. Opening it, she was surprised to find a play. There was no author listed, which was confusing. Brenda had wondered if people would start sending her their unpublished and unused masterpieces. She sighed. This was probably the beginning of a deluge of mediocre work that she'd never be able to use. She opened the play, deciding to read the first scene.

Scene one:

He sat on the park bench alone, a book of poetry in his lap. His unseeing eyes stared ahead, his mind obviously somewhere else. He didn't notice the other people in the park, or that the wind had picked up.

NARRATOR

"When a man truly loses his heart to a woman, he is never whole again. He will go on with his life, a shell. In the place where his heart used to be, sadness has taken root. Sorrow and longing will follow him all the days of his life. Memories of her love will linger, mocking him with hints of her warmth and her smile. The wind will carry her laugh, and it too shall pass him by. He will reach for a shadow, hoping that this time it will be more…that it will be her.

So often the opportunity for such a deep love presents itself and so often it is ignored or disregarded. And then there are the times it is betrayed. The man knew it was his fault she was gone; he had driven her away. Theirs was a love that could have withstood the test of time, if only he had let it. Thinking back to the day he had met her, he closed his eyes and imagined he was there.

Scene Two

Brenda stopped there. She knew what it was to love with such passion. The day she had met Dylan McKay, she felt as if something inside of her shifted, changed. She had never been the same.

Standing, she thought about Dylan and how amazing it felt to be in his arms again. She'd seen the way he'd looked at Kelly; each and every time she felt like a knife was piercing her heart. She hated herself for still feeling this way, after so many years. But as the narrator in the play had said, when you truly love someone, your heart is never yours again.

Brenda decided that she would continue reading the play. Her first two productions had already been decided and that's what they were all working towards now, but she would need to branch out eventually. Man, she was a sucker for a love story.

Hearing the faint ring of her cell phone, Brenda did a mad dash around the apartment, looking for it. Finding it under some papers, she answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey Bren, it's me," Brandon said. "I know that Steve and David just left and you're probably getting ready to lie down with Addy," Brenda rolled her eyes at this; her twin knew her so well, "but I was wondering if I could come over for a few minutes?"

"Sure," she told him.

"Good. Open the door then," he told her, just as a light knock sounded at the door. Laughing, she pulled the door open and hugged her brother.

"Why did you even call?" she asked him, stepping back so he could come in.

"I thought you might already be asleep," he told her, sitting down at the kitchen table. "Got any butter pecan, Bren? I've had kind of a rough day."

"For you? Always." Brenda got out two bowls and the ice cream. "What's going on today?"

Taking his bowl, he said, "I went by to see Kelly at the school today."

"Brandon, look," Brenda said, "I don't really want to talk about Kelly."

"Yeah, well, she didn't really want to talk either. Bren, I think something's going on with her," Brandon said.

"Of course there's something going on with her. There always is. Isn't that how she keeps you boys in check? By always needing a knight in shining armor?" Brenda asked him crossly.

"That's not fair and you know it. Don't you wonder why she's acting so weird?"

"Brandon, since Kelly and Dylan first got together she's acted this way. I know that you don't know about some of the things that we've said to each other, but trust me when I tell you that this is not the first time something like this has happened." Suddenly angry, Brenda continued, "And you don't know these things, Brandon, because you didn't care. For years, I've tried to get over the fact that while my world was falling apart you were firmly on the other side." Standing up, she put her bowl in the sink. With her back to Brandon, she said, "Brandon, I know that everyone seems to think I'm this strong, forgiving person." She turned around to look at him, crossing her arms. "The truth is, I am so angry all the time." Her words were heavy with anger. "It chokes me sometimes, Brandon. Sometimes…sometimes I just want to scream!"

Brandon got up and walked to her, but Brenda warded him off. "I think I just need some time, Brandon, okay?" She gave him a small smile. "I'll call you later."

Brandon took a breath, studying his sister. Backing off, he nodded.

Brenda sat back down at the table, thinking about how certain some parts of her life were and how completely uncertain others were. Making a decision, she called Cindy to come watch Addy for a while. She had to talk to Dylan.