CHAPTER SIX

"I'm coming!" Liam Robertson ran towards the door after hearing the doorbell ringing incessantly. He was stunned when he saw the little blonde girl standing right before his eyes.

The two held a stare for a few seconds. Liam then crouched down to her level and asked her, "Arianna what are you doing here?"

"Are you really my dad?" She asked.

He was completely caught off guard. He did not know how to respond to the question.

"Yes, Arianna. He's your dad." Liam heard another voice. He looked behind Arianna and saw Sonny Kiriakis standing there.

Liam stood back up in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I come here for you." Sonny declared. "I want you back."

Liam's heart skipped a beat. He never thought he would be this overjoyed hearing those words.

The brunette quickly grabbed Liam's hand and held it firmly.

"Come home to me." Sonny Kiriakis said gently.

Before Liam could say anything, the phone rang.

"Who the hell is interrupting my sleep?" Liam Robertson groaned before picking up the cordless phone.

"Hello?" Liam greeted before he yawned.

"Hey there boy!" Ernest Barrino greeted. "You free to meet up?"

"Paul, so glad you could be here today!" The CEO of In-Print Modelling Agency greeted.

"I hope you got some good news Wyatt!" Paul Narita really needed to focus on something new after all that has happened.

"Well, I got you got a photoshoot for Topman!" Wyatt laughed.

Paul Narita's heart sank.

"Topman, really?" If he were truly honest with himself, he was more used to high-end fashion. This was a new direction.

"So, just curious. How much am I going to be paid?" Paul tried to inquire as tactfully as possible.

"Around two grand?" Wyatt answered.

"Oh." A word of dismay came out of Paul's mouth.

"Look, I know you need a bit of time to adjust. But this is how the real world works." Wyatt laid the cold hard truth down.

"I'm not complaining." Paul defended gently.

"But I know you are disappointed. Look compared to other models, you are getting a handsome paycheck. They would only get a few hundred for this." Wyatt disclosed.

Paul let out a disappointed sigh.

Liam Robertson entered his father-in-law's office.

"How you doing my boy, take a seat!" Ernest told him.

"What is it you would like to talk to me about?" Liam asked.

"Well, I would like to talk to you about Zeke." Ernest sighed.

"Seeing Remonda in the hospital, I really don't know how to console him." The blonde sighed. "I mean if that was Devon." He sighed once more.

"He hasn't left the hospital ever since." Ernest informed. "Emoni stole his keys while he was sleeping and went to his apartment to pack some fresh clothes for him."

"Has the police found who shot Remonda yet?" Liam asked.

"Sadly, no." Ernest shook his head disappointedly. "At this rate he's going, he can't manage anything. Which is why I asked you here today. I need you to take over as church choir director"

"Me?" Liam raised his eyebrows. "I'm not really good this arrangement thingy. Sure I can arrange some music but me a director? Come on Ernest! A white boy directing in front of a pre-dominantly black and latino crowd? Get out of here!"

"In the past, I'd always hear from Tameka that you helped her with some of the arrangements when she was the choir director." Ernest contended.

The mention of her name caused Liam to shrink, leaning backwards against the chair.

"I'm sorry Li, I shouldn't have…" Ernest tried to apologize.

"Don't be…" The blonde shook his head, "I have to get to use to it eventually." He took in a deep breath and exhaled through his nose. "So what were you saying?"

Knowing that he didn't want to talk about Tameka any further, Ernest just went on with his agenda. "Just tell me you will think about it okay?"

Liam nodded his head in acknowledgement. Just then, his cellphone rang.

"Hello?" He greeted.

"Li, meet me at the restaurant now." Alfonso said.

Sonny Kiriakis sat in his office trying to finish up some of his work.

"Yo boss!" A waiter entered the office. "The stock guy is here."

"I will be right out!" Sonny replied. He tidied up his desk and close his files. Just as he was about to place the files in the drawer he saw a photo, he saw a photo in the drawer. The photo was enclosed in a black photo frame. He gazed at the picture of Will and those piercing blue eyes which stare into your soul. The same pair of eyes which used to look at him lovingly. Little did he expect that those were the same set of blue eyes that looked at him with apathy.

Sonny quickly put the picture and the rest of the files back into the drawer, telling himself to focus at work.

"What did you do?" Alfonso Rodriguez interrogated.

"What do you mean? You need to be more specific." Liam seek clarification.

"You know what I'm talking about so cut it." Alfonso's said gently yet sternly. "Dorcas came to my office. She passed me a cheque telling me it's reimbursement for maintenance."

"Wow, she finally paid every cent back?" Liam act amused.

"What did you do?" The latino repeated his question. "You can fool the whole world but I've been your best friend since culinary school!" He glared at the blonde.

"Relax Al! All I did was show her the receipts and tell her she needs to pay for them. You know I hate it when people don't clear their debts!" The blonde defended.

"Then why did she enter the restaurant with a brand new contract with a cut in rent?" Alfonso questioned further.

"It's called the art of negotiation." Liam smirked. "You're thinking too much homie! I did what I can do so you don't need to worry too much!"

Alfonso raised his eyebrow wearily for a few seconds.

"Fine, I believe you." Alfonso decided to give him a benefit of a doubt. At the end of the day, he knew that Liam would not harm him. "So anyway, I asked you here for another reason. But first things first, have you found a job?"

"I got a few job offers in Manhattan. But I don't want to be too far from my fam." Liam sighed. "There's also this French restaurant in Brooklyn which I'm considering but you know Italian is my specialty."

"I hesitated talking to you about this. But I have discussed this with Felicita over and over." Alfonso placed his elbows on the table and leaned forward. "I would like you to come back to the restaurant, be my right-hand man."

Liam's eyes widened. "Wait, what? Are you sure about that?"

"You built it up from the bottom. You are the founder of this place. I think it's time for you to come home. With you around, I can have more time with Felicita and our child." Alfonso smiled. "Besides, I really do miss you and I want you back. However, if you do return, there is one thing I want you know."

"What is it?" Liam asked.

"You may be the one who built this restaurant from the ground up, but remember that I own this business now." Alfonso warned. "I value your opinion greatly, but I don't want you taking control of everything. I know you are thinking of me when you handled this Dorcas situation but you need to know this is now my restaurant, and I will be your boss. This means I call the shots."

Liam contemplated for a few seconds. What Alfonso asked was reasonable. This place now belongs to him. He couldn't go call the shots as and when he please.

"If you are willing to accept these terms, you're hired. So what do you say?" Alfonso asked.

"Al, you are my best friend. You're practically a brother to me." Liam smiled. "When I was struggling through culinary school, you were willing to come over to my place and tutor me after class and a year later, we graduated! Besides my family, you are the most important person to me. So yes, I'm will accept your job offer on your terms"

"Well then it's settled then. Welcome back to The LT!" The two stood from their chairs and give each other a bro hug.

Sonny Kiriakis unlocked the door to his home and pulled the keys out.

"Hey Sonny." He heard a voice from the couch.

"Dad… what are you doing here? And what's with people entering my house without my permission?" Sonny said with sarcasm.

"Gabi told me I can wait for you to come home while she and Ari go to the hospital to see JJ." Justin Kiriakis explained.

"Look if you are here to talk about getting back together with Paul, you can save it. Yes, I have feelings for him. Yes, I still think about him daily but it's over!" Sonny lashed out in an annoyed tone.

"I'm not here to judge you or push you to get Paul back." Justin raised his hands up. "I just want to take my son out for coffee. Is it ok if I do that?"

Sonny slowly put down his defenses. He let out a sigh. "What would you like to eat?" he asked.

Liam Robertson decided to make another visit to the hospital. It has been days since his niece was shot. Everyone in the family took turns to check on Zeke and how he was holding up.

"Hey Zeke! I brought some leftovers from The LT today." Liam placed the plastic bag on the overbed table. When he turned his head, he saw the black man, staring at his daughter, completely forlorn.

"Come on Zeke!" The blonde quickly went behind him, tapping his shoulders a few times. "It's time for dinner."

"Leave it there… I will have it later." He answered despondently.

"Well, Tamela told me to watch you have your dinner. I'm not allowed to leave until you do. If she finds a full meal that hasn't been eaten later tonight, she will chase me around the house with a broomstick! Her words…" Liam said dryly. "Unless you do not want me to whoop your ass after she whoop mine, you better have some dinner."

Zeke quickly turned around and picked up the plastic bag. He proceeded to the coffee table beside the window and took the container out. Liam took the seat opposite from him.

"Ravioli," Zeke raised one side of his lips when he opened the container. "This is Remonda's favourite. You know when she was 12, she was extremely overweight. She would beg me to make spinach ravioli but I just wouldn't agree to it."

Not knowing what to say, Liam looked downwards.

"Remonda's mother ran away when she was just four." Zeke turned back to look at his daughter. "Since then, we are all each other has. She's my baby girl. She's my everything."

Looking at his brother-in-law raving about his daughter, Liam's mind slowly drifted to thoughts of certain seven-year-old girl. Images of her blonde pigtails and blue eyes flashed in his head.

"Thanks for helping me set up a date for Daddy Sonny and Paul! You're the best!" Arianna ran towards Liam and gave him a warm embrace.

"Snap out of it!" Liam quickly told himself, focusing his attention back on Zeke.

"I can't lose my daughter, without her I'm nothing." Zeke began bawling away.

"Trust me, I know how that feels." Liam mumbled.

"So how have you been?" Justin Kiriakis asked his son as two took a seat on the bench in Horton Town Square.

Sonny Kiriakis remained quiet.

"You can tell me, I won't judge." Justin assured.

"How can I say something I don't even know how to explain?" Sonny exhaled. "I can't even sort my feelings out." He took a sip of his coffee.

"How are things with Paul?" Justin asked.

"I don't know." Sonny shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't spoken to him in ages."

"Then what about…" Justin hesitated for a moment before spitting the name out. "Will?"

Hearing that name gave Sonny goosebumps all over. He still could not believe that his husband was under his nose the whole time and he couldn't recognize him.

"He changed his number. I called him and they said the number wasn't in use." Sonny said reluctantly.

"Do you want him home?" Justin asked once more.

"Of course I want him home!" Sonny stated the obvious, "I want to wake up to his scent every morning. I want to see his smile again. I want to hold him in my arms again! Do you know how long it took for me to finally accept his death? And now he's back, I… I just want him again." Sonny said in low spirits.

Justin Kiriakis moved closer to his son and placed a hand over his shoulder.

"Son, my advice for you would be to…" Before Justin could say anything else, Sonny stopped him.

"No Dad. Paul and I can never happen again. Especially after what just happened. You know it, I know it, we all know it. So please stop." Sonny pleaded.

"What I was going to say is if you want him back in Salem, then you should go get him." Justin told him calmly.

Sonny's eyes widened. Considering that he was one of the few who wanted him to end his marriage and be with Paul, he did not expect him to say that.

"Dad… I… I…" Sonny stammered, "I don't know what to say."

"You're surprised I'm saying this." Justin giggled. "In the past, I would've said go for Paul. But after everything your mom and I been through, I have learnt that what I have with your mother, is worth fighting for. I've learnt that our relationship, our marriage, is worth fighting for. But what you need to do is fight for a second chance at this."

Sonny was too surprise to say anything.

"If you want him back, don't just mope around. You got to make a move. Get the first flight to New York! You told me to fight for your mom and I. Now it's my turn to tell you, go get him back!" Justin motivated.

"You're serious about this, aren't you?" Sonny furrowed his eyebrows.

"Of course I'm serious!" Justin stated obviously. "You want him, you got to let him know! I mean, he probably left only because you were with Paul. Now that's out of the way, what's stopping you?"

Sonny knew his father was right. If he wanted his husband to return, he needed to bring him back himself.

"Good night, D! Sweet dreams!" Liam Robertson kissed his two-year-old son's forehead before turning off the lights and leaving the room.

He entered his room and sat on his bed and thought about the tough time Zeke is facing. Most people wouldn't understand, but he knew. He knew what does it feel like to lose his daughter. Liam pulled opened the drawer of his bedside table and carefully took out a photo which Gabi had given him before he left Salem.

"This is a picture of Arianna." Gabi passed Liam the photo.

Liam took the photo and stare at it.

"I've seen the way you looked at Arianna. I know it must be devastating to leave her." Gabi empathized. "I want to give you this photo so you can remember her."

Liam stared at the photo, tears welled up in his eyes.

"Arianna… my daughter… I miss you so much!" Liam wept silently.

A/N: Now we are getting somewhere! Next chapter, Sonny goes to New York! We will have much more WilSon for the time being! Stay tuned!

And as always, tell me what you think! REVIEW! :D