After Maison Blanche

Chapter 17

"Oh my G-d! Eric!" Sami screamed when she opened the door to her grandparents house, and saw her brother standing there with a large duffle bag, and a sheepish look on his face. She threw herself into him, causing him to drop the bag, and catch her before she fell. She was sobbing uncontrollably, and clinging to him as if he would disappear. She needed him, and there he was.

"Whoa! What's wrong?" Eric asked, hugging her tightly.

"Everything! Everything is wrong." Sami sobbed. "And I've been trying to work it out in my head, but I can't because Dad hates Mom, and Mom's back with John...and I'm nothing but confused!"

"C'mon," Eric mumbled, putting his arm around his sisters shoulder, and grabbing his bag from the ground. "We'll talk about this inside the house."

Placing his bag on the floor inside the door, Eric walked Sami towards the couch. It took him several moments to get his sister calm enough that she was able to hold a coherent conversation. What he gathered was that his father was enraged over their mother and John, and spent the majority of his time expressing that displeasure. In private, or as private as it could be with Sami around, and in front of Sami. In front of her it was more subtle, but if he thought he could speak freely, to his parents, Abe or Bo, he could be nasty. Roman would call Marlena all types of horrible things, or he would blame John for seducing Marlena away from him. It was hurting Sami, and her heart was breaking.

Eric sighed, holding her close. His father was obviously still a loud, blustering fool. Of course Sami would know everything, Sami was always the one who was able to get the details when they were kids. She had honed her eavesdropping skills as a child. There were several times that John had caught her behind corners trying to listen to adult conversations not meant for little ears.

Eric chuckled remembering, and said to a silent Sami, "Do you remember the time we wanted ice cream, and Dad...well, John, was talking to Grandma about your grade on your history test? You thought you were so slick with that glass up to the kitchen door, but dad snuck out the other door, and came up behind you."

Sami smiled, and laughed, "Yeah, he leaned in behind me, and said, 'Hear anything good?' I screamed so loud, he laughed at me." Her smile faded from her face. "I haven't been to see them, Eric. I haven't returned one call, and Mom calls every day," Sami started to cry again, wiping her eyes in way that reminded Eric of their mother. "It's been over a month, and I haven't gone to see them. I won't return mom's calls...I want to... I do, but I won't let myself. I'm so angry, but I don't even know who I'm mad at anymore...Mom and Da—John...or Daddy."

"We'll go. You and me, sis. We'll go over to the penthouse together, okay?" Eric told her gently. "You don't have to pick sides, Sami. No one is asking you to do that."

"I feel like Dad is. He tries to act like he isn't, but the way he talks about them, and the faces he makes if someone else does...he's happy that I haven't called Mom."

"It doesn't matter. What do you want?"

"I want my Mom," she whispered. "I want my Daddy back."

"You mean John?"

She nodded her head, and tears started falling from her eyes again, "They moved though. About a week ago. Dad was really angry because Carrie, Austin, Abe, Lexie, Bo, and Hope helped them move, while Grandma and Grandpa watched Belle and Brady. He told Aunt Kayla on the phone, 'That fucking home wrecker bought her some dump in the River District'..." Sami's voice trailed off, and then picked back up a moment later, "But the house is beautiful Eric. Do you remember when Mom came home? She was trying to get to know us and spend time with us, and we walked down there? I saw this house, with a turret, and I said—"