Chapter 22- What Nelle is Up To

Molly gasped and reached for Kristina's phone. She read the text out loud: "Found someone else. We are over."

Alexis' mouth dropped slightly, and she rubbed Kristina's back as she cried. "How could he be so cold about it!"

"I don't know," Molly said. "But I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!"

"I thought things were going so well," Kristina said.

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Alexis asked.

She shook her head. "I'll go see him myself."

Sam sighed. "Drew and I think his mind may have been meddled with too."

"If that's true then I do need to see him," Kristina said.

GHGHGH

When Sam arrived at the Quartermaine Mansion, Monica was lathering sunscreen on Wiley.

"Auntie Sam!" He ran over and hugged her leg. "Go home now. See Daddy."

Sam knelt down to his level and stroked his hair. To think he could be her grandson… No way… She couldn't be a grandma, that sounded so old. "You're going to stay here with Daddy Michael for a little while."

"No! Daddy at home."

"I was going to take Wiley to the park," Monica said. "Nelle has recruited me for nanny duties."

Sam sighed. "Well at least he's in good hands. I'll be sure to tell Lucas."

"Come on, Wiley," Monica said. "Let's go to the park."

Wiley pouted.

"It's okay, Wiley," Sam said. "Go with Great-Grandma."

Monica took Wiley's hand and led him out the front door. Sam headed towards the living room and heard voices.

"You broke up with her, good," Nelle said. "Next step, you need to get custody of Violet."

"Elizabeth wants her too," Chase said.

"I don't care what Elizabeth wants. You are her uncle. Oh… while you're at it. Maybe you can get custody of Elizabeth's youngest son too. She's marrying a sociopath, surely you can get enough evidence against her."

"What about her two oldest?"

"Nah… they're too old by now."

Sam rubbed her temples, wanting to turn around and go home. But the vision of her baby's ultrasound fell before her eyes.

She took a deep breath and pushed the doors open.

Nelle and Chase were sitting on the couch and Michael stood in a corner with his hands folded.

"Mom!" Nelle grinned and walked over and hugged her. "What a wonderful surprise."

"Yeah…" Sam said, feeling awkward in the hug. "Can I talk to you alone for a bit?"

Nelle frowned and crossed her arms. "You don't approve of Michael, do you? You're going to try to come between us!"

Sam groaned. "I didn't say that."

"Well, I don't feel safe talking to you without Michael here. Until I know what your intentions are."

Sam scrunched her face. "Okay…"

"Chase, you can leave though," Nelle said. "You need to start on the small task I've laid out for you."

Chase rose to his feet. "I'll get right on it." He walked out.

Nelle sat on the couch and patted the seat beside her. "Come sit, Mom."

Sam hesitantly sat beside her.

"What is it you wanted to talk about? You want to get to know me, right? You want to know about my likes and dislikes. Let me see…" She rubbed her chin. "I like being right. And I dislike Carly."

Sam sighed. "I guess we have one thing in common."

"Oooh, you like being right too?"

"No. I dislike Carly. Probably not to the degree you do though…"

She shook her head. "I'm so sick of her and her obnoxious family." She turned and smiled at Michael. "All except my devoted husband."

"Listen…" Sam said. "I'm willing to give this a shot… but I think you should go see Kevin."

The smile on Nelle's face faded and the glare she gave Sam sent shivers up her spine. "MICHAEL! I no longer feel safe. Escort my mother from the premises."

Sam gawked at her. "I'm just trying to help you."

Michael walked over and took Sam's arm.

"I don't need any help! You are a control freak just like Carly! Michael, get her out of my sight!"

"No need…" Sam tugged her arm away from him and walked out.

GHGHGH

Sam turned the knob on her parents' front door and screamed at what she saw. Her parents were half naked with their arms around each other on the couch. Sam whipped around and pressed her face against the door.

"Sorry—sorry Sam!" Alexis called out.

Julian sniggered.

"Not again…" Sam groaned.

"Just one more second…" Alexis said. "Sorry… okay we're good."

Sam slowly peeked and they were both fully clothed.

"Leo is at Lila's Kids… we thought we were alone," Alexis said.

"You don't have to explain… this is your home. I should have knocked."

Julian kept laughing.

"No, this is your home too, you don't ever need to knock!" Alexis panted heavily. "How did it go with Nelle?"

Sam groaned and collapsed on the couch. "Mom? Did you feel a connection with me before you found out I was your daughter?"

Julian crossed his arms.

Alexis sat beside her. "Yeah, I did. I didn't realize it at the time, but yeah."

"In what ways?"

"Well, I felt an urge to help you, like when I got you those abuse pamphlets. I just convinced myself that it was because I owed you for what happened with Danny and your baby. But it was more than that."

"And what about when you did find out?"

"I did feel a connection, yes. I didn't need a DNA test because deep down inside I knew it was you. Even through all the mess."

"Because I don't feel that with Nelle, whatsoever. I suggested she talk to Kevin and she went ballistic. I don't feel the slightest compelled to keep helping her. In fact, she disgusts me."

"Then maybe she's not your daughter," Julian said. "I think you should just stay away from her."

"But what if she is?"

"Okay, just take a step back then," Alexis said. "Wait until Spinelli can confirm or deny the evidence Nelle gave you. If he proves she's lying, then you're safe. If, however, he finds out she's telling the truth… We'll help you help her."

GHGHGH

With a few more hours until Danny and Scout would be finished their day at Lila's Kids, Sam went home and plopped herself face down on the couch groaning. She wanted more than almost anything for it to be a lie. For Nelle not to be that sweet baby girl who grew inside her. But more than that, she wanted her baby to be alive and well. Someone she would feel that same connection her own mother felt towards her.

The door opened and Willow leaned against the wall crying. Sam pushed some hair out of her own eyes and sat up on the couch.

"Willow? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry… I didn't know anyone was home." She wiped away her tears quickly and walked into the living room.

"Did something happen?" Sam asked.

"It's just my mother… Harmony… she came to see me at work."

"What did she say?"

She sat on the chair next to the couch. "She heard I broke up with Michael and she wants me to go live with her."

Sam felt her heart sink. "And how do you feel about that?"

"At first I was contemplating it, but then she showed me some brochures for a New Age-type group she's just joined in town."

Sam sighed.

"Apparently it's new and they don't have a lot of members. She's all gung-ho about their leader. Reminds me of how she was with Shiloh."

"What did you say to her?"

"I said I wasn't interested. She grabbed my arm tightly and insisted I join."

"Willow, that's awful. Would you like me to talk to her?" Sam offered.

She shrugged. "Thanks, but it's okay. I took the pamphlets."

Sam's eyes grew wide. "Are you thinking of joining?"

"I don't want to. I just want to feel close to my mom again."

"Were you close before Dawn of Day?"

"Sort of… not really. She moved us around a lot chasing spiritual groups. But at least she was more present before Shiloh." Willow rubbed her hands against her thighs. "I'm going to go to my room for a bit. I kind of need to be alone with my thoughts." She rose and headed upstairs.

Sam clenched her hands into fists, then pulled out her phone and pressed it to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Harmony, this is Sam McCall. I'd like to meet you for coffee."