Claudia stared at her mother in shock

Claudia stared at her mother in shock. What was she doing here? She was supposed to be dead! "Momma?" She reached out to touch her, but the old woman slapped her hand away. "You have some nerve showing up here like this! Suddenly you care about your son?"

Claudia gasped, the words echoing through her head. Everything else faded away as she looked through the door at the wounded young man asleep in the hospital bed. And then suddenly there was nothing but darkness.

Sam caught her as she fainted.

"Claudia!" Miriam screamed. She slowly dropped to her knees and stroked her daughter's hair. "I'm sorry."

Sam and Lainey exchanged confused glances.

"Did she say?"

"Momma?"

Lainey touched Miriam's shoulder. "Is this--"

"Damian's mother,"

"Whoa," Sam breathed. "No wonder she was a match."

"What do you mean?" Miriam asked.

"Claudia saved his life. She donated blood. I don't think she even realized he was her son."

"I agree, Miriam," Lainey said. "It looked like she was genuinely surprised to see you just now. You mentioning her son is what pushed her over the edge. I really don't think she knew."

"How could she not know? Rudy has been guarding us all these years..." Her voice trailed off and her hand flew to her mouth.

"What is it?" Lainey asked.

"What if all this time there has been no danger at all. What if Rudy set us up?"

"Why would he do that?"

Before Miriam could respond, Claudia stirred and opened her eyes. Her mother smiled down at her. "Momma! You're alive!" She laughed and touched her mother's face.

"You thought I was dead?" She glanced up at Lainey and nodded sadly. "I was right."

"That night we were supposed to meet at the safe house, I was packed and ready to go when Rudy came in and told me there had been a car accident and a fire. You and Damiano were gone. Just like that. I didn't want to believe it, but there was an article in the local paper the next day. I never got over it. I've been dead inside for so long, momma!" She sobbed into her mother's chest.

"Rudy had told me you changed your mind and weren't coming with us," Miriam replied. "He said you didn't want to be a mother anymore. I stupidly believed him." She held her daughter tight. After a few moments, Sam and Lainey helped the two women to their feet. Claudia walked into Spinelli's room and took a seat by his bed. She held his hand gently in her own. "My baby," she whispered. "I knew there was something about you... a connection between us. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this."

Sam and Lainey observed Miriam as she watched her daughter. "I can't believe it. All these years we've been in hiding. And for what? Why would Rudy do that? He seemed to genuinely care about us."

Sam spoke up. "I should go tell Jason about this. Maybe he can get to the bottom of it."

"Thank you," Miriam said gratefully. "I appreciate all you've done for me and my grandson."

Sam smiled. "I'll be back."

-

Mac walked into Maxie's room and stopped short when he saw Jason Morgan sitting by his daughter's bed. "What the hell are you doing in here?"

Jason sighed. "I'm filling in for Sam. She went to visit Spinelli."

Mac nodded. "How's he doing?"

"I think he's getting better."

"Good. Thanks for the update. You can go now."

"You're welcome," Jason grumbled as he left the room.

"Jason!" Sam called as she ran up. She tried to catch her breath. "You... are not... going to believe this!"

"What is it?" He looked concerned.

"Spinelli's mother just showed up."

"His mother?"

Sam nodded. "And it's someone we know!"

"What? Who?"

"Claudia Zacchara," she whispered.

Jason's eyes widened in shock.

-

"Would you like me to stick around while you talk to your daughter?" Lainey asked.

"No. It's okay.. I think I see the situation clearly now."

"I'll check on Damian tomorrow, then."

"Thank you." Miriam turned back to watch her daughter and grandson.

Claudia cried happy tears. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so alive. Probably the day her son was born. Her little Damiano. She kissed his hand. The Jackal was her son! This was surreal. "How are you going to react to the fact that Vixenella is your mommy?" She giggled. Then she frowned. Some mother she was. It was her fault he was here in the first place. Maybe she didn't deserve him.

Spinelli sighed. "Maxie."

"Sorry to disappoint you, kiddo."

He opened his eyes. "Vixenella?" He smiled. "The Jackal is never disappointed by your lovely presence."

She felt her heart constrict. "You are quite the charmer." She winked. She paused for a moment then turned serious. "Listen, I need to apologize to you."

"For what?"

She took a deep breath. "I'm the reason you're in here."

He looked at her in confusion. "Were you the driver?"

"No. But I may as well have been. I'm going to tell you what happened before Maxie does because I don't want you blaming her in any way."

"What did you do?"

"I forced Maxie into something she didn't want. A few weeks ago I hired her to break up Johnny and Lu Lu. She was supposed to seduce Johnny and have Lu Lu walk in on them."

"Wha- What?" He started to get agitated.

Claudia tried to calm him. "She didn't. She wouldn't. She loves you. She tried to tell me that, but I wouldn't take no for an answer. I had her drug Johnny and just make it look convincing. No one ever expected you to see it."

Spinelli rubbed his forehead and squeezed his eyes. Flashes of memory hit him all at once. Maxie in bed with Johnny. Maxie screaming for him to stop. Him running out of the Metro Court.

Claudia looked concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Why?" he asked angrily. "Why would you do this?"

"I was just trying to protect my brother."

"From Fair Lu Lu?"

"I needed to get Lu Lu away from Johnny so my father will stop using her as leverage against him."

"What if she had walked in on them and was stupid enough to run into the direct path of oncoming traffic? Would Vixenella even care?"

"I didn't want her dead, just away from Johnny. I never meant for this to happen. I'm so sorry." She wiped away a tear.

Spinelli rubbed at his own eyes and sniffled. "The Jackal appreciates Vixenella's honesty."

"Will you ever forgive me?" Her voice broke with sadness

"You were trying to protect your sibling, although the measures were of the utmost extreme. I forgive you, but respectfully request that you stay away from Maxie and myself from now on."

Claudia took in a shaky breath and nodded. "I understand. I won't bother you again." She choked on a sob and ran out of the room.

Miriam tried to stop her as she left, but was unable. She watched in shock as her daughter ran down the hall. She entered her grandson's room. He was wiping away tears. "Damian?"

He blinked a few times. "Granny?"

"How's my boy?" She leaned in and hugged him.

"I'm better now that you're here."

Miriam decided to hold off discussing Claudia until he was stronger. She opted to cheer him up instead. "I have something for you." She held up a finger and stepped back out into the hall. She rifled through her large purse and pulled out a small bag of barbeque chips and a can of orange soda.

Spinelli laughed when she held up the marvelous bounty.