Chapter 12
The next day Will got a call from EJ "Requesting" his presence. In other words he had to get there as quickly as possible without delay. Normally Will would be upset at being summoned like a servant but he knew that his dad was just messing with him as punishment for his blackmail attempt. Will did wonder how long EJ was going to drag this little game out but knowing his father the way that he did he could be stuck for a long time.
"Ah, there's my favorite intern." EJ said with a mocking grin.
"I'm your only intern."
EJ laughed, "You know, William, you should learn to take a compliment. You'll find in life they are few and far between."
"Thanks for the advice Dad. Do you need me for something?"
"Yes, I do. It's something of a, uh, personal nature."
"Okay, what is it?" Will asked puzzled.
"Well, as I'm sure you're aware, today's your sister's birthday."
"Yeah. We're having a party for her at the pub later."
"As we've both very successfully managed to piss your mother off, she has decided not to invite me."
"I'm pretty sure that's not the only reason why. Okay. You were saying?"
"William, I would like to spend a little bit of time with my daughter on her birthday."
"You want me to talk to mom for you?"
"Mm...no, actually I have a much better idea. I'm going to throw a little party here at the mansion, and I would like you to bring the guest of honor."
"You want me to bring Sydney here? You know my mom is never going to go for that."
"William, your mother and Kate are in Chicago, right? So they're not even going to be back until this evening."
"Meaning she won't have to know. Okay, no. What if Sydney tells mom about seeing you?"
"Well, it'll be too late by then, won't it, so it won't really matter."
"I'm not gonna do that. I can't.
"Why?"
"Because." Will said frustrated at his father.
""Because" is not an answer, William. You're really telling me that you're going to deny your sister the chance to spend a little bit of time with her father on her birthday?"
"This is about more than that and you know it."
"I know-let me tell you what I know. I know that your sister-my daughter-misses her father terribly, and I have an opportunity here, now, to be able to do something about that. Just let her come here. She can open some presents. She's going to spend some time with me, spend some time with Nicole. I know that would mean a great deal to her. William let me ask you something have I ever in your entire life forgotten or missed a birthday, a holiday, a special occasion?
"No not that I can remember. You even somehow managed to find a way into my graduation and then the party afterwards even though you were clearly not invited to either."
"See William despite what you may think of me you know that I have always always put you and your brother and sister first. And I am asking you not as your boss but as your father who misses his daughter terribly please?"
Will saw the look of pleading on his father's face and the sincere yearning to be with his child. "Can I ask you something Dad?"
"Of course anything."
"Is one of the reasons you keep me as your intern because you miss me? Or is it to keep me under your thumb?"
"Of course it's because I miss you. You cut me off cut me out of your life and im not ashamed to say I took the first opportunity to get you back even if it was through deplorable means. So you can understand why im asking you to do this."
"Well, yeah, she does talk about you." Will said grudgingly. His father could really make a case when he wanted to that's probably why he was such a good lawyer.
"Sh-she does?" EJ asks emotionally.
"Yeah, but if I bring Sydney here, my mom's going to lose her mind."
"William, that's the whole idea. Right? Hm?"
"Okay, well, I'll ask her, and if she says yes, then I'll bring her, and if she says no, I'm not going to kidnap her."
"Okay, fantastic. Well, I think we both know what that means. Come on, run along."
"You know, it's amazing how-how you always manage to get exactly what you want.
EJ chuckled as Will left. He was also rather gleeful he would get to see his daughter and he was making successful strides in getting his wayward son back. EJ did mean what he said but he had to admit if only to himself he did enjoy the advantage of having an inside man to help grease the wheels if only a little.
"I hope Sydney still loves the peanut butter and banana sandwiches.' Nicole fretted as she and EJ decorated for Sydney's party and wrapped presents.
"Oh, I think this is going to be a wonderful afternoon for everybody."
"I mean, Will has to be going behind Sami's back, hm?"
"So?"
""So"? Hey, why would he do that? And aren't you worried about the fallout?"
"Nicole, he's Sydney's brother, okay? She misses me, she misses you. And if Samantha doesn't want to make us a part of these festivities, then that's her problem."
"Okay, well...I'm still so excited to see her. She's growing so fast. I feel like it was just yesterday when I was still getting up for those 2:00 A.M. Feeds."
"Help with the bow... thank you. You never did complain about that, did you?"
""Complain"? Those were the best moments of my life. Are you kidding? I loved spending time with her. I still love her so much. I mean, in my heart...I'll always think of her as mine."
"Uh-huh."
"Okay, but not in some obsessive "I'm gonna kidnap her" way, okay?"
"Back to crazy town?" EJ laughed.
"Gosh. Im embarrassed."
"It's okay, I know. I know you love her and I love you for it."
"Daddy!" Sydney says as she runs from her brothers arms to crush her father in a huge hug.
"Ah-ha!" EJ replied as he caught his daughter.
Nicole gasped in excitement.
"There she is. Come here, birthday girl. Happy birthday!"
"Yay."
EJ chuckled his spirits lifted.
"Who's a big girl today-is it you?" Nicole asks.
"Me."
"Yes, it is! Bam!"
"Pow!"
"Let's do another bam. One more bam. Bam! Bam." Nicole said playing with Sydney.
"Thank you William you don't know what this means to me." EJ said to his son.
"Don't mention it."
"You didn't have any problems did you?"
"No it was easy and truthfully I cant wait to see Mom's face. Its going to be awesome."
Sydney's party got underway quickly. While Will was mostly motivated to bring Sydney to piss his mother off he had to admit it was good to see both his Dad and Sydney smile. Losing custody of Johnny and Sydney was hard on EJ. There was nothing in this world that EJ cared more for than his children and not being able to see them all the time hurt him bad. So while Will may have to face the wrath of Sami later he was happy that he could do this for his sister.
Will was surprised a little later when he saw his Aunts Jen and Lexie and Abe arrive. He could not believe the balls on his Father. He has him steal their jobs plan and undercut their campaign and then he goes and invites them over for a party. Either his Dad was incredibly good at separating his personal life from what he calls "Good Business" or EJ really wanted to rub what he did in their faces or both.
"Hello! Happy birthday, Sydney." Lexie said with a huge smile genuinely happy to see her.
Will was happy to see Lexie there if there was any Dimera that he liked it was definitely his Aunt Lexie. "Aunt Lexie how are you?" Will asked giving her a big hug.
"Im fine Will thank you for asking. How are you doing?" Lexie asked returning his hug.
"Im good thanks."
"Hey, look who's here," Nicole said pointing Theo out to Sydney. "You wanna go say hi to your cousin? Hi, Theo."
"Alexandra. Means a lot that you came. Thank you." EJ said sincerely.
"I'm here for Theo and Sydney, not you."
"Will? Hi." Jennifer said to her nephew thoroughly surprised.
"Hi. Aunt Jen, hi."
"I'm so surprised to see you here."
"Hi, Mr. Mayor. Oh, I'm just kind of the- nowadays, I'm sort of the go-between for my family and for my Dad." It wasn't a total lie as long as you shut your eyes and imagined being blackmailed and guilted into doing what EJ wanted a go-between.
"Well, that's, um...a big responsibility."
"No, not really. Uh, just, you know, now that I'm working for him, I'm here all the time."
"What? Wait, wait, back up. Did you just say you're working for EJ?"
"Since when?" Abe asked with concern.
"Since two weeks ago. I thought-I thought my grandmother told you guys. I'm just-I'm his campaign intern."
"Please tell me you're kidding." Jennifer said horrified.
"Well, if-if you want an internship, why didn't you come to me?"
"You were completely staffed Abe. Yeah.
"I would have made room for you in a heartbeat. Your family you know that all you would've had to do is ask."
"Absolutely. I mean, we could still shuffle people around so you can be on our team. Please, get out of this." Jennifer said frantically concerned for her nephews safety.
Will laughs nervously. "Um...thank you, guys, but I-I can't. You know, I really appreciate it, but-but I've already, you know, I've already committed to EJ, and if I leave now, I'd be- you know, it'd be unprofessional of me."
"Ugh. I can get it myself. Where's Father? It's not like him to miss an opportunity to spend some time with his grandchildren." Lexie askes her brother frustrated at her Father.
"Oh, well, this thing came together so quickly that I couldn't get hold of him. I tried his cell phone, left him a message."
"You know what that means. He's up to no good."
They both laugh and just enjoy each other's company without having to worry about politics or family drama.
"I saw Will earlier I didn't know that you and he had reconciled. When did that happen?" Lexie asked.
"Oh, well It was really rather unexpected. But I figured he'd come around eventually we are family after all." EJ said beaming a huge smile at her.
"That's great EJ. But don't you think you're putting him in an awkward position having him work for your campaign."
"Oh I wasn't aware you knew not that it's a secret. But I really don't see a problem with it."
"Really because on one side Will has his father running and then on the other his aunts and uncle. I know Will and family is very important to him. And I would hate to think that your using him to give you an edge over the rest of his."
EJ had to hand it to his sister she was clever and she could always see right through him just like their father. But the insistent moralizing of well-meaning people was becoming tedious and he did not need anymore "helpful" parenting advice from anyone even his own sister.
"Alexandra I understand your point I do but this isn't about that. As you well know Will and I haven't been on the best of terms recently which I take responsibility for. So when Will came looking for a job im not ashamed to admit I jumped on the opportunity. It's a good thing I did to because now were in a much better place. Will's internship is not about the campaign I assure its about me wanting to be close to my son. Is that really so hard to believe?"
"Your right EJ I'm sorry Will is an adult and can make his own choices and of course im happy your closer now."
"Its fine. Lets focus on Sydney it is her day after all."
"Look at the smile on her face." EJ said to Nicole as they watched Sydney play with Theo and her presents.
"Oh, my goodness, she loves being the center of attention, doesn't she?"
"She loves being with her family. That's why I'm going to win this election. I want my children to be proud of the DiMera name, not growing up ashamed of it like I did. Like Will did."
"Hey...I don't think you turned out so bad. Will loves you and turned out fine. You're a great father."
"Really? I think I could have done a little bit better, don't you? I want them to have all the things that I didn't have growing up."
"Look, I know you're dedicated to making that happen, and I believe that you will, but EJ...," Nicole sighs. "Even if you do win this election, you could lose your sister as a result."
"Nicole, that's not going to happen. Look, even if Lexie and I have some sort of fracture in our relationship for the moment because of this, she'll come back. She always does. William did after all. Oh, my goodness, I left the camera in the other room." EJ said not wanting to miss a single moment of this day with his daughter. He rushed out of the room to get a camera.
The Doorbell rings and one of EJ's flunkies drop off the debate questions. Nicole snatches them up and puts them away as quickly as possible while trying to be discreet.
"I think, um...I think the debate questions were just dropped off." Jennifer whispered to Abe.
"Nicole has them."
"Yeah. She put them, um...in the top drawer of the cabinet with the statue on it."
"It's now or never." Abe said
"Hey, sweetheart, this one's from me. You want to open it?" Nicole asked Sydney as she handed her a brightly wrapped present.
"You wanna help, Theo?" Lexie asks.
"Go for it. Theo, come on." Nicole encouraged. Not a moment later they were ripping the wrapping paper apart and smiling and laughing in excitement while they do it.
"See? Look what a great time she's having. You happy you brought her now?" EJ asked Will.
"You think this was fun? Just wait until my mom finds out she's here."
"One...two...three. Boom." EJ Chuckled.