by Jake Biondi
“Tyler,” Derek said.
“Hey, Derek. Joyelle is down on two. I can page her for you if you’d like.”
“No, thanks. I actually came to see you.”
“Me?”
“Got a minute?”
“Sure,” Tyler said, walking around from behind the desk. “What’s up?”
Derek looked from side to side to make sure no one else was around. “What are you doing telling Joyelle about Cole saving her from the explosion?”
“What?”
“She told me that you have been talking to her about the explosion and Cole trying to save her.”
“I mentioned it, yes. It was hardly a lengthy discussion.”
“That doesn’t matter. You know the doctors said not to pressure her. You shouldn’t be discussing that with her.”
“I wasn’t pressuring her. I just assumed that you, her husband, would have told her what happened.”
“Like you just said, I am her husband. I’ll tell her things when I think she’s ready to hear them.”
“Who made you God?” Tyler asked. “And when do you think she’ll be ‘ready’ to hear about that video and your love affair with Cole?”
“You son-of-a--” Derek stopped himself. “Just stay out of our lives.”
“Sooner or later, she’s going to remember. Then what?”
“We will work it out between ourselves, with no input or interference from you or anyone else. Understand?”
“I understand the situation better than you think, Derek. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.” Tyler walked away from Derek, who stood watching him. Then the elevator door opened behind him and Joyelle got out.
“Derek,” she said, greeting her husband with a kiss. “What are you doing here?”
“Just looking for my lovely wife,” Derek said with a smile.
“Oh, really?” Joyelle asked, smiling and kissing Derek again.
“Maybe you can leave a bit early?”
“They just brought Jesse in -- our neighbor from across the street. He was beaten pretty badly.”
“Mugged or--?”
“No. It was Max.”
“Max? Why would Max beat up Jesse?”
“I don’t know. Michael Martinez is questioning Max now.”
“Well, does Emmett know? Is he here?”
“He just got here. He’s in the waiting room.”
“Okay, I’ll go down and talk with him.”
“I’m going to check back in on Jesse and then we can head home,” Joyelle said. Joyelle walked away down the hall and Derek got into the elevator when the doors opened.
At the same time in California, the Ciancios -- Marco, Gino and their father Carlo -- were having dinner in the smaller of the mansion’s two dining rooms. Carlo sat in his usual place at the head of the table with one son on each side of him.
“Father, I intend to set up a meeting with the Mancinis in the next week or so. Would you like to attend?” Marco asked.
“Of course. We need to present a united front and make clear our expectations.”
“Okay,” Marco replied. “I’ll make the necessary arrangements.”
Gino took a sip of his wine before speaking. “I want this to be civil. Let’s make a deal that works out for everyone and be done with it.”
“Not so fast,” Marco said. “They owe us.”
“They owe us money, that’s all. Let’s get back the money they owe us and the appropriate interest and that’s it. This war between us needs to end.”
Carlo spoke up. “Gino, I appreciate your request for peace. But I intend to get what we deserve from them. Not for me, but for you boys. You are going to inherit Ciancio International when I’m gone and you deserve to have it at its best and strongest.”
“Father,” Gino said, “we have more money and property than anyone deserves. We don’t need more.”
“It’s not about money and property,” Carlo replied. “It’s about justice.”
“Don’t worry, Father,” Marco declared. “We’ll get all we deserve and more.” Marco turned to his brother. “Just be sure you don’t get caught in the crossfire.”
“And you just be sure you stay on message,” Carlo said to Marco. “No moves that aren’t pre-approved by me.”
“Yes, Father,” Marco said, taking a drink of wine. “Father, I have been meaning to ask you something.”
“What’s that?” Carlo asked.
“It’s about Mother’s art collection.”
“My God,” Carlo said. “What made you think of that?”
“It contained so many amazing pieces that she worked hard to collect. It’s a shame that you got rid of them all.”
“I didn’t ‘get rid’ of them; I auctioned them. Seeing them in this house was a painful reminder of her absence here. You know that.”
“I remember,” Marco said. “But there were some amazing paintings and sculptures in it.”
“That auction funded the foundation we started in her honor. It was worth it and helps a great number of people with cancer.”
“Oh, absolutely, “Marco said. “She would be very proud of the foundation’s work.”
“Why are you asking about the collection all of sudden?” Gino asked.
“Maybe I’m just in a sentimental mood lately,” Marco replied. “Keeping a few of the pieces may have been a nice memory of her. But it doesn’t matter, I guess.”
“There are many other ways to remember your mother. There are still reminders of her throughout this house.”
“I know,” Marco said. “Which firm ran the auction? I can’t remember.”
“Strauss’s, why?”
“Just curious.”
“You are never ‘just curious,’” Gino said. “What are you up to?”
“What, I’m not allowed to miss our mother?”
Gino smiled. “I know you.”
“And I know you. Okay? We’re even,” Marco said, laughing. “Now finish your dinner.” Both Gino and Marco looked down at their plates as Carlo drank more of his wine.
As the Ciancio men finished their supper together, Michael walked Max back into the emergency room waiting area where Emmett and Derek were seated.
“Thanks for being so forthright in your responses to my questions,” Michael told Max.
“I have nothing to hide,” Max said.
“I’ll be in touch,” Michael said. Then he looked at Derek and Emmett. “Hey guys.”
Emmett and Derek greeted Michael and then Emmett hugged Max. “I have been so worried about you.”
“Excuse me,” Michael said. “I’m going up to see Jesse.” Michael left the room.
“What happened?” Emmett asked.
“I snapped. I just lost it,” Max said, sitting down on a chair.
Emmett sat down next to him. “What do you mean?”
“I found out some terrible things that Jesse did to Logan and I went over and beat him up.”
“Beat him up?” Derek said. “You nearly killed him.”
“And then Jacqueline came in and saw me punching Jesse and yelled out that I am his father.”
“His father?” Emmett asked.
“Jesus,” Derek mumbled.
“Trust me; I am as shocked as you. I’ve been trying to wrap my brain around it since I heard it.”
“Have you seen Jesse or Jacqueline?” Derek asked.
“Not since arriving here, no. I’ve been with Michael.”
“Are they pressing charges against you?” Emmett asked.
Max shook his head. “I don’t know. Has anyone called Logan?”
“Jacqueline had Cole call him,” Emmett replied.
“Okay, good,” Max said. “I’m sorry for all of this.”
Emmett hugged Max. “Don’t worry; we’ll get through all of this together.”
On the hospital’s second floor, Ben Donovan walked down the hallway until he reached his wife standing at the other end. Deep in thought, she was staring out the window look
ing over Lake Michigan. When Ben touched her arm, he startled her.
“Oh, it’s you,” Jacqueline said, turning to face her husband.
“How are you? How’s Jesse?”
“He’s going to be okay,” Jacqueline said.
“Good,” Ben said, hugging his wife. “I’m happy to hear that.”
Jacqueline looked into Ben’s eyes. “I told him the truth.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I told Max the truth. He knows Jesse is his son. And I’m sure Jesse heard, too.
“You told them? Why?”
“It was the only way I could stop Max from killing Jesse. He was beating him so hard.”
“How did he take it?”
“I don’t know. Things happened so fast. I haven’t had a chance to talk to him more.”
“It’ll be okay,” Ben said.
“Yes, it will,” Jacqueline said sternly. “Because your hold over me is gone. You can no longer blackmail me because there is nothing to blackmail me with.”
Ben smiled. “Baby, that’s behind us. I thought we had stepped forward from all of that.”
“Stepped forward? After what you did? After you forced me to stay married to you? No, Ben. We are finally done. I’m finally free of you.”
“You’re carrying our child. You’ll never be free of me. And I’ll never let you go.”
“You don’t have a choice. Your power over me is gone. As of this moment, we are finished. As far as I’m concerned, you can go straight to hell.” Jacqueline slapped Ben hard across the face and hurried away from him down the hallway.
Ben put his hand to his cheek and then back down to his side. “It won’t be quite that easy, my dear wife.” Then he walked down the corridor, stopping outside the doorway of Jesse’s room.
When he looked inside, he saw Logan Pryce sitting next to Jesse’s bed; he was holding Jesse’s hand. Jesse was sound asleep and Logan was staring at him as if in a trance. Ben observed the two for a moment and then headed to the elevators.
While Ben waited for the elevator, Jacqueline got out of one on the main level of the hospital and followed the corridor to the emergency room waiting area where she found Max with Emmett and Derek. The men stopped their conversation and focused on her.
“How’s my son?” Max asked. He shook his head and continued. “My son. I can’t believe I’m even saying that.”
“He’s going to be fine. They gave him a heavy sedative to sleep through the night. He won’t be awake any time soon.”
“Can I see him?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea right now. Logan is up there with him. Jesse’s going to be fine; that’s what matters.”
“Are charges going to be pressed?” Derek asked.
Emmett elbowed his brother.
“It needs to be asked,” Derek persisted. “If there are, you two probably shouldn’t be speaking.”
“No,” Jacqueline said. “There won’t be charges pressed.”
“Even when Jesse is awake?” Derek asked. “Ultimately, he gets to decide.”
Jacqueline smiled. “You have my word.”
“Thank you,” Max replied.
“Why don’t we leave these two alone?” Emmett asked Derek. “Let’s go get some coffee or something.” Derek nodded and followed his brother out of the area.
Jacqueline sat down in a nearby chair. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions.”
“How could you keep this from me? For all these years? I will never understand that.”
“We were so young, Max. And no longer together. And you were beginning a whole new lifestyle.”
“So what? I still had a right to know.”
“I did what I thought was best.”
“For you, maybe,” Max said. “My God, Jacqueline. You denied me so many things. And even more recently, when we re-connected, you said nothing. And you sat back and watched my ex Logan try to build a relationship with Jesse and still you said nothing.”
“Watching you two interact and not get along only reinforced my decision. Jesse had lived this long without knowing his father; I didn’t think he needed to know now. But when I saw you beating him, it just came out. I didn’t know how else to stop you. And--”
“And... what? What aren’t you telling me?”
“Ben knows.”
“Wait, you told Ben and not me? How could you?”
Jacqueline shook her head. “I didn’t tell him. He figured it out all on his own. He had DNA tests run and everything.”
“DNA tests? And he didn’t tell me? Or Jesse?”
“No,” Jacqueline explained. “He used the information to blackmail me...into staying married to him.”
“Damn,” Max said. “That’s why you stayed with him. When we talked earlier today, I couldn’t figure out why you would stay with him.”
“Now you know.”
“That bastard. I’m sorry,” Max said.
“And now you know why I want you to be very careful around him.”
“No more warnings needed,” Max said. “I’ll let him go the next time I see him.”
“Just be careful.”
Max let out a sigh. “What do we do now? About us and about Jesse. I have so many emotions running through me all at once...and yet I feel numb.”
“I’m sorry. This is a lot for you to take in.”
Max put his face into his hands and Jacqueline put her arm around him. They sat together quietly in the waiting room.
Outside of the waiting room, Emmett and Derek hadn’t made it far down the hallway before stopping to talk.
“I’m worried about you being with him,” Derek said.
“With Max?”
“Look what he did to Jesse. Doesn’t that scare you? Have you ever seen that angry side of him?”
“Derek, I appreciate your concern. It means a lot to me. But Max would never do anything like that to me. You just have to understand all that occurred between him and Jesse. They were on bad terms.”
“And if you and Max ever argue and end up on bad terms? What will happen to you then?”
“You’re being ridiculous.”
“Am I?” Derek asked. “And what’s going to happen now that he’s a father?”
“I don’t know. We’ll have to figure all that out.”
“Figure it out? Emmett, this is going to change your whole relationship.”
“Derek, stop. If you want to focus on a relationship, focus on your own. Mine will be just fine.”
“I’m sorry,” Derek said. “I am just looking out for you.”
“I know, but I’m okay.”
“Okay, but if he hurts you in any way--”
“He won’t. He loves me.”
Derek and Emmett began to walk down the corridor again. “There’s another matter we need to discuss. The family business.”
“Not now, Derek.”
“Justin is coming back to town so the three of us can talk and make some decisions.”
“I told you -- I don’t want to be a part of it.”
“Did you discuss that with Max?”
“Yes. I think I am going to sign over my voting rights to you; that way you can make decisions for the company on my behalf but I’ll retain ownership.”
“Sounds like a good plan. But I’d still like you to meet with Justin and me. So you can tell him that yourself. And that I had nothing to do with it. It’s entirely your decision.”
“That’s fine. Just tell me when and where and I’ll be there.”
“Great,” Derek replied, putting his arm around Emmett as they continued toward the cafeteria.
Later that evening, Tyler arrived home from the hospital and found his roommate David Young sitting on the sofa in their living room. He was drinking a beer and watching television.
“Hey, hey. You’re home,” David said. “Long day.”
“Really long day,” Tyler replied, removing his hat and gloves and putting them into the closet. “And I have to be
back early in the morning.”
“Everything okay?”
Tyler walked into the kitchen and grabbed a beer, then returned to the living room and took a seat across from David, who switched off the television.
“I’m not sure,” Tyler said. “I had the strangest confrontation with Derek earlier. He accused me of trying to force Joyelle’s memories back.”
“He what?”
“He said he didn’t want me talking to Joyelle anymore, to stay away from her.”
“You two work together. How is that even possible?”
“I know, right?”
“But it’s funny you say that, because I had a run-in with him earlier today, too.”
“Is he on tour today or what? What was your run-in about?”
“Cole,” David replied, taking a drink of his beer. “He said he saw Cole and me hanging out and he wants it to stop. Cole belongs to him.”
“What the fuck? Where does he get off saying that to you?”
“I told him that I would hang out with whoever I want. And if Cole has a problem with me, he can tell me himself.”
“Good. Derek really needs to stay out of other people’s business.”
“He likes to control things, I guess. He won’t commit to Cole himself, but he sure doesn’t want Cole with anyone else, either.”
“Like you said...it’s up to Cole, not him.”
“Exactly. And I have no intention of not seeing Cole again. We have a good time together.”
“I told you before: we would both be a lot better off if Derek weren’t around.”
David raised his beer bottle. “Cheers to that.”
Tyler touched his bottle to David’s and they both drank their beers.
While Tyler and David finished their beers, Keith and Michael were getting ready for bed in Michael’s bedroom. Coming out the bathroom after showering, Michael walked up behind his naked boyfriend and wrapped his arms around him.
“Penny for your thoughts, Stormy,” Michael said as he kissed Keith’s neck. “You’ve been so quiet tonight.”
“Just tired, that’s all,” Keith replied.