Chapter 26

Around noon jake was working in the kitchen at mary's place when his girlfriend came in;"Hey,baby,what brings you downhere?"

"I was getting bored at your place,so I decided to come downhere."answered she and sat down on the chair that was standing against the wall;"Why don't we go for a ride on your bike or something?"

"I wish that I could,but I have to work untill tonight."said jake as he pulled her into his arms;"But we can go for a ride after my shift,Vicky."

"No,I want to go now,jake!"started his girlfriend irritated and pushed him away;"I'm bored now."

"Then why don't you call up your sister and clear the air between the two of you,so that you can do something with her?"answered he;"I'm sure that marlee will listen to you if you were to call her up."

"Are you getting tired of me already?"asked Vicky angry;"If you want me to go away all you have to do is say so and I'll be gone."

"That's not what I meant!"said her boyfriend tired as he pulled her back into his arms and kissed her;"I love having you around all the time,Vicky,but I can see how much you miss spending time with your sister and being able to go for a ride on your horse and the way that you can get all of that back again is by calling up your sister to work things out between you and your family."

"Maybe you're right."answered she as she kissed him back;"How do you keep putting up with me while I'm being such a bitch to you,jake?"

"Probaly because I'm such a nice guy."smiled jake teasing;"But it isn't always easy."

"That isn't funny,jake ."laughed his girlfriend while she hit him softly against his stomach;"I'm not that bad!"

"Sometimes you are."answered he laughing too and kissed her again;"But I love every side of you,including your moods!"

At the 's mary just got home from the hospital and was looking for m.j. when she finally found her laying on the couch,where she'd fallen asleep,so she turned around and went back into the kitchen when cass walked in;"Hi,cass,what brings you downhere and where are kathleen and ray?"

"Kathleen is at home with ray and she doesn't know that I came downhere."started cass hesitating;"Where is m.j.?"

"She's asleep on the couch."saud his mother-in-law surprised;"Why didn't you tell Kathleen that you were coming downhere,cass,is everything okay?"

"I didn't tell her because I'm worried about her and I wanted to talk to you about what is going on between your two oldest daughters,mary."answered he;"Kathleen seems really angry at m.j. for some reason and it's almost as if she's angry at her for coming back."

"No,I don't think that is it,cass,I think that Kathleen feels like m.j. can get away with almost anything and because nobody except for her seems to be angry at her for staying away so long while everybody was really worried about her."started mary softly when they suddenly heard a loud scream coming from the livingroom and they both jumped up;"That's m.j."

"Is everything okay?"asked her son-in-law worried as he ran into the livingroom with mary and saw m.j. sitting on the couch,all covered in sweat and with her eyes wide open while she looked as white as a sheet;"M.j….?"

"You're shivering all over."said mary worried when she put her arm around her daughter to comfort her;"What's wrong,honey?"

"Nothing."answered she lying as she got up and grabbed her cain;"I just had a bad dream,mama,that's all."

"What about?"asked her mother not convinced;"It must have been pretty bad to make you scream like that."

"I said that it was nothing!"said m.j. irritated and turned towards cass who was staring at her;"What are you looking at,cass,don't you believe me?"

"I was just wondering who you were trying to convince here,m.j."began her brother-in-law slowly;"Us or yourself?"

"Just leave me alone!"answered she angry and went straight up to her room,slamming the door shut behind her;"Mind your own business!"

"What is going on with her?"asked mary a bit shocked about the way her daughter was acting as she turned towards cass;"I have never seen her act like this before."

"Neither have i."said her son-in-law also worried;"I'd love to know what happened to her in new York,because whatever it was it's giving her terrible nightmares right now."

Chad was laying on the couch in his hotelroom with his girlfriend;"What's up with you,Cheryl,eversince you got here you have hardly said two words."

"It's your sister."started she hesitating;"I think that she's starting to suspect something."

"Why do you think that?"asked chad surprised;"Did she say something?"

"Yes,it was really strange."answered his girlfriend;"Lastnight she suddenly started talking about the fact that she'd noticed that you and I were being really friendly towards eachother lately and then she asked me why I did even like you after what had happened two years ago."

"So,what did you tell her after she'd asked you that?"

"I told her that I have never blamed you for what had happened between my sister and adam,chad,and that we have always been friends since we met."said Cheryl;"And then I asked her what that was all about."

"What did she say?"asked he curious;"Do you really think that she might know something?"

"Yes,chad,I really do."answered his girlfriend annoyed;"She just said that she was a bit curious,but I think that she was trying to find out if there's something going on between us."

"Maybe you're right."began chad as he pulled her back into his arms and kissed her;"But dawn can try to find out all she wants,baby,but she won't find out anything that we don't want her to find out."

At the Hudson-company Michael had just come back from lunch with his wife when scott walked into his office;"I think that I might have a lead,Michael."

"What kind of lead?"asked he looking up;"What is it?"

"I think that I know how regioneld is able to steal deals away from you."answered scott as he closed the door behind him;"You've got a serious leak right here in your firm."

"That's impossible."said his friend irritated;"I can't believe that an employe of mine would betray me like that,scott."

"I know that it must be hard to believe that,but you'd better believe it."started he slowly;"The detective that our firm has hired for you found out that one of your employes has got a secret bankaccount and that he's been receiving a lot of money on that account."

"Who is it?"asked Michael shocked;"Who is working with regioneld?"

"Gregory daniels."answered his friend;"He has been working for you since a little over a year or so."

"Are you trying to tell me that he has been working for regioneld the whole time?"

"That's probably the only reason why he started working here."

"But I know his father and I've known greg since he was just a kid,scott,this is crazy."

"Kids don't always grow up to be like their parents,Michael."said scott with a faint smile;"Look at me and regioneld."

"Well,I'm going to make sure that he will regret ever betraying me like that!"answered Michael angry as he got up;"Nobody does that to me and gets away with it!"

It was just past three when m.j. just woke up in her bed,after having fallen asleep again earlier and tried to stop shaking again after another nightmare.

Just as she wanted to take a shower her cellphone starting ringing and on the display she saw it was aaron who was calling her,so at first she hesitated on wether or not she should pick up when she decided to answer after all;"Hi,aaron."

"Hey,baby."heard she him saying on the other end of the line;"How are things downthere with you and justin and your family?"

"Everybody is doing fine here."answered she;"How are things in there?"

"They are keeping me pretty busy."said aaron;"I wish I could fly back tonight because I'm really missing you and justin like crazy."

"We miss you too."started m.j. feeling guilty and quickly changed the subject;"How is the rest doing downthere,aaron?"

"They're all doing great,but they're really missing you and asking me when you will be back again."answered he and noticed that m.j. was acting a bit strange;"Are you sure that everything is okay there?"

"Ofcourse everything's okay,aaron,why wouldn't it be?"

"I don't know,honey,you sound a bit strange."answered he worried;"Did something happen while I have been away?"

"No,nothing has happened and I'm fine!"said m.j. lying;"Look,aaron,I have to go because justin is calling for me,so bye."

"I love you and i….."started aaron on the other end of the line,but was surprised when m.j. had hung up on him.

"Why does my life always have to be so damn complicated?"said m.j. to herself as she sat down on the bed;"Damn it!"