“What’s wrong with you?” Crystal Midera turned to see her roommate, Ally Thomas, coming at her.
“Nothing Ally. I was just gazing out the window here thinking. I have to find her Ally, I just have to,” Crystal said as she felt the cool summer’s breeze from an open window engulf her.
“I know Sweetie,” Ally said as she held her friend who was clutching a gold locket. Inserted in the locket was a picture of a woman. A woman with long flowing blond hair and startling hazel eyes.
***
Sitting in her dorm at Tulain University, another young woman held an identical locket firmly in her grasps. She looked around her dorm room filled with pictures of her past here in New Orleans and of her life at Radford, a boarding school about 100 miles north of Salem, which she went to during her high school years as well as a picture from home, which she had not been to since grammar school. One picture included her and her best friend from boarding school in New Orleans, Greta Von Amburg, who was several years older than her. Another of a boyfriend at Radford which left her only two years prior. The third was a picture of her and another girl only a year or two older holding hands on the beach.
***
John Black woke up with the sun gleaming from the window. His wife laid peaceful in the bed next to him. He softly placed his lips upon hers. “Good morning handsome,” Marlena said as she noticed John’s blue eyes staring at hers.
“Good you’re up. You better get dressed before we miss the plane,” John told her.
Marlena popped out of bed. “I totally forgot. You need to get dressed too. I’ll tell you what, I’ll take a shower in Belle’s bathroom so we can take a shower with no interruptions, deal?”
“It’ll be hard not having your body next to mine, but I guess I can deal with it for fifteen minutes or so,” John said giving Marlena a ‘sad little boy’ look.
“Don’t you dare start with me Mr. Black. Don’t worry, once we’re in Cancun, you can ravage me as much as you want,” Marlena said as she wrapped her arms around her husband.
“Ok, ok. But, unfortunately this isn’t completely a pleasure trip,” John told her as he ran his finger across her cheek bone. “Hopefully, you’ll learn what happened to you during those five missing years.”
Chapter 1
John and Marlena entered their Mexican hotel room. The luxury suite was decorated in baby blue peach. The bathroom was the size of John and Marlena’s penthouse bedroom and was equipped with a hot tub surrounded by seabreeze scented candles. Marlena plopped her luggage on the floor and fell onto the bed. “What do you have in here Marlena?” John asked referring to the big black bag he was dragging towards the window.
“Just my make-up and stuff plus a few other necessities,” Marlena said with a big grin on her face.
“Other necessities? What, your TV and VCR?” John asked kiddingly.
“No silly.” Marlena hopped off the bed and went to the bag John brought it. She reached into the biggest pocket and pulled out a bag from Barron’s. “Now, I’ll be back in a little while and show you what I mean by ‘necessities.'”
***
Belle Black sat on a purple blow up couch in her best friend Mimi’s bedroom holding the latest issue of Bella Magazine. Mimi sat at her desk applying a new tube of lipstick. “Ok Meems, last question. Your best friend just broke up with your crush. You A- Tend to your friend and decide your crush was no good anyway. B- rush to your crush is his time of ‘need.’ Or C- tend to your friend while at the same time pumping info about your crush.”
“Hmm, so are we talking about Shawn here?” Mimi asked.
“Meems! Just answer the question,” Belle said, obviously not amused.
“Ok, I guess A. After all what will be will be and if I end up with that crush later in life, it’ll be fate.”
“Mimi, you really need to stop watching Passions. You’re getting me worried that your going to be Theresa and I’m going to become nasty Gwen,” Belle said sarcastically.
“I’m just kidding. I’m really glad you’re here while your parents are away,” Mimi told her.
“Ya, but I really wish I was going with them. Too bad they felt guilty about taking out of school when we went to France last year. But at least when they get back it’ll be Spring Break and Brady will be home from college.”
“That’s right. How is Brady? I haven’t seen him in ages.”
“I know. Well, he’s apparently having a blast being in college and living in New Orleans. He even has a girlfriend he’s bringing with him. Alexia Mid-something. It sounded almost Dracula like,” Belle said as she turned the page to a Backstreet Boys interview.
***
“So, what were we talking about?” Brady Black asked his girlfriend as he sat down a cup of coffee and sat down at a small table in a small New Orleans cafe.
“Huh?”
“Hello, earth to Alex, come in,” Brady said.
“I, I’m sorry. I just have a lot on my mind.”
“I can understand. But, relax, my family is pretty tame.” Brady pulled out his wallet and shuffled through some photos.
“What are you doing?” Alexia asked.
“Ok, this is a picture of Belle,” Brady said as he flashed a summer photo of him and his sister.
“I know, you have pictures of her, your dad, and your Mom in your room,” Alexia said as she poured a package of Equal into her coffee.
“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk about your family, ” Brady told her.
“Nothing much. I have a father, my Mom left me when I was little,” she told him.
“Oh. Do you have any pictures?” Brady asked.
“Just one of my mother,” Alexia said as she clutched the necklace in her pocket tightly.
“Can I see it?” Brady asked. Alexia stared at him and held the necklace tightly in her hand, biting down on her lower lip.
Page 2 of 5
Crystal Midera sat in her dorm room, trying to figure out what to pack. Clothes were thrown all over her bed, fit for any season, any natural
disaster and any weather that decided to strike Salem.
“Crys,” Ally said walking into the room, “Our plane leaves in five days, why are you even starting to pack now?”
“Because unlike you, I don’t wait for the last minute to do everything. Now tell me, why are we visiting your Uncle Forrest in Salem? You haven’t seen the guy in like fifteen years, not to mention the fact his name is John now?? I don’t know Al, I wish you weren’t dragging me along, I have so many papers to cram in before the semester ends…”
“Uh Crsytal,” Ally interrupted, shoving some of her clothes off the bed and onto the floor, “The semester ends in four days which means when we leave here on the fifth day we’ll be done.”
“Uuuuuh,” Crsytal whined moving over to her computer, to start her essay, “I just have a feeling that things are going to happen in Salem…things none of us will be able to control and that scares me.”
   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Marlena laid in bed, her hand intertwined with John’s. She traced her fingers over his knuckle, thinking about why they were really there. After finding out about John’s missing years and knowing they could survive whatever came their way, they started to investigate hers…it had been a long five years which she had no memory of, five years where anything could have happened, with anyone. She was snapped out of her daze by John’s lips on hers.
“Are you okay?” John asked, taking her hair in his hands. He ran his fingers through her blonde curls and held her tightly.
“John, I don’t know if we should stay here. I mean even if we do find something else what will it do? I don’t know if I can handle all of this…plus your brother’s daughter is coming in a few Days, I didn’t evenknow Lawrence had a daughter…”
“Well Ally isn’t his,” John explained. “She was adopted. Her parents abondended her and she ended up on Lawrence and Carly’s doorstep. Lawrence decided to take her in, him and Carly always wanted a daughter. Her and her best friend Crystal are coming to stay for a few days, I just don’t know she wants to come and stay with us…I haven’t seen her…the last time I saw her, I was Forrest,” John said sadly.
“John, do you ever regret the way your life has turned out? I mean do you ever wish Stefano had never turned you into Roman…”
“Doc, I’ll never regret falling in love with you, you should know that by now. In fact, why don’t you let me show you just how much I am in love with you Doctor Evans,” John replied rolling on top of her, kissing her neck as she giggled and tried to fight away from his grasp.
       ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Can I see what’s in your locket Lex?” Brady replied as he leaned foward, taking her hand in his own. Before Alex could answer Brady heard his cell phone ring. “Hold on a sec,” he said to Alexia, grabbing his phone out of his jacket pocket. “Black here.”
“Brade, you aren’t daddy,” Belle laughed through the phone at the way her brother had answered.
“Well if it isn’t my Bella. How are you sis?” Brady said affectionatly. He had really missed his sister. Growing up they were as close as could be but his senior year of high school he had gone to a boarding school and stayed in Lousiana for college. Him and Belle had spent a little time together while she had visited last year but all in all, they hadn’t spent time with each other much since.
“I’m good. Mom and Dad are lounging in Mexico so I’m living with Meems for a little. I’m so excited you’re coming home next week, Shawn’s going insane without you here,” she laughed. “Anyway, I just wanted to check in and see when you and your girlfriend were coming here. I’m really excited to meet her Brade.”
“She’s excited too,” Brady replied smiling at Alexia. “Well Dad told me, him and Mom were coming home on Wednesday and Dad’s niece Ally and her best friend Crystal were coming Thursday, so Alex and I figured we would fly home that day also. Anyway, I’m gonna go little sis, but I’ll see you in five days. I love you.”
“I love you too,” she replied as Brady hung up the phone.
“Sorry that was my sister…she’s really excited to meet you.”
“Cool,” Alexia said softly watching as her Equal dissolved in her coffee.
“Okay Alex, spill it,” Brady said lifting her head up so her green eyes melted in his brown. “What is wrong with you??”
Page 3 of 5
John and Marlena walked hand in hand along the sandy white beach. Marlena wore a simple white sundress decorated with small yellow flowers and her hair partly pulled up. John wore a pair of black shorts with a red tank top.
Marlena stopped when she felt a rush of energy flow throughout her entire body. “Marlena, what is it?”
“It’s, it’s this place. I’m not sure what to make of it.” Marlena said, obviously confused.
“Just go slow Baby,” John said as he wrapped his arms around his wife.
“I get the feeling I’ve been here before. Not sure when, but I’ve definitely been here. I don’t pity you Roman.”
“Marlena, are you ok?” John asked concerned.
“Ya, why wouldn’t I be?”
“You just called me Roman.”
“I did?”
“It’s getting late, let’s go in.”
“That’s it!” Marlena exclaimed.
“That’s what?” John asked.
“I have been here before, with you. Remember? You were thinking and I came out. I said ‘I know how much you’ve been hurting. I’ve been wanting to reach out to you and comfort you. I hope it’s not too late.’ The you said-“
“I don’t want your pity Doc.”
“Exactly. Do you know what this means? This search, it’s useless. Those five years, they have no meaning because I wasn’t with *you*!”
“Are you saying you want to give up before you start?” John asked.
“Yes, John, you had over half of your life missing, you *needed* to discover your past. I had five years, five years where I was probably in a coma or trying to get away from Stefano, they mean nothing. Here, now, that means everything.”
***
“Wrong? Nothing is wrong with me Brade. I have to get to Lit, so I’ll see you later,” Alexia said as she rushed off leaving her locket on the table.
***
Crystal woke up in a hot sweat trying to get her nightmare into focus. She got out of bed and headed towards the bathroom where she put a cold washcloth over her face. She was afraid, afraid of the unexpected that awaited her in Salem. As Crystal stared at her face in the mirror, she saw the image of her fair cream colored skin and light brown hair change into a different image. An image of a different person– a child. “No!!!!” Crystal screamed as she pounded her fist into the mirror, shattering it.
Ally awoke at once and ran to her friend. “Crystal, what wrong?”
“Its her…”
“Her, who? The woman in your locket?”
“No,” Crystal replied.
“Ok, then who?” Ally asked.
With blood dripping from her hand, Crystal rushed her closet where she found a faded picture album. She opened it to the first page. “Her,” Crystal said as she wept and pointed to a picture of herself and a younger girl on the beach.
***
“Mimi, what on earth are you looking for?” Belle asked as she watched her friend rummage through her closet.
“Baby pictures for Spanish. We’re supposed to make a timeline, but the earliest pictures I can find of me is a four months old. I mean, I was the first born, there should be something of me prior that four months.”
“Yea, I guess so. Ask your Mom, they’re probably in her desk or something,” Belle said as she finished brushing her long blond hair before settling into her purple sleeping bag.
Page 4 of 5
Marlena finished packing her last bag and sat on top of the bed, inhaling the spring air of Mexico. They had decided they were going to leave that night on John’s plane. If memories wanted to come back to her they would and if not, the past was the past. She took her brush from her bag and brushed it through her golden locks, looking as John finished packing. She was amazed at how one man could make her feel the way he did, how one man could actually give her that much love and how one man could make her so happy.
“Paging Dr. Evans,” John said as he held his hands over his mouth.
She looked over at him and smiled, getting up to wrap her arms around his neck. “Sorry baby, what did you say?”
“I asked if you were ready. Bill said the jet was at the local airport and that as soon as we get there we’ll head back to Salem. Do you want to call Belle at Mimi’s before we go?”
“Nah, let her think we’re away for a couple more days. That way we can have the house all to ourselves and I can do this,” Marlena replied kissing him passionatly.
“Honey, we do that whether Belle is home or not,” John joked.
“Fine, then you don’t get any,” she smiled walking out the door as John followed.
       ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Brady sat at the cafe table, noticing Alex’s necklace in front of him. He picked it up and fingered the golden chain wondering what secret she was hiding. Ever since he had told her about going home to meet his parents, she became distant, almost as if she went, something that could never be fixed would become broken. He was about to open the locket when he heard someone calling his name. He looked up and saw his best friend Adam standing before him, a latte in his left hand. Brady put Alex’s locket in his back pocket, motioning the open seat to his friend.
“Hey bro, what’s up?” Adam asked sitting down across from Brady.
“Hm nothing much. I have Business Ethics in about 20 minutes though. I swear if I have to listen to Professor Cheesedick go on and on about the importance of saving money and investing in the stock market, I’ll shoot myself, I have no idea how my father loves this stuff.”
“Ah yes the famous John Black…my very own best friend’s daddy is a world renowned millionaire. You know what would be cool?” Adam questioned.
“What?”
“If we were brothers in law. You know set me up with your sister, she’s a
babe Brade…”
“Keep dreaming Adam,” Brady laughed getting up. “Come on walk me to Ethics, I’ll tell you about that time, Belle threw up all over herself in her sleep…”
       ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Crystal, you need to talk to someone about this,” Ally said, giving her a cold washcloth. “My aunt Marlena is a shrink…I’ve never met her, but I heard she’s one of the best out there, you need to talk to someone, this has been tearing you apart.”
“What am I supposed to do Al? Say, ‘Hi, my name is Crystal and I keep having images of being little with these two girls who are suddenly gone from my life?’ She’ll think I’m insane. Alls, my life hasn’t been easy, that’s why all of this is happening, but I’m fine, I swear. Now that it’s 9 AM, want to grab some breakfast, I am starving,” Crystal said walking into the bathroom.
Ally watched as she left and sat down feeling dizzy. “You may want to hide your past Crys, but whether you want it to or not, it will come back to haunt you…”
           ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Mimi?” Belle called as she tied her hair up in a ponytail. She walked into the hallway and heard someone rummaging around in the guest room. She walked in and saw Mimi on the floor, her eyes glued to a picture. “Meems?” Belle asked quietly. When Mimi didn’t answer she sat down next to her and looked at the picture in her hand. Two little girls were standing on the beach, holding hands as the wind blew their hair. “Mimi who are those girls?”
“The one on the right is me,” she said quietly. “And the one on the left looks exactly like me…but I don’t have a twin,” she responded her lips barely moving as she stared long and hard at the picture in front of her.
Page 5 of 5
Crystal lay peacefully on the couch taking an afternoon’s nap. Ally was scrummaging through the mail when she noticed a letter postmarked from Salem addressed to her.
Dear Alison,
I am so excited about you coming to Salem. We will meet you at the
airport at noon. With me will be my wife Marlena, our children Belle and
Brady, as well as Brady’s girlfriend. Here is a picture so you recognize us.
Love,
Uncle John
Ally held the picture firmly in her grasp. John looked the same as she remembered. Belle was a cute girl with long blond hair and a face almost identical to her mother’s. But, there was something about Marlena that sent chills up her spine. She had seen this woman before. Ally quickly put the picture and letter in her room and entered Crystal’s. The photo album Crystal had pointed out the night before lay at the foot of Crystal’s bed. She opened it to the first page to see the photo Crystal was so worked up about. She
took the photo out of it’s holding and turned it over. “Crystal, Alexia, and Mimi.” Ally was confused, there were only two girls in this photo, not three.
Ally examined the photo more closely, part of the picture was missing.
***
“Meems, it’s probably just a cousin or something. Besides, wouldn’t you notice if there was another girl around Salem High looking just like you?” Belle said trying to calm her friend.
“Maybe not. I started Kindergarten a year late. I’d be a freshman in college right now if it wasn’t for that. Meaning in some college, there is another one of me!” Mimi told her.
Belle too the picture in her hand. “Look here, part of the picture is missing. Maybe it’s one of those things where your parents took a bunch of pictures of you on the beach and had a professional make it look like there were two or three of you. We do live in the computer age.”
“Yea, but this was like eighteen years ago. And, even if that was the case, why is it hidden in a drawer and not on display?”
“I don’t know. What else is in the drawer?” Belle asked.
Mimi looked further in the drawer until she found a blue velvet box. She opened it revealing a locket. She opened it to see a picture of Marlena. “Looks like something you left here,” she said handing the locket to Belle.
“This isn’t mine. The only locket I’ve ever had is the one Shawn gave me for my 16th birthday,” Belle told her.
***
The next morning, John and Marlena entered the penthouse to the sound of silence. “It’s so good to be home,” John said stretching his arms.
“You can say that again,” Marlena said as she looked through the mail Alice had picked up for her. The pile was mostly bills and useless advertisements, but one letter did catch her eye. It was addressed to her and postmarked Salem with no return address. She opened it to find a letter and three pictures. One picture was of a girl around the age of four and the other twowere identical of a girl just barely old enough to walk on the beach. Not knowing what to make of it, Marlena read the letter.
Marlena,
It’s not nice to open Pandora’s Box.
Ally was looking at the picture of Alexia and Crystal trying to figure out where the third girl was. She examined it more closely and realized that Mimi would have to be about Alexia’s age. Part of Mimi’s arm was still left in the picture and she had her arm wrapped around Alexia while Crystal stood next to them, slightly taller.
“What are you doing looking at that?”
Ally jumped up and looked to see Crystal sitting up on her bed, fury burning in her eyes. “Crys, I just wanted to see something…”
“Well it’s mine okay? It’s bad enough that I don’t remember anything in my life, but to have someone else try to understand it when I can’t even do that is not fair.”
“Crys, I’m not trying to understand anything. I was just curious about something, I don’t see why you’re so bent out of shape about this. Look, I’ll leave you alone, I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Ally left the room walking back out into the living room, taking the picture John had sent her in her hands. She looked at Marlena’s features…her shoulder length blonde hair, the way her hazel eyes shimmered, and her smile…she couldn’t forget that smile, it was so broad, so sincere…
“Where do I know you from Aunt Marlena,” she said a loud as she kept her eyes glued to the picture.
           ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Brady knocked on Alexia’s door in her sorority house, checking his watch. She was supposed to be back from her creative writing class almost an hour ago.
“Hey Brade,” Alexia’s roomate said as she answered the door. Clothes were thrown all over the room and beer cans were showing from underneath the bed.
“Wow, I thought the faternity house was bad,” he laughed sitting down on Alexia’s bed. “So Laur, where is my girlfriend. She kind of ran off on me this morning. Lauren, maybe it’s just me but has Lex been a little weird lately?”
Lauren sat on her bed, across from Brady and leaned up against the wall. “Yeah she has actually. I didn’t want to mention anything because you know me, paranoid as hell, but she’s been acting distant lately. It’s like she has put up this wall…some secret that she won’t let anyone know…or maybe she’s just nervous about meeting your parents,” she teased.
“Funny,” he smiled. “I thought maybe that was it also but my parents are so sweet and she’s seen pictures…well she’s actually never seen a picture of my step mother. My real mother’s picture is up…my father wouldn’t let me put her picture up there, he figured all my friends would want her,” he laughed. “But I don’t know I think it’s something more and it’s killing me that I can’t help her…”
           ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Marlena read the letter over again, dropping the pictures and letter, her body shaking. John looked over at her and dropped the bill he was reading, rushing over to her. He led her over to the couch, not noticing the picture on the floor.
“Doc, what happened?” he asked running his hand over her golden hair. Â Â
“John, do you think it’s possible to have a child and not remember? Or for that matter three?” she asked quietly, her eyes still adverted on the pictures lying on the floor.
“Doc, what are you saying?” he asked confused.
“I’m saying, what if I had children in those five years I can’t remember…”
Page 2 of 5
“I guess it’s possible,” John said as he tucked a golden curl behind Marlena’s ear. “After all, we had just reunited after the ISA held you captive when you left. What made you think this?”
“Just pondering the idea,” Marlena said as she picked up the pictures and letter and stuffed them in the envelope.
“Come on Doc, you’re crying. What did you just stuff in that envelope?”
***
“Hey there Cutie,” Belle said as she wrapped her arms around her boyfriend, Shawn Brady.
“Hi there yourself,” Shawn said giving Belle a kiss. “How is life with Mimi?”
“Well, interesting. She’s been acting really weird. I can’t say I blame her though…” Belle said not wanting to tell Shawn too much.
“Why?” Shawn asked.
“Ok, ok,” Belle said as she dragged Shawn into an empty classroom and closed the door. “Mimi found some stuff last night, we’re not sure what to make of it.”
“What sort of stuff? Don’t tell me she found an old vampire costume and tried to immitate Chloe or something.”
“Shawn, you’re not helping. She found this picture of herself, only there was two of her.”
“Two Mimis? Not possible, the world only needs one,” Shawn said.
“I knew you wouldn’t understand,” Belle said as she exited the classroom leaving Shawn worried.
***
“What are you looking at?” Crystal asked as she entered the living room.
“Just a picture my uncle sent me.You aren’t mad at me, are you?” Ally asked.
“No, you were just trying to help. It’s just, you know how it is. You were dropped on some random doorstep as a child. You have no idea where you came from. For all you know, you could have a huge family out there or be related to someone famous. You don’t know your past either. But, you know your parents aren’t biologically your real parents.” Crystal said. “I don’t even know if my dad is my real dad!”
“What? Crys, you never told me this before…” Allly said.
“Well, it’s one of the few memories I have of ‘Mommy Dearest.’ I must have been about three. I couldn’t sleep so I crept downstairs where my parents were engaged in their usual chess game. I watched through the banaster as they talked about my mom being rescued. She mentioned that she loved my dad, but still didn’t remember life before he rescued her. He had insisted that they were married and that I was *their* daughter. But, I think my mom knew differently, I could just tell. Kids just know all the secrets to their parents souls I guess.”
***
“Talking about me?” Alexia asked as she entered her room and plopped her purse in her desk chair.
“Actually, yes,” Brady said. “Alexia we need to talk.”
“Yes, we do. Brady, I can’t come with you to Salem.”
Page 3 of 5
Lauren looked at Brady and smiled standing up. “Well Brade, it was great seeing you, but I must go see Brad at the faternity house. He has some huge surprise planned for me…I’ll speak to you two later.” Lauren grabbed her bag and walked out the door leaving Brady and Alexia alone. He looked at her and for the first time in all the time they were dating, looked deep into her soul. Something about her seemed familar…something he had never noticed before. He couldn’t put his finger on it but there was something there. He shook his head and looked at Alexia and notced the tears falling from her eyes. He got up and wrapped his arms around her, feeling as she melted into his embrace.
“So tell me Alex, what’s gotten into you?” he asked pulling her back to look into her hazel eyes. “Why can’t you come home with me?”
“You wouldn’t understand,” she whispered.
“Try me. I’d probably understand a lot more than you know.”
“I’m scared okay. You always talk about your family…you’re dad and step mother have this perfect relationship with each other…they’re so in love, so passionate…then there is your sister who you have this perfect relationship with. It’s just that I grew up in a boarding school. I don’t know my mother, I haven’t seen my father since I was young…I mean I don’t even know where he is living now. And I’m afraid that your parents wont
accept me because I come from a broken home…not even a home, a boarding school in Louisiana.”
“Al, my parents don’t care about that at all. They just want me and Belle to be happy…so whoever we date, they’re happy.”
“So does Belle have a boyfriend?”Alexia asked curiously.
“Yeah. They were actually close friends growing up, he was my best friend but we haven’t spoken in forever…he went away to boarding school for a year and when he came back I was already gone for college. His name is Shawn Brady. Our parents are best friends.”
“You know what, Brade, I changed my mind…I wanna go home with you,” Alexia said smiling.
           ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Marlena closed the door to her and John’s bedroom walking downstairs. She took the envolope off the mail table and looked at the pictures…the twins looked so familar, almost as if Marlena knew one of them. Only one person knew about her five missing years…Stefano DiMera. She picked up the phone dialing his number slowly holding her breath waiting for him to answer.
“Hello?”
His voice sent chills up and down her spine and she exhaled, swallowing the large lump that had formed in her throat. “Stefano, it’s Marlena…we need to speak, *now.*”
Page 4 of 5
“Ah, the lovely Marlena, what do I this phone call to?” Stefano asked curiously.
“Cut the crap Stefano, you know why I called,” Marlena told him.
“No… Why don’t you tell me?”
“The envelope you sent me with the pictures. I demand to know what they’re about!” Marlena demanded.
***
“Anyway,” Crystal said as she wiped a tear from her face. “What’s the picture of?”
“Oh, just a picture of my uncle and his family. You know, so I recognize them when we get off the plane,” Ally said holding the picture firmly in her grasp.
“Do you think I could see it?” Crystal asked.
Ally raised the picture up to eye level ready to hand the photo over to Crystal when something struck her. She saw it, in the eyes, she knew where she had seen Marlena before.
***
“Really? Well, Alexia, I’m glad to know that you’re coming, but what changed your mind?” Brady asked curiously.
“Well… If Belle has a boyfriend, then we could double date. I was afraid that if I came, one of us would be singled out, that’s all,” Alexia told him.
“Ya, I guess. You know, you might have gone to school with Shawn. Didn’t you go to Radford last year?” Brady asked.
“Yes, I went for two years. But, I mostly hung around people in my class so I don’t think I knew him,” Alexia told Brady knowing she was lying through her teeth.
Page 5 of 5
“My darling Marlena, I have *no* idea what you’re talking about,” Stefano spoke through the phone as Marlena sat down on the couch, rubbing her temples with her free hand. A sharp pain started to soar through her head once she had seen those pictures, once she had realized she had another life, a life that held far more than memories…a life that involved children, children which she couldn’t remember.
“Stefano, you’re not exactly known for your honesty. Those pictures were sent from Salem and you are the one person who knows about my past, the *only* person who knows about my past. You toy with people’s lives and think that no one is affected, or you don’t even care if they are. Well I’m letting you know right now Stefano, that whatever *trick* you are playing on me, I’m not falling for it goodbye!” Marlena slammed the phone down knowing what she had said was a lie… she wouldn’t be able to forget, not when kids were involved.
       ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Stefano sat down at his chess game, moving the Queen of the Night around in his hand. “My Queen, I may know about your past…but I didn’t send you those letters so that means someone else out there knows just who and what you did in your past…” Stefano said aloud as he thought of who could have known of her lost years.
       ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Alexia sat in the airport while she watched Brady getting a cup of coffee at a local vending machine. Â Â She watched his muscular figure and felt as her emotions started to play on her. She loved Brady, well she thought she did but the name Shawn Brady kept playing over and over in her head. She never noticed how alike Shawn and Brady actually looked, maybe that was the appeal she was attracted to when she had met Brady. Their styled brown hair, chocolate deep brown eyes…
“Alex, you okay?” Brady asked snapping her out of her daze. “You’re not still nervous are you? I’m sorry we had to come a few days earlier, it’s just my parents just got home and anxiously awaiting our company,” Brady laughed. “So my dad wanted us and my cousin Ally and her best friend to come a day eariler.”
“No it’s okay, I mean we finished finals and everything. So I never saw a picture of your step mother, what does she look like?” Alex asked curiously. Â
“Hm,” Brady said thinking, “Well she has blonde hair, down to her shoulders, hazel eyes, she’s tall, beautiful…my dad used to tell me he wish she had become a model because she was so gorgeous. And she’s an amazing mother, I’m really lucky to have had her…”
“She sounds beautiful,” Alexia replied quietly, somehow getting the feeling that the description of Brady’s step mother sounded exactly like the woman inside her locker… “Oh my God, my locket,” Alexia gasped as she realized she didn’t have it.
   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“So Ally,” Crystal said pulling her legs up on the airport chair, “Tell me more about your aunt,” she asked curiously.
“I honeslty don’t know much. I know she is a psychiatrist in Salem, from what my uncle has told me, she’s a really good one and a prominent member of their town. She’s been married a few times, has had a kid from each marriage but loved my uncle with some soap opera passion, I don’t know. Why are you so curious?”
“Oh, well her picture looked so familiar, I was wondering if maybe I knew her growing up or something, but I guess not,” Crystal shrugged as she gathered her stuff to board the plane.
Page 2 of 6
“Attention Passengers, Flight 742 we are starting to descend into Salem International Airport. Please fasten all safety belts.”
Alexis held Brady’s hand as the plane landed. “Well, this is it…” Brady said.
“Yup, this is it,” Alexia said with a grin on her face.
***
“It’s here!” Belle Black exclaimed as she watched her brothers plane enter the gate. She hadn’t seen her brother in four years since he decided to finish out high school in Colorado. Sure there were the occasional visits during Christmas, but they became less frequent as the years went by. And now she had a whole week with him.
“Calm yourself Girl!” Mimi exclaimed. “It’s just your brother. I’d be glad to get rid of Carson for four years.”
“Well, your little brother is a menace to society. I have a great relationship with Brady. And this girlfriend of his sounds cool. Shawn and I could double date.”
“And once again the best friend is left out in the cold. I guess I could hang with your cousin and her friend. You know, I haven’t seen Brady in a long time, I’m always out of town when he comes,” Mimi said with a tone of curiosity.
“Ya. Mom, that gates opening!” Belle told Marlena.
John and Marlena rushed to the gate to greet their son and possible daughter-in-law.
“Sorry I’m late.”
The group turned around to see Shawn. “Is he here yet?”
“Not yet,” Belle told him. “Wait, there he is. Brady!”
Brady ran into the arms of his estatic sister. “Oh Isabella. You are prettier than the last time I saw you.”
“Yea, and you’re taller. Anyway, you remeber Mimi, right?”
Brady stared at Mimi for a second. “I don’t believe this…”
“Yes Brady, I’m not the little immature middle schooler you remember me as…” Mimi told him.
“No, it’s not that. I mean, the hair color is different and it’s a totally different style…” Brady said.
“What? I never colored my hair. What in the world are you babbling about?” Mimi asked.
“Brady Sweetie..” Alexis said when she found her boyfriend that had run in front of her when they exited the plane. Alexis stared at the faces around her. At first, her eyes were captured to Marlena. She knew it, this was the woman! And Shawn, oh he looked just as good as she remembered. But Mimi, that’s what really hit her. Alex’s head started spinning round and round until she couldn’t take it anymore. She started staggering away from the group, but she couldn’t walk. Brady went after her, tried to hold her steady until she completely collaped in his arms.
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“Alexia,” Brady said shaking her body, “Wake up baby, come on…”
Alexia stirred and sat up, her head spinning in circles as she remembered the sight she had just seen…the blonde gorgeous which she knew…the women that was nestled in her locket, the women which was suppodily her mother…but what really hit her was the brunette standing with Brady’s younger sister. Everything about her mirrored Alexia…the green intense eyes, the face, it was as if she was looking at herself in the mirror. And then there was Shawn…her first love who was now dating…her half sister.
“Ali, are you okay?” Brady asked storking her hair gently.
“Um yeah, listen Brady, I just need to be alone for a little while, can you just give me your parents address and I’ll take a cab over…”
                           *******************
Shawn paced the airport parking lot as he held his cell phone in his hand.
“Come on, Tony, call me back,” he mumbled as he scanned the parking lot for any sign of Belle. He had told her he had to call his mother, something about leaving the oven on before he left. It had been years since he had see Alexia…he always knew her and Mimi looked alike but just played it off as some weird coincidence and forgot about it. Shawn was snapped out of his daze by the ringing of his cell phone.
“Tony?” Shawn said anxiously.
“Brady, my man, what’s up? You sounded freaked on my voice mail, what’s going on?”
“Tony, Alex is here…my best friend just got off the plane from college with none other than Alexia Damon. Tony, why the hell is she here?? You promised me…”
“Shawn, I promised you nothing, you knew the deal, and keeping tabs on who Alex dated and on where she traveled was not in it, so don’t start with me.”
Tony said hanging up the phone.
“Damn it, Tony, if you won’t take care of this, I will,” Shawn mumbled as he put his phone back in his pocket and walked back into the airport.
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“Hmmm,” Ally said as she sat in the gate with Crystal waiting for her Aunt and Uncle.
“Are you sure they know what time our plane came in?” Crystal asked as she pulled out the latest Danielle Steele novel.
“Ya, Uncle John called me last night to confirm it. I guess I should page them just in case they are just waiting for Brady’s plane to get in.”
***
“Alexia, what is going on here?” Brady asked.
“Isn’t it obvious? Look at that girl’s face!” Alexia yelled.
“Ok, so Mimi looks like you. So what?”
“Brady, it’s more than that.” Alexia reached into her pocket and pulled out her locket that Brady had returned to her earlier and opened it. “This was given to me from my father.
“You father? Why the hell did your father give you a locket of my step-mother?!”
“Because, she’s my mother!”
“Brady, is everything ok?” John asked as he came closer to his son.
“Dad, you will not beleive this…”
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“Dad, you will never believe this,” Brady started as he held Alexia’s locket tightly in his right palm. If her mother really was Marlena then he was dating his step sister. And if the Mimi’s looks weren’t just a conincidence then Belle’s best friend would be her half sister.
“What’s going on?” John asked, eyeing Alexia carefully. Before Brady could answer a voice on the loudpseaker inturrupted them.
“Mr. John Black, please report to gate 25, you have guests waiting for you, John Black, please report to gate 25.”
“Wow, I almost forgot about Ally and her friend. Look, Marlena and Belle just brought Mimi down to the cafe for some coffee to calm her down. I think we all just need to get out of this stuffy airport” John turned to Alexia and smiled. “Look, I’m sorry about all of this, you come out here to meet your boyfriend’s family and you come here to welcome all of this. I apologize.”
Alexia managed a smile. “Don’t worry about it, maybe I’ll find out things I’ve been searching for for a long time,” she said, looking at the locket that lay firm in Brady’s hand.
                                   *******************
Belle and Mimi sat at a table in the airport cafe, while Marlena was in the bathroom. Belle watched as her best friend sat stirring her straw around her coffee and could almost feel Mimi’s pain. They had best friends since grade school and were close enough to be sisters, so close they would feel each others emotions, whether it was happiness, sadness, pain, guilt, love…
“Meems, are you all right?” Belle asked quietly.
“Why would I be upset? I mean so what if your brother’s girlfriend looks like me. A lot of people look alike…people even look like actor’s, like you and that chic Zenon from that Disney movie, but that doesn’t mean anything…so why should I let this bother me.”
“But it is…Meems, I can read you like a book. I think you need to talk to Alexia, maybe she can help you understand things that none of us can. And if she has no relation or anything to you, then fine, but you need to talk to someone who understands and I think Alexia is that person.”
“I guess so but there is still something else bothering me…”
“What?”
“Why was there a locket in a locked drawer in my house of your mother? If it’s not yours and it was locked away, what does that mean??”
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“Uncle John!” Ally screamed when she saw her uncle.
“Well, if it isn’t little Ally Alamain. how have you been?” John asked when he saw his niece.
“I’ve been great. Daddy and my mom send you their love. And they told me my big brother was in town. I hardly ever get to talk to him these days.”
“Yea, Nicholas is living here in Salem. So, where is your friend?” John asked.
“Here she is,” Ally said dragging Crystal away from her headphones. “Crystal, this is my uncle, John Black. Uncle John, this is my best friend Crystal Midera.”
“That is so weird. Brady’s girlfriend’s last name is Midera,” John said shaking Crystal’s hand.
“Well, I’ve heard it’s a common last name in Eastern Europe,” Crystal said.
“Yea, that’s probably it. Anyway, sorry I’m late. We had a small crisis when we picked up Brady, nothing to worry about though,” John told the girls.
***
“Sorry I took so long,” Marlena said returning to Belle and Mimi. “The line was huge. Mimi dear, how are you doing?”
“Umm, Mrs. Black, I need to talk to you about something,” Mimi stuttered.
“Mimi Dear, what is it? You’re trembling.”
“Did you lose a locket at anytime? I found this locket in a locked drawer at my house,” Mimi said showing Marlena the locket she had taken out of her purse.
“Hmm, it doesn’t look familiar,” Marlena said as she examined the locket.
“Oh my God!” Brady screamed as he approached his step-mother, sister, and sister’s friend. “Alexia has that locket.”
The Jarlena Journal 