Episode
4.21
Only one
shadow on the wall
Just one candle burning bright
I hold your picture to my heart
I’m alone inside the night
The sun comes up in
Private
Chapel—
Preston
Layden paced outside as he waited for Clay Sapp to arrive. He didn’t like this.
It took them months to get a confirmation that Adel Davis and her
brother-in-law were there and had Isabella. His stomach was in knots; it had
been way too long since he’d seen his little girl.
“
“I know you
have.” Clay placed his hands on
“You’re
sure they’re here. You’re sure that Adel and Jeff are getting married tonight?
How can you be so sure?”
Clay smiled
as he looked up at the tropical night sky, “Because I over heard Jeff Davis ask
the Hotel Manager to arrange this.” He looked towards the thick wooden church
doors, “Right through there is your daughter.”
“Is their anyone where who has reason why these two should not
be married?” The minister asked as he looked around at the empty room. He took a
deep breath and was about to start again when the doors burst open.
“Stop!”
Preston Layden ran down the aisle, Adel and Jeff looked at him.
Adel was
pale, afraid, this couldn’t be happening.
“I want my
daughter back.”
“She’s
Doug’s child, not yours
Isabella
began to squirm, “Mommy, I no feel good.”
Adel
quickly responded by checking the warmth of her forehead, “Oh my God, she’s
burning up!”
Panic
flooded through
Jeff stood
shocked and looked at Clay Sapp who stood off to the side with a smug look,
“How dare you ruin this!” Jeff yelled at him.
“I just did
what your brother paid me to do, and what
“Why should
I trust you?” Jeff started towards the door.
Clay
laughed, “Because I know who Adel’s child is.”
Jeff slowly
turned to look at this man who had a knack for interrupting his life, “How do
you know about that?”
“Its my job to know Jeff, I know a lot of things about a lot
of people.” Clay slapped Jeff on the back and went towards the door. “I should
check on
Half the world is waiting for someone they can hold
Half the world is praying they’ll never be alone
Everytime you leave me a part of me goes too
And half your world is waiting here for you
817
Cassie
walked into her room and quickly shut the door, locking it behind her. She was
thankful that Amanda would be in class for another few hours. Her hands were
shaking as she went to her desk and took out the pile of letters she had
received lately. These letters were haunting her dreams. Just the night before
she had awoken in a cold sweat, panting, thankful Amanda was in the midst of a
peaceful sleep.
This letter
however, was the worst so far. These were making her question the decision to
return to the pageants. She had kept this to herself for far too long.
She put
them back in the drawer and laid down on the bed, but
who could she talk to? Her father would flip out and make her give up all her
dreams. Maggie was gone. Her mother was never any help, Ariel involved in her
own world.
She covered
her eyes with her hands and took long slow breaths and tried not to cry. She
had already dealt with so much in the past year, the
possibility of a stalker was the very last thing she needed.
“Cassie?”
Eric’s voice came from the hallway as he knocked on the door.
She sat up
and looked at her reflection in the mirror that hung on the door. She took a deep
breath and went to the door. “What’s up?”
“I’ve got
amazing news!” Eric declared as he entered the dark room. He looked around for
a moment, “You feeling alright?”
“Yeah.”
She lied and put a smile on, “I just got back from class. Professor Montgomery
was dull as hell once again.”
Eric
nodded, “I remember.”
“So what’s
your news?” She asked as she leaned against her desk.
He smiled,
“You’re looking at the new assistant manager of Film Magic.”
“Conner
actually made it official and promoted you?”
Eric chuckled,
“Yeah, I know. He’s finally gotten over that silly fear I would burn the place
down.”
“That’s
amazing Eric.” Cassie went to hug him when he pulled out a bouquet of white
roses. “What are these for?”
“For you,
for being my best friend a nerdy film geek like me could ask for.”
“Nerdy film geek? Eric you’re a member of the hottest frat on campus, where in that is
nerdy.”
“The parts
I never let my brothers see.” He studied her as she looked for something to put
the flowers in, “Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Yeah I’m
fine. I’m just nervous, in a few weeks I go on the road for a whirlwind tour of
pageants after pageants.”
“You’ll do
fine.”
Cassie
shook her head, “I’m not so sure of that.”
“Well I’m
your friend and I believe in you.” Eric pulled Cassie in and hugged her.
“Thank
you.” She said feeling his strength holding her close.
Eric rubbed
her back, he could feel the tension she was carrying with her. As he pulled
back slightly to look at her, he could see the tears begging for an escape.
Before
Cassie knew it, she was standing in the middle of her dorm room, crying,
holding on to her best friend.
“Cass,
what’s wrong?” Eric asked finally pulling away and sitting her on the bed.
Her eyes
were red, her breathing rapid, “I think, I think I have a stalker.”
Eric’s eyes
widened, “What?”
Cassie took
the letters out from the drawer and showed them to Eric.
After
scanning just a few he tossed them back on the desk and pulled Cassie to him,
“Don’t worry, I know someone who can help you. He can protect you.”
“Who?”
“A friend,
we’re not close. He used to be a cop. His name is Dan Adams.”
I reach across an empty bed
I hear your whisper in my ear
But like the sun without the moon
It’s half a dream without you here
The train that takes you from me
Brings somebody home
Dan Adams’
Apartment
“Oh come
on!” Dan called out to the television as he found himself loosing Grand
Theft Auto.
This is all
he had done since quitting the force. That and pray to God he got a new
roommate, especially if he didn’t get some private investigation work soon.
Dan turned
off the game and leaned back against the couch, closing his eyes. Wondering if
he’d made the biggest mistake of his life.
Knock, Knock, Knock.
Dan forced
himself off the couch and went to the door.
Jack
Forrest held the newspaper in his hand and rocked back and fourth on his feet.
“Can I help
you?” Dan asked as he studied the younger man.
“I read the
ad in the paper about their being an extra room.” Jack stopped rocking and
looked Dan in the eyes. “Listen, I’m in the dorms right now but my roommate
there is an insane alcoholic. I need to get out of their and finding a place
off campus is my only option.”
“Come on
in.” Dan moved out of the way and Jack stepped in.
“You live
here alone? This place is huge.”
“I know, when I moved in my brother and sister lived with me.
But they’ve since went different ways. I’m Dan Adams by the way.”
“Jack
Forrest.”
Dan led him
into the kitchen and then showed him around to what would be his room. After a
little more chit chat, they agreed on rent and when Jack would move in.
“Thank you
so much.” Jack said as he walked to the door, opening it just as Eric was about
to knock, and forcing Jack to come face to face with Amanda who seemed to be
holding Cassie steady. “Looks like you’ve got company. I’ll see you Saturday.”
Jack walked
out and Dan looked at the group standing at his doorway, “Eric, what’s going
on?” he asked, as his eyes looked at Cassie, knowing he’d seen her before, and
knowing he didn’t like her.
The group
came in and Eric shut the door, “Cassie thinks she might have a stalker.”
“Why not go
to Siobhan then, why come to me. I’m not a cop anymore Eric.” Dan reminded his
friend as he sat on the stool by the kitchen counter.
“Cassie is
a pageant contestant. She’s going to be going on this whirlwind pageant thing
in a few weeks, like a different one each week. She needs someone to protect
her, watch out for her and this psycho.” Eric stood looking down on his friend.
“Please, we can pay you obviously.”
“What proof
is there?”
“These.”
Amanda handed Dan a envelope with all the letters,
“She’s had them in her desk thinking they weren’t really anything until the
most recent one.”
“And you
are?”
“Amanda
Bryan, her roommate.” She left Cassie’s side for a moment, “Listen, this girl
has had one hell of a year. A stalker is really the last thing she needed.”
“What’s
happened in the last year?”
“My prom
date died in a car accident the night of prom, my sister died because some
crazy person rigged it so her jet ski would blow up.” Cassie looked straight at
Dan, “You were at Maggie’s wedding.”
That’s who
she was, Maggie’s sister. Damnit. He would have to protect her now. “I’ll do it. One
condition though.”
“What’s
that?” Eric asked.
Dan looked
at the college kids in front of him, some piece of him wish he’d had most of
the experiences they had but realized he wouldn’t give up his past. “Her father
has to know.”
“Don’t
worry Cassie, I’ll be there with you when you tell
him.” Eric smiled at her.
“Me too.”
Amanda squeezed Cassie’s hand.
Half the world is waiting for someone they can hold
Half the world is praying they’ll never be alone
Everytime you leave me a part of me goes too
And half your world is waiting here for you
Kyle
Roberts sat at the table looking back and fourth between Sally Payne and Trista
Silversky. This was not how he expected to do this. Ever since he’d
caught them in his office about to kill each other he’d been trying to set
things right with both.
“Well,
which one of us will it be?” Trista asked, “I’ve been in this moment before and
at least that time I knew how things would turn out.”
Kyle rubbed
his forehead, “Ladies, I’ll be honest. I only want to spend the rest of my life
with one of you.”
“Then
propose to her.” Sally drummed her fingers on the table top.
“Pressure, pressure, pressure.” Kyle sighed as he looked over at the waiter and
motioned for him to bring over the plate he held with a cover.
The waiter
placed the plate down in front of Trista and removed the lid.
Trista,
Marry Me looked up
at her in frosting.
“Now that
one, I saw coming.” Sally got up and looked at Kyle and then Trista,
“Congratulations.”
“Well,
Trista will you marry me?” Kyle had gotten down on one knee, taken Trista’s hand in his and presented her with the ring he had
gotten for her so long ago.
“Of course
I’ll marry you!”
Baby the earth stands still
When I’m lying next to you
No matter where you go
Our whole world’s inside this room
The sun comes up in
The lights go on in
Hallow
Hills—Laura’s Bedroom
“John, you
need to get going.” Laura could feel his lips on her neck as he snuggled closer
to her under the sheets.
“I don’t
want to leave you.” He confessed.
Laura
rolled over, looking in his eyes, “You think I want you to leave? I just know
that
“Maybe she
should find out.”
Laura took
his hand and kissed his palm, “Not yet, let us have this time just you and I
first.”
“Alright,
you’re right.” John kissed her, aching for more of her. Since they’d started up
again he hadn’t been able to get enough. His craving for her,
just became more intense. “I love you Laura.”
“I love you
to John.”
He began to
plant kisses along her neck when his cellphone began
to ring. “Crap, that’ll be Abby.” He motioned for Laura to be quite as he hit
the speaker option. “Hi Honey.”
“Daddy, I
made a mistake.”
John leaned
closer to the phone, “What happened sweetheart?”
Abby’s
unsteady breathing filtered through her voice, “I married Ethan.”
“Baby girl,
you chose him. You had a chance to back out and—Damnit
Abby I know you have feelings for
Laura’s
eyes were wide as she listened to the twists unfolding before her.
“Daddy, I
love him.”
“Abby,
where are you?”
“I think
I’m at JFK, in
John leaned
against the headboard, “You left Ethan?”
“Yeah, I
did.” Abby sighed and John could tell she was looking around the area around
her.
“Abigail
Adams, you turn right around and get on a plane back to
“No, Daddy
I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to fix the mistake I made.”
Before John
could respond, Abby had hung up on him. He looked at Laura.
“Abby is in
love with
“I know, this is going to be bad. Very bad.”
John climbed out of the bed and started getting dressed. “I’ve got to see if
maybe I can stop or at least divert Ethan before Abby completely ruins her
life.”
Laura was
about to get up, “Let me handle Ethan. You go and get
Abby.”
John looked
at her for a moment before looking away, “I can’t let you do that.”
“Please
John, he’s my nephew, she’s your daughter.”
“Thank
you.” John kissed her softly on the lips before grabbing his shoes and running
to the door.
Half the world is waiting for someone they can hold
Half the world is praying they’ll never be alone
And everytime you leave me
my heart breaks in two
And half the world is waiting here for you
Conner’s
Apartment
Lysa stood
in front of the bathroom mirror, removing her makeup after the dance. Her hair
was a mess from the semi-up do she’d perfected that afternoon. She looked at
her reflection, tonight she’d had a perfectly normal teenage night. She and
Gary had fun together, just as two friends should. Yet still, something seemed
off to her.
“Lysa, you done yet?” Conner called out from the hall.
“Just a second.” Lysa picked up her cotton balls and tossed them in the trash can before
walking into the hall. “All yours Dad.”
“Thanks.”
Conner paused in the doorway, “I’ve got a conference in
Lysa was
afraid to answer, afraid to loose her father’s trust again, “Yeah, Siobhan is
just down the hall, Dan’s downstairs, Grandma and Grandpa are just a phone call
away.”
Conner
leaned over and kissed her forehead, “Good answer.”
“Thanks
Daddy.” Lysa went towards her bedroom, her heart breaking for her father. The
moment she found out Maggie had died; she expected this from him, this shadow
of himself. A man who had loved with all he had, and then it was ripped away
from him.
She closed
her bedroom door and went over to her dresser, picking up the old locket she
had found in the riverbed. So far she hadn’t been able to open it. She pressed
her thumbnail against the clasp and finally pushed it open.
As her eyes
studied the pictures inside, tears burned her eyes just before she dropped. Her
hand over her mouth in surprise as she took a few steps back and then sat at
the foot of her bed. She couldn’t believe what she saw.
Lysa sat
there, in shock for several more moments before getting up once again and
looking at the pictures inside. A young blond child, at the oldest of seven
years looked at her. A very familiar looking child, it was her. Then on the
other side was her mother, Bethany.
I’m waiting here for you ...
It was
dark; it was late, a slight hint of the wind against the building caused Chad
Davis to sit straight up in bed. His eyes studied the dark room, as if he was
expecting something or someone to be there.
He tossed
his blankets to the side and let his feet touch the cold hard wood floor as he
went to explore his apartment. He checked on
A chill
shot through his body and he turned around, sure that something was there. He
went to the window that looked out at the city, as if the answer was there. All
he could see were taxi cabs, and people enjoying the
night hours.
He started
back to his bedroom when he tripped on an area rug and his hand hit the
bookshelf, causing several books to fall to the ground.
After
returning the books to the shelf he went back to his bed, tucking himself in
under the covers just as his cellphone started to
chirp. He groaned flipping open the screen, realizing he’d just received a text
message.
Abby left
Ethan, she’s in NYC. Send her back to her husband.
Aunt Laura
1:02 AM
He closed
the phone and put it back on the night stand, just as it started to chirp
again. He reached over and opened it, seeing that it was Abby.
“Go back to
Colorado Abby.” Was all he said before hanging up.