"ONE LIFE TO LIVE"
Monday, May 14, 2012
Natalie is running a bit late to meet up with Jessica at Buenos Dias. Jessica is in town early for Viki and Clint's wedding for that weekend. Natalie glides through the front door and sees more than just Jess waiting for her. Her son Ryder is there, and so is Brody Lovett. She quickly finds a smile on her face and she runs over to their booth.
"Oh my God…Brody and Ryder are here too?" Natalie says spiritedly.
"Yes, they are!" Jessica answers openly.
Before taking a seat, Natalie hugs her sister tightly and warmly, and then she goes over and does the same for Brody and rubs Ryder's head.
"So…how did Brody end up here?" Natalie asks surprised.
"Well..." Jessica starts to answer, "Last month I was talking to Clint and we were just talking and doing more talking. He told me that I could invite anyone I wanted too. And I have been staying in close touch with Brody recently. After I found out he had gotten some work with the military in Virginia, I decided that settling in down there would be nice for Bree, Ryder and I."
"So, you two are living together?" Natalie interrupts.
"Yes…I guess we are." Jessica admits and looks at Brody.
"Oh my gosh…this is so wonderful!" Natalie says excitedly.
"Yes…it is." Brody says, "The last several months have been the most relaxing time of my life in the past couple of years.
"Yeah…that's because you left this crazy town." Natalie laughs as she leans over to pick up Ryder.
Clint is rushing down the stairs at Llanfair when the doorbell rings. He quickly steps over to the door and opens it to find Kim Andrews there.
"Hi Clint." Kim says softly.
"Hey there…come on in, please." Clint says as Kim walks into the doorway.
"What can I do for you today?" Clint asks Kim as he shuts the door.
"Nothing." Kim says, "Actually, I just came here to return the wedding invitation you gave me."
Clint's face immediately lights up with surprise as Kim is handing him the invite.
Matthew and Destiny are at the Buchanan Apartment alone. Nora left work but went straight to the Evans' household to meet up with Bo, Shaun and Mr. and Mrs. Evans to enjoy more time with baby Drew. Destiny is sitting at the desk when Matthew comes over to her.
"You know what I think we should do?" Matthew says diligently while putting his hand on Destiny's shoulders.
"Just back off of me!" Destiny snaps.
Kyle Lewis has finally got home after his day at work. He leisurely pulls out his key and opens the door to find Oliver playing with Sierra Rose on the bed.
"Hey there baby!" Oliver says to his man.
"Hi." Kyle replies softly.
"Anything wrong?" Oliver asks.
"Just things that happened in the hospital today." Kyle says somberly and looks away.
Dorian found Jack in Neela's room a while ago and eventually escorted him out of there. He and Dorian are now just sitting in a waiting area silently. Jack has mostly been sitting with his head buried in his hands. Dorian just doesn't know what to say or what to do, so she assumes staying quiet his her best option. Victor and Téa have just showed up, but instead of running over to Jack, they stay around behind the corner to discuss how to reintroduce Victor to him.
"So, how are we going to do this?" Victor asks carefully.
"Don't ask me…I don't have any clue on how to tell a kid that his father figure is actually still alive and hasn't been dead all of these months." Téa responds, "Either we go in together, or I go in first and talk to Jack."
"You should go in first." Victor says, "Jack is already feeling overwhelmed with everything that has happened to him today. Just find a way to break this news to him and then I'll see him."
"That's easy for you to say." Téa adds, "But I guess that's only what we can do."
***Opening Sequence/Version B: Cutter, Aubrey, Michelle, Sav, Holly J., Marco, Justin, Lindsay, Miguel, Oliver, Kyle, Roxy, Natalie and Viki***
"Jessica? Is that you?" Carlotta asks from across the diner as she runs over to the group.
"Hi Carlotta!" Jessica says, "Have you heard from Antonio or Cristian any lately?"
"Yes I have…" Carlotta beams, "Antonio has taken a new detective position down in Miami and Cristian is in a new relationship with a fellow school teacher there in Spain."
"Oh my God! That is so fantastic!" Jess says happily, "I'm so excited for them…please tell them I say hello the next time you talk to them!"
"I will sure do that." Carlotta says, "What may I get you all?"
"Can I have a basket of fries?" Jess answers.
"Sure!" Carlotta grins and writes on her notepad, "Anything else?"
"And I would love a burger!" Natalie says strongly.
"You want anything Brody?" Carlotta asks the man.
"Just some water…I'm not really hungry." Brody said.
"Okay…I'll get everything for you." Carlotta says as she hurries back to the kitchen.
"So…Natalie…" Jessica begins to ask cautiously, "What exactly is the status of your and John's relationship?"
Natalie is caught off guard by the sudden turn of the conversation. She looks out of the window trying to delay having to comment on her relationship.
"You know Kim…I gave you an invite because I would really like to have you there." Clint answers poignantly.
"Really?" Kim says surprised, "So, what does Viki thing about you inviting me in?"
"She doesn't know." Clint clarifies, "You being there or not really isn't any of her business."
"Of course it is…she is going to be your wife!" Kim tries to get Clint to understand, "Let's face it…I should not be there!"
"You sure about that?" Clint asks and glares at Kim.
"Whoa…what's wrong Dest?" Matthew says startled.
"What's wrong is that I am trying my very best to use this free time to get this major term paper done…and you want to mess around?" Destiny shouts.
"What's wrong with that? We mess around all the time." Matthew states.
"What's wrong with that is that I am busy!" Destiny says softer, "Right now I have to prioritize my life and do what's more important for me…and I have to pass English!"
"Okay…okay…calm down." Matthew says as strokes Destiny's hair.
"Get off of me!" Destiny says even louder, "I don't feel like doing anything…but this paper! So please, just go and leave me alone until I'm finished with it!"
"Alright…okay." Matthew says dazed, "I'll go…just text me when you are done, okay?"
Destiny nods her head before Matthew slowly turns and walks out of the door. After Destiny turns back to type her paper, Matthew stares at her for a brief moment before exiting through the door and shutting the door quietly behind him.
"Oh no…you lost a patient today." Oliver says somberly.
"Yeah." Kyle admits and turns to his lover.
"Come here baby…" Oliver directs.
Oliver embraces Kyle for several minutes. They whisper little things to each other and share a bonding experience…until Sierra Rose starts crying. Then Oliver goes into the other room to see to Sierra Rose.
"Jack." Téa says as she approaches the man, "Dorian told me what happened…and I'm terribly sorry for what happened and what you are going through."
Jack looks up, but doesn't say anything.
"There is also something else that I must tell you." Téa says seriously, "It's about Victor."
"What about my dad?" Jack questions.
"He is…" Téa tries to say.
"He is what?" Jack asks confused.
"You may not believe me…but he is alive." Téa finally admits.
"No way…" Jack says alarmed, "I know Todd killed him. Why would you say something like that?"
"Because it's the truth, Jack." Téa sighs.
Victor slowly walks out from behind the corner and approaches Téa and Jack from behind.
"Do we have to talk about it?" Natalie asks timidly.
"Well…duh!" Jess says, "When something like this is happening to my sister, I need to have the details."
"Okay…fine." Natalie gives in, "What you wanna know?"
"How many times has John returned home here to see you and Liam since he has been trying to chase down Todd, who is on the run from the law?" Jess probes.
"John has been here three separate times…" Natalie begins to answer, "One weekend last month he stayed here all weekend. Other than that, he has only returned for one day visits."
"And how does that make you feel?" Brody questions her.
"Honestly…deep down it pisses me off…that he could just drop everything in his life, including me and his son, and run off to chase somebody he may never find!" Natalie says, "It would at least be okay if he would come back here and spend time with us at least like once a week, but no…we get one of two day visits a month…and that is just unacceptable."
"Then call him and tell him that!" Jessica urges Natalie.
"No…no need for me to keep stirring up drama. I'll just keep thinking that either John will find Todd or he'll just decide to come back home here where he belongs.
"How much longer can you keep on doing that?" Brody asks.
"Yes…I'm sure." Kim says honestly, "Even if Viki would not end up annoyed with me being there; I just know me being there would be hard for me to deal with…Really Clint, I know you're trying to be nice and everything…but…no thanks."
Clint takes back the invitation as Kim walks over to the door. She turns for a second to catch another glimpse of Clint before exiting out of the front door.
Danielle and Nate have finally arrived home. They quickly notice that Téa isn't home but they do not worry about that for too long.
"So Dani…how about we take this time to go upstairs and…" Nate began to say.
"Don't even finish your thought!" Dani smiles and interrupts, "Why go all the way upstairs when we have this lovely couch down here to make out on?"
"But really, Dani, what if your mother comes in?" Nate questions.
"Umm…it doesn't matter." Dani laughs, "With my mother being as pregnant as she is, it would take her five minutes to get from the front door to in here. So, as long as we just leave our clothes on, we can make out down here."
"I like how you think." Nate says tenderly as he and Danielle drop themselves on the couch.
Kyle is laying on his bed when Oliver appears again after tending to Sierra Rose.
"I'm sorry you had a rough day today." Oliver says to his boyfriend as he rubs the top half of Kyle's back.
"Yeah…me too." Kyle sighs, "I think I am just going to go have a nice warm shower, and then I'm going to bed."
"Want me to come with you?" Oliver says as he rolls over onto Kyle's back.
"No…no thanks." Kyle says dismally.
Kyle then gets up out of the bed and grabs a few clothes before going into the bathroom to take a shower. Once he shuts the bathroom door, Oliver simply falls onto the bed and sighs.
When Jack and Téa see Victor, Téa quickly drops her head and Jack just stares at the man in pure amazement.
"Jack." Victor says to the man as he drops to his knees.
"So…it is you…right?" Jack looks and asks suspiciously.
"It is Victor, Jack." Téa breaks in, "He has filled me in on everything that he went through and who held him captive after the shooting. We'll talk with you more about that later."
"Dad?" Jack says taken aback.
"Yeah…it's me." Victor states, "Just to prove it to you, I remember that you were with me the night of the shooting. You were warning me about psycho Todd…thinking back on it now, I really should have listened to you…and I am terribly sorry that I didn't."
Jack's eyes immediately begin to well up. Jack reaches out of hold Victor as they share a tight, long, bonding hug. Téa also begins to weep.
"Look…I'm going to hang onto John and try to believe in him as long as it takes." Natalie confides.
"But you just said how he has been treating you is unacceptable?" Jess questions and comments, "So…which one is it?"
"Like I said…I don't like how he has been treating us." Natalie begins to say, "But I love the man…I always have and I always will. I have to believe in him. He is a man of justice; justice is a part of him. He wouldn't be John McBain if he didn't strive to always get justice."
"I admire your commitment to him." Brody says to Natalie, "I think we should be getting to Llanfair, it's getting late for this little guy."
"Yes…we should." Jessica agrees, "Brody, can you take Ryder to the car? I will be right out there in a minute.
"Okay…see you later Natalie." Brody says as he puts baby Ryder back in his stroller and wheels him outside to the car.
"Now it's just you and me, Natalie." Jess says, "Tell me the truth…are you really just pissed with John but is willing to just deal with it…or did you make up one of the parts to your story?"
"I may have been overdramatic in discussing my anger with John leaving and hardly showing up." Natalie says, "And I probably underplayed how committed I am to him. You know me, and you know me and John. Right now, things may not be going the way I want it too, but I know eventually that John will come back. With or without Todd, and I plan on me and Liam being here for him when he returns."
"Okay…I'll stop trying to pry you to see your feelings." Jess says jokingly, "Well…it has been a really fun evening. And I am so happy to be back in town here the next few days, I have really missed seeing you. With that said, I need to hurry out to the car before Brody leaves me here. See you tomorrow."
"Okay…bye Jess." Natalie smiles back to her sister.
Jessica hurries out of the door while Natalie goes up to the counter and asks Carlotta to get her another soda.
"Why are you crying?" Victor asks his wife, "We've already had our emotional reunion…this is mine and Jack's emotional reunion."
"I am just so happy." Téa bawls, "Really…I'm just so happy."
"See Jack…some women are just overdramatic." Victor says playfully, "So, what happened to your friend Neela today?"
"Oh…oh…oh!" Téa screams aloud.
"What's wrong?" Victor asks concerned.
"My water just broke…and I'm having the strongest contraction yet." Téa says before screaming again.
"I have got to find Dorian!" Victor says as he sprints downstairs to the morgue where Dorian was escorting Neela's body.
"Okay Téa…just breathe…breathe." Jack tries to calm her, "Victor will get Dorian and everything will be okay.
"Yes…okay…everything is going to be fine." Téa says nervously and in discomfort.
"Making out with you never gets old." Dani pauses to say.
"That's something I like to hear." Nate smiles back at her.
They both start back on another round of compassionate kissing, hugging and touching when Dani's cell phone rings. She ignores it for the first four rings, then she finally decides she should probably answer it. She pushes Nate into the floor in a playful manner, then she searches her pockets for her phone. She grabs it and answers it to find out that Dorian is on the line:
"Dorian? Nice of you to call me." Dani says, "But really…this isn't the best time…huh…do what?...Oh my God…yes, I'll get there as soon as I can! You better tell my mother to wait! Be there soon, bye!"
Dani quickly hangs up her phone and hops off of the couch and grabs her jacket.
"What's going on?" Nate asks.
"My mom is having her baby…NOW!" Dani says strongly, "So…I'm going to take my car and speed to the hospital. You should probably go home because I have a feeling that it's going to be a long night."
"Okay…better tell me if she has a boy or a girl!" Nate smiles, "You go ahead and I'll lock the door on my way out."
"Alright, thanks so much…love you!" Dani says as she kisses Nate on the cheek before running out of the door.
(End Chapter/Episode)