“Can’t you find it in your heart to forgive her? ” Bo asked Victor. “I know I’m putting you in a difficult position, but it’s the only way I know how to save my future with Hope. ”
Victor stared at him.
“How long does Vivian have to live? ”
“I don’t know,” Bo admitted. “But judging from the way she’s acting, she can’t have too much time left. ”
Victor sighed.
“All right. I’ll go to the dinner with Kate. But that’s all I promise. ”
In the DiMera mansion, Vivian was basking in the attention of her nephew Nicholas, who had suddenly reappeared in her life.
Stefano watched the reunion with barely concealed suspicion. “So tell me,” Stefano said. “How long does he plan to stay? ”
Vivian smiled.
“Till the end, I hope. ”
Stefano’s expression tightened. He had hoped to take Vivian on a leisurely cruise around the world, but she insisted on staying home near family. When Nicholas returned with her medication and tea, Stefano tried to mask his irritation by inviting the young man to dinner.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Nicholas said, his smile too smooth. “After all, we are family now. Right, Uncle Stef? ”
John stood in Marlena’s office, his shoulders heavy with frustration.
He had once believed that one clue would lead to another, that all the pieces would fall together and everyone would live happily ever after. But he had been wrong. Things had gotten complicated, and he couldn’t do any more for Hope. “No more about Hope and the search,” he said firmly.
“I just need to concentrate on what I can do for you and Sami right now. ”
In another room, Gina confronted Rolf about the chip in John’s brain. She wanted to know how it worked. “Don’t even think about it, Gina,” Rolf warned.
“Stefano has made it clear he wants John’s memories of the past buried forever. And we wouldn’t want to cross Stefano, now would we? ”
Gina forced a smile. She returned to her paintings, but her mind was racing.
She could not imagine her life without John. She was terrified of losing him. But she knew exactly how to make sure that never happened. Mike was pacing.
Carrie found him reading something that made his face twist with anger. “Mike? You look upset. What are you reading?
”
He shoved the paper aside. “Nothing. It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay.
”
He pulled her into his arms, but neither of them felt safe. Someone had sent photographs of Carrie and Mike to Austin, and Carrie was determined to find out who. Nancy had conveniently confirmed that Ali was out of town during the Vegas trip, which left the mystery wide open. “Well, it is my job to protect Mike and this hospital,” Carrie declared.
“And that is what I intend to do. But I am also going to find whoever sent those photos to Austin. ”
At the police station, Abe was caught off guard when the D. A.
called. Carson was furious that he hadn’t been informed about the Brady situation. “One concerned citizen has already offered a $500,000 reward for any information leading to the Brady girl’s capture,” Carson said. Abe tried to stall.
“Don’t release any information to the press without my word. ”
“Excuse me? Are you giving me orders? ” Carson snapped.
“No, it is not okay, Carver. Now you find that girl, and you find her tonight. ”
After Abe hung up, Lucas stood nearby, looking guilty. “You just couldn’t wait to call the D.
A. , could you? ” Abe accused him. “Did it ever occur to you that if Sami finds out we’re looking for her, she’ll go so deep underground, we might never find her?
Is that what you want? ”
Lucas’s face crumpled. “Oh, my God. I may never see Will again.
”
At the airport, Sami stood at the ticket counter with Will. Her hands were shaking, but she forced herself to stay calm. “Tickets and I. D.
s, please,” the agent said. Sami handed over two passports. “There’s mine, and this is his. ”
The agent looked at the documents, then at Will.
“This your son? ”
“Yes, it is. ”
“Do you have a letter from the child’s father giving you permission to take your son out of the country? ”
Sami’s heart stopped.
But she remembered the envelope Tracey had given her. She pulled it out of her bag, her fingers trembling. “Here it is. ”
The man examined it, nodded, and stamped the tickets.
“Thank you, Tracey,” Sami whispered to herself. She looked down at Will and squeezed his hand. “We made it, Will. We made it.
”
Back at the DiMera mansion, Vivian was still glowing with happiness. Stefano excused himself to find a menu, and Nicholas followed him into the study. “Your sudden appearance in Salem has my curiosity peaked,” Stefano said, his voice cold. “What are you after?
Vivian’s inheritance, no doubt. ”
Nicholas kept his expression innocent. “All I want is to spend time with her. ”
Stefano’s eyes narrowed.
“Too little, too late, Nick. You haven’t been part of Vivian’s life for years now, and I’m going to be damn sure that you’re not part of her life now that she is dying. Do I make myself perfectly clear? ”
In the dining room, Vivian welcomed Bo’s call.
The caterer had confirmed that Victor and Kate would attend her little soiree. “Excellent,” Vivian said. “I knew you could get through to him. ”
Bo’s voice was tense.
“It wasn’t easy. Now the ball is in your court, Vivian. ”
“Just tell me what you want me to do. ”
Vivian hung up the phone and smiled.
Tonight, everything would change. She had a plan, and no one—not Stefano, not Nicholas, not even Bo—knew the full truth of what she intended to set in motion.
