When Sami walked downstairs later that day she hoped her parents would be gone even though she knew better. She found her living room empty but the french doors to her patio were open. She walked outside and found her parents sitting there. "You're still here." Sami noted.
"You didn't think we would give up so easily, right?" John asked, one eyebrow raised.
"Are you feeling better, Honey?" Marlena asked. She wanted to stand up and hug her daughter but she wasn't sure if Sami would be receptive.
"I'm good." Sami replied stoically, hugging herself.
"Will you sit down, please?" Marlena asked, nodding towards the empty chair across from her and next to John. John quickly got up and held out the chair for her.
Roman saw that Sami wasn't sure about her mother's request. "Please, Sweetheart?" He pleaded, hoping he still had some sway with his daughter and it worked, Sami sat down.
"So what happens now?" Sami asked. She wasn't sure what to do about her parents. Kicking them out of her house felt a little too extreme. They had always opened their homes for her when she stayed in Salem after all.
"First I'd like for you to eat something." Marlena said, nodding to the food that was on the table. John, who couldn't sit still, had been doing groceries and cooking to kill the time until came back down.
"I'm not hungry." Sami replied.
"Nonnegotiable." Marlena said strictly.
"I didn't know we were negotiating." Sami countered but the look her mother gave her told her she wasn't joking. "Fine." She relented and she put some salad and bread on her plate and took a bite. "Happy?"
"For now, yes." Marlena answered.
"You have a beautiful place here." John said, trying to ease some of the tension between mother and daughter. "I can see why you like it here so much."
"Thanks." Sami replied shortly. She had found the villa, overlooking a beautiful lake, when EJ was hospitalized in a city nearby and she fell in love with it immediately. It gave her some peace in the chaos.
"So what have you been doing here for the last 3 months?" Roman asked out of curiosity. Sami wasn't exactly the type that liked peace and quietness. Or at least she didn't use to be.
Sami shrugged her shoulders. "Not much." She lied. She wasn't about to tell her father that she spent most days hanging out with a guy Will's age and the evenings in his bar. With the exception of the weekends that Sydney was home of course.
"Then maybe it's time to come back home. You can come stay a-," Roman started but Sami interrupted him.
"Dad, no." Sami answered quickly.
"Why not, Sami?" Roman asked, trying to get her to open up.
"Why not? Are you seriously asking me that?" Sami asked, getting a little angry. Her father was there the day she was supposed to marry Lucas, the day her life blew up. And she was sure he was aware of what happened between Belle and EJ. Everyone in Salem probably was.
"Honey, your father is only trying to understand you and be there for you… we all are." Marlena said, backing-up her ex-husband.
Sami turned to face her mother. "I needed you to be there for me when I found my sister in bed with my husband…but instead you immediately started defending and protecting her."
Marlena took a deep breath, mentally preparing for the tough conversation ahead. "Is that why you've been pushing me away for months?" She asked.
"It's clear to me that you are on Belle's side and that she can't do anything wrong in your eyes so I just removed myself from the equation." Sami answered.
"That's not true." Marlena denied. "I know Belle made a horrible mistake sleeping with EJ and I'm sorry if it seemed like I was choosing her side but I was merely trying to wrap my head around what you were telling me and at the same time trying to keep the situation from getting any worse." She added truthfully.
"Any worse for Belle you mean…because it couldn't really get any worse for me." Sami said, crossing her arms.
"I just didn't want you to react out of emotion and do something you would regret…something that would push you and Belle apart forever." Marlena explained.
"Belle slept with the father of my children, the love of my life, but you were worried that I was going to do something that would push us apart forever?" Sami asked incredulously. How did things always end up being her fault?
"Yes, I was. The last time you and Belle had a big fight you released Jan Spears on Salem…in return she slept with EJ. I didn't want you to do something to get back at her again because then this will never stop." Marlena answered.
"Well it has stopped... I'm done. As far as I'm concerned Belle and I will never see each other again." Sami said, meaning every word.
"Come on, Sweetheart. You don't mean that." John said sadly. "She's your baby sister."
"I'm not saying this to hurt you but Belle is dead to me and believe me it's best for everyone that I'm on the other side of the world." Sami replied. If she and Belle would be in the same town World War 3 would probably break out.
"Okay but no matter what is going on between you and your sister I will never accept you not being in my life on a daily basis, whether you are in Italy or Salem." Marlena said, Sami didn't say anything but she did look a little guilty about ignoring her mother for months. "I mean it, Samantha Gene. You ignoring me is unacceptable."
"Okay fine I will be in touch more often." Sami compromised, in the hopes it would get her parents to leave. "but I'm still not moving back to Salem."
"Alright." Marlena agreed. "Then we are all staying here until we are sure that you are okay."
"Staying here in this house or staying in Italy?" Sami asked carefully, afraid to hear the answer.
"Johnny called your housekeeper and asked her to make up 2 bedrooms, so I guess we're staying here with you." Marlena answered confidently in the hopes that Sami wouldn't protest.
"What about your jobs?" Sami asked, she was a little shocked that all 3 of her parents left their responsibilities behind for her.
"You are our priority right now, Sweetheart." Roman promised. "The rest can wait."
Her parents prioritizing her did get to Sami a little bit because she couldn't even remember the last time someone had done that for her. She couldn't let her parents know they got to her thought. "Right…whatever…I'm going to get ready. I have plans tonight." Sami said, standing up before her parents confused her even more.
"May we ask what kind of plans?" Marlena asked, hoping Sami wouldn't go out drinking again.
"Believe me, you don't wanna know." Sami answered before getting up and walking towards the house.
Marlena sighed. "Okay but please don't drink and drive. Call us if you need us." She shouted after Sami worriedly. Sami ignored her and kept walking.
"You think we got through to her even a little bit, Doc?" John asked.
"Honestly… I don't know. Sometimes I think I catch a glimmer of emotion on her face but it disappears as soon as it comes." Marlena answered sadly.
"So what do we do now?" Roman asked. "She's obviously going out to get drunk again and god knows what else… I think we need to act before she hurts herself or someone else."
"She's an adult, we cannot force her to do anything." Marlena replied even though she understood Roman's instinct to act immediately.
"We're her parents, Doc. Aren't we supposed to help her with her decisions when she can't make rational ones herself?" Roman disagreed.
"I agree that Sami is not making the best decisions right now but she is far from mentally incomepetent." Marlena answered. "I do have one idea… but I don't think you're going to like it."
"Alright, what is it?" Roman asked, ready to hear anything that would help his daughter.
"Sami's issues aren't really with us…so we can be there for her but we can't fix the things that are wrong in her life." She explained.
"You're right, Doc. I really don't like where you're going with this…" Roman responded.
"You think we should involve EJ?" John asked and Marlena nodded.
Roman shook his head. "So she can get back together with that DiMera scum only for him to hurt her again?"
"Sami loves him and it broke her when she found out about Belle and him. I'm afraid he is the only one that can fix this." Marlena answered.
"He might be the only one that can get through to her." John agreed. "Or he will make things even worse."
"Well either way they have to talk things over and come to a decision about their future together instead of running away from their problems." Marlena said, having already made up her mind about what to do next.
—
The next morning Sami walked into her living room to see EJ sitting on her couch talking to her mother. "Great" She mumbled under her breath before addressing him "What the hell are you doing here?" She asked, stumbling further into the living room and throwing her purse onto the couch.
EJ stood up from the couch and looked Sami over; he could see she had lost some weight in the tight dress she was wearing and her hair was a few shades darker then she usually wore it. She didn't seem like herself and it was clear that she had been out partying all night. "Hello, Samantha. Your mother called me. She's really worried about you." He answered calmly. After Marlena called him about the state Sami was in, he immediately got on the DiMera jet and flew to Italy.
Sami let out a laugh "Wow she must be really worried if she called you of all people."
EJ took a few steps towards Sami. "Samantha, I am the man that loves you." He replied. He tried to grab her hand, hoping that some physical contact would warm her up a little bit.
Sami pulled away from him and almost fell over in the process. "I don't know who you are but you are definitely not the EJ I fell in love with and married." She said defiantly.
"Maybe not." EJ admitted. "But if nothing else I'm still the father of your children."
"Yes and now you're going to be the father of their cousin slash sibling." Sami countered sarcastically.
"Samantha…" EJ warned.
"EJ." Sami mocked, while pouring herself a glass of scotch from the side table. Her alcohol level needed to be higher if she were to deal with EJ.
"Why don't I give you two some time to talk." Marlena offered, standing up from the couch. She really didn't want to be in the middle of this fight.
"I have nothing to say to EJ. Frankly I don't know why you would call him." Sami said, looking at her mother questioningly and Marlena halted.
"I only want to help you, Samantha." EJ promised.
"I don't need your help." Sami replied, taking a sip of her scotch.
"Clearly you do, as you are stumbling into our family home at ten in the morning like some drunk teenager." EJ answered, getting annoyed by her pushing him away.
"Our family home?" Sami laughed. "You mean the home where you pushed me away and hurt me every chance you got?"
"You know I did those things because I was in horrible pain." EJ defended, trying not to let her bait him.
"Yeah, I know…boohoo." Sami rolled her eyes. She knew she was being hurtful but it was the only thing she could think of to push EJ away.
"Wow, really? This is how you're going to act over me getting shot and being in and out of hospitals for years?" EJ asked, a little shocked that Samantha was acting this way. "You know my life has been hell for the past 8 years."
"While my life has been just great... I mean as soon as you died I could sleep around with Lucas and Rafe and it was great raising 3 traumatized kids by myself while traveling around the world to look for you. But what I loved most was when your deranged mother brainwashed my child and made me think he was dead for over a year. Or no maybe it was when I ran into a fire to save your ass and all you did was hate me for it. So many happy memories it's really hard to choose just one." Sami said sarcastically and EJ just shook his head letting her rant.
"Sami, come on, this is not helpful." Marlena chimed in, almost feeling bad for EJ. She should have walked out when she had the chance.
"Or how about when your dear sister Kristen kidnapped and drugged me. Then when I broke out to try and save my family from her I got thrown in jail and blamed for shooting my own mother." Sami ranted on, not listening to her mother.
"I'm not claiming things haven't been rough for you too." EJ admitted.
"Actually don't worry about me…I'm off better despite all of it … because I now know that I can only count on myself." Sami said.
"You are not on your own. I know I haven't always been there for you the last few years but I will be from now on. I swear." EJ said. Sami just shook her head, not believing him. "Please just give me a chance to prove it, Samantha." He pleaded.
Sami hugged herself. "It's too late…I don't believe you anymore."
"I'm here, am I not?" He asked.
Sami laughed. "You're here because my mother called you." She shot her mother a look that let her know she didn't appreciate her calling EJ. At least her mother had the decency to look really uncomfortable.
"I always planned to come for you but I wanted to let you cool down a little first...then I found out Belle was pregnant." EJ explained.
"I do not want to talk about your latest oops baby." Sami said, referring to the times EJ got both her and Nicole pregnant by accident.
"Sami, come on. This baby is going to be your niece or nephew regardless of who their father is." Marlena intervened, sticking up for her unborn grandchild.
"I think it's pretty clear who the father is. Belle and Shawn have been trying to have a second child for years but they never could. EJ on the other hand only has to look at a woman and she gets pregnant." Sami exclaimed.
"Look Darling, I will take my responsibility as a father if this baby turns out to be mine but that doesn't mean we can't be together." EJ said.
"EJ, we are not getting back together!" Sami yelled, frustrated that he would even think that was an option.
"You have said that to me a thousand times before and yet you always come back to me." EJ replied.
"Well you have never slept with my sister before." Sami answered.
"If I can forgive you for sleeping with Lucas and believing him over me while I rotted away in prison then why can't you forgive me for turning to the one person that believed in me?" EJ asked.
"I could have if that person wasn't Belle... but you cannot ask me to forgive this…you know what it did to me that Austin, Lucas and even Rafe saw me as some sort of second choice for Carrie. You were supposed to be different." Sami answered sadly.
"I am different…you are my first choice always but when I couldn't have you I turned to the next best thing." EJ responded, trying to explain why he did what he did. He wasn't proud of it, especially after seeing how much it hurt Samantha.
"Carrie 2.0." Sami replied sarcastically.
"Samantha, you are the most beautiful, fierce and amazing woman in the world to me. I love you more than I love my own life." EJ said, not giving up.
"I have to go." Sami said, leaving before she actually started believing EJ again.
"Alright I'll be waiting right here. I'm not giving up on us." EJ called after her.
Sami stopped dead in her tracks. "EJ, I do not want you to stay in this house. In my house."
"Actually Darling this house still belongs to both of us but don't worry I'll stay in one of the guest rooms." He said and Sami sighed. "For now." He added with a smirk.
"Ugh I hate you!" Sami exclaimed before stomping out and up to her bedroom.
EJ turned around to face his mother in law. "Thank you for calling me, Marlena." He said sincerely.
"Well I do hope I made the right choice." Marlena replied, unsure if she did after the argument she just witnessed, but at least Sami had finally showed some emotions during her conversation with EJ.
"I will do everything in my power to make Samantha forgive me and I promise you I will start taking care of her once she does." EJ vowed.
"What about Belle? What are you going to do if Sami wants to stay here in Italy and Belle has your child in Salem?" Marlena asked.
"I will cross that bridge when the DNA test comes in... Samantha is angry right now but I truly don't believe she would make me choose between her and my child." EJ replied.
"Did you ever think that is part of the reason why she is so adamant about staying in Italy alone? So you will not have to make that choice?" Marlena asked.
EJ thought about what Marlena was saying and he realized that she might be right. "Maybe." He agreed. "Hopefully we'll know more tomorrow." He added, referring to the DNA test results.