A New Day

Sami hadn't slept at all. She had stopped at her apartment to change her clothes before rushing of to the pub. Will was still sleeping but there hadn't been any signs of Lucas or him finding the letter she had left for him. It was the first good sign since Sami didn't really have the patience nor the energy to boost his ego that day or any other day. And she still needed to find another summer camp for her son. Those two Roberts men knew how to make her head ache.

"Sami! What are you doing here this early in the morning?"

"Good morning to you too granpa Shawn", she replied and climbed on one of the barstools.

"Yes, it is a good morning but what do you want dear girl?"

"How about a cup of green tea with a slice of truth."

"What did you say?" Shawn wasn't as surprised as Sami had hoped so she jumped right in:

"I need to know how this Brady-DiMera feud started. Stefano has made an offer for me to end this once and for all but I need to know how it started before I make up my mind."

"That man only speaks lies. Don't listen to him. Go home to Lucas and Will and forget the DiMeras", Shawn just said trying to escape the next moment. Sami stopped him at the door and showed her stubborn side:

"Maybe so but I need to know the truth. That's why I came to you. All Stefano said was that you know why. Tell me granpa", she begged without giving in an inch.

"Oh you look so much like her", Shawn said closing his eyes.

"What? Who? Who do I look like?" Sami asked before she could control herself.

"Come to the back and I'll tell you everything", Shawn said placing his hand on his heart.

Shawn went to the locker and searched for the pile of letters and for the small picture he had. The last picture he had of his older sister. He waited for Sami to sit down on the bed before handing her the picture:

"Her name was Colleen and she was my older sister until the DiMeras took her life."

"What happened to her?" Sami asked staring the old picture of a woman who could have been her identical twin.

"She was unfortunate enough to come across with an older, married man with a family", Shawn started his tale leering at Sami he finally said, "That man was Santo DiMera, Stefanos father." Sami met her grandfathers gaze trying to understand what she had just heard.

"Are you telling me Colleen was his mistress? What happened? Did he break her heart?"

"Worse than that. Santo seduced my poor sister and practically raped her only to abandon her for his wife and son. Then he took her life as she refused to give him her baby."

"Granpa, please slow down. Colleen had Santos child?" Sami was astonished.

"She would have if Santo hadn't kill her and the unborn baby", Shawn was stubbornly repeating the words and blaming Santo for everything.

"Granpa", Sami begged against her better judgement. It was clear that after so many years the subject was still sore for Shawn.

"Those letters you have there", Sami started speaking gently again, "Who wrote them?"

"Collen wrote these to a friend of hers. She didn't dare to tell our parents, not until it was too late. When Bridget, the friend died, she gave me these. Here, read them and I'm sure you'll see just how cold and scrupleless the DiMeras really are." Shawn touched the ribbon binding the letters together. Tears were in his eyes again and a lump in his throat. He nodded to Sami and walked back to the pub leaving her alone with the past.