Marlena and Sami were on their walk and having some small talk until Marlena decided to get to the point. "So Honey, I wanted to talk to you about what to do next." Marlena said.
"Right…step 3" Sami said, remembering her mother talking about step 1 and step 2 the day before.
"Yes, I guess you could call it step 3." Marlena agreed.
"So what's step 3 and how many steps are there?" Sami asked, wanting to know what exactly was expected of her.
"That's up to you, nothing is set in stone…I just don't want you to deal with all your problems at once and get overwhelmed." Marlena explained.
"All my problems?" Sami asked, standing still and looking at her mother questioningly. Sure she hadn't been doing great but it wasn't that bad right?
"Not sleeping, not eating, drinking, pushing away the people that love you." Marlena replied, giving her a knowing look.
Sami signed. "Mom, it's not like I'm some sort of alcoholic."
"Alright, good, then maybe your next step can be not drinking for a little while." Marlena proposed.
"I can stop drinking at any time." Sami promised. She wasn't sure she wanted to though, the only person that had made her feel good in the last few months was Maxi and when they spend time together it usually involved drinking and sex.
"But?" Marlena asked, sensing her daughter's doubt.
Sami thought about her answer for a few seconds. "I don't know, I've just been enjoying the Italian life for a while now you know…the weather, the wine and-,
"The men?" Marlena interrupted, referring to Maxi.
"That too." Sami admitted even though she felt a little awkward talking to her mother about that.
"So what makes you happier? The life you've had here for the last 3 months or the life that you had with EJ and the children?" Marlena asked, even though she already knew the answer.
"Mom…" Sami warned, not wanting to answer.
"Well?" Marlena asked, not relenting.
"The life I had with EJ and the children of course…you know all I ever wanted was a real family." Sami answered. She had never been happier than the time when she, EJ and the kids lived together in Salem all those years ago. The time that she could truly be herself and they all loved each other unconditionally.
"I know." Marlena answered with a soft smile.
"But wanting it and actually getting it are two different things though." Sami said.
"Yes, they are… but EJ is here to fight for you and I know the children really miss you." Marlena replied.
"So you actually want me to get back together with EJ?" Sami asked, surprised.
Marlena thought about that for a few seconds. "I want you to be happy and healthy." She answered.
"You're not answering the question, mom." Sami replied.
"You're right, Honey. You know that I was really happy when you told me that you were going to marry Lucas but I always had doubts about whether you loved him as much as you love EJ. And Lucas ended up hurting you as much as EJ ever has." Marlena explained.
"Yes, he did." Sami agreed sadly. Lucas had been her best friend and that was just one more thing on the list of things she didn't have anymore.
"I guess we all thought Lucas was better for you than EJ even though we all knew you still loved him." Marlena said. "And that makes me question my own judgment a little bit." She added.
"It's not your fault… I wouldn't even admit to myself that I still loved EJ let alone anybody else. When I believed EJ had me kidnapped I just shut down and stopped listening to my instincts." Sami explained.
"A little like you are doing right now?" Marlena asked, giving her a knowing look.
Sami realized her mother had a point. "I guess…" She admitted.
"And you thought we would just leave you here and let you do that for the rest of your life?" Marlena asked.
"Yes…" Sami admitted, she had not expected her parents to come for her at all. "I mean I figured maybe EJ would come after me if he really wanted me but he didn't so…" She trailed off.
"So what are you saying? It's too late now?" Marlena asked.
Sami shrugged her shoulders. "Everytime I see him I flash back to Belle coming out of his bathroom…our bathroom."
"I do truly believe that EJ and Belle only slept together because they were hurt over Lucas and you and Shawn and Jan." Marlena said, wanting Sami to have the full story before making any decisions.
"Maybe but there's so many other things wrong between EJ and I." Sami replied.
"Like what?" Marlena asked.
"Everything that happened when we lived here together…me cheating on him with Lucas, him not even looking for me when I was held hostage for 3 months, me believing Lucas over him and running away with him…the list goes on..." Sami answered sadly.
"Did any of these things make you stop loving EJ? Or make you love him less?" Marlena asked.
"No…" Sami admitted.
"Do you think EJ loves you less?" Marlena asked.
"No…maybe…I don't know." Sami answered. She really wasn't sure if this EJ loved her as much as the EJ she married all those years ago.
"Maybe you should talk to him? Take it from there." Marlena advised.
"Yeah maybe." Sami agreed. She realized her mother might be right, she and EJ needed to make some decisions about their future. "So that's step 3 then?"
"If you want it to be." Marlena said, giving her daughter a smile.
—
"Thank you for agreeing to have dinner with me." EJ said and Sami nodded. He had made some pasta for Sami and himself and they were eating out on the patio. Sami's parents had left for a little while so they could spend some time alone. "Why did you though?" He was a little surprised when Sami agreed to have dinner with him without putting up a fight.
"I realize I left Salem rather abruptly and that we didn't really have any closure." Sami answered.
"Yes, you did." EJ said, agreeing to the part about her leaving abruptly. "Why did you not stay and fight for us after you found out I was innocent?" He asked. Sami had kept fighting for him even after she found him in bed with Nicole.
"I've been fighting for you and for us for years and to no avail." Sami answered while playing around with the food on her plate.
"I don't agree. If it weren't for you I would still be a vegetable in some lab." EJ disagreed.
"Probably." Sami agreed.
"Do you regret saving me?" EJ asked carefully, afraid to hear the answer.
"Of course not." Sami said, looking up at him surprised. "I gave Sydney and Johnny their father back."
EJ was relieved that Sami didn't regret everything she did to save him. "So that's all I am to you right now? Their father?" He asked.
"EJ…" Sami warned, not wanting to get into all that.
"Just tell me the truth please. Do you still love me?" He asked.
"Of course I still love you. Love was never the problem between us." Sami answered truthfully.
"Then what is?" EJ asked, a little relieved. As long as she still loved him he believed they had a chance.
"That we can't seem to stop hurting each other." Sami answered.
"I want to stop hurting you, I want to be the husband you deserve." EJ promised.
"I think it's a little late for that." Sami said, referring to EJ sleeping with Belle.
"I know how much I hurt you when I slept with Belle…" EJ trailed off.
"No, it hurt me when you slept with Abby and Nicole. You sleeping with my sister ruined me…and us…and my relationship with Belle forever." Sami replied.
"Please don't say that, Darling' EJ pleaded, shaking his head. He did not only feel guilty about ruining his own life with Sami but also about ruining her bond with her sister and basically her whole family as a result.
"What exactly did you think was going to happen?!" Sami asked incredulously.
"I didn't think clearly…all I could think about was you being with that slimy bastard who put me in jail. It was driving me crazy and Belle was just there at the right time and place." EJ explained.
"Well I hope she was worth it." Sami answered, crossing her arm stubbornly.
"Nothing is worth losing you." EJ answered while grabbing her hand. "But back then I thought I already had."
Sami pulled her hand away from his. "The EJ I married would have moved heaven and earth to prove his innocence and get me back. You just let all of this happen and did nothing." Sami said in an accusative tone, even though she knew she wasn't being totally fair.
EJ sighed. "You're right." He agreed. "I know I haven't been fighting for you…probably because I was too stubborn and hurt but I will from now on. I promise." He added. Sami just kept playing with her food. "Can you just meet me somewhere in the middle?" He pleaded. "I'm not the only one who made mistakes here." He said referring to Lucas.
"I don't kn-," Sami started but they were interrupted by Sydney walking in.
"Mom, dad!" Sydney said as she made her way towards her parents.
"Sydney!" EJ exclaimed and he quickly stood up to hug his daughter. "I thought you wouldn't get here till tomorrow evening?" He asked.
"Hi Sweetheart." Sami said and she gave Sydney a tight hug as well. "Your dad's right, aren't you supposed to be in school?"
"I quit." Sydney said. "Surprise!"
EJ and Sami looked at each other shocked before they faced Sydney. "You did what?" EJ asked her.
"I quit school." Sydney said again.
"You're 16 years old, you can't quit school." Sami replied. "Besides, I thought you liked your school?"
"I do but I've decided that I want to go to a normal school instead of a boarding school." Sydney explained.
"Sydney you should have discussed that with us first." Sami replied.
"I did talk to dad about it." Sydney said, looking at her dad for help.
"What?" Sami asked, confused. "Why didn't you tell me, EJ?" She gave him an angry glare.
EJ held up his hands in defense. "Look Sydney and I discussed her going to Salem High next school year." He said. "You and I haven't exactly been in touch a lot but I was planning to bring it up later." He explained.
"You should have discussed it with me first before talking to Sydney about it." Sami sniped at him.
EJ's phone started ringing before he could answer. "Save by the bell." He said. "It's the school, I should take this." He walked inside so he could have the phone call in private.
Sami sighed and rubbed her temple. "Syd, what's going on? Did something happen at school?" She asked. She sat down and motioned for Sydney to sit down in the chair across from her.
"No, it's nothing like that mom. But dad and Johnny have both decided to stay in Salem and I want to be closer to them." Sydney explained and Sami shot her daughter a hurt look. "I want you to come back to Salem too of course!" She quickly added.
"Okay I can understand you wanting to be closer to your brother and father but I still don't understand why you didn't discuss it with me first?" Sami asked. "Besides, it's probably not even possible to change schools in the middle of the school year." She added.
"Okay maybe I was a little impulsive." Sydney admitted. "But dad told me he was here so I hoped we could all go back to Salem together."
Sami sighed. "A little impulsive? That's the understatement of the year." She said, even though she knew she knew it was a trait Sydney probably inherited from her.
"Come on, mom. It's not like you never make impulsive decisions." Sydney replied, giving her mother a knowing look. "Besides, I'm sure it will all work out." She added.
"Did your dad tell you why he is here?" Sami asked curiously.
"Yes." Sydney answered but she didn't elaborate.
"Okay... what did he tell you?" Sami asked.
"Look Johnny and I have both noticed that you are having a hard time." Sydney started. "So Dad came here to check on you."
"You think I'm having a hard time?" Sami asked, surprised. She thought she had hidden that particular fact from Sydney pretty well.
"I know that you haven't really been happy, mom." Sydney answered her seriously. "And how could you be after everything that happened the last time you were in Salem?"
'Honey, I will be fine. I promise." Sami answered her daughter.
EJ came walking back towards Sami and Sydney. "So that was the principal of Sydney's school." He said. "Apparently Sydney left a letter with his secretary telling him that she is moving away to the States and quiting school." Sami sighed in response. "He wanted to check with me if she was really leaving." EJ added.
"What did you tell him?" Sydney asked hopefully.
"I told him that I would discuss it with your mother and get back to him." EJ answered.
"So they will take her back if that's what we decide?" Sami asked, relieved.
"Yes, they will only process a transfer when it's requested by parents or guardians and of course a new school will need to be in place." EJ explained.
"Thank god." Sami breathed a sigh of relief.
"Mom, I don't want to go back to boarding school!" Sydney exclaimed.
"Sydney, we don't even know if it's possible to enroll you in Salem High in the middle of the year." Sami replied. "And your dad and I have to discuss this first."
"But it's my life and I'm old enough to make my own decisions." Sydney disagreed. "Dad, help me out here. You can get me into Salem High, right?" Sydney asked, giving her dad a pleading look. The look she knew usually worked on her father.
EJ looked at Sami and the look on her face told him not to argue with her. "Sydney, why don't you unpack your bag from school and let your mother and I talk?"
Sydney sighed. "Fine." She said and she went inside and up to her room.
"I can't believe you." Sami hissed at EJ. "You're here telling me you're going to fight for me but in the meantime you are trying to take my child away from me?"
"Don't be ridiculous." EJ replied. "I told Sydney we could discuss her moving to Salem at the end of the school year because I hope and believe you and I will be together again by then."
"I know you have a pretty big ego but have you ever thought about the possibility of us not getting back together? What if I want to stay here in Italy?" Sami asked him.
"You think it's fair to keep Sydney here away from the rest of her family because you don't want to go back to Salem?" EJ asked.
Sami sighed. "Look, we don't even know if Sydney really wants this. Maybe it was just a spur of the moment, impulsive decision."
"Like the one you made when you moved to Italy?" EJ asked, giving her a knowing look.
"It's not the same thing." Sami replied stubbornly, crossing her arms.
"You're right." EJ agreed. "Because Sydney is actually trying to be closer to her family and you're just running away from everyone." He added. "But guess what? We're not going to let you do that anymore."
"Whatever." Sami said while turning away from EJ. She was still a little skeptic about her parents and EJ suddenly showing up for her.
"Look Darling, why don't we agree to stay here for another week and let everyone think about what they want for the future including Sydney?" EJ offered. "In the meantime I will check whether it's possible for her to enroll in Salem High." He added.
"Okay, fine." Sami agreed.