A Place In the Sun

45

Gillian slowly climbed the stairs and went into her bathroom. She turned the water on steaming hot and poured in some lavender bath oil. As the water ran, she brushed her hair and piled it up on top of her head in a clip. She stepped out of her slippers and let her robe fall to the floor as she undressed. Gillian hesitantly put a foot in the water and then sat down, submersing her body.

She laid her head back against the tub. She wished that the soothing water could just take away all the pain that she felt. Without her daughter here, the worry left an immense emptiness in her stomach. And with Ryan acting as he was, she felt she had no one to turn to who really knew what she was feeling. She hoped Edmund would be able to talk some sense into him. Ryan always pushed people away when things got bad. He always felt he needed to take the blame. "Why does he do that?" Gillian closed her eyes as tears streamed down her face.

……….

"Kelsey, line 2," Jake said to her that afternoon at the hospital.

Kelsey picked up the phone and punched the button, "This is Dr. Kelsey Jefferson speaking."

"You sound so professional."

"Bobby," she smiled.

"I called your grandparents' house and Ruth told me you were at work," he said. "What are you doing there?"

"Um, working; you know, saving lives and all, it's what I do," Kelsey laughed, knowing what he was about to say.

"Shouldn't you be at home resting? I thought you were going to take it easy?"

"Bobby, everyone said I was okay. I feel fine; you did a good job taking care of me yesterday."

"So, can I treat you to dinner tonight?" he asked, figuring he shouldn't push it any more.

"I'd love to, but there's just no way. We're understaffed here and there's no way I can get out of here until morning."

"Don't tire yourself out," Bobby warned.

"I won't," she smiled at how over protective he was being. "Why don't we meet at BJ's for breakfast?"

"That would be great."

"9:00?"

"Works for me."

"I've got to get back to work," Kelsey said. "I'll see you then!"

……….

Edmund found Ryan in the library. Ryan's arms were folded on the table and he had his head resting on them. Edmund crossed the room without a word and took a seat in the chair directly across from him. He put his elbows on the table and waited for Ryan to acknowledge his presence.

"Just go away," Ryan mumbled, not raising his head. Edmund could see that Ryan's sleeve was wet from wiping his eyes.

"Sorry, I promised Gillian I'd talk to you," he said.

"I just want to be left alone," Ryan told him.

"Can't do that. You see, I just got together five million dollars to help get your daughter back, so I think you owe it to me to at least listen," Edmund said, standing up.

"Talk," Ryan said, raising his head and slumping back in his chair.

"You would think that a person would learn from his mistakes," Edmund began, "but sometimes we just keep making the same ones over and over again. Back when you and Gillian were married, you never thought you were good enough for her. You loved her so much and she was completely in love with you, yet you pushed her away until she filed for divorce because she thought that was what you wanted—"

"It is what I wanted," Ryan interjected, still not making eye contact.

"She got a divorce and left town. She was pregnant with your child, Ryan. Is that what you wanted? The two of you could have been so happy together raising Katalin; instead, she was living with Ray. Then she decides to come back to Pine Valley. She wanted so badly to tell you about Katalin but she didn't know how you'd react. Gillian had always seen through that front you put up. She knew that what you said and what you felt were two different things," Edmund said, sitting back down. "That's why she didn't know what you'd do when she told you that you had a four-year-old daughter. That's why she didn't tell you."

"I know that. I apologized for that," he said. "I love my daughter."

"Then why are you acting like this now? Gillian needs you now more than ever; you need to take care of her. I bet you need her, too. She doesn't need you to be going around blaming yourself; you are pushing her away. This is not your fault. I know Gillian has told you that and I'm telling you again," Edmund leaned forward in his chair. "We will get Katalin back."

It was a few moments before Ryan spoke. "What if we don't?" he said, finally raising his eyes to meet Edmund's.

Edmund sat down next to him as Ryan continued.

"What if the past week is all I ever get with my daughter?" Ryan said, all too quietly.

"What are you going to do to make sure that doesn't happen?" Edmund countered in an equally serious tone.

Ryan looked back down at his hands as he took a deep breath. Then, without saying a word to Edmund, he stood up from the table and rushed out of the room.

Edmund sighed and shook his head as Dimitri entered the room.

"I've got the money," he said, patting the briefcase hanging from his shoulder. "It's time to go."

……….

Ryan slowly opened the door to Gillian's bedroom. He saw her curled up underneath the covers, clutching the blankets to her chin.

He crossed the room and lay down in the bed and curled his body against hers, slipping his arm around her body. He rested his head on her shoulder and then softly kissed her neck, just below her ear.

Quietly, he whispered, "I'm sorry."

……….

The dinner rush at SOS had just begun when the phone rang. Tracy quickly picked it up on her way back to the kitchen.

"SOS, how can I help you?" she asked, somewhat out of breath.

Tracy could hear heavy breathing on the other end.

"Hello?" she asked impatiently. Then she realized who it was.

"Don't ever call me here again," she said, her eyes narrowing.

"You won't hang up," he finally spoke.

"Ray, I don't want anything to do with you or what you are doing to Ryan's family."

"Way too late," Ray said with a laugh. "I have a message for you to deliver."

"I'm not doing any more of your dirty work," Tracy insisted.

Ray laughed again, "You really don't have a choice. Just give Gillian this message."

Tracy's hand holding the phone trembled, but she did not protest again.

"Tell them that I got the money this afternoon. There's a lot I can do with five million dollars," Ray gloated. "Next, tell Gillian that in two days she is to be at the corner of 7th Street and Federal Avenue downtown at 11:15 in the morning. A black car is going to pick her up there at 11:20. Gillian will recognize the car. She is not to be followed. She is to bring only a small suitcase with some clothes for her and the child. She shouldn't expect to ever return to Pine Valley. Tell her it's the only way she's ever going to see her child again."

Ray's last sentence echoed in Tracy's mind. His tone of voice sounded so cold and calculated.

Tracy could hear Ray clear his throat.

"I'll do it," she said quietly, regretting the words the moment they left her mouth.