Written by: Sloppy1
Email: sloppy1@talkcity.com

EPISODE 2-16 - ANOTHER TAKE


TOM RESIDENCE

Everybody was excited about Noah as they surrounded him in his new 
crib, especially Robert. Darla lifted up her head and eyed Robert. 
She could see the happiness and joy in his eyes. She couldn't help 
but feel glad that Robert was so excited about the baby, when just 
nine months ago he was the one who suggested she have an abortion. 
Darla smiled; glad everything had turned out the way it did. Except 
for Patrick's unfortunate condition, things were turning out to be 
pretty good.

Patrick sighed and wheeled himself away from everyone. Kassie 
couldn't help but notice this and walked over to him.

She put her arm around him and asked with concern, "What's wrong, 
Patrick?"

He didn't answer, but he didn't need to. Kassie knew exactly what was 
bothering him.

"It's all the happiness around here, isn't it? You can't get into the 
mood because you're worried that you won't get feeling back in your 
leg."

Patrick nodded.

"I'm so sorry, Patrick. I know it must be hard for you. But you heard 
Dr. Huber; he assured you would get feeling back in your leg in no 
time. I know a guarantee like that isn't enough when you can't even 
walk, but I think once you get your feeling back-and you will-you'll 
appreciate even more your ability to walk. I remember when my dad 
injured himself in a skiing accident when he was still alive. He felt 
the same way you did. He couldn't stand being so restricted to a 
wheel chair. And if you knew my dad, you would know just how painful 
it was for him. He was the most outgoing, active man I knew. Even as 
he aged, he still hung on to his youthful energy."

Patrick looked up at Kassie and smiled. "I'm sorry. I can tell you 
miss your father very much. You two must have had a very close 
relationship."

"Yeah," said Kassie. "We did. I've come a really long way since he 
passed away. I guess I owe a lot of my improvement to little Noah. 
It's wonderful to know that he will always be a remembrance of Daddy, 
part of him."

Suddenly Patrick remembered something. He remembered the truth about 
Noah's paternity. Just moments before Robert had mentioned to him 
something about an announcement, the baby and the truth. Patrick put 
it all together. He now knew! Noah was really Robert's son. He had 
figured it out before he lost his memory. Patrick became uneasy in 
his wheel chair and Kassie noticed it.

"Patrick, are you alright? Suddenly you look flustered."

"I am," replied Patrick. "It's time you know the truth, Kassie."

"What do you mean…truth?"

"About Noah. He's…"

"Stop!" Yelled Darla. She had just overheard Patrick and moved closer 
to he and Kassie.

"What, Mom?" Asked Kassie, curious. "That was awfully rude of you. 
Patrick was just about to tell me something. It sounded important."

"I'm sorry, darling, but I had to get your attention."

"Why?" Asked Kassie.

"Because…little Noah just did something I thought you should see."

Kassie became interested and moved closer to the crib. "Oh yeah, 
what?"

"He…giggled. It was light, but Robert and I heard him. It was the 
sweetest little giggle."

"Oh, shoot!" Shouted Kassie. "I wish I could've seen it for myself."

Darla and Robert shrugged.

"Maybe he'll do it again," said Robert.

"I hope," said Kassie.

Just as everyone began entranced by the little child in his crib, the 
telephone rang. Robert ran to the phone and picked it up.

"Who would call on Christmas Day?" Said Robert, humorously, just 
before picking up the phone. "Hello?"

Darla, Kassie, and Patrick watched Robert as listened into the 
headpiece. Suddenly, Robert lifted the phone away from him and 
motioned for Kassie. 

"It's for you, Kassie."

Darla looked curious. "Who could it be?"

Kassie grabbed the phone from Robert and laughed, saying to her 
mother, "I have friends, you know."

"Oh, I'm just kidding, sweetie. I know."

Kassie put the phone to her ear. "Hello?" Kassie held a quick 
conversation with the person on the other end and finally hung up the 
phone.

"Who was it?" Asked Darla, excitedly.

Kassie had a huge smile on her face as she announced, "I got the 
job!" 

Darla and Robert looked at each other confused, but Patrick knew 
exactly what Kassie was talking about. He smiled and wheeled himself 
over to Kassie, reaching up to give her a hug.

After he let go, he asked, "So, now will you tell me what kind of job 
it is?"



ST. PETER CATHOLIC CHURCH

The service had ended and Iris and Bo continued to sit motionless in 
the first bench of the church. 

Finally, Bo whispered into her daughter's ear, "You know everyone's 
left. Are you ready to go?"

Iris moved around in the bench and smiled at her father. "I suppose."

With that, Iris and Bo got up and knelt in front of the altar before 
heading to the back of the church. Bo stopped by the two coffins. 

"Would you like to say a final good-bye?"

Iris shrugged. "I don't know. Would it be disrespectable if I didn't? 
It's just so hard. I'm afraid if I approach the coffins again, I 
won't be able to hold myself together."

Bo wrapped his arm around her and rubbed her back, saying, "It's 
alright. One can only expect the kind of sorrow you're going through, 
having to attend the funeral of both your mother and brother in the 
same day. Let's leave."

Iris and Bo continued to walk to the back of the church. When they 
reached the back vestibule, Iris stopped. Adam King was still 
standing in the back of church.

Iris walked over to him.

"You're still here? I thought everybody left."

Adam nodded. "I know, but I wanted to give my condolences to you 
before you left."

"That's so thoughtful of you, Adam," said Iris, before wrapping his 
arms around him to give him a hug. 

"I can't express how sorry I am for your losses. It's so terrible."

Iris nodded and looked back up at Adam smiling. "At least I know I 
have friends that care about me."

Adam was surprised. Iris had called him a friend. 

"Well, good-bye, Adam," said Iris, reaching for his hand to grasp it.

Adam allowed her his hand and the two shared a gentle shake.

Just as Iris was about to turn around and walk back to her father, 
Adam said, "Wait, Iris. I was wondering…if you wouldn't mind having 
dinner with me?"

Iris was stunned, but overjoyed. "Dinner? Well…sure."

"I was afraid to ask you," said Adam. "I wasn't sure if it was too 
soon. But, I thought maybe a nice, pleasant dinner might do you some 
good."

Iris nodded. "Sure, it sounds great. Where?"

"The Mansion. My family is planning a big branch for today and I'd 
like you to join us…join me."

Iris smiled. "Sure, I'd love to."


While Iris was talking to Adam, Bo felt his cell phone vibrate in his 
suit jacket. He reached into his jacked and pulled it out. 

"Bo Torres."

Bo listened to the person on the other end and was shocked by the 
person calling. "Not you," he said, obviously disturbed.



CONSUELOS RESIDENCE

Skye came into the living room and sat down beside Mateo, holding a 
chilled bottle of champagne and two toasting glasses.

"What's that for?" Asked Mateo.

Skye handed one of the glasses to Mateo and popped the cork. It made 
a loud booming sound and Skye beamed, thrilled. "I want to make a 
toast," she said, pouring some champagne into Mateo's glass and into 
hers. She held up her glass to his. "To Brianna! May she rot in hell!"

Mateo laughed loudly and shook his head smiling excitedly. "Good 
toast! Cheers!"

The two glasses smash against each other loudly and the two demons 
laughed loudly and amusingly. 

"Hold on! Listen to this!" Screamed Mateo, pointing to the TV screen. 

"I'm News 7 Reporter Kimberly Neil reporting live from Mystique Road 
in Presence. Officials say a vehicle has smashed into the guardrail 
of this curve and rolled over the other side."

The camera view turned to the damaged guardrail of the curve and back 
to the reporter.

"Now officials won't tell us who was in the car, but only that it was 
a woman and she was driving a black Saab. We'll have more news of 
this tragic accident coming up at six."

Mateo turned the volume down on the TV and gave a loud laugh. "Yes! 
Finally! Success! It's Brianna! It has to be! She's finally dead, for 
sure, now. It would take a miracle for her to pull out of this one."

Skye was also thrilled, but a little optimistic. "How sure? What if 
she does pull out of this one? We would be in even more danger if she 
goes straight to the police and accuses us."

Mateo's expression turns serious. He turns to Skye with a stern 
look. "You're right. We can't be sure enough. We have to do something 
else."

"I know, and that's why I've already come up with a back-up plan. I 
rigged the Saab a little bit myself during the night last night."

Mateo laughs. "Really? What?"

"Oh, just a little something. I tampered with the engine…a whole lot. 
Enough so carbon monoxide can seep through her engine and contaminate 
the rest of the vehicle, and hopefully Brianna! If she doesn't die 
from the collision, then she'll surely die from gas poisoning. And 
there's absolutely no way she'll be able to escape from the vehicle."

"Good work!" Declares Mateo. "You've really proven yourself."

Skye smiles. She had finally won the respect of her superior.



PRESENCE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

Brooke quickly disappeared.
 
With that, Giovanni woke up as well. "Who was here?" he asked. 

"Brooke," Gillian said simply. "But she wasn't here to cause trouble… 
Nothing could possibly go wrong…" She rushed up to hug him again. 

Giovanni wasn't so sure. Brooke, he knew, was up to something and he 
couldn't trust the woman at all. Giovanni noticed a nicely wrapped 
present on Addy's nightstand. Giovanni pointed to it, saying, "What's 
that?"

Gillian hadn't noticed the gift until Giovanni brought it up. "I'm 
not sure," she said. "This is the first time I noticed it." Gillian, 
seated on Giovanni's lap, reached over for the box. Just as she put 
her hand on it, her mother made a sound.

"Brooke…brought it…" Addy said lightly.

Gillian and Giovanni looked at Addy, surprised.

Gillian flew off Giovanni's lap and approached the hospital bed to 
give her mom a hug. "You're awake!" She said.

Addy opened her eyes slowly and looked up at her daughter, 
smiling. "Yes…I'm awake. I've been awake for some time now, but I 
haven't had enough energy to speak up."

Gillian smiles brightly. "Oh, I'm so relieved!" Gillian looked up and 
folded her hands, after making the sign of the cross. She prayed 
quietly, "Thank you, God, for bringing back my mother. It's a 
miracle!"

Giovanni added, "A Christmas miracle."

Gillian turned around to face him and smiled. "You're right." 

With that, Gillian left her mother and wrapped her arms around 
Giovanni tightly. "I'm so thankful for everything."

When she let go, Giovanni smiled at her and Gillian sat on his lap 
again.

Gillian was truly blessed. She had Giovanni in her life-for sure now, 
and her mother was safe. Gillian noticed the neatly wrapped present 
sitting on her mother's nightstand again. She picked it up this time, 
shaking it, before asking her mother, "You say Brooke dropped this 
by?"

Addy said slowly and with much energy, "Yes…"

Gillian smiled. "Great! A gift!" Gillian put her fingers at each end 
of the present, about to unwrap it.

Meanwhile, Giovanni couldn't help but worry that Brooke was up to 
something. She had threatened to reveal to Gillian his past. A past 
Giovanni would rather stay hidden. He had finally found himself 
complete. He loved Gillian and he was now comforting her, he would 
stay by her side while her mother recuperates. He couldn't let that 
scheming bitch, Brooke Wright, ruin his, and Gillian's life, for no 
reason whatsoever.

Giovanni lunged for the present, now completely unwrapped in 
Gillian's hands, but unopened.

Gillian didn't understand. "Hey, that was my gift!" She said 
humorously.

Giovanni didn't know what to say. He had retrieved the gift, but he 
didn't have the right words to say from here. "I'm sorry. I just…
think you should save this one for another time." He had no idea what 
he was saying, but hoped in the end it would all make sense.

"Save it for later? But why? It's the first present I've gotten today 
and I want to open now."

"I have a…better gift for you to open."

Gillian looked at him, confused. "How can you say that? You don't 
even know what's inside of this one. It might be something I want to 
see."

"Or not..." thought Giovanni.

"Then what's your gift?" Asked Gillian, eager.

Giovanni opened up his mouth and moved closer to Gillian. He presses 
his lips against hers and wrapped his arms around her at the same 
time. 

The kiss lasted forever, it seemed to Gillian. But not long enough, 
either. It felt so great to be embraced in Giovanni's arms like that 
and being so affectionate with him. This gift truly was better than 
any other.

Meanwhile Addy lay in her hospital bed, with her eyes slightly 
opened. To anyone else, it would seem Addy had no idea what was going 
on around her. But they would all be wrong. Addy had been paying 
attention to everything that had been happening since she gained 
consciousness, long before anyone else knew. She had witnessed 
Gillian sitting on her man's lap, being personal with each other, and 
she had now witnessed their kiss. Long, and lasting. Deep, and real.

And she had made up her mind. She wasn't going to allow her daughter 
to steal her man!



Next time
-Addy schemes to win back Giovanni.
-Iris arrives at the King Mansion with Adam.
-Bo finds himself in a predicament.
-Brooke makes sure her plan doesn't go wrong.
-Skye and Mateo move to step two of their plan.
-Kassie explains her new job.
-A funeral is planned!