Beyond the end

To be friends

The contact between Brenda and Kelly was silent and embarrassed. They shook hands, like two acquaintances. The words spoken at the airport were still burning and neither of them were going to give in.
Sammy instead was happy to have his father with him, they had planned to go to the Beach Club and he was Excited at the thought of being able to play with him and to show Hannah that his father was there. Alive and happy and that he came back for him.
"Why don't we just cut to the chase?" Brenda said without too much trouble "so we can enjoy the day."
"Very good," Kelly replied with an irritated air.
Brandon and Dylan felt the tension and the powerless. It was a hanging issue that only concerned them.
"Listen Kel, I'm sorry if somehow the character who is tied to you hurt you. This play is not the result of a day but of a thousand days spent writing and rethinking. That's my point of view."
"I believe it well."
"what is you real problem?"
"That's not me, that's my problem. And what upsets me the most is that he knew it, he knew it very well," he said looking at Dylan.
"I didn't write it Kel" Dylan defended himself and this annoyed Brenda.
"Are you not the producer? You approved it. And yet you were there," Kel turned up.
"This seems to me the conversation of the theater of the absurd" closed Brenda "we will never come out of it."
Brandon fell a step back watching his sister and the woman he loved to argue. He didn't want to take a side. But he knew that on one side and on the other he would pay for that neutrality. Probably in bed that same evening or during the day with his sister. He was actually irritated by how Kelly defended his relationship with Dylan. He hated to always have those years in front of him. Of course that us, between Brandon and Kelly, still didn't exist at the time, but it remained an annoying topic.
"Listen Kel. We need permission for the Fox show but it is not so necessary. Give us a lawsuit if you prefer."
"Be sure I will," Kelly said.
These words petrified Brenda.
"I can't believe it," she hissed, sitting heavily on the couch.
'Can we find a compromise?' Asked Dylan in a miserable attempt "when and if we make the show you will be able to see the scripts".
"What? is it a joke?" Brenda asked.
Dylan was surprised by that statement "didn't we agree like that?"
Brenda recalled back the speeches made in London. Before they leave. Dylan's attempts to find a solution.
"I don't think I want to continue this conversation," Brenda concluded by gazing him.
"Well," Kelly exclaimed, "we can go then."
"Not yet," Dylan interrupted.
Kelly and Brandon looked at him surprised.
"I'd like to take Sammy with me for a vacation, with Brenda."
"It's about time you acted like a father" Kelly was more irritated than she should have and it became easy to cross the line between the rational and the irrational. Dylan tried to stay calm and did not respond to the provocation.
"I would like to take him with me to Ecuador. I'd like to show him what I do when I'm not there."
Kelly was overwhelmed by a hysterical laugh.
"I will never let you."
"I don't need your permission Kel. I am the father."
"You're not fathers every other month Dylan," Kelly said with wickedness. Bran tried to hold her by the arm almost wanting to stop that river of bad words that were preparing between them.
"I have the right to take him on vacation."
"I remind you that those people wanted to kidnap him just a year ago."
"He's safe with me," Dylan said.
"No one is safe with you," Kelly closed.
Dylan looked at her with reproachful eyes.
Brandon noticed that Sammy was standing at the door, with shiny eyes, probably having felt the high tones and clearly perceived the friction.
"Sam" he said out loud so that the others would notice him too.
Kelly and Dylan approached him. They tried to reassure him.
"I don't want you to fight"
Dylan felt in a terrible way. Those days of quarrels seemed far away but they suddenly got closer.
"We're not fighting. We're just talking."
Dylan explained to him.
"Sure and now we're going to the beach," Kelly smiled.
"Can I go on vacation with dad then?"
Kelly was caught off guard. She didn't know what to answer.
"We'll think about it, okay?"
"I want to go," Sammy told him.
"What if you miss mom then?" Kel asked trying to save herself.
"I'll be back," the little one replied.
Kel smiled at him with conviction, for his sweetness, for the times he wanted Dylan to make him a part of his life.
"Now let's go to the beach and have fun" but the child looked at her with a serious air. And Kelly felt it.
They took two different cars and in each of them the conversation was very hard and was visible when they got out of the cars.
Only Dylan and Brandon exchanged quick compromise glances. They were hoping to get out of it soon. It was an unsustainable climate.
When they arrived at the Beach, everyone was already there. Clare and Kelly hugged each other, so did Brenda and Andrea. Steve was a little further with Maddy. It seemed for a moment that time had gone back. Even if for a short time.
Brenda entered the cabin to change. SHe laid down her stuff. And she was ready to put on her swimsuit. Behind her came Dylan.
"How many memories here," he said, kissing her on the neck.
"Yeah, not all beautiful."
"Bren.."
Brenda easily let herself be persuaded to let go.
"We can make them more beautiful now," he replied.
"We don't have time," Bren laughed, "and then there are the kids around."
"I don't think Steve will notice," Dylan joked and the observed Those eyes of Brenda, fiery. How much he loved them.
Steve watched Andrea from afar. She didn't seem disturbed by Clare's presence. SHe knew the story she had been there or maybe she hadn't taken it for a definitive thing. She was a different woman from the insecure and lat-sighted little girl in high school. He was attracted to her fierce independence.
They had talked about it the last time they had been together. No commitment. No involvement. Just a shared loneliness. That almost masculine attitude seemed strange to him.
"Okay" Hannah came out attracting everyone's attention "I hope you all don't get a syncope but that guy over there James, just invited me for a walk tonight. I would like to tell only my mother but I know for sure that after a while she will tell you so it's better that I do it before you get caught up in excitement. Therefore, question, what should I wear?"
Kelly, Donna, Clare and Brenda replied almost in chorus, "ask us what you have to wear?"
"I asked you ... please not to get agitated," Hannah said.
Donna put on her sunglasses, gave Ethan to David and took Hannah by the hand.
"Let's go, Aunt Donna helps you."
"Oh my God Aunt Donna," Hannah repeated with her Rolled eyes .
"We want to know everything," Brenda asked.
The girls sharpened next to a Hannah who did not betray emotions but after all she was happy to have a crowd of fashion experts who could help her. She liked James. They had chatted a few times. He was cute. He was nice. He was cheerful. And strangely enough, he liked her.
"Why don't you ask me?" Andrea asked a little further back. Hannah didn't want to hurt her mother.
"Why don't you come?" SHe smiled weakly at her.
Brenda and Kelly went into the cabin to get dressed and get the bags. They had barely spoken in the last few hours.
Brenda took a look at the flaps and sheets stacked on a table.
"What is this?
'A project of mine and Brandon's.'
"What project?"
"I'm writing a book of psychological technique for the evolutionary age."
"Seriously?"
"Yes" Kelly approached her even relieved that their conversations had shifted over her life.
"Brandon," Kelly said, "is helping me in writing, organizing notes, we like to do things together. We've been working on it for month ."
"It's great"
"Seriously?"
"Of course," Brenda smiled, "think if you needed my consent to publish it later," she threw a quick arrow at her.
""I knew it was too good for you to talk to me..." Kelly was irritated.
"No," Brenda stopped her, "I'm serious Kel, sorry, It was stronger than me, that's really great."
"Yeah " Kel took the bag and made to go out but again she was stopped by Brenda.
"Allow him to take Sammy with us, it's really important to him."
Kel turned slowly.
"If it can help us get along and improve the situation between us, we could work together on the screenplay for the show," Brenda surrendered.
"Seriously?"
Brenda smiled "allow him to take Sammy. Kel is important and he would be safe. I promise you."
She was willing To put aside her pride for him and Kel saw it clearly.
sHe nodded to her with her head.
"We can talk about it again, maybe tonight, or tomorrow. Now let's go."
The boys were left alone.
"What peace," Dylan said as he watched the sunny beach.
"Yeah," Brandon replied.
"Don't you have to work today, inside the news?"
"I'm also entitled to vacation. I actually had accumulated too many and they forced me to take It"
"Kel looks happy," Dylan suddenly told him "well maybe not today" he laughed "but she seems happy."
Brandon smiled.
"Thank you," Dylan said gently.
"For what?"
He didn't answer. There was no need.
Steve came back. Without Maddy who had run after the plan to dress Hannah for her first date he had a few minutes for himself .
"Here's our triangle 2.0," Brandon exclaimed.
"What do you mean?" Dylan asked.
David walked forward backwards with Ethan in his arms and stretched out his ear.
"If he wants to tell you," Brandon said.
"A gentleman doesn't tell certain things and then Clare's arrival didn't upset Andrea."
"What?" David and Dylan exclaimed together.
"Why don't you scream a little more" Steve became strict.
"We didn't give a definition to that thing we have, it's more of keeping company," Steve continued.
"And now he put her aside for Clare."
"I loved Clare" Steve was serious "I really loved her. Having her here is extraordinary. Being able to be with her. When she left it was terrible."
"I know" Brandon touched him on the shoulder.
"I can't believe we're all here together," Steve was moved, "until a few months ago I believed that my life was just to throw away and instead now I feel so happy and alive."
"You're not going to cry," Dylan told him.
Ethan began to cry seriously "Oh my God," David exclaimed.
"Come on give to me," Brandon stood up, "sit down a little and get something to drink."
Brandon took little Ethan with him and held him tight. He calmed down almost immediately.
"God thank you," David exclaimed, passing an icy can on his forehead.
The four remained silent for a few minutes. Together. Facing the ocean that shone for his boys who returned from the various fronts of the soul.