FLASHBACK (August 27, 2020):
Nelle landed painfully on the ledge she saw below her while she was hanging onto the roots at the edge of the cliff. Absoutely winded, she leaned against the side of the cliff. Looking up, she could faintly see Carly talking to someone wearing a blue shirt, but she was too far away to make out who it was. Below her, she could hear the rushing water, the sound of which drowning out everything else. She was halfway there.
Her entire body ached from the fall, which made it clear that this wasn't a dream or a hallucination. She was never an especially religious or spiritual person, but she genuinely felt that some higher power was looking out for her tonight, guiding her safely down. Would that higher power extend the same protection a second time?
She decided to take a leap of faith. Remembering what she learned in her swimming class, she spread her arms out and jumped. Once her body was steady, she pulled her arms tight against her sides, and held her body rigid like a pencil, hoping she'd land feet first in the water. Gravity quickly pulled her down towards the angry water…
PRESENT DAY:
It was 2:00 in the afternoon, and Nelle was jolted awake by a knocking sound. She opened her eyes to see a man standing in the doorway of her room at Wildwind.
Man: They're here.
Nelle: *yawning* Oh wow, I'm sorry for falling asleep on everyone.
Man: No worries, only one car has arrived so far.
Nelle: How long have they been here?
Man: They literally just pulled up.
Leora and Esme have just pulled into the Wildwind grounds.
Leora: Well, I guess this is it. Wildwind. Looks like we're the first ones here.
Esme: Strange name. Then again, so is Wyndemere. I wonder how anyone would be able to tell the two of them apart?
Leora: Well, one's in Port Charles, the other is in Pine Valley, one's on an island, the other is on the mainland…
*A valet driver walks up to the car*
Driver (speaking in a thick Russian accent): Give me keys, I park car for you.
Leora: Um, okay.
*She reaches into her pocket for the key fob, then hands it to the driver*
Driver: Thank you.
Esme: Hold on, we haven't gotten our stuff out of the trunk.
Driver: We take your luggage up to your rooms.
Leora: Okay, where are our rooms?
Driver: Mr. Marick will show you.
Leora: Okay.
Esme: We have a baby in the car too.
Driver: Baby will be brought up with luggage.
Esme: Um…
Driver: Miss Jan says to trust that your baby is safe with us.
*Esme looks at Leora and they both shrug, then turns back to the driver*
Esme: Okay.
*The girls get out of the car; Esme gives Ace a kiss on his head*
Esme: I love you Ace!
Driver: Ace. That is interesting name.
Esme: Umm, thanks? I don't remember I thought of it.
Driver: You will remember soon.
*The driver gets into the car and drives off with Ace and their luggage*
Leora *shaking Esme's shoulder*: Don't worry! Jan says to trust her!
*She looks over at Esme, who is rubbing her head*
Leora: Oh my god, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shake you like that.
Esme: No you're okay, but I just realized that my medication was still in the car.
Leora: Maybe not.
*The driver is walking back to the girls with a bottle of pills in his hand*
Driver: Which one of you is Esme Prince?
Esme: That's me.
Driver: I bring your medication for your headache.
Esme: Oh, thank you!
Driver: Be careful, very powerful drug.
*He hands the bottle to Esme, and walks away*
Leora: May I see those please, if you don't mind?
*Esme hands the bottle over to Leora*
Leora: It says to take two milligrams maximum! Didn't you say that Dr. Kinder was increasing your dosage?
Esme: Yeah.
Leora: I mean, I guess you could split one in half.
Esme: Okay.
*She takes a pill out of the bottle and digs her fingernail into the center of the tablet, trying to split it, but it aggravates the pain in her head*
Leora: Why don't I do it?
Esme: Okay.
*Leora easily splits the pill in half, hands one half to Esme and puts the other half back in the bottle. Esme puts the pill in her mouth and swallows it, tasting its bitterness without anything to wash it down*
Leora: Here.
*She takes a Lifesaver out of her purse and hands it to Esme, who puts it in her mouth*
Esme: Thanks! You're a lifesaver…literally!
*They both laugh*
*Nelle and the man walk down the stairs to the front entrance to greet the guests*
Nelle: Thank you again for coming all the way from Budapest in order to host us Mr. Lang, I mean Marick.
Man: Call me Anton, and it's no problem. It's about time I came back to Pine Valley. I haven't been here in years!
Nelle: Really?
Anton: Yes. So much has changed since then. I used to have a lot of family here, but most of them have either returned to Hungary or died. My two American cousins, Sam and Madeline Grey, became the owners after my uncle Edmund was murdered. They used to rent out the house to tenants, the most recent of whom left town back in 2012. Then my father, Dimitri Marick, came back to Pine Valley after his divorce from his wife Alex. They transferred the property back to him, and he lived here with his new wife, Brooke. They divided their time between Pine Valley and Budapest. He passed away back in 2021 and left the property to Brooke, who didn't want it as it reminded her too much of him, and Sam and Maddie didn't want it back. Earlier this year, she decided to sell it, and I was interested in buying it, but she didn't want the money, and instead simply transferred ownership of the property to me, as she felt that a family member shouldn't have to purchase something that rightfully belongs to them. So I've been the owner for the past several months, but this is the first time I've come back to Pine Valley to see it.
Nelle: Wow! That's quite a history.
Anton: That doesn't even begin to cover it. The Marick family history is long and complicated. Disputes over who was the rightful heir to the estate, many marriages, divorces, deaths, etc. My late uncle Edmund's wife, Maria, was thought to have died in a plane crash, but there was a doctor, David Hayward, who found her and nursed her back to health. One of many lives he's saved. Very controversial man, but brilliant doctor. I was saddened to learn that he had died.
*They make their way to the entrance to the grounds, where the guests are waiting.*
Nelle: Thank you all for coming. Welcome to Pine Valley, and to Wildwind. This is Anton Marick, he's the owner, and was just telling me a bit about the family history. He has graciously agreed to allow us to stay here for our Christmas feast.
*The guests applaud; Anton gives a slight bow*
Anton: I am honored to have you as guests! Please, let me show you around.
*Anton gives the guests a tour of the mansion and the grounds, and gives a brief summary of the family history. Afterwards, a butler shows everyone to their rooms. Esme is relieved to see Ace in a playpen in her suite, along with both her and Leora's luggage.*
Esme: *looking at Ace* Oh Ace, thank goodness!
*She checks her watch and see's that it's time for Ace's feeding. When she's finished, she puts him back in the playpen and gives him his teething ring. Then she hears someone knock on the doorframe. She turns around and sees that it's the valet driver.*
Esme: Yes?
Driver: Miss Prince, do you mind me asking question about your breastmilk?
*Esme is taken aback by the man's highly personal question.*
Esme: Excuse me?!
Driver: I apologize, that came out wrong. My English is not so good.
Esme: Oh, okay.
Driver: I mean to say I am concerned about the drug you take for headache. Are you sure it is safe for nursing mothers to take?
Esme: My doctor said it's okay as long as I don't take it immediately before breastfeeding, and to wait about an hour.
Driver: Are you sure of this?
Esme: I think so, why?
Driver: I am no doctor but I have close friend who is. He give this drug to people with memory problem, not for headache. And high dosage is very dangerous. It can make you see and hear things that aren't there, perhaps make you think you are somewhere you are not. Does pharmacy ask for identification?
Esme: Yes. But don't they do that with all medication?
Driver: No, just controlled substance like this drug. You might want to get second opinion from doctor here in Pine Valley.
Esme: Oh, I don't think that's necessary, I'm only going to be here for a couple of days.
Driver: Very well, but if you or your baby start feeling unwell, please tell someone.
Esme: I will, thank you.
Driver: Very cute baby you have.
Esme: Hehe, thanks.
*The driver smiles and leaves. Esme watches Ace play happily. She doesn't notice anything that seems off with him. She wonders if taking another pill will help with getting her memory back. She reaches for her purse, but then hears footsteps approaching the door. She turns around and is relieved to see that it's Leora*
Leora: Hey Esme, I noticed when they were showing us around that they never showed us the turret. Wanna go up there and check it out? It might help you remember what happened when you were in the tower at Wyndemere.
Esme: *thinking that maybe she doesn't need the drugs after all* Okay. But first I think Ace could use a diaper change.
Leora: Okay.
*Esme changes Ace, then puts him in the crib*
Esme: I love you Ace. *She kisses his head, then turns to Leora* Okay, let's go!
*The girls make their way to the turret. As they're walking, Esme fills Leora in on what the valet driver told her*
Leora: That explains why you seem to remember stuff when you take it.
Esme: Yeah, but it also makes me hallucinate, so I think I should stop taking it, even if my headaches become so bad I can't do anything.
Leora: I have noticed that you do seem rather out of it sometimes, like earlier when we were at Kelly's. You were staring off into space and didn't respond when we talked to you.
Esme: Was I really doing that?
Leora: Yes. A couple of times, when Carly asked you what you wanted to eat.
Esme: I was just thinking about how horrible the food Nikolas gave me when he was holding me prisoner. Some devoted father he is, serving me that garbage.
Leora: Were you just thinking about it, or did it feel like you actually were back up in the tower?
Esme: I'm really not sure.
Leora: Well, when we get back to Port Charles you should see another doctor. This really shouldn't be happening. Obviously I want you to get your memory back, but these do sound more like hallucinations, from what you're describing.
Esme: You're probably right. But Jan told me that she goes to Dr. Kinder all the time for various things, and she seems okay.
Leora: True, but maybe she's not on this medication.
Esme: Maybe not.
*They reach the turret and begin to climb the stairs.*
Leora: Anything coming back to you?
Esme: Not really, it's just a bunch of stairs.
Leora: Maybe when we get to the top.
Esme: Well, duh!
*They reach the top and enter. Esme gets a big inhalation of dust, and begins coughing*
Leora: Are you okay?
Esme: Yeah, it's just very dusty up here…
*She remembers how dusty everything was in the tower at Wyndemere, and how it made her cough*
Esme: Just like the tower at Wyndemere!
*Esme looks around and notices that everything in the room looks charred*
Esme: There must've been a fire here at one point too…
*She remembers setting fire to the Christmas tree, and the smoke alarm going off*
Esme: Just like when I set the Christmas tree on fire so that I could escape!
Leora: See, you don't need drugs in order to remember.
Esme: Well, I'm just remembering bits and pieces, but yes, it feels good.
Leora: Let's continue looking around.
*The girls scan the room and notice the bed. The sheets and pillows are covered in what looks like bloodstains!*
Esme: Oh my god, is that blood?!
Leora: Sure looks like it!
*They hear footsteps running up the stairs, and turn around to see Anton standing in the doorway*
Anton: I'm sorry, but the turret is off-limits to visitors.
Leora: Oh my god, I'm so sorry.
Anton: No worries. I should've told everyone that the turret was off limits. But what were you doing up here?
Leora: I thought that going up here would help my friend with her amnesia. She was held prisoner in a tower by her baby's father, and eventually set the place on fire in order to escape. But she doesn't really remember very much.
Esme: At least I didn't until a few minutes ago. I remember the place being very dusty.
Anton: Well, as with the rest of the property, no one has been here in years. I told the staff to give the place a thorough cleaning, but I didn't have them do the turret as I didn't intend for anyone to stay up here.
Leora: Is that…blood? On the bed?
Anton: Yes it is, and that's why I didn't intend for anyone to stay up here. This is where my cousin, Princess Gillian Andrassy, was killed.
Esme: Oh my god, that's horrible!
Leora: Do you mind me asking what happened?
Anton: It's a long story, involving my ex-stepmother, Alex Marick and her twin sister. I forget her name, but she had been a spy for some international security agency. She had a lot of enemies, one of whom posed as a documentary filmmaker, but actually was a hired assassin. She came up here, saw Gillian, mistook her for Alex's sister, and shot her in the back of the head! She was later found by her husband, Ryan Lavery. They got her to the hospital but there wasn't anything they could do.
Leora: Oh wow, I'm so sorry!
Esme: I am too.
Anton: Thank you. Naturally it was hard for all of us, especially her husband. After she died, most of the family returned to Hungary, including my father and Alex. They eventually divorced. None of us were really the same afterwards.
Leora: What happened to Alex's sister?
Anton: She remained in Pine Valley for a while. She got married and had a daughter, but the baby was born with severe heart complications, and died during surgery to put in a pacemaker. From what I understand, her husband was a doctor, but he wasn't the doctor who performed the surgery. They naturally were devastated and eventually divorced. Last I heard, she had moved to Paris to be with her other daughter.
Esme: That's horrible!
Anton: It is. Sometimes you can't help what life throws at you though. Maybe something good will eventually come from all of it, even though this happened over 20 years ago. In any case, I ask that you both please go back to the main house.
Esme: Okay.
Leora: We're sorry.
Anton: No worries.
*The girls make their way back to the main house.*
Esme: I'm going to check on Ace.
Leora: Okay.
*Esme goes back up to the suite and is relieved to see Ace is asleep, sucking his thumb.*
Esme (to herself): I guess I should find another way of getting rid of my headaches and getting my memory back. I don't want to hurt you, Ace, even if it means more pain for me.
*She lets her mind wander to the aftermath of breaking the plate at the dinner table, and threatening to break the rest of the fine china in the cabinets*
FLASHBACK:
*Young Esme gets up from her chair and runs towards one of the cabinets, but Mr. Prince sticks his leg out and trips her.*
Mr. Prince: ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT!
*Esme falls to the ground and begins crying loudly.*
Esme: OWWWWWWWWWWWWW!
Mr. Prince: STOP CRYING! Crying is what babies do! You're eight years old!
Esme (through sobs): YOU BROKE MY LEG!
Mrs. Prince: You were about to break the rest of our dinnerware!
Esme: MY LEG HURTS!
Mrs. Prince: Oh, you're fine, get up!
*Esme gets to her feet*
Esme: I DON'T WANNA DO BALLET ANYMORE!
Mrs. Prince: Too bad, you have to do it!
Esme: I HATE YOU! I HATE YOUUUUUUUUUUUU!
*Mrs. Prince slaps Esme hard across the face!*
PRESENT DAY:
*Esme head gives a sudden throb, jolting her back to the present day. She looks at Ace, who wakes up and starts crying. Esme picks him up and holds him close.*
Esme: I love you so much Ace! I promise that whatever happens, I'm not going to hurt you.
*Ace stops crying, but Esme dissolves into tears of her own. Nelle walks into the room.*
Nelle: Hey, are you okay?
Esme: No.
*She puts Ace back in the crib*
Esme: Everybody thinks I'm a monster who is going to hurt my son. I would never do that.
Nelle: Of course you wouldn't. And that's why you're here, to give your son a good life, away from everyone who doesn't see the good in you.
Esme: I'm just glad that you do.
Nelle: Thank you.
*She and Esme hug*
Nelle: Everything is going to be okay, for both you and Ace. Trust me.
Esme: Thank you.
Leora was relaxing on the sofa in the otherwise empty living room. She noticed a picture on the table next to her. She picked it up to have a closer look. It appeared to be a wedding photo. The groom was a dashingly handsome man with dark hair, neatly slicked back. The bride had long, light brown hair and dark brown eyes. A plaque on the frame reads "The Wedding of Dimitri and Alexandra Marick, July 18, 1999."
She looked more carefully at the bride in the photograph, and has a feeling that she'd seen her before. She remembered Anton mentioning earlier that Alex had a twin sister who was part of an international security agency, and then remembered what Esme said about Anna Devane being a former WSB agent. Was Alex Marick's twin sister Anna?
Leora didn't remember exactly what Anna looked like, so she took out her phone and did an image search for "anna devane wsb". The results were recent photos of the woman they saw in the park. She compared them with the photo of Alex. Leora was certain that Anna was Alex's twin sister. But there was something else about the both of them that looked familiar.
Leora reached back into her purse, took out her mirror, and gazed into it. She compared her own dark brown eyes to both women. Her own hair was dyed a dirty blonde, like Alex's hair in the wedding picture, but her natural color was dark brown, like Anna's.
She looked back to her mirror. Maybe it was her imagination, but she could definitely see a resemblance to both women, especially in the eyes. She once again looked at the picture of Alex, then the picture of Anna, then back to her own face. She then heard a man's voice coming from the doorway to the foyer, speaking slowly…
Voice: Leora…
*Leora looks over her shoulder and sees a man standing in the doorway.*
Leo du Pres: Welcome home.
Leora: I'm sorry, who are you? And what did you call me?
*She momentarily glances back at the photo of Anna. When she turns back to the doorway, the man is gone. Then she hears his voice again, this time not knowing where it's coming from, and feels a chill throughout the room.*
Leo's voice: Leora…