The man in the black suit is standing next to my window. I roll the window down. "Mr. Kiriakis? Come with me."
I follow him inside the mansion and into the front room. It's a grand room with a huge fireplace, plush furniture and a baby grand piano in the back corner.
A tall 6'4" man wearing a blue suit is standing with his back to me looking out the French doors to a garden beyond.
Without turning around, the man speaks with the British voice I had heard earlier. "Welcome Sonny."
I can see him taking a sip of his drink, probably scotch. He carefully sets the glass on the desk beside him and turns to face me. There's something unsettling about him and I'm nervous.
"So you're Sonny. Adrienne and Justin's boy."
"Yes, I am."
"I'm E.J., William's step-father." He walks to the armchair, sits and crosses his legs. "Come have a seat."
"I think I'll stand."
He shrugs his shoulders. "Which ever you prefer." He sizes me up while running his fore finger along his lips as if he's thinking of how to deal with me, like a nuisance that is beneath him.
"You own the gay club in town. It's very successful I hear."
"Yes, it's my club. It is very successful."
He tilts his head. "No, that wasn't a question."
I felt like I had been knocked down a peg and I stand a little straighter trying to compensate.
"Sonny I'm going to be straight with you." Why do I think he used the word 'straight' on purpose? "William's mother and I have had a long talk about William and what is best for his future. William agrees with us that he's future is to go to business school and get a degree. There will be no time for…. other activities."
"Will agrees?" I question him. Nothing in Will's long talks with me would indicate that he wanted to go to business school. In fact, I think Will would think it was a living hell.
"Yes, he does. I assure you that he does." EJ smiles like a cheshire cat who has caught his prey.
As if on cue, Will walks into the room through the double doors beside the baby grand piano.
"Sonny." Will's eyes are red and bloodshot.
"Will, are you ok?" I rush over to him but he puts his hands up to stop my approach.
"Yes. I'm fine. EJ is right. I'm going to go to business school. It's the best plan for my future. Then I can apprentice and one day take over DiMera Enterprises."
I'm stunned and confused. Then I look at Will's eyes and I know he's being forced to say these things. He's trying to appease EJ or things will be worse. I can't imagine anything worse than forcing Will to not be who he truly is.
"Will, I can…."
"You can what, Sonny? I've made up my mind. Please go."
I look at EJ sitting smugly in his armchair as if he's won. I turn to leave until Will says, "Sonny, one more thing. Please tell Joe and his wife Marla, that I loved meeting them. They are a wonderful couple, they were meant to be together. They are so in love and it's beautiful to see."
I quickly realize that Will is trying to tell me something. "I will tell them." I pause for moment still looking at him hoping somehow he can see that I understood him, that I love him.
"Goodbye Will." Not wanting to leave but having no choice, I turn and walk out the door.
I rush back to my car and head to the club. All I can think about is getting Will out of there. He talked about Joe and Marla in the present tense knowing that Marla has passed away. The words "they were meant to be together" kept running in my head. Will and I are meant to be together. I know it in my gut.
Once I get to the club, I find T. "T, I need you're help." During the next hour we plot to get Will away from EJ.
The plan has to work.
I'm waiting in Chicago at the hotel for T and Will. Last night T agreed to drive Will to Chicago after going by his house to get him out under the guise of friends hanging out.
On the road, T called me with an update. After they left the mansion, they sensed they were being followed. They were able to ditch the black car they saw taking every turn they made. For a second I thought Will was being paranoid. But after meeting EJ I'm not sure that's as crazy as it sounds.
When they get to the hotel, we'll head down to get our marriage license then we wait for a day before we can get married. Until then I sit in the lobby waiting.
Finally I see Will walk in the front door, and I've never been so relieved in my life. We embrace and hold each other long enough for T to crack a joke. "Get a room, would ya?"
We both laugh.
I hold Will's hand and ask, "Are you ready?"
"Yes, I am. More than ever."
