That afternoon Sami was sitting in the townhouse garden processing the conversation she had with EJ. Looking back she wasn't sure if letting him help her with the restraining order had been the right choice as she had promised herself not to get involved with him again in any way, shape or form. She didn't have to keep debating it in her head any longer though because she saw her stepfather walk up to her.
"Hi Sweetheart, I brought you some tea." John said, while handing her a steaming mug. "I thought you might be cold."
Sami smiled at him and gratefully took the warm mug. "Thanks, my hands are starting to get a little cold." She admitted.
"Well this isn't really the type of weather where one usually sits outside in the garden." John remarked, as that day had not been a typically warm day.
"Right, I guess I just needed a moment to myself." Sami replied honestly.
"You want me to leave?" John offered, motioning towards the house.
"No, it's okay." Sami answered, moving aside to create some extra space on the bench she was sitting on. "You can sit down. If you can handle the cold, that is." She joked as it wasn't that cold outside.
John sat down next to her and smiled. "I think I'll be okay. I can actually relate to you choosing the sound of birds chirping over the very violent videogame Tate and Sydney were playing inside."
"I can tell them to put on some headphones or play in their room if you are bothered by it." Sami offered quickly, not wanting her daughter to disturb her parents in their own home.
"No, it's fine." John replied. "I haven't seen Tate have fun in a long time and I get Sydney having to blow off some steam after seeing EJ this morning."
"Yeah…" Sami agreed with a soft sigh.
"So…is that who you were thinking about just now?" John guessed, though he was unsure if Sami was ready to have an open and honest conversation with him.
"EJ?" Sami asked, checking if that was who he was referring to and John nodded. "It was." She admitted.
"You want to talk about it?" He tried.
"You know that I was planning to keep my contact with EJ as short as possible. Just get him to release Tate and then leave again." Sami started.
John nodded. "I know but maybe that was not what was meant to happen."
Sami shot him a confused look. "What do you mean?"
"Maybe there's some unresolved issues between you and EJ and the universe stepped in to prevent you from leaving." John answered.
"The universe?" Sami asked, shooting him an incredulous look. "Since when do you believe in that kind of stuff?"
John shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know but It's kind of hard not to after everything that happened with your mother and I in our lives."
"Right, well it would be just my luck if the universe decided to force me to stay in Salem by making me sick." Sami replied, rolling her eyes.
"I think you kind of did that to yourself." John told her carefully.
"John! You're supposed to be on my side." Sami exclaimed, feigning hurt.
"I am, I promise." John smiled. "Look, even though you scared your mother and I half to death I am really happy that you are here. Whether the universe had something to do with it or not."
"I'm sorry I scared-," Sami started to apologize but she was interrupted by a rustling sound coming from the bushes. "Did you hear that?" She looked at John worriedly. Even though realistically she knew that Lucas wouldn't risk going back to jail just to see her she felt her anxiety returning immediately.
John nodded before standing up from the bench and protectively moving in front of her. The rustling sound in the bushes got louder. "Who's there?" He asked calmly.
"Hi grandpa!" Rachel said excitedly as she appeared from the bushes and walked up to them.
"Rachel!" John let out relieved and he heard Sami release the breath she had been holding. "We do have a front door you know."
"I know but this way is quicker." Rachel said, shrugging her shoulders.
John bent down to hug and talk to his granddaughter. "Are you okay? Did you come here all by yourself?" He asked worriedly.
"Yes, I'm here to see you guys and dad." Rachel answered. She looked up at the familiar woman appearing from behind her grandfather. "Hi."
Sami smiled at the little girl. "Hi Rachel, I'm not sure if you remember me but I'm your aunt Sami."
"I know, you're Johnny's mom. I found a box of your pictures when I was playing hide and seek." Rachel told her.
"Here at the townhouse you mean?" Sami guessed, thinking her mother must have a box of her pictures somewhere.
"No, in uncle EJ's closet at home." Rachel replied and Sami could swear she saw a little smirk.
John stood up straight again and shot his stepdaughter a surprising look. Sami looked back at him awkwardly. "Right, he must have just forgotten to throw them out or something." She said, coming up with the only explanation she could think of.
"No, uncle EJ said that you are Johnny and Sydney's mommy and that you were his wife but not anymore because he made a lot of mistakes." Rachel corrected her quickly. "And sometimes when he's sad or fighting with Nicole he secretly looks at the pictures."
"You are very smart and perceptive for an 8 year old." Sami noticed out loud. The girl definitely didn't take after her father.
"I know." Rachel replied confidently and Sami couldn't help but laugh.
"And sometimes that get's little Rachel here in trouble." John intervened. "Like when she leaves home without the permission of her parents."
Rachel shot her grandfather an innocent look. "I did tell my mom that I wanted to see my dad today."
"Okay and what did she say?" John asked, one eyebrow raised in suspicion.
"She said that I couldn't because she had plans for us today. But then she spent almost the whole day working!" Rachel replied, obviously annoyed with her mother.
"Right well your dad isn't home right now but I will give him a call and let him handle this." John started. "How about you stay here and spend some time with your aunt." He added, looking at Sami to see if she was okay with that which she was.
Rachel sighed and crossed her arms. "Fine." John gave her a quick ruffle through her hair before going inside to call Brady.
Sami sat down and motioned for Rachel to do the same. "So do you like living at the DiMera Mansion?"
Rachel swung her legs and nodded. "Yeah, it's really cool. I play hide and seek in the tunnels with Johnny and uncle Chad and EJ are teaching me to play chess."
"That sounds nice." Sami smiled. At least EJ was being a good uncle. Then again he had always been good with little kids.
"But I do miss living with daddy and grandma and grandpa." Rachel admitted softly.
"Of course you do, you lived here for a very long time." Sami told her understandingly.
"Yes, but then I really missed my mom because she was in prison." Rachel told her.
Sami worked really hard not to say anything bad about Kristen for Rachel's sake. "I guess you just want both your mom and dad in your life at the same time, huh."
Rachel nodded. "I do. Everyone in my class has a family with a mom and a dad and they live with all their brothers and sisters."
"Well when I was a little girl I didn't have a mom either. She also came back when I was just about your age." Sami told her, hoping to make her feel less alone.
Rachel looked at her surprised. "Really? She did? Isn't grandma Marlena your mom?"
"She is but uncle Eric, aunt Carrie and I lived with just grandpa John for about 5 years." Sami explained. "So I know how you feel wanting to have both a mom and a dad at the same time."
"Did grandpa John ever try to give you a new mom before grandma came back?" Rachel asked, curiously.
Sami smiled. "Well he did date a few other women, yes." She confirmed. He had dated a lot of women actually.
"Well it couldn't have been as bad as my dad wanting to make Chloe my stepmom." Rachel said before making a disgusted face.
Sami couldn't stop herself from pulling a face herself at the thought of having Chloe as a stepmother. "That does sound horrible."
Rachel giggled and nodded. "Thank you, aunt Sami."
"For what?" Sami asked, surprised.
"You're the first grown up, except for my mom, that didn't tell me to be nice to Chloe and to try to accept her because my dad loves her." Rachel explained.
"I will never tell you to do that. You feel how you feel and other people should respect that." Sami responded before hearing some commotion coming from the door.
"Rachel!" Brady half ran into the garden towards them, John following behind a little more calmly. "Are you okay?" He asked, hugging her tightly.
"I'm fine, daddy. Just spending some time with aunt Sami." Rachel told him innocently.
"You walked here all by yourself?" Brady asked, worriedly, while checking her out to see if she was really okay.
Rachel rolled her eyes. "Dad, it's only like a 15 minute walk and I had my phone with me."
"You know you are not supposed to go outside by yourself." Brady warned her.
Rachel looked down sadly. "I know, daddy, but I missed you."
Brady couldn't be angry at her anymore after hearing that. "I miss you too, Sweetheart."
"Mommy was working all day and I just wanted to see you." Rachel elaborated.
"Well your mom called me just now, she was really worried because she couldn't find you anywhere." Brady explained. "Then I was really worried too until grandpa called me and told me you were here."
"I'm sorry that I worried you." Rachel said, sincerely apologizing. "Is mommy really mad?"
"I'm sure it'll be okay." Brady tried to reassure her. "But I do have to bring you back to the DiMera Mansion."
Rachel sighed. "I know."
"But how about the two of us get some ice cream on the way?" Brady offered, trying to make her feel a little better.
Rachel's eyes lit up. "Really?"
Brady smiled. "Yes, really."
"Can aunt Sami come too?" Rachel asked, looking expectantly between her father and aunt.
Brady shot his sister a surprised look. Rachel had never specifically asked to spend time with her uncle Eric or aunt Belle. "Sure, Sweetheart. If she wants to."
"I would like that." Sami smiled, it felt nice to spend some time with an innocent child again. She did really miss the time when her children were little and only needed to be loved. "But I don't want to interfere with daddy-daughter time." She added.
"You are not interfering, Sami. You are family." Brady told her sincerely. Sami did just keep Rachel's brother from going to prison.
"In that case, I will have some rocky road." Sami smiled, standing up.
"That's my favorite too!" Rachel said excitedly before grabbing Sami's hand and pulling her with her. "Let's go!"
Brady quickly walked after them and shared a smile with John.
After getting ice cream Brady rang the DiMera Mansion doorbell while sharing a look with Sami over Rachels head. She was standing in between them holding their hands. Neither of them wanted to be there but they could sense Rachel was a little nervous about being trouble with her mother so Sami decided to come so she could stay with Rachel while Brady and Kristen talked. They didn't expect EJ to open the door.
"There is our little troublemaker." EJ said, smiling at Rachel and picking her up before nodding hello to his ex-wife and her brother. "Samantha, Brady come on in."
"EJ, where is Kristen?" Brady immediately asked him as he and Sami walked inside.
"I'm right here." Kristen said as she walked into the foyer from the living room. "Sami, long time no see. How have you been?" She asked, shooting her a fake smile.
"Fantastic." Sami replied, sarcastically, having to hold herself back from tearing into her niece's mother in front of her. She thought it was ridiculous that Kristen was out there living her life after all the horrible things she did.
"I'm fine too, thank you for asking." Kristen replied, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "Now you, young lady, are in trouble." She said as she turned towards Rachel who was still in EJ's arms because that made her feel safe.
"I'm sorry, mommy." Rachel said, throwing her mother her best puppy dog look.
"Kristen, I think we should discuss what happened today first and then talk to Rachel about it together." Brady told her.
Kristen sighed but agreed. "Fine, let's talk in the living room."
"Rachel, why don't you show aunt Sami your room." Brady offered, shooting his sister an apologetic look for leaving her with EJ.
"Okay, daddy!" Rachel agreed and she squirmed out EJ's arms to take her aunt's hand and lead her upstairs. "You can come too, uncle EJ."
"Okay, right behind you, Sweetheart." EJ said as he followed Rachel and Sami up the stairs, wondering why his heart swelled the way it did when he saw his ex-wife with their mutual niece. Maybe it was because it reminded him of how great she was with their children.
EJ kept standing in the doorway smiling as Rachel was showing Sami all her toys and clothes too. And Sami kept responding just as enthusiastically. "Your room is amazing, Rachel." Sami said as she sat down on the bed after Rachel had shown her basically everything in the room.
Rachel sat down next to her. "Maybe we can have a sleepover sometime?"
"Yeah, maybe sometime." Sami agreed with a smile, keeping it vague. She probably wasn't going to be in Salem very long and even if she was she would never stay over at the Mansion, not even for Rachel.
"You cannot sleep in here because my bed is too small but maybe you can sleep with uncle EJ. He has a really big bed." Rachel went on and Sami couldn't tell if she was being innocent or playing matchmaker. She looked over at EJ who was trying to hide a smirk.
Sami turned back towards Rachel. "That's not going to happen, Rachel." She told her softly but firmly.
"Why not?" Rachel pouted.
"Because Nicole sleeps with EJ in his bed. She's his wife, remember?" Sami reminded her, actually feeling bile rise up in her throat at the thought of Nicole and EJ sleeping together.
"Ugh Nicole." Rachel said, making a face. Now it was Sami's turn to hide her smirk.
"What's wrong with Nicole?" EJ asked curiously, walking into the room.
"Duh. She's team Chloe so that means she's not team Rachel." Rachel told him matter of factly.
"But Chloe left town months ago." EJ reminded her.
"And hopefully she stays away." Rachel replied, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes.
EJ smiled and shook his head. "Okay, well maybe instead of your aunt having a sleepover here you can spend a night at your grandparents while she's there."
"I wish but mom said I live with her now and I cannot spend the night over there anymore." Rachel answered sadly and both EJ and Sami felt a ping of guilt going through them at the memory of them having custody fights over their children. Luckily they had gotten their shit together when their children were a lot younger than Rachel was now.
"I will talk to your mom about that." EJ offered. "No promises though." He quickly added, when he saw Rachel's excited face.
Rachel climbed off the bed to hug her uncle. "Thank you, uncle EJ."
Sami couldn't help but smile at the two of them and EJ smiled back at her when he noticed. That shook Sami awake. "I should go." She said, clearing her throat and standing up from the bed.
"But you drove here with daddy." Rachel pointed out, shooting her a confused look.
"Well it's still pretty nice out, I think I'll walk home." Sami responded. "Can you tell your dad?"
"Samantha, no, you just got home from the hospital." EJ intervened immediately. "I can drive you."
"EJ, I'm going to walk." Sami told him firmly, not literally wanting to tell him that there was no way she was getting in a car with him in front of Rachel.
"I don't think that's a good idea." EJ said again, even though he knew she wouldn't listen to him.
"EJ, I don't care." Sami hissed softly hoping Rachel wouldn't hear. "Bye Honey, I really liked spending time with you today." She told Rachel with a smile.
"Bye aunt Sami." Rachel said, throwing her arms around her waist and hugging her. "I hope you will stay for a while."
"I'll do my best." Sami answered, again keeping it vague, but she wasn't gonna lie. Rachel wanting her to stay did get to her a little bit.
Before she could walk past EJ he held his phone in front of her face, showing her a message. Sami just shot him an irritated look instead of reading it. "I texted John that you are adamant on walking home by yourself. So he's going to meet you halfway." EJ explained. He could have offered to walk her home himself but he was 99% sure she wouldn't accept that either.
Sami shook her head. "That's absolutely ridiculous but fine. Goodbye EJ." She said, before walking out of the room.
