I still can't believe I'm writing Sonny in a good light and as a good father lol. But since Nixon Falls, he has been much more decent on the show. I like "Smike" as the Nina haters call him.

Chapter 33- Trust Issues

When Willow arrived at the Metro Court with Wiley and Amelia, they told her that a suite was already made up for them and that they were ordered to give them unlimited room service. When they walked into the suite, there were packages of diapers, wipes, formula, and a bunch of snacks waiting for them.

Wiley kept asking where Daddy was all week and Willow wasn't sure what to tell him. She ended up saying they were just having a little holiday and Mommy needed time to think. Both Michael and Nina kept calling to check on them. Willow answered the first time but really didn't know what to say or who to trust. Nina also dropped by to see her, and Willow would let her in, but she was very quiet.

What she didn't tell Nina and Michael was that she had started feeling dizzy again and was struggling to care for Wiley and the baby.

"Mommy, I miss Daddy," Wiley said one morning. "Our holiday is no fun anymore."

Willow sighed. "Maybe you can see Daddy on the weekend. We can also call him tonight if you want." She plopped down in a chair, exhausted from another restless night with Amelia. But she groaned when there was a knock on the door.

It was Carly.

Wiley ran over to her. "Grandma Carly!"

"Hey, buddy." She hugged him. "Can you go to your room and draw Grandma a picture? I need to talk to your mommy."

"Okay!" He ran to the bedroom.

"What is it, Carly?" Willow asked.

"Michael is very distraught," Carly said. "He misses you and the kids."

Willow frowned. "I just need time to think. Maybe he can see the kids this weekend."

"See the kids? You're making it sound like he'll just be visiting them. He's their father."

"And I'm their mother," Willow said.

"And are you planning on keeping them from me and Michael for the long-term?" Carly asked.

"I don't know. I need time to think. Then maybe I can sit down with Michael, and we can talk."

"You can't take Michael's children away," Carly said. "Don't forget how we let you be Wiley's mommy."

Willow chewed the inside of her cheek.

"I need to go see Morgan," Carly said. "But we'll be in touch."

GHGHGH

Nina smiled when Sasha opened the door to her apartment. "Hey, Sasha. I was wondering if I could talk to you?"

"Sure." She let Nina in and they sat on the couch. "What's up?"

"My mind is just all over the place," Nina said. "Both of my daughters are alive. I don't know where Nelle is, but Curtis is working like crazy trying to find her. And just as I started making progress with Willow, she's pulling back again. I'm worried about her."

"I heard she left Michael," Sasha said. "But I heard it through Brooklyn and Chase. I haven't seen nor talked to Willow since the wedding."

"Yeah, she and the kids are staying at the Metro Court right now. You see, right before the wedding she was starting to accept me and even wanted me part of the wedding. When Dex showed up and held her at gunpoint, she came to me right after. She didn't go to Michael or Carly, she came to me. But ever since, she's not answering my phone calls and when I do go over she's very quiet."

"Well, it sounds like she's dealing with a lot right now. While she's been doing better, she is still battling cancer, she's learning to accept her new family, she's just gone through the trauma of almost losing Amelia and then she was almost shot by Dex, and now she's left Michael. It might not even have anything to do with you. Maybe she just needs time to process everything."

"I just worried about them staying in a hotel room," Nina said. "She needs someone to take care of her, yet now she has to care for a four-year-old and a one-month-old all by herself. I don't want her to set back her recovery…. So, I wanted to ask you a favour…."

"Of course, anything."

"I think we should all rally around her. Let her know that she's not alone. Could you check on her for me? Maybe she'll let you in more than me right now."

"Yeah, I'd love to go see her," Sasha said. "I'll do anything to help."

GHGHGH

Michael was sitting on the couch at the gatehouse, still in his pajamas. He hadn't shaved in a few days and his hair was unkempt.

There was a knock at the door but Michael kept staring at the hockey game on TV, though he wasn't really paying attention to it.

Another knock.

"What?" Michael called to the door. "If it's you again, Brooklyn, I'm not up for coming to the house for lunch."

"Michael, it's me." It was Sonny's voice.

Michael groaned. "What do you want?"

"To see you."

Michael tapped his foot against the floor, then finally got up and answered. "Why do you want to see me?"

"I'm worried about you," Sonny said. He scanned him up and down. "When did you last shower?"

Michael shrugged and plopped back down on the couch. "Night before the wedding, I think."

Sonny walked in and sat on the chair next to the couch. "You've gotta get out of this rut, Michael."

"What's the point?" Michael asked. "Willow left me. I don't even know if I'll get to see my kids again. Maybe this is how AJ felt."

"Willow's confused right now. I don't know if you'll get back together. Maybe you will, maybe you won't. But you have two kids to focus on. If you just stay on the couch all day and never shower or dress, how do you expect to be a father to your kids?"

Michael stared at the TV again. "Did you see the way Willow looked at me after Dex spilled to her that I hired him? And she ran to Nina. She didn't come to me, she went to Nina of all people."

"Well, Nina is her mother," Sonny said. "She's allowed to bond with people outside of your family. She has a lot of things to sort out right now. She just heard an earful about all of us from Dex so she needs to process it and to figure out if she can live with us or not."

Michael finally looked at Sonny. "And why aren't you angry? Why are you coming around to see me after you found out about Dex?"

"Because you're my son."

"And you're just okay with me trying to take you down?"

Sonny sighed. "No. But no matter what you do, no matter what you say, and no matter how you feel about me, I will always love you. Never question that."

Michael smiled a little, then cleared his throat. "I'm also a bit angry with Mom."

Sonny nodded. "She's made a lot of mistakes."

"Not just mistakes. She risked Willow's health by not just withholding the truth but also by actively sabotaging Drew's search. And don't get me started how she made us all think she was Willow's hero."

"I'm not pleased with your mother at all right now."

"She did it for revenge," Michael said. "She risked Willow's health just to get back at Nina."

"You have a lot to process right now too," Sonny said. "It's okay to be angry. It's okay to be confused. Just try not to let these emotions overpower you."

GHGHGH

Dante sat on the couch with Morgan. "Come on, man. Why don't you get out to Kelly's or go for a walk or something?"

Morgan shrugged. "I don't feel like it."

"I know you're readjusting to things. You were at the friends for how long?"

"Even longer than Nelle was. Five or six years."

"And you're worried about your wife," Dante added.

"Nelle is everything to me." Morgan looked at Dante. "She's not the same person you all knew. She's gentle. She's meek. I don't know how she'll survive out there without me."

"Well, maybe she's a lot stronger than you think she is. Maybe she'll find her way back to you."

"Morgan?" Sam appeared in the doorway. "Your mom is here to see you."

Morgan balled his hands into fists. "Get her out of here. I never want to see her again."

GHGHGH

Willow took the kids down to the dining area for lunch. She was beginning to feel weak again, so she pushed Amelia in the stroller. Just before they reached the table, her vision clouded and she dropped her knees. But she grabbed onto the stroller before she actually fainted.

"Mommy!" Wiley held her hand.

Willow put her head between her knees to get the blood flowing to her head. "Sorry, buddy. Mommy just needs a minute."

"Willow?" Sasha walked up behind her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm okay. Just felt a little lightheaded. I think I just need to eat something."

Sasha helped her to the table. "Can I join you?"

Willow smiled as her vision started to clear. "That would be nice."

Wiley's face lit up when a clown walked in and started making balloons for the guests. "Mommy! Can I go see the clown?"

Willow nodded. "Just stay where we can see you."

Wiley ran over to the clown.

"So, how are you?" Sasha asked. "I heard you left Michael."

Willow nodded. "I'm just starting to realize that Michael, Carly, and Josslyn aren't so perfect after all."

"Right. No one is perfect."

"But it's extreme. Michael was taking revenge on Sonny for choosing Nina. He brought Dex into our lives who ended up kidnapping our daughter. Then he held me at gunpoint. And Carly's lies and Josslyn's hypocrisy. They're all hypocrites. I just don't know if I want to deal with that anymore and I don't know if I want my kids around that. They just seem to hate everyone yet think they can do anything they want. And Carly seems a bit controlling too."

Sasha nodded. "They're all very strongheaded."

"I just don't know who I can trust."

Sasha reached for her hand. "Well, you can trust me."

Willow smiled at her.

"And how are you feeling about Nina?" Sasha asked. "How are things going with her?"

There was a long pause. "We were getting along really well. I've been enjoying having her around."

"But?"

"But… I don't know if I can trust her either."

"Do you think she's going to hurt you or disappoint you?"

"I don't know," Willow said. "I don't know if it's even about her."

"What's bothering you?" Sasha asked.

"She asked me and the kids to move in with her."

Sasha nodded. "Nina mentioned that. You said you thought it's too soon and her apartment wouldn't be big enough?"

"It's not even that. I just told her that. Part of me wants to try it. I don't like my kids living in a hotel, no matter how big it is."

"Then what is it?" Sasha asked.

"It—it sounds like Nelle is alive. And I know I should be grateful for her bone marrow, which I am. But I don't know if I can deal with her. Nina is bound and determined to find her… which I completely get. If one of my children were missing, I'd move heaven and earth to find them, no matter that they did. Even if they were psycho like Nelle."

"Are you worried she's going to cause trouble again?"

"Maybe. Morgan insists that she's changed but I don't know if I can trust that. I mean, she attacked me, slit Brooklyn's throat, and kidnapped Wiley. How do we know she won't take Wiley again? And if she has really changed… is Nina going to help her be Wiley's mother? If Nelle wants him, will Nina take her side? I don't want to lose him. He might be my nephew by blood, but in my heart he's my son."

Sasha frowned. "Those are very valid concerns. And Nina might end up being in a tough spot if Nelle returns and wants to be in Wiley's life. She might feel like she has to choose whether to help you or to help Nelle. But that's something Nina is going to have to figure out. That shouldn't be your concern. You've been Wiley's mommy these last few years and he loves you. If you want a relationship with Nina, then that should be separate from Nelle, from Michael, and anybody else."

GHGHGH

After checking on Michael, Sonny headed over to Dante's house. When he arrived, Sam had just started serving lunch and everyone had gathered around the table, including Morgan.

"Hey, Grandpa!" Rocco jumped up and hugged him. "Did you come for lunch?"

"Hi Uncle Sonny." Scout got up and hugged him too. Danny just waved at him.

Morgan sighed.

"Yep, I invited him," Dante said.

"You invited him?" Morgan asked.

Sam set an extra place at the table. "I hope you don't mind sandwiches, Sonny."

"Mom's not a good cook," Danny explained.

Sam smacked his shoulder.

Sonny sat beside Rocco and across from Morgan. He took a bite of a peanut butter and jam sandwich. "Mmm. Delicious."

Morgan was quiet while they ate, and the kids kept laughing at Sonny's jokes. Once they finished, the kids helped Sam clear the table and they headed upstairs so Sonny could visit his sons.

"How are you doing, Morgan?" Sonny asked. "Are you enjoying it here at your brother's?"

Morgan glanced over at Dante. "Dante and Sam are great. But I need to find Nelle."

Sonny nodded. "Curtis, Spinelli, and Sam are working together to find her. And I will do anything I can to help as well…. Hey, look at me."

Morgan finally made eye contact.

Sonny started to choke up. "I'm so relieved that you're alive. Losing you and believing you were dead was the worst pain I've ever experienced in my life. You are my son and I love you."

GHGHGH

"How did it go?" Nina asked as she let Sasha in.

"I'm worried about Willow too now," Sasha said. "When I arrived, she dropped to her knees. She said she was lightheaded but was fine after she ate. Though she didn't eat much at all."

Nina sighed. "As angry as I am with Carly, I'd almost rather Willow stay with her so at least she wouldn't be alone right now. But I wish she wasn't pulling away from me again."

"Honestly, Nina, it's not even you. Not really. She explained to me that she's nervous about you and Morgan searching for Nelle. It's Nelle she's concerned about. She's worried she'll want to take Wiley. The only she's worried about when it comes to you, is that you might side with Nelle and help her take Wiley from her."

Nina frowned. "I wasn't even thinking about that. All I can think about is being a mother to both of my daughters. I want both of them with me. But… I don't even know what I'd do about Wiley. Will I have to choose between them?"

"If they were to take this to court, I'm sure that you could say it's a conflict of interest and stay neutral."

"I hope so."

GHGHGH

Willow rubbed her clammy forehead as she stepped off the elevator with Wiley and Amelia in the stroller. The room was beginning to spin and her vision clouded again. They headed down the hall and Willow reached in her pocket with a shaky hand to grab the room key. She let go of the stroller and dropped to the floor blacking out.

"Mommy?" Wiley bent down beside her. "Mommy, what's wrong?"

Amelia started crying.

"Amelia, don't be sad," Wiley said. "Mommy, wake up."

After a few minutes, Wiley ran down the hallway to a random door and knocked.

An older blonde woman opened the door.

"Help me, my mommy fell."

The woman lowered herself to his level. "Don't you worry, dear. Your guardian angel Lin is here to help."